Lane Clarke is an author-attorney turned associate literary agent at Ultra Literary who champions emotionally resonant, culturally grounded stories across picture books, graphic novels, YA, and adult fiction—with a particular passion for underrepresented voices and slow-burn tension.
In brief
Clarke's wishlist is unusually wide-ranging—picture books through adult epic fantasy—but her own published work (YA contemporary romance) and her repeated emphasis on emotional impact, cultural specificity, and found family suggest her deepest instincts are in character-driven, voice-forward storytelling.
She is an author herself (LOVE TIMES INFINITY, EVEN IF THE SKY IS FALLING), which means she reads client manuscripts with a writer's eye; pitches that foreground voice and emotional stakes are likely to land better than high-concept hooks alone.
Her wishlist signals a strong preference for stories that center characters who are rarely foregrounded: heroines and love interests of color, neurodivergent or disabled characters, and creators from marginalized communities—treat this as a genuine priority, not a checkbox.
She is explicitly seeking adult romance (slow burns, diverse leads), adult literary fiction (generational sagas, societal commentary), and adult genre fiction including cozy fantasy, horror, and space opera—a broader adult appetite than many agents with picture-book and YA roots.
Her submission form was directly observed as CLOSED on 2025-11-12; verify current status before querying.
Lately
Her agency profile describes her as seeking books that make readers laugh, cry, and dare to dream—a phrase that telegraphs her dual priority of emotional catharsis and hopeful, expansive storytelling.
What Lane is looking for
Wants picture books with a strong, specific cultural perspective and characters with the potential to carry a multi-book arc. She gravitates toward work by underrepresented creators. Not interested in potty humor.
Open to graphic novels across all age categories—early reader, middle grade, YA, and adult—from author-illustrators or paired author-and-illustrator teams. She welcomes both contemporary and speculative approaches. She is not a fit for script-only submissions without an illustrator attachment.
Considers only a narrow slice of middle grade: literary contemporary or contemporary fantasy. She is not interested in MG that skews young in voice or concept.
Seeks coming-of-age stories with genuine emotional weight and culturally aware perspectives told through the eyes of messy, real teenagers. Also interested in college and new-adult transitions, including stories about teens who choose paths other than a four-year university. Found family dynamics are a strong plus.
Wants emotionally devastating historical fiction—the kind that makes her cry. Looks for deeply researched, character-driven narratives.
Drawn to worlds where something is subtly, unsettlingly off—speculative contemporary rather than full secondary-world fantasy. Also excited by inventive narrative structures: multiple POVs (when well-balanced), unconventional formats, and epistolary or multimedia constructions.
Slow burns are her top priority. Wants romances built on sustained tension featuring heroines and love interests who are rarely centered: characters of color, neurodivergent characters, disabled characters. She is actively looking to expand representation in this space.
Interested in two lanes: sweeping generational sagas and sharp societal commentary. Both should provoke a strong emotional response. Also drawn to fiction that interrogates the Black experience with literary ambition.
Looking for epic fantasy anchored in a specific, non-generic cultural identity. Wants worlds built from a distinct point of view rather than standard Western-European templates.
Welcomes cozy fantasy and cozy mystery—warm, character-rich reads that prioritize atmosphere and comfort alongside plot.
Wants smart horror that uses the genre to excavate characters' inner lives and psychological demons rather than relying on surface-level scares.
Open to mysteries and thrillers, including socially conscious thrillers and technology-driven suspense. Not interested in procedural crime fiction.
Interested in well-researched historical fiction with vivid characterization.
Actively wants a space opera—an underserved slot on her list and a genuine gap to fill.
Seeks humorous personal essay collections that tackle societal issues and personal growth, as well as emotionally raw memoirs. Also consistently interested in narrative or prescriptive nonfiction centered on the Black experience.
Across all categories, she is energized by projects that approach an established genre through a fresh cultural lens or an underrepresented perspective—stories that reframe the familiar.
Not the right fit
On Lane's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Lane
Send a query letter and the first three chapters as a single email submission—this is her stated format; do not send synopses or additional materials unless specifically requested.
Confirm her form or email is currently open before sending; the submission portal was closed as of November 2025 and she does not appear to announce re-openings in advance.
Lead with voice and emotional stakes rather than plot summary alone—she is an author herself and will respond to the way a story sounds on the page, not just what happens in it.
If your work centers characters of color, neurodivergent characters, or disabled characters, say so clearly and early in your query; this is a genuine priority for her, not a secondary consideration.
If you are querying graphic novels, confirm upfront whether you are submitting as an author-illustrator or as part of an author-illustrator team—she does not take scripts without an illustrator partner.
Middle grade writers should make the literary or fantasy ambition of the manuscript unmistakable in the query; she is selective in this category and will pass on work that reads as too young or too light.
For adult romance, emphasize the slow-burn structure and the specific identity of your leads; generic romantic tension without character specificity is unlikely to stand out on her list.
The 'old genre, new cultural lens' framing is a reliable hook if your book genuinely fits it—she named it as a unifying priority across all age groups, so if that describes your work, lead with it.