Mark O’Brien
@bookmarkobrien.bsky.social
Associate literary agent at Azantian Literary Agency, previously at NetGalley, Writers House, Stonesong, Triada US, and more. Queer, neuroscoundrel, he/him. #1 fan of my perfect cat Monroe and onion rings.
https://bookmarkobrien.com
https://bookmarkobrien.com
I feel like if your pronouns are they/them, A) that’s rad and good for you, and also B) you should say “they/them’s the breaks.” It’d be funny. thx 💕
January 4, 2026 at 7:10 PM
I feel like if your pronouns are they/them, A) that’s rad and good for you, and also B) you should say “they/them’s the breaks.” It’d be funny. thx 💕
I don’t think my father, the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania, will be too pleased to hear about this
January 4, 2026 at 3:08 PM
I don’t think my father, the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania, will be too pleased to hear about this
Good Monroe morning!
Monroe is turning ten in a week and a half, so here she is as a tiny lil kitty, before I adopted her. She’s so baby here! Also, she’s so baby in general. My favorite, my snugglebug, my sunshine. 💜
January 4, 2026 at 3:03 PM
Good Monroe morning!
At its holiest, editing a book feels like sitting next to someone, tracing their hand on a cave wall. What a tremendous honor that I’ve been doing this for more than ten years. What a delight to help beautiful people make beautiful art. What a joy to be of service to my fellow human in this way.
January 3, 2026 at 6:42 PM
At its holiest, editing a book feels like sitting next to someone, tracing their hand on a cave wall. What a tremendous honor that I’ve been doing this for more than ten years. What a delight to help beautiful people make beautiful art. What a joy to be of service to my fellow human in this way.
Reposted by Mark O’Brien
Ever relevant, this poem by Mary Oliver, especially today.
January 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Ever relevant, this poem by Mary Oliver, especially today.
I read my boyfriend some of my posts and he laughed so hard he almost cried, which is how everyone needs to react to all my little jokes all the time.
January 2, 2026 at 9:36 PM
I read my boyfriend some of my posts and he laughed so hard he almost cried, which is how everyone needs to react to all my little jokes all the time.
Reposted by Mark O’Brien
This aged well.
January 2, 2026 at 4:56 PM
This aged well.
Reposted by Mark O’Brien
Happy new year all! Here’s where my head is as we enter that new year.
“As we walk into 2026, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and good reason for hope. But we’re going to have to walk through a dark tunnel to get there.”
“As we walk into 2026, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and good reason for hope. But we’re going to have to walk through a dark tunnel to get there.”
2025 was horrific for trans people. Here’s how 2026 could be much better. - buff.ly/fg52axF
January 2, 2026 at 11:26 AM
Happy new year all! Here’s where my head is as we enter that new year.
“As we walk into 2026, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and good reason for hope. But we’re going to have to walk through a dark tunnel to get there.”
“As we walk into 2026, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and good reason for hope. But we’re going to have to walk through a dark tunnel to get there.”
Happy 2026 to those of you who believe in time and observe numbers
January 1, 2026 at 12:29 AM
Happy 2026 to those of you who believe in time and observe numbers
Reposted by Mark O’Brien
Reposted by Mark O’Brien
Toad took his clothes out of the closet and put them on. Then he crossed out: Get Dressed.
December 30, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Toad took his clothes out of the closet and put them on. Then he crossed out: Get Dressed.
My New Year’s resolutions for 2026:
•start problems
•eat potatoes
•sign clients
•pet cats
•sell books
•start problems
•eat potatoes
•sign clients
•pet cats
•sell books
December 29, 2025 at 8:53 PM
My New Year’s resolutions for 2026:
•start problems
•eat potatoes
•sign clients
•pet cats
•sell books
•start problems
•eat potatoes
•sign clients
•pet cats
•sell books
Reposted by Mark O’Brien
what’s a good starter thought for someone just getting into human sentience
December 29, 2025 at 7:36 PM
what’s a good starter thought for someone just getting into human sentience
In case I haven’t been exceedingly clear about this: As a literary agent and as a person, I have never used genAI and I never will. I don’t believe in ceding territory in my brain. In fact, I think less of those who do believe in that!
December 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM
In case I haven’t been exceedingly clear about this: As a literary agent and as a person, I have never used genAI and I never will. I don’t believe in ceding territory in my brain. In fact, I think less of those who do believe in that!
Reposted by Mark O’Brien
My favorite thing about Frog and Toad is that it is the story of two men deeply and obviously in love with one another, drawn as a tribute to his lifelong partner by a gay man long before their relationship was socially sanctioned.
Then Frog and Toad went out onto the front porch to wait for the mail.
They sat there, feeling happy together.
They sat there, feeling happy together.
December 28, 2025 at 5:47 PM
My favorite thing about Frog and Toad is that it is the story of two men deeply and obviously in love with one another, drawn as a tribute to his lifelong partner by a gay man long before their relationship was socially sanctioned.
Reposted by Mark O’Brien
I've been thinking about this sign for 6 months. a phrase I'll treasure forever. a metaphor with boundless potential
December 26, 2025 at 4:09 PM
I've been thinking about this sign for 6 months. a phrase I'll treasure forever. a metaphor with boundless potential
Hello
-Monroe ft. Cup
-Monroe ft. Cup
December 26, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Hello
-Monroe ft. Cup
-Monroe ft. Cup
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all six of you reading this :)
December 25, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all six of you reading this :)
“Nothing exists in a vacuum.”
-me after emptying the Dyson
-me after emptying the Dyson
December 23, 2025 at 8:51 PM
“Nothing exists in a vacuum.”
-me after emptying the Dyson
-me after emptying the Dyson
I truly cannot begin to tell you the volume of perfectly good and great queries and manuscripts I end up passing on as a literary agent. It’s not that I’m not doing my job; it’s that I am one person doing this job.
December 21, 2025 at 10:13 PM
I truly cannot begin to tell you the volume of perfectly good and great queries and manuscripts I end up passing on as a literary agent. It’s not that I’m not doing my job; it’s that I am one person doing this job.
Reposted by Mark O’Brien
three wise men... don't see much of that nowadays
December 16, 2025 at 3:26 AM
three wise men... don't see much of that nowadays
400 BC is gonna be my year
December 21, 2025 at 5:35 PM
400 BC is gonna be my year
I have obtained a couch. I’m in my sitting era. It’s giving seat
December 21, 2025 at 12:13 AM
I have obtained a couch. I’m in my sitting era. It’s giving seat
Unputdownable.
Wondering if anyone would be willing to blurb this post. It isn't a long read!
December 19, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Unputdownable.