Patricia Nelson

I’m looking for middle grade and young adult fiction, as well as book club and upmarket adult fiction and a wide range of commercial women’s fiction. I am especially seeking novels by BIPOC, queer, and disabled authors in all genres that I represent.

On the adult side, I’m looking for book club and upmarket fiction that has a unique point of view and big ideas, as well as the whole spectrum of women’s fiction, everything from lighter beach reads and romcoms to darker stories with a mystery or suspense thread. I’m also interested in novels with speculative, horror, or magical realist elements in these categories.

On the young adult side, I have quite wide ranging tastes and am open to contemporary realistic stories as well as more fantastical premises (including sci-fi/fantasy as well as contemporary fantasy, horror, and magical realism), as long as the book has a stand-out voice, beautiful writing, and a captivating and original plot. I tend to gravitate toward the quirky, strange, unusual and/or offbeat, and love innovative narrative structures when the author pulls them off.

For middle grade, I generally lean toward warm, heartfelt stories with pitch-perfect voice – and a touch of humor or a splash of magic doesn’t hurt.

Across the board, compelling characters, a strong voice, and a fresh, original hook are key to grabbing my attention. Some specific items always on my wish list include:

• upmarket fiction with a speculative twist, a la Station Eleven or The Power
• commercial fiction or romance with a speculative element, a la The Seven Year Slip
• upmarket adult horror and/or horror romance
• fun, splashy, diverse romcoms with a big hook and/or a genre twist
• historical women’s fiction set in the 1960s and after
• clever, original YA, MG or adult mysteries that keep me guessing
• atmospheric YA, MG, or adult contemporary fantasy, especially anything witchy
• magical realism in YA, MG, or adult fiction
• YA or MG novels by poets (either in verse or prose)
• YA or MG in any genre that could be described as haunting, eerie and/or weird
• contemporary YA or MG featuring teens who get involved with their communities and care about social justice
• cozy, Studio Ghibli-esque YA or MG fantasy that makes me want to sip a cup of tea in front of the fire
• YA or MG historical fantasy that brings a different time and place to life
• voicey, diverse YA contemporary and/or romcoms
• diverse YA fantasy with fresh worldbuilding and high stakes
• heartfelt middle grade that deals with tough issues in a kid-accessible way
• literary middle grade fantasy with immersive, imaginative worldbuilding
• LGBTQ+ protagonists in stories that aren’t (just) about coming out, bullying, or discrimination, in all genres/categories
• fresh takes on female friendships or queer community, in all genres/categories
• novels set in Michigan, Texas, California, Chicago or the Pacific Northwest
• novels set outside the United States
• in general, anything with a strong sense of place

And here are some recent movies/TV/pop culture I’ve enjoyed and would be excited to see books with a similar vibe:

• For YA/adult: Laid, Severance, My Old Ass, Agatha All Along, My Lady Jane, Blink Twice, Challengers, Poor Things, Saltburn, Past Lives, Joy Ride, Quiz Lady, Rye Lane, Only Murders in the Building, Dickinson, Palm Springs, The Bear, The Afterparty, Ready or Not, The Worst Person in the World, Hacks, Shiva Baby, Taylor Swift’s folklore and evermore
• For MG: Encanto, Turning Red, The Owl House, Netflix’s The Babysitter’s Club, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, the documentary Lily Topples the World, The Sea Beast, Nimona, Over the Garden Wall, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Please note that I do NOT represent: nonfiction, memoir, adult sci-fi or fantasy, international espionage thrillers, chapter books, picture books, screenplays, or poetry collections.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to https://QueryManager.com/querypatricia

Please submit your query letter and the first ten pages of your manuscript via form.

Guidelines & Details