Erin Clyburn
Literary Agent
Howland Literary
Literary Agent @HowlandLit // Copy Editor @foodandwine // Southerner // hiking & horror movies // she/her
Literary Agent
Adult nonfiction I’d love to see projects in the vein of: RADIUM GIRLS, CULTISH, HURTS SO GOOD, TACKY, TASTE MAKERS, THE BOOK OF EELS, HIDDEN VALLEY ROAD, FINDING THE MOTHER TREE
Literary Agent
Adult nonfiction: Deeply researched narrative nonfiction, intersectional perspectives, pop science, cookbooks/culinary history/food books, nature/environment, deep dives into weird topics, & pop culture, specifically video games, music, & TV/film
Literary Agent
Adult fiction favorites & comps I’d love to see: CATHERINE HOUSE, LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND, LONG DIVISION, THE SCENT KEEPER, THE GIRL BEFORE, MEXICAN GOTHIC, WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING, THE ELEMENTALS, THE AGE OF MIRACLES, BABY TEETH, EVERY BONE A PRAYER
Literary Agent
Adult fiction: Literary and upmarket projects, speculative fiction, horror, mystery, psychological thrillers, domestic thrillers, magical realism/fabulism, Southern gothic, rom-coms
Literary Agent
Adult (& maybe YA?): Nature writing. I have been devouring nature books lately, especially those that blend science, culture, and spirituality, like ROOTED, BRAIDING SWEETGRASS, and FINDING THE MOTHER TREE.
Literary Agent
A specific thing! MG, YA, or adult fiction by & about Cajuns. Would love to hear from the Acadian writers out there!
Literary Agent
Adult & YA: Mysteries & thrillers that unfold in isolated settings - a bed & breakfast, ski lodge, cruise ship, cabin in the woods, boarding school, etc.
Literary Agent
Adult: Narrative nonfiction/memoir about food, Southern culture, adventure, extreme sports, journeys, science/medicine, from perspectives we have not seen before/enough of & whose narratives tackle bigger-picture subjects alongside personal narratives.
Literary Agent
Adult & YA: Lush literary fiction with a speculative twist or a healthy dose of fabulism/magic realism.
Literary Agent
Adult: Horror of all stripes - psychological, body horror, folk horror, gothic, occult, hauntings, genre blends: horror/mystery, horror/thriller, etc. I gravitate more toward literary & upmarket writing than commercial.
YA: Same as above, basically!
Literary Agent
8. During quarantine I've played a lot of video games. I'd love some MG & YA fiction, or adult fiction & nonfiction about video games (Homages to games? Deep-dive histories? Esports stories?). I am a lifelong Zelda, Monkey Island, & Harvest Moon fanatic.
Literary Agent
7. Funny contemporary YA—I know I tend toward dark stuff, but I also adore comedy, & I would love some super-voicy YA that makes me laugh out loud. Rom-coms included. Ditto adult for fresh & funny book club/contemporary fiction.
Literary Agent
6. Domestic/psychological thrillers in YA & adult
Literary Agent
4. YA & adult upmarket fiction with speculative elements—please, I want this coming out of my ears. Send me your weird stories that are grounded in our world. (Think: Catherine House, Nothing to See Here, Neverworld Wake, Black Mirror, Never Let Me Go)
Literary Agent
3. Gothic & Southern gothic fiction in YA & adult (Does anyone have a Rebecca comp for me?)
Literary Agent
2. Horror across the board: Spooky stories for MG, lyrical & atmospheric YA horror, adult horror that will surprise me—literary-leaning writing with propulsive plots. I am open to & love nearly all kinds of horror.
Literary Agent
Erin Clyburn @erin_clyburn
I am down to zero queries & three subs in my query box. (I hope to hit inbox zero by July 1, but time will tell.) Either way, I'm looking forward to opening to queries July 1! Here's a little #MSWL for when I reopen:#amquerying #writingcommunity #amagenting
1. Food-centric fic & nonfic. I would love to see narrative nonfic deep dives into culinary history & people whose stories haven't been told. Essay collections about food intersecting with culture, politics, social justice. & in fic, MG, YA, & adult fic where food plays a role.
Literary Agent
I'd love to see in my queries:
- Atmospheric, woodsy, lush horror like THE YEAR OF THE WITCHING (YA, A)
- Domestic/psychological thrillers by BIPOC authors (A)
- Scavenger hunts (MG, YA, A)
- Eerie spec fic in isolated settings (CATHERINE HOUSE, THE WATER CURE)
#MSWL
Literary Agent
In adult nonfiction, I'm still looking for untold histories, memoirs with a big hook especially if they are extreme sports or adventure stories, pop science, cookbooks, & culinary histories. Again, send me your weirds.
Literary Agent
Could you describe it as something like "upmarket fiction with a twist of weird"? That's my jam. Think NOTHING TO SEE HERE, CATHERINE HOUSE, THE AGE OF MIRACLES, THE RIVERMAN, THE STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL SORROWS OF AVA LAVENDER. Send me your weirds, please - MG, YA, adult!