Carolyn Forde

Carolyn will be closed to queries (except by referral) in July, and open again in August. Carolyn endeavours to respond to all queries, but it’s not always possible due to volume; if you do not hear back within 12 weeks, you may consider that a pass. Please do not query Carolyn at the same time as any other Transatlantic agents. Carolyn gives priority to exclusive submissions, but exclusivity is not required.

Forde’s Manuscript Wishlist 

I’m always looking for books that make me forget where I am while I’m reading. Whether literary or commercial, I’m drawn to stories with emotional depth, unforgettable characters, and a strong narrative pull – page turners! 

I’m looking for fiction that is:

• Historical fiction – female centered, ideally making me feel and also learn about another timeLiterary with a compelling, page-turning story
• Upmarket with both commercial appeal and literary ambition
• Voice-driven and emotionally resonant
• Big-hearted book club fiction that sparks conversation
• Character-driven with complex relationships and emotional stakes
• Smart, psychologically rich thrillers (evergreen for me!!! Love!)
• Fresh takes on family, friendship, identity, work, love, aging, or belonging
• High-concept ideas grounded in authentic human emotion
• Funny, moving, surprising—or, ideally, all three

I especially love books that:

• Stay with me long after I’ve turned the page
• Introduce unforgettable characters
• Explore moral complexity without easy answers
• Balance humour with heartbreak
• Offer a fresh perspective on familiar experiences

In non-fiction, I’m particularly interested in:

• Memoir with a broader cultural or social lens (journalists with personal experience in a field is very appealing)
• Investigative journalism  
• True crime

I’m probably not the best fit for:

• Fiction about military or CIA
• Anything medical at all
• Illness memoirs
• Graphic novels

Please submit a query letter via email to [carolyn@transatlanticagency.com] and the first 20 pages for consideration, within the body of your query – attachments will not be opened (double spaced and 12 pt font).

Previous to joining Transatlantic Agency in 2019, where she is now Senior Agent and Partner, Carolyn was a literary agent and International Rights Director at another agency for 14 years.

Carolyn attends the London Book Fair, the Frankfurt Book Fair and, more recently, the Bologna Book Fair. She also travels to New York and LA regularly, promoting her authors and their work.

She represents authors who have won or been nominated for many awards and distinctions including but not limited to the following: Governor General’s Award, Scotiabank Giller Prize, RBC Taylor Prize, Writers Trust Hilary Weston Award, Trillium Book Award, Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-fiction, BC National Book Award, Toronto Book Award, Jim Connors Dartmouth Book Award, Margaret and John Savage First Book Award, Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour, Speakers Award, Toronto Heritage Book Award, Hugo Prix for Best Foreign Thriller (France), Kobo Emerging Writer Award, Arthur Ellis Awards, LAMDA Awards, Indigo author of the month, as well as many national and international bestsellers.

Carolyn is an active member of the literary community, having been a speaker or mentor at the Surrey International Writers’ Conference, Muskoka Literary Festival, DarkLit Literary Festival, Word on the Street, Writers Group of Durham, Ontario Writers’ Conference, Willamette Writers Conference, Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, Thrillerfest, Diaspora Dialogues and the Canadian Authors Association and is a founding member and current President of the Professional Association of Canadian Literary Agents (PACLA), she is also Co-chair of the Toronto International Festival of Authors’ International Visitor Committee.

Carolyn has lived and worked in Japan, Mexico and the Czech Republic and is a dual citizen of Canada and the UK.