Tara Kimberly is a literary with D4E0 Literary.
She seeks: Romantasy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, New Adult, Young Adult, Romance & Dark Romance.
Tara is interested in primarily Romantasy (adult and young adult and new adult) with a focus on strong female characters and all consuming stories. She 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. She is most active on TikTok under the handle @tarakimberlybooks and as demystifying the publishing industry for debut authors is one of her core missions as an agent, she routinely does live Q&As on her page. She also runs a free writers group for authors looking for an online mecca of support and resources throughout their publishing journey. It is called Happily Ever Authors and is hosted on the Skool platform.
In YA, she loves:
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.
In New Adult/Adult, she loves:
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 (except historical), but have a soft spot for sports romance, mafia romance, billionaire romance, and love against all odds. I WOULD LOVE A NARCO ROMANCE!!
I love plus size and strong Romance FMCs. Bonus points if they are funny with an edge. I love stories where women lift one another up and girl power is a central theme even though everyone has their own voice. Think Sex & the City or Friends vibes.
Don’t Waste Your Pitch If…
There is no romantic element to your manuscript. I need romance in
EVERYTHING so if you don’t have even a romantic subplot, I’m not the
agent for you.
Space opera or epic high fantasy can be used to describe your book.
Brandon Sanderson as a comp is an immediate no from me-I’m a
simple girl.
Trauma is the main element. I appreciate a good healing arc, but if
sexual assault, domestic violence or suicide is a main element in your
book, it’s not a good fit for me. Automatic no for me is SA between the
main love interests.
Thriller or horror can be used to describe your book. I’m a big scardy cat
& don’t want anything to give me nightmares.
Terminal illness, sickness/COVID themes are prevalent in your book.
Spooky, creepy & dark are definitely my vibe, but gore or slasher vibes
are decidedly not. If your book gives Quentin Tarantino (excessive gore
for the sake of gore), I’m not your girl. The only exception for this is
fantasy. I love a stabby FMC.
Talking animals. Dragons are the only exception. Monsters are different,
but I don’t want sentient pets or side characters.