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What I’d Like to See in my Agent Inbox in 2025
In general, my manuscript wish list stays the same no matter the season or year! But for 2025, I am aiming to be even more particular about what I will consider and take on due to the changes in demands on my time. I’m hopeful this post helps provide specific insight to my wishlist!
Keep in mind, a manuscript is more than a recipe combining themes/tropes of Book A, characters like those found in Book B, with a plot like Book C. It’s in the essence of the writing, the threads of the narrative, the style of the voice––that’s what captures attention. For me, a really great manuscript infuses the tone, atmosphere, and emotion into every word, applying careful attention to detail to evoke a sensation from the page to the reader’s mind. I’m enticed by your recipe and hope to be moved by the execution. So while I am pointing out published books that accomplished elements of what I love, I’m also pointing out books that most accurately display the essence of what I’m seeking to represent.
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ADULT FICTION
Fantasy || I adore fantasy inspired by historical events, cultures, folklore, and fairytales. More often than not, these fantasies tend to be set in secondary worlds, where magic may or may not exist, but the feel of the novel is certainly magical. My absolute favorites are The City of Brass (Islamic- and Arabic-inspired, set in 18th-c outside Cairo), Uprooted and Spinning Silver (Eastern European and Jewish fairytale retellings), The Wolf of Oren-Yaro (Filipino-inspired culture), A River Enchanted (Scottish mythology) and Daughter of the Forest (Irish Celtic mythology), and Nettle & Bone (a horror-fantasy fairytale spun on its head). Award-winning author and client Tasha Suri‘s Empire of Sand, Realm of Ash, and The Jasmine Throne are inspired by Indian history and mythology, and Malice and The Crimson Crown by Heather Walter spins a fairytale completely on its head. These books have lush writing and beautiful characterizations, darkness and complexity, which is what I’m most drawn to in these fantasies. I also enjoy in-depth world-building and unique perspectives (literally everything about The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and The Kingdom of Sweets), have thoroughly enjoyed dragon stories (Priory of the Orange Tree and The Shadow of the Gods), and I want to find my own Queen of Blood, Bone Ships, or A Flame in the North. Some books on my TBR that I’m excited to dive into include The Final Strife, The First Binding, Gods of the Wyrdwood, Age of Ash, and The Children of Gods and Fighting Men.
Pie-in-the-sky manuscript: What every book mentioned above accomplishes is the ability to take a creature, character, or tradition from a culture, tale, or faith and make it entirely new, unique, fresh. I want to see golems, djinn, wendigos, vetalas, almasties––I’m tired of the typical werewolf/vampire/angel/fairy. Give me something rarely covered in Western literature. Give me depth to the world and the characters. I don’t need heists and sword fights and action-action-action to propel my reading. I would especially love to see this from marginalized and underrepresented voices.
NOTE: While I enjoy romantic fantasy (as you can see from some of my suggestions above), I am not interested in romantasy. Romantasy has come to be defined as spicy and/or romance-forward/-focused. If the project would be perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Rebecca Yarros, or Lauren Roberts, it’s not for me. (I know, I know, I’m in the minority! But that works in your favor. Best to try someone else!)
Historical Fantasy (and Historical/Contemporary Horror!) || Though a branch off fantasy (“low fantasy”), historical fantasy is for all those books that have a hint of magic within the historical narrative––a tiny little something sparks that energy and spins into the fantastical. Babel is a stunning examination of colonialism, imperialism, racism, and translation within a dark academia setting; In Another Time explores wormholes in WWII; The Familiars leaves you wondering if she really was a witch or if this is just circumstantial; The Winter Witch adds an element of intrigue on a quiet Welsh farm; and A Secret History of Witches explores generations of women in one family and the impact their magic has on the community.
On the horror side, I adore historical and contemporary horror, and I would love to see more gothic-, religiously-, politically-infused narratives like Mexican Gothic, The Book of Gothel, The Once and Future Witches, Cackle (horror-light), and The Year of the Witching––and books on my TBR that appear to incorporate this include The Bog Wife, Weyward, This Cursed House, Hester, The Book of Witching, and What Moves the Dead. I would fall over to represent something like that! Basically if it involves witches, a hint of magic, a dash of the eerie, or the ways in which a community unravels, I’m down.
