Gemma Paynter is a Toronto-based associate agent at P.S. Literary Agency who hunts for genre-blending fiction with atmospheric depth and irreverent wit, and narrative non-fiction that translates niche expertise into wide cultural appeal.
In brief
Her background spans over a decade in marketing and strategy, plus a stint at Harlequin across trade and category romance — she reads the market instinctively and knows how to position a book for an audience before that audience fully knows it wants the book.
Her fiction wishlist is unusually specific: she is not just open to genre blends, she actively prefers them — folktale horror, gothic romance-mystery, cozy fantasy, puzzle mysteries, and literary 'weird girl' fiction all live comfortably on the same list.
The Twin Peaks touchstone is a genuine taste signal, not a throwaway comp: she is drawn to work where the familiar and the uncanny coexist, where atmosphere is doing as much work as plot.
On the non-fiction side, her Harlequin and marketing past makes her a credible home for pop culture, fashion, subculture history, and books-about-books — categories that require an agent who understands both editorial and audience development.
She actively encourages submissions from underrepresented voices, particularly projects centering characters who rarely get to be the protagonist — this is a stated priority, not a footnote.
Lately
Gemma's wishlist emphasizes that she is actively seeking submissions from underrepresented writers, particularly those placing characters at the center of their stories who rarely get that opportunity — this is framed as an ongoing priority across both her fiction and non-fiction interests.
What Gemma is looking for
Gemma's highest-priority fiction lane. She wants work that refuses clean genre labels: folktale-inflected horror or fantasy, gothic mystery crossed with romance, quiet fantasies where magic is mundane and woven into everyday life. The emotional register should feel eerie but grounded — uncanny rather than bombastic. Twin Peaks is her clearest touchstone: familiar surfaces, strange depths, atmosphere that does as much work as plot. She is especially interested in BIPOC, AAPI, African diaspora, and Caribbean voices within these genres.
She is looking for cozy mysteries and cozy fantasies that feel genuinely hopeful and grounded — the literary equivalent of a Studio Ghibli film. Amateur sleuth mysteries and puzzle-driven plots are a specific appetite. The tone should be warm without being saccharine, and the world-building (in fantasy) should feel lived-in rather than epic. Dark topics handled with a light touch are welcome here.
She has a declared soft spot for 'weird girl' literary fiction — idiosyncratic female protagonists, unreliable narrators, voices that are oblique and sharp at once. On the opposite end of tone, she also actively wants true romantic comedies: projects that earn genuine laughs, not just rom-com window dressing. High-concept literary-commercial crossovers and book-club-ready domestic fiction round out this lane. Irreverence and wit are non-negotiable ingredients.
Commercial and upmarket women's fiction with distinct voice and cultural specificity. She is drawn to diaspora narratives, domestic fiction with dark undercurrents, and stories centered on female friendship — including its thornier, darker manifestations. BIPOC, South Asian, East Asian, Southeast Asian, and West African literary traditions are all explicitly within her scope.
Her marketing and Harlequin background gives her genuine credibility here. She wants non-fiction that takes a niche subject and opens it up to a broad readership — think subculture histories, fashion and design writing, art history, film and TV criticism, and books about books. The ideal project blends personal narrative or memoir with real expertise. Pop science written accessibly also appeals. Cultural criticism with a feminist or LGBTQ lens is explicitly welcome.
She is not seeking straight memoir but is drawn to hybrid projects where lived experience is the vehicle for exploring a larger cultural or intellectual subject. The expertise angle should be clear — this is memoir-plus, not memoir alone.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Gemma
Send queries to query@psliterary.com — this is the agency's shared submissions address; include Gemma's name so it routes correctly.
Structure your query in three clear paragraphs: (1) title, category, word count, and a brief introduction; (2) the hook, written like back-cover copy; (3) a short author bio.
If you have not heard back within 4–6 weeks, a polite follow-up by email is acceptable — do not call.
Lead with your genre blend upfront: if your book lives between gothic romance and folk horror, say exactly that in the first sentence. Gemma's wishlist treats genre hybridity as a selling point, so naming it clearly is an asset, not a hedge.
For non-fiction, make the 'niche subject meets wide readership' argument explicit — show her the audience you're reaching AND the specificity of your expertise.
If your work centers an underrepresented protagonist or draws on a diaspora literary tradition, mention it in your bio paragraph — it is a stated priority for her, not an afterthought.
Tone matters: if your book is funny, let the query be a little funny. She has specifically asked writers to make her laugh; a flat, purely professional query for a romcom is a missed opportunity.
Twin Peaks, Studio Ghibli, and 'weird girl' literary fiction are her most specific taste signals — if any of those resonate with your project, working one into your comp or pitch language is a credible and informed move.