Maria Vicente

Please visit my website for submission guidelines and even more wish list items. mariavicente.com/representation

Specific nonfiction topics I’d love to read about this year: music journalism, depression, chronic illness, occult topics beyond tarot and astrology, environmentalism, smart pop culture criticism. #MSWL

I’m always excited to see strong nonfiction proposals in my inbox. Pop culture, environmental science, history, occult, and lifestyle. Illustrated projects. Essays written by modern journalists. #MSWL

Illustrated picture books by individual author/illustrators. My picture book preference leans heavily on the “literary” side of storytelling and prose. Moving topics, poetic language, visually and emotionally striking protagonists, unique art style. #MSWL

Illustrated graphic novels and graphic nonfiction by individual author/illustrators. MG, YA, Adult. The art needs to cleverly utilize the comics storytelling format. I’m not looking at script-only submissions at the moment. #MSWL

And of course, I can’t stay away from gorgeously written MG fantasy. There’s a lot of it out there though, so I need to read a truly unusual concept to keep my interest. #MSWL

I love MG novels featuring characters with specific, compelling interests. A pre-teen who has built their entire personality around That Thing they love. The more obscure, the better. #MSWL

In MG, I’m still looking for the perfect animal story! Think Silverwing, Pax, even Watership Down or Bunnicula. This could go in so many directions—I just really love animal characters! #MSWL

Weird and wonderful YA novels. Just the slightest touch of magic, or stranger, or unsettling in an otherwise ~perfectly normal~ world. #MSWL

Also in YA, LGBTQ+ love stories. Give me Heartstopper. Give me Kurt/Blaine or Santana/Brittany from Glee. Over-the/top adorable feels to warm my cold, bitter heart. 💖 #MSWL

For YA, contemporary stories written by authors with a ridiculously unique voice. Mary H.K. Choi, Eric Smith, Nina LaCour, and Tiffany D. Jackson have written some of my favourite YA books. #MSWL

Aforementioned favourite books of all time: Wicked, The Bloody Chamber, Wicked, Of Bees and Mist, Uprooted, The Golem and the Jinni, Mexican Gothic, Night Film. Anything by Helen Oyeyemi, Akwaeke Emezi, or Gregory Maguire. #MSWL

Upmarket speculative fiction. Grounded fantasy, magical realism, retellings of fairy/folk tales, horror. The majority of my favourite books of all time live in this genre. #MSWL

Explorations of mental health topics. Deep and dark glimpses at a character’s struggles. Stories that accept and celebrate how ridiculous life can be when your brain is wired in certain ways. #MSWL

Coming-of-age stories. Child and teen protagonists. Novels exploring childhood, friendship, family drama. Characters realizing how pivotal life moments completely fucked them up. #MSWL

Let’s start with literary fiction, because that’s what I’m the most eager to read as 2023 begins. Contemporary voices, unusual storytelling structures, complicated platonic and romantic relationships, upmarket genre novels. I want beautiful prose with a splashy concept. #MSWL

Still looking for the perfect (realistic-ish) MG animal novel to add to my list. 🐅 #MSWL

(Also, rumour has it I’ll be looking for adult fiction later this year…so if you’re working on contemporary literary fiction or upmarket genre, keep me in mind.)

Find even more #MSWL items + submission guidelines on my website. ✌🏼

mariavicente.com/representation

Nonfiction #MSWL

formats: narrative nonfiction, graphic nonfiction, graphic memoirs, illustrated gift books, essay collections

topics: 🧠🔮📺🌿🍟