Transatlantic Literary Agency

Transatlantic Literary Agency72 Glengowan Road
Toronto, ON M4N 1G4
Canada

TLA has offices in Canada, the United States, and The Netherlands. The agency started out exclusively representing children's authors and now represents a premier list of more than seventy multiple-award-winning children's authors and thirty acclaimed illustrators. TLA has also become a major force in adult fiction and non-fiction with more than seventy critically acclaimed, award-winning adult trade authors. TLA has eight active agents on staff but only two are accepting queries from new authors:

Marie Campbell
Marie began her publishing career at Octopus Children’s Books in the UK, returning to Canada to work at Penguin Books Canada, then at Quill & Quire magazine and later HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., where she was children's book editor and subsidiary rights manager. Marie joined Transatlantic Literary Agency as an agent in 2003 in London, UK, and has been agenting based in Toronto since 2005.

Marie specializes in children’s writers, with a particular interest in middle-grade fiction. She represents two dozen writers, including such well known juvenile authors as Eric Walters, Jan Andrews, Harry Endrulat, Rachna Gilmore, Liam O’Donnel, Teresa Toten and Cary Fagan.

Although she is not actively acquiring new clients at this time, Marie is open to concise query letters via email: marie@tla1.com

Samantha Haywood
Samantha represents adult authors of literary fiction and upmarket commercial fiction. Getting more specific, yes to literary thrillers and upmarket mystery, historical fiction, smart contemporary fiction, upmarket women’s fiction (but no romance writing), and cross-over novels (but no young adult novels unless they have adult trade potential as well).

Non-fiction: Seeking narrative non-fiction, especially on culturally relevant topics. Some examples: investigative journalism, politics; women’s issues; memoirs (must be truly original or well known subjects); environmental issues; historical narratives handled in refreshing ways; sexuality; and true crime with societal implications. Essentially I’m looking for a strong narrative drive and distinctive voice at all times.

Graphic Novels (fiction/non-fiction): Preferably full length graphic novels, although story collections will be considered. Memoirs, biographies, travel narratives and other nonfiction graphica also welcome.
Email: sam@tla1.com

TLA submission guidelines: Authors are encouraged to email a cover letter with an attachment of maximum 20-page writing sample/excerpt (Microsoft Word document), along with a publishing history and synopsis. Please note if other agents are also considering the project. Due to the volume of submissions received, replies will be sent only for submissions being actively considered.
Home: http://www.tla1.com/agents.php
Agent bios, clients and submission guidelines: http://www.tla1.com/agents2.php?id=9

Note: Marie Campbell will be a panellists at the “From the Horse’s Mouth” seminar hosted by Brian Henry at Ryerson University in Toronto on Nov 14; 1 – 4 p.m. The other panellists will be Beverley Daurio, publisher and editor-in-chief of The Mercury Press, and Jack David, co-publisher, ECW Press.
Fee: $84.
Ryerson students should register on-line here. If you’re not a Ryerson student, you must reserve a spot by email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca And bring a cheque (no cash or credit cards please) on Nov 14. Dtails here.

For information about all of Brian’s writing workshops and creative writing courses, see here.