Jennifer March Soloway

Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc.

My Manuscript Wish List®

JENNIFER MARCH SOLOWAY is a senior agent at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, representing authors and illustrators of picture book, middle grade, and young adult stories. Although she specializes in children’s literature, she also represents adult fiction, both literary and commercial, particularly crime, suspense and horror projects.

Young adult is Jennifer’s sweet spot. She is a suspense junkie. She adores action-packed thrillers, full of unexpected twists. Throw in a dash of romance, and she’s hooked! She’s a sucker for conspiracy plots where anyone might be a double agent, even the kid next door. She is a huge fan of psychological horror that blurs the lines between the real and the imagined. But as much as she loves a good thriller or horror, she finds her favorite novels are literary stories about ordinary teens, especially those focused on family, relationships, sexuality, mental health, or addiction. Of course, a blend of genre and literary would be best of all. Also, lately, she’d like to fall in love (or lust).

For adult projects, she is actively seeking psychological thrillers and literary horror with strong, engaging protagonists, who make a series of bad decisions for the right (and occasionally the wrong) reasons.

Regardless of genre, she is actively seeking fresh new voices, perspectives and stories underrepresented in literature.

Please note: Sadly, Jennifer is not the best fit for novels-in-verse, as that form is not her editorial strength. Please consider one of her wonderful colleagues instead.

That’s her wish list, but the truth is an author might have something she has never considered before, and it might be absolutely perfect for her. She is open to any good story that is well written with a strong, authentic voice. Surprise her!

Prior to joining ABLA, Jennifer worked in marketing and public relations in a variety of industries, including financial services, health care, and toys. She has an MFA in English and Creative Writing from Mills College, and was a fellow at the San Francisco Writer’s Grotto in 2012. She lives in the middle of San Francisco with her best friend, their teen son, and a bulldog.

Jennifer presents at writing conferences all over the country and loves to meet writers in person. In February 2024, she will be at her agency’s Children’s Writing Workshop in Monterey, CA.

For her latest conference schedule, craft tips and more, follow Jennifer on Twitter at @marchsoloway.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to Please submit using this form: http://QueryMe.Online/JenniferMarchSoloway

To query me, please use my Query Manager form, http://QueryMe.Online/JenniferMarchSoloway, and follow the direction. Depending on the project you are submitting, please include a query letter plus:

    • Fiction Writers (adult novels, YA): first 10 pages pasted into the form
    • Illustrators with dummy: full dummy (in pdf format or a Dropbox link) that includes 1-2 color samples, and link to online portfolio 
    • Graphic novels: 2-3 sample page spreads in jpg or pdf format, summary/synopsis pasted into the form, plus a link to website/online portfolio
  • Please be sure to include a contact phone number as well as your email address, and please make sure all links work.
  • You are free to submit to agents at other agencies at the same time, and I encourage you to query widely to ensure you find the right fit. I always assume your query is a multiple submission. If you receive an offer of representation from another agent, please let me know immediately so I can respond accordingly.
If I am interested in seeing more of your work, I will contact you at the email address you provided. I try to respond to all queries, but occasionally, I receive so many queries, it isn’t possible for me to do so. If you have not heard from me within sixteen weeks, please assume that the material submitted is not right for me at this time.
​I am grateful for the opportunity to consider your work. I read every query carefully, and I wish I could respond to everyone personally. Unfortunately, as we state in our submissions guidelines, because of the high volume of material that we receive, I am no longer able to respond with personalized notes to every submission. If I pass on your work, I encourage you to keep striving for publication. I truly believe in the power of revision. With me, no means not yet, and I am always open to reading a new project or a significant revision in 6+ months, if you still think I could be a good fit for you at that time.  

