Ali Herring

I know I'm closing to queries tomorrow, but authors keep me on your list for a "rowdy family book," preferably middle grade but YA might work too. Think in the spirit of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever or Cheaper by the Dozen. #MSWL

#MSWL middle grade projects by Black authors that center Black kids/teens that spin (ie make new & unique) old school & current favs like Babysitters Club, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Harry Potter, Matilda, Peter Pan, a modern Narnia, Treasure Island + more.

Reminder that these aren't the limit of my wish list items. I'm open to fiction in a lot of genres and age groups, from MG to YA to adult. Please see the full #MSWL here:
aliherringwrites.wordpress.com/mswl-manuscript-wish-list/

#MSWL Still looking for an MG Romance Writer exploring 1st love & crushes like Natalie Blitt Carols & Crushes for MIDDLE GRADE to YA girls, 12-15yos. Yes I want something that straddles that weird line. Want them to read like Hallmark movies for kids and could go series.

#MSWL Contemporary YA and MG fiction.

#MSWL Fiction, across age groups, that explores the afterlife, but NOT set on Earth with ghosts. Think "waypoint" locations. I loved the movie "Defending Your Life," so a riff on that would be cool. But open to more settings, like an MG/YA kid ends up in the underworld.

#MSWL An MG ghost story that leans heavily into the fun and funny and not the scary. While I'm always open to MG horror, I'm looking not so much for chills in this wishlist item.

Been thinking I'd love an MG or a YA book with "empathy" at its heart as a theme. Not looking for preachy or lessons, just that as its core heart. #MSWL

I'd really love to see middle grade projects by black authors that center black kids/teens that spin (ie make new & unique) old school & current favs like Babysitters Club, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Harry Potter, Matilda, Peter Pan, a modern Narnia, Treasure Island + more #MSWL

My wheelhouse tends to be middle grade, YA and women's fiction, both ABA and CBA. In women's fiction, I'm looking ONLY for interesting hooks ... like sure divorce revenge, but like with a sailing race & bet involved like in @Talicktweets Beware the Mermaids. #MSWL

You know, #MSWL for when I reopen.

#MSWL -YA historical realistic centered on a historical but fictionalized MC -High-concept fast-moving YA -Contemporary MG -space opera -generation ship setting -western settings / adventure -inspy & category romance -accessible scifi -diverse scifi -Hallmark-esque MG 1st love

I adore the summer I got to dream all this and if someone ever sent me a MG novel that gave me these feels, I would sign them in a heart beat. #MSWL

#MSWL Middle Grade kid chefs. Lots of unique fun-for-kids recipes the character make themselves that kid readers can try to make.

#MSLW I've seen queries before w/ worlds where water is scarce. Would love to see something like this in the YA or even MG space when I reopen to queries. You can always put something like "#MSWL For YA drought-world book" or whatever the MSWL is in the referral space.

#MSWL Middle Grade Mystery w/a girl protag! Think THE INHERITANCE GAMES but for middle grade (not that exact concept; I’m just giving an example of 🔥-high-concept mystery). Fast plotting. Short chapters. Chapter cliff hangers, pls. Commercial but some emotional nuance too pls!

I’d love some middle grade sci-fi too! #MSWL

Really happy to see my MIDDLE GRADE HORROR list growing with @saskwriter and @Lora013's debuts. I'm always looking for horror across the board from MG to YA to Adult, though not of the gross-out variety, but do give me eerie, tension-filled, scary with heart! #MSWL #MG #horror

So send me your MG horror #MSWL when I reopen. I’m picky as all get-out, so the road is narrow. And obviously if I sign several authors in the same genre, they have to have different flavors to set them apart. But I want to see it.

Oh that’s sooooo cool!!! I call #MSWL. Someone give me an awesome middle grade novel about a group of normal everyday neighborhood kids who go into a forest everyday after school and live out magical lives. Like a happy Bridge to Terabithia.