I only do MG and YA. My taste leans commercial and escapist and ultimately…fun. Big imaginations. Joy of adventure. Humor. Romance. Big feelings. I’ts okay if we’re not a match. There’s a bazillion agents these days. #MSWL

#MSWL Still (forever) seeking voicey female-fronted thrillers. Less domestic/psych suspense fiction (unless they've got a killer Gone Girl-style twist), more heists, fights, action/adventure goodness. Would love a female Reacher equivalent. Humor also much appreciated.

#MSWL time! I REALLY want something for Mystic Owl. Which means: 75K or under, HOT adult PNR or UF romance or Sci-fi romance. Heavy on the romance in any sub-genre of Fantasy, but with action as well. I love at least a touch of humor, especially dark. @ me w/any questions!

Just read an article in the NYT about humor and Judaism and it made me think about how badly I'd like to see a Jewish Rom Com in the vein of My Big Fat Greek Wedding with a big Jewish family, lots of humor, and the concept of welcoming an outsider into a new culture. #MSWL

MG:
- I like zany humor and mad-cap adventures. (See TIME VILLAINS and 7TH GRADE V. GALAXY on my list.)
- Epic fantasy is great—but the more original the world the better.
- A sense of FUN and POSSIBILITY and MAGIC (doesn't have to be literal magic, but it doesn't hurt).

Some things I am currently looking for across age groups:
✨More humor—we could all use more laughter right now, right?!
✨Kids falling in love with the outdoors—camping, urban gardens, farms, really anything to do with nature.
✨ Girls who do martial arts!

Putting out a call for humor like this amazing book I read recently… until 5:30am. 🙃
#mswl

I’ve opened to picture books. I’ve missed my PB community. (Go easy on me.)

I’ll be prioritizing authors and/or illustrators from marginalized communities, books with side-splitting humor, and fascinating nonfiction (that’s not a bio).

Querymanager.com/jmcgowan - #MSWL

ALWAYS want #YA whodunnits/mysteries that are puzzle-y or riddle-strewn and have touches of humor and lively characters in the spirit of Agatha Christie, like #TrulyDevious or the Inheritance Games series. #MSWL #amquerying

-Immersive YA high fantasy and sci-fi with well-defined rules (be it unique magic systems or technology)

-YA inspired by or reimagining folklore or mythology

-Humorous, voice-y MG, as well as MG that recognizes the harder truths of the world while being ultimately hopeful
#mswl

(GNs) 🌟Middle grade humor with a big heart—I’d particularly like to explore careers outside of policing that nonetheless lend themselves to multiple adventures over the course of a series
▫️Think: Dog Man, InvestiGators #MSWL

🌟Sharp & original humor that shows a deep understanding of its readers—whether goofy, over-the-top humor for middle graders or well-observed sarcasm for teens
🌟Books that slide adeptly between humor & poignancy, that make me laugh on one page & cry on the next #MSWL

MG nonfiction that uses humor and playful formats to bring readers to both evergreen & rapidly evolving topics; in particular, I'd love to learn about civics, media literacy, mental health, body positivity, and food in fresh ways

I do love: fables, gallows humor, absurdism, unsettling atmospheres, unreliable narrators, sympathetic villains, anti-heroes, adventures, revenge-plots, twists that make the reader say "it all makes sense now!"

On the book club side, I love stories about toxic female friendships, family sagas with the layers and humor of a prestige soap opera, and novels that skirt the line between commercial WF and thrillers. #MSWL

✨A Black marching band drama
✨A humorous take on puberty for girls
✨Subversive Catholic school stories
✨If something has "already been done” but it's never been done with characters who hail from marginalized backgrounds, I want to read it...

Genres I'm on the hunt for:
MG fantasy, MG literary contemporary, YA humor, YA fantasy, YA rom-com, Upmarket Women's fiction.
#MSWL - international settings, folktale re-imaginings, funny friendship banter, twisty YA thrillers, multiple POV, found family.

😂 Make me laugh! Note I am not one for super zany young MG or grossout humor, but I love self-aware wryness or a bit of quirk
😭 & make me cry, especially with contemporary MG about family, friendship, & kids figuring out their place in the world #MSWL

... a broad range of MG & YA fiction and graphic novels--fantasy (my first & greatest love as a reader), historical, romance, some great humor, and high-concept contemporary (especially with a framing device such as epistolary elements, then-and-now timelines, etc.) #MSWL

Since I'm open to queries again:
MUST HAVE: Adult romance only. NO YA. Fantasy or sci-fi sub-genre ONLY.
Prefer: High heat level
#MSWL list:
1. Vampires or witches (still looking for something different)
2. mystery & humor even if dark
3. Bridgerton w/PR element
4. Surprise me