Kelly Stone

New updates for 2026!

I am an associate editor at St. Martin’s Publishing Group, where I’ve worked since 2021. I graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Communication, where I researched the ways we interact with social media in the digital age and how to educate young adults to become more media literate. I am the Mentorship Chair of the Young Publishers Association, where I created a program to connect people across different levels of the publishing industry.

I am actively seeking commercial fiction this year with the following themes:

• Warm and uplifting character-driven stories featuring earnest and endearing protagonists, like The Guncle, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, and The Guncle
• Fiction that delves into niche industries or unconventional subcultures, like Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, The Favorites, and Lessons in Chemistry
• A speculative glimpse into the future in just a few years with rootable characters in situations that seem insurmountable, yet still has hope instilled in the narrative, like Station Eleven and Our Missing Hearts (I’d love to see this in YA too, in the vein of Scythe and The Ones We’re Meant to Find)
• A unique take on a coming-of-age story that features a late bloomer in modern society navigating adulting and still feels plot-forward, like Jane the Virgin in book form

I am also building my list of genre fiction for adults and young adults, specifically looking for stories along the lines of:

• Mysteries that feature unconventional lead characters thrown into the investigating role unexpectedly, as well as those that feel grounded in a unique setting with complex emotional depth tying the characters together, such as The Maid and Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers
• Fast-paced thrillers that feel like a fun, action-packed adventure with well-thought-out twists, like The Inheritance Games
• An epic love story that spans generations and timelines and is infused with magic in an easily accessible way, like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Our Infinite Fates

I am also open to select nonfiction, covering the following topics:

• Projects that examine trendy topics in pop culture, accessible pop science about how the world works the way it does, and millennial/Gen Z nostalgia, like Tacky and Cultish
• A behind-the-scenes look into the entertainment and media that acquire fandom power from all their devoted followers, like The Office BFFs and Talking as Fast as I Can

I am NOT the best fit at this time for:

• Horror
• Police procedurals
• Medical dramas
• Hard sci-fi
• High fantasy (grounded fantasy and magic are okay!)
• Romantasy centered around kingdoms and wars
• Contemporary adult romance or contemporary-set YA novels that lack a high-concept hook
• Books on the younger side of the YA age range

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to kelly.stone@stmartins.com

I am only accepting agented submissions at this time.