Jessica Felleman is a genre-bending literary agent at Jennifer Lyons Literary Agency who hunts for fiction that straddles the line between the literary and the speculative, paired with pop culture and narrative nonfiction that speaks to contemporary life.
In brief
Her wishlist and her named favorites align tightly around a specific aesthetic: quietly strange, emotionally grounded speculative fiction with strong sense of place — think Shirley Jackson's uncanny dread meets Octavia Butler's world-building ambition.
Her stated passion for 'underserved voices, unforgettable places, and complicated families' is a clear signal: she is not looking for standard genre plot machines, but for literary novels that happen to contain magic or science-fictional premises.
Her nonfiction appetite skews heavily toward science and psychology written for general audiences — the kind of book that reframes how readers see everyday life, not academic trade nonfiction.
She explicitly notes a personal soft spot for sports families and gymnastics — one of the more specific and unusual hooks in any agent's wishlist, and a real differentiator for writers with that subject matter.
Her submission form was confirmed closed as of May 19, 2025. Writers should check her agency page directly before querying, as status can change without notice.
Lately
Her agency biography, last updated with a 2026 copyright footer, confirms she continues to prioritize fiction featuring underserved voices and complicated families, alongside speculative fiction that plays at the edges of genre. The page also clarifies that her graphic novel exclusion applies specifically to unillustrated work — a meaningful distinction from older wishlist language that said simply 'graphic novels.'
What Jessica is looking for
Her primary fiction focus. She wants novels that are hard to categorize — books that feel literary but carry genre DNA, or genre books with strong prose and emotional depth. Complicated family dynamics, a vivid sense of place, and morally messy characters who can't always redeem themselves are recurring draws. Los Angeles and New England settings are personal favorites. She's drawn to the weird and the uncanny as mood or atmosphere, not necessarily as a marketing genre.
She actively seeks SFF that blends genres or sits at genre's edge — not pure epic fantasy or hard SF, but work that uses speculative elements to illuminate character and contemporary concerns. Quiet, literary SF (cozy or philosophical) and dark, character-driven fantasy both seem welcome. She's less interested in conventional genre mechanics than in what the speculative premise reveals about people.
She welcomes YA — but specifically within the SF/fantasy lane, and her taste skews toward darker, more intellectually ambitious YA. No middle grade.
One of her core nonfiction specialties. She's drawn to prescriptive and analytical titles that help readers understand themselves or the culture around them through a fresh, well-argued lens. Books that take pop culture seriously as a subject and bring genuine insight or a new framework — not celebrity cash-ins or nostalgia pieces.
She wants narrative nonfiction that's genuinely engaged with contemporary conversations — books in the vein of big-idea popular science or psychology that read like stories and change how you think. The key qualifier: it must connect to something people are actively discussing or grappling with now.
A personal passion, not a formal category pitch: she grew up in a gymnastics family and has explicitly said she'd love to see more stories — fiction or nonfiction — centered on sports families. This is a real opening for writers with that subject matter, and notably specific compared to most wishlists.
Not the right fit
On Jessica's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Jessica
Her form was confirmed closed in May 2025 — check her agency page for the current status before preparing your submission, as she does reopen.
Her query letter requirements are specific: she wants a pitch that conveys both the tone and the purpose or plot of the work, along with comparable titles and an author bio. A query that nails tone is especially important given her taste for hard-to-categorize books.
Lead with what makes your book strange or unexpected. Her favorites list is a roadmap: she gravitates toward work that is quietly unsettling, emotionally grounded, and formally or generically surprising. A flat plot summary is less useful to her than a pitch that captures voice and mood.
Comparable titles matter to her — she named them prominently in her own wishlist. Choose comps that signal the emotional register and genre positioning of your book, not just its surface-level category. Avoid comps that are too commercial or too old.
If your fiction is set in Los Angeles or New England, say so early — these are explicit personal preferences and an immediate hook.
If you are pitching a sports-centered book (fiction or nonfiction), explicitly mention the sports family angle. Her gymnastics background is a genuine personal investment, not a throwaway line.
For nonfiction, make clear in your pitch how your book connects to an active contemporary conversation. She is not looking for timeless reference books — she wants books that feel urgent right now.
Do not query her with memoir, thrillers, true crime, romance, erotica, poetry, standalone short stories, children's books, middle grade, or unillustrated graphic novels — these are firm exclusions stated on her current agency page.