Sidney Boker

I joined InkWell in 2022, after freelance work with Kirkus Reviews and Pegasus Books. Before that, I graduated from the Columbia Publishing Course and Mount Holyoke College with a BA in English and minors in psychology (official) and anthropology (unofficial, but I completed all the credits. It’s not my fault MHC doesn’t let you double minor!!).

I represent YA through adult, including new adult/crossover, fiction across a variety of genres such as fantasy, sci-fi, historical, contemporary, and thriller. My preference is for commercial and upmarket fiction that balances emotional depth with narrative momentum, and is full of heart, humor, and just a little bit of strangeness.

Fantasy / Sci-Fi
I’m a fan of high to grounded fantasy and the occasional hard to soft sci-fi (with a preference for standalones), especially if the story is centered in character and emotion. Think the epic intensity of Arcane (show), the quiet hopefulness of A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers, or the dark humor of Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher. I want books where magic or tech exists to serve character and theme—not just worldbuilding for worldbuilding’s sake. Blood Over Brighthaven by M. L. Wang is an excellent example of this!

I love stories that feel big in concept but personal in execution, like These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs, The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez, or The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland on the more grounded end. Other examples across mediums that capture this vibe are The Last of Us (game), Fallout (show), and Spirited Away (movie)—visually rich, emotionally raw, often queer, and always rooted in complex relationships.

Horror / Gothic
I want horror that leans surreal, psychological, or even darkly funny, but nothing with over-the-top gore. Interview with the Vampire (show) is a great tonal match to what I’m looking for—sensual, gothic, and emotionally devastating.

I’m especially drawn towards female-driven stories which is why some of my favorites include House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland and Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield. I’m captivated by the exploration of womanhood/sisterhood within the context of horror.

Romance / Historical / Contemporary
I’m all for big yearning, banter with tension, and a story that makes me believe in love. Think Red, White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, or Bridgerton (show, esp. season 1). I’m also here for stories like Challengers (movie)—not quite a romance, but sexy, chaotic, voice-driven, and real.

In historicals, I’m drawn to drama, strong voice, fierce loyalty, and deep friendship. Lucky Red by Claudia Cravens, The Buccaneers (show), Anne with an E (show), and Cable Girls (show) are touchstones. If it’s sapphic, feminist, or socially incisive, I’m interested. I would also love to see such stories from historically overlooked and underrepresented perspectives.

For contemporary fiction, I’m after layered character work and emotional complexity. This can range from thrillers like Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo to humor like Excavations by Kate Myers and Margot’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe. Something that explores grief, identity, relationships, and/or quirky life things!

Last notes

• Across genres, if it’s kinda wacky, I’m in, and I’m open to genre bending! If your book is hard to categorize but you know it works, don’t be afraid to send it to me.
• If it’s multi-POV, I want to be able to tell exactly who’s POV I’m reading without having to check who it is. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is my gold standard!

Things I’d like to see??

• Something that feels like Arcane (more of the “Zaun, sister vs. sister, lesbians” side of Arcane than the “Piltover, Hextech, Jayce on the Council” side)
• A sapphic western
• Underrepresented folklore/myths/obscure creatures and gods (The Maid and the Crocodile by Jordan Ifueko for example)
• Something Below Deck-y! Boats, money, rank, close quarters, DRAMA…
• Friendship! Friendship like “I would walk to the end of the earth with you, I would move mountains for you, yes I will drop you off at the airport and help you move, I want to build my life so that you are in it because you’re my friend and I love you.” Romantic love is not the be all and end all of love.

Hard Passes

• Miscommunication as the main conflict, insta-love, abusive relationships framed as romantic, romance lacking chemistry
• Fae, Twilight-y vampires/werewolves, fated mates, immortal hundred-year-old man x teenage girl (or any huge age gap)
• I’ve knocked out a lot of romantasy with the above, I’m sorry! (I want my fantasy with maybe, perhaps, some romance, not romance that happens to be set in a fantasy world)
• Gore-heavy/gratuitous/purely shock-value horror (I don’t like to be afraid!)
• Real world war/military stuff
• Novels in verse

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to submissions@inkwellmanagement.com

Queries should be emailed to: su*********@***************nt.com

In the body of your email, please include a query letter and a short writing sample (1-2 chapters) and address the email to me either at the beginning of the e-mail, or put it at my attention in the subject line.

Guidelines & Details