Daniele Hunter

Historical and dystopian: I'm open to works set up to 100 years in the past or the future. I also learned in my first year that I don't tend to connect with projects set farther away in time.

*NEW: In both MG & YA, I learned over my first year that I'm almost always a better fit for contemporary fantasy than I am for genre fantasy.

Still happy to consider fantasy if you think I'm a strong fit for other reasons, but this is something I want to be forthright about!

YA and MG contemporary fantasy: My second love! I’m interested in the same topics, and will look foremost for lyrical writing and character focus, with unique but very grounded magic systems. Comp: THE NATURE OF WITCHES by Rachel Griffin.

Comps: TOGETHER WE CAUGHT FIRE; THANKS A LOT, UNIVERSE duology; FANS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE LIFE, THE UNBEATABLE LILY HONG, BREATHE AND COUNT BACK FROM TEN, ALL THE FIGHTING PARTS; WHEN YOU WERE EVERYTHING; ALAN COLE IS NOT A COWARD; THE BEST LIARS IN RIVERVIEW; GOOD DIFFERENT

I also love stories featuring relationships—the good, the bad, and everything in between: friendship and found family, “friend break-up”, complicated family dynamics. And I adore romance (especially LGBTQIA+!), but prefer it as a subplot.

YA and upper MG contemporary continue to be my first priority! Lyrical prose, novels-in-verse, “dark and gritty,” “issue-driven,” character-driven, voice-y. I want to feature LGBTQIA+ voices, BIPOC voices, disability and chronic illness, mental health and neurodivergence, grief.

In my first year, I took on two extraordinary clients (@k_dishmon and Nicole Zelniker, who are unequivocally the best) for their beautiful YA novels. I'm still actively seeking YA, as well as upper MG, and am sparingly open to picture books.

I'm a queer, chronically ill, disabled junior agent at McIntosh & Otis. I’m acquiring (in order of priority) YA, MG, and PB.

I studied English, literary criticism, poetry, and creative writing.

I look very flowery and sunshiny above, but I also love the hard, sad books!

Hi, writers! I'm Daniele, a junior agent about to reopen for my 2nd year accepting my own queries (!!!). I'm thrilled to share my #MSWL & updates.

Website: dhunteragent.com
QM: querymanager.com/ddhunter

Original MSWL, most of which still applies: rb.gy/j4umq4

Resharing this in honor of #MSWL Day!

You can also visit my profile here:
manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/dani…

Can't wait to read more of your stories! 💕

NOT a fit for:

-Time travel, portals

-Insects

-Prehistoric settings

-Assassins, organized crime

-Animal narrators or talking-animal characters, outside PBs

-Supernatural/fantastical characters other than ghosts, like faeries, vampires, werewolves, elves, dragons, mermaids

NOT a fit for:

-Art-only subs

-Graphic novels or comics (but I enjoy hybrid/illustrated novels—A MONSTER CALLS by Patrick Ness!)

-Christian religious themes (except for stories about leaving the religion) or parables

-Pirates

-Court fantasy

-Sci-fi (esp. aliens, space)

Generally NOT a fit for third-person. I’d work on some third-person books (esp. PBs!), but strongly prefer first-person, as I often find it easier to connect with a character’s voice & interiority in first-person.

I have nothing against third-person; this is just my own taste!

I am NOT a fit for:

-Racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, xenophobic, misogynist, or otherwise discriminatory content

-Rhyming picture books (unless the author mainly writes free verse or prose)

-Early readers, chapter books, lower MG

-Adult books

Specific Interests continued (II):

-Beach settings

-Knitting

-Gymnastics (BREAK THE FALL by Jennifer Iacopelli)

-Holidays (any holidays, especially underrepresented ones! I’m a huge holiday person. Super excited for 8 DATES AND NIGHTS by Betsy Aldredge)

Specific Interests continued:

-Singers, music, musical theatre

-Pets (cats!!), esp. if the owner was hesitant at first

-Retellings (not necessarily of popular fairytales—love DON’T LOOK BACK by Lilliam Rivera)

-Characters who don’t want kids

Random/specific topics of interest:

-Death/grief, specifically loss of parent or friend

-Endometriosis, adenomyosis, hearing loss, brain tumors, trouble walking/balance disorders

-Fat characters who are *NOT* interested in weight loss

-Asexual characters

PB Nonfiction:

-I'm open to bios; I prefer women, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, and/or otherwise underrepresented subjects (POLIO PIONEER by Linda Elovitz Marshall, NIKI NAKAYMA: A CHEF’S TALE IN 13 BITES by Debbi Michiko Florence)

-Informative with some wit, like Mary Roach for kids

PB: Author-illustrators or teams!

For some styles I like, check out the M&O team of picture book illustrators: Stacey Byer, Maribel Castells, Rachel Más Davidson, Tiffany Golden, Skylar Hogan, Dawn Masi, Sue Safianoff

-Disability, in both fiction and nonfiction

-Diverse cultures, holidays, traditions, identities (THE PROUDEST BLUE by Ibtihaj Muhammad)

For both—again, open to any format/premise here!