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Thérèse Coen

Susanna Lea Associates

Submission status
Open
Submission route
Email
Response time
Assume no reply = no after 24 weeks
Last checked

About

Thérèse is a literary agent at Susanna Lea Associates, representing fiction, children's fiction and non-fiction, and handling translation rights.

She was born and raised in Belgium before moving to England, where she studied History at University College London. She began her career in the rights department at Bloomsbury Publishing, then moved to Ed Victor's agency, before building her own list of authors from 2016.

What they represent

Children's BooksCrimeFantasyHistorical FictionHistorical Non-FictionLiterary FictionMemoirMysteryOther Non-FictionRomanceScience FictionThrillerWomen's Fiction

Looking for

  • an original concept or hook, polished and pacey writing, captivating worlds and always a strong protagonist, be they fictionalised or real
  • original, distinct and memorable voices, books that make you feel (tie your heart in a million knots or smash it into a million pieces), laugh until you have a stitch, or stay with you and make you ponder for weeks
  • crime/thrillers
  • bookclub
  • high-concept love stories
  • strong female characters, in particular when they go through an evolution or journey as the story progresses and gradually find that inner strength
  • fresh, new voices
  • all things funny, fantasy and adventure, across lands, time and space, and involving strong friendships and loveable main characters
  • vivid, well-crafted and imaginative worlds, for example stories set in a toy factory or in an underwater world
  • adventures set in space
  • mysteries, quirky characters, explorers and imaginary friends
  • history
  • big ideas, culture, sociology, science, anthropology and memoir
  • anything that transports them into a world, era or mindset straight-away and gives them that buzz of excitement

Not looking for

  • poetry
  • plays
  • screenplays
  • academic texts
  • illustrated works

Links

Agency submission guidelines

The agency considers new authors with a small but eclectic list, favouring remarkable writing, fresh voices and underrepresented perspectives. What to send: a concise and thoughtful cover letter including contact details and relevant information about the author. A brief synopsis outlining a simplified explanation of the plot. Either the first three chapters or a detailed proposal of the manuscript. Not considered: poetry, plays, screenplays, academic texts, or illustrated works. Format: queries sent by post or fax are not considered. AI-generated work is not accepted, and writers must disclose all contributions to their literary works by third parties, human or digital. Where to send: French-language submissions go to the Paris office (paris@susannalea.com). UK, ANZ and other Commonwealth submissions go to the London office (london@susannalea.com). North American submissions go to the New York office (ny@susannalea.com). A manuscript should not be submitted to more than one office. Response: due to high volume, the agency states it cannot provide a response or editorial advice on manuscripts it does not represent, and asks writers not to follow up for news.

Agency AI policy

They do not accept work generated by AI and require disclosure of all contributions to a literary work by third parties, whether human or digital.

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