Shannon Snow is a commercially-minded associate agent at Rosecliff Literary who actively hunts for emotionally resonant adult fiction — especially contemporary romance, dark romance, horror/thriller, and speculative fiction — with a sharp eye for breakout indie talent ready to cross into traditional publishing.
In brief
Snow's confirmed original deal record is small but punchy: both titles are adult commercial romance — an enemies-to-lovers Christmas rom-com at Alcove Press and a widow/nanny love-triangle at Montlake — signaling she has real traction in women's commercial fiction and Amazon-adjacent imprints.
The bulk of her deal record consists of audio rights placed on behalf of her former agency's president, meaning those titles (Theresa Romain, Julianne MacLean, Kate Kingsbury, Olivia Miles, etc.) reflect her taste exposure but are NOT her own client relationships — do not query her expecting those author connections.
Her wishlist is unusually detailed and comp-heavy, which is a gift: she tells you exactly the emotional register and heat level she wants, so a poorly-targeted query has no excuse.
She moved to Rosecliff Literary in 2026 and is explicitly building her list from scratch — this is a genuine ground-floor opportunity for debut and emerging authors, particularly in romance subgenres and horror/thriller.
Her stated interest in scouting self-published and indie authors with proven platforms is a meaningful differentiator; if you have indie sales data or a built readership, lead with it.
Lately
Now reopened to queries! Updated my #mswl with everything I’m looking for but the pic shows my number 1 type of story/genre. This does not exclude the rest of my MSWL tho! #writingcommunity #anquerying
After a period of being closed, Snow announced she had reopened to queries in early February 2026, noting that her updated wishlist reflects her full range of interests — but singled out one particular story type or genre as her top priority in the accompanying image.
What Shannon is looking for
This is the clearest sweet spot in her actual deal record. She wants the full spectrum of heat — sweet, steamy, erotica — and welcomes stories that blur into women's fiction territory. Emotionally charged, character-driven relationships are the core requirement. Tropes she calls out by name: enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, mistaken identity, and older-woman/younger-man dynamics. She also has a specific appetite for professional sports hero romances, whether they run warm and witty or lean into a darker, grittier tone.
Eerie, creepy, and atmospheric is her stated preference, but she signals openness to the broader genre. Haunted houses, escape scenarios, monsters, and zombies all get explicit callouts. The key is dread and atmosphere over pure gore.
She wants twisty, propulsive suspense that can carry a paranormal element if the story calls for it. She leans toward books with emotional depth alongside the plot mechanics — not just puzzle-box thrillers but ones where character interiority matters.
Quest and epic fantasy are her favorites within the genre. Dragons and fae earn specific enthusiasm. Romance can be present but is not required. The emphasis is on immersive worldbuilding and vivid characters rather than romance scaffolding.
She loves the category but is explicitly seeking something that distinguishes itself from the current crowded market. A familiar trope executed brilliantly won't be enough — she needs a concept or execution angle that makes the project feel genuinely fresh. Don't query with a standard fae-court or vampire-academy pitch without a clear differentiator.
She welcomes speculative fiction that is grounded in the real world, especially when romance is woven into the fabric of the story. Can shade toward fantasy but the real-world anchor is a draw for her.
Space operas and interplanetary conflict are her favorites within the category. Stories set on other worlds or built around encounters with alien species or creatures appeal strongly. She wants scale and adventure.
She flags this as a genuine interest alongside her broader romance appetite. No specific subgenre restrictions noted, but this should be read alongside her reverse harem caveat — heavy dubcon or gratuitous bullying dynamics are not welcome.
She is open to this category but applies a real filter: she is not interested in heavy dubious-consent scenarios or serious bullying dynamics as central elements. Poly romance is also welcomed here. Query only if your project avoids those specific pitfalls.
She has a soft spot for medieval settings and ancient-world historicals — Rome, Greece — but is taking on relatively few projects here. She describes this interest as warm but restrained, so pitch only if the setting is genuinely distinctive.
She distinguishes reimaginings (which take liberties, subvert, or reframe the source material) from straight retellings (which she is less interested in). She is already sparing in this space and taking on very few projects — your reimagining needs a genuinely novel angle to earn her attention.
Not the right fit
On Shannon's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Shannon
She accepts queries exclusively through her online submission form — no email queries. Navigate to the Rosecliff Literary Agency website and use the form linked specifically to Shannon Snow.
Her 2026 wishlist is exceptionally comp-heavy. Mirror her energy: include 2–3 specific published comparisons that match the emotional register and heat level of your book, not just genre bucket labels.
Voice and characterization are her stated top priorities — more than plot. Your query letter and first pages must demonstrate a distinctive, engaging narrative voice. She explicitly wants sentences that make her want to read them twice.
If you are a self-published or indie author with measurable sales or platform data, mention it. She is specifically positioned to scout indie talent ready for traditional publishing — this is a genuine advantage, not just a nice-to-have.
For reverse harem or dark romance, briefly acknowledge in your query that your project does not rely on heavy dubious-consent or bullying dynamics as core elements. She has flagged these as deal-breakers in that subgenre, so proactively clearing that hurdle shows you know her list.
For romantasy or fairytale reimaginings, lead with what makes your project different from the current market — she is explicitly looking for something that stands out in those crowded spaces. If you can't articulate the differentiator in one sentence, the query isn't ready.
She moved to Rosecliff in 2026 and is building her list from the ground up, which means she has more bandwidth for new clients than an established agent with a full roster. Frame your query as the beginning of a long-term author-agent partnership, which she has stated is her goal.