Katie Thomas is a romance-first literary agent at Beck Literary Agency who champions emotionally driven, character-led fiction—from contemporary romance and rom-coms to thrillers, YA/NA, and fantasy or paranormal romance where the love story is the engine.
In brief
Katie's stated sweet spot is contemporary romance and romantic comedies, and her broader wishlist extends to thrillers, suspense, commercial fiction, and YA/NA romance — but she only wants fantasy or paranormal romance when the romantic arc is the primary driver, not a secondary thread.
Her agency page now lists fantasy and paranormal romance as acceptable (romance-led only), which supersedes an older note saying she was not interested in those categories — writers with romance-led fantasy or paranormal should not self-exclude.
Client testimonial from Dana LeeAnn specifically credits Katie with opening industry doors, confirming she is actively selling and moving client careers forward — not just signing and sitting.
Beck Literary is a boutique operation with a small, clearly defined team; Katie is one of the primary signing agents alongside lead agent Josi, and the agency's public client testimonials skew heavily toward Josi's list — meaning Katie's list appears to be actively growing and newer writers may have a real window.
The agency explicitly states no response within eight weeks equals a rejection, and they accept queries via a shared agency email — there is no dedicated per-agent form, so address the query clearly to Katie.
Lately
The agency's current team page positions Katie as actively seeking contemporary romance, thrillers, suspense, YA/NA romance, commercial fiction, romantic comedies, and fantasy or paranormal romance where the romance leads — a notable expansion from an earlier note that excluded fantasy and paranormal entirely.
What Katie is looking for
This is Katie's most-emphasized category. She wants emotionally resonant, character-driven stories with satisfying romantic arcs. Small-town settings, found family, slow burn, enemies-to-lovers, and rom-com sensibilities are all strongly welcomed. Feel-good, uplifting narratives — especially those exploring mental health recovery, diverse perspectives, or LGBTQ+ relationships — are a particular priority.
Steamy, witty, and trope-forward rom-coms are firmly on her wish list. She has an appetite for fresh trope mash-ups and is drawn to stories that balance humor with genuine emotional stakes. LGBTQ+ rom-coms, including sapphic and M/M, are explicitly welcomed.
She is actively building in thriller and suspense, including romantic suspense and romantic thrillers. Stories with strong character work and high stakes are preferred; a romantic thread is a plus but not strictly required.
She seeks YA and NA with romance at the center — rom-coms, contemporary YA, YA thrillers and mysteries, and crossover titles. High-concept, commercially minded YA is especially appealing. YA memoir and YA narrative nonfiction are also listed among her interests.
Upper-market and commercial women's fiction with emotional depth, compelling characters, and a strong voice. Family drama, humor-laced narratives, and diasporic or multicultural stories fit here.
Katie will consider fantasy and paranormal romance, but only when the romantic arc is the clear primary focus of the story — not when romance is a subplot within a larger genre narrative. Writers should self-evaluate honestly before querying: if the book is fantasy first and romance second, it is not right for her.
Not the right fit
On Katie's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Katie
Address your query specifically to Katie Thomas in the subject line or opening — all queries go to a shared agency address, so clarity about which agent you are querying is essential.
Include a query letter, author bio, and social media links in your submission; these are required fields, not optional.
Paste the first five pages of your manuscript directly into the email or attach as specified — the agency requests sample pages for full representation queries.
If you are seeking something other than full representation (e.g. foreign rights or audio rights only), say so explicitly in your query; the agency handles these separately and wants to know upfront.
Lead your pitch with the emotional core and the romantic arc — Katie responds to swoony character journeys and emotional resonance, so make the heart of the story clear in your first paragraph.
If querying fantasy or paranormal romance, make it unmistakable in the pitch that the romance is the primary narrative engine, not a subplot; failure to establish this clearly will likely result in a pass.
The agency's no-response policy means silence after eight weeks is a rejection — do not follow up before that window closes.
Highlighting trope-awareness in your query (naming the tropes your book deploys and how they're given a fresh spin) aligns with a stated house-wide preference for smart, self-aware genre fiction.