@fluxbooks + @JollyFishPress are now OPEN to submissions through November 30. My full #mswl is here: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/meg-gaertner/

I’m particularly interested in seeing YA + MG historical fiction featuring underrepresented experiences + contemporary fiction with timely social themes!

#MSWL TL;DR:

[3/3] Select narrative nonfiction + memoir. Emphasis on diverse voices across the board (for both fiction + nonfiction).

Agents, let’s connect! 👋

#MSWL TL;DR:

[2/3] genre-subverting psychological thrillers (cunning female perpetrators, unreliable female narrators, etc.), select coming-of-age; feminist satire/dark comedy (big fan of biting, whip-smart humor); select cozy fantasy (grounded); select historical

#MSWL TL;DR:

[1/3] edgy, voice-driven book club fiction with a fresh, commercial hook; anything speculative—magical realist, horror, sci-fi, dystopian, you name it, especially with a feminist bend!

ATTN: agents!

Here’s my updated #MSWL ✨mood board✨🤌🤌🤌

Bring on the submissions! 📖

And now for something completely different, I’ve been wanting to acquire a Western romance, a la Elsie Silver or Devney Perry. I’ve always loved the city-girl-goes-country trope, and Westerns are such a good opportunity for fish-out-of-water/opposites attract. #mswl

Greek myths are still going strong! I’d love a dark romance that incorporates Greek myth in some way. Think the Hades/Persephone saga by Scarlett St. Clair, or Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas. #mswl

I’m also still eagerly looking for the right romantasy project. The market is very saturated right now so it’s important to think about what makes your book stand out—maybe an x meets y layered hook, etc. #mswl

I’m really interested in acquiring dark and dark-ish romance right now. The theme of this #mswl is the morally gray hero, lol. In that vein, I’d love to see more mafia romance in my inbox.

Some #mswl admin:
• At Carina Press we accept both agented and unagented projects
• Our word count minimum is 50k; we don’t technically have a max but my personal preference is under 125k

Right now I am hungry to acquire for our Carina Press imprint, which is digital-first (and therefore targeting digital readers). There is a lot of crossover with print, though! #mswl 2/?

It’s been a long time, Twitter, but I’m going to do a 2024 (2025, in publishing, really) #mswl post! I am a senior editor at Harlequin, acquiring for digital and trade paperback imprints. 1/?

Losing my mind that I’ve been an editor for almost 3 years at a press called Shaherazad Shelves and no one’s submitted a Scheherazade/Shahrazad retelling to me‼️

Please send one, a million, I don’t care #mswl

#mswl

And always on the hunt for more queer adult and YA romance! Especially if it has a speculative twist! #mswl

Agents, I'd also love to find my queer cozy fantasy or romantasy I want the low stakes, strong vibes. Or the high stakes and swoonworthy shadow daddies...iykyk #mswl

And I'm always on the hunt for more trans genre fiction, especially where trauma isn't the main plot thread (though I can read those too!). I'd love to see more trans femme rep in my inbox! Please universe! #mswl

Another reminder to agents that I'm on the hunt for submissions this fall! I'd love to see MORE adult and YA #horror in my inbox! Give me your books that comp to Aliens and Scream or both! Your psychological horror! Isolated thrillers! I want all things creepy!

Ultimately, for my list, I like to think of it as a balance between dark and twisty, and warm and cozy.

If the vibes are dark academia, witchy, creepy forests, poisonous plants, cottagecore, or anything gothic (whether it’s horror or historical!) it’s right up my alley.

I also want to see cozier romantasy, where magic is woven into smaller aspects. Think kitchen and garden witches that brew intention into their hobbies.