Roma Panganiban

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.

In nonfiction, I’m looking for narrative works of journalism or cultural history that uncover new ground or approach familiar topics with such curiosity and intensity that they feel new, as well as creative nonfiction that feels intimate, idiosyncratic, and/or wryly funny. I love food writing that incorporates aspects of personal narrative, and any book involving original research or contemporary analysis that reorients the way we see the world.