Kristy Cambron is a bestselling, award-winning author-turned-agent at Gardner Literary who specializes in commercial and upmarket fiction — especially historical — alongside select nonfiction, with a particular eye for emotionally resonant stories rooted in history, romance, and women's experience.
In brief
Kristy Cambron is both a published author and a literary agent, which means they evaluate manuscripts with a working writer's instincts — craft and commercial appeal carry equal weight in their assessment.
Their wishlist is broad on paper, but the pattern that emerges most clearly is a deep commitment to historical fiction and women's fiction, particularly stories set around WWI and WWII — matching Cambron's own published work and the sensibility they've built over more than a decade in publishing.
Gardner Literary serves both the faith-based and the general market, so Cambron is equally comfortable placing inspirational titles and wholly secular ones — writers should not assume a faith lens is required.
Cambron's background includes fifteen years in corporate leadership development and an undergraduate degree in art history, which likely informs a notable openness to nonfiction spanning art, travel, and wellness — categories where many fiction-first agents are weak.
Query status is unverified at time of writing — always confirm the current state directly through Gardner Literary's official channels before submitting.
Lately
Cambron's agency profile positions them as a Vice President at Gardner Literary and an active agent representing work across both the general and faith-based markets — signaling that neither secular nor inspirational writers need self-select out before querying.
What Kristy is looking for
This is the clearest center of gravity in Cambron's list. They seek historical fiction across eras, with particular warmth for WWI and WWII settings. Stories that layer emotional depth, strong female perspectives, and a sense of place — especially European settings — align with their track record as both agent and author. Family sagas and multi-generational narratives with a historical spine are especially welcome.
Cambron wants upmarket commercial fiction and women's fiction that balance accessibility with literary craft. Book-club-ready narratives with emotional stakes, complex relationships, and themes around identity, resilience, or community are the sweet spot. Both contemporary and historical women's fiction are actively sought.
Contemporary romance, historical romance, and romantic comedies — including historical romcoms — are all explicitly on the wishlist. Cambron gravitates toward warmth and wit, and welcomes beach reads alongside more emotionally textured romances. Time-travel romance is also on the radar.
Historical mysteries sit within Cambron's broader historical fiction appetite. Stories with a strong sense of period atmosphere, a compelling investigative thread, and richly drawn characters will resonate most.
Cambron lists magical realism, steampunk, and fairytale retellings as active interests. These likely work best when they carry the emotional and character-driven qualities that define the rest of the list — pure genre exercise without that core is probably less appealing.
Cambron's art-history background and corporate leadership experience inform a genuine openness to nonfiction. Narrative nonfiction, history, women's issues, and books-about-books all appeal. This is an underappreciated lane on a list often perceived as fiction-focused.
Fitness, health and wellness, mind/body/spirit, travel guides, and nature writing are all listed. This breadth suggests Cambron is open to platform-driven nonfiction with a strong author voice and a clearly defined readership.
Sports appears on both the fiction and nonfiction sides of the wishlist, which is relatively unusual. A writer with a compelling sports narrative — whether a novel or a narrative nonfiction project — has a genuine opening here.
Cambron explicitly flags BIPOC narratives and feminist perspectives as areas of interest, spanning both fiction and nonfiction. These work best when they intersect with the other categories already on the list — historical fiction centering underrepresented women, for example.
Not the right fit
On Kristy's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Kristy
Email is the confirmed submission method — check Gardner Literary's official website for the current submission address and any updated requirements before sending.
Lead with the emotional core of your story and its historical or commercial hook in the first line of your query; Cambron is an author themselves and will notice whether you can articulate what makes your book resonate, not just what happens in it.
If your manuscript crosses into both the faith-based and general markets, say so explicitly — Gardner Literary operates in both spaces, and Cambron will want to understand the intended readership and positioning from the outset.
Match the energy of your genre: a romcom query should have wit and voice; a WWI women's fiction query should signal emotional weight and period specificity. Cambron reads widely but each category has a different register.
Given their background in art history and their explicit interest in art-focused nonfiction, a nonfiction writer with a project at the intersection of art, history, and narrative should make that triple thread explicit in the query — it maps directly to Cambron's stated expertise and personal interest.
Mention comp titles confidently — Cambron's own work is well-comped and reviewed, so they understand and value precise market positioning. A strong, current comp signals commercial self-awareness.
Do not assume a faith element is required or unwelcome — make clear whether your book is faith-based, general market, or crossover, and Cambron will evaluate accordingly.
Verify the live submission guidelines on Gardner Literary's website immediately before querying — the agency notes that requirements are subject to change, and cached information (including this profile) may be out of date.