Manuscript wishlist
Bumping these to the top, in light of the current era as a whole:
-I am not a fit for books with discriminatory content and/or messages. I do not tolerate racism, homophobia or transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, or otherwise prejudicial books.
-I am not a fit for text or art created by AI, and I am against the use of AI-generated content in the publishing industry.
On a (somewhat) lighter note—I have unironically described my taste in books as “sad, literary works for traumatized nerds.” If yours fits this, and/or any of the below, I would love to read it!
Headshot © Nancy Adler.
YA and MG - Contemporary
Though I’m genuinely glad to work on genre fiction (many thanks to my boss and clients!), contemporary is where my heart lives, both as a reader and as an agent. My favorite published contemporaries I’ve worked on are: For YA, INTO THE DEEP BLUE by Jennifer E. Archer and TOGETHER WE CAUGHT FIRE by Eva V. Gibson; for MG, THANKS A LOT, UNIVERSE by Chad Lucas.
-Lyrical, literary writing (Eva Gibson and Jenn Archer are perfect examples here!)
-Novels-in-verse (NOTHING BURNS AS BRIGHT AS YOU by Ashley Woodfolk, THE TRUTH PROJECT by Dante Medema, THE POET X by Elizabeth Acevedo, TRUTH IS by Hannah V. Sawyerr, LOUDER THAN HUNGER by Jon Schu, MURRAY OUT OF WATER by Taylor Tracy)
-Overall tone: “Dark and gritty”, “issue-driven” (truly too many to name, including all of the above! Some recent-ish favorites are ALL THE FIGHTING PARTS by Hannah V. Sawyerr and EVERY VARIABLE OF US by Charles A. Bush.)
-I also love seeing moments of profound joy, celebration, or triumph alongside the grit, especially for marginalized characters!
-Slice-of-life and coming-of-age (THE UNBEATABLE LILY HONG and RAINBOW FAIR by Diana Ma—more favorites!)
-Endings: I do like happy or hopeful endings, but I’m good with bittersweet or downright sad endings, too (though the latter is likely to elicit some wailing on my part).
-Protagonist ages: 12 and upward (love college-aged protagonists, too!). Note that in the MG space, I’m the best fit for upper middle grade—I very occasionally find myself falling for a story about an 11-year-old protagonist, but most books I’ve seriously considered representing in this space have been older. I’m a lot more open to different ages in YA!
-Exceptionally voice-driven (ALAN COLE IS NOT A COWARD by Eric Bell)
-LGBTQIA+ (Too many favorites to list! One that’s darker and more identity-driven is THE BEST LIARS IN RIVERVIEW by Lin Thompson, but I also love stories with queer joy at their hearts, like YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN by Leah Johnson).
-Chronically ill and/or disabled creators and characters (JOINED AT THE JOINTS by Marissa Eller, BREATHE AND COUNT BACK FROM TEN by Natalia Sylvester)
-Mental health topics and representation, neurodivergence (GOOD DIFFERENT by Meg Eden Kuyatt—also a fantastic novel-in-verse!)
-I also do my best to feature, uplift, and prioritize QTBIPOC creators and stories, as well as other creators and stories with marginalized identities.
-Mixed storytelling formats, e.g. Multiple POV, mixed-POV (FANS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE LIFE by Kate Scelsa—three narrators, one told in first-person, one in second-person, one in third-person)
-Mixed media (ALL THE FIGHTING PARTS by Hannah V. Sawyerr again, MESSAGE NOT FOUND by Dante Medema)
-Multiple timelines (WHERE SECRETS LIE by Eva V. Gibson, which follows the same characters across timelines; UNDER THE SAME STARS by Libba Bray, which follows a different character in each timeline)
-Romance as a subplot: I adore romance, especially LGBTQIA+, the good times and bad and everything in between! But my favorites are usually stories where the romantic element is not the sole plot focus, or where the romance features marginalized characters (LEFT ON READ by Marissa Eller, SOMEONE TO DAYDREAM ABOUT by Sydney Langford, YOU BET YOUR HEART by Danielle Parker, CURSED BOYS AND BROKEN HEARTS by Adam Sass).
