Madelyn Burt

Stonesong Literary Agency

My Manuscript Wish List®

In fiction, I’m still open to children’s but I’m focusing on adult mysteries, thrillers, crime, and select historicals. I like stories with a strong voice, an immersive sense of suspense, character-driven reads, and stories whose characters have well-developed relationships. I’m also really keen on witty (and, occasionally, not-so-witty) banter; diversity; smart heists; optimism; libraries, museums, and cemeteries; new points of view. I’d especially like to see:

  • all kinds of mystery stories
  • heists/capers
  • psychological and/or domestic thrillers and suspense, especially from a unique perspective
  • historicals that are anchored in a something other than a battle or a war

The Holy Grail for me right now would be an adult spy book with a really capable, relatable woman protagonist — think the teenage girl spy protagonists of YA (a la The Gallagher Girls), but all grown up.

I’m also dying for a murder at ComicCon/the Ren Faire/while LARPing, aka somewhere everyone’s in costume and in character.

In nonfiction, I’m interested history that focuses very closely on a specific period, person, or group, and that give the reader a connection to the past. Bonus points for topics that go above and beyond what we learn in school, things that are maybe a little bit obscure or a little bit strange.

 

Fun facts about me:

I grew up in California, and I genuinely think puns are funny.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to submissions@stonesong.com

  •  Submit your query addressed at submissions@stonesong.com.
  • Include the word “query” and my name in the subject line of your email to ensure we receive it and it isn’t filtered as spam.
  • Include the first chapter or first 10 pages of your work, pasted into the body of your email, so that we may get a sense of your writing. Please do not send attachments.

Guidelines & Details