By Caren Johnson

This entry is simply a laundry list of projects I’d like to see. Some are more developed than others, but feel free to use any ideas as your own if it inspires creativity. Of course the quality of the writing is the most important part of the equation. I feel like too many genre novels (this includes romance, mystery, science fiction, urban fantasy or anything that isn’t commercial/women’s fiction) are written without a thought to the quality of the writing. But books that have great hooks and that are well written really get more attention and make the reading experience more enjoyable. So pay attention to the words on the page as well as the story.

Contemporary romance/Romantic comedy: My favorite contemporary writers are Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Jennifer Crusie. I think both of the blend humor with strong story telling and I really want someone who can do this. I represent Kelley St. John so she’s a great example of what I read and love.

YA Romance: I represent Stephanie Kuehnert, Alex Echevarria and Emily Adler (they’re collaborating which is why they’re linked here), and Jennifer Echols. This should give some idea of the kinds of books I like. I want smart characters, strong plots and fun settings. In other words I want the sun, moon and stars. I have plenty of room for great writers in this area since I think editors and readers are still hungry for more fabulous writers.

YA Paranormal/Fantasy: I represent Stacey Jay and Terri Clark. Both are fabulous authors with a fun voice and happen to write about zombies, witches, mind readers, werewolves and other creatures that go bump in the night. For me, I want the focus to be heavily on the character and the story. I know world building is important, but I want a fully fleshed out story before this. We can always work on developing the world together before it goes to publishers.

I’m also looking for women’s fiction and commercial fiction. I try not to give examples here because I’ll inevitably get someone who writes exactly like X. I’m not looking for copy cats. I’m looking for writers who have novels that are well written and fun. Hopefully they’ll be commercial and would make good book club picks.

Hope this helps.