Sian Ellis-Martin

Email: sian@blakefriedmann.co.uk
Twitter: @sianellismartin

I represent commercial, upmarket and accessible literary fiction. I always want to be completely absorbed by the world of the novel, to jump into the character’s life and be swept into the narrative as if I’ve been there all along. I’m drawn in by compelling characters and relationships, and I love stories with a mystery or question at the heart of them. I’m open to these ideas being explored in a variety of ways, but at the moment, I’d particularly like to find an epic love story, a fun, queer rom-com with an unusual setting or pitch, and/or a sweeping family saga. I lean more towards contemporary settings but do enjoy a historical backdrop too.

In non-fiction, I’m looking for narrative non-fiction, history from different perspectives and books that make complicated ideas around things like politics and literature more accessible. My favourite type of non-fiction book is the one that makes you interested in something or someone you’d never thought you would be. I’d also love to find cookery and food books too, particularly cuisines that are less visible in the book world, or budget cooking.

Some examples of my taste in fiction would be Plain Bad Heroines by Emily J. Danforth, Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters, The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, Milk Fed by Melissa Broder, Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey, The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood and The Mothers by Brit Bennett.

Some non-fiction books I’ve enjoyed recently are The Five by Hallie Rubenhold, In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado, The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanith, Group by Christie Tate and Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn.

I’m not currently taking on YA, children’s, fantasy or science fiction projects so please don’t send these to me.

Clients: Shani Akilah, Ros Anderson, Jenny Glanfield, Letitia Jarrett, Karen Powell, Leeanne O’Donnell, Cristina Wolf