Elizabeth Copps
Copps Literary Services, LLC
My Manuscript Wish List®
In the summer of 2010, I used my savings to move from Florida to New York City with the goal of doing something—anything—related to books. Luckily it worked, and I was offered a position with a boutique agency in NY where I cut my teeth and discovered my passion for publishing. For the past 15 years, I’ve dedicated myself to the care and management of author careers. My business philosophy is simple: to foster relationships across the industry that are equitable, transparent, and long-lasting.
I’m drawn to thought-provoking stories with commercial appeal that spark discussion across adult, young adult, and middle grade fiction. I love lush, atmospheric prose and complex, vivid characters who are irreverent, witty, and wise. There are only so many settings and themes to expound on, but every single person is different, which means there are limitless combinations of character traits a writer can play with. That’s pretty amazing. The King said it best regarding what it means to create a complex character: “Bad writing usually arises from a stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do―to face the fact, let us say, that murderers sometimes help old ladies cross the street.”
Generally, I’m seeking:
- All things horror and speculative fiction
- Modern twists on mythology/folklore
- Unexpected love stories
I’m particularly interested in exploring genre mash-ups. For example:
- Horror x Satire (The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires)
- Gothic x Historical (Mexican Gothic)
- Speculative x Literary (Sea of Tranquility)
- Rom-com x Paranormal (From Bad to Cursed)
- Literary x Mystery/Thriller (Shelter)
While I enjoy elements of magic and grounded fantasy, I don’t represent hard sci-fi or epic fantasy projects. Additionally, I’m not the right agent for cozies, poetry, or political thrillers.
Fun facts about me:
- Because I’m a literary cliché, I am very much a cat person (shout out to Spud & Olive).
- My four-year-old has a larger library than I do.
- I’m based in Denver, so when I’m not working, I’m probably out hiking or camping.
- Nothing gives me more satisfaction than an excellent thrift store find.
- When I was in elementary school, I was on a speed skating team. As in roller skates. And I feel that I should tell you that I…was very bad.
- I shamelessly and joyfully eat an unhealthy amount of Taco Bell.
Submission Guidelines
Copps Literary Services only accepts queries via Query Manager.
Please visit our website for full submission guidelines and policies.
Vital Info
I’d like the next…
- Voice-driven horror that plays with fear in smart and unusual ways. Send me macabre humor, gothic settings dripping with atmosphere, and petrifying psychological dramas. Cosmic creepies. Apocalyptic dramas. Female rage. The terrors of parenthood. Anything that taps into our collective grief and anxieties. (Blacktop Wasteland, Baby Teeth, The Push, Tender is the Flesh, Woman Eating, The Vegetarian, The Twisted Ones, Mongrels, Slewfoot, Wilder Girls, The Hunger, The Bone Orchard, Zone One).
- Adult and YA stories that tackle social justice and/or mental health issues (Only The Good Indians, White is For Witching, We Are All So Good At Smiling, The Weight of Our Sky, Darius the Great is Not Okay, Finding Audrey, In the Dream House)
- Myth/folklore/fairytale retellings (the spookier the better– What Moves The Dead, The Girl in Red, The Changeling).
- Gut-busting–and unexpected–romance–featuring quirky characters and unique settings (How to Age Disgracefully, The Dead Romantics, Butcher & Blackbird, Love, Theoretically, )
- Historical or contemporary middle grade stories, particularly those with a ghostly, witchy, and/or magical element. Especially projects that don’t shy away from deeper themes while remaining age-appropriate. (The Circus of Stolen Dreams, Jodie, The Lovely Dark, The Midnight Children, The Miraculous, Ghost Squad, The Magical Imperfect, Yonder, Camp Famous).
My favorites include…
