Daisy Chandley is an Associate Agent and assistant to Head of Books Tim Bates and Senior Agent Annabel Merullo. After graduating from the University of Oxford with a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, she joined Peters, Fraser & Dunlop in 2019. She works alongside Tim Bates as the UK sub-agent for New Directions Publishing in the US.
What I’m looking for…
I’m actively building a list of both fiction and non-fiction authors across a range of genres.
On the non-fiction side, I’m looking for bold new insights and underrepresented voices on popular science, nature writing, relationships, social issues and politics, and am always especially interested in fresh, playful and exciting writing on pop culture, love and the internet. I’d also love to see illuminating narrative non-fiction, whether a beautiful and lyrical exploration, or an enthralling and explosive deep-dive.
With fiction, my reading broadly falls into two main categories: sharp, witty and clever novels across a range of genres with just the right balance of emotion and edge, and things with a darker side, be it unputdownable thrillers, mysteries, or even a good old-fashioned ghost story. Whether it’s a delightfully fun and scandalous page-turner, or something more literary and experimental, if it’s stylish and smart, I’d love to see it. And I must admit – I’m an absolute sucker for a really good twist.
I’m also definitely interested in literary speculative fiction, though I’m not generally looking for SFF. Across the board, I’m always looking for stories that explore sexuality, race, gender, and disability, and would love to hear from writers whose voices and experiences aren’t given enough space in publishing.
Just a few(ish) of the writers whose work I love include Patricia Lockwood, Raven Leilani, Torrey Peters, Gillian Flynn, Shirley Jackson, Max Porter, Carmen Maria Machado, Virginia Woolf, Sayaka Murata, Kiley Reid, Laurie Colwin, Sally Rooney (sorry), George Saunders, Joan Didion, Amy Liptrot, Elif Batuman, Sarah Waters, Ottessa Moshfegh, Donna Tartt, Tana French, & Fernanda Melchor.
I’m also very keen to see anything that shares themes or style with wonderful shows like Succession, The White Lotus, I May Destroy You, or Severance – anything that has you on the edge of your seat one minute (even if just from the world’s most awkward conversation), laughing the next, and feeling punched in the chest by the time the credits roll.
