Deals
Perfect Season
December 2025
Filmmakers and authors of the forthcoming Pretty Evil series Rebekah McKendry and David Ian McKendry’s PERFECT SEASON, pitched as FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS meets Scream, in which the new girl in town investigates the high school football team that would do anything to maintain their winning streak—including human sacrifice, illustrated by Fern Roberts, to Sarah McCabe at Margaret K. McElderry Books, for publication in spring 2028, by Bridget Smith and Valentina Sainato at JABberwocky Literary Agency for the author, and by Claire Draper at Au Literary Management for the illustrator (world English).
A Product of Genetics (And Day Drinking)
September 2025
Humor columnist and author of A PRODUCT OF GENETICS (AND DAY DRINKING) and the forthcoming ADULTING FOR AMATEURS Jess H. Gutierrez’s AN OLYMPIC FLAME, pitched for fans of CLEAT CUTE and DELILAH GREEN DOESN’T CARE, a queer romantic comedy about a superstar Olympic swimmer who returns to her Southern small town for her sister’s wedding and sparks an unexpected second-chance romance with her former high school girlfriend, a city planner hoping to transform the town with a new recreation center and pool—if she can get the hometown hero on her side, to Emi Ikkanda at Tiny Reparations Books, in a pre-empt, by Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency (world).
Ander and Santi Were Here
July 2024
Author of Stonewall honoree ANDER AND SANTI WERE HERE Jonny Garza Villa’s FUTBOLISTA, a romance following a college freshman soccer player who, after befriending (and kissing) a classmate, realizes he’s not as straight as he thought he was, to Nick Thomas at Levine Querido, for publication in spring 2025, by Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency (world).
Rainbow Boy and the Pride Parade
May 2024
Taylor Rouanzion and Stacey Chomiak’s RAINBOW BOY AND THE PRIDE PARADE, a sequel to RAINBOW BOY, in which a boy and his parents attend a Pride parade, counting all the ways Pride is celebrated around him, to Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books, with Elizabeth Schleisman editing, for publication in May 2025, by Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency (world English).
Beyond the Play Series
February 2024
Grace Reilly’s FIRST DOWN, BREAKAWAY, and STEALING HOME, to Muvelt Nep (Hungary), in a three-book deal, by Corto Literary Agency, on behalf of Brent Taylor at Triada US and Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency.
A Product of Genetics (And Day Drinking)
February 2024
Former journalist and author of the forthcoming A PRODUCT OF GENETICS (AND DAY DRINKING) Jess H. Gutierrez’s ADULTHOOD FOR AMATEURS, a collection of essays on “growing up” and other pitfalls of being an elderly millennial, including a dubious ode to the Twilight series, sweet but weird 40-something perspectives on marriage and kids, tales of epic wardrobe malfunctions, Hawaiian vacation disasters, and more, again to Emi Ikkanda at Tiny Reparations Books, by Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency (NA).
Wicked Serve
February 2024
Grace Reilly’s WICKED SERVE, book 4 of the Beyond the Play series, to Swiat Ksiazki (Poland), by Book/lab Literary Agency, on behalf of Brent Taylor at Triada US and Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency.
Beyond the Play Series
February 2024
Grace Reilly’s FIRST DOWN, BREAKAWAY, STEALING HOME, and WICKED SERVE, to Nemesis (Turkey), in a four-book deal, by Kalem Agency;also to Ucila (Slovenia), in a four-book deal, and to Librex Media (Romania), by Corto Literary Agency; and to Urano (Spain), in a three-book deal, by AnnaAscolies at IMC Literary Agency; on behalf of Brent Taylor at Triada US and Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency.
Who You Will Be
January 2024
Taylor Rouanzion and Stacey Chomiak’s WHO YOU WILL BE, narrated by parents who say no matter whether their baby’s favorite color is blue or pink, or green or orange, or if their bow is on their head or on their collar, a baby of any shape and size is a perfect one, pitched as for readers of I LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK and THE COLOR COLLECTOR, to Cheryl Eissing at Philomel, for publication in 2024, by Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency (world English).
