Serene Hakim An agent with Ayesha Pande Literary (see other agents at this agency). About Prior to joining Ayesha Pande Literary in 2015, Serene worked at Laura Gross Literary Agency in Boston. Born to Lebanese immigrants in the Midwest, she grew up straddling cultures and languages and still feels like a third culture kid. She represents authors in a variety of genres, from MG fantasy to adult literary fiction to contemporary YA. Her clients include Kristen Arnett, Jean Chen Ho, Kaela Rivera, Ream Shukairy and Shannon C.F. Rogers. Serene is particularly interested in both YA and adult fiction that has international themes, highlights a variety of cultures, and focuses on underrepresented and/or marginalized voices. At the moment, she is mostly focusing on YA/MG and taking on adult writers more selectively. Specifically, she's looking for writing that explores different meanings of identity, home, and family, and in general would love to find more Middle Eastern writers. She loves books that are joy-filled and full of heart, as well as stories that delve deep into grief. Her educational background is in French and women's studies and she holds an MA in French-English translation from NYU. Serene is a member of the AALA (Association of American Literary Agents) and serves on the DEI committee. This agent may not respond to all queries. After waiting 56 days, assume your submission will not be accepted. Country United States Collapse section Fiction Temp Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Adults, Young adults, All ethnic groups/populations, People with Middle Eastern or North African origins, All genders, Females, Transgender people, All sexual identities, Bisexuals, Lesbians/Gays.Genres: General. Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres. Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres.Lengths: NovelStyles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Sexuality/Gender: LGBTQ issues, Women/Female issues. Society/Culture: Ethnicity/Race, Social issues.Submissions:Method: Online form. Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Collapse section Nonfiction Temp Closed Audience:Open to a broad Audience, including: Adults, Young adults, All ethnic groups/populations, People with Middle Eastern or North African origins, All genders, Females, Transgender people, All sexual identities, Bisexuals, Lesbians/Gays.Lengths: BookStyles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Literary, Mainstream, Personal.Topics: Open to all/most Topics including... Sexuality/Gender: LGBTQ issues, Women/Female issues. Society/Culture: Ethnicity/Race, Social issues.Submissions:Method: Online form. Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are allowed. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary. Go to agent's webpage Report: Submission/Query Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Facebook FacebookInstagram @pandeliteraryX (Twitter) @pande_literary For the Agent: Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope Serene Hakim Submission Statistics Free Preview! The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the agency or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics. Accuracy: We have received 1 report within the past 12 months. The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Other Information The agent will try to make a decision within 56 days. (100.0 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 56 days.) This agent may not respond to all queries. After waiting the time indicated above, assume your submission will not be accepted. Work submitted here was also submitted to...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted here also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Other Agents at this AgencyStephany Evans CLOSEDPaloma HernandoAnnie HwangKayla LightnerLuba OstashevskyAyesha PandeMadison Smartt Bell Before SubmittingWe cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the agent or agency being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the agent/agency meets your standards.Always read the full guidelines provided by the agency/agent.Unless the agency's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.For agency submissions, it is standard to submit a query letter and sample instead of the full manuscript. Do this unless otherwise instructed.Be professional, patient, and persistent. DatesLast Updated: 09 Apr 2025Last Audited: 08 Feb 2025 Date Added: 29 Mar 2018We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year.