In general, I’m looking for lyrical prose and voice that comes off the page, intricate plots and complex emotional arcs, complicated characters who leap in headfirst, and immersive worlds.I’d love to see some ambitious works that play with form and narration and aren’t afraid to blend genre, get a little weird, and surprise me. I want fresh concepts and new spins on old ideas.I’m also looking to work with authors who are traditionally underrepresented in publishing, particularly BIPOC, disabled, and neurodivergent authors.Below you can find what I’m looking for in each age category. Please be mindful of the section of things I am not looking for as submissions like these will be automatically passed on.

ADULT

Horror

Atmospheric, slow burn horror full of creeping dread and suspense but grounded in human emotion. I like ghost stories, sentient forests or forests that hold broader meaning, folklore, paranormal creatures, and horror narratives that allow for narratives of justice that may be currently unavailable. I also am interested in use of allegory in horror.

Think:

Alexis Henderson’s Year of the Witching
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic
Gretchen Felker-Martin’s Manhunt
Octavia E. Butler’s Fledgling
Stephen Graham-Jones’ Mapping the Interior
Catherynne M. Valente’s Comfort Me With Apples

Fantasy/Magical Realism/Sci-Fi

I am very interested in stand-alone works at present, though that does not preclude potential series from being considered. I’d love to see some interesting uses of folklore (contemporary especially), lush retellings with supernatural and speculative twists, stories that grapple with climate change, solarpunk futures, and dark contemporary fantasy. When it comes to sci-fi, I’m more drawn to things grounded in the present or near-future worlds and that have a quicker pace. Bonus points if it has an underlying optimism.

Think:

Erin Morgenstern’s The Starless Sea
Rivers Solomon’s The Deep
Becky Chambers’ A Psalm for the Wild-Built or To Be Taught, If Fortunate
Nghi Vo’s The Chosen and the Beautiful
Susanna Collins’ Piranesi
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Beautiful Ones
Rebecca Roanhorse’s The Lightning Thief or Black Sun
Emmi Itäranta’s The Memory of Water
Marina and Sergey Dyachenko’s Vita Nostra

Romantasy

I am very interested in romance forward fantasy novels that also play with darker elements, grapple with realistic problems in near future settings, or incorporate my interests in the above “fantasy” section but with romance being at the heart of the story.

Think:

Kit Rocha’s Mercenery Librarian Series
Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy Series
Mila Vane’s A Gathering of Dragons Series

Mysteries/Thrillers/Suspense

I’m looking for high stakes and a propulsive plot with a speculative element at the core of the story. I’m not interested in anything with members of law enforcement as the main or prominent character, but amateur sleuths, private detectives (particularly with adversarial relationships with law enforcement) and people simply caught up in a mystery are all great. I’d love to see some quirky stories (though I am not looking for cozy mysteries), intelligent heists, things that are dark and psychological, domestic thrillers with diverse casts. I am also open to a good whodunit with an Agatha Christie-esque ensemble.

Think:

Tana French’s The Witch Elm
Zakiya Dalila Harris’s The Other Black Girl
Lucy Foley’s The Guest List
Anthony Horowitz’s The Magpie Murders
Kat Rosenfield’s No One Will Miss Her

YA

Mysteries/Thrillers/Suspense

I’m looking for layered, tricky stories loaded with twists, turns, and red herrings, particular stories with a speculative element. I’d love to see some confident projects with intense protagonists who aren’t very concerned with being liked, and mysteries that could become series.

Think:

Tess Sharpe’s The Girl’s I’ve Been
Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s Ace of Spades
Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s The Inheritance Games
Holly Jackson’s A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
Courtney Summers’ Sadie
Tiffany D. Jackson’s Monday’s Not Coming

Horror

I prefer suspenseful, atmospheric horror to jump scares, but I would love to see a teen slasher novel that plays with standard tropes. I am particularly interested in horror that portrays real life struggles in an evocative way. I am open for stories that involve witches, vampires, and other paranormal creatures, though I would like to see fresh takes on the legends and folklore surrounding these beings. I would also love to see the darker, scarier aspects of these paranormal creatures as a larger focus in the storytelling (no vegetarian vampires for me).