Guidelines & Details

Vital Info

soloway@andreabrownlit.com

@marchsoloway

Website

Agent

Fiction:

Children's, Commercial, Crime, Domestic Thriller, Gothic, Graphic Novel, Horror, Humor, LGBTQ, Literary, Middle Grade, Mystery, Picture Books, Psychological Thriller, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult

Favorite sub-genres:

Contemporary YA, Fantasy Grounded in Reality, Gothic Horror, Middle Grade Humor, Middle Grade Mystery, Psychological Horror, Psychological Thrillers, Suspense

I’d like the next…

A YA version of Insecure (Issa Rae is brilliant!), focused on friendship, both the gratifying ups and the painful downs. Throw in some romance(s) for each character, including sexuality and experimentation (however it blossoms or doesn’t), and I’m in!

A novel about recovery–not the active addiction or the bottom but the emotional aftermath and how hard it is to stay sober in a society that celebrates with alcohol and drugs. Literary fiction or genre (humor, romance, thriller, horror): all are welcome!

 

My favorites include…

I have so many favorites, it’s difficult to choose, and I know I’m forgetting something I love, but here are a few beyond my clients’ books, all of which I love…

Adult: Yellowface, by R.F. Kuang; House of Cotton, by Monica Brashears; Shmutz, by Felicia Berliner; The Lockpicker, (or anything) by Leonard Chang; Catherine House, by Elizabeth Thomas; The Other Black Girl, by Zakiya Dalila Harris; Out, by Natsuo Kirino; You Will Know Me, (or anything) by Megan Abbott; The Talented Mr. Ripley, (or anything) by Patricia Highsmith; The Devil All the Time, by Donald Ray Pollock; Night Film, by Marisha Pessl; The Secret Place, (my favorite of the series) by Tana French; Don’t Breathe A Word, by Jennifer McMahon (this title is my favorite, but I inhale everything Jennifer McMahon writes and loved her latest novel, The Children on the Hill. I also highly recommend her audible original short story, Hanna-Beast); A Sinless Season, by Damon Galgut (which is adult but reads like a YA); Cruddy, by Lynda Barry (another adult that reads like a YA); The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Young Adult: Squad, by Maggie Takuda-Hall; Last Night at the Telegraph Club, by Malinda Lo; The Weight of Blood, by Tiffany D. Jackson; Scythe and Thunderhead, by Neal Shusterman; Patron Saints of Nothing, by Randy Ribay; Hey Kiddo, by Jarrett J. J. Krosoczka; The Smaller Evil, by Stephanie Kuehn; Genuine Fraud, by E. Lockhart; The 57 Bus, by Dashka Slater; The Cure for Dreaming, by Cat Winters; Forever, by Judy Blume

TV Shows: Abbott Elementary; Insecure; People of Earth (a show no one has watched but they should!); Sex Education; Babylon Berlin; Dark; Borgen; Mad Men; The Wire; House of Cards; The Americans; True Detective (Season 3); The Bodyguard; and Dark Spot.

Movies: Candy Land (2022); Barbarian; Watcher (2022); Get Out; Midsommar; The Witch; Black Swan; Nocturne (2020); Sante Sangre; Saint Maud; It Follows (I am a huge horror movie fan and watch a lot of independent- and B-horror films. I’ve been on a serious horror kick; I feel like the most innovative films are happening in the horror category.)

Picture Books: Outside In, by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Cindy Derby; Outside, Inside, by LeUyen Pham; Grace For President, by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by LeUyen Pham; Duck for President, by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewis (Do you detect a political theme? I love funny political picture books); Also An Octopus, by Maggie Takuda-Hall, illustrated by Benji Davies; Caring For Your Lion, by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Troy Cummings; The Wall in the Middle of the Book, by Jon Agee; There’s A Giraffe In My Soup, by Ross Burach; Creepy Carrots, by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown.

Middle Grade: Better With Butter, by Victoria Piontek; Partly Cloudy, by Tanita S. Davis; Efren Divided, by Ernesto Cisneros; The Comeback, by EL Shen; Doll Bones, by Holly Black;  Keeper of the Lost Cities, by Shannon Messenger; A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle; The House With A Clock In Its Walls, by John Bellairs;