Rebecca Williamson

I’m looking for voices that jump off the page and stories that really sucker punch me with any and all kinds of emotion. I tend to be more drawn to complex characters that have a clear arc, such as a goal to achieve or desire to fight for something they believe in.

At this time, I am only looking for author/illustrators in the picture book and graphic novel spaces. I am also interested in biographies, memoirs, and nonfiction ideas from picture books through young adult that are interesting and well-researched. I would be happy to represent an author’s fully body of work if they write across all ages and genres.

Picture Books:

In fiction, nonfiction, and biographies, I am looking for stories that stick with readers and will withstand the test of time. I really love a strong plot and well-defined character arc. I tend to prefer characters that are human over animals or anthropomorphic objects, but I’m open to anything since you never know what you’ll fall in love with.

Please see the Illustrator section below for more information on what I gravitate toward in children’s art.

Middle Grade:

In middle grade fiction, I love reading any genre, though I am more drawn to fantasy, mystery, and contemporary. I particularly enjoy middle grade books with a lot of heart. Some specifics I’m interested in are:

• Fun mysteries in any genre
• First crushes, like Keep It Together, Keiko Carter
• Girls in sports
• Found family in any genre
• Fantasies based on world mythologies, like the Pandava Quintet or The Two Wrong Halves of Ruby Taylor
• Protagonists interested in social activism, like Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code or Go With the Flow

For middle grade nonfiction, I am open to any exciting/interesting topic, but my specific interests are the same as what’s listed in young adult listed above. Some recent middle grade nonfiction I’ve read are Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You, We Need To Talk About Vaginas, and Little Dreamers.

Young Adult:

In YA fiction, my favorite genres to read are romance, fantasy, and contemporary, but I enjoy reading almost anything. Some specifics I’d like to see are:

• Younger protagonists around ages 14-16
• Cozy and/or light fantasies with lower stakes, like So This is Ever After, or stories that are Ghibli-esque (a love story is a plus)
• Fluffy rom-coms that make me squeal into my pillow, like This Time It’s Real
• Contemporary romances with more emotional undertones, like Even If It Breaks Your Heart or The Other Side of Perfect
• Historical fiction in romance, fantasy, mystery, etc. that features diverse characters, like The Davenports or The Red Palace
• Girls in sports, like Along for the Ride or Home Field Advantage

For YA nonfiction, biographies, and memoirs, I am open to any topics, but some ideas that I am interested in are social activism, feminism, intersectionality, world cultures and mythologies, the arts (music, dance, theatre, etc.), pop culture, and women’s sports (bonus points for soccer, dance, or gymnastics), but anything can catch my attention if the idea is interesting and/or exciting. Some recent YA nonfiction books I’ve read are Unstoppable! and All Boys Aren’t Blue. (Side note: I really loved the adult nonfiction book Everything I Need I Get From You by Kaitlyn Tiffany.)

Middle Grade or Young Adult Graphic Novels:

In the graphic novel space, I’m looking for any of the same genres or bullet points of interest that are listed in the other YA or MG sections above.

Please see the Illustrator section below for more information on what I gravitate toward in children’s art.

New Adult:

In the NA space, I’m mainly looking for stories that have some kind of romance. I’m really intrigued by the idea of a genre mash-up in this space, so please feel free to mix and match my bullets or something beyond that. I’d love to see a concept that hasn’t been done before.

The romance can be part of the main plot or a subplot, spice or no spice. I’m extremely open to LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC stories.

• Cozy and/or light fantasy or romantasy
• Sports romance in contemporary or fantasy setting
• Historical mystery romance akin to The Apothecary Diaries
• Paranormal or mythological romance with less common creatures, such as a siren
• Secret college society, magic encouraged, like Legendborn but for an NA audience
• Protagonists who are actually the villain
• Dystopian with a strong, high-concept hook, but not an apocalypse story

For Illustrators:

I’m not an expert in art, but for children’s art, I do have qualities that I tend to gravitate toward more than others. I like whimsy and magic. While white space is important, I prefer more detailed, complex, and layered illustrations with movement rather than static scenes. Colors can be softer, pastel, vibrant, bright, etc. as long as they feel atmospheric and blend together. Regarding medium, I lean more toward hand-drawn styles or digital art that emulates physical mediums over flat vector style (crisper lines). My personal preference for character styles is more realistic than cartoon. Most importantly, I really appreciate when art conveys characters’ emotions throughout an entire story arc. (Lastly, I want to give big thanks to my friend who helped me with some of the art terms.)

I’m not the best fit for:

• board books, wordless picture books, early readers, or chapter books (at this time)
• horror, specifically jump scare/locked room horror, or excessive gore unless it’s not too gruesome
• novels in verse
• apocalypse stories unless it’s more lighthearted, like The Prince and the Apocalypse
• animals or inanimate objects as protagonists in middle grade or young adult
• Picture books based on learning early concepts, like numbers, letters, colors, shapes, or any type of strictly educational concept

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to submissions@sheldonfogelmanagency.com

Please read our submissions guidelines at Sheldon Fogelman Agency’s submissions website link.

Guidelines & Details