-Non-romantic relationship focus: Friendship and found family, “friend break-up” (WHEN YOU WERE EVERYTHING by Ashley Woodfolk), complicated family dynamics (THE TRUTH PROJECT by Dante Medema, THANKS A LOT, UNIVERSE and YOU OWE ME ONE, UNIVERSE by Chad Lucas)
YA and MG - genre
Contemporary fantasy will be my largest focus here, but I’m sparingly open to other genres! Note that I’m a good fit for “contemporary plus” genres in general, e.g. contemporary horror and contemporary romance.
-Fantasy/speculative: Foremost, contemporary fantasy with lyrical writing and character focus (THE NATURE OF WITCHES and WILD IS THE WITCH by Rachel Griffin—her style is the perfect example of this item on my wishlist, in writing style, topic, and composition!).
I would especially love to see ghost stories! And I love ghost stories that have a heavy emotional plot as well (CEMETERY BOYS by Aiden Thomas, and don’t talk to me about the upcoming sequel unless you’re prepared for unintelligible sobbing). Note, though, that I’m not a fit for other paranormal characters, such as werewolves, vampires, zombies, mermaids, dragons, or faeries.
I’m very narrowly open to higher fantasy (Jessica S. Olson), provided that the world is extremely detailed (I’m the best fit for worlds clearly inspired by ours) and the writing is lyrical, atmospheric, and accessible.
This is my same stipulation for horror and contemporary horror (Ann Fraistat) as well!
-Thriller/mystery/suspense: More open here! I’m a fan of murder mysteries, especially those with unconventional formats and multiple-timelines (WHERE SECRETS LIE by Eva V. Gibson again, THE LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold), but don’t tend to love plots with heavy police involvement. I also like more focus on character than is typical for these areas (Maureen Johnson’s TRULY DEVIOUS series) and very literary writing (I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU by Kara A. Kennedy—another favorite!).
-I’m open to near-future dystopian: up to about 100 years in the future; involving social critique/social justice, magic, or both (BLOOD LIKE MAGIC by Liselle Sambury, INTERNMENT by Samira Ahmed). I’m not a good fit for apocalypse or post-apocalypse stories, and I don’t tend to like dystopian that’s centered on war.
-Historical: Very sparingly open; similarly to my dystopian ask, I prefer stories set in the nearer-past (generally, the 1900s or late 1800s), stories set in lesser-told times in history (I’m not often a good fit for WWII or Great Depression stories, for example), and those that have a human-interest element alongside the education (HER REBEL HIGHNESS by Diana Ma) or a multiple-timeline structure (UNDER THE SAME STARS by Libba Bray).
-Anthologies/anthology proposals: The industry remains divided on anthologies, so my consideration will be narrower than it is for novels—but I’m interested, for both fiction and nonfiction. Very strong themes are a must for marketability. (THIS IS OUR RAINBOW and BEING ACE are two favorites!) Note also that I’m not usually a good fit for short story or essay collections by one individual author (though there are some exceptions—e.g. RIKKI AND RAI by Tiffany Golden!).
-Nonfiction: Though again, I’m open very sparingly here due to the industry’s position on the genre, I’m always interested! I like medical topics (for obvious reasons), as well as little-known historical figures or moments. I’m also a big fan of off-the-beaten-track education on niche topics, with wit and humor (like Mary Roach for young readers), or personal memoirs that bring radical honesty and nuance to difficult topics (think Jenny Lawson for young readers).
-General note that I love novels-in-verse in genre fiction!! (THE GIRL IN THE WALLS by Meg Eden Kuyatt)
YA and SELECT ADULT - ROMANCE/ROm-COM
I’ve always said I preferred romance as a subplot in other genres, but as my tastes and the market have evolved, I’m making two big changes: I’m now open to romance and rom-com as a genre, and very selectively looking for them in adult as well as YA!
I am primarily interested in romance and rom-com centered on disability (Marissa Eller in YA, Sabina Nordqvist in adult) or queerness (Camille Kellogg), especially ace romance (LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE by Claire Kann, NOT YOUR TYPICAL LOVE STORY by C.R Averett).
