Leslie Zampetti
@literarylesliez
Literary Agent
Founder & Literary Agent at Open Book Literary. Lapsed librarian. Rapacious reader. Wishful writer. She/her. Member of @scbwi & @aalitagents .
47 MSWL
7 Tips

Folks checking out my #MSWL Day posts!

I will re-open to queries in the spring - you can check out my timing, etc. here:
querytracker.net/query/Lzampetti

Tricia Skinner
@4triciaskinner
Literary Agent
Champion of underdogs. Nerdy Senior Agent @FuseLiterary . PW Star Watch Honoree. INFJ. Likes the hero, but loves the villain. 한국어를 공부하고 있어. 스트레이키즈.
33 MSWL
10 Queries
7 Tips

#MSWL PLEASE send more sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and horror with "older" protagonists. If those bad asses are over 40, have "scars" earned through life experience, and still manage to "make it look easy," then I want your query. More info at
triciaskinner.com/manuscript-wish-list-mswl/

Michelle Witte
@michellewitte
Literary Agent
Children’s literary agent with Mansion Street Literary (open to queries first 15 days each month) and mental health advocate. I also write craptastic books. She/her.
202 MSWL
18 Tips

I always hope it doesn't need to be said, but sadly it does: even though I'm so white I'm clear and very much cishet, I'm not the agent for books that feature any kind of intolerance toward other people, whether race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc. I don't tolerate intolerance. #MSWL

Shelly Romero
@ShellyRomero
Literary Agent
Associate Agent | Azantian Literary Agency • PW Star Watch Honoree• Bi Final Girl • she/her 🇭🇳
3 MSWL

Sidebar: I’m not really the agent to try if your books are about BIPOC characters, but you don’t come from that background. And I’m going to be brutally honest, I don’t care if you’re married or something to a person from that race/ethnicity, because it’s not the same as a lived experienced. #MSWL

Shelly Romero
@ShellyRomero
Literary Agent
Associate Agent | Azantian Literary Agency • PW Star Watch Honoree• Bi Final Girl • she/her 🇭🇳
3 MSWL

Gothic Horror! This will be a thread bc I love this genre. First up, I desperately desire more southern gothic by Black authors and especially if it comps to SINNERS (I’m not really the one to try if you’re just comping it for a book with vampires) & the IWTV show. #MSWL

Tricia Skinner
@4triciaskinner
Literary Agent
Champion of underdogs. Nerdy Senior Agent @FuseLiterary . PW Star Watch Honoree. INFJ. Likes the hero, but loves the villain. 한국어를 공부하고 있어. 스트레이키즈.
33 MSWL
10 Queries
7 Tips

#MSWL Sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and horror by LGBTQ authors. More info at
triciaskinner.com/manuscript-wish-list-mswl/

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

On the unexpected, one of my favorite things is being presented with something really unique in one of the categories that I represent, even if doesn’t technically check any of my Wishlist boxes. So don’t be afraid to try me. #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

A few other interests: underground/bunkers, chess, food/food industry, reinvention. I'm from Houston and lived in Miami, so also interested in those (and surrounding) parts of the country #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

Across all genres, I like characters that make morally-dubious decisions and then have to deal with the fallout, a sense of humor, a distinctive narrative voice(s), unique settings/subcultures, and the unexpected. #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

Another very specific interest is the Ottoman Empire. I would especially like to see it/its legacy in more fiction, but open to narrative non-fiction around this too #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

I like novels or narrative non-fiction about interesting jobs/industries, which can take many forms. For example, Counterfeit, Margo’s Got Money Problems, Best Offer Wins, Olga Dies Dreaming, Number One Chinese Restaurant, Carrie Soto is Back, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Tomorrow x3, etc. #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

A mystery/thriller with a speculative element built into the premise rather than used to explain things at the end (For example, Wrong Place, Wrong Time) #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

I would love a mystery/crime/psychological thriller set in Shanghai, Mumbai or another densely populated city besides NYC and London (not opposed to novels set in NYC/London or somewhere less densely populated, but I am also very much on the hunt for settings beyond that). #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

Something a little soapy (whether it’s a succession-type story, something like The Gilded Age, or more like Bad Summer People). One specific wish is a take on HOAs or Co-op boards, would be interested in this in pretty much any category I represent. #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

Book Club Fiction: I am actively looking to develop this part of my list. Family sagas, love triangles, complicated relationships, an element that keeps you guessing/turning pages, strong narrative voice, and of course, driving questions/themes you'd want to chat about in an actual book club. #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

I am particularly on the hunt for horror-comedy, even something a bit campy (Patricia Wants to Cuddle, Bless Your Heart). Same goes for humor in mystery/psychological thrillers (Dial A for Auntie, Finlay Donovan, etc). Would be very open to a mash-up of a funny horror amateur-sleuth too #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

I love a retelling that transforms the original into something that can fully stand on its own (favorite example of this is Clueless, but there have been some good literary retellings lately too) #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

Grounded speculative where there is a single thing that is different about the world that completely changes how people behave (The Measure, Age of Miracles, The Leftovers, etc). Even outside of speculative, a really good “what if” gets my attention #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

It’s specific, but I think something where the character thinks they’re in a rom-com or telenovela-type story/setting, but it winds up being horror. I’d also love a horror heist #MSWL

Melissa Danaczko
@mad2034
Literary Agent
Agent at the Stuart Krichevsky Literary Agency. She/Her
40 MSWL

I would love to see more historical horror/supernatural. I also like taking something familiar that is fairly benign on the surface and twisting into horror/supernatural: a sorority, academia, sports-culture, wedding, college admissions, real estate horror, etc. #MSWL