Eva Scalzo is Agency Director and Senior Literary Agent at Speilburg Literary Agency, hunting for voice-driven romance and YA that marries high-concept setups with emotional warmth, diverse and queer perspectives, and a commitment to the happily-ever-after.
In brief
Eva is currently closed to unsolicited queries as of May 31, 2026, with a confirmed reopening date of August 1, 2026 — mark your calendar.
Her sales record reflects a list with genuine commercial muscle: she has built #1 New York Times, USA Today, Indie, and international bestsellers, signaling she can place books at the highest commercial tier, not just secure deals.
Latinx representation is a personal and professional mission for her — she holds a B.A. from the University of Puerto Rico and explicitly prioritizes authors of Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Cuban descent, making her one of the more culturally specific advocates in the romance/YA space.
Her taste skews romantic in every category: even her YA and fantasy wishlist calls for a strong romantic arc, and she openly names herself a fan of the HEA/HFN — writers pitching emotionally cold or plot-only stories are likely misaligned.
Grumpy-sunshine dynamics, characters with invisible chronic conditions, and retellings with queer twists are recurring signals across multiple public statements — these are not one-off wishlist items but consistent, repeated asks.
Lately
It’s #mswl day hosted by @manuscriptwishlist.bsky.social and I made this cute bingo card graphic with my wishlist wants. If you hit any square, feel free to query. My inbox is open and the link is in my bio. It’s hard to read, so written out in thread form, here’s what I’m looking for: #mswl 1/x
In early 2026 Eva shared a visual wishlist bingo card indicating her inbox was open at that time, listing her current wants across categories — a sign she was actively seeking new clients heading into the year.
There's a rush when you get a request for a full because it can be everything or it can be nothing. And when it's an agent that you love that much, it's hard to go about your normal day without thinking about it.
The advice is always to keep working on something else, but sometimes your brain just cannot get to that creative space — and that's real.
Being a writer isn't about writing when you feel like it. If you're going to do it as a career, it's going to be hard some days. Not every second is going to feel wholesome and magical. There are going to be days where you hate it — but those days tend to pass when it's your passion.
I tend to find middle grade the easiest to write. It comes to me naturally, and it's literally half the size of a YA book. I wrote one on a very fun, juicy whim and I've gone back to revise it now.
I have two books I would like to discuss with you over coffee at your convenience — I don't want to start filling in forms until I think we are compatible. Can you imagine sending that to an agent?
What Eva is looking for
Romance is the heart of Eva's list — she has been reading the genre since childhood and inherited a vintage Harlequin collection from her grandmother, so her passion here is biographical, not performative. She wants all subgenres except inspirational romance. Top priorities: grumpy-sunshine dynamics (she is emphatic about this), stories where the hero falls first and hard, heroines who are capable and self-rescuing, and couples who genuinely earn their HEA or HFN. She gravitates toward raunch-coms that celebrate female sexuality without shame, and contemporary stories that subvert gender expectations or carry a light speculative thread. In historical romance her tastes run to Regency, Victorian England, and Gilded Age America — she will consider other periods but the hook and prose must be exceptional. Music-inspired narratives get her attention. High-concept premises that sound almost too wild are a draw, not a deterrent.
Eva represents all YA subgenres but leans toward stories with a meaningful romantic thread; she is not drawn to pure coming-of-age without romance. She especially wants YA from BIPOC creators that weaves culture through music, food, or art as a vehicle for exploring identity. Contemporary fantasy rooted in non-European mythologies — particularly from Latinx creators — is a specific and repeated ask. Historical YA is a harder sell and requires an extraordinary voice and hook; she prefers speculative or fantasy framing over realistic historical settings. Characters with invisible chronic conditions (diabetes, epilepsy, autoimmune disorders) portrayed with joy and full personhood, not just as a defining struggle, are a consistent priority across YA and beyond.
Eva accepts adult fantasy, and her broader wishlist signals she is most drawn to fantasy with strong romantic arcs — fantasy quests that double as love stories, magical kingdoms with escapist, lush settings, and high-concept premises with emotional depth. Pure epic fantasy without romantic stakes is likely not her wheelhouse.
Eva takes select upmarket fiction and women's fiction in the adult space. Given her overarching emphasis on romantic arcs, joy, and emotional warmth, submissions in this category will fare best if they carry a meaningful love story or relationship arc. This is not a primary category for her; writers in this space should ensure their work aligns closely with her stated taste before querying.
Listed as a category she represents, but it appears rarely in her public wishlist commentary and is not emphasized. Writers in this space should ensure the manuscript has emotional warmth and perhaps romantic or character-driven elements that align with her broader sensibility — a cold procedural is probably not the right fit.
Eva accepts select middle grade — specifically literary MG and MG fantasy. Her public notes on kidlit focus on representation of invisible chronic conditions with joy at the center, and diverse cultural perspectives. This is not a primary category; the bar is high and the fit must be precise.
Not the right fit
On Eva's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Eva
She is closed until August 1, 2026 — do not submit early; check the live form for confirmation before querying on or after that date.
Lead your query with the emotional core and romantic arc of your story, not just the plot mechanics. She responds to how a story feels, not just what happens.
If your protagonist has a Latinx background — especially Puerto Rican, Dominican, or Cuban — name it explicitly and early. This is a genuine and personal priority for her, not a checkbox.
Call out grumpy-sunshine dynamics, a 'he falls first' structure, or a queer retelling angle directly in your query if they apply — these are named tropes she actively seeks, and flagging them is not pandering, it is efficient communication.
For high-concept premises, lean into the 'wait, but hear me out' energy rather than softening it. She has explicitly said the wilder the concept, the more interested she is.
If your manuscript features a character with an invisible chronic condition, make clear that the story centers their joy and full personhood — not just the diagnosis. The distinction matters to her.
Music-inspired narratives or stories with a strong soundtrack/vibe should reference this in the query; it is a genuine hook for her.
Historical romance queries outside of Regency, Victorian England, or Gilded Age America should have a particularly sharp hook — she has flagged she is selective in other time periods.
YA queries without a romantic arc should be reconsidered — she has noted she is not drawn to coming-of-age stories that lack a love story thread.
Do not query her for inspirational romance, nonfiction, or picture books — these are handled by other agents at the agency or are outside her list entirely.