PPWC Report: Agent Kate McKean

Kate McKean: Kate works with the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency (http://www.agentquery.com/agent.aspx?agentid=836.) She reports that she is very interested in young adult, urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and lots of light nonfiction. She does NOT want space odyssey science fiction, high fantasy, or sword and sorcery fantasy. She also doesn't like serious and dark fiction.

What has she seen too much of?

• Query letters that start with questions


• Women's fiction about a divorced woman who is starting life over


• Any fiction with more than one brand name on the first page


• Reruns of whatever's on the shelves right now. If a topic is hot right now, it's what agents were reading a few years ago.


• She's NOT tired of vampires.

What is she not seeing that she'd like to see?

• Paranormal westerns


• More YA romance, even "issue" YA--BUT it has to be told in a convincing voice


• More middle grade fantasy that's not trying to be Harry Potter. Fantasy that's perhaps a little more serious, not cartoonish


• Lots more urban fantasy!

Note: Kate McKean also reported that she prefers email submissions, a detail not reflected on the agency's listings in Publisher's Weekly or Agent Query.

Tomorrow: Take-homes from her Read-and-Critique session.

:) Cheryl