Adult Fiction and Poetry
Cait Corrain’s CROWN OF STARLIGHT, an irreverent, snarky, sexy and queer reimagining of the myth of Ariadne and Dionysus in a galaxy full of monstrous men, bloodthirsty gods, and love fierce enough to shatter the stars, to Del Rey, in a joint venture with Random House Canada, in a pre-empt.
Author of READ BETWEEN THE LINES Rachel Lacey‘s STARS COLLIDE, a sapphic rockstar romance featuring a grumpy sunshine pairing of two female pop stars, one the reigning Queen of Pop who is exhausted and lonely after years of performing, and a new to the scene rising star—after the two are paired together for a one-off performance, it sparks something much much more, again to Lauren Plude at Montlake, by Sarah Younger at Nancy Yost Literary Agency (world).
Scholar of modernism and avant-garde practices at the University of Southern Mississippi Ery Shin‘s SPRING ON THE PENINSULA, following a sexually fluid protagonist as he mourns a failed relationship over the course of two harsh winters, and a poignant exploration of queer life in Seoul in the shadow of tensions with North Korea, pitched in the vein of Constance De Jong’s MODERN LOVE, to Deborah Ghim at Astra House, for publication in spring 2024, by Mark Falkin at Falkin Literary (world).
Grace Curtis‘s FRONTIER, a queer space Western in which a stranded spaceship captain must traverse a climate-ravaged planet Earth to find her way back to the woman she loves, to Kwaku Osei-Afrifa at Hodder & Stoughton, with Molly Powell editing, at auction, in a two-book deal, for publication in spring 2023, by Zoe Plant at The Bent Agency.
Paris Review contributor and Iowa MFA grad James Frankie Thomas’s IDLEWILD, telling the story of an intense friendship between two queer Manhattan theater kids post-9/11 at a quirky Quaker high school as they become entangled with two mysterious boys whose friendship mirrors their own, tracing a year filled with backstage intrigue, antiwar demonstrations, smutty fanfic written over AIM—and mistakes, some small and some enormous, that they will regret for the rest of their lives, pitched as a darkly humorous THE SECRET HISTORY meets PREP, to Abby Muller at Algonquin, in a pre-empt, by Ayla Zuraw-Friedland at Frances Goldin Literary Agency (world English).
Author of THE GROVES J.V. Lyon PhD’s LUSH LIVES, a queer upmarket romance in which an introverted artist inherits a brownstone containing mysterious manuscripts from the Harlem Renaissance, and finds both love and answers with her alluring appraiser, to Roxane Gay at Roxane Gay Books, for publication in August 2023, by Jessica Alvarez at BookEnds (world).
Charlotte Mendelson’s THE EXHIBITIONIST, a portrait of a marriage between two artists, taking place over a momentous weekend as her career and personal life take a dramatic new turn, in an exploration of art, sacrifice, toxic family politics, queer desire, and personal freedom, to Anna deVries at St. Martin’s, by Peter Straus at Rogers, Coleridge & White (NA).
Author of THE VERIFIERS and two-time Best American Short Stories contributor Jane Pek’s THE RIVALS, in which an online-dating detective finds herself simultaneously trying to solve another murder, uncover tech companies’s dirty secrets, and keep her disintegrating family together, to Anna Kaufman at Vintage, in a two-book deal, by Julie Barer at The Book Group (NA).
M. J. Kuhn’s THICK AS THIEVES, the follow-up to AMONG THIEVES, in which the protagonist and her band of misfit criminals come up against a ruthless, familiar foe in an attempt to contain the fallout from their first major heist, to Amara Hoshijo at Saga Press, for publication in summer 2023, by Abby Schulman at Rebecca Friedman Literary (world).
Author of the forthcoming QUEERLY BELOVED Susie Dumond’s LOOKING FOR A SIGN, set in New Orleans, about a newly single queer woman who sets off on a mission to find her most compatible match by going on a date with someone of each astrological sign, again to Katy Nishimoto at Dial Press, in a two-book deal, by Jamie Carr at The Book Group (world).
