Sam B. Farkas

My YA romantasy caveat is that the romance must be between humans. I am not the right fit for fae or elves or orcs or mermaids or aliens or robots.

(However, things that were once human are OK: vampires, werewolves, ghosts). #mswl

That is not the case for YA, though! I really, really want romantic fantasy (or "romantasy").

Give me pining and angst and love triangles. The rush of first love. All that good stuff.

#MSWL

I will remain open to Adult SFF, but given that I have many wonderful clients writing in that space, it won't be my focus this year.

#mswl

I'm also hungry for ROMANCE. Especially contemporary, but also historical.

Again, I'm looking for a really strong hook in this category. Humor is a plus! #MSWL

Which brings me to HISTORICAL. I want it, but it needs to have a strong hook. A historical setting for the sake of vibes isn't enough, as much as I ❤️ vibes. I love books that explore real people/events, especially if those people/events haven't been represented in fiction before

I'm also not the right fit for political thrillers — with the caveat that a very specific #MSWL item is a book starring campaign trackers. I don't know if it's a thriller or a rom-com that I want, though. (However, if it's a rom-com, no "across the aisle" romance. Yuck.)

OK, #MSWL time. In Adult, I want SUSPENSE, especially centering women, queer characters, and BIPOC. I prefer smaller scale, with high personal stakes.

I'm not the right fit for detectives/police/military or ppl running around the world trying to stop [insert catastrophic thing]

Happy New Year! It's time for my 2022 #MSWL. As always, I'll add to this as I think of things, but here is what I would love to see in my inbox.

#MSWL

I've asked for this before, but I'll ask again. I would LOVE an MG that could comp to The Iron Giant.

I don't necessarily mean big robots from space; I mean sophisticated and emotionally taut MG that uses fantastical elements to take on gun violence/the military.

#mswl

This is a hyper-specific Horror ask but I would die (and be reborn as a ghost) for an Adult or YA novel that takes inspiration from "The Green Ribbon." #mswl

Competitions! I looooove books with competitions, especially when they're speculative: The Hunger Games, A Gathering of Shadows, Caraval, The Selection. I'm a big fan. #mswl

I see so many things comped to Naomi Novik that those comps have kind of lost meaning for me, but nevertheless I love romantic and literary fantasy that draws from folklore, especially if it's interrogating heavier topics, as SPINNING SILVER interrogates antisemitism. #mswl

Horror! Things that keep me awake at night! If it can comp to MEXICAN GOTHIC or Hill House/Bly Manor (or Pan's Labyrinth, my perennial fave), I want to see it! #mswl

Historical with fabulist elements. Think Alice Hoffman — literary prose, a sharply defined setting, just a hint of magic. #MSWL

Picture books! I've had a blast working on picture book texts recently and I'd love to see more of them.

I like fresh concepts with strong illustration potential and language that pops. #MSWL

You know, I don't really want to write Roller Coaster Tycoon Horror, but I want to read it, so if you have MG or YA amusement park horror, please send it to me. #mswl.

Thinking about how I really want an MG that could comp to THE IRON GIANT.

And I especially want a character like Dean. #mswl

My #MSWL page is live! Here is what I would love to see in my inbox:

manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/sam-…

I am steadily catching up on queries, but as a general note, I would love to see more Adult Contemporary Romance and more Middle Grade in my inbox. #MSWL