Leon Husock is an L. Perkins Agency agent who hunts for genuinely subversive YA and SFF — broken protagonists, non-Eurocentric world-building, and stories that break their own status quo and never hit reset.
In brief
Husock's wishlist is unusually specific: they want flawed protagonists in the truest sense — manipulative, loud-mouthed, genuinely messy — not the 'works too hard' variety of flaw that floods YA submissions.
Non-Western mythology and gunpowder-era or prehistoric fantasy settings are a clear priority; Husock explicitly name-checks cultures from Nepal to the Pacific Islands, signaling they want specificity, not surface-level diversity.
Southern Gothic YA — both contemporary and fantasy — is a stated niche that Husock believes is chronically underserved, making it a strong angle for writers who can deliver that regional voice.
LGBTQ+ main characters are actively welcomed across SFF and YA, with a key qualifier: Husock wants queerness woven into the character, not foregrounded as the plot's central conflict.
Submission mechanics are email-only; no attachments unless requested, and the first five pages go in the body of the message — getting this wrong is an easy way to be passed over before the query is even read.
Lately
Husock has articulated a strong preference for YA protagonists with genuinely uncomfortable flaws — manipulative, inability to keep opinions to themselves — contrasting this explicitly with the 'greatest weakness is working too hard' type of non-flaw that saturates submissions.
What Leon is looking for
Husock wants SFF that breaks the mold on multiple fronts at once: non-Western cultural foundations (Pacific Islander, South Asian, East Asian, African, Eastern European mythologies — the more specific the better), non-medieval time periods (gunpowder-era, neolithic, early modern), and magic systems that feel rigorously designed rather than elementally generic. Protagonists should have real, uncomfortable flaws — not flattering ones. Status-quo changes mid-series that stick permanently (lost limbs, lost relationships, lost power) are a strong draw.
Husock specifically calls out revenge fantasy and SF, and over-the-top contemporary revenge YA — the bar is cinematic escalation, not 'getting someone in trouble at school.' The energy should be extreme, committed, and genre-aware.
Both contemporary and fantasy welcome. Husock is a self-described fan of the American South and views it as an underrepresented setting in YA — writers with an authentic Southern voice, rural atmosphere, or Gothic sensibility have a real opening here.
Husock is drawn to premises that invert familiar YA/MG setups: girl characters who are slackers and slobs rather than overachieving perfectionists, jock kids alienated from their nerdy dads rather than the reverse, and any other trope turned meaningfully on its head. The twist must shift the emotional logic of the story, not just swap surface details.
Husock welcomes SFF at the adult level as well as YA when it centers gay main characters whose queerness is simply part of who they are — not the narrative's central conflict or a secret to be revealed. The story should work as SFF first.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Leon
Send a brief synopsis, a short author bio, and the first five pages of your manuscript or book proposal — all pasted directly into the body of the email. Do not attach files; attachments will not be opened unless Husock specifically requests them.
Do not query by phone, postal mail, or social media — email is the only accepted channel.
If your protagonist has a genuine, uncomfortable flaw (not a flattering one), name it explicitly in your query letter. Husock has flagged this as a distinguishing factor.
For fantasy submissions, lead with the cultural or mythological foundation and the time period of your world in your opening pitch — these are two of Husock's clearest differentiators and should not be buried.
If your story features a permanent, irreversible status-quo change mid-narrative (not a reset), mention it — Husock values this structurally and it signals you understand what they're looking for.
For LGBTQ+ SFF pitches, make clear in the query that queerness is character texture, not the central dramatic question, to align with Husock's stated preference.
Avoid pitching anything that opens with a 'secret family powers' revelation or a supernatural-being-meets-ordinary-human romance setup — these are explicitly on the rejection list.