Susan Hawk

AGREE, @marjorieingall! Query me if yr book reflects the rich diversity w/in Judaism, if you're writing about a "Black Orthodox Jewish kid who solves mysteries," or a "Jewish girl on a desert planet who rescues a fugitive droid and saves the galaxy"! #MSWL nyti.ms/3r0URd0

If you’re writing about a time or place I haven’t mentioned, please try me anyway, there’s so much I’m fascinated by. #MSWL

Time for a #MSWL update! When it comes to genre, I’m omnivorous. In #MG and #YA, I’m especially hungry for:

High-concept genre elements combined with literary writing and an exploration of timeless themes.

Genre mash-ups! Give me that...

•Layered, flawed, completely human characters.
•Humor is important, even in a narrative that’s dark or sad or edgy.
•Sense of place matters—precise, expressive settings delight me. #mswl

Thank you for the fabulous queries you've sent! Here's more about what I'm most drawn to:

•Projects that are character-driven, tightly plotted, and have a singular, specific voice.
•Writing that’s confident, vivid, addictive; work that’s both ambitious and wise. #mswl

I want books that are a true pleasure to read – that are a hymn to the power of friendship, family and love; that look at the world with eyes wide-open, but are still big-hearted and optimistic. #MSWL

What I look for in MG, regardless of genre: great storytelling; layered, appealing characters; literary quality writing, matched to a page-turning pace. #MSWL

HUMOR, HUMOR, HUMOR. Smart and funny – I always want this, but especially in a MG novel. #MSWL

Contemporary MG novels with a speculative element, or touch of magic – very much up my alley. #MSWL

MG fantasy or sci-fi that’s gloriously imaginative, and introduces me to a world I want to dive right into. #MSWL

Definitely want to see illustrated MG and novel-GN mash-ups. #MSWL

Time for more #MSWL! In terms of categories, I am really hungry for MG. Stand-alone or series, classic-feeling or not, contemporary or historical, mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, adventure - I’d like to see more MG!

I’m also very interested in stories that explore all the dimensions of gender and identity. #MSWL

#OwnVoices writers and illustrators, especially POC creators, please send me your work! I’m very eager to see and would especially love to see stories, and writers, based in Africa. #MSWL

My family is inter-faith, so this is another particular area of interest for me. #MSWL

I’m fascinated by ritual & faith - how these intertwine to create belief - and don't see enough religious diversity in my queries. Especially books that explore what belief feels like and/or what it is to want to believe, but find you can't. #MSWL

I'm really looking for stories -- for every age group -- that center marginalized voices and are intersectional. #MSWL

Some favorites: Rita Williams-Garcia’s Gaither Sisters series, Laurie Halse Anderson’s Seeds of America, MT Anderson’s Octavian Nothing, or The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. #MSWL 3/3

Especially interested in HistFic that takes place during the second half of the 20th C, in a non-Western setting, though I’m open to all places and periods…#MSWL 2/3

Hi all! I’m open to queries after a break and would love to find gripping, immersive historical fiction that centers the experience of a marginalized person… #MSWL 1/3