My cookbook #MSWL :

Good food photography is a must. I want practical recipes that can be done well by an average home cook, but looks *almost* to beautiful to eat. Hyper-specific/ingredient-focused cookbooks will also get my attention

Mostly, I'm looking for upmarket and literary fiction in a lot of categories, including mysteries, speculative, historical and horror. If you blend some of these genres together--amazing! I also like upmarket and literary fiction that doesn't fall into a genre category. #MSWL

More and more, I'd love to find projects you could describe as a "romp" 😄 Bring on the adventurous plots and the fun! #MSWL

4/ HISTORICAL: underrepresented identities & unconventional heroines. Dual timelines, family secrets, lost histories. The setting should feel immersive. I'd love to see a nomadic set of characters—travel by train/ship/on foot. I'd love a Harlem Renaissance novel, or the next "Lessons in Chemistry."

My non-fiction #MSWL includes:
- Niche history
- Pop Culture
- Sports (esp. football or soccer related)

This year, I would especially love to find a grounded fantasy that comps to EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FAERIES, which has been my favorite series of the past couple years.

Hooky grounded magic, delectable characters and a romance to die for, cozy vibes that escalate into high stakes! #MSWL

Hellllloooo #MSWL Day! You can check out my MSWL profile here:
www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/annie-bomke/

Here goes an adult fiction #MSWL :
- Book Club/Upmarket fiction with elevated prose
- Literary Fiction with a commercial hook

Bonus Points:
- Smart social commentary
- Humor
- Elements of genre fiction
- Southern US or Italian settings

I'm very open to seeing a wide range of projects within the categories I'm seeking, but I'm going to have a bit of fun today posting some specifics that I'd especially love to find in my inbox!

3/ THRILLERS: transportive and escapist, with psychological depth. Vacations/retreats gone wrong, atmospheric settings (Southern, coastal, rural), carefully plotted misdirections. Think "The Guest List," "The White Lotus," "The Plot." High-quality writing at the line level is a must.

You can find out more about me, my clients, and what I'm looking for at my website. I'm also active on Instagram!
michaelawhatnall.com

I have not been the best at being active over here so far, but I'm using #MSWL Day to remedy that!

I'm a literary agent at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret representing picture books, middle grade, YA, and adult fiction, and select nonfiction and graphic novels.
www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/michaela-whatnall/

Picture Book Author/Illustrators who create distinctive, memorable characters and worlds. Story forward, funny, read aloud on repeat. Please don’t sub if you are not an illustrator as well as a writer. Post link in profile #MSWL #KidLit

2/ MYSTERY: clever puzzles, tight timeframes, and compelling characters. Hobby-based mysteries (ballet, RPGs, filmmaking, gardening/botany, climbing/hiking). Settings I'd love to see include: college campuses, elite art/music/dance world, isolated retreats, off-season beach towns, sprawling estates

- Commercial romance (I prefer it have a more upmarket feel like Jenny Han than a swoony Danielle Steel style)
- Adult titles...unless you write #kidlit too!

I guess that's good enough for #mswl day. Feel free to ask questions. I'll do my best to respond to everyone in a timely manner.

- Forced proximity romance, love triangles, open relationships, and unconventional couplings

My anti-mswl? I'm not a great fit for:
- Paranormal stories
- Mean girls (unless tackled in a way that acknowledges the internalized misogyny involved)
- Hisfic or epic/hard sff (unless in GN or NIV form)

- Queer rep that isn't about coming out (though maybe that's part of the plot), and esp stories where queer characters are questioning or quietly queer.
- Friendship break-ups
- Platonic friendships where peer pressure or social expectations complicate things
- Settings as characters

Wait...it's #MSWL day? Well then!

I'm currently only open to #kidlit graphic novels, but in general, I like:
- complex caregiver/child relationships (I was raised in a kinship situation, and I like to see those complex layers in stories for kids)
- economic differences authentically represented

I’d love to find my first author/illustrator, preferably for picture books. For more info on PBs—with an updated section on art—check out my MSWL link. Some recent PBs I enjoyed are “A Little Like Magic,” “Big,” “Aloha Everything,” and “Where Three Oceans Meet.” #mswl

Some kind of romantasy or fantasy romance in YA. Standalone preferred but series potential is okay. Would love something without “I must save the world” type stakes but there’s still a solid plot and conflict #mswl