Megan Barnard is a character-obsessed agent at The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency who hunts for lyrical, commercially anchored literary and historical fiction—especially dark, morally complex stories set in Britain, Ireland, and Russia—alongside historical fantasy and mental-health-driven narrative nonfiction.
In brief
Her wishlist centers on a tight core: upmarket/literary fiction with commercial hooks, historically grounded speculative fiction, and unflinching mental-health narratives—she is explicit about wanting depth of prose AND strength of plot.
No confirmed sales record was available for analysis, so category emphasis is drawn from her stated priorities rather than deal history; historical fiction and historical fantasy appear to be her most passionately articulated interests.
She has a strong, named taste in 'unlikeable but compelling' protagonists—think psychological complexity à la Gone Girl, not shock-value brutality—which is a meaningful filter writers should weigh carefully before pitching.
Her background includes multi-agency internship experience before joining Jennifer De Chiara in 2020, suggesting she arrived with broad exposure to the market and intentional genre preferences.
Queries must go through her online submission form only—emailed queries are deleted unread, which is an unusually firm gate writers must not miss.
Lately
In her wishlist statement, Barnard expressed that she joined The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency in 2020 after nearly three years interning at multiple literary agencies, positioning herself as a hungry, range-seeking agent eager to build a varied list—with historical fiction, historical fantasy, and mental health narratives named as her most urgent wants.
What Megan is looking for
This is her most passionately articulated category. She gravitates toward dual-timeline or past/present structures and multiple points of view. Her geographic preferences are specific: the UK, Ireland, Russia, and atmospheric coastal settings. She wants to read about brilliant, socially ambitious women who wield their world rather than flee it—she's moved past the 'escape the drawing room' trope. Settings should generally fall after the 18th century. Lyrical prose is a must, but the plot must do real work too.
She describes this as among her most wanted categories and lists specific touchstone titles with genuine enthusiasm. She is not a fit for epic or world-building-heavy fantasy—what she wants is intimate, character-centered speculative fiction that uses magic or alternate history as an emotional lens rather than a spectacle. Think small-scale enchantment woven into historical texture, not sprawling battle narratives.
Beautiful sentences are a baseline expectation, not a differentiator—she also demands a commercial hook that makes the book engine-driven and readable. She is drawn to morally ambiguous plots and protagonists readers aren't supposed to like but can't stop following. Psychological darkness is welcome; gratuitous sadism or torture is not. Grumpy, misanthropic, or otherwise difficult characters with dark humor are a specific sweet spot.
She is moved by writing that examines mental health with honesty and formal daring—work that doesn't soften the subject or reach for easy resolution. Her interest spans both literary fiction and nonfiction memoir. She wants the experience of reading to feel visceral and revelatory, not clinical or tidily redemptive.
She accepts nonfiction proposals, particularly in the areas of memoir, travel, and nature writing. Submissions in this category should include a full book proposal rather than sample pages alone.
She welcomes well-crafted women's fiction with book-club sensibility—stories that spark conversation and linger after the last page. The 'book-hangover' quality she describes is the target: emotional resonance that outlasts the read.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Megan
Use the agency's online submission form exclusively—she states that any query sent by email will be deleted without being read. This is a firm, non-negotiable gate.
For fiction, include your query letter plus the first five pages of the manuscript in the submission form. Do not attach a full synopsis unless asked.
For nonfiction, submit a query and a full book proposal—sample pages alone are not sufficient.
Her stated response window is approximately six weeks for queries and three months for manuscript requests; plan your follow-up timeline accordingly.
Lead your query with character and emotional stakes, not plot mechanics—she consistently describes what pulls her in as a feeling (book-hangover, reading a hurricane), which signals she responds to voice and interiority first.
If pitching historical fiction, be specific and upfront about your time period and setting; she has clear geographic and temporal preferences (post-18th century; UK, Ireland, Russia, or coastal atmospheres) and is more likely to engage if these align immediately.
If your protagonist is difficult, morally grey, or flat-out unlikeable, name that directly in your query—it is a selling point for her, not a liability. But distinguish psychological complexity from graphic cruelty, which she explicitly does not want.
Avoid pitching dual-category projects that blend her wanted genres with her unwanted ones (e.g., a historical romance or a YA speculative novel)—the excluded genres are a hard no regardless of the other elements.