UPDATED 1/2/24 - THIS IS AN OLD MSWL - please refer to my updated 2024 MSWL to see what I'm looking for.

UPDATED for Clarification - October 20, 2023:

The elements, genres, and tropes listed below for my wish list are all things I'm looking for and would love to see, but ultimately, it is the specific premise, writing, storytelling, and execution that will help me decide whether I'm a good match for your project.

I know it's tough to submit to an agent when your project seems to match their MSWL only for them to pass on the project - but all of these elements are critical and part of my decision-making process.
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Below is an updated #MSWL I posted on Twitter today (8/30/22).

First and foremost, I’m looking for manuscripts from all voices and backgrounds for the genres specified on my list. The following are MSs I would be especially interested in and only means these will go to the top of my reading list (if I’m not already caught up).

​Even if your project does not fit the MSWL elements I list below, I would still love to see it if it falls into one of the genres I represent! The list of genres can be found on my Submissions page or on Query Tracker.

Science Fiction / Fantasy

• Science fiction and fantasy with societal and political intrigue that puts the protagonist into impossible situations that they must then cleverly prevail from.
• Science fiction with technology that will terrify humans and potentially make them extinct. 
• Science fiction that blends with another genre (example: romance, horror, fantasy, mystery, thriller). 
• Military sci/fi – yes, that’s right, I enjoy military sci/fi – would love to see it. (Planetside, The Misfit Soldier, as recent examples).

Cozies / Mysteries / Thrillers

• Cozies, mysteries (and even thrillers) set in unique spaces and worlds (frozen tundra, desert, on an oceanic station, in space, and so on), with unique murders and mysteries to solve and clever and lovable characters we can’t help but root for.

Romance

• Sweeping and gut-wrenching romance where it’s almost impossible for the couple to be together, where somehow they’re always separated (beyond their control), while being so madly in love, (example, forbidden romance, war-torn worlds).

• Rom coms with all the laughs and fun, especially secret identities/swaps, nerdy romcoms with gamers, librarians, engineers, archivists, romantic interests trapped together in some way, twins and twins – can you imagine the fun with this one!
• Regency and Victorian era romance by BIPOC authors, in addition to romance from other countries during this time period (approximately 1811-1901). For example, Rebel (Women who Dare) by Beverly Jenkins, and the forthcoming Ana Maria and The Fox by Liana De La Rosa.

 
Horror

• In horror, I’m looking for stories that lean slightly literary and are strange/weird in a disconcerting, unsettling kind of way, where the MC can never get their bearings in their world because society or the laws or people/monsters, etc. are super unusual or disturbing.

In Any Genre

• Strange family legends, strange towns, strange and atmospheric worlds, strange societies, strange laws, perhaps even dystopian, but leans literary.

 
In all things, I love enemies to lovers, enemies to friends, lovers in denial, reluctant heroines/heroes, underdogs, close family bonds, faux baddie, I’m missing a ton, but there’s only so much space – I love a lot and the premise and strong writing will be what ultimately hook me. 
 
Again, these are just the manuscripts I’d be super interested in, and this is not an exhaustive list, so I hope you’ll query me!

I'm sitting at my desk, thinking about what will happen with my inbox on Thursday when I open to queries - the truth is, I can hardly stand not reading them now. I'm elated and excited to dive in.  Thrilled for the opportunity to meet new writers and read your amazing works - works you've poured your hearts and souls into, laughed over, cried over, tore up and then put back together again. Works you've thought about while at parties, or driving, or when you were supposed to be listening to your significant other, your children, or even your dog. I'm excited to find out who my first client will be, if they'll choose me too. 

Yet I also feel like I'm hovering on the precipice, a little sad and anxious because I know that I will not be able to request more pages from most of you, and worse, I'll have to pass on amazing projects - it already hurts thinking about it and it takes me down a few notches when I do. This is the part I don't look forward to, not one bit.

But I know you will persevere, you'll keep writing and honing your craft, you'll continue to provide feedback to your fellow writers and receive feedback in return. Each step will only strengthen you, your craft, and your resolve - you'll grow stronger in the process, and I am rooting for you to one day see your dream come true. I understand how hard this process is having been on the other side and racking up rejection after rejection. It's not easy, I know. 

​Kimberly

Welcome, Authors!

I've started this blog to post random bits, thoughts, news, tips, resources, and so on. I'll admit, I'm not the best at social media or blogging, so not sure how often I'll post. 

I did tweet my first #MSWL on Twitter today, see it HERE. It's just something that appeared in my timeline, and very random, but if you have horror like this now or in the future, and it is literary'ish, even a little weird/strange, I would be all over it. And when I say weird/strange, I mean in a disconcerting, unsettling kind of way, where the MC can never really get their bearings in their world because society or the rules or laws or people, and so on, are super unusual or disturbing.

**Update - the original tweet has been deleted, but I found a longer version of the video I originally retweeted (note that this MSWL is minus the zombies).

I'll tweet more MSWL items on Twitter a few days before I open to submissions - I'm super busy this week doing other agency work, but I am so excited to read your queries! 

Kimberly
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