Coeditor of MoonPark Review and mathematics professor Mary Lynn Reed’s PHANTOM ADVANCES, a short story collection following queer protagonists along America’s back roads, to Kristine Langley Mahler at Split/Lip Press, for publication in spring 2023 (world English).
Author whose work has appeared in Strange Horizons, PodCastle, and Solarpunk Magazine, among others Marisca Pichette’s RIVERS IN YOUR SKIN, SIRENS IN YOUR HAIR, a collection of poems exploring the nature of wilderness, queer folklore, and transgressive bodies, to Justine Norton-Kertson at Android, with J.D. Harlock editing, in a nice deal, for publication in spring 2023 (world English).
Children’s/Middle Grade Fiction
Author of THE JASMINE PROJECT and the forthcoming EVERYONE HATES KELSIE MILLER Meredith Ireland’s EMMA & THE LOVE SPELL, pitched as a queer witchy Parent Trap, about a 12-year-old adoptee who tries to use her fickle magical powers to keep the parents of her best friend (and long-time crush) together so she won’t have to move away, to Camille Kellogg at Bloomsbury Children’s, in a two-book deal, for publication in winter 2024, by Stephanie Kim at New Leaf Literary & Media (world).
Author of the forthcoming HAZEL HILL IS GONNA WIN THIS ONE Maggie Horne’s NOAH FRYE GETS CRUSHED, a queer coming-of-age story about a tween girl who tries to teach herself how to have a crush on a boy in order to fit in with her friends—only to realize she might be looking in the wrong places, to Lily Kessinger at Clarion, for publication in winter 2024, by Claire Friedman at Inkwell Management (NA).
Author of MY FATE ACCORDING TO THE BUTTERFLY Gail Villanueva’s LULU SINAGTALA AND THE TAGALOG GODS, in which an 11-year-old bisexual and epileptic discovers that the Philippines she thought she knew is actually full of magical creatures and meddling gods; when she and her sister set out to rescue their kidnapped mother, the girls find themselves fighting a powerful enemy—a vengeful evil spirit whose centuries-old grudge could end the world, to Megan Ilnitzki at Harper Children’s, in a very nice deal, in a two-book deal, for publication beginning in fall 2023, by Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Birch Path Literary (NA).
Young and New Adult
Coauthor of IF THIS GETS OUT Cale Dietrich’s THE RULES OF ROYALTY, in which the reluctant “spare” prince of a small country agrees to show the royal ropes to the American-raised prince of a neighboring nation, becoming friends as they navigate the press, a royal wedding, and finding out what they each want, all while falling in love, to Lisa Bonvissuto at Wednesday Books, in a very nice deal, in an exclusive submission, in a two-book deal, for publication in summer 2024, by Moe Ferrara at BookEnds (world).
Author of MAN O’ WAR Cory McCarthy’s THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO GABRIEL, pitched as a contemporary YA retelling of humanity’s favorite crucifixion, in which an affirmed trans teen has a sexual awakening at church camp and dismantles the retro purity worship by starting his own religion, to Andrew Karre at Dutton Children’s, for publication in spring 2024, by Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret (world English).
Madeline Dyer, ed.’s BEING ACE, an anthology of short stories and poetry in multiple genres from contemporary to fantasy to science fiction that celebrate and explore the sub-identities of the asexual spectrum from a mixture of established and emerging YA writers, including Akemi Dawn Bowman, Lara Ameen, Rosiee Thor, Moniza Hossain, Linsey Miller, Ayida Shonibar, and Kat Yuen, among others, to Tamara Grasty at Page Street, for publication in fall 2023, by Erin Clyburn at Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency (world).
