My Manuscript Wish List
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I am an editorial assistant at St. Martin’s Press interested in commercial and upmarket fiction. Originally from Arizona, I am a sucker for any story set in the Southwest. While at Northwestern University, I studied Creative Writing and International Studies and wrote a book review column for a student-run arts and culture website. My time working on an honors thesis in poetry and researching modern depictions of women’s suicidality gave me an appreciation for work that handles complex themes in a way that is accessible to most readers. Since starting at St. Martin’s Press in 2022, I’ve worked on thrillers, mysteries, and upmarket women’s fiction. My tastes tend toward more literary, character-driven narratives, though I adore romance, thrillers, and speculative fiction too! Some of the topics I like to see come up in any book, fiction or nonfiction, are addiction, family systems, and sibling relationships.
For fiction, a few things I would love:
- Stories that make diversity integral to the world of the characters and how readers understand the book, like N.K. Jemisin’s The Great Cities Series (or really, any of Jemisin’s work!)
- Dark and modern twists on classic tropes from fairytales and popular culture, like How to be Eaten by Maria Adelmann and The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
I am not interested in any books featuring cops as main characters.
For nonfiction, I would love:
- Accessible approaches to complex topics that make learning new oddities about the world fun—some of my favorites are Heather Radke’s Butts, Simon Winchester’s Land, and Jamie Loftus’s Raw Dog
Please email submissions to grace.gay@stmartins.com. I am only accepting agented submissions at this time.