middle grade — multicultural families, sibling relationships, and lighthearted adventures

#kidlit #mswl

Middle grade fantasies that are set in our world (so low/lighter on the fantasy side), or stories with a meta layer to them a la lemony snicket, detective fiction, and STEM

WRITERS: I will be closing to queries on June 8th-so that I can catch up on submissions and focus on client manuscripts. As a reminder, I'm looking for YA/MG/PB and Adult and Kids NF. Polish and send those queries by 6/8 or hang on to them until later in the summer. Thanks!

I am so excited to announce that I am now at Spencerhill Associates! AND I am now open to queries! Head to the Spencerhill website to see what I'm looking for and get your queries in my QueryManager! So excited for this new adventure.
spencerhillassociates.com/submissions

#MSWL I’m also always on the look out for:
✨genre mixing projects!
✨gap area projects!

These are books that do fun things w/genre boundaries and/or hit "gap" areas of the market: voice-y lower MG, adventurous (or romantic) upper MG/lower YA, upper YA & New Adult.

#MSWL I’d love some fun, voice-y school dramas both MG and YA. Kids scheming things, kids getting away with things, kids having adventures on fieldtrips gone awry!

And I'm happy to look at projects with unusual formats like The Tapper Twins series.

WRITERS! New #MSWL w/ a few changes. Still looking for Adult NF (lifestyle, parenting, sports, current events, etc) and YA/MG/PB, but expanding YA/MG to fantasy and still including dystopian/sci-fi/horror/contemporary. Make me laugh, make me sob! manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/shari-maurer/

Alrighty, that's all the graphics I have made right now. Remember, these can be MG or YA or in graphic novel form, and marginalized voices are welcome to run with these ideas as well. I actually think some of these might be better explored through those lens!

This next one is a #IYKYK type #MSWL : I love that British narration style--almost Neil Gaiman-esque feel--that features quirky shops. Id' love to see an MG or YA with elements like this.

Hi everyone!! I am open to queries starting today! 🥳🥳

Below are some themes and genres that I’m particularly looking for right now. Im so excited to read your stories!
querymanager.com/query/2999

i feel like i've said this before but i will say again that i would love a YA or MG historical fiction set during the AIDS epidemic! #mswl

#MSWL Would love some nouveau riche casts in material too! Probably most interested in international settings for Adult work, though happy to see U.S. settings too especially in YA.

MG, YA, NA/Adult welcome. Genre mixing or SFF w/same vibes welcome! Would love BIPOC casts!

Basic summary of what I'm currently acquiring:
✔️MG & YA (all genres)
✔️GN for kids w/illustrator attached
✔️Adult/NA romcom/romcom adjacent
✔️Adult/NA romantasy
✔️Adult/NA SFF w/ strong romance
✔️Narrative NF in History only

And I usually acquire commercial material.

2/?

Hi, all! I’m open to queries again starting today! Here are some specifics about what I’m on the hunt for but you can read my longer wishlist (and access my query form!) here: corvisieroagency.com/alexandra-grana.html

MG SciFi: I would love something set on a space station or space ship or set hundreds of years into the future! Kids exploring new worlds a la the Robinsons is a big yes!

MG Mystery: I am open to this genre so long as it is blended with one of the other genres above! 5/

MG Fantasy: I honestly really love it all, but am really wanting a magic school with diverse cast and magical creatures (esp dragons!!)

MG Horror: Again I love it all, but would love a summer camp setting, haunted house/school, monster hunters and sentient natural settings 4/

I am focused on representing marginalized voices. I will not ask you to identify unless you feel comfortable doing so, but I am dedicated to uplifiting those voices and want my client list to reflect that.

I'm only looking for Adult, YA and MG. I'll go through each below 3/

Here are the main differences in my MSWL from last year:

-In the MG space, I'm only now open to upper MG (protagonists 12+)

-Open more to contemporary fantasy, less to genre fantasy

-Open less to PBs with animal casts

-Narrower parameters on historical and dystopian

*NEW: In both MG & YA, I learned over my first year that I'm almost always a better fit for contemporary fantasy than I am for genre fantasy.

Still happy to consider fantasy if you think I'm a strong fit for other reasons, but this is something I want to be forthright about!

YA and MG contemporary fantasy: My second love! I’m interested in the same topics, and will look foremost for lyrical writing and character focus, with unique but very grounded magic systems. Comp: THE NATURE OF WITCHES by Rachel Griffin.