I Am We
January 2024
Leslie Barnard Booth’s I AM WE, exploring how and why crows roost together by the thousands in winter, pitched as PACKS: STRENGTH IN NUMBERS meets GIANT SQUID, illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey, to Naomi Kirsten at Chronicle Children’s, for publication in Fall 2025, by Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency for the author, and by Adriann Ranta Zurhellen at Folio Literary Management for the illustrator (world).
Anise and the Devil
January 2024
Marlowe Lune’s ANISE AND THE DEVIL, pitched as adapted from the Vasilisa the Fair fairy tale and as THROUGH THE WOODS meets MONSTRESS, in which after her mother is executed for witchcraft, a young woman realizes the only women wielding power in a puritanical world are the ones who have made deals with the devil; under the teaching of a witch, she rejects the world and embraces the role as a vicious young witch of the woods, but in the dark woods will she risk her humanity entirely or return to a society that loathes her?, to Charlotte Greenbaum at Abrams ComicArts, in a very nice deal, for publication in 2027, by Claire Draper at Azantian Literary Agency (world English).
Beyond the Play Series
September 2023
Grace Reilly’s FIRST DOWN, BREAKAWAY, STEALING HOME, and WICKED SERVE, the Beyond the Play series of connected sports romance novels, centering on four sporty siblings at McKee University who discover that the love for the game and love for their hearts are wildly different—and sometimes rewarding one means risking the other; along with world rights to two standalone titles, to Sylvan Creekmore at Avon, in a major deal, for seven-figures, by Claire Draper while at The Bent Agency (NA). Rights also to Priyal Agrawal at Headline (UK), at auction; to Rocco (Brazil), in a four-book deal; to Carlsen (Germany), at auction, in a three-book deal; to Mann, Ivanov & Ferber (Russia), at auction, in a three-book deal; to Swiat Ksiazki (Poland), at auction, in a three-book deal.
First Down
May 2023
Grace Reilly’s FIRST DOWN, to DeA Planeta (Italy), by Daniela Micura at Daniela Micura Literary Services, on behalf of Claire Draper at the Bent Agency.
Ander and Santi Were Here
May 2023
Jonny Garza Villa’s ANDER AND SANTI WERE HERE, to Kobiece (Poland), by Magda Cabajewska at Macadamia Literary Agency, on behalf of Claire Draper at the Bent Agency.
Revenge Arc
February 2023
Louisa Onome’s REVENGE ARC, in which a group of teen girls at a kickboxing gym decide to get revenge on a boy who wronged them, until it turns out things are more complicated than throwing the first punch, illustrated by ONeillJones, to Elizabeth Lee at Penguin Workshop, in a six-figure deal, at auction, for publication in fall 2025, by Claire Friedman at Inkwell Management for the author, and by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency for the illustrator (world English).
A Product of Genetics (And Day Drinking)
January 2023
Former journalist Jess H. Gutierrez’s A PRODUCT OF GENETICS (AND DAY DRINKING), a collection of humorous essays about coming of age through the oddest jobs, misadventures in queer love, and parenting fails; sharing tales of a woman who feels like a cheerful dumpster fire even with a seemingly ideal set-up with a fire captain wife, two kids, and a mortgage, to Emi Ikkanda at Tiny Reparations Books, in a pre-empt, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency (NA).
Red
October 2022
Cherry Zong’s RED, a twisted version of Little Red Riding Hood, pitched as Tangled meets Princess Mononoke, where Red lives in a forest that has been dying for years and her grandmother instructs her to hunt the monsters at the cause of the decay, until she meets a wolf-girl she should kill, but can’t; as she begins to develop a relationship with her, Red begins to uncover the somewhat sinister truth behind everything she’s ever known, to Jean Lucas at Andrews McMeel, for publication in 2024, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency (world English).
Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun
October 2022
Pura Belpre Honor and author of FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN and the forthcoming ANDER & SANTI WERE HERE Jonny Garza Villa’s CANTO CONTIGO, a rivals-to-lovers contemporary story in which the star of his hometown mariachi group transfers schools in senior year and expects to be handed the lead vocalist spot of his new group; what he gets instead is a tenacious current lead with a very familiar (and very kissable) face, to Sylvan Creekmore at Wednesday Books, with Tiffany Shelton editing, for publication in winter 2024, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency (world English).
Cafe Con Lychee
September 2022
Emery Lee’s CAFE CON LYCHEE, to Astral Cultural (Brazil), by Tassy Barham at Tassy Barham Associates, on behalf of Claire Draper at the Bent Agency.
The Not-So Secret Love Life of Winnie Franklin
September 2022
Trisha Kelly and Jess Lome’s THE NOT-SO SECRET LOVE LIFE OF WINNIE FRANKLIN, a contemporary YA graphic novel pitched as a Nora Ephron movie meets Bloom, a teenage girl thought she could skate by unnoticed until her love letter to the most popular girl in school is posted on her high school’s confession page; when the president of the Queer Club offers to fake date to take the spotlight off, she jumps at the chance, but will she be able to avoid real feelings developing, to Elizabeth Lazowski at Chronicle Children’s, for publication in 2024, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency (world English).
Chronicles of Tuvana
September 2022
Elaine Tipping’s PATHWAYS: CHRONICLES OF TUVANA, a queer fantasy epic that takes place in a world under siege by an ancient empire bent on restoring its perceived rightful control, following a small band of characters and the journey they take to become heroes, pitched as perfect for fans of Lord of the Rings, The Adventure Zone, and Monstress, to Brett Israel at Dark Horse, in a three-book deal, for publication in fall 2024, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency (world English).
Lucky 555
Emily Riesbeck and Bayleigh Underwood’s LUCKY 555, a queer sci-fi YA graphic novel pitched as The Expanse meets Paper Girls, where the citizens of the sky resign themselves to a slow, miserable decline, and a self-centered orphan teen meets a stowaway android who is hiding a secret that could turn the sky upside down, but her wealthy and domineering father won’t let her or his secrets go that easily, to Charlotte Greenbaum at Amulet, in a two-book deal, for publication in spring 2024, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency (world).
Cafe Con Lychee
September 2022
Emery Lee’s CAFE CON LYCHEE, to Cross Cult(Germany), by Kathrin Nehmat Thomas Schlueck Agency, on behalf of Claire Draper at the Bent Agency.
Hooray for He, She, and They!
June 2022
Cohost of the Queer Kids Stuff YouTube series and TED speaker Lindz Amer’s HOORAY FOR HE, SHE, ZE, AND THEY!, a celebration of pronouns and gender euphoria, illustrated by Kate Alizadeh, to Celia Leeat Simon & Schuster Children’s, for publication in 2024, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency for the author, and by Mandy Suhrat Miles Stott Agency for the illustrator (world).
Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming of Age Story
April 2022
Stacey Chomiak’s STILL STACE: MY GAY CHRISTIAN COMING-OF-AGE STORY, to Bethany Strout at OrangeSky Audio, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency (world English).
Girls Give Me Butterflies
September 2021
Dresden Douglas’s GIRLS GIVE ME BUTTERFLIES, a debut middle grade graphic novel pitched as a sapphic Lizzie McGuire, about a young girl who begins to feel flustered and tongue-tied around other girls while struggling to tune out the voice of an excitable little figment who manifests all her innermost thoughts, to Mekisha Telferat Roaring Brook Press, at auction, for publication in 2023, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world).
Diwali in my New Home
September 2021
Diverse author Shachi Kaushik’s DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME, about a girl’s nostalgic experience celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights, in the United States for the first time, illustrated by Aishwarya Tandon, to Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books, with Andrea Hallediting, in a nice deal, in a pre-empt, for publication in fall 2022, by Lynnette Novakat The Seymour Agency for the author, and by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency for the illustrator (world).