Think:

Rory Power’s Wilder Girls
Rose Szabo’s What Big Teeth
Andrew Joseph-White’s Hell Followed With Us
Krystal Sutherland’s House of Hollow
Robin McKinley’s Sunshine

Fantasy/Sci-Fi

I’m looking for fresh fantasy of the dark, urban, and paranormal subgenres with high, personal stakes, dynamic characters, and voicey prose.  I’m also into retellings, though I would love to see fantastical spins on realistic classics, historical with supernatural twists, and near-future sci-fi with focus on characters that centers on a deep emotional core.

Think:

Darcy Little Badger’s Elatsoe
Rin Chepuco’s The Bone Witch
Natasha Bowen’s Skin of the Sea
Chloe Gong’s These Violent Delights
Joan He’s The Ones We Left Behind

What I’m NOT looking for: nonfiction of any kind; epic fantasy; hard sci-fi; poetry; novels-in-verse; graphic novels; chapter books; picture books. I’m also not currently looking for literary fiction or women’s fiction. Please do not send these as they will be automatically passed on.

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to malorie@parliamenthousepress.com

At this time, I only accept agented queries via direct communication by email. All other queries will be accepted via QueryManager. If QueryManager presents an accessibility issue, you may email me at malorie@parliamenthousepress.com. Please only do so if there are issues preventing you from using QueryManager. All other unsolicited queries not using the linked form will be disregarded. To see if I am open for general submissions and to access the QueryManager link, please go to the submissions guidelines page on the Parliament House website.

We are not considering stories written or co-written by AI.

Fiction: Adult

We accept upmarket and commercial queries in the areas of:

• Urban fantasy

• Magical Realism

• Supernatural thriller

• Paranormal romance/Romantasy

• Dark fantasy

• Horror

• Mystery/Thriller

We are particularly interested in uplifting marginalized voices and unconventional narratives—including narratives by LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, people with disabilities/chronic illness(es), immigrants, and religious minorities. We are particularly interested in character driven, atmospheric stories with poetic, voicey prose. We are not currently looking for contemporary novels or romcoms. Our mission is not only to offer readers fantastical escapes, to make the impossible possible, but to share stories that are thought-provoking, evocative, and speak to the complexities of our lived reality.

All submissions should come in the form of a query letter, which will be submitted via the Query Manager form. Your query letter should include:

• Book title

• genre/subgenre

• Target audience (YA/Adult)

• Word count

• Comps titles 

• Short bio

• Publication history if applicable
  

In addition to the query letter, please attach a document containing the first 20 pages OR the beginning of your novel to the chapter end nearest the 20 page mark. Submissions for adult fiction should ideally be between 65k and ~100k words. All submissions must follow these formatting guidelines:

• Word document, or .docx file

• Cover page that includes story title, author name, word count, and email address

• Header that includes story title and page number

• Double-spaced

• Times New Roman (12 pt, black)

• Left justified

• Paragraphs indented 1/2 inch (no additional spaces between paragraphs)

Fiction: Young Adult

We will consider YA queries in the areas of:

• Urban Fantasy

• Paranormal romance

• Dark fantasy

• Horror

• Mystery/Thriller

We are seeking a limited number of works with diverse representation across age categories and backgrounds. High-concept stories, especially those from diverse voices, are of particular interest. We are interested solely in fantasy works with character-driven plots and engaging, voicey prose. We are also looking for Young Adult works that deal with confessional narratives and dark fantasy elements. At this time, we do not publish Middle Grade or Children’s Literature.

All submissions should come in the form of a query letter via the Query Manager form. Your query letter should include:

• Book title

• genre/subgenre

• Target audience (YA/Adult)

• Word count

• Comps titles 

• Short bio

• Publication history if applicable
  

In addition to the query letter, please attach a document containing the first 20 pages OR the beginning of your novel to the chapter end nearest the 20 page mark. Submissions for young adult fiction should ideally be between 65k and ~100k words. All submissions must follow these formatting guidelines:

• Word document, or .docx file

• Cover page that includes story title, author name, word count, and email address

• Header that includes story title and page number

• Double-spaced

• Times New Roman (12 pt, black)

• Left justified

• Paragraphs indented 1/2 inch (no additional spaces between paragraphs)

Guidelines & Details