Matthew Valdez

Megibow Literary Agency, LLC.

My Manuscript Wish List®

Kindness. Integrity. Patience. Profit. Enthusiasm.

Matthew’s love of literature began as a teenager when his mom handed him a copy of TWILIGHT after years of being a reluctant reader. Then, in college he took a Young Adult Literature class and was immediately hooked on reading YA. In fact, it was that professor who encouraged him to attend YALLFest- that conference is what launched Matthew into the world of publishing. With over a decade of volunteering at conferences and interning at literary agencies, Matthew brings a very behind-the-scenes perspective to his job as agent.

Matthew holds a Bachelor’s in Secondary Education from the Metropolitan State University of Denver, and is currently attending The University of Central Florida to obtain his Master’s in Educational Leadership. He lives in sunny Florida where he teaches High School English and hopes just a sliver of his passion for books rubs off on his students.

I am always looking to champion stories from writers of all marginalized backgrounds, especially voices from the LGBTQ+ community!

Fun facts about me:

I’ve been a loyal Lady Gaga fan since 2008, I’ve been playing both Genshin Impact AND Honkai: Star Rail since launch, My go-to genre of music is usually Japanese Rock / Pop!

Submission Guidelines

Submissions should be emailed to matthewquery@megibowliterary.com

I am currently CLOSED to new queries as of November 11th, 2024. I will reopen sometime in January 2025. Any queries sent during this time will be deleted unread.

Queries should be sent to

ma**********@me*************.com











 with the subject “QUERY – MANUSCRIPT TITLE”.
Please send your query letter and the first 10 pages of your manuscript in the body of the email, along with your author website if you have one (not a deal-breaker if you don’t). Absolutely all queries will be read and will receive a response. Please allow 4-6 weeks and please note that no critiques or feedback are included in passes. I currently don’t accept pitches via social media, phone, snail-mail, or any other platform other than email.

What I’m currently looking for: (Under Construction, Check back January 2025)

Adult:

  • Fantasy
  • Science Fiction
  • Psychological Thriller
  • Horror
  • RomCom (Particularly LGBTQ+, but all welcome!)
  • Upmarket Literary Fiction
  • Graphic Novels (any genre)

Young Adult:

  • Fantasy
  • Contemporary
  • Science Fiction
  • Paranormal
  • Thriller
  • Dystopian
  • RomCom (Particularly LGBTQ+, but all welcome!)
  • Graphic Novels

Oddly Specific things I’m looking for:

  • Books with vibes similar to Uncharted / National Treasure (particularly for the YA market, but open to any). Using actual history in an alternate way is absolutely up my alley.
  • *Cozy* science fiction. I’ll take a look at all sci-fi submissions, but I am longing for cozy / heartwarming stories!
  • Time Travel. Especially if it’s done well. A recent favorite would be THE BOOK OF DOORS by Gareth Brown.
  • Villain Origin Stories. Lifelong fan of villains here! Tell me what makes your character so evil!
  • Horror novels that feature dysfunctional families. Think Haunting of Hill House or DIAVOLA.
  • LGBTQ+ Romance that feature boy bands or characters that are famous. IF THIS GETS OUT, KISS & TELL, DARK HEARTS, are all favorites! Would love to see some similar New Adult projects. 
  • Graphic Novels: Looking for graphic novels of any genre for any age. I would love to see LGBTQ+ Romance, BIPOC stories, Horror/Hauntings, or Fantasy.
  • Retellings: Give me all the retellings! From myth, to folktales, to Shakespeare, to Gatsby; I want them all! I am always looking for unique perspectives to much loved stories.
  • Historical novels: I am particularly interested in historical novels that center on a specific person’s history with alternating time lines. I’m looking for projects that make me forget these people are fictional. I absolutely loved THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO, DID YOU HEAR ABOUT KITTY KARR, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ASTRID BRICARD, and DAISY JONES AND THE SIX.

I am not the best person for:

  • Superheroes
  • War (I like wars with swords and bows and arrows and magic, not machine guns or snipers)
  • Politics

I am currently NOT accepting:

  • Nonfiction
  • Memoir
  • Middle Grade
  • Picture/Chapter
  • Poetry
  • Short Story
  • Screenplays
  • Material for the Inspirational / Religious Market

Vital Info

matthew@megibowliterary.com

@MLA_Matthew

Website

Agent

Favorite sub-genres:

Adult, BIPOC, Book Club, Commercial and Literary, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Own Voices, Paranormal, Thrillers, Upmarket Commercial Fiction, Young Adult, dark academia, science fiction

I’d like the next…

T.J. Klune, Tomi Adeyemi, Taylor Jenkins Reid, V.E. Schwab, Rebecca Roanhorse, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Freida McFadden, Abby Jimenez, Josh Malerman

My favorites include…

Books:

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab; Whalesong by Daniel Kraus; The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald; Wool by Hugh Howey; The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid; Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston; The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli; House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune; Cinder by Marissa Meyer

TV:

Once Upon a Time, The Mandalorian, Outlander, Silo, The Crown, American Horror Story, The Haunting of Hill House, Fall of the House of Usher

Movies:

Hairspray (2007), Phantom of the Opera (2003), Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (I know, I know), The Conjuring Franchise,