Success Story Interview - Leo Kelley

An Interview with Leo Kelley (hennessy on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Maggie Cooper of Aevitas Creative Management.

04/21/2026

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Leo Kelley:
My book STORM STRUCK is a queer fantasy romance about a disgraced noble who takes to the high seas to rescue a princess and win her hand in marriage, but falls in love with his surly sea captain instead. I love fantasy romance and I wanted to write a queer book with the adventure and fun of The Princess Bride while subverting the classic rescue-the-princess tale.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Leo Kelley:
I’ve been writing on and off my whole life, but this is my first book.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Leo Kelley:
I started outlining this book in Fall of 2024 but took a seven-month hiatus that November. I came back to it in July of 2025 and drafted in a little under two months. I started editing and was accepted into the SmoochPit Mentorship Program in October and finished my edits in February of 2026.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Leo Kelley:
During that break I felt like giving up. Everything that was happening in the world really got to me, along with some big life changes, and it all felt like too much. Once I got a handle on things, the thing that helped me stay on course was being in community with other writers.

QT: Is this your first book?

Leo Kelley:
It is!

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Leo Kelley:
I do not.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Leo Kelley:
When I’m drafting and editing, I usually work in the mornings. Outlining is pretty much anytime something comes to me.

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Leo Kelley:
I ended up with six drafts, some were bigger edits than others.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Leo Kelley:
I did have beta readers and they were incredibly valuable to my process. I made sure I had plenty of time to incorporate feedback before I locked down the draft and went out to query.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Leo Kelley:
I’m a big outliner! I have to see the main parts of the book in my head like a movie before I can draft. Then when I’m drafting, I flesh things out between the connective tissue I established in the outline.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Leo Kelley:
So I was in a program with a showcase, where agents would come to review pitches and request fulls, so my querying revolved around that. Technically, I started on Feb 4th, but I only queried a couple agents who I knew took a long time to read queries (thanks QT data!), with the intention that they get to the query around the time of the showcase in mid-March. Right before the showcase I queried more agents. I got my official offer one week after the showcase ended, so technically I queried for 8 weeks.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Leo Kelley:
I sent out a total of 32 queries, including the full requests from the showcase.

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Leo Kelley:
I made sure they repped my genre, had a great match or two in their MSWL, had a good sales record, and I prioritized agents that were looking for marginalized voices.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Leo Kelley:
I did. I didn’t go too crazy for research, but I did mention what on their MSWL made me want to query them. And for my showcase requests, I mentioned or thanked them for their nice comments on my pitch.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Leo Kelley:
Be selective in who you query – make sure you’d want to be repped by the agents you send to. And on the other end of this spectrum, aim high, it doesn’t hurt anyone. Do a lot of research into the MSWLs of the agents you are querying to come up with the best possible matches for you. And definitely don’t query until both your manuscript and your pitch are in great shape! And if you are a romance writer, I’d highly recommend applying to the SmoochPit Mentorship Program!

Query Letter:

Dear [Agent],

[Personalization]

A subverted take on a rescue-the-princess tale, STORM STRUCK is a queer M/M fantasy romance complete at 80,000 words. It combines the intimate adventure of Maiga Doocy’s Sorcery and Small Magics with the fun and high-heat of Swordcrossed by Freya Marske. STORM STRUCK was selected for the 2025-26 SmoochPit Mentorship Program.

When a disgraced noble takes to the high seas to rescue a princess and win her hand in marriage, he ends up falling for his surly sea captain instead.

Varos Belaro has spent his whole life training for the dueling tournament he just lost – along with his friends, his good name, and his career prospects. But when he finds out that the kingdom’s princess has been kidnapped by an infamous pirate and the reward for saving her is her hand in marriage, he sees a chance at redemption. With the title of prince of the realm on the line, he quickly strikes a deal with the captain of the fastest ship on the seas, and Varos sets sail to rescue the princess and his future.

Kellan, the ship’s captain, is a Stormrunner, a once-in-a-generation talent who can harness the power of storms for wind magic. At sea, he and Varos discover a deep attraction. After Kellan saves Varos from drowning, they collide in a steamy tryst and form a gentleman’s agreement: a physical relationship, no strings attached, until they find the princess. But when the rival who ruined Varos’s life emerges with his own Stormrunner on the only other ship that can beat them, Varos and Kellan must race them to be the first to save the princess. Facing wild storms, duels, and pirate battles, Varos must choose between the life he’s always wanted and the love he never thought he’d have.

I am a trans man writing fantastical stories with queer love at the center. In a previous career, I was a motion picture literary agent trainee in Hollywood, which gave me a deep appreciation of story, structure, and pitching. I’m currently working on my next manuscript:[one-line concept pitch]. I live in Upstate NY where I care for many creatures, most of which are goats.

Best,

-Leo Kelley