Amy Giuffrida is a literary agent with Jennifer De Chiara Literary.
Amy’s life is consumed with all things bookish. When she’s not working on books, she’s talking about stories with her classes as an 8th grade ELA (English/Language Arts) teacher. In her spare time, you can find her renovating her house, binge-watching TV shows on Hulu, or reading something scary—all while snuggling with her three rescue dogs.
She is seeking:
I am always looking for #ownvvoices stories written by traditionally underrepresented authors that feature BIPOC and LGBTQ+ characters.
MIDDLE-GRADE AND YA:
Horror- Give me your dark and twisted tales that make me question reality. I am especially looking for stories set around Halloween, since this is my favorite time of year—ghosts and hauntings with themes of friendship. I also love campy stories full of tropes, so send them my way!
Romance- Remember your first kiss? I really want to see sweet first love stories. I want to feel that wave of butterflies first love creates and the awkwardness of a first kiss or that tension of having a crush—no matter the type of coupling (F/F, M/M, or F/M).
Contemporary- I’m always in search of strong, young characters that fight to change the world. Also, enemies to friends, friendship break-ups, and feel good family stories are always at the top of my #MSWL—think MG or YA Schitt’s Creek.
Mystery- I’d love to see stories including a group of teens that band together to solve puzzles and mysteries. Think of a modern day Goonies or Scooby-Doo with diverse characters.
ADULT FICTION:
Horror- I want scary, smart stories.
Romance/Rom Com- Give me books that make me swoon, laugh, and cry all at the same time. Stories of best friends turned lovers makes me super happy, no matter the coupling. I’d love to see more of true love stemming from blind dates and making it in the face of diversity. I also seek f/f love stories—give me RED WHITE & ROYAL BLUE, but with female characters. Would also LOVE to see some stories set during holidays in non-Western settings.
Psychological Thrillers- Give me all the unreliable narrators and unexpected twists and turns.
NONFICTION:
MG, YA, and Adult- I am looking for powerful stories from diverse voices, including cookbooks that highlight family stories or ancestral anecdotes.
What I am NOT looking for:
• Pandemic stories
• Angel, demon, werewolf, zombie, mermaid, or pirate stories
• Political/military thrillers
• Novellas, short story collections, screenplays
• Previously published work
• Historical stories in fiction or non-fiction
• Chapter/picture books
• Time travel
• Science Fiction
• Stories including religious themes, suicide, rape, physical/mental abuse, or abductions