MIDDLE GRADE

In middle grade, I’m looking for horror, thrillers, mysteries, and action-packed adventure. 

An element of thrills, dangers, or scares is crucial to me. I love works that feel equal parts campy and creepy, in the vein of Scooby-Doo, and age-appropriate horror like City of Ghosts. A sense of humor in both voice and narrative style is always appreciated. I’m happy to receive both speculative stories with fantastical or sci-fi elements, or grounded ones set entirely in our world. A strong voice in MG is vital to me.

YOUNG ADULT

In YA, I am looking for fantasy, science fiction, horror, and mystery/thrillers.

Dark or gothic fantasy like A Lesson in Vengeance and Immortal Dark is preferred, with morally grey or antihero protagonists like Off With Their Heads. I welcome both darker and cozy takes on romantasy, anything from Belladonna to Flowerheart. I am looking for stories that call attention to existing issues like Rise of the Red Hand; this is particularly important to me in sci-fi. I’d love to bring back dystopian in YA, so please send me those! I’m really on the hunt for a great superhero narrative like Renegades. Horror is my bread and butter and I’m happy to see any and all in that genre: speculative or not, grounded or epic, classic or Weird. Please, please, please send me your horror.

For mystery/thrillers, I’m mainly looking for original and spunky voices and/or setting as character. Complex side characters and the ability to juggle large, quirky casts like Truly Devious or Knives Out are important to me. I’d love something high-concept, like Thieves’ Gambit or The Inheritance Games. Books that explore the difficulty of making the right choice and have main characters make selfish decisions will have me hooked.

ADULT FICTION

In adult, I am looking for fantasy, science fiction, horror, and mystery/thrillers.

For speculative works, I am looking for the whole gamut: anything from big, epic fantasy to grounded contemporary stories to literary books with a singular speculative element. I want stories like Bestiary and The Tiger's Wife, which feel lush and magically possible, like new worlds exist just on the periphery of our vision. Books that combine fantasy with societal inequalities in a way that doesn't feel exploitative are high on my list of interests: Ring Shout and Mexican Gothic are prime examples. I am looking for science fantasy manuscripts like Middlegame that blur the line between magic and science. I am also interested in manuscripts that incorporate elements of myth, especially if they are from underrepresented cultures or give voice to figures often forgotten; think The Wolf and the Woodsman. In romantasy, I am happy to receive both cozy and darker stories, but quality prose and a good balance of both fantasy and romance is vital; think A Marvellous Light.

I welcome both speculative and non-speculative horror. As in YA, I enjoy a huge variety of horror and want anything from grounded to grindhouse, from The Night Guest to Manhunt. I really enjoy unusual settings, like the movie Underwater or the frozen dystopia of Leech, and psychological weirdness like And Then I Woke Up.

I am looking for mysteries and thrillers with the cinematic feel of My Sister, the Serial Killer and am constantly chasing the sardonic vibe of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. I am open to mysteries/thrillers with a light speculative element, such as The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. While I have an affinity for literary works in other adult genres, I am actively seeking commercial, fast-paced, and plot-driven stories in this space. This is also the genre I get the least amount of submissions in, so if you have one, I’d love to see it.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

In graphic novels, I am looking for young adult and adult fiction, fantasy, sci-fi, and horror.

Speculative stories can be grounded in our world like The Backstagers, with found families, platonic relationships, and the power of friendship, or on the other side of the spectrum, weird and unsettling like A Guest in the House. Graphic novels are the only place I am looking for general fiction submissions, particularly ones that deal with the complexity of identity like Bloom. I am also searching for adult personal nonfiction narratives about identity or mental health, like My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness. Lush and intricate art like Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me or Are You Listening? will always get my attention.

Right now, I am only interested in taking on author/illustrators or author/illustrator duos. Please do not submit graphic novel proposals or scripts without either being an artist or having an artist attached.

NONFICTION

In nonfiction, I am looking for select adult nonfiction proposals.

I’m very interested in memoirs about specialized careers like the beekeepers of Honey and Venom, as well as proposals (both memoir or entirely research-centric) on health and the medical industry, such as The Sleeping Beauties and What My Bones Know. Mental health, illness, and trauma recovery narratives like In the Dream House are also welcome. Readability and accessibility for the average reader is a must, but submissions about medicine/the medical industry must also be backed by scientific research.