Pie-in-the-sky: A fresh and unique spin on historical events that then asks, “what if…?” What if witches were real during XYZ historical event? What if witches were behind A? What if magic was the cause of B? What if someone with XYZ abilities could’ve changed the outcome to C? What if magic/witches were the root of religion? What is it about intelligent or outspoken women across time that labels them a witch? Take the idea and run with it. My biggest craving is anything that falls in the realm of gothic fiction. Gothic horror, gothic romance, Byronic heroes, traveling women, uncanny and eerie, haunted spaces (real speculative or imagined––leave the reader wondering!), you name it and I want it.
Contemporary Women’s Fiction || I adore women’s fiction that is about the average woman doing average things, experiencing the difficulties of everyday life, and growing from it — such as Such a Fun Age, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, Dear Emmie Blue, The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett, The Collected Regrets of Clover, Maame, Black Candle Women (which includes magic!), and Remarkably Bright Creatures. On the flip-side, I love chick-lit/romcom — humorous women’s fiction that’s appealing to a millennial audience, about young women in the workplace and the silly things that happen in their life. My absolute favorite is Sophie Kinsella, along with Don’t You Forget About Me, Yours Truly, Ayesha at Last, The Matzah Ball, Witch of Wild Things (also a splash of magic!), and The Flatshare. Romance is not a primary draw for me, but it doesn’t turn me off to the story, either! Some books on my TBR that seem to represent my interests include The Husbands, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael, The Most Likely Club.
Pie-in-the-sky: I’ve found I’m drawn to two particular sorts of protagonists and life journeys in women’s fiction. The first is the character that thinks they’re content when actually they’re lonely. Though these characters are typically older or curmudgeonly––and that’s okay––a kind and young character can experience this too. I’m drawn to the ways in which another character/event challenges them to break routine. The second is the character that has something preventing them from moving forward in life––grief, finances, a relationship––and the snowball effect that has throughout the narrative. I want to read something joyful and uplifting, with levity and humor throughout.
Historical Fiction || I love all sorts of historical fiction, especially when it branches off little-known aspects of history. For example, my favorite historical fiction includes Shadow on the Crown (Emma of Normandy and early British history), The Alice Network (WWI/WWII parallel narrative shining light on female spy networks), The Romanov Empress (about Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, wife of Alexander III and mother of Nicholas II), and Dear Mrs. Bird (WWII advice columnist/slice-of-life narrative). I would love to see some more light shed on impressive women in history and the things they accomplished despite society’s limitations (STEM, feminism, code-breaking, politics/reigns, first female to ___), like client Clarissa Harwood‘s Impossible Saints. Some of my recent favorite books included The Book of Longings, Hamnet, The Dictionary of Lost Words, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, The Square of Sevens, and The Personal Librarian. Admittedly, I’m most familiar with European (specifically English) history, but I’m open to reading anything as long as the premise is compelling and the writing style is relatable to a modern audience. On my TBR I’m excited to read The Frozen River, All You Have to do is Call, and Queen of Thieves.
Pie-in-the-sky: I want to read about women we know (Wu Zetian, Elizabeth Bathory, Mette Magrete Tvistman), women we may or may not know behind great men in history, and women being the first in smaller [and oftentimes fictional] ways––like the first to run her family’s shop in the 1800s, with Sarah Waters vibes, for example––wherein they deal with society at large and overcome obstacles. A lot of this is biographical historical fiction, which can be hard to execute without sounding distant or like reading a textbook––but I do enjoy this!
Contemporary/Historical Parallel Narratives in Fiction || There are great ways to introduce parallel narratives in historical and contemporary women’s fiction. Some of my favorites include anything pertaining to archivists, curators, scribes, researchers, and academics. Sometimes the parallel narrative is in the form of epistolary fiction –– artifacts and documents the curator, archivist, or researcher in the modern day stumbles across that takes us into the historical narrative literally (like The Weight of Ink, Possession, The Lost Apothecary) or figuratively (Meet Me at the Museum). I especially adore fiction that follows said curator, archivist, and academic on their journey, like The Clockmaker’s Daughter and The Magnolia Palace. I’m open to two historical narratives (Our Woman in Moscow) as well as one historical and one contemporary (Next Year in Havana), just as long as both narratives are tied in some way while still having two separate, compelling journeys.
