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MANUSCRIPT WISHLIST

Experience

I’m an assistant editor at Peachtree Publishing seeking MG & YA novels. I’m looking for horror, thrillers and mystery, contemporary, romance, speculative fiction, and historical fiction.

 

I most love books that have something important to say—either socio-politically or about life itself. While I respond to both literary and commercial writing, I can’t resist stories with real depth and thematic weight. Send me your stories with cathartic character arcs, authentic teen and tween messiness, and emotional immediacy. I strongly prioritize voices traditionally underrepresented in publishing.

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Below, you can read more detailed information about what I'm looking for in the above genres:

Horror

  • Horror exploring sociopolitical themes

  • Horror that delves into the ways in which we’re haunted by grief, shame, guilt, or destructive societal forces

  • Body horror and/or horror that explores bodily autonomy

  • Horror genre-blends (think horrormance, dark fantasy with strong horror elements, historical horror)

Thriller and Mystery

  • Socially conscious thrillers, especially those that explore the way power structures impact who society believes and whose stories it values

  • Slashers written by marginalized authors (In narratives centering violence, I am interested in those stories being told by the people most likely to experience violence)

  • Intricate, detail-rich mysteries with a classic feel (especially in the MG space)—think locked rooms, secret passageways, impossible crimes, unique or isolated settings, abounding puzzles, and intrigue-filled ensemble casts

Romance

  • Whether uplifting and warmhearted or dark and angsty, I am specifically looking for real emotional authenticity, vulnerability, and depth. In most cases, a submission that’s pure fluff or escapism is not for me.

  • Fresh takes on beloved tropes from perspectives underrepresented in publishing

  • Queer love in all its many forms, including a-spec relationships and age-appropriate crushes in the middle grade space

Contemporary 

  • In this genre, I am looking for projects with serious literary merit: arresting line-level writing, raw emotional honesty, and an unforgettable voice that speaks to deeper truths about the world and ourselves.

  • Stories exploring mental health themes that impact young people’s lived realities, including more stigmatized experiences

  • LGBTQIA+ stories of all kinds, especially from trans/nonbinary creators. As much as I love queer joy and the found family of queer friendships, I am also here for stories that reflect the challenges specific to this community.

  • Stories that address the ways in which the political environment impacts young people within their families and communities

  • “Gritty,” “Issue-Driven”

Speculative fiction set in our world

  • Contemporary fantasy, especially dark fantasy. In this space, I am particularly seeking emotionally intense, character-driven narratives with richly immersive settings.

  • Near-future dystopian fiction with clear ties to present-day injustices and existential threats 

  • Climate fiction

  • Fresh takes on time loops and time travel

  • Paranormal and supernatural tales we haven’t seen before—think familiar entities (ghosts, werewolves, vampires) written from a fresh perspective, or creatures many haven’t met yet (like creatures from non western or Indigenous cultures)

  • Genre-blending or outright defying books that are gloriously, unflinchingly weird

Historical

  • Thematically incisive historical fiction with strong sociopolitical parallels to crises of today’s world

  • Untold histories written from marginalized perspectives

  • Explorations of activist history or periods of major social change

  • Narratives that capitalize on 90s and aughts cultural nostalgia—think the height of emo culture and pop punk, indie sleaze, high school in the tumblr era

More specific wishlist items include:

  • Trans/nonbinary-led narratives 

  • Experimental narrative structures and unique POVs—think the structure of A.S. King’s Dig., or the haunted motel room’s POV in Meriam Metoui’s A Guide to the Dark

  • Stories in which the protagonist is struggling with and/or is in recovery from a substance use disorder

  • Books that tackle healthcare access or lack thereof—think gender affirming care, abortion and birth control access, navigating chronic illness, seeking medical care as a marginalized person

  • Politically-minded road trip narratives that address the ways in which marginalized people explore and experience unfamiliar places

I am not the best fit for:

  • Picture book fiction

  • SFF not set in our world

  • Books set in outer space

  • Superhero stories

  • Stories with animal protagonists

  • Cis-girl-dresses-as-boy-for-opportunities trope, unless it’s queer (in which case, give it to me!)

Submission Guidelines

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Please email submissions to kade.dishmon@peachtreebooks.com.
 

I accept agented submissions only unless specifically requested.

 

I prefer to see full manuscripts (fiction) / full proposals (graphic novels).

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DISCLAIMER: My freelance editorial services are in no way connected with my editorial work for my current employer. Use of my editorial services also cannot guarantee an offer of representation or publication.

For freelance editorial services, please reach out to me via the contact page of this website. My workplace email is for submissions to be considered by Peachtree Publishing only.

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