JABberwocky Literary Agency

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Query guidelines and other useful info can be found on our website: https://awfulagent.com/ You can also visit Joshua's Blog to find deeper takes on our posts and our agency's business.

A picture of a Publishers Weekly review of BLIGHTFALL by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson. It reads: "Set in Sanderson’s Skyward universe and spun off from his and coauthor Patterson’s Skyward Flight series, this spirited trilogy launch sees a peaceful mission to a remote human space colony go sideways. After defeating “oppressive galactic empire” the Superiority, the human and alien inhabitants of planet Detritus start contacting other worlds. When communication attempts with far-flung Blightfall prove unsuccessful, flight-leader Arturo Mendez, pilot Sadie Chay, and other teen members of military unit Skyward Flight accompany diplomats on an in-person visit. Evidence indicates that Blightfall’s humans don’t have spaceships, but when Detritus’s delegation arrives, armed drones destroy the diplomats’ vessel, forcing Arturo and company to crash-land. Blightfall’s inhibitor field prevents them from hyper-jumping home, summoning reinforcements, or warning would-be rescuers, so while it’s clear they’ve “drastically misunderstood” the situation on this planet, the crew has little choice but to head for Blightfall’s lone city and find a way to save themselves. Breezy first-person narration alternates between cautious Arturo and ebullient Sadie, interspersed with interludes from amiable alien slugs. Thrilling action, chaste romance, and gentle humor maintain the zippy pace and lighthearted tone, while introspective depictions of intersectionally diverse characters add substance. It’s a blast. Ages 12–up. Agents: (for Sanderson) Joshua Bilmes, JABberwocky Literary; (for Patterson) Eddie Schneider, JABerwocky Literary. (Sept.)"
A picture of an article in Booklist titled Top 10 SF/Fantasy & Horror On Audio. Among the entries are: - The Final Girl Support Group [Dramatized Adaptation]. By Grady Hendrix. Read by a full cast. 2026. 9hr. GraphicAudio, DD (9798890559470). This fully produced, 42-voice spectacle is a horror-fan must-listen. Within the gritty survival story, we hear nasty chat threads, therapy notes, articles, book excerpts, incident reports, and interview transcripts voiced by dozens of actors. - The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires [Dramatized Adaptation]. By Grady Hendrix. Read by a full cast. 2025. 12.5hr. GraphicAudio, DD (9798890559456). Yes, Bahni Turpin’s 2020 narration of the original was grand, but nearly three dozen narrators create this aural feast, enhanced with eerie music and a satisfyingly squelchy, slurpy, slimy soundtrack.
A list in Booklist Magazine featuring their picks for essential reads in the body horror category. Among the entries are: - On Sundays, She Picked Flowers. By Yah Yah Scholfield. 2026. 240p. Saga (9781668091210). In a tale that is harrowing yet somehow hopeful in its look at generational trauma, a Black woman goes to extreme measures to get out from under her mother’s thumb in the American South during the 1960s. - Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. By Grady Hendrix. 2025. 432p. Berkley (9780593548981). he visceral horror of pregnancy and birth are laid bare in this tale of a home for pregnant teenagers and the bookmobile librarian who, with a book on witchcraft, changes their lives forever.
A photo of the starred review for FINAL COPY by Robert Douglas Friedman: "Friedman races out of the gate with a sure-footed debut centered on investigative reporter turned private eye David Anderson. In 1995 New York City, David is surprised when Ellen Foley, his ex-girlfriend and former editor at Gotham Express magazine, walks into his office asking for help. Ellen’s not quite ex-husband, Jonathan Daly—Princeton grad, scion of a wealthy family, and publisher of Gotham Express—has been killed, and a threatening phone call has led Ellen to believe she could be next. It’s been years since David left the magazine, but Ellen asks him to return and investigate Jonathan’s death. With bills to pay and a sense of obligation to his old flame, David agrees. He dusts off his journalistic skills and dives into a thicket of lies surrounding Jonathan’s identity and business practices, raising questions about how much Ellen ever really knew him. Friedman’s sleek prose and knack for well-timed wisecracks carry readers through the plot’s clever reversals and red herrings, and David is a quick-witted and appealing lead. This is top-notch. Agent: James Farner, JABberwocky Literary. (Oct.)"
