Daniele Hunter

I’m Daniele (she/her), a queer, chronically ill, disabled junior agent at McIntosh & Otis, acquiring (in order of priority) YA, MG, and PB. I’m extremely editorially hands-on! I have a BA in English from Drew University, with concentrations in Literary Criticism, Poetry, and Creative Writing. For a sunshiny person, I have very dark taste in books. As an agent, I want to help tell the “hard” stories deeply needed by kids/teens experiencing hardships or with underrepresented identities. While my heart lives in contemporary stories, I also love contemporary fantasy (as well as supernatural elements like ghosts), and am sparingly open to historical and suspense. I’ll be authors’ biggest cheerleader, and value open communication. I strive to be a safe space for marginalized identities/experiences, but don’t force authors to disclose those to me. I’m always open to any accommodations authors need. I’m a member of the AALA and serve on the DEI committee. I’ll be a mentor for my clients, helping them navigate the publishing industry even after an editor signs their books. And though publishing is a business, I know that writing books (especially the dark, raw ones I fall for) is a very intimate endeavor, so I strive to connect with my clients not just on a professional level, but a personal one. Please note that I assist on my boss's list, and I already co-rep some clients with her. So I’m likely to acquire more narrowly at first, but that could change as my role expands! In my spare time, I read way too quickly, sing opera, and put my ambidexterity to good use as a knitter. I live in New Jersey with my spouse and our (perfect) cat.