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Ms. Carrie Howland

Howland Literary

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General

Carrie Howland

Howland Literary

New York, NY
Website:
howlandliterary.com
Twitter (X):
@ecarriehowland
AALA Member:
No
Query Methods
Accepts queries via...
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Genres
This agent is seeking the following genres:

Fiction

Commercial
Contemporary
LGBTQ+
Literary Fiction
Multicultural
Mystery
Romance
  • Romance, Category
  • Romance, Contemporary
  • Romance, Thriller/Suspense
Short Story Collections
Thrillers/Suspense
Upmarket
Women's Fiction

Non-Fiction

Art/Photography
Cultural/Social Issues
Current Affairs/Politics
Food/Lifestyle
How To
LGBTQ+
Memoir
Multicultural
Narrative
Parenting
Pets
Pop Culture
Psychology
Relationship/Dating
Religion/Spirituality
Self-Help
True Adventure/Crime
Women's Issues
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Known Clients (current & past)
Author Comments
Comments by authors about this agent.
mvarlenfiction
04/23/2026 06:13 PM
@grimxr you done now? i missed where you were named monarch of query tracker. let me bow to thee all knowing.
grimxr
04/23/2026 06:06 PM
@mvarlenfiction Just so you're aware, Ms Howland has a 0.9% query reply rate. No requests on record. And also: agents talk, and they can all read this.

Edit: But this isn't a physical place, and we are not in the street, or a cafe, or anywhere. You are applying to work with an agent in a professional setting. I see it more as we are two professionals-- likely both writers-- who both want to be treated with respect. I respect their time by not querying unless I feel they would be a good fit professionally and personally, and they respect mine by usually responding quickly if they're not a fit. It's good to remember that all agents are people, and most do not spend most of their time responding to queries; they're focused on their families, their other jobs, their existing clients... they aren't machines. And they know we aren't either. If she never responded, she probably has already deleted your query from her inbox, so a nudge would have done very little. She passed on your query, but you got your offer(s), so it's okay to move on and make the best decision for yourself with the information you do have available.
And my comment was to point out how unprofessional and rude your comments are without stating it outright. It was to serve as a reminder that unless you've signed the contract with your chosen agent, the offer could be rescinded after reading said comments. It could create friction, even if they've already acknowledged your inherent humanity.
So take a breath and just allow yourself to be happy about your offer(s)!

Edit 2: Folks, this is the comment section of a professional agent, not a street protest. Understanding that people are people is called having empathy. It's the reason I don't get angry for an agent having to say, leave the industry to take care of their personal lives, or to have to withdraw an offer because they got diagnosed with cancer. Or their pet passed away, or they just had a really bad day, and didn't have the mental capacity to go through queries for hours, days, or weeks. It's empathy, and it's what connects us all together. It's why you say "please" and "thank you" and hold doors open for people. Empathy is not conditional, on anything, and especially not reciprocity. We live in a society.
And I'm perfectly all right if a few agents never respond to anyone, or I CNR a few. That's life. It's not personal, and trying to twist it into something that makes an agent look like a daemon does no one any good.



mvarlenfiction
04/23/2026 04:48 PM
@grimxr who said i was unhappy? and also the crux of your entire rant is, "and they respect mine by usually responding quickly if they're not a fit." ergo, it is disrespectful to ignore a querying professional. someone who had been polite and extended grace to someone who was busy but again THERE WAS NO RECIPROCITY.

it's wild to me how people are so quick to bow down to mistreatment and say "oh well they're people, too" when those people don't recognize you as the same way.

fingers crossed she deigns to respond to your query.

edit: i deleted the comments because i'm tired of people like you thinking they're all-knowing and are ok living in a whack ass system. and because i also sent the agents the same message ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

mbtwrites
04/02/2026 03:48 PM
contemp romance 79k
queried 9/18/25
CNR 4/2/2026
JenniferUSC
02/22/2026 02:03 AM
Q: 10/25/25
CNR: 2/22/26
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Profile History
Last Update:
06/20/2022 - Open to queries. Genres updates.
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