Maria Vicente

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: 🧠🔮📺🌿🍟

MG #MSWL

🛶 characters w/ compelling interests
🦄 luscious sci-fi and fantasy
🐅 animal stories
📘 high concept chapter book series
👻 creepy horror

YA #MSWL

🪞 psychological horror
👬 LGBTQ+ romance
🎸 historical fiction ft. music subculture
👩🏼‍🦼 contemporary stories

formats: prose, novels-in-verse, graphic novels, experimental structures

Presenting my updated #MSWL for 2022. Very excited to see what projects cross my desk this year. 🧵

Nonfiction #MSWL

🧺 music journalism
🧺 mental health
🧺 vegan cookbook
🧺 science and nature
🧺 pop culture history

(Any of the above in prose or illustrated formats.)

YA/Teen* #MSWL

🧋 ”weird & wonderful”
🧋 LGBTQ+ romance
🧋 historical fiction
🧋 magical realism
🧋 novel-in-verse
🧋 mysteries & thrillers

*Happily avoiding that discourse tyvm.

Middle Grade #MSWL

🐅 animal stories*
🐅 folklore inspired fantasy
🐅 ~ best friends forever ~
🐅 creepy horror

*Not talking animals; realistic stories about animals.