Lane Clarke

Lane is looking for an array of genres in Picture Books, Young Adult, and Adult. In all age groups, she would love to see stories by underrepresented and marginalized creators. If your book takes on an old genre with a new point of view (Netflix’s THE HARDER THEY FALL), she wants to see it!

In Picture Books, she loves books with strong cultural points-of-view and characters that could have a multi-book arc. She is not a fan of potty humor.

In Graphic Novels, she would love to see early readers, MG, YA, and adult by author/illustrators or author and illustrator teams. She is not a good fit for script only. She would love to see both contemporary and speculative graphic novels.

She will consider very select middle grade. In middle grade, she prefers contemporary fantasy or literary contemporary works. Think Erin Entrada Kelly and B.B. Alston.

In Young Adult, she is looking for contemporary stories that pack an emotional punch.  Coming-of-age stories. She would also love historical fiction similar to Stacey Lee and Ruta Sepetys (certain to make her cry). She is looking for speculative contemporary fiction similar to Adam Silvera and Justin A. Reynolds. Worlds where there is something just a little bit off. She is also looking for books with interesting narrative structures, similar to ILLUMINAE and SLEEPING GIANTS. Multiple POV books should be well-balanced. She is looking for smart YA that takes on cultural issues from the point of view of messy teenagers. She is also looking for college stories, freshmen coming-of-age stories, and books about teens who do something other than college as their next step. She loves found family books! She would love to see Graphic Novels from writer/illustrators.

In Adult, she is looking for romance with lots of tension! Slow burns are her absolute favorite. She is looking for heroines and love interests who do not often get the spotlight – heroines and love interests of color, neurodivergent, disabled, etc. She is also looking for literary fiction that are generational sagas (think PACHINKO) or societal commentary (think SUCH A FUN AGE and THE VANISHING HALF). She is looking for epic fantasy with a strong cultural point of view (THE POPPY WAR and CITY OF BRASS). She would love smart horror that reveals inner demons (STRANGER THINGS SEASON 4 – Max). She would love adult fiction that addresses societal issues (think CHAIN GANG ALL STARS). Books that elicit strong emotional reactions. She is also looking for cozy fantasies (think LEGENDS AND LATTES) and historical fiction (think Marie Benedict). She is also looking for cozy mysteries, cozy fantasies, mysteries, and thrillers (think WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING and RECURSION), including tech thrillers (like DIGITAL FORTRESS). She would love a space opera (think RED RISING and WINTER’S ORBIT).

In Non-Fiction, she is looking for humorous essay collections that address societal issues and personal growth (HERE FOR IT). She would also love to see memoirs akin to CRYING AT H MART. She is always on the hunt for narrative or prescriptive nonfiction about the Black experience.

She does NOT want: chapter books, middle grade that reads too young, westerns (unless it’s like GUNSLINGER GIRL by Lyndsay Ely), erotica, books where sexual assault or domestic violence are a large part of the plot, procedural crime fiction

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to https://QueryManager.com/laneclarke

Please submit your query letter and first 3 chapters.