Adam Sass’s YOUR LONELY NIGHTS ARE OVER, pitched as Scream meets Clueless, in which two gay teen BFFs find their friendship tested when one of them is accused of being the mysterious killer who has been stalking their school’s queer club, to Kelsey Murphy at Viking Children’s, for publication in fall 2023, by Eric Smith at P.S. Literary Agency (NA).
Author of NEVER BEEN KISSED and the forthcoming YOU’RE A MEAN ONE, MATTHEW PRINCE Timothy Janovsky’s NEW ADULT, a queer time travel rom-com about a struggling stand-up comedian who wakes up seven years from now and has to regain his best friend’s trust, and maybe, ultimately his heart, to Mary Altman at Sourcebooks Casablanca, in an exclusive submission, for publication in fall 2023, by Kevin O’Connor at O’Connor Literary Agency (world).
Sami Ellis’s DEAD GIRLS WALKING, pitched as a fresh take on camp horror, about a serial killer’s daughter determined to absolve him of her mother’s murder; the only things keeping her from searching for clues in the woods where he used to hunt are her counselor duties at the queer all-girls sleepaway camp that’s leasing the land—and the copycat killer stalking the girls, to Emily Daluga at Amulet, in a nice deal, for publication in spring 2024, by Maeve MacLysaght at Copps Literary Services (world English).
Chloe Spencer’s MONSTERSONA, in which a freak explosion forces two bisexual teenage girls to flee their hometown and embark on a road trip across the American Northeast, all the while pursued by armed men, mad scientists, and one monstrous secret, pitched as Thelma & Louise meets Godzilla for teens, to Joshua Dean Perry at Tiny Ghost Press, in a nice deal, for publication in February 2023 (world English).
David Ferraro’s THE ALCHEMY OF MOONLIGHT, a mystery pitched as a queer retelling of the seminal Gothic novel THE MYSTERIES OF UDOLPHO, in which a young man on the run from his overbearing aunt is embroiled in the mystery and intrigue of a wealthy family and caught between the affection of the young lord and the apprentice to the local doctor, complete with roiling fog, secret passages, and literal monsters, to Tamara Grasty at Page Street Kids, in a nice deal, for publication in spring 2023, by Eva Scalzo at Speilburg Literary Agency (world English).
Gigi Griffis’s THE WICKED UNSEEN, in 1996, a sixteen-year-old is having trouble fitting into her new town, where everyone seems to believe there’s a secret, Satanic cult doing rituals in the woods; but when the pastor’s daughter—and her crush—goes missing, she starts to wonder if the town’s obsession with evil isn’t covering up something far worse, to Alison Romig at Underlined, for publication in summer 2023, by Paige Terlip at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (world).
Brittany Williams’s debut THAT SELF-SAME METAL, in the FORGE & FRACTURE SAGA, an historical fantasy trilogy pitched for fans of Holly Black and Justina Ireland that follows a Black girl who uses her secret ability to control metal to create swords for Shakespeare’s company, The Kings’ Men; but when malicious Fae invade mortal London and she slights one of their most powerful, she finds herself at the center of a war that only her family’s legacy can prevent, even as she falls for a boy in the company and a girl wrapped up in the fight, to Maggie Lehrman at Abrams Children’s, in a significant deal, in a pre-empt, in a three-book deal, for publication in spring 2023, by Alexandra Levick at Writers House (world English).
Audio drama writer Jessica Best’s STARS, HIDE YOUR FIRES, in which a thief is framed for the emperor’s murder in a sci-fi murder mystery pitched as queer Knives Out in space, to Jessica Yang at Quirk Books, for publication in spring 2023 (world).
Non-Fiction
2021 Lambda Literary Award finalist Tania De Rozario‘s DINNER ON MONSTER ISLAND, a collection of personal essays braided with elements of history, pop culture, horror films, and current events that explores growing up a queer, brown, fat girl in Singapore, pitched in the vein of TRICK MIRROR and MINOR FEELINGS, to Sarah Ried at Harper Perennial, at auction, by Amanda Orozco at Transatlantic Literary Agency (world English).
