#MSWL

Please note I only accept agented submissions.

What I’m Looking for Right Now
updated April 2023

  • Younger YA/upper MG not focused on romance
  • Cozy MG and YA mysteries
  • Stories from disabled writers
  • Examinations of the intersection of culture, family, and sense of self
  • Funny, heartfelt, family-centered stories along the lines of shows like Kim’s Convenience, Schitt’s Creek, or Bob’s Burgers. I also wouldn’t say no to a Gilmore Girls-esque YA.
  • A complex YA thriller that isn’t about another dead white girl
  • Loners finding their people
  • Messy main characters you can’t help but root for, even if it’s against your better judgment
  • Small-town settings with a colorful, quirky cast of characters
  • Nonfiction about universal design 
  • Slice-of-life graphic novel along the lines of This One Summer or Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
  • Contemporary, literary YA comparable to Jason Reynolds, Elizabeth Acevedo, and my longtime fave John Green
  • Anything that can be comped to a Taylor Swift song

Across the Board

  • High-concept plot with high-concept thought. This is how I describe my taste overall: A strong commercial hook paired with more literary writing.
  • Contemporary stories are my bread and butter. I enjoy magical realism, speculative elements, and a dash of horror, but generally am not a good fit for SFF.
  • Disability representation. I have a younger sister with Down Syndrome, so this is a topic near and dear to my heart. I am specifically looking for projects written by disabled authors.
  • Latine representation. My father was born in Cuba, and my grandparents moved the whole family to the United States shortly after Castro came into power.
  • Make me laugh! My sense of humor extends from the driest, darkest, most British humor to the completely absurd.
  • Psychological. This includes psychological thrillers, unreliable narrators, and stories that cover mental illness.
  • Unique storytelling structures. I love anything that plays with structure; I’m probably the only person who actually enjoyed having to read Catch-22 in AP English. I love books that play with timelines, have multiple character perspectives, etc. Surprise me!

Young Adult

For YA, I love thoughtful projects; nothing super fluffy. Give me a strong voice with something to say along the lines of Jason Reynolds and Elizabeth Acevedo. While I enjoy a good romcom, I prefer a coming-of-age story with romance versus a romance with a coming-of-age plotline, you know? My taste also tends to veer a little darker, even a little weird; think Akwaeke Emezi and Laura Ruby. 

Middle Grade

For middle grade, I like a lighter voice with a story that has some emotional heft–hijinx and heart, I call it. Think Kelly Yang, Rebecca Stead, Kate DiCamillo, and Kathi Appelt. I also love a good Scooby gang and enjoy Hocus Pocus-level spookiness.

Picture Books

For picture books, I am looking for both sentimental and funny texts. I love stories about family, emotions, and discoveries about the world and one’s self; however, I don’t like anything too heavy handed or overly message driven. For humorous stories, cleverness is key! 

I Am Not a Good Match For

  • Sci-fi
  • Fantasy
  • Heavy historical fiction
  • Sports stories
  • Books where the dog dies