Hannah Fergesen is a KT Literary agent with a clear appetite for speculative and upmarket adult fiction, wide-ranging YA/MG, and select nonfiction — all filtered through a love of elevated prose, queer representation, and stories that unsettle as much as they enchant.
In brief
The wishlist profile dates to mid-2021 and explicitly states Hannah was closed to queries at that time — current status is unverified; writers must check the live KT Literary submission form before querying.
Across every category, two through-lines dominate: LGBTQ+ characters and a horror-inflected sensibility — even romance and upmarket fiction requests carry a preference for unsettling or off-kilter elements.
Hannah is notably specific about what they do NOT want within categories they otherwise accept — e.g., paranormal romance is out, but a horror-driven vampire YA is actively wanted; run-of-the-mill YA fantasy is out, but extremely fresh takes are considered.
The wishlist is unusually generous with named comp titles, giving writers strong, concrete targets to aim for when crafting a pitch.
No confirmed deal record was available for analysis; the wishlist and stated taste are the primary signals in this profile — writers should treat this as directional, not definitive, until a current deal record can be consulted.
Lately
As of early June 2021, Hannah updated their wishlist and explicitly stated they were closed to new queries, noting the wishlist reflected what they would seek once they reopened. The breadth and specificity of the list suggests a deliberate recalibration of priorities rather than a temporary pause.
What Hannah is looking for
This is clearly Hannah's highest-priority adult category. They want fully realized secondary-world fantasy with intellectual ambition, grounded narratives that fold in speculative or New Weird elements (closer to magical realism than urban fantasy), science fiction with strong character and concept, and thrillers or suspense that bleed into horror. Across all of these, elevated or upmarket prose is non-negotiable, and a high-concept hook is expected. Found families, queer characters, and inventive world-building are recurring priorities.
Hannah wants literary-leaning fiction with a strong concept hook and ensemble casts that resonate especially with millennial readers. The sweet spot is elevated prose meeting a premise with real cultural or emotional bite. Speculative elements woven in are a significant plus — not required, but they reliably raise Hannah's interest. Think book club fiction with an edge.
Horror runs as its own adult category and as a tonal thread through nearly everything else Hannah seeks. Standalone horror with genuine dread is wanted. Horror elements woven into other genres — suspense, upmarket fiction, romance — are consistently preferred over pure-genre examples.
Hannah explicitly wanted to have fun with compulsively readable, high-premise commercial fiction — romance, fantasy, and suspense that prioritize a vivid cast and sheer readability. The framing is enthusiastic but framed as a secondary goal alongside more literary pursuits. A witty, propulsive premise with characters readers root for hard is the pitch.
Hannah is specifically hunting for a twisty, series-potential mystery or suspense in YA — something with real craft and plot architecture, referencing the Charlotte Holmes series and the filmic intelligence of the movie Brick as touchstones. If your YA mystery has that layered, almost noirish quality, this is a direct request.
Hannah wants grounded, imaginative YA and MG that plays with reality in unexpected ways — less portal fantasy, more the uncanny bleeding into the everyday. The Valley and the Flood is named as a precise touchstone for tone and approach.
Hannah wants genuinely joyful, sweet, and highly shippable queer and/or BIPOC-centered romantic comedies for both YA and MG. The emphasis is on warmth and fun — these should be cinnamon-roll reads with characters readers will adore and ship obsessively. Fun premise, great voice, big heart.
This is a very specific, named request: a horror-driven YA vampire story rooted in themes like grief, acceptance, and belonging — with the atmosphere of classic creature horror rather than paranormal romance. The Lost Boys is cited as a tonal reference. This is NOT a request for romantic vampire stories; the horror dimension is essential.
Hannah wants non-fantasy, contemporary retellings of classic literary works — Shakespeare, Fitzgerald, Hemingway and similar canonical sources. The retelling must be imaginative and fresh, not a straightforward update, and must remain grounded in the real world rather than adding speculative elements.
Hannah expressed genuine excitement about finding graphic novels across all genres in both YA and MG. No single genre is specified — the format itself is a priority. Strong storytelling and visual-narrative craft are implied requirements.
Hannah loves YA horror and has a strong existing list in this area — which means they are being very selective. A project needs to truly stand out. The one specific gap they called out: a spine-tingling but also genuinely fun MG horror. For YA horror, expect a high bar and slow consideration.
Hannah's YA and MG fantasy list was described as saturated, meaning only exceptionally original takes on familiar tropes or worlds will be considered. A standard fantasy quest, chosen-one narrative, or familiar setting reimagined without a truly fresh angle is not what they're looking for right now.
Hannah's preference in YA and MG SF is explicitly grounded — emotionally resonant, character-first science fiction rather than hard SF or high-concept SF spectacle. More Happy Than Not is the named touchstone, signaling interest in SF that uses its premise to explore identity, mental health, or social experience.
For middle grade nonfiction, Hannah wants engaging biographies and STEM-focused books that make their subjects genuinely fun and accessible for young readers. Voice and accessibility are key — dry information delivery will not appeal.
Hannah is specifically interested in memoir by young or teen authors, with a strong preference for stories centered on girls breaking through barriers, activism, or political engagement. The author's own lived experience and authentic voice are central.
Hannah's adult nonfiction appetite covers several distinct areas: inventive cookbooks or cookbook hybrids that blend recipes with essays or narrative, memoirs by women with distinctive entrepreneurship stories, books on pop culture and fandom, true crime (both contemporary and historical), and nonfiction with a witchy or mystical angle — astrology, tarot, and related subjects.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Hannah
Confirm Hannah is currently open before doing anything else — the last public signal indicated they were closed, and no re-open date was given. Check the KT Literary website's live submission form for current status.
Include the first three pages of your manuscript with your query letter — Hannah specifically requests this, and omitting it is an easy way to lose consideration.
Name Hannah specifically when submitting through KT Literary's shared form, and verify the correct name spelling in the submission system.
Lead with your comp titles if they map closely to Hannah's named touchstones — they provided an unusually detailed comp list in their wishlist, signaling that well-matched comps carry real weight in their evaluation.
Be precise about where your book sits on the spectrum between the categories Hannah wants and the ones they're avoiding — e.g., if you have a vampire YA, make the horror-over-romance angle explicit in your opening paragraph.
Queer and BIPOC representation, found families, and an elevated or upmarket prose register should be flagged clearly if present — these are recurring, named priorities, not just nice-to-haves.
For speculative adult fiction, the distinction between magical realism / New Weird (wanted) and urban fantasy (not wanted) matters — name your influences and make your genre positioning unambiguous.
If submitting nonfiction, be specific about format and hook — Hannah's nonfiction interests are narrow and specific (cookbook hybrids, fandom/pop culture, witchy nonfiction, true crime), so mismatched submissions waste everyone's time.