Food writer, recipe developer, and pastry chef Justin Burke‘s untitled collection of highly achievable, ready-to-share potluck desserts celebrating the history and significance of potluck in the LGBTQ+ community, to Isabel McCarthy at Countryman Press, by Sally Ekus at Lisa Ekus Group.
Chair of the Department of African American studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and former Librarian-in-Residence at Yale University Dr. Ethelene Whitmire PhD’s THE REMARKABLE LIFE OF REED PEGGRAM, pitched for readers of A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE and HIDDEN FIGURES, following the life of a queer Black man of humble origins who graduated from Harvard at the top of his class and continued his studies in Europe on the brink of World War II, where he fell in love, was captured by the Nazis, and miraculously escaped; offering a lens on the pursuit of dignity and beauty against the backdrop of Black Americans’s struggle for basic rights in a nation entering war, to Emily Wunderlich at Viking, at auction, by Jennifer Herrera at David Black Literary Agency (world).
Hillary Clinton’s former communications director, founder of Iowa’s largest LGBTQ+ equality organization, and foster care advocate Mark Daley’s PROTECTION, highlighting the impossible choices all parents in the foster system face, revealing the challenges of becoming a parent at the intersection of complex and intergenerational trauma, inadequate social support, and systemic issues of race, bias, and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, and inspiring each of us to show up for the most vulnerable among us, to Michelle Herrera Mulligan at Atria, at auction, by Lara Love Hardin at Idea Architects (NA).
Author of LET ME EXPLAIN YOU Annie Liontas’s SEX WITH A BRAIN INJURY, weaving criticism, history, philosophy, and interrogating and expanding representations of ability and disability, particularly in relation to women and the LGBTQ+ communities, to Kara Watson at Scribner, by David McCormick at McCormick Literary (NA).
Illustrator Roza Nozari’s ALL THE PARTS WE EXILE, an exploration of womanhood, culture, family, faith and queerness—both in writing and illustration—through personal stories from a queer Muslim woman, to Amanda Betts at Knopf Canada, at auction, for publication in spring 2024, by Stephanie Sinclair at CookeMcDermid (NA).
Tony Award-nominated playwright, drag actor, director, screenwriter, and LGBT trailblazer Charles Busch’s LEADING LADY, sharing stories of the author’s early success Off-Broadway with Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, moving to Broadway with The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife and Hollywood with several motion pictures and a role in OZ; telling tales of his close friendship with Joan Rivers and interactions with leading ladies Angela Lansbury, Debbie Reynolds, Elaine Stritch, Linda Lavin, Carol Channing, Rosie O’Donnell, Claudette Colbert, Valerie Harper, Kim Novak, Bea Arthur, Greta Garbo, and others, to Robb Pearlman at Smart Pop, at auction, for publication in fall 2023, by Tom Miller at Liza Dawson Associates (world English).
No matter its name or occasion, Halloween is more than a Hallmark holiday, it’s a symbol of transformation. NIGHT OF THE LIVING QUEERS is a YA horror anthology that explores how Halloween can be more than just candies and frights, but a night where anything is possible. Each short story is told through the lens of a different BIPOC teen and the Halloween night that changes their lives forever. Creative, creepy, and queer, this collection brings fresh terror, heart, and humor to young adult literature.
Jonny Garza Villa (they/them) is an author of contemporary young adult literature with characters and settings inspired by their own Tejane, Chicane, and queer identities. Whatever the storyline, Jonny ultimately hopes Latines, and, more specifically, queer Mexican American young people will feel seen in their writing. Their debut YA novel Fifteen Hundred Miles from the Sun was a Pura Belpré Honor Book and a Kirkus Best YA Fiction of 2021 selection. When not writing, Jonny enjoys reading, playing Dungeons and Dragons, visiting taquerías, listening to Selena, and caring for their many cacti children. They live in San Antonio.
