Kristin Ostby
Salky Literary Management
My Manuscript Wish List®
I am currently looking for literary genre fiction for young adults and adults—namely thriller, mystery, horror, and romance—as well as children’s graphic novels (MG and YA). Across genres, I want high concept stories (i.e., a with striking and easily communicated idea and an undeniable elevator pitch) that demonstrate expertise at the line level, with a literary voice and surprising depth, a well-executed sense of humor or playfulness, and a thoughtful economy of language.I am open to picture books by author/illustrators, middle grade novels, and adult nonfiction via referral only.Please note:
- If your manuscript is over 95K words, it is probably not for me
- I review queries only through Query Tracker. I immediately delete submissions sent directly to email
Top of my wish list are:
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Literary psychological thriller/satire like Yellowface, Yesteryear, or Best Offer Wins in YA and adult
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Upmarket adult mystery, contemporary or historical, with a clear and fresh hook, well-drawn characters, and a great sense of humor. Examples include Thursday Murder Club, Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, Girl Waits with Gun, and A Most Agreeable Murder
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Subversive romance stories that demonstrate not just knowledge of the tropes, but a desire to flip the tropes on their heads; I’d like to see unexpected characters, settings, and plot twists too
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Upmarket cozy romance with supernatural and found family elements, like The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches in YA and adult, where frankly the romance is secondary to the rest of the story’s richness
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YA mystery and thriller, including cozy mystery, fantasy mystery, paranormal or supernatural mysteries, historical mysteries, and gothic thrillers
In YA, I am also looking for:
- romance with a speculative element or an unusual form/structure/timeline
- historical fantasy grounded in our world (think: Chloe Gong)
- historical romance from a BIPOC perspective
In middle grade, I’d also like:
- literary stories with a commercial hook
- friendship stories
- funny coming-of-age contemporary graphic novelists (illustration and text)
- funny contemporary mysteries and adventures
I always love:
- humor
- rich ensemble casts
- coming-of-age stories
- fish-out-of-water stories
- friendship stories
- gothic elements
- magic
- ghosts
- descriptions of elaborate feasts
- subplots built around nuanced family dynamics, particularly parent-child or sibling relationships
Vital Info
I’d like the next…
