A commercial fantasy-and-romance specialist spanning upper middle grade to adult — Le chases high-concept, trope-smart stories with a touch of magic, K-drama heart, and diverse casts.
In brief
Their stated list is broad, but the books across their clients cluster hard in one place: commercial romance and romantasy, plus fantasy, with real bestseller muscle behind them.
A pronounced love of mythology and fairytale retellings runs through their authors' work — Hindu myth, Beauty and the Beast, even an epilogue for Romeo and Juliet.
Le represents NYT and indie bestsellers, so this is a blockbuster-minded list that rewards a strong, marketable hook.
Important nuance on picture books: they take them only from author-illustrators (creators who both write and illustrate) — text-only picture-book writers aren't a fit.
Lately
Hunting high-concept romances, YA or adult, with a speculative touch — the feeling of a bingeable webtoon or a favorite Asian drama.
I'm always looking for that bingeable quality in the writing. I want to fall in love with characters and their dynamics.
No agent is better than having the wrong fit.
The magic is when you find someone who shares not only the same editorial vision, but the same business strategy.
What Thao is looking for
Their clearest commercial lane. Le loves high-concept romance — YA or adult — with a speculative touch, and is trope-fluent: enemies-to-lovers, slow burn, forbidden/doomed love, fake dating and marriage of convenience, grumpy/sunshine, and a soft spot for a scene-stealing beta love interest. If it conjures the feeling of their favorite Asian dramas or webtoons, they're listening.
Clever, heartfelt, commercial upper MG and YA in either prose or graphic-novel form. Le is drawn to character-driven stories about family and friendship from diverse points of view, and to characters passionate about the arts, STEM, activism, and geeky fandoms.
Contemporary fantasy, near-future science fiction, and romantic fantasy. Le adores a touch of magic and whimsy and is a lifelong mythology-and-fairytale fan, with a real appetite for the gothic, cottagecore, and dark academia.
Le does represent picture books, but exclusively from author-illustrators — creators who both write and illustrate. Le is drawn to emotive, vivid art and stories that are character-driven, witty, progressive, and end on a twist. Text-only picture-book writers are not a fit.
A board-game and escape-room enthusiast, Le likes MG and YA that are a little puzzle-y and resolve logically and cleverly, and enjoys a Knives-Out-style mystery thread — but as a flavor, not as the primary genre or market.
Not the right fit
Threads through Thao's deals
The dominant pattern across their authors is high-heat, high-concept romance and romantasy that sells big — a paranormal Were romance, a Critical-Role-inspired romantasy, a time-spanning love story. This is a commercially proven lane, not a wish.
Le returns again and again to retold myth and fairytale: Hindu mythology repackaged for middle grade, a Beauty-and-the-Beast riff at an elite school, the epilogue Romeo and Juliet never got. Reimagined canon is a through-line you can pitch into.
Their authors center diverse protagonists and the texture of family and friendship — from frothy YA rom-coms to mythic adventure. The voice tends bingeable and fandom-aware, in keeping with their love of webtoons and fanfic-style writing.
Le actively places picture books, with a bestselling author-illustrator on their list — but the door is open only to creators who both write and illustrate. The taste here runs to emotive, vivid art and witty, character-driven stories with a twist.
On Thao's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Thao
Lead with the trope and the hook — Le is deeply trope-literate, so naming the dynamic (enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine) speaks their language fast.
Comp commercial romantasy and webtoon/K-drama energy; a bingeable, fandom-aware voice is a strong fit.
Center a diverse, character-driven story about family or friendship — ideally with characters passionate about the arts, STEM, or geeky fandoms.
Pitch a picture book only if you're an author-illustrator — Le doesn't take text-only picture books; and don't pitch a pure whodunit, since they want mystery as a thread, not the main event.
Confirm their live status before sending — they're currently listed as not accepting unsolicited submissions.