Glass Elevator

Alice Sutherland-Hawes is a children's-and-YA-focused agent at her own boutique, ASH Literary, who champions underrepresented voices across every format from picture books to graphic novels, with a particular eye for fresh, character-driven stories that subvert tired tropes.

Synthesized from 3 independent signals · last reviewed June 2026
01

In brief

the 30-second read
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Alice founded ASH Literary in 2020 after stints at two prominent London agencies, bringing established industry relationships to an independent platform with a deliberate diversity mandate.

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Her client roster skews heavily toward YA and MG fiction with strong found-family, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC threads — her stated wish for 'underrepresented voices' is visibly lived out in who she actually signs.

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Her wish for YA rom-coms, road trips, and subverted tropes is corroborated by her roster: multiple clients write contemporary YA with exactly those textures, suggesting strong editorial alignment rather than just aspirational language.

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She is more actively seeking author-illustrators in picture books right now — author-only PB writers are a lower priority and should note this gate before querying.

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One concrete personal red line almost no other agent publishes: she will not read manuscripts set primarily on a plane or involving aviation emergencies — factor this into your pitch.

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Lately

most recent public notes

Alice's agency page describes ASH Literary as actively seeking creators across picture books through YA, with a particular emphasis on voices that have historically been underrepresented — including in subject areas often dismissed as 'overdone' when written from a majority perspective.

January 2026 · 6mo ago
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What Alice is looking for

organized from the wishlist, interviews, and listings
Picture Books (author-illustrators prioritized)Selective

Alice wants picture books that feel genuinely fresh and a little offbeat — texts that teach something without lecturing and that approach familiar subjects from an unexpected angle. Her taste runs toward joyful, high-energy reads with a distinct visual sensibility. Crucially, she is currently prioritizing author-illustrators over authors submitting text-only manuscripts; writers without illustration samples should be aware this is a conditional welcome, not an open one.

CompsLook Up by Nathan Bryon and Dapo AdeolaHair Love by Matthew Cherry and Vashti HarrisonOi Puppies! by Kes Gray and Jim Field
Middle GradeActively seeking

Alice is hunting for MG with a standout narrative voice and characters readers cannot shake. She is drawn to magical realism, contemporary adventure, and fantastical world-building — but the character always comes first. She's especially interested in stories that center identities rarely seen at the center of MG narratives. While she is generally selective about fantasy, BIPOC creators working in fantastical MG are warmly welcomed.

CompsThe Strangeworlds Travel Agency by L.D. LapinskiBloom by Nicola SkinnerPet by Akwaeke Emezi
Young AdultActively seeking

Contemporary YA is clearly her sweet spot. She wants rom-coms with real wit, road-trip narratives, high-school drama, and stories set during the first year of college — especially where genre tropes get flipped on their head. Her roster strongly reflects this: multiple current clients write precisely this kind of sharply-voiced, culturally specific contemporary YA. Across all YA, she actively seeks voices and perspectives that have historically been sidelined, and she's explicit that the story should come from lived experience — own-voices alignment matters here.

Graphic Novels (all ages)Open to

Graphic novels across the full age range are a genuine interest — she's happy to receive either a full pitch with art or a script sample. She gravitates toward the fun and surreal as much as serious literary fare, spanning fantasy, contemporary, and magical realism. The breadth here is real: she's not restricting to one register or age group within the format.

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Not the right fit

save yourself the rejection
Chapter books
Science fiction (from most creators; BIPOC creators may query)
Fantasy (very selective generally; BIPOC creators may query)
Horror
Talking-animal stories
Stories about white, able-bodied WW2 evacuees (or similar majority-perspective takes on historically overdone subject matter)
Books about an identity the author does not share
Manuscripts set primarily on a plane or featuring aviation emergencies (personal phobia — firm line)
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On Alice's list

authors and titles represented
NF
Namina FornaCareer launch client; debut launched under Alice's representation.
KG
Kereen GettenCareer launch client.
PM
Poonam MistryCareer launch client.
TG
Tamika GibsonDreams Beyond the ShoreKirkus Reviews Best Contemporary Teen Books of 2017; Burt Award for Caribbean Literature winner. Current client.
TG
Tamika GibsonOff TrackNamed one of SLJ's top YA sports novels. Repeat/current client.
AF
Alex Falase-KoyaCurrent client.
RF
Rachel FaturotiCurrent client.
RH
Radiya HafizaCurrent client.
CS
Cynthia SoCurrent client.
CS
Chitra SoundarCurrent client.
AC
Alex de CampiCurrent client; graphic novel background aligns with agency's GN interest.
CC
Chelsea M. CameronCurrent client.
SC
Sophie CameronCurrent client.
RG
Ravena GuronCurrent client.
SP
Samuel PollenCurrent client.
LS
Lucy SaxonCurrent client.
SG
Sarah GuilloryCurrent client.
BC
Brittni ChenelleCurrent client; diversity-in-fiction advocate.
AH
Anika HussainCurrent client.
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Taste fingerprint

the threads that run through Alice's taste
underrepresented voicesown-voicessubverted tropesmagical realismcontemporary YArom-comgraphic novelsLGBTQIA+BIPOC creatorsauthor-illustrators
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How to query Alice

