Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

YA Contemporary where the protagonist is BI or ACE. Super want more visibility in this LGBTQ+ area

Would love rivals-to-lovers
Family elements (like family business, remarrying, stepsiblings, adoption, etc.)
#querytip #amquerying #writingcommunity

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips

For YA, I'm more turning to Historical, Contemporary, and Contemporary Romance. Super selective on Fantasy and Paranormal right now, though would still love to see concepts on witches or ghosts (and vamps if unique!)
#querytip #amquerying #writingcommunity

Kaitlyn Johnson
@RedPenKaitlyn
Literary Agent
Agent @belcastr . insta: kjbelcastro. Freelance Editor. Serial comma for life. She/her. Query at QueryManager.com/1147
279 MSWL
345 AskAgent
55 Queries
385 Tips
Nina Leon
@thisisninaleon
Literary Agent
Associate Agent: @perez_literary MSWL: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/nina… QM: QueryManager.com/NinaLeon Editing: nina-rachel-leon.co.za
48 MSWL

🌟 Chaotic 2022 #MSWL thread🌟
Contemporary YA, either light rom-com style such as To All the Boys, or darker themes such as those in Before I fall. Sexy pirates, and mermaids. MAGICAL ACADEMIA/dark academia. Throw in an oddly attractive classmate.
#WritingCommunity

Ernie Chiara
@erniechiara
Literary Agent
Associate Agent at @FuseLiterary ⟡ Seeking authentic stories by traditionally underpublished voices ⟡ SFWA ⟡ Founder @TBRstacklinktr.ee/erniechiara
73 MSWL

✨Africanfuturism that comps Nnedi Okorafor
✨Trans or nonbinary rep in SF or contemp fantasy that comps LIGHT FROM UNCOMMON STARS by Ryka Aoki
✨Characters that struggle to deal with people & their feelings, like Martha Wells’s Murderbot or Margaret Rogerson’s Vespertine
#MSWL

Liz Sellers
@lizsellerss
Assistant Editor
assistant editor @BerkleyPub / @BerkleyRomance cat mom x2, ex-trombone player, em dash enthusiast "can we stop by dunkin?" opinions are mine! | she/her
6 MSWL

romance: both contemporary and historical romcoms and millennial romance/women’s fiction; give me ALL the banter, chemistry, strong-willed MCs. i want to laugh AND cry!

Larissa Melo Pienkowski
@lmpnk
Literary Agent
latine literary agent @JillGrinbergLit , writer, editor, asst publisher, ceramicist. she/her 🏳️‍🌈🇧🇷🇵🇱 #LatinxinPub #PocPub #WeNeedDiverseBooks
34 MSWL

✨ contemporary and well-researched historical queer romance, with pining and butterflies and swoony tension and steaminess and a REALLY strong hook
✨ books that celebrate books, both MG and adult
✨ heists, cons, scams, the more glam the better (no cishet man protags)

#MSWL

Beth Phelan
@beth_phelan
Literary Agent
she/her. mg & ya literary agent @galltzackerlit . founder 501c3 NPO @_DiverseVoices (#DVpit/#DVart, DVcon &more). closed to unsolicited submissions.
128 MSWL
125 AskAgent
27 Tips

It’s 2022! A reminder that I’m open to queries and looking for all sorts of MG and YA, contemporary and fantasy. I have high hopes of finding some great new clients this year. And I finally updated my page here: manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/beth… #mswl

Sam B. Farkas
@SamBFarkas
Literary Agent
Foreign Rights & Agent at Jill Grinberg Literary. History dork. Gritty fanatic. Licorice connoisseur. She/her. Writer rep’d by @patricianels
42 MSWL

I'm also hungry for ROMANCE. Especially contemporary, but also historical.

Again, I'm looking for a really strong hook in this category. Humor is a plus! #MSWL

Cecilia Lyra
@ceciliaclyra
Literary Agent
Storyteller & Storyseller / Associate Literary Agent @PSLiterary ✍🏽 Co-host of @TSNOTYAW podcast 🎧 Feminist. Latinx. Immigrant. Reader.
142 MSWL
58 AskAgent
2 Tips

Contemporary fiction in the vein of Curtis Sittenfeld, Meg Wolitzer, J. Courtney Sullivan, and Delia Ephron is something I’m always looking for. Liane Moriarty is an all-time favorite author. (And, yes, Delia is my favorite Ephron. Sorry, Nora.)