YOUNG ADULT FICTION
Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, and Horror || The YA world is difficult to break into as nearly every genre is oversaturated. But I’m such a sucker for YA fantasy — I love all the worlds and ideas and originality that floods the market. That’s the issue at stake, though: it needs to be original. So while I love fairytale retellings, they need to be proper retellings, with twists and turns and the ability to stand on their own––just like my clients Lisa DeSelm’s The Puppetmaster’s Apprentice and Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights. I love culturally-influenced or mythology-inspired stories (like Six Crimson Cranes ), dark academia that spins the genre on its head like Curious Tides, as well as historically-inspired fantasies and elemental magic narratives like Divine Rivals, A Magic Steeped in Poison and What the River Knows. I’m immensely interested in gothic-infused fantasies like House of Hollow and I want to explore female rage, toxic masculinity, empowerment, and revolution through a gothic lens. If you have a YA fantasy, send it my way, especially if they fit into any of the above criteria.
Pie-in-the-sky: (As stated in the adult fiction section, since it applies here too) What every single book mentioned above accomplishes is the ability to take a creature, character, or tradition from a culture, tale, or faith and make it entirely new, unique, fresh. I want to see golems, djinn, wendigos, vetalas, almasties––I’m tired of the typical werewolf/vampire/angel/fairy. Give me something rarely covered in Western literature. Give me depth to the world and the characters. I don’t need heists and sword fights and action-action-action to propel my reading. They’re entertaining, but I’m here for the meat of the story, not the garnish. I would especially love to see this from marginalized and underrepresented voices.
NOTE: (As stated in the adult fiction second, since it applies here too) While I enjoy romantic fantasy (as you can see from some of my suggestions above), I am not interested in romantasy. Romantasy has come to be defined as spicy and/or romance-forward/-focused. If the project would be perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Rebecca Yarros, or Lauren Roberts, it’s not for me. (I know, I know, I’m in the minority! But that works in your favor. Best to try someone else!)
Contemporary Fiction || It is all about the voice for me when it comes to YA contemporary. When I read YA contemporary, I need to feel like I’m talking to my high school best friend. Teen readers can spot inauthenticity in a heartbeat, and you want to make sure you have their desires and heartbreaks in the voice of your protagonist. You’re not an adult trying to be a teen — you are a teen. That said, I am seeking fantastic rom-coms full of heart and genuine humor; badass heroines; and great family and friendship dynamics. I want to see real conflicts and obstacles to overcome, I want to see hope and love and light from a supporting cast, and I want the voice to make me laugh and cry. Perfect examples of this are my own clients Kaitlyn Hill (Love From Scratch), Annie Cardi (Red), Jared Reck (A Short History of the Girl Next Door) and Nina Moreno (Don’t Date Rosa Santos). I’d love to see more characters with fun and interesting jobs and unique hobbies (A Pho Love Story and Happily Ever Afters). I tend to lean on the lighter side of things, with hope at the end of the tunnel. I do like tear-jerkers, but I want that spark of hope and inspiration at the end.
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For a final once-over, feel free to read my Manuscript Wishlist post, follow submission guidelines, read up on Publishers Marketplace deals, check out my clients page and book deals records, and catch up on this blog once in a while to read my thoughts and reviews of published works. Every little bit helps to getting representation! Oh, and as a reminder:
ALWAYS seeking: diversity. Race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, mentality, health, economic status, religious affiliation, all of it. I want my clients’ projects to reflect the beautiful diversity of the world, I want to see and share with others life through another’s eyes, I want to see these differences expressed through art and creation and culture, to show that these books need to be on bookshelves.
Open to queries: even during times of the year when publishing seems extra busy, or extra slow, or I’m on vacation or traveling — I am open to queries. I read every single query. With that said, if I’m busy or traveling or on vacation, I’ll have an away message up with clear, simple instructions about what will happen with your query in the time I’m away. Please note that though I’ve never closed to queries in the ten years I’ve been an agent, it is taking me longer to read and review the queried manuscripts I’ve requested.
NOT actively seeking: anything set in space, anything set in the future, thrillers and suspense (psychological, military, legal, political, or otherwise), Greek or Roman-inspired narratives (I’m sorry, I’m just not into it), all nonfiction (poems, essays, memoirs, how-tos, everything nonfiction), scripts or screenplays, short story collections, picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, paranormal romance, smut, erotica, high spice. If your project uses any of these descriptors, it’s an automatic no. I’m not the agent for any of these projects, so please do not send them to me.
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I hope this is helpful! I’m looking forward to receiving great manuscripts in 2025!
Scribbles & Wanderlust 