Antonica Jones

Ink & Locket Press

I work primarily with young adult, new adult and science-fiction/fantasy novels.

As head editor at Ink & Locket Press, I'm mainly interested in YA fiction and picture books with a focus on positive representations of the diverse reality we live in.

I'm also looking to acquire a number of YA short stories for various themed anthologies (such as our 2016 project 'LGBT+ WARRIORS'; calls for submissions posted on our website), featuring underrepresented and marginalised characters, plus several picture books celebrating the diversity of the real world—without the book being about that diversity (such as our 2016 project 'LGBT+ parents').

Update: writers, please note my MSWL focuses are general wishes and hopes, or concepts I would love to (someday) work with as an editor. Please check the publishing house's submission guidelines and current openings if you are considering submitting a work for my interest based on my MSWL. Thanks!

2016 personal manuscript wishlist

• stories in which 'diversity' is not plot, just reality: communities and subject matters that reflect the diversity of the world, without that diversity being the sole plot
• teen/YA disabled, POC and LGBT+ protagonists: non-'diversity'-oriented plots and #ownvoices stories (particularly: neurodivergent, blind, d/Deaf/HoH, mentally ill, BAME women, asexual, bisexual, genderqueer and trans characters)
• protagonists that 'make' themselves: leave the 'chosen one' narrative at the door!
• YA that celebrates the normal: we're not all the next van Gogh, Beyonce or Kurt Cobain, and that's okay
• science-fiction, fantasy, magical realism and surrealism: down-to-Earth, character-driven stories; kooky-yet-realistic stories; YA surrealism!!
• non-Eurocentric/non-Westernised stories: fantasy/science-fiction; YA not based in the US/UK/Aus; culturally diverse Steampunk
• interesting genre inversions: literary fiction—in space! etc.
• reader empowerment, in background or foreground: body positivity, size positivity, sex positivity, mental illness & depression positivity without glorifying suffering!
• creepy concepts, experimental & honest writing: give me your weird stuff. Budget spaceships and protags who don't have a clue what they're doing. Good-guy misunderstood spidermonsters.

Submission Guidelines

Guidelines & Details

Vital Info

I'd like the next...

YA Americanah, YA Kafka on the Shore, Darker Shade of Magic, My Heart and Other Black Holes, Everybody Sees the Ants, YA All the Birds, Singing, Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

My favorites include...

I am a lover of the surreal, delicate worlds of Haruki Murakami and the mundane creepiness (and subtle diversity) of Welcome to Night Vale; the character-driven intricacy of The Name of the Wind and the shitty cynicism of Haunted. I like a lot of contradictory stuff.

Grab me with a solid plot, gorgeous worldbuilding and a complex, imperfect protag who I'll miss when the book ends.

I am not looking for...

Solid romance, erotica, historical, crime or thriller novels.

I am...

A gay/pan, vegetarian, introverted editor from the UK (she/her). Found most often on Twitter @antonicajones or running @inkandlocket.

My Upcoming Events: