Jo Ramsay
Jo Ramsay

Literary AGent. Writer.

Jo
Ramsay

is a Literary Agent at Transatlantic Agency. They’ve worked in publishing for over eight years at a number of publishers and literary magazines which include Simon and Schuster, Shrapnel Magazine, Arsenal Pulp Press, PRISM International, and Greystone Books. Their writing has been published in The Globe & Mail, Maclean’s, and This Magazine among others. Jo is looking to represent a variety of adult fiction and nonfiction. (Pronouns: They/She)

 

Jo’s Manuscript Wishlist

For fiction, Jo is seeking books that subvert genre expectations or combine genres in innovative and twisty ways. They’re particularly searching for speculative fiction/light sci-fi (Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro, Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer), eco-fiction/cli-fi (The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler, A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers), interesting workplaces with an ensemble cast (The Bear on Hulu, Succession on HBO), and messy families with a heartwarming undercurrent.

They are also hungry for upmarket and literary books that feature unhinged protagonists and intersectional female rage. Emerging terms in the space of female rage—such as “coming of rage” (A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers, Beef on Netflix, Severance by Ling Ma) and “good for her” (My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, They Never Learn by Layne Fargo)—are a high priority. Jo is especially interested in dark humor (Bunny by Mona Awad, Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder), and books that centre platonic love and affection. Other strong interests include stories with absurdist elements, adult campus novels, new weird, and books across all genres that feature queer relationships (particularly WLW/sapphic), BIPOC characters, or explore gender identity.

For nonfiction, Jo is actively seeking in investigative journalism (Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick), cultural critique (The Story of Art Without Men by Katy Hessel), social psychology deep dives, naturalist or eco-nonfiction (Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer), as well as personal narratives on art and pop culture (Unlikeable Female Characters: The Women Pop Culture Wants You to Hate by Anna Bogutskaya). Books that unearth buried histories (Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann), interrogate online discussions and trends surrounding aging, and examine the experiences of former child influencers are especially wanted. They are also looking for personal narratives around nomadic lifestyles and alternative living (Nomadland by Jessica Bruder, Nowhere for Very Long by Brianna Madia).

Fiction:

  • Speculative fiction (near-future sci-fi, plot-forward commentary on society, Black Mirror-esque concepts, both gritty and hopeful stories welcome)

  • Upmarket fiction (conversation starters, fresh take on friendships, relationships, and family)

  • Horror (genre blending, no heavy gore please)

  • Psychological horror / thriller (the weirder the better)

  • Queer romance (elevated, multi-layered)

  • Gothic / Neo-Gothic

  • Mysteries (with unique POV, character-driven)

  • Graphic Novels

  • Select literary fiction (unusual or unique storytelling, new weird, less quiet realism and more plot-forward storytelling)

  • Select fantasy (set in our world, light world building)

  • Select historical fiction (unique concept or genre blending)

Books I Wish I Worked On

Fiction: 

  • A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers

  • This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

  • Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder

  • The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

  • Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer

  • My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Nonfiction: 

  • Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

  • Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick

  • Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language by Amanda Montell

  • Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

  • Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma by Claire Dederer

  • Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

Non-fiction:

  • Pop Culture Deep Dives

  • Politics and Social Sciences

  • Cultural Critique

  • Investigative Journalism

  • Eco-Nonfiction and Naturalist writing

  • Expedition accounts of professional mountaineers and adjacent sports

  • Nomadic/Alternative living, Off-Grid Living, or Survivalist writing

  • Travelogues from a unique perspective

  • Pop Science

  • Graphic memoir

Currently not looking for:

  • Self-help

  • Health and Wellness

  • Cookbooks

  • Historical fiction focused on WWI, WWII or Cold War conspiracies and/or spy-adjacent books

  • Kidlit / YA

  • High/Epic Fantasy with heavy world building 

To query Jo, please send a query letter, author bio, and 20-page writing sample to queryjo@transatlanticagency.com. Please include “Query” in the email subject line along with the title and genre of your project (suggested formatting is "Query: TITLE / Speculative Fiction"), paste your writing sample into the body of the email (attachments will not be opened), and notify them if another offer of representation is received. 

If your project contains scenes depicting blood and physical violence, please list content warnings above the writing sample. 

If you have not heard from them within eight weeks, please assume that your work is not suitable for their current list.