Jennifer Udden

I am only seeking adult fiction at this time. I am also not the best fit for a fantasy novel with a teenage protagonist, or any novel with a child narrator.

I’ve been a reader of fanfiction for a long time, so I’m very open to hearing from authors who are looking to make the jump from AO3 to the NYT, whether it’s filing the serial numbers or working on original projects.

Mysteries & Thrillers

• would love an unusual structure: an unreliable narrator or playing with the form (ex: the epistolary/mixed media structure of THE MYSTERIOUS CASDE OF THE ALPERTON ANGELS)
• a cross-genre element: scifi or fantasy setting, or a contemporary paranormal element would be fun to see.
• cozy, especially if it has a cross-genre element as above. I’d love to see a werewolf solving crime in a small town
• would love an adult version of the TRULY DEVIOUS books by Maureen Johnson

Romance

• a mystery or romantic suspense twist: think FINLEY DONOVAN IS NOT OK or THE MOST WONDERFUL CRIME OF THE YEAR
• love a high spice level. it doesn’t have to be off-the-charts, but I like to see some physical consummation
• open to why-choose (MMF, MMFM, etc.) especially if it has a genre twist or an unusual setting
• sports, but make it stressful – think FOXHOLE COURT
• unusual, high-concept setting: a historical combat class, a SCA group, a fandom community (think SPOILER ALERT)
• hitorical-with-a-twist: fantasy, mystery, etc. The dream would be THE DEVIL IN WINTER with some kind of magic element, or something along the lines of THE EX HEX
• dark romance with intense relationships and high spice: age gaps, boyfriend’s dad, stepbrothers etc

Fantasy

• standout, fully-realized worldbuilding, like I could sail off in any direction and find a story
• cozy fantasy with a menacing edge — think the body count of “Midsomer Murders” or Robert Jackson Bennett’s SHADOW OF THE LEVIATHAN series.
  • another example is the intense, ritualized domesticity and politicking of THE GOBLIN EMPEROR
• character-driven with voices I can’t stop thinking about. Thinking of the gargoyle character in THE KNIGHT AND THE MOTH
• love a romantic element but in romantasy has to have strong worldbuilding and a strong romance throughline

Scifi

• extremely commercial and high-concept
• as always, a cross-genre element: think WINTER’S ORBIT (arranged marriage in space) or SIX WAKES (locked room murder mystery, in space)
• something that makes me feel like I’m reading ALL SYSTEMS RED for the first time

Literary & Upmarket

• twists on familiar concepts like THE COMPOUND
• twisty, big-tent multi POV novels like GOD OF THE WOODS
• dying for something set in the world of New York media from the 40s to the heydays of the early aughts, with the feel of RULES OF CIVILITY by Amor Towles or Tina Brown’s THE VANITY FAIR DIARIES
• historical fiction that looks at unfamiliar experiences from more familiar areas of history – think WOMEN’S HOTEL

Other

• Open to horror but very select: has to have a stsrong hook and an unusual twist
• I’m not particularly interested in stories about evil AI (or, really, AI in general)
• once again: no YA, no MG, no picture books or chapter books

Submission Guidelines

LDLA only accepts submissions through Query Manager.

Any submission emailed directly to my work email without a prearranged referral will be deleted.

Submissions must include: query letter, synopsis, and first ten pages of novel, pasted into the form.

Guidelines & Details