Jordan Hamessley is a JABberwocky agent with 15+ years of editorial and agenting experience who champions queer stories across children's publishing—picture books through YA—while quietly expanding into adult romance, particularly queer and genre-inflected titles.
In brief
Her core business is children's fiction—picture books through YA—but a May 2026 public note confirms she has now sold two adult romances and is actively pitching queer adult sports romance projects, a significant and underreported expansion of her list.
Picture books are author-illustrator ONLY: text-only authors need not apply. This is a firm gate, not a soft preference.
Queer representation is the single thread running through every category she names—not just a bonus, but an explicit priority from picture books to adult titles.
Her editorial background at Penguin Young Readers (Grosset & Dunlap) and Egmont USA gives her direct relationships in the children's publishing ecosystem; her growing LA connections suggest she also scouts for studio/media adaptations.
Her submission form was observed closed as of October 2025; the May 2026 social activity shows she is actively working but writers should verify the current form status before querying.
Lately
Building submission lists for TWO different queer adult sports romances. This classic kidlit agent has now sold two adult romances and my clients are eager to add to that number! Any adult romance editors out there who love soccer or ice dancing, hit me up!
She shared publicly that she is currently building submission lists for two separate queer adult sports romances — one centered on soccer, one on ice dancing — and noted she has now sold two adult romances for her clients, with more expected to follow. She invited adult romance editors specializing in those sports to connect with her directly.
What Jordan is looking for
Jordan is actively seeking picture books where the artwork does the heavy lifting in storytelling — she wants art-driven, visually distinctive projects. She gravitates toward books that are funny, warm, or tearfully emotional. She is NOT accepting text-only authors; submissions must come from author-illustrators who both write and illustrate their own work.
Contemporary stories with heart and humor are at the center of her children's fiction interests. She especially wants to amplify queer joy and queer creators in this space. Stories that are warm, funny, emotionally resonant, and feature authentic LGBTQ+ experiences across all ages are a top priority.
She leans toward cozy, romantic fantasies with a Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki sensibility rather than epic sword-and-sorcery narratives. She also loves horror — ghosts, haunted houses, creepy forests, and murder mysteries. Space exploration and NASA-themed children's projects are a specific passion point.
A genuine advocate for verse novels as a format, particularly for reaching reluctant readers and exploring difficult subjects. She would welcome more projects in this mode.
She seeks non-fiction that makes science and math genuinely exciting for young readers — especially anything space-related. She also wants to shine a light on underrepresented history, with a particular interest in queer history for youth audiences.
She is actively growing her list of graphic novelists and illustrators. The content interests mirror her broader list — queer stories, fantasy with a cozy/visual feel, horror, and space. She is specifically looking for illustrators who can bring a visual dimension to these themes.
An emerging but intentional expansion of her list. As of May 2026 she has sold two adult romances and is actively building submission lists for queer adult sports romances — specifically soccer and ice dancing projects. She is reaching out to adult romance editors, signaling genuine investment in this space. Writers with queer adult romance, especially sports romance, should watch for when her submissions open.
Not the right fit
On Jordan's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Jordan
Verify the live submission form status before querying — it was closed as of October 2025, but her public activity in spring 2026 confirms she is actively working; the form may have reopened.
If you are submitting a picture book, confirm in your query that you are the illustrator as well as the author — text-only picture book manuscripts will not be considered.
Lead with the queer angle if your story has one; it is explicitly her top priority across every category, not a secondary selling point.
For adult romance, particularly queer sports romance, she is actively building her list — flag the sports setting and queer identity upfront, and note that she has recently sold in this space.
Cozy fantasy with a Studio Ghibli aesthetic is specifically named; if that's your book, use that shorthand in your query letter — she will recognize and respond to the reference.
If you are querying MG/YA non-fiction, anchor it to a 'making STEM exciting for kids' hook or an underrepresented queer history angle — those are her two explicitly stated non-fiction lanes.
Her background is editorial (Penguin Young Readers, Egmont USA); a clean, polished manuscript with strong voice will resonate with her sensibility.