 Brianna Summers is a literary agent with Holloway Literary. Brianna received a BA in 21st-century literature and creative writing and an associate degree in Ancient Mediterranean Studies from the University of Missouri. After many hours interning with literary magazines, she ventured into the wide world of book publishing. Brianna joined Holloway Literary in 2022 as an intern. She continued with Holloway as a literary assistant before graduating to Associate Agent. What do you wish querying writers knew? Agents are always excited and happy to read your query. It may take a while for me to read it, but I'm always excited when I do. What interests or hobbies do you have that you’d love to see in a book? I've watched an unhealthy amount of Korean and Chinese dramas the past year. I love the high emotions, dramatic plots, and character dynamics that unfold throughout the entirety of the show. K and C dramas have reintroduced seen-before-troupes and storylines with a new perspective, and that's what I want when I read a book. What book or author made you fall in love with reading? There's A Dead Person Following My Sister Around by Vivian Vande Velde. It's the first book I can confidently say shocked me and changed my mind about reading. Then I read Abbi Glines (at an age I probably shouldn't have) and have been a voracious romance reader ever since. What’s the number one thing you would change in the publishing industry, if you could? Assessability. Ironically, the COVID years pushed the industry to create positions and jobs that could be done remotely. As a person in a wheelchair, this was encouraging news for me. It gave me more opportunities to pursue my dream job without sacrificing my ADA supports or quality of life. Moving to New York is challenging for an able-bodied person; being a physically disabled person makes it almost impossible. Thankfully - for me at least - COVID happened and opened up doors, but now that the world is 5+ years after COVID, I'm seeing a lot of those doors close. I'm happy that businesses are back to normal operations, but I want us to keep some of the COVID doors open and knock a few more down. Publishing has made progress over the past several years, but I believe there's always more everyone can do to make the industry more accessible. What’s your favorite cringe-worthy book that you love? Swamp Story by Dave Berry. It's been my "beach read" every year since its publication date. It's absurd and unserious, with a lot of heart and warmth that makes me happy. What’s your favorite element of magic or worldbuilding in a fantasy or sci-fi manuscript? I'm drawn to stories with a rigid magic system. When the magic has limitations, character stakes are bigger, and the resolutions feel so much more impressive. What do you believe is your strength as an agent? My loyalty and commitment to authors and their careers. Publishing can be unforgiving at times. It's mentally and financially taxing. It's an industry that requires endurance, persistence, and fortitude to break into and thrive in. This is true for all agents, editors, and writers, and committing to publishing requires courage, dedication, and grit to make it through the journey. I want authors to know that when they sign with me, I'll be around for a long time. For every "No" and for every "Yes and." HOW TO QUERY: At the moment, Brianna is only doing co-agented submissions with Nikki Terpilowski. Query guidelines can be found here: Holloway Submission and can be emailed to [email protected]. Watch the Holloway Literary website for submission openings. Brianna's MSWL:
Brianna's Specific MSWL Wishes: Send me smart storytelling with vivid worlds readers daydream about. Survival stories, where characters are fighting for their livelihood, family, or communities and doing everything in their power to fight for a better life or the one they already have. I enjoy stories that convince me that the wrong thing is the right thing. Where the character's morals are challenged, and the world reflects those moral codes. Be mean to your characters - within reason - create a harsh world, emotionally destroy me on the journey, and then make it all okay with a happy ending (although I do enjoy a tragic ending). Whether that's fantasy, romance, or YA, there's a survival story in there somewhere.  This post was complied by Brandy Vallance, a literary agent with Barbara Bova Literary Agency, an award-winning author, and a Story Consultant for Writing Day Workshops. Brandy is the winner of two national writing awards, one of which included a $20,000 prize. Her novel, THE COVERED DEEP, has been featured in USA Today & Writer’s Digest. WITHIN THE VEIL has been called “passionate and riveting” and Publisher’s Weekly encourages those who like sweeping Scottish sagas to dive in because “the journey is wonderful.” Brandy loves to mentor writers and help them break the chains of fear and self-doubt. You can find out more at brandyvallance.com.  Attend a Writers Conference in 2026:
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