Ed Maxwell is a Transatlantic Literary Agency agent specializing in nonfiction, children's picture books, and graphic novels, with a demonstrated taste for queer voices, illustrated work, and stories that find the extraordinary inside ordinary life.
In brief
Maxwell's client roster leans heavily into comics and graphic novels — Kit Anderson and Alex Krokus each have multiple titles in that format — suggesting a real affinity for sequential art even if it isn't loudly advertised as a priority.
Loryn Brantz's 'Poems of Parenting' landing as an instant New York Times bestseller signals that Maxwell can place illustrated, humor-driven nonfiction with major commercial reach.
Queer and trans perspectives appear repeatedly across the list (Cat Fitzpatrick, Jamal Jordan, Kit Anderson's speculative fiction), pointing to a personal curatorial commitment, not a passing interest.
Maxwell is based at one of North America's most internationally connected agencies, with dedicated rights teams and co-agent networks — a meaningful advantage for clients with global potential.
Query status was confirmed closed as of mid-2023; writers should verify the live submission form before attempting contact, as no more recent open signal is available.
Lately
Maxwell's agency announced multiple new client signings and publication milestones in 2025–2026, indicating the broader Transatlantic roster remains active and growing — a positive sign that the agency is acquiring, even if Maxwell's individual form status needs re-verification.
What Edward is looking for
Maxwell actively builds a nonfiction list that can range from illustrated, humor-driven collections to culturally significant social-science work. The track record here includes a New York Times bestselling illustrated poetry collection about parenthood and a photographic celebration of queer people of color — suggesting Maxwell values nonfiction that fuses a strong visual or emotional hook with a clear, underserved audience.
Picture books appear in Maxwell's listed genres, and the roster includes at least one early illustrated title for young readers. Writers should expect Maxwell to be selective here, favoring concepts with a distinct hook or visual sensibility over conventional formats.
Although graphic novels are not always foregrounded in Maxwell's stated categories, the client roster tells a different story: multiple graphic novel and comics titles appear across at least three clients, including an ALA GNCRT Best Graphic Novel for Adults honoree. Maxwell appears drawn to work that is intimate and character-driven, often rooted in personal or community experience, and is comfortable placing this work across a range of publishers.
Across fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels, queer and trans perspectives recur with enough consistency to constitute a clear editorial commitment. Maxwell has represented work by trans authors writing in verse, anthologies of trans speculative fiction, and photographic social-science books centering queer people of color. Writers from these communities, especially those bringing underrepresented intersectional identities, will find a genuine advocate here.
Not the right fit
On Edward's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Edward
Verify the live submission form before querying — the last confirmed status was closed (July 2023), and no more recent open signal is available. Submitting to a closed form wastes your query.
Lead with the queer or trans angle if your work has one — this is among the most consistent through-lines on Maxwell's list and signals a genuine editorial passion, not a checkbox.
If you're submitting a graphic novel or illustrated work, foreground the format clearly in your query subject and opening line. Maxwell's roster shows this is a real specialty, even if the stated genre list says 'nonfiction' and 'picture books.'
For nonfiction, emphasize audience specificity and platform — the bestselling title on the list had a strong pre-existing audience from social media. Maxwell appears to respond to nonfiction with a built-in community.
Transatlantic is a Canadian-headquartered agency with deep North American and international rights infrastructure. If your work has global or Canadian market appeal, mention it — it's a genuine asset here.
Do not submit adult genre fiction, YA prose, or screenplays — these fall outside Maxwell's documented scope and are handled by other agents at the agency.