Cecilia Lyra
@ceciliaclyra
Literary Agent
Storyteller & Storyseller / Associate Literary Agent @PSLiterary ✍🏽 Co-host of @TSNOTYAW podcast 🎧 Feminist. Latinx. Immigrant. Reader.
142 MSWL
58 AskAgent
2 Tips

I enjoy select historical fiction, particularly those with a contemporary feel that lean into setting as a character, whether that’s a dwelling (THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett) or a country (THE HENNA ARTIST by Alka Joshi).

Cecilia Lyra
@ceciliaclyra
Literary Agent
Storyteller & Storyseller / Associate Literary Agent @PSLiterary ✍🏽 Co-host of @TSNOTYAW podcast 🎧 Feminist. Latinx. Immigrant. Reader.
142 MSWL
58 AskAgent
2 Tips

I would love to see stories that feel like straight-up contemporary fiction only to surprise the reader with a speculative twist. THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris is a favorite of mine!

Hannah VanVels
@hannahvanvels
Literary Agent
📚 Literary Agent @belcastr | Editor | Writer | #RevPit | Devoted German shepherd & cat mom | Amateur baker | Sparkling water enthusiast | she/her ✏️
55 MSWL
55 AskAgent
65 Queries
3 Tips

In Adult, I'd love to see:
⚡️Queer rom coms
⚡️ Contemporary stories of people navigating the start of professional life
⚡️ Gothic, witchy horror

Hannah VanVels
@hannahvanvels
Literary Agent
📚 Literary Agent @belcastr | Editor | Writer | #RevPit | Devoted German shepherd & cat mom | Amateur baker | Sparkling water enthusiast | she/her ✏️
55 MSWL
55 AskAgent
65 Queries
3 Tips

In YA, I'd love to see:
👑 Queer rom coms
👑 Contemporary friendship stories
👑 Thrillers with isolated settings
👑 Horror with gothic and atmospheric vibes
👑 Historical that centers on POC stories

Hannah VanVels
@hannahvanvels
Literary Agent
📚 Literary Agent @belcastr | Editor | Writer | #RevPit | Devoted German shepherd & cat mom | Amateur baker | Sparkling water enthusiast | she/her ✏️
55 MSWL
55 AskAgent
65 Queries
3 Tips

In Middle Grade, I'd love to see:
🧢Fantasy inspired by myths, folklore, or legends—especially if it's not European
🧢Historical that centers POC stories
🧢Contemporary with an environmental bent
🧢Horror with ghosts, creepy crawlies, and witches
🧢 Earth-based sci-fi

Mara Delgado-Sánchez
@little_mswriter
Assistant Editor
🇵🇷 That witch from the Caribbean. Word wrangler @stmartinspress | @wednesdaybooks . Somewhere with the chupacabras. Opinions mine. (she/her)
73 MSWL

and high concept thrillers. I want to see something different and fresh

- For contemporary, I’m looking for stories on the lighter side (friendships, romcoms, family, etc)

For Adult:

Basically what I said above. I also do category romance, women’s fiction centered on #MSWL

Mara Delgado-Sánchez
@little_mswriter
Assistant Editor
🇵🇷 That witch from the Caribbean. Word wrangler @stmartinspress | @wednesdaybooks . Somewhere with the chupacabras. Opinions mine. (she/her)
73 MSWL

For YA:

- I’m looking for any and all kinds of fantasy, from grim dark to the lightest, fluffiest contemporary fantasy

- I’m looking for Gothic stories. I love the concept of monsters, the uncanny, the way it delves into the characters

- I’m also looking for supernatural #MSWL

Leslie Truex
@ltruex
Literary Agent
Ideaphoric lit agent w/@blueridgeagency, President @VaWritersClub author, speaker, online entrepreneur, planner/notebook fanatic, fueled by coffee & chocolate.
2 MSWL
1 Tips
Haley Casey
@Haley_J_Casey
Literary Agent
Associate Literary Agent at CMA. Feminist. Interested in watching TV shows I've already seen and owning ALL books. All opinions are my own. (she/her)
44 MSWL
1 Tips

Speaking of feels, I deeply want to rep a tropey, meaningful, nuanced, hilarious, and swoony contemporary romance. I don't have a single traditional romcom on my list at the moment, and it's a genre I love! Bring me WELL MET, THE KISS QUOTIENT, CHLOE BROWN, BEACH READ... #MSWL

Lisa Mangum
@LisaMangum
Editor
By day, I'm the Editorial Manager for Shadow Mountain Publishing. By night, I write YA novels (Hourglass Door trilogy; After Hello). Weekends? #Supernatural
3 MSWL

Submissions to Shadow Mountain Publishing will be moving to AGENTS ONLY on 1/1/22. The slush pile will, however, open once a quarter for unsolicited submissions.
shadowmountain.com/submit-your-ma…
#amquerying #submissions #publishing #MSWL