Since Mushens Entertainment is open to submissions and always on the hunt for new talent, we’ve asked our agents to sit down and tell us all about what’s on their wish list. Today’s guest is Liza DeBlock. Here’s what she’s on the hunt for now:

When I think of what I want to see in my submissions inbox, I like to look at my bookshelf.

At the moment, the top shelf is filled with fantasy novels. I have always loved picking up books by Tamora Pierce, Sarah J. Maas, Naomi Novak, Cassandra Clare, RF Kuang, Deborah Harkness, and everyone in between. I really enjoyed Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Törz. Give me a magical system based on books any day of the week! Anything set in libraries or archives catches my attention very quickly in the sub box. I thought The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo was a brilliant blending of historical and fantasy. I have to say that I like watching sci-fi more than reading it, but if anyone has a novel that is Battlestar Galactica meets Sarah J. Maas – please see my submissions guidelines.

The shelf below is stacked with thrillers. When it comes to thrillers, I always love watching characters be put in a position that I would never want to be in, and then they have to find their way out of it. I do love thrillers with a punchy hook or a unique set-up. For example, Notes On An Execution was a brilliant way into a story about a serial killer but told through the eyes of the women around him. The Lamplighters also intrigued with its spooky mystery, yet the story centred on the intertwining relationships between characters.

Below that shelf is an assortment of contemporary fiction with a speculative twist. I loved how Our Wives Under the Sea mixed body horror with grief and the end of a marriage. Before the Coffee Gets Cold was a gorgeous story about relationships and family with the added element of time travel.

A whole other bookshelf is dedicated to non-fiction. The stories that intrigue me most reframe a piece of history I thought I knew. For example, The Five introduced me to the women of Jack the Ripper, Messalina rediscovered the woman besmirched by history, and Femina showed me the lives of women during medieval times. I am also interested in books that investigate women’s health, whether mental or physical, such as Women are Angry. I also deeply love food! Food memoirs and cookbooks are my bread and butter. On the cookbook front, I love books that make me cook things faster, smarter, and tastier than before. For example, The Roasting Tin, One Pot One Portion, One Bake Two Ways, and A Recipe For Every Day of the Year are used most often in my kitchen.

Lastly, I have a blank shelf, and this is what I want to fill it!

I adore historical fiction. I love when stories are based on real people. For example, I would love a novel about the French revolution through the eyes of Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun. The books I recently enjoyed in this area are Joan, Lady MacBethad, Hamnet, A Marriage Portrait, and The Painter’s Daughters. A Discovery of Witches is my heart song and I would love to find something within this vein having to do with werewolves. If anyone has a spooky novel based on selkies, please send it my way.

I love books based in archives, bookstores, universities, unique and exotic locations. Snappy, voicey main characters stick in my head and make me feel like I’m along for the journey. I love a good plot that moves the story along, coupled with great characterization.

On the non-fiction front, I really liked The Wager by David Grann. The writing blended historical fact with moving prose and it transported me to the ship and the deserted island with the crew. I also enjoyed Matrescence and would love something about women’s health written by professionals within that area.

I cannot wait to read your submission!

You can learn more about how to submit to Liza here.