Geffen Semach

Prior to joining Westwood Creative Artists in 2025, I spent five years at Penguin Random House Canada, and two years at Aitken Alexander Associates as an assistant. Before that, I started my publishing career interning at Andrew Nurnberg Associates and Profile Books. I have edited for Hazlitt, and am on the editorial board of ROOM Magazine. I am interested in a wide range of writing and represent both fiction and non-fiction.

Fiction: I am looking for general upmarket fiction; horror, thriller and suspense; sci fi, speculative, fantasy and romantasy; as well as select concept-driven romance and literary novels. I am drawn to genre-blending novels that tackle human complexity, thoughtful world-building, strong emotional resonance, and bold voices and concepts. I love novels with teeth that make me feel viscerally—either grounded or unsettled—and nuanced characters that feel both fresh and challenging. Some of my favourite contemporary fiction writers include Torrey Peters, Asako Yazuki, Akwaeke Emezi, Mona Awad, Oyinkan Braithwaite, Michael Bennett, Sarah Pearse, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Marisha Pessl, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, Terry Miles, Pierce Brown, Andy Weir, Grace D. Li, Ali Hazelwood, Laura R. Samotin, Danielle L. Jensen, Sara Peters, Daisy Johnson, and Yaa Gyasi.

Non-fiction: I am interested in journalism in the vein of social commentary, pop culture, politics, art and media; expert-driven writing relating to medicine and mental health, sex and relationships, and money; as well as exceptional memoir. For me it is the balance of an authoritative voice with accessibility. Particularly books that explore complex, often systemic issues—from politics to psychology to culture—told from a personal or human-centered lens. Please connect with me if you are an expert with a strong voice and an idea to share. I am happy to chat with writers who are at the beginning stages of forming an idea to craft a proposal together. Non-fiction contemporary writers I love include Elizabeth Miki Brina, Sonia Faleiro, Sheila Heti, Jia Tolentino, Ian Williams, Chris Hedges, Timothy Snyder, Jonathan Haidt, Kieran Setiya, Daniel J. Levitin, Oliver Burkeman, Daniel Barbarisi, Jessica Fern, Javier Zamora, and Bethany Joy Lenz.

I encourage submissions from underrepresented writers including 2SLGBTQI+ and BIPOC.

Westwood Creative Artists

Westwood Creative Artists is one of Canada’s oldest and most respected literary agencies. We take enormous pride in our superbly talented roster of clients, and in the phenomenal recognition their work receives from publishers, critics, and award juries in North America and throughout the world. Working out of the historic Chelsea Shop, in Toronto’s Huron-Sussex neighbourhood, our staff of fourteen includes eight literary agents who are supported by a dedicated administrative and bookkeeping staff, in-house international rights and film/TV and multimedia rights teams, and an outstanding network of twenty-five international co-agencies. We take great pride in the enthusiastic response to our list from publishers around the world and in the wide praise our writers receive from Canadian and international critics. We are honoured that many of the writers we represent have won and been shortlisted for such esteemed prizes as the Booker Prize, the Nobel Prize, and the Scotiabank Giller Prize.

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