Heather Cashman is a Storm Literary Agency agent with a broad, voice-first sensibility across MG, YA, and adult fiction and nonfiction, with a particular appetite for genre work grounded in strong character and literary craft.
In brief
Cashman's stated wish list spans virtually every age category and genre, but the recurring through-line is voice: they consistently emphasize character, humor, and literary underpinnings over pure commercial hook.
Middle grade is a clear priority — Cashman names it first and has noted they already carry multiple MG ghost stories, signaling both depth in the category and selectivity for more of the same sub-genre.
Their taste skews toward genre fiction with literary texture: think speculative, historical fantasy, magical realism, and upmarket YA rather than straight commercial or pure literary.
Picture books come with clear gates: nonfiction PBs must cover genuinely fresh or underrepresented ground; fiction PBs must have humor and heart and avoid anthropomorphic animals, clowns, circuses, and zoos (unless the animals are escaping).
As of October 2025, the submission form was directly observed as closed — writers should verify current status before querying, as this may change seasonally.
Lately
Cashman shared enthusiasm for a podcast episode they recorded on the topic of revision and manuscript elevation, featuring author and editor Deborah Halverson. The post highlights Cashman's investment in craft development — specifically deep revision strategies — suggesting they value polished, intentionally built manuscripts over raw drafts.
I really do think you should stick to the standard query formula. The first paragraph should connect with me personally as an agent — not just as an avenue to publication. Then include your title, genre, age category, and word count. Comparable titles in that first paragraph are great too, because if they're strong enough I'll jump straight to the pages. The second paragraph should connect me with the character right away — what they want, their motivations, what they need, and bring that conflict home. Sticking to the formula avoids confusion, and confusion is the writer's enemy.
I take middle grade and young adult — pretty much anything in those categories. I also love graphic novels and I almost never see nonfiction, which is a shame. I don't take picture books, and I can't acquire a client on an adult manuscript, even though I can later sell adult work for a client I've already signed on a YA or middle grade project. Please submit to the right agent — submitting to someone who doesn't represent what you write doesn't help you and can give you a bad name, because we do keep track of who submits to us.
I get really excited when I can tell from the very first paragraph what the whole book is going to be about, what the conflict is, and who the character is. I love when that first paragraph is voicey — when the character comes off the page as a real person rather than someone trying to sound like one. I'm drawn to high-concept ideas, things that are juxtaposed, something I've never seen before. Even if the setting is familiar, a unique perspective can absolutely hook me.
Anything that wastes my time stops me. If I find the authorial voice carries prejudices that offend me, I stop reading. Lots of passive voice and bad grammar turn me off — your first ten pages should be as close to perfect as you can get them. In a query, if it's confusing I stop. And yes, clichés like opening with a character waking up from a dream — I still see them all the time, and they're a no for me.
Always follow the rules. It is so frustrating when people don't, and in the end it only puts a negative feeling in the agent's mind — which is an automatic no. If you can't follow the submission rules, I'm going to assume you won't follow my guidance as a client either, and it doesn't matter how good the writing is.
I'm very editorial, and all of my clients go through significant revisions before I send to editors, so I need someone who is willing to work really hard. I also need someone who communicates clearly — or at least keeps trying until we figure it out. And I want a creative partner who knows their own writing well enough to change what needs changing, or to justify why they don't want to change something. Flexibility and good communication are huge for me.
What Heather is looking for
Voice is the single most important element Cashman looks for in MG — a narrator and tone that feel irreducibly middle grade. Any genre is welcome, but they are already carrying several MG ghost stories and will apply extra scrutiny before adding more. Beyond ghost stories, the full genre spectrum is open: fantasy, contemporary, mystery, historical, speculative, humor.
Cashman's wishlist for YA is intentionally broad — they prefer to define it by exclusion rather than prescription. Strong characters, immersive worlds, and a distinct narrative voice are constants. They gravitate toward speculative fiction, historical fantasy, magical realism, Gothic horror, contemporary YA with literary weight, and upmarket genre fiction. Fairy tale and Shakespeare retellings are actively wanted. Low-heat romance is fine; high-heat romance is not a fit.
Adult genre fiction with literary underpinnings is welcome, governed by the same exclusions as YA: no sentient aliens, no military SF, nothing gratuitous, romance kept low on the heat scale. Cashman is drawn to commercial ideas that carry literary weight — upmarket fiction, speculative work, soft and urban fantasy, domestic suspense, and women's fiction all fit the profile.
Cashman wants nonfiction that feels current, fresh, and distinct in either perspective or format. Narrative nonfiction is a favorite sub-genre. They are open across age categories — picture book nonfiction, MG, YA, and adult — provided the topic breaks new ground or illuminates an underrepresented subject. Unique structural approaches are a plus.
Cashman considers picture books but applies strict filters. Nonfiction PBs must address a topic not yet adequately covered in the market, or spotlight an underrepresented person or group that hasn't already been published on. Fiction PBs should be non-didactic, warm, and funny — and must avoid anthropomorphic animals as main characters, clowns, circuses, and zoo settings. The one exception: animals that are actively breaking OUT of a zoo or circus. Cashman has not indicated they are seeking picture books from author-illustrators only vs. author-only manuscripts — confirm specifics before querying.
Cashman specifically calls out narratives built around artificial intelligence or inventive future technology as something they want more of. The touchstone they cite is the television series Person of Interest — grounded, character-driven speculative work rather than hard-tech extrapolation. This applies across age categories.
Cashman names Prohibition-era settings, fairy tale retellings, and Shakespeare retellings as active wants. Utopian fiction (distinct from the more common dystopian mode) is also explicitly desired. These can sit across genre and age category.
Not the right fit
On Heather's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Heather
Verify the form is open before preparing your submission — it was observed closed in October 2025 and may have a seasonal or project-based reopening cycle.
Cashman's most consistent filter is voice: your query letter and sample pages must demonstrate a distinctive, age-appropriate narrative voice from the first lines. Generic or plot-summary-heavy queries will not stand out.
Lead with your layered hook — Cashman explicitly calls this out. The concept should feel commercially viable but carry literary or thematic substance underneath.
If you're pitching MG, make clear why the voice is unmistakably middle grade, not YA-lite or adult-lite. This is their primary evaluative lens for the category.
For picture books, front-load why the topic is new or the perspective underrepresented (nonfiction), or explain the humor and heart at the core (fiction) — and confirm there are no anthropomorphic leads or zoo/circus settings unless your premise is literally about an animal breakout.
Cashman appreciates humor as a tonal balancer, even in serious books. If your manuscript has wit, let that show in the query voice itself — don't write a dry query for a funny book.
Avoid pitching your romance as steamy or your SF as military-focused — both are explicit mismatches regardless of how strong the manuscript is.
Cashman is drawn to surprise — books they couldn't predict from the pitch. If your concept genuinely defies easy categorization or genre expectation, lean into that rather than softening it.
Cashman actively promotes craft development (revision, elevation of manuscript), suggesting they are likely a hands-on editorial agent. If you've done substantive revision work, a brief mention of your process or revision history can resonate.
Check the Storm Literary Agency website for any updated submission windows, category-specific guidelines, or pauses — their requirements appear to evolve and the live form is the authoritative source.