Daniela González Landero is a junior agent at Ladderbird Literary Agency who exclusively champions writers from underrepresented and marginalized communities, with a sharp focus on upmarket adult horror steeped in Gothic atmosphere, folklore, and the psychic weight of diaspora and immigrant experience.
In brief
Her wishlist is unusually focused: upmarket adult horror is her primary and stated passion — not a side interest. Writers pitching anything outside that gravitational field face an uphill battle.
She is exclusively seeking clients from underrepresented and marginalized communities; this is not a preference but a stated condition of representation.
Her touchstone titles — Mexican Gothic, Monstrilio, White is for Witching — reveal a consistent taste for horror that is formally ambitious, culturally rooted, and emotionally interior rather than plot-driven or action-forward.
Her background in screenplay coverage and film production is a meaningful signal: she responds to stories with strong visual atmosphere, layered structure, and cinematic tension — not just literary prose for its own sake.
Queries were closed as of June 4, 2026; writers should verify the live form status before submitting, as this can change without notice.
Lately
Her public profile makes explicit that she entered publishing specifically to help writers from marginalized communities build lasting careers — framing representation not as a program but as her entire purpose at Ladderbird.
What Daniela is looking for
This is her core and primary interest. She is drawn to horror that operates on two registers at once — genuinely unsettling and formally literary, with prose that leans into its own discomfort rather than away from it. Gothic atmospherics, hauntings, body horror, and psychological dread are all welcome. She is especially energized by stories that center communities historically excluded from the genre: Latine/Latinx perspectives, AAPI voices, and other BIPOC experiences brought to bear on terror, grief, and the uncanny. Magical realism as a tonal layer (not a genre replacement) and folklore or mythology embedded in the narrative are strong signals of alignment.
She welcomes literary fiction that crosses into speculative or horror territory, particularly stories driven by introspective, layered prose and character interiority. Multiple timelines, multigenerational family structures, and immigrant or diaspora narratives are recurring interests. The speculative or horrific element must be integral, not decorative — she is not looking for realist literary fiction with a single supernatural flourish.
She lists psychological suspense and multicultural thriller/mystery as areas of interest, but her emphasis and passion clearly sit with horror. A mystery or thriller pitch would benefit from strong literary ambition, a distinct cultural lens, and a voice that shares DNA with her horror touchstones — atmospheric, interior, and formally intentional.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Daniela
Confirm the form is open before preparing your materials — it was closed as of June 4, 2026, and querying a closed form wastes your submission.
Open with your horror credentials: the cultural lens, the Gothic or folkloric atmosphere, and the emotional core of the book. She is not primarily hunting plot; lead with voice and world.
Name your community identity clearly and early — she has stated she is exclusively working with writers from underrepresented and marginalized communities. This is not subtext to imply; it is information she needs.
Comp directly to her stated touchstones where honest — if your book genuinely shares DNA with Mexican Gothic or Monstrilio, say so and explain precisely how. Vague 'fans of' phrasing is weaker than a specific craft comparison.
Do not pitch YA, MG, romance, non-fiction, or political fiction even if the manuscript has horror elements — these are flat exclusions with no apparent exceptions.
If your horror has folkloric, mythological, or diaspora dimensions, foreground them. These are recurring positive signals across her entire stated taste profile.
Her film and media background means she likely responds to atmospheric, visually rendered prose — if your sample pages open with strong sensory and tonal grounding rather than backstory or preamble, lead with them.