Kelly Peterson

The historical voice is a fine line to walk between what readers today expect historical to sound like, as well as what they actually can and will read fluently. So historical in all age ranges (MG, YA, and Adult) really need an outstanding voice that straddles the line! #mswl

With natural disaster or elemental elements that could be based off the climate crisis, but if you’re calling your book Cli-Fi or that it’s based around a deteriorating climate…I will unfortunately, probably, reject it. Even then, I’ll only be open for YA Sci-Fi at that. #mswl

What I do love to see in the YA Contemporary field are thrillers, hauntings that can toe the line of horror without going overboard, rom-coms, friendship break ups, and grandparent relationships. I especially love to see all this with BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ characters. #mswl

As always, I’m looking for YA Contemporary as well, though I am far more picky with my YA contemporary than anything else. I am NOT a good fit for anything with rape, trauma, suicide, etc.. I’ve lived enough of it, I really don’t want to see it in a book, too. Sorry! #mswl

Now, for things that I’m not particularly looking for, but that are undeniably just a ME thing in YA and Adult Fantasy:
1. Sisters/siblings who really don’t like each other. It’s okay when family has issues that can’t be resolved. I’m def here for this.
#mswl

In addition, I’m looking for so many things in both YA and Adult fantasy, that’s it’s harder to pin down what I WANT than it is to just list the things I DON’T want. So here goes things I DO NOT LIKE in fantasy: #mswl

Honestly, my heart wants YA fantasy. ALL THE YA HIGH FANTASY. It’s been too long, and publishing has been depriving me for FOREVER, and I need fantasy NOW. (Read: I needed fantasy 2 years ago during COVID, and now I’m on my death bed, it’s been too long). #mswl

Spoke to an editor this morning and reminded myself how much I want a historical in MG, YA, or Adult about a gun-toting, foul mouthed, self-sufficient woman like Ruby from Cold Mountain. Any country or continent or sexuality or skin color. I’m tired of petticoats. #MSWL

And listen, here’s the thing: I’m good with romance being messy and not always ending well, but the only contemporary stories I find that aren’t HEA YA romance are usually about suicide. Where are the middle ground manuscripts which this movie SO EXCELLENTLY defined?! #MSWL

I will still be open to YA stories, but will be much more selective about them (or I will TRY to be! I keep picking them up, gosh darn it! I've been trying!) However, I currently have 6 mostly YA authors on my roster, and I need more adult and MG authors! #MSWL

HISTORICAL in YA and Adult! Love some court/palace intrigue, especially if in a more unknown place in literature. (SEE TWEET ATTACHED FOR INFO!) I’m also always looking for my super feminist/independent US historical a la Ruby from Cold Mountain. #MSWL twitter.com/litagentkelly/…

This. ALLLLLLLLLLLL of this. 👇👇👇👇 #MSWL

I am heavily looking for MG and YA thrillers and paranormal horrors for the fall/Halloween season...and probably beyond that too. WHERE ARE ALL THE GHOSTS, DEMONS, MONSTERS, and humans who act like they're one of the above? #MSWL

So I found my witch writer, my pirates writer, and my ballet writer this year! WOOO!!! What am I looking for next?...

...Sci-Fi, gaming, and dystopian/futuristic sci-fi. I'm not a space opera person though! Sorry! #MSWL This goes for MG and YA! =)

*screams from rooftop*

Because I don’t have enough: I rep ADULT ROMANCE, HISTORICAL, SCI-FI, FANTASY. I rep MG CONTEMPORARY, HISTORICAL, SCI-FI, FANTASY. In addition to the YA Fantasy I have, I also rep YA CONTEMPORARY, SCI-FI, HISTORICAL, THRILLER/PARANORMAL! #MSWL please.

For whatever reason, I’m really craving some historical MG, YA, and Adult right now. Scotland history and mythology in the Jacobites time, Louis the XIV court intrigue, French Revolution YA, Spanish Civil War, House of Savoy unification of Italy, Russian Revolution, etc.. #MSWL

You know what I’m missing right now? A high fantasy (either YA or Adult) with a brilliant new world to get lost in and a fully developed, ingenious magic system. Anyone have one for me? #MSWL

This also goes for Stranger Things comps. #mswl #ThrillerFest19 #pitchslam ❤️❤️❤️

#MSWL YA friendship breakups. Those were always worse than romantic breakups. Where’s my tearful BFF breaks?!

P.S. This movie gets me in the feels every time.

ALL OF THIS. ALL. OF. THIS. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 #MSWL