James McGowan

Literary Agent

BookEnds Literary Agency

Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

On the contemporary fiction, if it feels like Jason Reynolds could have wrote it, I'd love to see it. Realistic stories that don't shy away from hard topics. With characters we all can love.#MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I'm recently open to middle grade, and I'm primarily looking for funny projects, along the lines of THE BAD GUYS, LIONS & LIARS #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I'd love to find more PB NF-- things like THE SEA BOOK or SEA BEAR. I like little known history and people, or climate/science geared topics. #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I gravitate towards humorous, sarcastic, clever books like Jory John. I love punny and clever, and ordinary things turned on their heads and made hilarious. Think THE GREAT INDOORS. #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

James McGowan @jamerrson

It's #MSWL day! (pt. 2) (Children's Fiction)

My door will always be open to picture books, running the gamut.
Fiction, non-fiction, funny, heartwarming, STEM, arts, anything. #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I also love mysteries and thrillers that gravitate towards dark horror elements, like THE WHISPER MAN. One of my top reads so far this year. #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I've been on a #horror kick and would love some more in my inbox. I tend to gravitate towards psychological horror, or ghost stories. #MSWL

Think Jennifer McMahon, Hill House, Paul Tremblay.
I'm not one for demons and creatures or what have you.

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I also *loved* LONG BRIGHT RIVER, and want to see a m/s/t that centers around addiction the way this one does.

On my TBR- THE HUNTING PARTY & THE SILENT PATIENT.
#MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

James McGowan @jamerrson

It's #MSWL day, and I don't make the rules, so here I go.
(Adult Fiction)

Adult #Mystery, #Thriller, #Suspense-- I love my dark mysteries and thrillers along the lines of Tana French. I will never do a #MSWL without Tana French's name. Ever. I've read a ton of Ruth Ware this year, and loved it all.

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips
James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

James McGowan @jamerrson

Hey- I've been reading a bunch of mg lately, and I did a thing. As of 1 minute ago, I'm now open to select middle grade! I'm looking for both contemporary and humorous #middlegrade fiction. Query me here: QueryMe.Online/jmcgowan #mg #MSWL

I'd love to find two types of #middlegrade fiction: books ala Jason Reynolds and Margaret Finnegan's upcoming WE COULD BE HEROES. #mg
and books that make me laugh out loud, like Aaron Blabey, and fan favorites Wimpy Kid, Dog Man. #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

Here’s my top 4 novels of the year so far to constitute the #MSWL of my dreams, folks.

(Partially cheating because LONG BRIGHT RIVER is a 2020 pub) instagram.com/p/B2Wxhv2n3Mf/…

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

#WRITETIP / #MSWL

Ilove a good 2nd person/interactive picture book and Jory John’s I WILL CHOMP YOU is one of my favorites. Buford is a little mad he got no cake, though.

My best tip for writing these: have a very… instagram.com/p/B19EaQWHPvR/…

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips
James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I watched #Oceans8 the other day and now I want a heist book. Who doesn’t want a heist book? #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I don't think I've stressed how much I enjoyed Daisy Jones & The Six, though. Seriously loved it. Send me something similar! #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

Lastly, I'm always looking for picture books. Of the funny and whimsical variety. #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

And #YA #Thrillers. Nuff said. But I do like things that have an online component to them. Has anyone seen Searching? A YA version of that would be incredible. #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I'm also looking for #YA! At this point, I'm leaning more towards Contemporary YA (think funny like The Field Guide to the American Teenager, or books dealing with important topics like On the Come Up or Heroine). #MSWL

James McGowan
@jmcgowanbks
Literary Agent
Literary agent, author, sitcom enthusiast, professional snacker... @bookendslit (he/him)
115 MSWL
18 AskAgent
7 Tips

I remember reading Let the Great World Spin two years ago and being amazed by it. I love fiction that follows a cast of characters through their respective stories like that. Or the way The Immortalists does it. #MSWL Bonus points for something "near-historical" like that.