Query Guidelines

Submission Guidelines

Queries MUST be submitted using the form at Query Manager. Submissions sent any other way will be deleted unread.

The submission form will ask for the query letter, info about the writer/illustrator and the manuscript being queried, and the first 10 pages* of the manuscript pasted into the form. Picture book and board book authors may submit up to three manuscripts at one time; just include a paragraph description of each manuscript as part of the query. (Only one submission at a time is allowed, though, so don’t try to submit three manuscripts separately; include them in the same submission.)

*10 pages in standard manuscript format: 12-point Times New Roman or equivalent font, double-spaced.

Response time for queries is usually 6 hours to 6 weeks. I respond to every query I receive. Response to requested manuscripts is generally 1 to 4 months.

Submission Period

I will be open to queries the first 10 days each month. The Query Manager form is set to automatically open and close based on those dates. If you miss the open period, don’t worry as it will open again a few weeks later.

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Manuscript Wishlist

My tastes are fairly eclectic, so to give you a little help, I’ve listed some of the things I’m looking for in general, plus stuff I don’t like and a few topics or genres I’d love to find in my query pile.

In all of these categories, I particularly want stories that are:
––weird, strange, odd, quirky or don’t fit neatly into a box
—diverse stories and characters (especially #ownvoices and stories by and about people from an ethnic, cultural, or religious background, or who are disabled, have chronic illness, or are on the LBGTQIA+ spectrum)
—approach mental health from an authentic viewpoint (not the POV of a character dealing with a sibling who has mental illness, for example)

Picture Books

I’m closing to Picture Books for the time being so I can focus on building up other age groups in my client list. I will still accept Board Books only from author-illustrators.

I’m especially interested in work by author-illustrators. 

Examples of picture books I’m looking for:

—Subtle humor that both adults and kids will appreciate (e.g. Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton)
—Innovative formats or styles (such as Press Here by Hervé Tullet)
—Subversive stories (like It’s a Book or The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales)

Don’t send me:

—Seussian books—be original and create your own style
—Moralistic tales (trying to teach a lesson instead of just telling a good story)
—Holiday stories (Christmas, Valentine’s, Halloween)
—Cutesy or overly sappy stories
—Poetry
—Rhyming stories (unless you view the Rhythm & Rhyme video series first and can guarantee the rhyme is done well)

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Early Reader and Chapter Books

Note: Early readers are the very simple books for kids who are just learning to read. “See Dick. See Dick write a book. Write, Dick, write!” They are not picture books—unless they have very few words, such as with the Elephant and Piggie series by Mo Willems. Chapter books are more complex than early readers, but not as long or in depth as middle grade books. They often have large(r) type and more illustrations than you’d see with middle grade. Think Ivy and Bean or Clementine.

Example of Early Reader and Chapter Books I enjoy:

—Funny (Wayside School series)
—Clever (think Judy Blume or Beverly Cleary)
—Early readers from author/illustrators (think Mo Willems)

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Middle Grade

I’m always looking for good Middle Grade fiction, like:

—Literary (I’ve been in the mood for gorgeous writing lately; woo me with your words)
—Magical realism (see my series of posts on What Is Magical Realism? before querying me; more than half the queries I receive for magical realism are miscategorized)
—Adventure (even better if the parents are alive and they have a strong family relationship)
—Mystery/suspense
—Spooky (anything with the flavor of Roald Dahl, Edward Gorey, or Lemony Snicket)
—Fantasy
—Contemporary realistic (I’m more into funny for mg realistic fiction)
—Graphic novels (ex. Binky the Space Cat)
—Historical (I’m more interested in historical stories from lesser-known cultures or time periods; e.g, not WWII)

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Young Adult

I’m interested a variety of YA fiction, including:

—Literary (I’ve been in the mood for gorgeous writing lately; woo me with your words)
—Magical realism (anything by Sarah Addison Allen, but for teens; see my series of posts on What Is Magical Realism? before querying me; more than half the queries I receive for magical realism are miscategorized)
—Adventure (even better if the parents are alive and they have a strong family relationship; I love sibling stories, especially sisters)
—Mystery/suspense
—Horror (I’m a sucker for a good spooky ghost story, especially Gothic horror or Southern Gothic)
—Fantasy (I’m particularly enjoying Cozy Fantasy right now; I also prefer fantasy that subverts or twists common tropes and archetypes so it doesn’t read like the standard Hero’s Journey)
—Sci-fi
—Contemporary realistic
—Graphic novels

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Nonfiction

I’d love to find more children’s nonfiction for all age groups, including:

—Narrative nonfiction (if the story reads almost like a novel)
—History
—Science/discovery
—Cookbooks (for MG or YA)

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#MSWL

A few specific types of manuscripts that I’d love to find:

—offbeat stories that are smart yet fun (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
—anything reminiscent of Roald Dahl’s stories for children
—quirky or somewhat bizarre
—dark and creepy
—literary with gorgeous prose and a good plot
—narrative nonfiction for kids (Witches! The Absolutely True Tale of Disaster in Salem)
—set in the West and/or Southwest U.S.
—realistic stories about family relationships or friendships
—kids who spark rebellions or speak truth to power (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)

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Skip Me

I’m not your best bet if you write:

—novels in verse
—paranormal romance (I’m more interested in scary monsters than ones humans date)
—dystopian or post-apocalyptic (especially with zombies)
—angsty books that focus on an issue (suicide, eating disorders, sexual assault) over character or plot
—stories in which smoking and drug use are shown as cool, or that encourages abusive behavior
—stories with incest or pseudo-incest (Flowers in the Attic, Forbidden)
—books that perpetuate harmful stereotypes (racial, religious, gender, sexual orientation, etc.)
—stories that mock mental illness, shame kids/teens who take medication, or where a kid has to learn to deal with a relative who is “crazy”
—anything that glorifies fascism

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I Don’t Represent

—New adult
—Adult fiction
—General nonfiction
—Poetry
—Short story collections
—Memoir
—Religious fiction or nonfiction