Joanna Rasheed is an Ultra Literary agent hunting for original, magic-laced adult fiction and selective YA speculative work — with a strong pull toward dark tone, romance threads, and cozy vibes across all genres.
In brief
Her wishlist and taste signals are tightly aligned: she wants originality above all else — a fresh concept, an unexpected trope mashup, or a genuinely unusual POV will get her attention faster than polished execution of a familiar premise.
Romance is not optional for her — she explicitly requires a romance thread running through the story, even in literary or upmarket work. Writers without one should not query.
Her favorite media (Wednesday, Shadow & Bone, The Witcher, Six of Crows, Divine Rivals) cluster around dark, magic-rich worlds with sharp wit and romantic tension — that's the aesthetic sweet spot.
She skews heavily adult: YA is explicitly described as a limited intake, and her adult wishlist is notably broader and more detailed.
Hard word-count ceiling of 130,000 words — no exceptions mentioned. Manuscripts over that limit should not be submitted.
Lately
She posted a detailed wishlist update emphasizing that originality is her single most important criterion — she wants fresh ideas, novel trope combinations, or unexpected genre mashups rather than well-executed versions of familiar formulas.
What Joanna is looking for
This is her primary lane. She welcomes the full spectrum — high fantasy, low fantasy, cozy fantasy, dark fantasy, and romantasy — with or without heavy worldbuilding. What matters is magical texture and originality. She's drawn to dark academic settings and analytical or intellectually-voiced protagonists. A romance thread woven through the narrative is essentially a requirement.
She singles this out as an especially active want right now — and crucially, she means cozy across all genres, not just cozy fantasy. A literary cozy, a cozy gothic, a cozy upmarket novel — all are welcome. She's also drawn to an encyclopedic or analytical narrative POV in this space.
She lists upmarket and commercial women's fiction among her core interests and has bookclub and women's fiction on her favorites list. Stories with emotional depth, a distinct voice, and at least a thread of magic or the uncanny will resonate most.
Gothic is explicitly listed and her taste media (Wednesday, The Witcher, dark academia aesthetics) reinforce a genuine appetite for dark, atmospheric storytelling. Adult dark academia is something she specifically calls out as a gap she wants to fill — she'd love the adult version of a YA dark-academia hit.
Dystopian science fiction is on her list, with the caveat that military sci-fi and AI-centered plots are explicitly off the table. Stories focused on societal systems, survival, or speculative futures with strong character and romance threads are the right fit. Think The Hunger Games energy.
She includes suspense but qualifies it as selective. Given her broader taste, the suspense most likely to appeal would carry a gothic, magical-realist, or atmospheric edge rather than a purely procedural or thriller-driven approach.
She takes a limited amount of YA and restricts it to speculative fiction. She values a sense of wonder in YA — not gritty realism. Intake here is deliberately narrow; writers with adult crossover potential or a speculative YA manuscript that leans toward awe rather than darkness should still query, but should know adult is her priority.
Listed among her fiction favorites and supported by her love of authors like Alice Hoffman. Works that blend the everyday with the uncanny — especially with upmarket or literary ambitions — fit naturally within her taste.
Not the right fit
On Joanna's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Joanna
Send a query letter plus the first three chapters directly to jrasheed@ultraliterary.com — this is her stated submission format; do not deviate.
Lead with your hook and what makes the concept original. She has said originality is her primary filter, so your query letter should front-load the fresh angle, the unusual mashup, or the unexpected twist — not the plot summary.
Confirm you have a romance thread before querying. It is not a bonus; she describes it as something she loves most. If your story is romance-free, she is likely not the right fit.
Name your genre and heat level clearly. She handles a wide range of adult fiction, and helping her immediately slot your book (e.g., 'adult cozy gothic with a romantasy thread') will work in your favor.
If you're writing cozy fiction of any genre — including literary cozy — signal that prominently. She has specifically flagged this as an active, high-priority want right now.
Stay under 130,000 words. This is a hard stated limit. Do not query above it.
Avoid the explicit exclusions — no princess MCs, no fairytale retellings, no AI-centered plots, no travel narratives, no sexual assault as a central story element, no military sci-fi.
Her taste media (Wednesday, Shadow & Bone, The Witcher, Maxton Hall) skew dark, romantically charged, and visually atmospheric — if your comp titles or vibe align with that aesthetic, say so.
Verify the live form / email status before submitting — her inbox closed temporarily in early 2026 and reopened; it could shift again.