Alice Jerman

Alice Jerman, HarperCollins Childrens

I am an acquiring editor at HarperCollins Childrens books, currently on the lookout for both YA and MG novels. I focus on genre fiction, fantasy in particular, and am always on the lookout for queer and diverse voices.

In YA:

My DREAM acquisition is a queer romantic fantasy like the Midnight Lie, Crier’s War, or Sweet and Bitter Magic. If the romance is integral to the story, I want it. And I basically fall for any romantic trope, so send them all my way!

Additionally in YA, I love queer genre–fantasy, sci-fi, horror, historical. I also love magic in any setting, especially grounded contemporary. I’m a huge fantasy fan–high, grounded, contemporary, you name it–but I have a lot on my list, so I’m looking for something brand new, whether it’s a new setting or an incredibly different approach to telling a fantasy story. In particular, I’d love to find nautical fantasy or richly drawn folk horror fantasy. I am always looking for diverse worlds and voices in the fantasy space.

In MG:

I love middle grade stories that tackle big “middle grade” issues–friendship breakups, self-discovery, family stories–but with a magical component, or within a fantasy setting. A book I edited that I believe sums this up is the critically acclaimed The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf. With a contemporary setting, Alkaf uses magical elements to explore the pain and envy that can come along with making new friends/losing old friends. Books I did not publish that I feel similarly tackle this kind of concept are A Game of Fox and Squirrels and When You Trap a Tiger.

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For both YA and MG, I want to see stories that have unique voices, play with story structure and timeline, make me think and surprise me. I love multi-POV and a great hook.

Submission Guidelines

I only accept agented submissions