Laura Stone is a Blue Ridge Literary Agency agent with an editorial-first background who hunts for page-turning cozy mysteries, emotionally grounded romance, YA dystopian/post-apocalyptic, and relic-driven action/adventure — prioritizing memorable characters and relentless narrative momentum above all else.
In brief
Laura Stone's background spans acquiring editing, newspaper journalism, freelance coaching, and published authorship — a rarer editorial toolkit than most agents carry, and one that signals an agent who will engage deeply with craft at the manuscript level.
The wishlist skews heavily toward series potential: Stone explicitly names a cozy mystery series, a middle grade fantasy or adventure series, and Indiana Jones/National Treasure/Da Vinci Code-style action/adventure — writers with standalone-only projects in those genres may face an uphill pitch.
Stone's submission form is among the most detailed in the industry: it requires a specific synopsis format, past-tense prose only, a stated number of POVs, and a heat-level disclosure for romance — missing any of these is listed as grounds for automatic deletion, not a form rejection.
Stone does not represent previously published work in any form, including self-published or work posted publicly online — writers with prior publication history in their queried manuscript should not submit.
Query status was not verifiable from available sources; writers must check the live submissions page at Blue Ridge Literary Agency before sending anything.
Lately
Stone's detailed submissions page makes clear that a complete, edited manuscript is a hard prerequisite — partials or works-in-progress will not be considered, and missing required query elements result in deletion rather than a standard rejection.
What Laura is looking for
Stone is specifically after a cozy mystery series — not a standalone — built around a fun, distinctive setting and a hook strong enough to anchor multiple books. Quirky but grounded characters are a must; whimsy for its own sake won't land. Whodunit structure is a named favorite sub-genre.
Stone wants contemporary romance and romantic suspense with leads who are genuinely strong — not just described that way — and who are willing to wrestle with real, substantive conflict rather than manufactured misunderstanding. Heat level must be disclosed in the query. The emphasis is on emotional authenticity and character depth over trope alone.
Dystopian and post-apocalyptic YA is among Stone's self-described favorite genres. Page-turning momentum and emotional pull are the twin benchmarks; world-building should serve character, not overwhelm it.
Stone is openly chasing the spirit of Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and The Da Vinci Code — propulsive, artifact-driven adventures with a sense of discovery and high stakes. This is one of the most specific and enthusiastic entries on the wishlist, suggesting genuine personal passion for the sub-genre.
Stone welcomes well-crafted epic and high fantasy. The qualifier 'well-written' suggests Stone is selective here — execution and prose must be strong, not just concept. YA fantasy fits naturally alongside the dystopian interest.
Stone is open to all MG sub-genres, with a particular enthusiasm for a quirky MG fantasy or adventure series. The series angle is explicit and important — MG standalones may be considered, but series potential will strengthen a pitch significantly.
Thriller appears in Stone's listed fiction categories but is not called out in the detailed wishlist notes. Writers in this category should ensure their work overlaps with Stone's stated strengths — mystery, suspense, and action/adventure elements — rather than treating it as a fully open category.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Laura
Follow the submission checklist exactly: missing items — including phone number, pseudonym disclosure, POV count, word count, heat level for romance, or the properly formatted synopsis — are stated grounds for query deletion, not a standard pass.
Your synopsis must run 1–2 pages in 12-point Times New Roman, tell the full story from beginning to end including the ending, and be double-spaced with 1-inch margins. Withholding the ending is explicitly called out as a rejection trigger.
Your manuscript must be in past tense. Stone does not represent present-tense narratives — this is a hard filter, not a preference.
If pitching romance, state the heat level clearly in the query body. This is required, not optional.
For cozy mystery and MG, lead with your series concept, not just your first book — Stone has explicitly asked for series in both categories, and a query that only pitches a standalone misses the stated goal.
For relic/artifact action-adventure, lean into the tone and energy of the touchstones Stone named (treasure-hunt momentum, artifact mythology, high stakes) rather than purely plot summary. Stone is looking for a specific feel here.
Do not query with a manuscript that has been self-published or posted online in any form — this is a flat disqualifier, not a category preference.
Manuscript must be complete and professionally edited before submission — Stone does not develop unfinished drafts.
Stone does not require exclusivity, so you may query other agents simultaneously.
Confirm that Blue Ridge Literary Agency is currently accepting queries before submitting — the status was unverified at the time this profile was compiled.