ADULT FICTION: I’m interested in novels that are fresh and inventive without necessarily seeking to be edgy. I value writing that is thoughtful, clear, clever, and beautiful on a line level, so long as those well-crafted sentences comprise a compelling, memorable voice and a distinct point of view. I favor character-driven literary fiction that’s unashamed to borrow from genre fiction, particularly speculative/fantasy elements, rich historical settings, and a little mystery. My interest is always piqued by coming-of-age narratives at any age; campus novels; ensemble casts and found/chosen families; grappling with religious tradition; cults and cliques, broadly defined to include any group with a shared obsession—band kids, secret societies, sports fans, witch covens; marginalized characters and underrepresented points of view; dry humor; and unconventional storytelling methods. Fiction offers infinite possibilities, and I’m open to being surprised.
YA/MG: My interest on the children’s side is primarily in YA, but I’m open to select MG projects. I read for many of the same qualities in children’s fiction as I do in adult, but I prefer more high-concept, fun MG (Freddie vs. the Family Curse, The Gilded Girl) and more realistic, emotional YA, whether contemporary or historical. I’m drawn to second-gen narratives in the vein of Kelly Loy Gilbert, Randy Ribay, Mary H.K. Choi; school stories with an edge (Ace of Spades, One of Us Is Lying); enemies-to-friends relationships; and smart, weird kids, e.g. the orphans of A Series of Unfortunate Events, the child prodigies of The Mysterious Benedict Society, and the savvy, sassy winner of The Westing Game. Across categories, I want to see books for kids and teens who aren’t white, cis, straight, male, neurotypical, allosexual, able-bodied, beautiful, middle-class, Americans, or any of the many things they’re taught are “normal” and good—books that allow young readers to better understand each other, themselves, and the world around them.