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.
In brief
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lately
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.
What Alice is looking for
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.
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.
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 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.
Not the right fit
On Alice's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Alice
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.
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.
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.
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.
Do not omit the age category and genre in your first line; with a range spanning picture books to YA, she needs immediate orientation.
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.
Never submit a manuscript with a primary airplane or aviation-emergency setting — this is a firm personal line, not a preference.
Confirm the form is still open before submitting, as status can change without announcement.