A children's and teen agent with deep editorial roots — sixteen years editing YA and middle grade at major houses before agenting — hunting voice-forward, high-concept young adult and middle grade, with a real appetite for the dark, the edgy, and the genuinely new.
In brief
Young adult and middle grade fiction across all genres, with voice and a grabby hook valued above almost everything else.
Strong pull toward dark and edgy material — atmospheric YA horror that 'doesn't hold back,' retellings of fairy tales and myth, and fantasy that feels distinct from what's already on shelves.
Brings a former editor's eye: spent sixteen years acquiring and editing at top children's and teen imprints before moving to agenting.
Actively wants queer stories across all identities and work by and about under-represented voices — and is explicit that the identity or any marginalized pain need not be the subject of the book.
As of late May 2026 the query inbox is closed while a sizable backlog is worked down; watch for a reopening announcement before submitting.
Lately
This weekend is Pride AND my birthday and I’m worried about bringing in enough money to pay rent at the end of the month, so if anyone needs query letter and/or synopsis critiques, wants to do an AMA video call, etc, or would like an edit done on their manuscript, please hit me up in the DMs!
Just a heads up - I am still closed to queries and that’s being adjusted on the website. Not sure when I’ll be opening back up yet but I’ll announce it as soon as I have a better sense. I had about 2000 queries when I closed and I’m down to about 700 unread currently, plus 100 maybes & fulls.
Responding to queries in the dark while the love of my life snores loudly next to me. I’m so behind and my query inbox is overflowing but there’s so much potential for new clients here! It’s both exciting and overwhelming. If I owe you a response, I’m so sorry it’s taken so long!
Still closed to queries, with the website being updated to reflect that; no reopening date yet, but a reopening will be announced. Reports working down a large backlog — from roughly 2,000 queries at close to about 700 unread, plus around 100 maybes and fulls.
Right now I'm only representing young adult and middle grade. I'm interested in almost all genres — I always say I'm not the right fit for books about sports, heavy sci-fi is probably not right for me, and novels in verse are also pretty tough for me. But other than that I'm very open. I tend to like darker and edgier, but I also love comedy. Really, anything — but I am looking for books that grab me. Outside of genre, anything with a unique voice or a really unique hook that maybe hasn't been seen before grabs my attention.
I've been listed separately for horror in young adult and middle grade, and it's been confusing people — I've been getting a lot of adult submissions. I'm not doing adult yet, so please make sure you're querying the right category.
I want the querier to hook me with a branding for what their book is about, first and foremost. Some people start with information about themselves, or I've gotten queries with a long story about their last agent and why it didn't work out — but really, when I'm looking at a query, the first thing I want to see is what kind of book it is. If they can do a 'X meets Y' comparison, that's great, but they don't have to. I want to get to the heart of the story and the hook, because that's what's going to make me want to keep reading. Then if the query hooks me, I'll go read the sample pages.
The first thing we'd probably do is one round of editing just to polish it up. If I found a manuscript that didn't need that polish, I'd be honest and say so — I'm not the kind of agent who wants to edit something just for the sake of editing. But I'm also not going to take on a lot of books that need heavy, heavy work — unless I fall in love with something, and then all bets are off.
I'm very communicative. I tend to prefer email, and I really like video chats because I need to see facial expressions to know I'm reading someone right. I always tell my authors, any questions you have, I'm here. I want to make sure they're not grasping around in the dark. If you're afraid of your agent or intimidated to ask questions, the relationship is not going to work.
The advantage I have is 16 years as an editor — I know how publishers think and what they're up against. I've been in the room listening to the conversations when editors are trying to buy a book, so I'm prepared for the questions that come up and the walls that will have to be climbed. Even though I'm a new agent, I'm starting more in the middle, in terms of experience. The pitching and the negotiation — that stuff I'm used to.
What T.S. is looking for
The core focus. Ferguson wants YA across all genres where the voice is the star and the hook can be pitched in a line or two — plot that grabs and won't let go, lyrical prose, and fresh fantasy that reads as new rather than familiar. Smart-mouthed characters who stand up to authority, unlikeable protagonists, and unusual perspectives (think villain origin stories) all land here.
A named priority. Ferguson is drawn to horror that conveys suspense, dread, or terror through voice and writing, and to YA horror that doesn't pull its punches. A standout big vampire novel is specifically welcomed.
Especially fairy-tale and mythological retellings, and stories told from perspectives readers haven't seen before.
Commercial middle grade with series potential, epic MG fantasy, and middle-grade horror. Kids who can outsmart the adults in the room are a recurring draw.
Queer stories across all identities, and stories by and about under-represented voices of all identities and intersectionalities — across every genre Ferguson represents. Notably, identity and/or marginalized pain does not have to be the focus of the book.
Action-adventure within the YA and middle grade range.
Unusual structures such as epistolary and multi-document storytelling.
Open to graphic novels, with a strong preference for creators who both write and illustrate. If you're writer-only on a graphic novel, this is a narrower door.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query T.S.
Check status first — the inbox is closed as of late May 2026, with a reopening to be announced.
Lead with voice and a hook you can state in one or two lines; that combination is what Ferguson prizes most.
If it's dark, edgy, or horror, lean into it — atmospheric, unflinching material is explicitly wanted, not toned down.
Querying a retelling? Fairy tale and mythology are the sweet spot; a genuinely fresh angle or perspective matters.
Pitching a graphic novel works best if you're the author-illustrator; writer-only graphic-novel pitches face a narrower door.
Do not query two agents at the same agency simultaneously.