Stephanie Doig
@stephaniedoig
Editor
Editor @ Harlequin's Carina Press. She/her. Opinions are all mine.
56 MSWL
18 Tips

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

Stephanie Doig
@stephaniedoig
Editor
Editor @ Harlequin's Carina Press. She/her. Opinions are all mine.
56 MSWL
18 Tips

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

Stephanie Doig
@stephaniedoig
Editor
Editor @ Harlequin's Carina Press. She/her. Opinions are all mine.
56 MSWL
18 Tips

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.

Stephanie Doig
@stephaniedoig
Editor
Editor @ Harlequin's Carina Press. She/her. Opinions are all mine.
56 MSWL
18 Tips

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

Stephanie Doig
@stephaniedoig
Editor
Editor @ Harlequin's Carina Press. She/her. Opinions are all mine.
56 MSWL
18 Tips

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/?

Stephanie Doig
@stephaniedoig
Editor
Editor @ Harlequin's Carina Press. She/her. Opinions are all mine.
56 MSWL
18 Tips

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/?

Samiha Hoque
@hijabi_soldier
Editor
💫 Earth/Environmental Sci. grad turned Acquiring Editor @shaherazadshelf 🇧🇩 Bengali-American Muslim with a passion for books, justice, & religion.
18 MSWL

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

TJ Ohler
@OhlerTJ
Editor
Editor @zandoprojects | Emerson alum | bookseller | constantly questioning words, often feeling Wordless
7 MSWL

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

TJ Ohler
@OhlerTJ
Editor
Editor @zandoprojects | Emerson alum | bookseller | constantly questioning words, often feeling Wordless
7 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

TJ Ohler
@OhlerTJ
Editor
Editor @zandoprojects | Emerson alum | bookseller | constantly questioning words, often feeling Wordless
7 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

TJ Ohler
@OhlerTJ
Editor
Editor @zandoprojects | Emerson alum | bookseller | constantly questioning words, often feeling Wordless
7 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!

Melissa Rechter
@MARechter
Editor
Lover of puns. Editor at @crookedlanebks and @alcovepress • opinions are my own.
42 MSWL

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.

Melissa Rechter
@MARechter
Editor
Lover of puns. Editor at @crookedlanebks and @alcovepress • opinions are my own.
42 MSWL

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.

Melissa Rechter
@MARechter
Editor
Lover of puns. Editor at @crookedlanebks and @alcovepress • opinions are my own.
42 MSWL

I would love to do more romantasy. Stories that are steeped in folklore and mythology.

I’d like to see magical academies (think THE MAGICIANS or FOURTH WING), lush world building, and romance with high stakes.

Books that would be for fans of Tamora Pierce are perfect for me.

Melissa Rechter
@MARechter
Editor
Lover of puns. Editor at @crookedlanebks and @alcovepress • opinions are my own.
42 MSWL

For speculative fiction and magical realism, I love stories that deal with time in an interesting way (OONA OUT OF ORDER) but I also love Isabel Allende’s stories.

Melissa Rechter
@MARechter
Editor
Lover of puns. Editor at @crookedlanebks and @alcovepress • opinions are my own.
42 MSWL

For bookclub, I’m always looking for the dark side of suburbia. Think BIG LITTLE LIES or SUCH A FUN AGE.
I would also love to see books that explore generational trauma, through the eyes of an eldest daughter.

Melissa Rechter
@MARechter
Editor
Lover of puns. Editor at @crookedlanebks and @alcovepress • opinions are my own.
42 MSWL

For cozy mysteries, give me a small town and a warm community. I usually gravitate towards bookstores and tea shops, or other general cozy feels here.

I would love to do more lightly paranormal cozies in the vein of Heather Blake or Amanda Flower.

Melissa Rechter
@MARechter
Editor
Lover of puns. Editor at @crookedlanebks and @alcovepress • opinions are my own.
42 MSWL

Also anything that has a gothic feel to it, like MEXICAN GOTHIC or THE DEATH OF JANE LAWRENCE.

Melissa Rechter
@MARechter
Editor
Lover of puns. Editor at @crookedlanebks and @alcovepress • opinions are my own.
42 MSWL

I want more horror and I want to be scared!

I gravitate towards social and psychological horror in the vein of GET OUT or WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING.

I grew up around forests and mountain ranges, so something like THIS WRETCHED VALLEY is always on my radar.