PLEASE NOTE: I update this MSWL occasionally. Updated 9/7

MSWL

Thank you so much for querying me. I am looking forward to reading your work. Please consider submitting to one agent at a time at Aevitas--the one who you best thinks fits your work.

I look for strong, confident storytelling from the very first page—writing that blends compelling plots with emotional resonance and no matter the genre, possess the pulse of thriller. Your manuscript should give readers something to talk about: a twist, a moral dilemma, an unforgettable voice, a love story they’ll root for, or a mystery that lingers in their minds. The type of novel you can’t wait to tell your friends about. I'm always interested in unputdownable novels that surprise me (where the central question(s) is NOT predictable or a letdown--especially important for thrillers and horror). 

I’m looking for writers of adult novels across genre, I’m actively seeking book club–friendly fiction—novels that entertain, move, and spark conversation long after the last page. I’m drawn to upmarket stories with emotional depth, memorable characters, and settings that feel as alive as the people inhabiting them.

Specifically:

• Mystery and suspense that keep you turning pages while exploring deeper human truths

• Multi-generational family sagas with secrets and emotional stakes

• Historical or dual-timeline novels where the past reverberates into the present

• Stories of resilience, reinvention, and connection, especially those rooted in community or place

• Novels with rich atmosphere—small towns, big cities, coastal landscapes, wilderness, wherever atmosphere is a character in itself.

I only take on standalone novels from writers. If your novel is part of a trilogy or a series, the first book must stand alone and not end on a cliffhanger. Why? Publishers don't typically buy trilogies or series--they see how the first performs and then will invest in more if the market calls for it.

A few writers, writing today, who I admire. If your writing is similar, get in touch:

Kate Atkinson, May Cobb, Alyssa Cole, Lily Brooks Dalton, Samantha Downing, Mark Edwards, Tana French, Lisa Jewell, Tim Johnston, Claire Keegan, Peter Heller, Alma Katsu, Jessica Knoll, Danya Kukafka, Clare Lesley Hall, Attica Locke, Jess Lourey, Charlotte McConaghy, Madeline Miller, Liz Moore, Ann Napolitano, Catherine Newman, Celeste Ng, Alex North, Maggie O'Farrell, Kiley Reid, Tracey Sierra, Lisa Unger, PJ Vernon, Ruth Ware, Sarah Waters, Heather Young, and Laura Zigman.

Notes:

I often pass on manuscripts because they are not ready for an agent. The author has not received feedback from another (unbiased) reader. It's critical to have your work read by a beta reader--someone who is an avid reader and even better, a writer in their own right. I expect to work with authors editorially (and enjoy the process) but I will do my best work if you've gotten your manuscript as far as you can take it. Thus, I strongly encourage debut writers to work with beta readers, critique partners, writing workshops and so on to develop their writing as much as possible.

Take advantage of all the excellent resources for writers out there, many with online access. Organizations and sites like AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs), WritersHelpingWriters.net, Loft Literary Center (with online classes), Grub St., or if you have a speciality like mysteries or thrillers check out Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers (ITW), Horror--HWA (Horror Writers of America), Historical Novel Society, as well as podcasts and newsletters The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing, Book Riot, The 5 a.m. Writers Club, The 7 a.m. Writers Club...there are lots more.

Meet and develop relationships with other writers, which you can also do online. Building a community with other writers will be invaluable to you.

TIP: Don't discount the time you spend THINKING about your story--the time you spend turning your story over in your mind, thinking about characters and their back stories—thinking about anything to do with your story is just as critical as the act of getting your story down on paper. And of course revising is also critical.

TIP: Read your pages aloud--no matter the genre, you'll be able to 'hear' when something isn't smooth, when it's overwritten, when you've overused a word or phrase too many times, and more.

TIP: Read avidly in your genre AND outside of it. It will make you a better writer.

Signing Writers. I've signed and sold the work of many authors through this platform. Some of these authors got passed over by other agents. It's not necessarily because I have a good eye (though I do!), it's because the authors never gave up and have continued to work on their craft and have made it so much better that when it was sent to my inbox, it was ready. If an agent gives you feedback, take it under consideration.

I don't have the capacity to respond personally to every query I receive. But if I do have any specifics that I think will be meaningful, I try to include them.