Laura Bennett is an Associate Literary Agent at The Liverpool Literary Agency who brings a writer's own background to her hunt for character-driven adult and YA science fiction and fantasy, with a strong lean toward diverse, inclusive, and underrepresented voices.
In brief
Her wishlist and her tagged preferences align unusually well: every sub-genre she flags — Africanfuturism, cozy fantasy, romantasy, gothic fantasy, LGBTQ+ SFF — points toward the same core desire for richly imagined worlds anchored by compelling, diverse characters.
Laura comes from a writing and teaching background rather than a traditional publishing route, which likely makes her more attuned to craft-level feedback and to writers who are developing their voice — a meaningful signal for debut authors.
A critical gate to know: the agency currently accepts YA fiction agency-wide, but Laura's own wishlist explicitly flags Fantasy YA as a category she wants, even as the general agency guidelines note YA is not currently accepted — writers should treat this as a potential conflict and verify directly before querying YA.
Geography matters here: the agency restricts SFF submissions to writers who were born in, or currently live in, the UK or Ireland. This is a hard filter — international writers outside those regions should not submit.
No confirmed deal record is available in the source material, so taste signals are drawn from her stated wishlist and sub-genre preferences rather than a sales history. Writers should weigh her as a newer or growing agent whose list is actively being built.
Lately
The agency's submission form was confirmed open as of early March 2026, with the usual reminder that manuscripts sent outside a submission window are not read. Writers should check the live form before submitting.
What Laura is looking for
This is Laura's clearest priority. She wants the full spectrum of SFF — epic fantasy, high fantasy, cozy fantasy, romantasy, gothic fantasy, dystopian, post-apocalyptic, steampunk, and urban or supernatural fantasy. What unifies her interest is character: she wants realistic, strongly voiced protagonists and complicated relationships at the heart of whatever world-building surrounds them. The more diverse the cast, the better.
Laura specifically calls out African fantasy, Africanfuturism, African sci-fi, Asian fantasy, Asian sci-fi, Latinx fantasy, and BIPOC-led horror, fantasy, and sci-fi as areas of active interest. She also flags LGBTQ+ SFF and feminist SF/F. This isn't a checkbox exercise — her taste tags cluster so heavily around representation and #ownvoices that it reads as a genuine organizing principle of her list.
Adult romantasy and fantasy romance appear explicitly in her preferences. Given her stated love of complicated relationships, this is a natural fit. She is looking for emotional depth and strong character dynamics, not just genre scaffolding.
Laura lists Fantasy YA and YA SFF among her personal sub-genre interests. However, the agency's current general guidelines state that YA fiction is not accepted at this time. Writers with YA SFF manuscripts should verify with the agency directly before submitting, as this apparent conflict may reflect a transitional policy or a Laura-specific exception. Do not submit YA without confirming it is welcome.
Cozy fantasy is explicitly tagged in her preferences. For writers working in lower-stakes, warmth-forward fantasy with ensemble casts and character-driven plots, Laura is worth approaching.
Laura flags fairytale retellings and fantasy grounded in reality as sub-genres she welcomes. The emphasis on realism — real characters, strong voices, believable relationships — applies here too. She is not looking for high-concept spectacle divorced from human stakes.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Laura
Send to the agency's submissions email address (submissions@liverpool-literary.agency) — not Laura's personal email — and only during an open submission window. Manuscripts submitted outside the window are not considered.
Confirm you are eligible: SFF submissions are restricted to writers born in, or currently living in, the UK or Ireland. Do not submit if you are outside this region.
Your cover email must include: a short author bio, the book's genre, a blurb, your inspirations, comparable authors or titles, and a clear statement of why your book stands out. This is not optional — it is part of the submission requirement.
Attach a synopsis and your first three chapters or first 5,000 words (whichever comes first) as a Word document with numbered pages. Do not embed the manuscript in the email body.
Do not submit without a complete, polished manuscript ready for a full request. Laura's agency is explicit that early drafts and idea-stage projects are not appropriate for submission.
Lead your pitch with character and voice, not world-building. Laura's stated priorities are realistic characters with strong narrative voices and complicated relationships — your query should make those elements vivid.
If your book features a diverse cast, underrepresented cultural perspective (particularly African, Asian, or Latinx fantasy traditions), or LGBTQ+ protagonists, make that clear in the blurb and genre description — it is directly relevant to what she is building.
Simultaneous submissions to other agents are permitted, but you must notify the agency promptly if you accept an offer elsewhere during the process.
The agency does not respond to unsuccessful submissions — if you have not heard back within 12 weeks, treat that as a pass and move on.
Verify the YA question before submitting a YA manuscript: her personal wishlist includes Fantasy YA, but the agency's general guidelines currently exclude YA. A brief, polite query to clarify before submitting is warranted.