Laura Rennert is an active literary agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, specializing in children's books and select adult genres. She is open to submissions, with specific guidelines for different genres, and accepts queries through QueryManager.
About Laura Rennert
Laura Rennert is an Executive Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, where she has worked since 1998. She represents books for children and young adults across all age categories, as well as selected adult fiction. Her adult interests include literary-commercial fiction, thrillers, mysteries, horror, science fiction and fantasy, speculative fiction, historical fiction, romance, and genre-crossing work.
Rennert is particularly drawn to projects that combine a distinctive literary voice with a strong commercial premise. She looks for original perspectives, emotionally compelling and conflicted characters, immersive settings, and familiar genres or traditions approached in unexpected ways. Her interests include fantasy, speculative fiction, alternate history, gothic suspense, horror, thrillers, retellings, romantic fantasy, dark academia, and psychologically complex mysteries. Rennert holds a Ph.D. in English Literature and previously taught at the University of Virginia, Osaka University of Foreign Studies, and Santa Clara University.
Laura Rennert — Literary Agent
Before querying Laura Rennert
The Market List recommends you verify this agent is still active and open to submissions before sending a query. Check the agency website, recent deal announcements, and any posted guidelines.
To be sure your project is a fit, we recommend you familiarize yourself with Laura Rennert's list by reviewing recently represented titles and the agency's current submission guidelines before querying.
If you have recently queried Laura Rennert or have experience with this agent, please submit a comment below. Recent response times are always welcome and helpful to other writers.
Submission Guidelines for Laura Rennert and the Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Andrea Brown Literary Agency accepts digital submissions through QueryManager. Writers should query only one ABLA agent at a time; if that agent declines, they may query another open agent. There is no limit on how many ABLA agents may eventually be queried for the same project, provided submissions are sequential rather than simultaneous. The agency does not consider AI-generated work.
For adult projects, the agents currently accepting submissions are Laura Rennert, Saritza Hernández, Kathleen Rushall, and Lara Perkins. All other ABLA agents accept children’s work only. Writers should review each agent’s bio before submitting to confirm genres and categories.
A QueryManager submission should include a short query letter describing the work, previous publishing credentials if applicable, a short author bio, contact information, and the appropriate sample:
- Novels: first 10 pages.
- Picture books, text only: complete manuscript.
- Illustrated picture books: full PDF dummy with 1–2 color samples plus an online portfolio link.
- Graphic novels, art and text: 10–20 sample page spreads plus a synopsis.
- Graphic novels, text only: first 10 pages of script.
- Nonfiction: proposal plus 1–3 sample chapters.
- Illustrators seeking representation: art samples in PDF format plus an online portfolio link.
The agency sends a response to every submission, although response times vary by agent. If another agency makes an offer of representation, ABLA asks to be notified immediately and requests two weeks to review the submission. Significantly revised projects may be resubmitted after more than six months, clearly marked as revised; new projects reset the submission rules.
ABLA also notes that promising queries may be shared internally among its agents, but submission materials are not shared outside the agency and AI is not used to read queries or manuscripts.
Hints
Rennert describes her sweet spot as literary voice combined with a commercial concept. She looks for an original point of view, fresh voice, strong hook, and conflicted characters readers become emotionally invested in. Current interests include fantasy and speculative fiction, alternate history, horror, inventive retellings, gothic suspense, thrillers, romantic fantasy, high-concept rom-coms, historical romance, dark-academia or literary mysteries, and psychologically rich mysteries and thrillers. She is also particularly interested in projects involving Japan or Japanese culture