Ameerah Holliday (she/her) is an associate agent at Serendipity Literary Agency, a former dancer, and a self-proclaimed poetess from San Diego, California. She earned her BA in English Literature from San Diego State University and brings her artistic sensibility and editorial insight to every project she champions.

Ameerah began her publishing journey as an editorial assistant intern for Poetry International and now serves as the editorial director of the San Diego Poetry Annual and editor for the Kids! San Diego Poetry Annual. Her deep roots in poetry and performance continue to inform her love of language and her eye for emotionally resonant storytelling.

At Serendipity, she’s passionate about helping writers build sustainable and meaningful careers. She acquires nonfiction and fiction across middle grade, young adult, new adult, and adult categories. Her sweet spots include contemporary stories, thrillers/horror with a psychological or mental health twist, romance with emotional depth, literary fiction with lush prose, and magical realism grounded in lived experience. She has a special love for narratives that explore intersectionality, friendships that feel like love stories, characters who grow and break molds.

A frequent panelist at conferences such as the Writing Barn’s Pitch & Play, the Writing Day Workshops, SCBWI San Diego and the Atlanta Writers Conference, Ameerah brings her interest and energy to writers across genres. Ameerah advocates for stories led by BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and neurodiverse characters, including Black women’s fiction, girls in sports, and novels in verse. In nonfiction, she seeks books by LGBTQ+ authors of color, work inspired by performing arts and niche passions, pop culture (bonus points for 90s/2000s nostalgia), mental health in marginalized communities, and fresh perspectives on connection and loneliness.

She has represented titles that include From Beauty to Business by Kiyah Wright and Shirley Neal, Drink Water & Mind Your Business by Dr. Donna Oriowo, and consulted on When It All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw. Books she wishes she had represented include Legendborn by Tracy Deonn, Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan, Disney High by Ashley Spencer, and Platonic by Dr. Marisa G. Franco.

Ameerah has attended San Diego Comic Con every year since 2012, is a published poet, and has a cat named after a villain from The Vampire Diaries.

 

What She’s Looking For:

Ameerah looks for writing that explores diverse experiences with elements of intersectionality. She is drawn to stories that take you on a journey through growth and loves a good friendship story. She enjoys contemporary works, writing derived from performing arts, romance, and novels in verse. For fiction, she is primarily interested in middle grade, young adult, and Rom-Coms for any age. For non-fiction, she’s interested in pop culture, astrology, and discussions of mental health in minority communities.