For specific topics, I’m interested in romance/rom-coms that center deeper social and emotional issues and also feature close friendships/found family (Jessica James, Sydney Langford), and romance/rom-coms with dual timelines (IT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME by Joss Richard). I’m okay with a touch of contemporary fantasy/magic, but I am not open to romantasy.
Though I mostly read closed-door when I’m choosing books for fun (Kimberly Chance), I’m open to some spice, specifically with disabled characters (IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD by Sabina Nordqvist again!).
My favorite “big” romance author is Emily Henry—do with that info what you will!
picture books
This will be the smallest part of my list. My favorite published PB I’ve worked on is THE HOLE by Lindsay Bonilla.
I have a strong preference for SEL (social-emotional learning) in picture books. Too, I strongly prefer human characters in PBs—i.e., any PB author querying me should have a significant number of PBs with human narrators/casts, even if they have a few animal stories as well.
Some other elements of interest are:
-Grief: Hopeful without being saccharine; honest about the heavy parts. (THE HOLE is a perfect example to me!)
-LGBTQIA+: Open to anything from celebratory, to informative, to issue-based (WHAT ARE YOUR WORDS? by Katherine Locke and JEROME BY HEART by Thomas Scotto are recent favorites!). I also love PBs with “background” queer rep, like JUST US by Molly Beth Griffin.
-Diverse cultures, holidays, traditions, identities: Again, celebratory, slice-of-life, informative, issue-based, or “background” (SNOW STEPS by Karen Latchana Kenney, THE PROUDEST BLUE by Ibtihaj Muhammad, YOU ARE THE COLOR by Rifk Ebeid, SPOOKY by Sally Anne Garland). And please think of me for bilingual picture books!!
-Nonfiction: I’m very selectively open to bios on underrepresented subjects, social justice, or slice-of-life topics (THE POLIO PIONEER by Linda Elovitz Marshall, NIKI NAKAYAMA: A CHEF’S TALE IN 13 BITES by Debbi Michiko Florence), or bios that focus on an array of subjects (QUEER AND FEARLESS by Rob Sanders). Always happy to see other NF!
-Disability, chronic illness, and neurodivergence, in both fiction and nonfiction—again, open to topics from celebratory, to slice-of-life, to educational, to heavier, to “background”.
-Author-illustrators/teams! I’m open to and experienced with a wide range of art styles, so try me with anything. See McIntosh & Otis’s PB author-illustrators for examples: Stacey Byer, Maribel Castells, Rachel Más Davidson, Tiffany Golden, Dawn Masi, Joy Nicolas, Sue Safianoff
-I always love seeing social justice topics (TOGETHER WE MARCH by Leah Henderson, A IS FOR ACTIVIST by Innosanto Nagara).
random/specific interests
Sharing just in case they happen to apply to your book! Many of these asks (such as loss of a parent or friend, disability/chronic illness, queerness and asexuality, fatness, cat ownership, music, childfree characters, and knitting) are inspired by my own experiences.
-Death/grief, where it’s a focus and not used as a plot device (again mentioning INTO THE DEEP BLUE by Jennifer E. Archer!). I’m specifically interested in characters whose parents have died, and characters whose friends have died.
-Endometriosis/adenomyosis, hearing loss, brain tumors, headache disorders, cerebellar ataxia/movement disorders—I’d love to see books with any chronic illnesses or disabilities, but these are mine!
-Fat characters who are NOT interested in weight loss
-Asexual characters
-Pets, especially cats. I’m also interested in stories about pet owners who were afraid or reluctant at first! (And really, please just send me any black cat picture book!!! Again, SPOOKY by Sally Anne Garland stole my heart recently. Also, THE SKELETON AND THE CAT by Brandon James Scott! ALSO, I desperately need a cat version of PRIDE PUPPY by Robin Stevenson!! If it’s a black cat, I will cry!!!)