A screenshot of the LA WorldCon schedule for Joshua Bilmes! It lists the following panels: - The Business Side of a Writing Career / 3pm, Thurs. August 27th in Room 261A (ACC North) - Writing Cover or Query Letters / 4:30pm, Thurs. August 27th in Room 254 (ACC North) - The Legal Intricacies of Publishing Contracts / 1:30pm, Fri. August 28th in Room 254 (ACC North) - What Does An Agent Actually Do For An Author? / 1:30pm, Sat. August 29th in Huntington (Hilton) - Editors', Agents', and Slush Readers' Pet Peeves / 10:30am, Sun. August 30th in Room 251C (ACC North) - Table Talk: Joshua Bilmes / 3pm, Sun. August 30th in Monterey (Hilton)
The original Mistborn cover for the hardcover edition
The book cover for Silvia Moreno-Garcia's THE INTRIGUE. In the top right corner is a side view of a person's nose and jaw. The person has a cigar in their mouth, with a flame at the end of it. The flame also functions as a doorway, as another character is silhouetted against it. The book title and the author name are written in a swooping, almost chalky font (in bright yellow and pink, respectively).
The book cover for BEACH BLONDE BETRAYAL by Elaine Viets. A pair of sunglasses wrapped in pink polka dot paper is set against a sky blue background
The cover of the ebook edition of AFTER DEAD: WHAT CAME NEXT IN THE WORLD OF SOOKIE STACKHOUSE
The book cover for RACHEL WEST AND THE FALLEN STARLET by Emma Mills, featuring a hot pink flip phone from the 2000s era. The phone screen shows a young woman falling from a great height.
The cover for GOOD NIGHT, BREAK A LEG: LIFE WITH BROADWAY DADS. The book was written by Bret Shuford, a Broadway performer, co-creator of Broadway Husbands, and proud father. The book is illustrated by artist Elena Hager. The cover features two men in navy tuxedos with red lining and red bowties. Between them, they hold a young blond child in a blue-and-white striped shirt and brown overalls. They are all smiling; the man on the right is holding a Broadway ticket. Behind them, golden lights illuminate the trio against a red and purple background. It is a beautiful illustration of a family having a joyous moment together.
The cover of Frederic S. Durbin's A GREEN AND ANCIENT LIGHT 10th Anniversary Edition featuring the pull quote "A magical quote" from Library Journal (starred review).
A print edition of Foreword Reviews, featuring a review of THE THREE COFFIN PROBLEM by Lavie Tidhar: "In Lavie Tidhar’s clever and amusing novel in short stories The Three Coffin Problem, a vampire judge and his otherwise unremarkable human sidekick travel through medieval Europe, solving a series of crimes involving the vampire community. Judge Dee is an ancient vampire whom other vampires summon to rule on cases and enforce the law. In the nine stories of this novel, he and his helper, Jonathan, confront bloody crimes in gothic settings. They contend with multiple suspects with competing motives. In “The Mystery of the Missing Manuscript,” Judge Dee is summoned to answer for a library book that has been overdue for centuries; he winds up solving a murder that takes place after his arrival. In “The Three Deaths of Count Wenderfels,” the judge is called to solve a vampire’s murder, only to find too many people trying to take credit for it. Each tale is strong on its own; recurring secondary characters result in clear throughlines, as do lessons learned that help in later cases. Judge Dee’s investigative approach reflects those in closed-circle mysteries: He inspects the scene, questions the suspects, and reveals the culprit to all those present. The interplay between the characters is quite engaging. Judge Dee is serious, brilliant, and a stickler for a vampire-specific moral code that few of his fellow vampires take as seriously. Jonathan tends to concern himself with what food the hosts have on offer and how much of it, though he sometimes provides the judge with a helpful human perspective on the proceedings. His humor blends well with the gritty noir of the crimes the duo investigates. Following a series of memorable, complicated cases, The Three Coffin Problem is a fun, twisting detective novel."
