Tamara Kawar is a DeFiore and Company agent who champions LGBTQ+ and BIPOC storytellers across graphic novels, speculative fiction, romance, and upmarket fiction for children through adults—with a proven track record selling to major SFF and comics imprints.
In brief
Her confirmed deal record skews heavily toward SFF and graphic novels, with Tor, Solaris, First Second, and Oni Press appearing as her strongest publisher relationships—she has built real pipelines at all four.
Solaris Books appears three times in her recent deals (The Mountain Crown, The Desert Talon, A Covenant of Ice), signaling an especially active relationship with that imprint for adult fantasy.
She has sold both prose fiction and illustrated/comics projects, making her genuinely cross-format in a way few agents are—a rare fit for author-illustrators working in any genre.
Her academic background (Comparative Literature, Middle Eastern Studies) is not decorative: it visibly shapes her appetite for empire-and-colonization SFF, international stories, and Arabic/Middle Eastern-inflected projects.
Her submission form was observed closed in December 2025; verify the live form before querying—but her March 2026 public activity signals she remains professionally active.
Lately
🌈 I'm participating in Lit for Queer Liberation auction! Come AMA about publishing or if you're querying, get notes on your query letter! All proceeds fund the Queer Liberation Network. Links to bid: www.32auctions.com/organization...
She announced participation in a Lit for Queer Liberation fundraising auction, offering an AMA on publishing and query-letter feedback, with proceeds benefiting the Queer Liberation Network—signaling active professional engagement and her ongoing commitment to queer publishing advocacy.
What Tamara is looking for
This is her most consistent sales category and a stated top priority. She wants author-illustrators only—she is not taking script-only projects. MG, YA, and adult are all welcome, spanning fiction, nonfiction, and every genre. Confident, expressive visual storytelling is the core criterion. Her sales here include Frizzy (First Second), Specter Inspectors (Boom! Studios), Youth Group (First Second), The Night Mother Vol. 1 (Oni Press), and Let Me Out (Oni Press).
She actively seeks contemporary romance, rom-coms, romantasy, and historical romance at both adult and YA levels. LGBTQ+ and BIPOC characters are a particular interest, and she responds strongly to writing with fanfic sensibility and K-drama emotional beats. For adult, she gravitates toward the witty, character-rich register of Casey McQuiston, Cat Sebastian, Courtney Milan, and Freya Marske. For YA, she wants the queer warmth of authors like Alice Oseman, Jason June, and Sonora Reyes. She is not a strong fit for paranormal romance or stories that lack diversity.
A well-documented strength backed by confirmed sales. For science fiction, she wants space opera, post-apocalyptic fiction, grounded speculative work, and identity-focused narratives exploring empire and colonization—she is not looking for straightforward military sci-fi. Her deals include Winter's Orbit (Tor) and Ocean's Echo (Tor) in this space. For adult fantasy, she prefers character-driven work across the full spectrum from high to low fantasy, with smart worldbuilding and genuine trope subversion; romantic subplots are welcome but not required. She has a specific hunger for a fantasy-mystery hybrid. Her Solaris pipeline (The Mountain Crown, The Desert Talon, A Covenant of Ice) shows a pronounced recent trend toward adult epic and secondary-world fantasy.
For YA fantasy she wants contemporary or historical fantasy only—not epic secondary-world fantasy at this level. She is not a fit for 'chosen one' narratives in YA. YA horror is welcome, including gothic, queer, and trans horror. Her confirmed YA deal includes King of Dead Things (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2024).
She wants contemporary, historical, and gothic horror, with particular enthusiasm for gothic set in non-Western contexts, and queer/trans/feminist horror with socio-political dimensions. Ghost stories with social commentary are especially welcome. She is not the right fit for slasher horror or work that perpetuates ableist or racist tropes.
At the YA level only, and with a firm gate: she wants queer stories and/or histories told from underrepresented perspectives. Speculative elements are welcome. She is not currently seeking non-queer, mainstream-perspective historical YA.
She looks for literary-commercial crossover fiction with a strong premise and distinctive prose. Character-driven stories centered on family, relationships, and community—especially from BIPOC perspectives—are a priority. International settings and queer coming-of-age narratives also fit this category well.
She represents select nonfiction, with a preference for illustrated nonfiction and age-appropriate YA/MG projects. Her confirmed nonfiction sale includes Here & Queer (Quarto Kids) and What Was Built to Be a Ship of Dreams? The Titanic (Penguin Workshop). This is not an open general call—projects need to fit her thematic interests and illustrated-or-youth focus.
She takes select middle-grade fiction, but her wishlist offers limited specifics beyond her general preference for diverse, character-driven stories. MG graphic novels (author-illustrators only) are her more documented MG strength.
Not the right fit
On Tamara's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Tamara
Her form was observed closed in December 2025—check the live form directly before preparing a submission, as status can change without notice.
She does not accept email queries under any circumstances; the online form is the only route.
For graphic novels, include illustration samples or a portfolio link—she represents author-illustrators only and visual storytelling confidence is the primary criterion.
Her academic background in Middle Eastern Studies is reflected in her deals; stories set in or drawing on the Middle East, North Africa, or other non-Western contexts that align with her thematic interests are likely to resonate.
Her Solaris pipeline shows she is actively building an adult epic fantasy list right now—a well-crafted adult secondary-world fantasy with a strong romantic thread sits squarely in her current acquisition momentum.
Lead with diversity specifics in your query: naming the identities of key characters (LGBTQ+, BIPOC) up front signals fit with her stated priorities and is not just box-checking—it's what she is actually looking for.
If your project blends genres (fantasy-mystery, romantasy, speculative historical), say so clearly; she explicitly hunts hybrids and genre-bending work.
For YA, be precise about subgenre: she takes contemporary and historical fantasy at YA level but not epic/secondary-world, and she is not seeking 'chosen one' narratives—address this in your query if your premise could read that way.
K-drama and fanfic sensibility are genuine differentiators for romance queries—if your book carries that emotional register, say so in plain language.