Carleen Geisler is a Vancouver-area literary agent at Britt Siess Creative Management who hunts for atmospheric, voice-driven adult fiction and surprising nonfiction with broad human appeal.
In brief
Geisler is newly settled at Britt Siess Creative Management (joined early 2026), having previously built her agenting career at two other agencies — writers who queried her before should submit fresh to her current home.
Her fiction wishlist skews distinctly literary and strange: she is drawn to unsettling atmospheres, grounded speculative work, and quiet stories with real emotional stakes — not plot-driven genre fare.
She is actively and explicitly building her nonfiction list right now, calling it a high priority; her interests there are unusually broad (food, agriculture, wellness, witchy/spiritual topics, weird niche subjects) and she welcomes being genuinely surprised.
She lives and works on a regenerative produce farm outside Vancouver — nature, agriculture, and unusual settings are not abstract interests for her; they show up as lived values that will resonate in your pitch if relevant.
No sales record is yet publicly confirmed at BSCM, so her taste signals come chiefly from her detailed wishlist; the consistency and specificity of that list across platforms suggests a well-formed editorial sensibility even at an early career stage.
Lately
As of February 2025, Geisler refreshed her wishlist to signal that nonfiction is an active priority — she's looking for niche subjects that connect to broad human truths, and welcomes being surprised by topics she hasn't previously considered.
What Carleen is looking for
This is her core territory. She wants a strong, engaging voice above all else — books that read as 'slow' but are quietly magnetic, everyday stories with a sense that they could be happening to someone real, and narratives that make her think differently about what it means to be human. She gravitates toward the odd, the atmospheric, and the quietly unsettling rather than high-concept plot machines. Settings outside the United States are a genuine plus. Characters with unusual or unexpected occupations catch her eye.
She is open to commercial fiction, including romance, though her bar here is higher than it might appear. Romance needs a genuinely compelling subplot that carries its own weight. Thrillers and suspense are welcome but should break from the standard formula — specifically, she prefers they don't pivot around a discovered body or death. Dark, dreadful plots and real-life stakes appeal to her more than procedural structures.
She will consider speculative fiction as long as it stays grounded and doesn't veer into traditional science fiction or fantasy. Think: the strangeness of the everyday made strange, weird atmospheres, or horror that unsettles through psychological and natural tension rather than supernatural mechanics. She is explicit that she does not want supernatural horror or traditional SFF worldbuilding.
She will consider historical fiction, but only when it blends meaningfully with another genre. Pure historical narratives set in the past are unlikely to land; the historical setting should be in service of a contemporary emotional or genre effect.
She is actively and urgently building this side of her list. Her sweet spot is a niche or unexpected subject delivered by an author who both knows it deeply and can connect it to something universally human. She is drawn to food, agriculture, spirituality, mind/body/spirit, animals and pets, natural living, community and culture, pop culture, science and STEM, and anything in the witchy/astrology/tarot/oracle space. Non-mainstream health and wellness topics are especially appealing. She also explicitly welcomes being surprised by subjects she hasn't considered — if you can make her care about something she previously ignored, she wants to hear from you. Only full nonfiction books; no shorter work.
Not the right fit
On Carleen's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Carleen
Email inquiries to the agency address noted on the BSCM website; the agency uses a single submission inbox, so address your query to Carleen Geisler by name in your message.
She is novel-length only — do not submit novellas, short story collections, or nonfiction proposals shorter than a full book concept.
For fiction, lead with voice before plot. Her wishlist repeatedly returns to atmosphere, mood, and prose quality — a query that conveys what it feels like to read your book will outperform a pure plot summary.
Name your comps deliberately: she has publicly named six specific touchstone titles. If your book genuinely echoes any of them, say so and say why. If it doesn't, pick honest comps in the same atmospheric register rather than forcing a connection.
For nonfiction, lead with your specific subject expertise and then immediately articulate the universal human hook. She has flagged authors who can make unfamiliar topics feel urgent and personal — demonstrate that you can do this in the query itself.
If your story is set outside the United States, mention it early. It's an explicit positive signal for her.
Avoid pitching any of her stated hard exclusions — especially detective-job mysteries, second-chance romance, memory-loss plots, or supernatural horror — even as secondary elements.
The agency joined the market in early 2026; verify the submission email and any specific query guidelines on the live BSCM website before sending, as processes at a new agency can evolve quickly.