Michaela Whatnall

Currently Looking For

Right now, the categories I’m most looking to build in are adult upmarket fiction, contemporary middle grade, young adult of all genres, grounded adult fantasy, and certain romantasy. I’m always eager to see books from diverse voices. My favorite element of any story is a rich dynamic between characters—whether that’s a slow burn romance, a complicated sibling relationship, a bond between a group of friends who couldn’t be more different from each other, or any other juicy dynamic that fuels narrative tension and character arcs. Young Adult: This is the one category where anything goes for me. I love all genres—if it’s YA, bring it on! I will say that I’m a particular sucker for hooky fantasy. I represent All We Hunger For by Anna Mercier, and I’d love to find more books in this vein: a grounded setting with big magic, high stakes, and delicious character dynamics. I’m also very interested in speculative stories, genre blending, and contemporary. But truly, I’m open to any YA with a strong concept! Middle Grade: I am open to all genres, but I’m particularly seeking contemporary, or contemporary with a touch of magic, that is layered, heartfelt, and centers characters with backgrounds or experiences we don’t often see on the page. Think books like Simon Sort Of Says by Erin Bow or my client Jasminne Paulino’s The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez. Upmarket Fiction: One of the areas I’m most eager to build in is adult upmarket fiction that combines a propulsive plot with pervasive themes. In this category I’m seeking all genres, but I have a soft spot for speculative, contemporary, and historical. A good example of what I’m looking for is my client Sophie Wan’s Women of Good Fortune, which on its surface is a book about a heist at a ritzy wedding, but underneath is about the complexities of friendship and the pressures society places on women. Adult Fantasy: I am seeking grounded fantasy, meaning stories that are set in our world, or a world that doesn’t feel too far from our own. I am not seeking epic or high fantasy. I prefer fantasy that prioritizes character, with a world building hook that can be described in one sentence. Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett and The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow are recent favorites and I’d love to find books that comp to them. Along those lines, I’m especially excited to find fantasy stories that have cozy trappings combined with a healthy dollop of adventure and high stakes. Adult Romantasy: I’m seeking romantasy featuring queer, BIPOC, or otherwise underrepresented protagonists. Adult Dystopian: I am excited to see a resurgence of dystopian fiction, and am interested in seeing dystopian novels, as well as romance-forward dystopian novels. I’d love to find the book that grown-up Hunger Games fans would devour. Adult Romance: I am seeking high-concept romance that breaks away from familiar tropes or offers genuinely fresh twists on those tropes. My favorite projects in this category ar

Submission Guidelines

You can query me at https://querymanager.com/query/michaelawhatnall. Please see the link below for full submission guidelines for querying an agent at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. Every single query that comes in is reviewed, so please do give us 6 – 8 weeks for response. Guidelines & Details Vital Info @mwhatnall Website

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