Nour Sallam is a literary agent with The Caldwell Agency.
In terms of fiction, I am seeking voice-driven commercial and upmarket titles, contemporary fiction with fabulist elements, speculative fiction, edgy psychological thrillers, as well as mysteries, horror and rom-coms featuring underrepresented characters of any background. I am always drawn to characters who are haunted by something, whether figuratively (a secret, a past, an obsession) or literally (a ghost, a demon, etc.). I am also actively seeking character-driven stories featuring women in power, unhinged women, and female rage. I have a soft spot for unreliable narrators, family sagas with dysfunctional families silently navigating trauma, protagonists in their 20s-30s navigating adulthood, protagonists on the cusp of major life changes, and stories that focus on friendship dynamics.
Nonfiction interests: I welcome fresh and accessible perspectives on big ideas or industry deep dives as well as narrative nonfiction on pop culture, art, and nature. I also appreciate books that offer incisive commentary on culture, socio-economic structures, corporate underbellies, health and wellness, and lifestyle. My taste in non-fiction gravitates towards books that generally challenge what we know or explain what we might not know.
Nour is NOT a good fit for: sci-fi and fantasy; any kidlit (picture books, Middle Grade, and YA); novellas; poetry; traditional memoir (I’m only seeking memoir plus); true crime; historical fiction focused on WWI, WWII or Cold War conspiracies and/or spy-adjacent books; apocalyptic fiction; political and/or espionage mysteries and thrillers; or trauma-heavy books that center wars or civil conflicts.
Items of interest for Nour:
BIPOC-centered narratives in these genres: horror, mystery, and thriller.
A propulsive novel-in-stories where the characters are connected through one event, place, or person.
The “unhinged woman” narrative with BIPOC characters.
Heist story with high stakes and gritty tension. Think Six of Crows for adults, minus the fantasy.
Anything that you can read to the soundtrack of Taylor Swift’s Reputation album.
Horror novels with a big layer and/or critique on class, society, or social dynamics.
An intersectional examination of younger generations’ relationship to work.
A study of the corporatization of self-care (either in nonfiction or fiction!).
Stories inspired by cultural superstitions. I would especially love a horror inspired by the evil eye!
Tropes I love:
Found family
Setting as character
A slow burn will they/won’t they romance
A second chance relationship (romantic or otherwise!)
Murder mysteries with a villainous victim. Think Lucy Foley’s THE GUEST LIST.
Friends to lovers
Female coming-of-rage
Contained settings in any genre: small towns, tight-knit neighborhoods, isolated estates, secret societies, etc.