Caryn Wiseman

Andrea Brown Literary Agency

My Manuscript Wish List®

Social Justice and lifting diverse voices have always been at the heart of my list. I represent everything from picture books through Young Adult, both fiction and nonfiction. “Smart with heart” is my watchword, and I love fiction in all categories except high fantasy, paranormal, and really graphic horror. No zombies, fallen angels, or vampires, please! If I need a map to follow, or if I have to stop reading because of all the death and dismemberment, it’s not for me. I’m probably not the right person for witches, either. Darkness is fine in middle-grade or YA fiction or nonfiction, as long as there is hope or redemption in the end. I love a good, cathartic cry.

I represent authors, illustrators, and author/illustrators.

Currently, I am looking for the following (some changes here!):

Middle-grade and YA Jewish-themed fiction by Jewish authors. I’m interested in themes of Jewish empowerment and battling antisemitism, settings such as Jewish camp or youth group, stories that celebrate being Jewish, and stories centering characters who just happen to be Jewish. I’m very interested in stories about and by Jews of color and queer Jews. I’d prefer contemporary stories, but I am also interested in historical fiction and nonfiction about lesser known settings or events like the Shanghai Ghetto or stories about Southern Jews.

In general, I am looking for fiction by BIPOC authors, especially queer, disabled, religious minority BIPOC or otherwise marginalized BIPOC

Middle-grade:

funny contemporary stories that will also make me cry (would love to see something like ALMOST FLYING, by Jake Maia Arlow)
stories featuring queer characters in middle school
family stories (would love to see something like RUBY LOST & FOUND, by Christina Li)
sibling stories
Spooky MG (not too dark)
Mysteries
Main characters with disabilities, by disabled authors

YA:

rom coms where both the main character and love interest are POC
- anything that could be comped to Nicola Yoon’s books
- anything that feels like a 2000’s rom com or THE CARRIE DIARIES
mysteries!!! thrillers!!! — anything that can be comped to A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER by Holly Jackson or SUDDENLY A MURDER by Lauren Munoz
- Would be interested in seeing a thriller/mystery about a wilderness camp
anything that can be comped to Nina LaCour’s WE ARE OKAY or WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart
horror that’s primarily plot-based (like YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DIE TONIGHT, by Kaylnn Bayron)
- no gothic horror, please
horror that could be comped to YELLOWJACKETS
unexpected retellings (something different from Shakespeare and Jane Austen)
fairytale retellings that have a twist (something like the pitch to LIAR’S KINGDOM, by Christine Calella [a Cinderella retelling about a girl who is NOT the one the prince fell in love with, but who happens to still fit the shoe, and decides to fake it till she makes it]
- really anything about fake or undercover royalty, even if not a retelling! (like THE FALSE PRINCE, by Jennifer Nielsen)
fantasy that’s based in the real world or history (something like THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS)
- no high fantasy, space science fiction, please
stories set in (non-European, not Greek) Ancient history, whether with fantasy/mythology or not, ie something like CIRCE or KAIKEYI for YA readers, or like THE LIES WE SING TO THE SEA, by Sarah Underwood)
teen spy novels in the vein of I’D TELL YOU I LOVE YOU BUT THEN I’D HAVE TO KILL YOU
books featuring autistic characters or a main character with OCD, by an author who shares the character’s identity

PBs:

- BIPOC authors and illustrators

No rhyming texts
Stories about family and culture, though not focused on food
Text-only is OK
Stories about human characters only!

Currently, I am NOT looking for:

Non-fiction

Graphic novels

High fantasy

Space operas

Manuscripts with on the page sexual violence

Stories with adult protagonists

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to http://QueryMe.Online/CarynWiseman

I only accept queries through my QueryManager form. Please follow the prompts in the form and complete all required fields. When submitting your query via QueryManager, you will receive a confirmation of receipt from this program. https://QueryManager.com/CarynWiseman
All submissions should include a short Query Letter introducing yourself and including a description of your work, as well as previous publishing credentials (if any), and publisher submission history.
Following your Query Letter, depending on what you are submitting, you will be asked to include:
- Picture Book text: full manuscript text typed (or copy/pasted) into the box provided in the QueryManager form
- Picture Book with illustrations (if you are an artist and writer): attach the full dummy (in pdf format) that includes 1-2 color samples, and provide a link to your online portfolio
- Illustrations: attach 2-3 illustration samples (in jpeg format), and provide link to online portfolio
- Fiction (chapter books, MG, YA): first 10 pages typed (or copy/pasted) into the box provided in the QueryManager form
- Non-fiction: proposal and sample chapter typed (or copy/pasted) into the boxes provided in the QueryManager form
- Graphic novel (art and text): attach 10-20 sample page spreads in jpg or pdf format, summary/synopsis typed (or copy/pasted) into the box provided in the QueryManager form, and provide link to online portfolio
- Graphic novel (script only): first 10 pages of script typed (or copy/pasted) into the box provided in the QueryManager form
Please be sure to enclose a contact phone number as well as your email address.
You are free to submit to agents at agencies other than ABLA at the same time you query me, but it is a professional courtesy to let me know that yours is a multiple submission. If you receive an offer of representation from another agency, please let me know immediately so I can respond accordingly.