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 14 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 fresh takes on timeless plots—upmarket, thought-provoking stories that spark discussion. I love lush, atmospheric prose and complex, vivid characters who are irreverent, dark, 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.”

I specialize in middle grade and adult fiction. In adult, I am currently seeking horror, speculative, book club fiction, and rom-com projects (with a twist). In middle grade, I’m looking for spooky stories with light magical elements. I don’t rep hard sci-fi or epic fantasy projects for any age group.

I’m particularly interested in exploring genre mash-ups. For example:

  • Horror x Satire (The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires)
  • Memoir x Horror (In The Dream House)
  • Gothic x Historical (Mexican Gothic)
  • Speculative x Literary (Sea of Tranquility)
  • Rom-com x Paranormal (From Bad to Cursed)
  • Litfic x Mystery/Thriller (Shelter)

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

Please visit our website for full submission guidelines and policies.

For Fiction:

  • Include an attention-grabbing query letter that includes word count, genre, comparative titles, and writing credentials.

For Non-Fiction:

  • Submit a complete non-fiction proposal including a chapter outline, author credentials, positioning and market considerations, comparative titles, and 1-2 sample chapters.

For All Submissions:

  • Please only submit one project at a time, to one agent at a time. If we love your work but don’t feel it is a fit for us, we’ll share it with colleagues.

 

Guidelines & Details

Vital Info

@elizcopps

Linkedin

Website

Fiction:

Commercial, Family Saga, General, Historical, Horror, Literary, Middle Grade, Romance, Women’s Fiction

Non-Fiction:

Biography, Journalism, Memoir

Favorite sub-genres:

Dark Humor, Fairytale Retellings, Hauntings, Literary Noir, Narrative Nonfiction, Psychological Horror, Southern Gothic, Speculative Fiction, historical mystery, historical romance, non-Western historical fiction

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. And, horror that reflects current socio-political and ecological issues. Anything that taps into our collective anxieties. (Blacktop Wasteland, Tender is the Flesh, Woman Eating, The Twisted Ones, Mongrels, Slewfoot, Wilder Girls, The Hunger, The Bone Orchard).
  • Myth/folklore/fairytale retellings (the spookier the better– What Moves The Dead, The Girl in Red, The Changeling).
  • Gut-busting and unexpected romcoms featuring quirky characters and unique settings (How to Age Disgracefully, The Dead Romantics, Butcher & Blackbird)
  • I’m interested in both historical and contemporary middle grade stories, particularly those with a ghostly, witchy, and/or magical element.  (The Circus of Stolen Dreams, Jodie, Ghost Squad).

My favorites include…