Michelle Hauck is a Storm Literary Agency agent and longtime writing-community champion whose core passion is SFF across all age categories — epic fantasy, romantasy, cozy fantasy, and horror — with a secondary appetite for light mysteries, sweet romance, and historical fiction in MG/YA.
In brief
SFF is her undisputed center of gravity: she represents it across adult, YA, and MG, and her stated enthusiasm for romantasy and cozy fantasy reflects a current market-aware pivot toward those fast-growing subgenres.
Her 2026 public activity shows she is actively working an adult thriller manuscript (seeking a sensitivity reader for paraplegia), confirming she is engaged with client work even while her submission form is closed — a sign the closure is workload-driven, not a retreat from the business.
She came up as a contest organizer and Pitch Wars mentor before becoming an agent, which means she has unusually deep experience evaluating queries and partial manuscripts at scale — writers who have polished their query in a contest environment may speak her language.
Her wishlist explicitly flags a preference for non-American, non-European settings and underrepresented voices, including LGBTQ+ projects she says she has sold through and is eager to replenish — world-building outside the default Western template is a genuine differentiator here.
She draws a hard line against nonfiction and picture books, and is currently full on contemporary MG/YA, so writers in those lanes should not queue up and wait — redirect energy elsewhere.
Lately
I'm currently closed to queries. Please check my website for reopening updates.
I'm open to queries from June 16-19th, 2026! I'm looking for projects for the adult market in the following genres: fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery and thriller. As well as self published stories in those same genres for audio rights exploration. querytracker.net/query/Michel...
I'm opening to queries from June 16-19th! Please check my guidelines at my website, but I'm looking for projects for the adult market in the genres of fantasy, horror, science fiction, mystery and thriller.
Looking for help finding a sensitivity reader for disability, for paraplegia, for an adult thriller. Contains No sex. Minimal violence. Paid.
I'm down to 75 unread queries but I have 20 maybes and 5 fulls also.
She put out a public call seeking a paid sensitivity reader with lived experience of paraplegia for an adult thriller manuscript she is working on — described as containing no sex and minimal violence. This is a strong indicator she is actively shepherding at least one adult thriller client project as of mid-2026.
What Michelle is looking for
This is her stated sweet spot. She wants immersive secondary-world building, inventive magic systems, and rich historical texture. Romantasy and cozy fantasy are currently her most actively sought subgenres within adult fantasy. She is equally comfortable with plot-driven and character-driven structures, but a strong character arc that meaningfully intersects with the plot is a major plus. Settings outside Western Europe or America earn bonus consideration.
She actively wants more horror submissions across all age groups, with a strong preference for horror that carries social commentary. Body horror and slasher are off the table. For science fiction, space opera is preferred over dystopian, though a dystopian loaded with action and momentum can work. She would be particularly excited by an adult science fiction romance, a SFF murder mystery, a science fiction cozy, or a horror with a romantic thread.
She accepts adult mysteries but is not the right fit for true crime, police procedurals, or legal thrillers. She gravitates toward hopeful endings and stories where justice feels earned. A SFF-mystery hybrid would genuinely excite her.
Her Pitch Wars mentoring background was in adult SFF, but she is enthusiastic about SFF at younger age levels too. She loves adventurous MG and breathtaking YA — epic, world-building-heavy, secondary-world stories. Retellings and twists on classics, folktales, or myths, especially from fresh or underrepresented perspectives, are a strong draw. Siblings working together and climate/environment themes are explicit bonus elements. Villains with layered, gray motivations and deep secondary characters are non-negotiable wants.
Light mysteries and page-turning thrillers at the MG and YA level are welcome. She prefers mysteries that feel hopeful rather than grim, and thrillers that move fast.
Historical fiction at the YA and MG level is on her list. Settings beyond the standard American or Western European frame are especially interesting to her.
She welcomes romance in YA and MG, with an explicit preference for sweeter, lighter fare. Dark or explicit romance is not her lane at these age levels.
She is currently full on contemporary in these age categories and is not actively seeking more. The narrow exception: contemporary that is genuinely quirky, fun, and light — with real stakes — and is not issue-driven or dark-themed unless the work centers a diverse or underrepresented voice. Do not query mainstream contemporary MG/YA.
Not the right fit
On Michelle's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Michelle
Do not query while the form is closed — check the live status on Storm Literary Agency's website before submitting. Querying a closed form wastes your shot.
Lead with your world-building credentials. She is drawn to secondary worlds, inventive magic systems, and rich historical texture — your query letter should convey the scope and flavor of your setting early.
If your story features a non-Western, non-European setting, or centers LGBTQ+ characters, call that out explicitly and early. These are active gaps she wants to fill.
Name the subgenre precisely. She distinguishes between romantasy, cozy fantasy, space opera, horror with social commentary, and light mystery — a vague 'fantasy novel' label undersells your project and misses her targeting.
Mention your villain. Her wishlist emphasizes complex, morally layered antagonists repeatedly — if your antagonist has real dimension, that detail belongs in the query.
If your MG or YA includes siblings as co-protagonists, climate/environment themes, or is a retelling of a folktale or myth from a new perspective, flag it — she names all three as specific interests.
For horror submissions, articulate the social commentary your story carries. She is not interested in horror that is purely visceral; the thematic layer is what will hook her.
Avoid querying contemporary MG or YA unless your project is demonstrably quirky, light-stakes, and fun — she has stated she is full in that lane.