8 ways in Through an online form
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Lead with your protagonist's identity and the specific trope or perspective your story reframes — Alice's wishlist makes clear she wants to know upfront how your voice or viewpoint is distinct.

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If you are submitting a picture book, state clearly whether you are an author-illustrator or an author-only submission — she is currently prioritizing author-illustrators, so be transparent about your role.

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Mention comp titles from her stated favorites only if they are genuinely close in tone and age category; her taste is specific enough that a precise comp will land better than a prestigious but tonally mismatched one.

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For graphic novels, you may submit either a full pitch with art or a script sample — specify which you are providing in your query letter.

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Do not omit the age category and genre in your first line; with a range spanning picture books to YA, she needs immediate orientation.

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If your manuscript is fantasy or sci-fi, flag your own background clearly in the query — she is selective in those genres generally but explicitly open to BIPOC creators working in them.

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Never submit a manuscript with a primary airplane or aviation-emergency setting — this is a firm personal line, not a preference.

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Confirm the form is still open before submitting, as status can change without announcement.

Open the submission form
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Frequently asked

what writers ask about Alice
Is Alice Sutherland-Hawes currently open to queries?
Her submission form was directly observed as open on 2026-01-13. Statuses change, so confirm the live form is still accepting submissions before sending your query.
What agency does Alice Sutherland-Hawes work at?
She founded and runs ASH Literary, a boutique children's and YA agency she established in 2020. It is based in Atlanta.
Does Alice represent adult fiction?
No. ASH Literary focuses exclusively on children's and YA literature, spanning picture books through young adult, including graphic novels across all ages within that spectrum.
Does Alice accept picture book submissions from authors who are not illustrators?
She will consider text-only picture book submissions, but her current priority is author-illustrators. If you are an author without illustration samples, your submission is a lower priority right now — factor this in before querying.
Will Alice consider fantasy or sci-fi?
Both are flagged as generally not a strong fit. However, she explicitly carves out an exception for BIPOC creators working in either genre — she is happy to consider those submissions. Writers who are not BIPOC should avoid querying fantasy or sci-fi to her.
What does Alice Sutherland-Hawes NOT want?
She is not looking for chapter books, horror, talking-animal stories, or stories where the author writes about an identity they do not personally share. She is not a fit for sci-fi or fantasy from non-BIPOC creators. She will not read manuscripts set primarily on a plane or involving aviation emergencies — this is a firm personal line. She also has no interest in majority-perspective takes on heavily trodden subject matter (e.g., stories about white, able-bodied WW2 evacuees).
What does Alice Sutherland-Hawes most want right now?
Her highest priorities are contemporary YA (especially rom-coms, road trips, and trope-subverting high school or first-year-of-college stories), character-driven middle grade with magical realism or fantastical adventure, and graphic novels across all ages. Across every category, she is actively seeking underrepresented voices and perspectives.
Does Alice accept graphic novel submissions?
Yes, across all ages. She accepts either a script sample or a full pitch with art, so you do not need finished illustrations to query. She is drawn to the fun, the surreal, and the serious in equal measure.
Who are some notable authors Alice Sutherland-Hawes has represented?
She has credited herself with launching the careers of Namina Forna, Kereen Getten, and Poonam Mistry. Current roster clients include award-winning YA author Tamika Gibson (whose debut won the Burt Award for Caribbean Literature), as well as Rachel Faturoti, Alex Falase-Koya, Radiya Hafiza, Cynthia So, and Chitra Soundar, among many others.
What is Alice's background before starting ASH Literary?
She spent time at two established London agencies — most recently at the Madeleine Milburn Agency, and before that with Hilary Delamere at The Agency (London) Ltd — giving her roughly six years of agenting experience before launching ASH Literary in 2020.
Does Alice represent both authors and illustrators?
Yes. The agency's roster page lists both authors and illustrators as distinct categories, and her picture book guidance specifically welcomes author-illustrators as a priority.