The print edition of Publishers Weekly featuring the first third of a review of THE INTRIGUE by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: "Moreno-Garcia (The Bewitching) satisfies with this devilish tale of a con man in 1940s Mexico who meets his match in the niece of his latest victim. Fleeing a failed effort to con a widow, Ulises Linares arrives in Veracruz at a boarding house owned by Perla Inclán, an older woman with whom he’s been corresponding. Upon arrival, Ulises is both intrigued and disturbed by Perla’s" (review continues in next image)
The print edition of Publishers Weekly displaying a review for SONGS OF THE DEAD by Brandon Sanderson and Peter Orullian: "Bestseller Sanderson (the Stormlight Archives series) teams up with musician Orullian (Metropolis Pt. 2) to craft a solid urban fantasy, the first in their Strata Wars series, in which songs are magic with the power to shape the afterlife. Jack Solomon, just fired from a British metal band, dies alongside his mentor, Henry. Henry stays dead, but Jack comes back to life, assuming responsibility for Henry’s pub, the Iron Horse, and navigating the newfound abilities to see the Strata, the layers of afterlife that underlie present-day London, and manipulate the music that controls them. Still struggling with trauma due to his mother’s desertion of the family and his father’s leadership of a notorious L.A. street gang, Jack must master his magical abilities to pin Henry’s murder on Muster Brach, leader of a rival faction fomenting revolution in the Strata to replace the “unregulated” music Jack loves with his own more orderly tunes. The authors center the narrative on music’s ability to move people to both war and peace, dotting the text with copious references to composers and bands old and new to illustrate its timeless power. This well-realized magic system, which feels like classic Sanderson, will draw readers in, and though the fast-paced plot takes some complicated turns, the authors stick the landing. It’s an entertaining start."
The book cover for THE STORY OF EVERYTHING, THE STORY OF YOU! written by Kara Newhouse and illustrated by Kate Cosgrove featuring chalk-like drawings of topics covered in the book, such as planets, dinosaurs, sea creatures, and more.
The cover of Mary Soon Lee's THE SIGN OF THE DRAGON accompanied by the text: Elgin Award Winner! “I read the first couple of pages and I was caught. This is indeed an epic, and it’s brilliant.” –Kelly Jennings, Asimov’s Now Only $3.99 Ends March 31
The cover of Randall Garrett's TOO MANY MAGICIANS accompanied by the text: “The magical system that Garrett devises is interesting and complicated ... a great example of the locked room mystery form. The solution is quite ingenious.” –Mysteries Ahoy! Now Only $3.99 Ends March 31
The cover of Frederic S. Durbin's A GREEN AND ANCIENT LIGHT accompanied by the text: Realm Award Winner! “This gentle, engaging, and very personal coming-of-age story is mythic in its universality.” –Publishers Weekly (starred review) Now Only $4.99 Ends March 31
The cover of Peter V. Brett's BUTTER COOKIES AND DEMON CLAWS accompanied by the text: “A cosy fantasy taking place in the world of The Demon Cycle? It feels like it shouldn’t work, but it actually does work really, really well.“ –Grimdark Magazine Now Only $3.99 Ends March 31
Screenshot of the 2026 Lambda Literary Award finalists for the LGBTQ+ Children's Books category. Of the six finalists, THE BI BOOK, written by AJ Irving and illustrated by Cynthia Alonso, is included! The full list of nominees: - A Year of Pride and Joy // Simon James Green. Magic Cat - Devin’s Gift // Alana Tyson, illustrated by Ebony Glenn. Philomel an Imprint of Penguin Young Readers - JIM! Six True Stories about One Great Artist: James Marshall // Jerrold Connors. Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers - O.K. Is Gay // Vincent X. Kirsch. Abrams Books for Young Readers - Tales from Beyond the Rainbow // Pete Jordi Wood. Penguin Young Readers - The Bi Book // A.J. Irving, illustrated by Cynthia Alonso. Random House Children’s Books | Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
The cover of Tanya Huff's SUMMON THE KEEPER featuring a grumpy black and white cat on top of a haunted B&B of sorts.
