Mara Cobb is a junior agent at Lighthouse Literary with a clear lane in faith-infused fiction — Christian YA, Christian romance, and inspirational women's fiction — alongside a pronounced appetite for clean, commercial YA and MG, and a stated mission to close the gap between YA and adult fiction for heroines in their twenties.
In brief
Mara Cobb's strongest and most consistent focus is faith-based and Christian fiction across multiple age categories — this is the clearest through-line in the wishlist and should be the first filter any querying writer applies.
Cobb explicitly champions the YA-to-adult bridge, seeking New Adult and women's fiction featuring protagonists in their twenties — a relatively underserved space that signals a real gap Cobb wants to fill on the list.
The Hallmark-and-Heartland television sensibility is named directly and tells you everything about tonal expectations: warmth, low heat, redemptive arcs, and zero darkness for darkness's sake.
As a junior agent, Cobb is actively building a list, which can mean more openness to debut voices and emerging authors — but query windows may open and close quickly, so timing matters.
The content guardrails are firm and specific: no excessive profanity, no open-door (explicit) romance. A manuscript that crosses either line is not a fit, regardless of genre or quality.
Lately
Cobb has publicly stated a passion for bridging the gap between YA and adult fiction, with a particular focus on women-driven stories featuring protagonists in their twenties — signaling that New Adult and crossover projects are an active priority, not a side interest.
What Mara is looking for
Faith-based storytelling across any subgenre is a core priority for Cobb. This includes Christian YA (any subgenre welcome), Christian romance, and inspirational fiction for adults. Tone should align with the warmth and values of Christian publishing — think Hallmark sensibility with a faith dimension. Amish fiction and Amish romance also fall within this lane.
Cobb is actively seeking YA across contemporary, romance, rom-com, historical, mystery, and science fiction — with the explicit caveat that heavy fantasy and horror are not a fit. Light romance is welcome; open-door romance is not. Unique or unconventional narrators, multiple POVs, and love-to-hate villains are consistently named as draws.
Clean adult romance and rom-coms are a stated priority, with a particular affinity for the Hallmark and Lifetime holiday aesthetic: warm, witty, low-heat, and emotionally satisfying. Historical romcoms and inspirational romance also fit here. Open-door or explicit romance is a hard pass.
Cobb is especially drawn to women-driven fiction with strong female protagonists in their twenties — a deliberate effort to serve readers who have aged out of YA but aren't yet connecting with traditional adult fiction. Upmarket, commercial, and contemporary women's fiction all apply. The New Adult space is an explicit area of interest tied to this bridging mission.
A broad nonfiction mandate that includes Christian/faith nonfiction, memoir, self-help, health and wellness, parenting, humor, biography, and narrative history. Faith-adjacent and character-driven nonfiction is likely the strongest fit given the rest of the list. Bible studies are also on the table.
Cobb welcomes unique MG across contemporary, mystery, humor, and science fiction — but fantasy is explicitly excluded. The emphasis on 'unique' suggests MG that takes a fresh angle on voice, structure, or premise will land better than genre-conventional fare. MG nonfiction is also within scope.
Carefully researched historical fiction is considered for both adult and YA, but Cobb applies a meaningful gate: the historical period itself must do consequential work in the story. A contemporary narrative transplanted to a historical backdrop without thematic necessity is unlikely to pass muster. The 1800s onward is cited as a preferred range. YA historical fantasy is listed as a subgenre interest, making it one of the narrow fantasy exceptions in the YA lane.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Mara
The submission form was confirmed closed as of mid-November 2025 — check the live form before doing anything else, as junior agents' windows can reopen without announcement.
When the form opens, submit your query letter, a short author bio, full manuscript details, and the opening pages of your manuscript — all are explicitly required.
Lead your query with a clear faith or values signal if your book is Christian or inspirational fiction; Cobb's list centers here, and burying that thread is a missed opportunity.
Name your tonal comps carefully. Referencing the Hallmark or Heartland sensibility — or citing authors like Kasie West or Ann Gabhart — signals immediate alignment with Cobb's taste without requiring lengthy explanation.
Be direct about your protagonist's age if you're pitching New Adult or crossover women's fiction. Cobb's bridging-the-gap mission is specific to heroines in their twenties, so a query that obscures this detail undersells the fit.
State your content guardrails proactively. A single line confirming the manuscript is clean (no explicit romance, no excessive profanity) removes a known concern and shows you've done your homework.
If your historical fiction query doesn't make clear why the period is essential to the story's meaning — not just its backdrop — Cobb is likely to pass. Address this directly in the query.
MG fantasy writers should not query Cobb; the wishlist excludes MG fantasy explicitly. YA fantasy writers face the same restriction, with the narrow exception of YA historical fantasy.