ON THE BLOCK AGENTS: Up Close and Adorable

We're a little over a week away from submission day for this year's ON THE BLOCK.  Here are our Fabulous Fourteen, up close and adorable!

Danielle Burby (Hannigan Salky Getzler)

What I am completely dying to find right now is a book that thoroughly manipulates me so that I laugh and cry and feel compelled to harass my friends and family to read it. Specifically, I'm on the lookout for fantasy, contemporary YA, mystery, women's fiction, and select middle grade. I'm a literary girls girl so I love a book with wonderfully developed and complex ladies and, beyond that, complicated female friendships/sister relationships. (Though I'm also partial to swoon-worthy love stories!) I am prone to reading on the subway, in coffee shops, and on whatever park bench I can park myself on so if you can make me forget I'm sitting in the middle of a crowd, I'm all yours!

Hannah Fergesen (KT Literary)

I'm looking for YA and MG with speculative bents, with extra points for anything that reminds me of my geeky favorites (Buffy, Firefly, Teen Wolf, Doctor Who, etc). If you have diverse characters, cool ensembles, or a witty voice, be prepared for some hair pulling.

Moe Ferrara (Bookends Literary)

I want to find the next… [insert your book here]. That’s right. Beyond being on the lookout for MG and/or YA, I want to find the next book that makes me cry, that tugs at my heartstrings, that has me throwing my iPad across the room at 3AM because you just killed my favorite character. Creepy horror a la Christopher Pike to romance in the vein of Jennifer E. Smith to atmospheric middle grade like Coraline. I want it all.

Josh Getzler (Hannigan Salky Getzler)

This year, I'm largely looking for two kinds of books: Middle-grade novels (largely adventure-y; sometimes slightly paranormal--but NOT high fantasy--and funny if possible), and adult historical fiction. This can be in a Royal Court (those are evergreen) or with a VERY strong, brave protagonist of either sex (or both), preferably telling a story I haven't read before. Bonus points for art, music, or writing being a part of the story; extra bonus points for knights and clergy.

Susan Hawk (Bent)

I’m really looking for some marvelous YA right now. I'm open to genre, but I want stories that grab me and won't let me go, and I like to be surprised. I'm drawn most to literary writing, with strong characters and plotting. I love fantasy, mystery, stories that have a historical element, a strong friendship at their core, and humor is key. I’m actively looking for diversity as well.

Pam Howell (D4E0)

I love these contests that Authoress hosts. I know I'm always going to find quality over quantity. I'm hoping to find some middle grade contemporary, and fantasy in all genres.

Tricia Lawrence (Erin Murphy)

I’m looking for a novel that speaks truth, that takes me to a place I’ve never been before or to a familiar place with a whole new sense of wonder for me to marvel about.

Ammi-Joan Paquette (Erin Murphy)

I’d love to find some fresh, original, jaw-dropping, inventive, layered YA—that’s not too much to ask, is it? :)

Nicole Payne (Golden Wheat)

I’m looking for lava…no really…stop looking at me like that and let me finish. I want stories (YA and up in speculative fiction, romance, contemporary, mystery, thriller, etc) that is capable of scorching and leaving me as a pile of ashes in its wake. See it did make sense, right? Right?

Rena Rossner (Deborah Harris)

I look for plots that keep me up until 4am and then won’t let me turn the lights off, romances that have me swooning (or sobbing like a baby), sentences that give me chills and force me to read them out loud, historical novels that transport me to another world, or anything in Middle Grade, Young Adult, or Adult Fiction that grabs me and just won’t let me go.

Tamar Rydzinski (Laura Dail)

I am hoping to find something new, different, and wonderful. I found Danielle L. Jensen in this auction, so I know it can happen!

Lauren Spieller (Triada US)

I'm prepared to fight to the death for voicey, plot driven YA and MG. I'm particularly excited about fantasy and sci-fi, high concept contemporaries, and diverse voices. I'm also excited to find Adult Psychological Thrillers, Literary Fantasies, and funny Women's Fiction. Bottom line? Give me your manuscripts, and no one gets hurt.

Brent Taylor (Triada US)

I'm looking for something that will make me laugh, cry, and subtweet.

Caryn Wiseman (Andrea Brown)

I'm looking for middle-grade and YA that makes me laugh, makes me cry and keeps me up at night; that leaves me thinking about the characters long after I close the book.