The cover of Edo van Belkom's WOLF PACK, featuring an illustration of a wolf and the silhouettes of two teens, plus a burst with the text "Inspiration for the Paramount+ series WOLF PACK."
The cover of Ryan O'Nan's WINDERS accompanied by the text: In the wrong hands, winding back time can be used as a weapon against the world… “O’Nan’s prose will keep your bedside lamp burning till the wee hours.” –Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author WINDERS AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK 2/24 NOW AVAILABLE IN EBOOK
A Publisher's Marketplace graphic that announces the following book: Australian author-illustrator Sean E. Avery's DR. HOPPENFLUFF'S MONSTER, the first book in a middle grade series starring an evil bunny mad scientist who has a score to settle with Bunnyville Village; pitched as reimagining classic horror stories humorously for kids in the vein of Dexter's Laboratory and Dog Man, to Sarah Alpert at Norton Young Readers, in a very nice deal, in a three-book deal, for publication in summer 2028, by Jordan Hamessley at JABberwocky Literary Agency (world).
The book cover for ON SUNDAYS SHE PICKED FLOWERS by Yah Yah Scholfield. A portrait of a Black woman peers out at the reader; only part of her face is visible as colorful flora and fauna encompass her. The title is overlayed in white serif text.
"Coming May 19, 2026" is included at the top of the page in white bold text. The new cover image follows the text, featuring a blond person wearing a cloak of stripped fabric, facing away from the reader on top of a building that overlooks a city. Underneath the cover is text reading "Now in paperback!"
Publishers Marketplace deal announcement reading: "Ryan Kunz's VALKYRIE MOON, a space opera/fantasy that follows a stuttering prince who must foil a conspiracy against his family despite being unable to use the spoken magic his empire is built on, to Amanda Raybould at Solaris, in a two-book deal, for publication in spring 2027, by Joshua Bilmes at JABberwocky Literary Agency."
A close-up on the longlist for Publisher's Weekly Spring 2026 Preview for SF, Fantasy & Horror books. Under the header "JAB", the listing reads: "The Three Coffin Problem by Lavie Tidhar (June 16, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-62567-798-3). Vampire inquisitor Judge Dee and his mortal assistant, Jonathan, look into a series of mysteries that take them across medieval Europe."
The cover of Violette Malan's ROAD OF BONES
The cover of international bestselling author Peter V. Brett's BUTTER COOKIES AND DEMON CLAWS, featuring a demon claw hovering over a plate of butter cookies.
The covers of the Aliette de Bodard's Dominion of the Fallen trilogy. The text reads "Read the Complete Trilogy!!" and "Available in ebook and trade paperback March 10, 2026."
The cover of Aliette de Bodard's THE HOUSE OF SUNDERING FLAMES along with the tagline AND DRAGONS OF THE DEPTHS.
The cover of Aliette de Bodard's THE HOUSE OF BINDING THORNS along with the tagline RULED BY FALLEN ANGELS...
The cover of the new edition of Aliette de Bodard's THE HOUSE OF SHATTERED WINGS along with the tagline ENTER A RUINED PARIS and the release date of March 10, 2026.
Authors Clay McLeod Chapman (left) and Victor Manibo (right) sit in leather armchairs on a small stage in the Strand Bookstore's Rare Book Room. A sign with the Strand's logo is centered behind the authors and fairy lights are strung above them. The authors are holding microphones and are discussing THE VILLA, ONCE BELOVED, the latest novel from Victor Manibo.
A hand holding up a copy of THE PERIODIC TABLE OF BROADWAY MUSICALS against the backdrop of the Drama Bookshop
The cover for THE TOWER OF THE TYRANT by J.T. Greathouse. The main character stands in the foreground with her back to the reader. She carries a staff with a bird figure sitting atop it and gazes intently at a large mountain in the cover's background. On top of the mountain is an enormous tree that may or may not be significant to the plot (you'll have to read the book to find out!).