Courtney Miller-Callihan is the founder of Handspun Literary Agency and a 20-year publishing veteran whose eclectic, commercial list is defined by a fierce commitment to underrepresented voices, relationship-driven storytelling, and genre-blending fiction that defies easy categorization.
In brief
Courtney founded Handspun in 2016 after more than a decade at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates — she brings major-agency infrastructure instincts to a boutique operation.
Her list is deliberately wide: she sells across romance, SFF, mystery, horror, historical fiction, YA, and nonfiction, but the through-line is always voice, character, and stories centered on underrepresented people.
She is CLOSED to queries as of April 19, 2026 — confirm her live form before submitting anything.
She explicitly flags that her list is full, so a manuscript needs to be genuinely exceptional to break through; 'Marmite books' — polarizing, unforgettable work — are more likely to excite her than safe, broadly appealing pitches.
She is not currently accepting middle-grade, early reader, or picture book submissions, and she will not consider nonfiction centered primarily on religion or spirituality.
Lately
Her agency page confirms she is currently closed to queries, while her fellow Handspun agent Ben Miller-Callihan remains open. Writers should check the live form directly before attempting to submit.
What Courtney is looking for
She wants speculative fiction that draws authentically from the author's own culture, background, and identity — stories that consciously move away from the 'ordinary white boy discovers he's the Chosen One' template. Africanfuturism, AAPI fantasy, horror, and sci-fi, diaspora narratives, and character-driven SFF all resonate strongly. Cross-genre elements are a plus. She's an admitted Murderbot fan, so emotionally resonant found-family dynamics and unlikely relationships within SFF have a direct line to her.
She represents all romance subgenres except inspirational. The key is a tropey premise executed with a genuinely fresh angle — especially when the central characters are historically underrepresented. She has no patience for conflict built on simple misunderstandings; she wants couples who have truly earned their happily-ever-after or happily-for-now. Cozy, feelgood settings the reader wants to inhabit are a plus. She also welcomes romantasy here.
Amateur sleuth mysteries, cozy mysteries, and crime fiction are all on her list. BIPOC-centered mysteries and cross-genre mystery hybrids fit her broader taste profile. Heist stories with a roots-for-the-criminal energy are a particular weak spot — she wants to be on the thief's side.
Historical fiction is a consistent part of her list. She gravitates toward work centered on underrepresented perspectives — diaspora stories, non-Eurocentric settings, and historical narratives that haven't been told to death. Strong voice and relationship dynamics are expected.
Commercial women's fiction and book club-oriented adult fiction are squarely within her wheelhouse. She favors emotionally earned, character-driven stories with ensemble casts or found-family dynamics. Dark female friendships and stories about books themselves have caught her attention.
She represents YA novels across genres — commercial YA, YA SFF, and YA with strong voice and diverse protagonists all fit. Note that she is not currently accepting middle-grade, early readers, or picture books.
Humor runs through her list as both a genre tag and a tonal marker. She welcomes humorous fiction and humor-focused nonfiction. The humor needs to be genuinely funny, not just 'light' — she gravitates toward wit baked into concept and voice rather than joke-forward writing.
She will consider nonfiction targeting any age group. Her listed interests include humor, LGBTQ topics, pop culture, psychology, and science. She is unlikely to take on work whose primary focus is religion or spirituality. Nonfiction centered on underrepresented communities and perspectives fits her broader list philosophy.
Not the right fit
On Courtney's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Courtney
She is CLOSED as of April 19, 2026 — do not submit until the form reopens. Check her agency's live submission page directly before preparing anything.
When she is open, submissions require: a query letter, a short synopsis (ideally five pages or fewer), and either the first three chapters or the first 50 pages — whichever is longer. Attach files as Word documents rather than PDFs.
Lead with what makes your story genuinely unusual. She is drawn to 'Marmite books' — polarizing, maximally specific work that takes a real swing. A pitch that sounds like everything else is a harder sell given how full her list is.
If your book is speculative fiction, make clear in the query how your own background, culture, or identity informs the world and characters. She is explicitly seeking work where that connection is present and real.
For romance: name the trope, then immediately explain what makes your execution of it fresh — especially if your protagonists come from underrepresented communities. Prove the misunderstanding (if any) is structural and hard-won, not a simple one.
Heist stories, ensemble casts, found-family dynamics, and cross-genre surprises ('and also Santa is real') are all genuine green lights — if your pitch has one of these, name it explicitly.
Avoid querying with: dystopian or post-apocalyptic premises, inspirational romance, middle-grade, picture books, or early readers — she is not considering these regardless of query quality.
She spent over a decade at a major agency before founding Handspun, so she understands the full commercial landscape. Frame your pitch with commercial awareness: comp titles, target audience, and word count should all be polished and accurate.