Rachel McCain
Gold Dust Literary
My Manuscript Wish List®
Submission Guidelines
Rachel is currently CLOSED to submissions.
I am an agent with Gold Dust Literary accepting submissions of fiction and nonfiction. I have a background in journalism; before I joined publishing, I was a writer and an editor. Additionally, I also have a background in education (high school and post secondary). I have a keen eye for detail and a genuine love of storytelling. Right now, I am dedicated to building a list of compelling, thought-provoking novels that engage readers (and inspire future writers!)
I appreciate writers with a strong voice who know how to write a compelling plot. My interests are wide ranging, but if it’s a good story, it’s a good story.
I am particularly interested in:
-New Adult/YA Crossover (Contemporary)
-Adult Fiction (Commercial/Upmarket/Women’s)
-Nonfiction (Memoir/General/Investigative Journalism)*
*For journalism, previous bylines are a must.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME:
-Sci Fi
-Fantasy
-Middle Grade
-Erotica
-Pandemic stories
-Medical-based stories
-Previously self-published books
-Cookbooks
-Religious-themed stories
Unfortunately, I cannot respond to every submission. Please note that if you have not heard back from me within 12 weeks, I have declined the opportunity to represent your work at this time.
Vital Info
Favorite sub-genres:
#ownvoices, BIPOC, Commercial Women's Fiction, Contemporary Young Adult, Underrepresented Voices, Upmarket Commercial Fiction, Upmarket Fiction, crossover adult, diverse voices
I’d like the next…
–The Deuce or Euphoria (but in book form)
-Anything (fiction/nonfiction) with a gritty 80s/early 90s NYC setting that is maintained throughout the entire novel
–Such a Fun Age or Crying in H Mart
-New Adult book w/ a strong plot written in verse (The Poet X)
-Hip Hop-inspired NA/YA crossover (similar to The Get Down)
-Long form investigative journalism that centers on an intriguing/lesser-known person/family
My favorites include…
NONFICTION
-Show Me a Hero by Lisa Belkin
-Random Family by Adrian Nicole Leblanc
-All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
-Grand Central Winter by Lee Stringer
FICTION
-Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby
-Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
-The Color Purple by Alice Walker
–Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
-If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin
-The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
-Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
Favorite Writers (across various genres): bell hooks, Jacqueline Woodson, Ishion Hutchinson, Vonnegut, Didion, Sapphire, Nick Flynn, V.C. Andrews, David Sedaris, Poe. The list goes on…
TV SHOWS
-Atlanta
-Abbott Elementary
-The Simpsons
-Queen of the South
-Euphoria
-The Deuce
-The Get Down
-Pose
-Harlem
-Insecure
-Living Single
-My So-Called Life
-Daria
Honorable Mention: First 48
MOVIES
–The Color Purple (1985)
–City of God (2002)
-Scarface (1983)
–The Warriors (1979)
–Coming to America (1988)
-Dead Poet’s Society (1989)
–Maria Full of Grace (2004)
–Babette’s Feast (1987) IYKYK
