Founded in 2014, Azantian Literary is committed to guiding the careers of both new and established voices in fiction and nonfiction, particularly those who have been historically underrepresented. Mark O’Brien joined Azantian Literary Agency in 2024 with nine years of experience in the book publishing industry. Prior to ALA, Mark interned at Entangled Publishing, Stonesong, Triada US Literary Agency, and Writers House, and worked as Sales Coordinator at NetGalley for three years. Mark has also worked as a freelance editor and sensitivity reader, as well as a volunteer with organizations like #DVpit, Tessera Editorial, and Quillers SWANA. Authors Mark has worked with in these roles include Becky Albertalli, Kelly Loy Gilbert, Victoria Aveyard, Ryan La Sala, Lydia Kang, J. Elle, Gabe Cole Novoa, Varian Johnson, Jessica Kim, Sayantani DasGupta, and many more.
WISHLIST
Across genres, age groups, and categories, Mark loves lyrical prose he can get lost in, wordplay, and a sense of humor. As a queer, neurodivergent person himself, Mark is especially excited about working with queer, neurodivergent, BIPOC, and disabled creators.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Mark is open to graphic novels for readers of all ages. He gravitates toward graphic novels with a sense of humor, a dash of whimsy, and a ton of heart. His favorites include The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell, Nimona by ND Stevenson, and Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu.
YOUNG ADULT
In young adult, Mark’s first love is contemporary realistic fiction, as well as realistic with a twist, a la Please Ignore Vera Dietz by A.S. King or The Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller. Some of his favorites include Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert, The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth, I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, and the works of Becky Albertalli, Angie Thomas, and Ryan La Sala. Mark is also building his list in YA genre fiction, including science fiction and fantasy. He loved Marie Lu’s Warcross, A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown, The November Girl by Lydia Kang, The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and Nimona by N.D. Stevenson.
ADULT FICTION
In adult fiction, Mark is looking for all sorts of queer romance. Some of his favorite authors in romance are Cat Sebastian, Alexis Hall, Helen Hoang, Timothy Janovsky, Kennedy Ryan, and Meryl Wilsner.
NONFICTION
In nonfiction, Mark’s tastes lean accessible, queer, and neurodivergent. Think Here for It by R. Eric Thomas, Hola Papi by John Paul Brammer, What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo, The New Masculinity by Alex Manley, Hi Honey, I’m Homo! by Matt Baume, and The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green.
ANTI-
Mark is not the best fit for horror, thrillers, picture books, novellas, poetry collections, and stories centering suicide, self-harm, intense violence, and gore.
Fun facts about me
As a baby, I auditioned for a soft pretzel commercial. In my high school yearbook, I was voted Most Likely to Succeed. I have seen every season of RuPaul’s Drag Race (and All Stars) way too many times to count. Submission Guidelines All ALA agents use. Please note that any submissions sent via email, unless requested or sent on referral, will not be considered. We encourage all authors and artists to prepare and polish their work prior to submission. We only accept human-created work and do not consider AI-generated work. Here are a few helpful tips to consider when submitting: Select one agent to submit your work to. Please review our agents’ bios and manuscript wishlists to find the best fit. We ask that you submit to one agent at a time. However, if one agent passes, you are welcome to submit up to three agents at ALA. Prepare a polished query letter with a detailed description of the work you are submitting. Create a bio with or without credentials. We love to work with debut creators and encourage you to list out any and