Mia Dakin

In fantasy, I am looking for something more grounded, with a light touch on the magical elements and edging closer to speculative/dystopic. The world building must be incredibly strong and compulsive, so that I’m quickly hooked and can’t stop reading once I begin. Something like BEAUTYLAND by Marie Helene Bertino or THE MINISTRY OF TIME by Kaliane Bradley would be good speculative examples of what I'd like to see, as well as something akin to SINNERS, blending real world history with the fantastical! In romantic fantasy, I’m looking for strong protagonists that you cannot help but root for, even when they get things wrong and would particularly like to see a queer male lead. I’m always looking for a new take on a genre and would particularly like to see a non-binary/gender neutral vampire romantasy (having recently read INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE by Anne Rice).

In romantic fiction, I have a soft spot for an enemies-to-lovers trope, and any kind of competitive edge (be that in sports, STEM, finance etc. etc.) always interests me. Having read widely in the genre, I am now looking for something that really stands out and has a USP that is both undeniable and insatiable. I would love to see some crossover romance, especially within the horror and crime genre.

In general fiction, I’m looking for stories that focus on friendship over time, across genre, like the classic romantic comedy HAPPY ALL THE TIME by Laurie Colwin, the ensemble thriller KALA by Colin Walsh and Laura Barnett's latest novel, BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES. I also love a novel that uses sibling relationships as it’s driver, such as BLUE SISTERS by Coco Mellors, LOST LAMBS by Madeline Cash, INTERMEZZO by Sally Rooney and the Women’s Prize shortlisted novel THE PERSIANS, where Sanam Mahloudji expertly and seamlessly takes the reader across narratives and timelines.

I also would love a modern and loosely inspired take on the classics such as CLUELESS (EMMA); 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU (THE TAMING OF THE SHREW); ANYONE BUT YOU (MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING); and, of course, BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY (PRIDE AND PREJUIDCE). As with all submissions, I’d like to find an own voice writer to put their take on this, from underrepresented backgrounds in publishing. A direct request would be a retelling of THE CRUCIBLE, but from the perspective of Abigail Williams...

In non-fiction I enjoy narrative/memoir with a twist, such as TAKEAWAY by Angela Hui, fresh interpretations of previously trodden areas, such as CORKER by Hannah Crosbie and non-fiction writing focused on improving our future by learning from our past, such as NOMAD CENTURY by Gaia Vince and SYSTEMIC: HOW RACISM IS MAKING US SICK by Layal Liverpool. I‘m currently interested in finding an exploration into pop and fan culture and the reasons behind why topics trend on TikTok and Reddit, such as CULTISH: THE LANGUAGE OF FANATICISM by Amanda Montell. I also have a passion for cookery, specifically in ways that authors can combine their social media platforms and their cookbook with a long-term career. Recent examples I have loved are Ruby Bhogal’s baking guide ONE BAKE, TWO WAYS, with a plant based option for each recipe; Ixta Belfrage’s innovative and fresh take on fusion cooking, MEZCLA; and Seema Pankhania’s debut cookbook CRAVEABLE, encouraging both seasoned cooks and beginners to explore flavour and variety in what they eat.