Michael Bourret

I began my career as an intern for what was then Jane Dystel Literary Management while studying film and television production at New York University. I joined full-time in 2000, opened the West Coast office in 2009, and became a partner in 2016. I represent a wide range of genres and age groups; my children’s list is broad, spanning from picture books to young adult, while on the adult side I represent narrative nonfiction, memoir, and commercial and literary fiction. Across the board, I have a special affinity for offbeat projects that break the mold, and a particular interest in queer and BIPOC literature and writers. My diverse and critically acclaimed authors include several New York Times bestsellers, as well as winners of the National Book Award, the LA Times Book Prize, the Michael L. Printz Award, the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the William C. Morris Award, the Lambda Literary Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Stonewall Book Award, and finalists for many others. My clients’ works have been translated into over fifty languages and adapted into major motion pictures.

I’m always on the lookout for the offbeat, quirky, original voices that aren’t easily categorized. If your critique partners aren’t quite sure how to respond to your work, I’d love to take a look. I like to champion authors who break the mold, who aren’t afraid to challenge conventions, and who would rather attempt something grand and fail than never have tried.

I am very interested in representing books that deal with issues of poverty and class. I’ve said before I’d love to see a YA version of the film Frozen River. But I’d also like to see more of this in the adult space.

As ever, I’m interested in a representing a diverse group of authors, in terms of race, gender, gender identity, sexuality, and religion. I like authors who challenge me to look at the world in a different light. I like to see underrepresented voices recognized.

I’m still looking for a great YA western, which has probably been on my MSWL longer than anything else. I’d love to see something along the lines of the Robert Altman film, McCabe and Mrs. Miller. But I’m open to anything different and reimagined.

I’d love to see more adult psychological thrillers, particularly something dark and comic. I’m also very interested in grounded commercial and literary fiction with a speculative twist. I’m open to romance, but have a very strong preference for queer characters.

In the end, what I’m looking for is to be surprised. I want to see things I haven’t seen before.

You can query me at http://QueryManager.com/MichaelBourret

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Please see the link to our submissions guidelines. Every single query that comes in is reviewed, so please do give us 6 – 8 weeks for response.

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