GiannaMarie Dobson is a neurodivergent and disabled associate agent at Neighborhood Literary building a debut list centered on disabled voices, queer representation, and emotionally complex relationships across MG, YA, and adult SFF.
In brief
Disability is not a sub-interest — it is the organizing principle of her entire list. Every other category she welcomes becomes more attractive to her when filtered through a disability lens.
Her sensitivity-reading background across major houses (including Scholastic, Bloomsbury, and PRH imprints) gives her sharp editorial instincts for marginalized-identity storytelling and signals the publisher relationships she is most likely to leverage.
She is early in building her list, which means she is genuinely hungry for submissions — but also means her sales record is still forming and writers should expect a developing agent experience rather than a seasoned dealmaker.
Her wishlist skews heavily toward inclusive, intersectional MG and YA; adult SFF is welcome but the adult romance lane is extremely narrow — only disability-centered romance qualifies.
Her publicly posted comps reveal a consistent gravitational pull toward autistic, disabled, and queer MG fiction by authors such as Elle McNicoll and A.J. Sass, signaling a clear editorial identity even before a deep sales record exists.
Lately
As of late March 2026, she clarified that her active categories are MG/YA fiction of all genres, adult SFF, and adult romance — with the strong caveat that adult romance is reserved exclusively for disability-centered stories. She emphasized that everything on her list is most appealing when viewed through a disability lens.
What GiannaMarie is looking for
MG is her clearest current priority. She wants character-driven stories — particularly those featuring disabled protagonists or written by disabled authors — across all genres, including fantasy, contemporary, and speculative. She is especially eager to hear from BIPOC disabled authors. She welcomes boy protagonists and is drawn to stories built around a character's deep, defining passion or hobby. Stories set outside the US are a plus.
YA is an equal priority alongside MG. She gravitates toward deeply flawed, emotionally complex characters and unconventional relationship dynamics — including romances that fail, fade, or are never acted upon. Queer YA is especially sought, with particular interest in aromantic, asexual, genderqueer, trans, and transfeminine protagonists. She specifically calls out wanting more YA boy protagonists, especially outside the romance genre. Disability remains the core lens.
She welcomes adult SFFH but it is listed alongside — not above — her MG/YA focus. Disability representation, queer identities, and intersectional perspectives remain desirable here too. Stories featuring magic disabilities, undiagnosable conditions, or metaphorical disabilities are of particular interest.
She is very selective about adult romance and only wants it when disability is genuinely central to the story — not a side element. The romance must be substantially about the disabled experience itself. She also values non-traditional romantic arcs: relationships that don't last, romances that aren't good for the characters, and the emotional terrain of unrequited desire.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query GiannaMarie
Confirm the form has reopened before doing anything else — it was closed as of May 18, 2026, and submitting through any other channel (including email) is not accepted.
Lead with your disability connection upfront: whether you are a disabled author, your protagonist is disabled, or disability is thematically central. This is not a nice-to-have — it is her stated organizing principle.
If your story features an intersection of disability with another identity (race, queerness, cultural background), say so explicitly in the query. She is particularly eager for BIPOC disabled authors.
Specify the type of disability representation you're exploring — whether it's a diagnosable condition, an undiagnosable one, a magical analog, or a metaphorical disability. She finds all of these interesting but appreciates precision.
If your story features non-traditional romantic dynamics (unrequited feelings, romances that end, relationships that aren't healthy), flag that intentionally — she's actively seeking these and they won't read as flaws to her.
For YA submissions with boy protagonists, especially in non-romance genres, call this out — she has explicitly said writers shouldn't hesitate to send these, suggesting she receives too few.
If your story is set outside the US, mention it — she names international settings as a draw.
For adult romance submissions, be prepared to make a strong case that disability is genuinely central, not peripheral. Her named comps are a useful litmus test: does your book belong in that company?
Sensitivity-reading credits or lived-experience notes are likely to resonate given her own background in that work across major publishers.