taylor hartley

BIO

Taylor Hartley graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a minor in Creative Writing. Inspired by Tamora Pierce, Libba Bray, and Madeline L’Engle, they started writing stories at nine years old and never looked back.

When they’re not reading or writing, Taylor can be found watching TV favorites such as Succession or The Last Kingdom, working out their societal rage on the rowing machine, or drinking coffee while contemplating how to torture their characters. An eternal lover of the em dash and the Oxford comma, Taylor lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with their partner and two spoiled familiars masquerading as housecats. They are represented by Danielle Burby at Mad Woman Literary Agency. Their works include Song of the Hell Witch, Dance of the Dark Mother, and the upcoming YA novels The Risks of Falling and Buffy the Vampire. Their horror debut will be released in 2028.

MSWL

GENRES:

  • #1: Adult Horror (folklore, eldritch, cosmic, dark academia, medieval, historical, horror-romance)

  • #2: Adult Fantasy (prefer low fantasy)

  • #3: Young Adult Horror (folklore, eldritch, cosmic, medieval, historical, horror-romance)

  • #4: Young Adult Fantasy (again, prefer low fantasy)

Universal asks:

  • If you’re writing f/m pairing and you have an Owen Mallory, an Edward Ferrars, a River Cartwright, a Wayne McCullough, or the tender side of Fitzwilliam Darcy, sign me up! I am quite tired of the broody brooders and the villains-turned-love-interests. Give me the kind-hearted but messy men who are doing their best.

  • OR give me sapphic and/or non-binary couples of all moral shades all day long.

  • I’m here for bittersweet endings and actions that have consequences.

  • Atmosphere and character are everything. If you have ever been told “this is very character-driven,” I’m your mentor.

In horror:

  • Anything with scary fairies. I’m talking fae that eat human skin or steal children and turn them into goblins, not just “they’re ‘scary’ but actually just sexy.”

  • Appalachian folklore! 

  • Historical horror - Puritans? Medieval horror? Horror set in imperial China? Sign me up.

  • Anything set in Scotland or Ireland

  • Anything Gothic OR Southern Gothic

  • The darker, the better. Scare the ever-loving daylights out of me.

  • Cosmic horror/eldritch horror = YASSSSSS.

  • Anything set in a remote location, like a research center, a spooky ship, etc.

  • “Oh, is this actually about AI?” Love it. Want it. Need to have it. 

In fantasy:

  • Can do romantic fantasy, but I need the romance to be a subplot, not the whole plot

  • If it comps to The Fifth Season or The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms or The Everlasting, yes please, thank you.

  • Big on blood magic, magic built on rage, witches, etc.

  • If it’s based on Arthurian legend, I’m your mentor, but know I’ve read it all, so there will be a quiz at the end! ;)

I’m not interested in…

  • Enemies to lovers

  • “I’ll burn the world down to save you.”

  • “She’s a girl with a knife and a quippy comeback”

  • The Chosen One (UNLESS they’re 30+ years old, then talk to me)

  • Werewolves

  • Love triangles