Sian Ellis-Martin

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

I’m building a list of fiction and non-fiction across genres. I’m keen to hear from authors who feel their voice is underrepresented in publishing and it’s important to me to work with authors and books from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Story is key to the books I enjoy; I’m always looking for an element of plot to drive me through a novel, wherever it sits on the commercial to accessible literary spectrum. Equally, I’m drawn to non-fiction that reads almost like a story at the same time as it educates and informs.

I’m drawn to contemporary novels although I do like to dabble in historical too, especially if the narrative revolves around a real character or event from the past.

I love a love story, whether it’s a big ‘made-for-each-other’ romance like One Day, or a quieter depiction of a relationship. Platonic relationships are just as fascinating to me, and I’d really like to represent a sweeping friendship or family saga (think Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Pachinko). I’m a big fan of rom coms too and would be keen to find queer stories in this area with an interesting or unusual backdrop or setup.

In the crime and thriller space, I want to read truly unputdownable books with twists that you really don’t see coming or mysteries that get the cogs of your brain turning, like True Crime Story or The Appeal. I’m not really looking for police procedural books right now.

Themes I love reading about are coming-of-age, relationships, sexuality, family, race, class, love, sex and the general drama and complexities of life! Most of all, I always want to be completely absorbed by the world of the novel, to jump into a character’s life and be swept into the narrative as if I’ve been there all along.

I’m also searching for narrative non-fiction on a variety of topics including, love, relationships, popular culture, politics and history. My favourite non-fiction books are ones that make complicated ideas more accessible or pull you into a world that you hadn’t thought you’d be interested in. I’d also like to find books on food and cookery.

In case it’s helpful to know what I don’t represent, I’m not currently taking on YA, children’s, poetry, fantasy or science fiction, diet or business projects.

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