Rachael Kelly

I am an Associate Editor looking to acquire primarily fiction at Grand Central Publishing.

On the fiction side, I am particularly interested in commercial and upmarket women’s fiction across genres—books that combine rapid pacing with artistic prose, nuanced character development, and complex themes—but will admit that I have a soft spot for all things romantic, suspenseful, mysterious, and psychological. I’m mainly looking for a compelling hook, sharp social commentary (class, culture, and identity), and voice-driven stories, regardless of genre/premise. Generally speaking, I prefer contemporary to historical. I am especially drawn to authors who have smart, original voices, fresh insights and perspectives, and a strong connection to their subject matter.

On the nonfiction side, I gravitate toward narrative nonfiction and memoir, especially works that reflect on art, culture, and the effects of history. I’m especially on the lookout for nonfiction that explores “off-the-beaten-path” territory, women’s issues, and books that speak to our current cultural climate.

Wishlist Specifics:

Fiction:

*Escapist fiction (commercial or book club)
*High concept fiction (hit me with a big, exciting premise!)
*Contemporary romance, romcoms, and romantasy (steamy!)
*Diverse thrillers/psychological suspense
*Loose reimaginings/retellings
*Native American fiction 

• Complex characters
• Well-crafted family relationships or close friendships involving secrets that propel the plot forward, and eventually result in some sort of reckoning
• Contained settings: school campus, small town, secret society, isolated home/estate, etc.
• International settings
• Anything involving a love story/romance that deals with larger themes, making it a contender for hardcover
• Atmospheric/immersive writing
• Sophisticated/elevated mysteries and psychological thrillers
• Books that grapple with identity and the complexities of contemporary life
• Concrete conclusions (I generally don’t love ambiguous endings!)

Nonfiction:

• Narrative nonfiction and memoir
• Thoughtful, well-researched, story-driven nonfiction that sheds light on larger cultural issues
• True Crime that details not just the crime itself but its larger societal impact (and hopefully has a literary edge)
• Books that grapple with identity and the complexities of contemporary life

Submission Guidelines

Unfortunately, I am not able to consider unsolicited manuscript submissions/queries at Hachette. Agents, please email your pitch to me directly. I look forward to hearing from you!