Kade Dishmon

I’m Kade (they/he), an assistant editor acquiring for Peachtree Publishing & Peachtree Teen seeking MG & YA fiction. I’m looking for horror, thrillers and mystery, romance, contemporary, grounded speculative fiction, and select historical fiction.

I most love books that have something important to say—either sociopolitically or about life itself. While I respond to both literary and commercial writing, I can’t resist stories with real depth and thematic weight. Send me your cathartic character arcs, authentic teen and tween messiness, and visceral emotional immediacy. I strongly prioritize voices traditionally underrepresented in publishing.

I’m looking for…

Horror

• Horror exploring sociopolitical themes
• Horror that delves into the ways in which we’re haunted by grief, shame, guilt, or destructive societal forces
• Body horror and/or horror that explores bodily autonomy
• Horror genre-blends (think horrormance, dark fantasy with strong horror elements, historical horror)

Thriller and Mystery

• Socially conscious thrillers, especially those that explore the way power structures impact who society believes and whose stories it values
• Slashers written by marginalized authors (In narratives centering violence, I am interested in those stories being told by the people most likely to experience violence)
• Intricate, detail-rich mysteries with a classic feel (especially in the MG space)—think locked rooms, secret passageways, impossible crimes, unique or isolated settings, abounding puzzles, and intrigue-filled ensemble casts

Romance

• Whether uplifting and warmhearted or dark and angsty, I am specifically looking for real emotional authenticity, vulnerability, and depth. In most cases, a submission that’s pure fluff or escapism is not for me.
• Fresh takes on beloved tropes from perspectives underrepresented in publishing
• Queer love in all its many forms, including a-spec relationships and age-appropriate crushes in the middle grade space

Contemporary 

• In this genre, I am looking for projects with serious literary merit: arresting line-level writing, raw emotional honesty, and an unforgettable voice that speaks to deeper truths about the world and ourselves.
• Stories exploring mental health themes that impact young people’s lived realities, including more stigmatized experiences
• LGBTQIA+ stories of all kinds, especially from trans/nonbinary creators. As much as I love queer joy and the found family of queer friendships, I am also here for stories that reflect the challenges specific to this community.
• Stories that address the ways in which the political environment impacts young people within their families and communities
• “Gritty,” “Issue-Driven” 

Speculative fiction set in our world

• Contemporary fantasy, especially dark fantasy. In this space, I am particularly seeking emotionally intense, character-driven narratives with richly immersive settings.
• Near-future dystopian fiction with clear ties to present-day injustices and existential threats 
• Climate fiction
• Fresh takes on time loops and time travel
• Paranormal and supernatural tales we haven’t seen before—think familiar entities (ghosts, werewolves, vampires) written from a fresh perspective, or creatures many haven’t met yet (like creatures from non western or Indigenous cultures)
• Genre-blending or outright defying books that are gloriously, unflinchingly weird

Historical

• Thematically incisive historical fiction with strong sociopolitical parallels to crises of today’s world
• Untold histories written from marginalized perspectives
• Explorations of activist history or periods of major social change
• Narratives that capitalize on 90s and aughts cultural nostalgia—think the height of emo culture and pop punk, indie sleaze, high school in the tumblr era

More specific wishlist items include:

• Trans/nonbinary-led narratives 
• Experimental narrative structures and unique POVs—think the structure of A.S. King’s Dig., or the haunted motel room’s POV in Meriam Metoui’s A Guide to the Dark
• Stories in which the protagonist is struggling with and/or is in recovery from a substance use disorder
• Books that tackle healthcare access or lack thereof—think gender affirming care, abortion and birth control access, navigating chronic illness, seeking medical care as a marginalized person
• Politically-minded road trip narratives that address the ways in which marginalized people explore and experience unfamiliar places

I am not the best fit for:

• Picture book fiction
• SFF not set in our world
• Books set in outer space
• Superhero stories
• Stories with animal protagonists
• Cis-girl-dresses-as-boy-for-opportunities trope, unless it’s queer (in which case, give it to me!)

Submission Guidelines

I accept agented submissions only unless otherwise requested. Please email full manuscripts to ka**********@************ks.com.