Evan Gregory is a New York–based Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency agent hunting for intellectually combative nonfiction, deeply strange fantasy, subculture-rich literary fiction, and post-Snowden spy thrillers that prize brains over brawn.
In brief
Gregory's stated wishlist skews cerebral and countercultural across every category — the through-line is work that challenges received wisdom, whether in science, politics, fiction craft, or worldbuilding.
The fiction wish list is notably specific about voice: literary fiction should feel too urgent for NPR's measured cadence, and thrillers should reward readers who want to outthink, not just outrun, the plot.
Gregory actively encourages submissions from POC and LGBTQ writers in both literary fiction and fantasy — this is a repeated, explicit signal, not boilerplate inclusion language.
The nonfiction vision is expert-driven: armchair adventurers and passionate amateurs are at a disadvantage; credentialed scientists, academics, and domain experts get the strongest reception.
No confirmed sales record was available to analyze, so the taste inference here rests entirely on the stated wishlist — query with that in mind and verify current status before submitting.
Lately
Gregory posted publicly looking for librarian accounts to follow, signaling a professional engagement with the library and reading community.
What Evan is looking for
Gregory wants literary fiction that earns the label through voice and depth, not prestige-workshop signaling. The ideal manuscript has a propulsive, real plot alongside its literary ambitions — Gregory explicitly rejects the idea that those two things are in tension. Thematically, the draw is toward subcultures, outsider perspectives, and a sense of urgent necessity. POC and LGBTQ writers are not merely welcomed; Gregory specifically encourages them to submit.
Gregory's sweet spot is intelligence and surveillance fiction for the post-Snowden world — think John le Carré's moral ambiguity and layered conspiracies updated for the era of mass data collection and algorithmic surveillance. The protagonist should win through wit rather than force. Equally appealing: place-rooted thrillers that stay in one city or region and make that geography feel essential, rather than globe-hopping for spectacle.
Gregory is actively looking for fantasy that defies easy genre recognition — work that unsettles, subverts, or simply ignores the conventions of European-medieval epic fantasy. The fantastical elements should feel genuinely strange rather than reassuringly familiar. No interest in George R. R. Martin imitations. POC and LGBTQ voices are explicitly encouraged here as well.
Gregory wants nonfiction that wrestles seriously with the human implications of technological change, including medical and scientific advances. A particular gap Gregory wants to fill: a rigorous, expert-written treatment of personal privacy, encryption, and digital security — written by a practitioner (cryptographer, security researcher, privacy lawyer) rather than a journalist or enthusiast. Credentialed authors have a strong edge throughout this category.
Books that expose quackery, dismantle faulty reasoning, or correct systematic bias in science or public discourse. The framing should be evidence-driven and assertive, not merely skeptical from a distance.
Gregory wants adventure nonfiction where the drama is primarily external — extreme cold, altitude, storms, wildlife, conflict zones — rather than a vehicle for the author's inner transformation. The Eat, Pray, Love model is explicitly not wanted. Authors with scientific or academic credentials attached to the expedition are strongly preferred over solo enthusiasts. The ideal pitch has a concrete, unusual mission (think scientists descending into Siberian sinkholes, not thru-hikers finding themselves).
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Evan
Send fiction queries to agent@ethanellenberg.com with a brief query letter, a 1–2 page synopsis, and approximately the first 50 pages of your manuscript.
Send nonfiction queries to the same address with a brief query letter and a full book proposal — this should include a chapter outline, sample chapters, and a detailed author bio that foregrounds your credentials.
Lead your query letter with your credentials if you're submitting nonfiction — Gregory's wishlist repeatedly signals that expert authorship is a deciding factor, not just a bonus.
For literary fiction, make the voice do the work in those first 50 pages. Gregory is looking for prose that has urgency and force; a quiet, measured tone is a red flag regardless of the subject matter.
For fantasy, don't open your query by listing your world's rules and history. Gregory wants to be unsettled and surprised — pitch the strangeness, not the mechanics.
For thrillers, name the specific setting prominently if your book is rooted in a single city or region; that place-specificity is a selling point, not a limitation.
POC and LGBTQ writers submitting literary fiction or fantasy should note that Gregory has explicitly and repeatedly named these voices as encouraged — this is a genuine priority, not boilerplate.
Confirm that queries are still open and that no submission guidelines have changed before sending — cached status was observed April 2026 but the live form is the authority.