-Beach settings
-Retellings (though not as much fairy-tale retellings—a good example of my taste here is NEVER LOOK BACK by Lilliam Rivera)
-Singers, music, musical theatre (especially underrepresented or cultural forms! E.g. the focus on traditional Chinese dance in THE UNBEATABLE LILY HONG by Diana Ma). I have to confess, I’ve had some trouble selling these lately, so I may be looking more sparingly than usual—but I always, always love to see them.
-Characters who don’t want kids (whether this is the protagonist or adults in their lives!)
-Knitting (even tangentially related books, e.g. THE HELPING SWEATER by Rachel Más Davidson!!)
-Gymnastics (I loved BREAK THE FALL by Jennifer Iacopelli!) and swimming! I’m not always the perfect fit for sports stories, but I love seeing these two in books every time! Prepare to teach me about other sports if they’re featured in your books. (To answer an FAQ about books that feature other sports, I told one of my authors that the sports thread in his book is my favorite kind of sports thread, because it’s “all feelings, very little actual sports.” And to answer another FAQ, no, I have not watched Heated Rivalry yet; please don’t come for me!!). The same client had to teach me that rugby is played with a ball, so do with that info what you will, re: my Sports Book preferences.)
-Speech disorders, especially apraxia, and especially in PBs!
-Holiday stories—any holidays, especially those from diverse cultures—I’m a HUGE holiday person! I will note that I tend to be extra-picky about Christmas books, however, due to the saturation of the market in that space; however, I’m always open to new and especially diverse takes on them, fictional or not (JOY TO THE WORLD by Kate Depalma).
i am *not* a fit for:
-Racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, xenophobic, misogynist, or otherwise discriminatory content
-Art or text that was created by AI, or stories that include AI as a plot point
-Rhyming picture books (unless the author mainly writes free verse or prose)
-Early readers, chapter books, or lower MG
-Most adult work - As above, I’m open to select adult romance/rom-com, if it’s centered on disability and/or queerness! For any other genre, the exception would be a kidlit author, who’s querying me with a kidlit manuscript, does occasional work in adult.
-Third-person. Let me clarify this one: I have worked on, loved, and sold some third-person books. I would certainly work on more occasionally (especially in the picture book space)! But, I still have a strong preference for first-person. I personally find it easiest to connect with the narrator(s) and cultivate an authentic kidlit voice in first-person formats.
-I don’t accept queries for graphic novels or comics, as my “wants” here are very specific and I prefer to request them myself. But I do love seeing queries for hybrid/illustrated novels! (A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness, a big favorite)
-Christian religious themes (except for select stories about leaving the religion) or parables
-Animal narrators, or talking-animal characters outside of PBs
-Supernatural characters besides ghosts (so again, I’m not a fit for faeries, vampires, zombies, werewolves, mermaids, dragons, etc.)
-Pirates
-Court fantasy or fantasy centered on war
-Steampunk (or oceanpunk, or other “punk” genres)
-Sci-fi (especially aliens or space)
-Time travel or portals
-Insects or snakes (Please. PLEASE, y’all. Please stop sending me books about spiders!!!!)
-Excessive gore in battle scenes
-Prehistoric settings
-Plots that heavily involve organized crime, assassins, the mafia, etc.
-Plots that heavily involve police or the US military as heroes/“the good guys”
Favorite shows, movies, musicals
I’m perpetually behind the times with movies and TV, but here are some I love (though there are parts of these media that I don’t condone, such as homophobic, transphobic, fatphobic, or sex-negativity comments), in no particular order:
-The Good Place
-Ted Lasso
-Shrinking
-Inside Out
-Parks and Recreation
-The West Wing
-Gilmore girls
-Dash and Lily; Let it Snow (Netflix adaptations)
-The Holiday
-Abbott Elementary
-Only Murders in the Building
-Pushing Daisies
-Nimona
-Agatha All Along
-Hacks
-Carol
-Mare of Easttown
-Avatar: The Last Airbender
-Never Have I Ever
-People We Meet on Vacation
-A League of their Own (the Amazon Prime show)
-I’m a HUGE Broadway/musical person (some favorites are FunHome, Waitress, RENT, Tick…Tick…Boom!, Wicked, Hadestown, Come From Away, Phantom of the Opera)