Rhian MacGillivray
Birch Literary
My Manuscript Wish List®
Before joining Birch Literary, I worked for more than a decade as a Spanish-English translator, editor and proofreader.
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I’m looking for adult commercial or upmarket fiction that can be classed as women’s, book club, historical, romance, or fantasy or romantasy fiction. Ultimately, I want fiction that will make me feel something, keep me up late at night, and have me still thinking about it months down the line.
I’m a sucker for coming-of-age stories and those told with multiple POVs, whatever the genre.
Women’s fiction: Give me strong female characters facing difficult choices and complex relationships, like Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors, or Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. I’ll read anything in the vein of Taylor Jenkins Reid or Kristin Hannah.
Book club fiction: I’m looking for books with emotional depth and human connections, or ones that will open up a new world to me. For example, I loved diving into videogames in Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, and hockey culture in Beartown by Fredrik Backman, while exploring different themes.
Historical fiction: I want to be immersed in another time and place through well-researched fiction, and if it’s got a bit of romance thrown in, all the better, like the incredible In Memoriam by Alice Winn. I also loved Sophie Irwin’s historical romance A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting and its sequel.
Romance: In romance, I want to see strong characters, big emotions, complicated relationships, and more. If I had to pick, I’d say my favorite tropes are slow burn romance and grumpy vs. sunshine, but these preferences are by no means prescriptive. I’m not a good fit for the fake dating trope as I’ve never been able to get into it. Spice is okay, but it shouldn’t feel gratuitous. My favorite romance book would have to be Beach Read by Emily Henry.
Fantasy/romantasy: I prefer romantic fantasy where the romance is not necessarily front and center, but rather the plot shines and the romance is secondary. I’m drawn to anything that involves high stakes, political intrigue and dynamics, scheming, and unlikely heroes. Recently, I really enjoyed Servant of Earth by Sarah Hawley with its high-stakes trials and strong female character.
I am not seeking any YA, children’s fiction, or non-fiction books at this time.
Fun facts about me:
I’m fluent in Spanish and also speak French (although it’s much rustier these days!).
I love music and will listen to almost anything, from Mozart and Pavarotti through to Taylor Swift, Fleetwood Mac, The Killers, AC/DC, and Iron Maiden.
Submission Guidelines
Submissions should be emailed to rhian@birchliterary.com
Please send a short query letter along with the first three chapters or 10,000 words of your manuscript, and a 1-2 page synopsis, all in one Word document to rh***@***********ry.com.
Vital Info
I’d like the next…
– Anything that comps to books by authors like Gabrielle Zevin, Emily Henry, Taylor Jenkins Reid, or Fredrik Backman.
– Book club fiction with incredible, interconnected characters – Liane Moriarty does this so well.
– A hilarious romcom.
My favorites include…
Books: Beach Read | The Book Thief | Beartown | In Memoriam | These Is My Words | All The Light We Cannot See | Big Little Lies | Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
TV: Succession | Mad Men | Game of Thrones | Band of Brothers | Friends
Movies: Schindler’s List | Gladiator | Mamma Mia (I watch this at least once a year!)