Cafe Con Lychee
July 2021
MEET CUTE DIARY author Emery Lee’s CAFE CON LYCHEE, a dual pov enemies-to-lovers contemporary romcom following rival sons of competing family businesses–a Puerto Rican bakery and an Asian American cafe–who form an unlikely alliance running an underground coffee and boba shop at school after a new fusion cafe threatens their parents’ stores, to Alexandra Cooper at Quill Tree, for publication in summer 2022, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency (world English).
Kenzie’s Kindgom
June 2021
Shea Fontana and artist Agnes Garbowska’s KENZIE’S KINGDOM, about a teenage girl who is less than content to work at her family business, a castle-turned-tourist stop, when an out-of-his-own-time knight-in-training appears, and the only way to send him back is for a princess to properly knight him; too bad the 21st century is light on princesses, colored by Sil Brys, to Rebecca Taylor at Wonderbound, for publication in summer 2022, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world).
The Radical Notion of Queer Joy: The Importance of Talking to Kids about Gender and Sexuality
June 2021
Queer Kid Stuff host, activist, and TED speaker Lindz Amer’s THE RADICAL NOTION OF QUEER JOY: THE IMPORTANCE OF TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT GENDER AND SEXUALITY, a guidebook for progressive adults who want to create queer-positive spaces for today’s kids but don’t know how, to Sylvan Creekmore at St. Martin’s, for publication in fall 2022, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world).
Ander and Santi Were Here
April 2021
FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN Jonny Garza Villa’s ANDER AND SANTI WERE HERE, pitched as ARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE meets THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR, in which a nonbinary teen muralist falls for the newest waiter at their family’s taqueria, sparking a romance made complicated when ICE shows up and the love interest is a potential target, to Sylvan Creekmore at Wednesday Books, in a good deal, in a pre-empt, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world English).
Reject Squad
March 2021
NYT-bestselling author Alyssa Cole and illustrator ONeillJones’s REJECT SQUAD, pitched as a Sleeping Beauty-inspired YA fantasy romance in which a perfectionist princess powered by rage is hexed, placing her kingdom and her life in jeopardy, unless her newfound friends (the magical hot messes of the reject squad) and the irritating boy she’s betrothed to can help her save herself, to Tiara Kittrell at Balzer & Bray, in a good deal, at auction, in a two-book deal, for publication in 2024, by Lucienne Diver at The Knight Agency for the author, and by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency for the illustrator (world English).
Payden’s Pronoun Party
February 2021
Blue Jaryn’s PAYDEN’S PRONOUN PARTY, featuring a child’s quest for the best pronouns and a party for celebrating the perfect match, illustrated by Xochitl Cornejo, to Kayla Tostevin at Page Street Kids, for publication in fall 2022, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency for the author (world).
The Marble Queen
February 2021
Anna Kopp and artist Gabrielle Kari’s THE MARBLE QUEEN, a Sapphic YA graphic novel with sword fighting, political intrigue and magic, where the princess needs a marriage alliance for the welfare of her kingdom, but she unknowingly accepts a proposal from a mysterious kingdom, having come not from the prince, but the recently coronated queen, to Brett Israel at Dark Horse, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world).
A Stone is a Story
January 2021
Leslie Barnard Booth’s A STONE IS A STORY, answering the question “where do rocks come from?”, illustrated by Marc Martin, to Nicole Fiorica at Margaret K. McElderry Books, at auction, in a two-book deal, for publication in fall 2022, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency for the author, and by Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions for the illustrator (world).
Last Ship to Mars
January 2021
Queer cartoonist Samantha Benc’s LAST SHIP TO MARS, a speculative YA graphic novel set on a deteriorating Earth that follows an aspiring scientist’s relationship with a humanoid androida connection that will forever alter the course of her life, forcing her to choose between abandoning her planet for a better life on Mars or working to rescue the only home she’s ever known, to Mark Podesta at Holt Children’s, at auction, for publication in winter 2024, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world English).
