Ali Herring

#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 Also space ships, generation ships, small ships, big ships, near-future, far-future, aliens, human or not, space exploration for the joy of adventure, space exploration to save earth from disaster, aliens come to us, nice aliens, bad aliens, neutral aliens.

#MSWL I love the voices of Andy Weir & Martha Wells in science fiction. Andy is so smart but the science feels approachable. Plus his voice is real & smart, witty, real. And totally same vibes from Martha. They make science fiction approachable & easy. Give me that.

#MSWL Cool, yeah, I almost want some of those sweet romance harlequin romance writers, maybe LI and LIS authors, to try their hand at a novel for tweens with those Hallmark vibes. Think around 55K words would work great.

#MSWL Remember the movie Warm Bodies? Well I want that but with Vampires instead of Zombies. Not pining Edward and submissive Bella, give me funny, regretful but also okay with himself vamp meets kick-butt heroine who's his match because she outmatches him.

#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.

#MSWL True enemies-to-lovers YA. True hate between them, maybe mortal enemies, etc. I gotta know they hate each other.

While I'm going old school, I'd also be interested in something along the lines of Brave New World. I especially like the technological elements of this, like the hatchery. #MSWL

Before I close to queries, does anyone have anything like a modern take on 1984? #MSWL

#MSWL this sounds really cool. Would love to rep something like this. I think a villain that feels redeemable but just approaches that edge of redemption and then pulls back each time up until the end would be great.

#MSWL YA fantasy that isn't "dark". Dare I say fun, maybe funny? Something that feels bright? Still has to have a solid hook and story problem to solve.

Editor friends, I don't know tons of you looking for novellas & I need to meet you! I've been obsessively reading Murderbot & I'd love to rep a SFF novella/series (#MSWL) but I also do CURRENTLY have a horror novella if anyones looking! King would love it, gotta young MC!

Can I double #MSWL this and I'll send it to Dina?!!

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

OMG #MSWL for sure.

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