Tara Kimberly

Literary Agent

Tara is a self diagnosed Romantasy addict and loves diving into lush worlds with complex characters and messy interpersonal relationships that teach us about our own lives.

Prior to joining D4EO, she had a decade-long career as a $60M+ real estate agent, investor and coach. Interest in querying her debut novel introduced her to the world of publishing as soon as she found out about Literary Agents she realized she had spent the past ten years as an agent in the wrong industry. An ever proponent of messy action, she quickly course corrected - setting her sights on breaking into the publishing world.

She views the agent - author relationship as a deeply personal and mutually beneficial one. She wants to work with authors that dare to dream of massive success, a fulfilling career, and the willingness to put in the necessary work to get there. With a strong emphasis on social media marketing herself, she is looking for authors who are eager to work together to grow their own marketing efforts.  

Tara is interested in primarily Romantasy with a focus on strong female characters and all consuming stories. Her full wish list and submission instructions can be viewed below.

Tara Contreras, literary agent

What I’m Looking For

Young Adult

  • Books that feel like a Taylor Swift song. I want to feel deeply for your characters, be invested in their growth, and relate to their flaws.

  • Books that feel like CW/Freeform shows. Think Reign, Gossip Girl, The Bold Type, Outer Banks etc. I want to be invested in many characters and the world as a whole.

  • Vampires with a witchy vibe. Specifically a coven of female vampires with a unique twist to the normal Twilight plot. Romance and other monsters are a plus!

  • Fairytale or legend retellings, especially through a Hispanic lens. I would love a Romantasy about La Llorona or something similar!

  • I would love a book that explores gender roles in a way that doesn’t demonize choices, but instead romanticizes both ends of the spectrum. I want to be rooting for both ends to get what they want.

  • Warning books that explore red flags in relationships and the insidious nature of abusive ones. I would love one of these with a male POV as well.

  • A warm & fuzzy book normalizing confident women while shedding light on misogynistic behavior that is constantly normalized in our society. I love worlds that feel full and natural while at the same time highlighting deficiencies in our own.

New Adult / Adult

  • Adventure fantasy. Think quests with HIGH stakes as well as a compelling & emotional reason why the main character needs to complete their mission. Bonus points if there is an angsty romance aspect.

  • Mermaids. I want something like Aquaman but for the girls. Give me all the sea creatures, sea witches, crocs, sharks, etc. Sprinkle in a mature, yearning romance & I’m sold!

  • Vampires with a witchy vibe. Specifically a coven of female vampires with a unique twist to the normal Twilight plot. Romance and other monsters are a plus!

  • Fairytale or legend retellings, especially through a Hispanic lens. I would love a Romantasy about La Llorona or something similar!

  • Spicy, lush and captivating fantasy romance. I want devotion like Darius, ruthlessness like Xaden, masculinity like Rhys. I want an FMC that is a girls girl. She knows her worth, is open to love, and embraces her femininity. I want all of this inside of a royal court with monsters, high stakes, and complex interpersonal dynamics. Think ACOTAR meets GOT. Tropes I enjoy: touch him/her & die, forced proximity, forbidden love & feminine rage.

  • I want action. A compelling plot with twists and turns that I don’t see coming. I want morally grey characters who rationalize bad behavior instead of just doing evil stuff and never thinking about it. I want side characters that I love just as much as the main characters. I want a dark, dangerous world. Think A Rain of Shadows & Endings meets Gild.

  • Dark academia with a strong, angsty romantic element.

  • Intro to Fantasy. Simple world building that feels accessible to readers just discovering fantasy. Quick pacing that is engaging but not complex. The emotional component between the characters must be 1000/10.

  • Romantasy from a male POV. A tortured, self sabotaging, gaslighting, morally grey soul that we are rooting for.

  • A mature FMC - maybe a mother? On a quest to save her child. I want a fierce, one tracked mind type in a world pitted against her. I want to feel her torture, her agony and her determination.

  • Star Wars for the girls. Aliens, monsters, space flights, girl power, a centralized mission that propels the plot and naughty romance between different ranks, good and evil, different species, etc.

  • I’m open to all romance, but have a soft spot for sports romance, mafia romance, billionaire romance, and love against all odds. I WOULD LOVE A NARCO ROMANCE!!

Things I Love

  • Fierce female characters who embrace their femininity

  • Strong female friendships

  • Challenging stereotypes

  • Sharp opinions

  • Emotional, deep & dynamic relationships (platonic & romantic)

  • New takes on standard tropes

  • Unique magic systems

  • Emotional turmoil that rips me apart then sews me back together

  • Morally grey characters

Things I Hate

  • Miscommunication tropes

  • Manufactured problems with an easy solution that’s ignored

  • Bully romance

  • Winey FMCs

How to Submit

Tara is accepting queries via Query Tracker

Things to include in your query letter:

  • Word Count

  • Number of Books in Series (I know many agents advise you say “this is a standalone with series potential” even if it is not. Please tell me the truth in your query. I love series and am not put off by them. I am put off by dishonesty.)

  • Your Bio

  • Comp Titles

  • What sets your book apart

  • Lead with your characters!

  • Drop an interesting fact about you as well to show me you read this. :)

Things you must have done PRIOR to querying:

  1. Get Beta reader feedback.

  2. Get Critique Partner (fellow author) feedback.

  3. Multiple drafts of developmental & line edits yourself.

  4. Perfect your query letter. This is your time to shine. This is your pitch for why we should love your manuscript. You need to put just as much effort and energy into this letter as you did crafting your masterpiece. A good query letter is the difference between me reading your pages and not.
    Gina Denny gives great advice on structuring query letters. Here is herTikTok.

*If you are looking for Beta Readers or a Critique Partner, feel free to join our free writers group on Skool. I DO NOT accept queries in this group & will immediately reject if you try to query me here because that is not what our
group is for. (So please don’t try - I hate having to blacklist.)