Erica Bauman

I am actively seeking a wide range of fiction and nonfiction for MG and YA, and select adult upmarket and commercial fiction.

For middle grade, my interests span all genres, from contemporary to mystery to fantasy. I love quirky, funny stories and main characters who are misfits (and proud of it). I’m especially on the lookout for eerie horror (like Coraline) and really unique magic.

For young adult, I am a lover of all genre fiction, especially fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction. I love stories based off of mythology, folklore, and obscure fairy tales, and novels that cross genres. I’m especially on the lookout for stories inspired by classic literature/ballet/opera, mysteries and thrillers with unreliable narrators, and books that play with structure to tell a story in a really unique way.

I’m also on the lookout for MG and YA graphic novels (both fiction and nonfiction). I’d love to find a great family or found family story, a biography of a previously overlooked figure from history, or a deep dive into an interesting moment in history.

In adult, I gravitate towards stories that have a commercial premise and beautiful writing. I love voice-driven, witty romcoms; near-future character-driven science fiction, and soft contemporary fantasy/magical realism/fabulism. I’m on the lookout for books starring nerds, and stories that make me laugh.

Across all age ranges and genres, I’m eager to support and work with authors from marginalized communities and stories that represent the wide range of humanity.

In all ages/genres, I’d love to see books about:

• strong family relations (both biological and found family)
• joyous escapism
• protagonists who aren’t the best at what they do/the Chosen One, but who try really hard, even when they fail
• retellings that cross genre and/or can stand on their own, without prior knowledge of the original story
• books that can be described as eerie/haunting/moody/dreamy/cozy
• quietly heartbreaking storytelling
• cooking (especially magical cooking)
• revenge
• horror that draws inspiration from real life issues
• books that play with form/storytelling

That said, I’m probably not the best for projects involving the following:

• Serious literary fiction and family drama
• Adult nonfiction and memoir
• Historical epics or big multigenerational sagas
• Vampires/werewolves/zombies/angels
• Space opera/intergalactic war/alien invasions
• Tolkien-esque high fantasy
• Dead pets
• Hard genre thrillers/mystery/legal dramas
• Slasher or gratuitously gory horror

Note: I do not accept submissions generated by—or that utilize in any way—AI

Query updates on Instagram: @ericabaumanbooks

Submission Guidelines

To query, please submit through my form: https://QueryManager.com/EricaBauman

Guidelines & Details