More characters from underrepresented groups, specifically Black, Indigenous, disabled, neurodivergent characters in all gender pairings.

The Spy Who Loved Me: agent out for revenge who falls for her quarry.

I'm going to add more things as I think of them. Some other wish list items: a Mulder/Scully type pairing of skeptic and true believer (without the actual aliens; please don't send me explicitly scifi/paranormal stuff because I'm not allowed to acquire them).

#mwsl: Our Harlequin Romantic Suspense line is woefully lacking in LGBTQ+ representation. Anyone have a great f/f romantic suspense novel they want to send me? Cagney & Lacey vibes, or a Jessica Fletcher/Miss Marple team up? Let me know. harlequin.submittable.com/submit

Hit me up if you want a fuller wish list, but this is my MSWL for now. Slide me some good subs! 10/10

Lastly, as always, in all areas my focus is on uplifting marginalized communities, so stories about BIPOC folk, queer folk, disabled folk, folks with mental illness, etc are what I'm looking for. 9/10

Books that contain themes of race, class, identity, home, belonging, inheritance, land, lineage, grief, sexuality, self-exploration are ideal. 8/10

For Nonfic, I'm looking for Narrative nonfiction, some memoir and cultural criticism. I'm pretty flexible here, but generally looking for authors who have a personal stake in the subject matter and who can infuse their own perspective into whatever they're investigating 7/10

I'm open to books set mostly in the real world, but that have speculative elements that help tell stories in interesting ways. I'm also looking for some upmarket fiction and short stories! Similar themes/ideas as in Lit Fic 6/10

I love coming of age novels too (whether they feature a young protagonist taking on the world on their own for the first time or a second coming of age that takes characters into new phases in their lives.) 5/10

Workplace novels. Novels about power, control, resistance. Novels that investigate the ills of capitalism and the commodification of art. Also, speaking of art, I'm interested novels that make fresh and interesting social commentary on art, music, fashion, entertainment etc. 4/10

Specifically, I'm looking for complex family sagas that span decades (must include a contemporary component). Stories about friendships and the ways those bonds build and sometimes fracture. Sibling stories. Novels about home, belonging, lineage, legacy, and inheritance. 3/10

Literary Fiction! I'm always on the hunt for beautiful, lyrical, haunting prose. Sentences that will stay with me for a long time. But I also want these books to have plots that move the story along, that have heart and wit and sharp observations about the world around us. 2/10

And just because I didn't add any historical romance, romantic suspense, etc. doesn't mean we're not acquiring it! I'd love to read those projects too. :) Check the guidelines for a full list of genres we're currently looking for.

That's it for now! I'll pin and add to this thread in future. In the meantime, if you're thinking of submitting a project to me (or to anyone at Harlequin!) take a quick look through our submissions guidelines: writeforharlequin.com

The other is, and I cannot stress this enough, super sexy. If you’ve been dying to write an emotionally distant alphahole who only learns to love once he’s met the right person for him (and antagonized them lightly before learning his lesson), please, please send it to me. #mswl

Fantasy romance/paranormal romance: This is another one where I’m on the lookout for two different things. 1: cozy, feel-good fantasy, the kind of romance you can sink into and know nothing bad is ever going to happen to anyone. A warm bath of a romance (is that gross?!). #mswl

The romcom market is very full right now, so if you're writing romcoms, think about what might make yours stand out from the crowd. Consider, perhaps: a cozy mystery romcom? I'd love to see it. Think Mia P. Manansala's Arsenic & Adobo. #mswl

Also in contemporary romance: melodramatic romance. HUGE emotions, big plot twists, big conflict. Messy characters who don’t always act in their own best interests in the heat of the moment. This is where I’d love to see my fave hero type: the jerk with secret feelings. #mswl

Contemporary romance! I'm looking for two different things here: first is complex, emotional, upmarket contemporary—think Kate Clayborn or Lucy Parker. Love caretakers for this, especially if they’re kind of grumpy/seem uncaring on the outside. #mswl