Samantha Fabien is a Root Literary agent who champions high-concept, diverse commercial and upmarket fiction across adult, YA, and middle grade — with a particular hunger for romantasy, horror, and book-club-crossover fiction featuring marginalized voices.
In brief
Fabien is openly building her adult list, so adult commercial fiction — especially romantasy, horror, and rom-coms — is where she is most aggressively acquiring right now.
Her stated taste is highly specific: equally balanced romance-and-fantasy in romantasy, nuanced (not gory) horror with social commentary, and book club fiction that bends genres rather than sitting squarely in one.
Non-Western mythology, Caribbean and Haitian-inspired settings, disability rep, and BIPOC sapphic stories appear repeatedly in her dream-project descriptions — pitches that speak directly to those intersections will stand out.
She has a background in rights management and worked at two well-regarded agencies before joining Root Literary, signaling strong industry relationships and submission savvy.
She is active in community programming (DVPIT, SCBWI, LAOC mentorship, Steamy Lit Con) — writers who have participated in those spaces may already be on her radar.
Lately
She participated in DVPIT — a pitch event for writers from historically underrepresented backgrounds — indicating she actively seeks out diverse voices through community channels, not just the standard query inbox. She invited liked posts to submit a full query plus the first fifty pages.
What Samantha is looking for
This is her self-described lifelong love. She wants the romance and fantasy halves in genuine balance — a story that fully satisfies both a romance reader and a fantasy reader. Layered characters, inventive magic systems, and sweeping world-building are non-negotiable. Dream projects include a BIPOC sapphic romantasy and a Haitian or Caribbean-inspired fantasy romance. Non-Western mythology, rebellion, autonomy, and gray morality are consistent draws.
She craves atmospheric, psychologically unsettling horror — nuanced rather than graphic, where the monster functions as social commentary. Diverse horror is a particular priority because, as she notes, fear operates differently across communities and the space is underexplored. She wants disability rep and BIPOC perspectives front and center. Touchstones she has named include Get Out, The Haunting of Hill House, and the film Sinners.
Romance and rom-coms are among her stated favorites and a clear pillar of her existing list. She is focused on adult romance and describes her current client list as the best indicator of her taste in this space. Voice, emotional resonance, and diverse protagonists are the expected ingredients.
She is specifically drawn to book club fiction that hybridizes with another genre — speculative, thriller, or otherwise — so it can travel between genre and non-genre readerships. Pure literary or straight commercial without that genre hook is less interesting to her than a cross-genre blend.
She is actively looking for fresh perspectives here — particularly BIPOC crime fiction, psychological thrillers, and domestic suspense. The emphasis is on misdirection, a satisfying reveal, and voices that haven't dominated the space. Diverse protagonists and unconventional settings will get attention.
Voice-driven, emotionally resonant fiction aimed at the intersection of commercial accessibility and literary depth. Family drama, women's fiction with speculative threads, and stories that feel compulsively readable all qualify. She gravitates toward stories featuring marginalized and underrepresented perspectives.
She continues to take fantasy projects across age categories, with a particular appetite for African, Caribbean, Latinx, and Asian-inspired world-building. LGBTQ+ fantasy, feminist SF/F, and stories centering disability representation are highlighted. She gives priority to adult fantasy but will take on younger-audience projects, especially from existing or future clients she connects with deeply.
She still works with MG and YA projects and is open to future clients in those spaces, but her primary acquisitions focus has shifted to growing her adult list. Writers with MG or YA projects should expect a higher bar; she is most likely to take on younger-audience work when the project is exceptional and voice-driven.
Not the right fit
On Samantha's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Samantha
Lead with the hook, not the backstory — she explicitly prizes high-concept, all-or-nothing stakes, so your first paragraph should make the premise impossible to ignore.
Name your category and audience upfront (adult romantasy, adult horror, etc.) and confirm the age category is adult if that's where your manuscript lands — she is prioritizing adult acquisitions and this signals self-awareness.
If your project hits one of her stated dream categories (Haitian/Caribbean fantasy, BIPOC sapphic romantasy, werewolf pack dynamics, or disability rep horror/fantasy), say so clearly and early — these are specific invitations, not vague themes.
For romantasy submissions, address balance explicitly: show her in the query that the romance and the fantasy carry equal weight. A pitch that reads as 'fantasy with a subplot romance' will not excite her.
For horror, signal atmosphere and social subtext over shock — mention the thematic or societal resonance your 'monster' carries. If it evokes Get Out or The Haunting of Hill House in tone, you can say so.
Mention marginalized or underrepresented perspectives in your manuscript naturally — not as a checkbox, but as part of how you describe character and world. This is central to her brand, and a query that ignores it misses the point.
She requested 50 pages from DVPIT participants; check her live submission form for standard first-pages requirements — it may differ from a standard query-letter-only submission.
If you have participated in DVPIT, SCBWI, or related programs she supports, a brief note of that shared community context is appropriate (not as a credential, but as genuine shared context).
She is drawn to voice — consider whether your query letter itself sounds like the book. A flat, formulaic query for a voice-driven rom-com is a mismatch.
Confirm the form is still open before submitting; query status was last verified in April 2026 and can change.