Monster Crush
December 2020
Detroit-based illustrator and designer Oli Franey’s MONSTER CRUSH, pitched as BEETLE AND THE HOLLOWBONES meets Teen Wolf, in which a 16-year-old closes herself off from the world after her parents split, until she meets a girl; as the two of them fight off school bullies, the girl accidentally reveals her ability to transform into a monstrous beast, and reveals the world of monsters, to Brett Israel at Dark Horse, for publication in 2023, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world English).
Prue Latham and the Wolves of Hallowstown
November 2020
Trisha Kelly’s PRUE LATHAM AND THE WOLVES OF HALLOWSTOWN, to Arena(Germany), by Kathrin Nehmat Thomas Schlueck Agency, on behalf of Claire Draper, Zoe Plant, and Amelia Hodgson at the Bent Agency.
Fat Off, Fat On
November 2020
Creator of #TheKentTest and culture critic Clarkisha Kent’s FAT OFF, FAT ON, a humorous memoir about a fat Black woman, telling the story of how a fat body isn’t a cosmic punishment and is one you can grow into, how sometimes family doesn’t always mean home, and sharing ill-fated love affairs of the bisexual kind, to Lauren Hook at Feminist Press, for publication in fall 2022, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world English).
Twelve Percent Dread
October 2020
Creator of BLOODLUST AND BONNETS Emily McGovern’s TWELVE PERCENT DREAD, about two 20-something women living in 10-minutes-in-the-future London who are doing their best to navigate an anxiety-inducing modern world characterized by relentless technological advancement, looming climate catastrophe, political turmoil, and systemic prejudice, to Brett Israel atDark Horse, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency, on behalf of Nicola Barr (world, excl. UK). UK rights to Paul Matrinovic at Picador, by Nicola Barr at The Bent Agency.
The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl
August 2020
Emily Riesbeck and illustrator NJ Barna’s THE PIRATE AND THE PORCELAIN GIRL, in which a girl, cursed with porcelain skin and on the run from a zealous knight, has to put her trust in a disgraced pirate captain to reunite her with her ex-girlfriend in a faraway city; together, they bicker across the high seas, dodge nefarious obstacles, and accidentally fall in love, lettered by Lucas Gattoni, to Amanda Ramirez at Simon & Schuster Children’s, in a very nice deal, at auction, for publication in fall 2022, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world).
The Secret Ingredient
June 2020
Author of LOVE ON THE HUDSON KD Fisher’s THE SECRET INGREDIENT, in which two very different female chefs in small-town Maine find a way into each other’s hearts and families, to Kerri Buckley at Carina Press Adores, for publication in November 2020, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world).
Another Kind
May 2020
Author/illustrator Cait May and author Trevor Bream’s debut ANOTHER KIND, the story of six cryptid kids in search of a new place to call home, to Rose Pleuler at Harper Alley, in a two-book deal, for publication in fall 2021, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world).
Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun
April 2020
Jonny Garza Villa’s FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES FROM THE SUN, an #OwnVoices debut pitched as SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA meets One Day at a Time, about a Texas high school senior who accidentally comes out to the world on social media and must now juggle the joy of first love and fear of his socially conservative father finding out before he’s ready, to Carmen Johnson at Skyscape, at auction, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world).
Still Stace: My Gay Christian Coming of Age Story
March 2020
Author and illustrator Stacey Chomiak’s STILL STACE: MY GAY CHRISTIAN COMING OF AGE STORY, an illustrated memoir about her teenage and young adult years of wrestling with her gay Christian identity, trying to become “ex-gay,” and ultimately finding peace, to Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books, in a nice deal, for publication in spring 2021, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency(world English).
Rainbow Boy
November 2019
Taylor Rouanzion’s debut RAINBOW BOY, in which a gender nonconforming boy explains why he can’t choose a favorite color, illustrated by Stacey Chomiak, to Naomi Krueger at Beaming Books, in a nice deal, for publication in September 2020, by Claire Draper at The Bent Agency for the illustrator (world).