Yona Levin
United Talent Agency
My Manuscript Wish List®
Yona Levin joined United Talent Agency from Fletcher & Company in early 2023. They coordinate the sale and translation of agency books to publishers all over the world, and represent a range of fiction, Young Adult and Middle Grade, and the occasional nonfiction title. A New York City native, Yona has a B.A. in English and Political Science from Wellesley College.
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In YA and MG fiction, Yona likes classic adventure stories and speculative fiction & fantasy that is off the beaten path. Think Terry Pratchett, not Vampire Academy. They are drawn to humor and creative formats, and have a soft spot for pirates, retold fairy tales, and children who are too clever for their own good. Their favorites in this space include The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, Terry Pratchett’s Discworld (especially the Tiffany Aching books), The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake.
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In adult fiction, they are particularly drawn to family sagas and character driven stories. They also enjoy magical realism and some grounded speculative fiction, a la The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. In nonfiction, Yona likes big idea books from fresh perspectives that reframe how we understand the world.
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Across all genres, Yona looks for stories that inspire empathy while still being entertaining, and is often drawn to clever writing and creative formats.
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I am not currently acquiring:
-True crime
-Mystery/thriller/suspense
-Business
-Romance/erotica
-Spiritual/religion
-Sports (unless it’s gymnastics)
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Specific things I’d love to see:
-Stories about single-parent families
-Updated versions of classic kids’ series like Magic Tree House, Boxcar Children, etc.
-Nonfiction that digs into internet communities – fandoms, linguistics, activism, etc.
-LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent perspectives
-Anything gymnastics related
Submission Guidelines
Please submit your query via the form on the UTA Publishing website.
Vital Info
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