It’s definitely spring in Utah, with fruit blossoms and brilliant blue skies. Let’s just hope the cold front coming in next week doesn’t kill off the fruit harvest for the year.

Stop worrying about what YA books to let your kids read and let them sort it out with V C Andrews and cocaine era Stephen King as God intended

First flowers of spring showing up in my yard. These are volunteers and I never remember what they’re called. I just know spring is on the way whenever I see them.

“I am political,” Ms. Rachel told me of her new effort to free kids from ICE detention. “It’s political to believe that children are worthy of love … and that our care shouldn’t stop at what we look like, our family, at our religion, at a border. Mr. Rogers was very political.”

You're looking in the wrong direction. What's going on in the states politically? Book banning, curriculums controlled by legislatures, money spent on tech not books. School districts and library systems cutting back. It's not the kids. It's the adults.

Awful but not entirely surprising news after the layoffs at smaller pubs last year. The school and library market is hurting--which we don't see in Bookscan numbers.

It's a volatile time in publishing right now. Don't be surprised if you see progressively bad news the next few months. But as I'm telling all of my authors, we've weathered bad times before and books won't go away completely. Don't lose hope, but definitely gird your loins. It's gonna be bumpy.

VERY COOL MEDIA JOB ALERT: @theglobeandmail.com is hiring a Politics Editor to lead our Ottawa bureau. This isn't the kind of job that comes around every day... jobs.dayforcehcm.com/en-US/theglo...

Literary analysis of the day, from the summary judgment dismissing a YA lit plagiarism case, as reported in @publisherslunch.bsky.social : "Hot, sexy, dangerous boys—central to virtually all young adult romance novels—cannot be copyrighted," the court notes.

I don’t know what it is about trying to set up meetings with people in different time zones that breaks my brain every single time. I will miscalculate it at least once each meeting, guaranteed.

After I developed a wheat allergy (like an actual histamine reaction to wheat, not celiac or gluten intolerance) I’ve heard that some people can tolerate wheat from Europe but not the U.S. Well, a friend from France flew in to visit me and brought some croissants, and I only had a mild reaction.

This is my current favorite watch, and the show really is a master class in storytelling. Lots of gorgeous cinematography and people too. For those who don’t watch many Chinese dramas or don’t know where to find them, Pursuit of Jade is on Netflix so you likely already have a subscription.

Last week I shared that I’m hiring a junior designer, but, also, our trade art department as a whole has a total of 5 open roles right now. All new seats, not from turnover. 💙❤️ scholastic.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/External

Looks like it’s time to rewatch Princess Agents. The sequel is finally dropping almost a decade later. It’s seriously good, with Hunger Games vibes, and the opening scenes are incredible. TW for anyone sensitive to violence against women. It’s a bit intense. But the women fight back spectacularly.

Whelp, I finally filed for the Anthropic settlement for my books that appeared in the database. We'll see how that goes. But a reminder to other procrastinators that the deadline to file (if you're eligible and want money from the settlement) is March 30, so like 3 weeks away. Next up, taxes. UGH.

don’t forget to destroy your clocks tonight, walk away from your mortgage, just start driving, you’re free

I'll be teaching a webinar on Sat., April 11 at 11 a.m. CT on The Mechanics of Writing, where I'll go over the basics of punctuation, dialogue mechanics, and self-editing that every writer should know, as well as examples of common mistakes I see in submissions. Register at www.thewritingbarn.com.

Happy #kidlitartpostcard day. I live in animal-centric #nonfiction, but every once and a while I go back to my #fantasy muses. Especially when it's any combination of incendiary equines. Happy #yearofthefirehorse. #kidlitart #illustration

Usually I'm like "Hoarding is too sad of a subject for me, please give me three books about bereavement instead" but this story pulled me in!

It’s not that there are zero use cases for AI. It’s that there are very, very few that justify the enormous expenditure of resources and rapacious exploitation of labor.

I finally feel like I'm starting to catch up on things after being gone for several conferences this month and then getting a cold after (because of course). Not totally there yet, but I made a good dent in some of it today. Send good productivity vibes, if you have any to share!

ICYMI yesterday, I posted a new deal for one of my incredible author. We’re so excited to be working with the brilliant @amyarielfitz.bsky.social at @lernerbooks.bsky.social. When I tell you the author has a way of making even serious subjects hilarious in an introspective way, I’m not kidding.

Honestly, it feels weird trying to celebrate little wins in publishing with everything terrible going on, but we must find joy however we can so we have the strength to keep pushing through the terrors. We all do what we can to make the world somewhat better than it was before.

New deal! New deal! Announcement just dropped in Publishers Weekly children's rights report this afternoon. I've never read a more insightful yet bitingly funny YA than this.

Hello, book people! I am the book content editor for Reactor Mag and I'm looking for 2026 sci-fi, fantasy, horror, romantasy, and speculative books coming out in the second half of the year! If you have an adult or YA SFF/H book out July-Dec (or publicist), share the link/info here!

If your response to my post about hating AI is to tell me to get over it or get with the times, it’s an automatic block. Sorry, I don’t make the rules.* *Okay, maybe I do. But the rule is: Be a jerk, get blocked.

I really wonder sometimes if Microsoft has a death wish and is intentionally trying to kill its business. I have a classic subscription so I can use the apps without AI, and yet it just forced AI into everything anyway and I can't figure out how to turn it off because it's not in settings. GAH.

Why is it that February feels like it’s a whole week shorter than the other months when it’s literally just two or three days difference? But I’m still using that as the excuse for why I’m behind on everything (oh there just isn’t as much time to get everything done this month…)

I am hiring a junior designer. scholastic.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Extern...

Hello Friends! Welcome to #MSWL Day 2026! 🎉 This is our second ever #MSWL Day on Bluesky. We’re happy you’re here! You can, as of TODAY, search Bluesky and ManuscriptWishList.com posts at once: manuscriptwishlist.com/smart-search. All posts are verified by a human who works in publishing. ☕

Okay, I need to jump off the computer for awhile, but I may repost some of my classic MSWL this weekend as I transition them from my Twitter account before I delete them from over there.

As always, I'm interested in finding projects from writers and illustrators who are part of traditionally marginalized groups. I especially love to see books that incorporate unique elements from their heritage. For every age group I represent, board book to YA. A forever #MSWL.

I would love to find more cozy fantasy for YA/MG, and just cozy books in general. When the world is a dumpster fire, sometimes we just need a little escape where there are still stakes and things to do, but in a way that doesn't cause massive anxiety. #MSWL

I'm definitely looking for more submissions from people who write and illustrate graphic novels. #MSWL I've found I don't connect as strongly with just graphic novel texts, which is why I usually prefer to see sample pages of graphic novels from author-illustrators, for any children's age group.

It would be nice if there were a word for: I'm sick but not like deathly sick, just blah don't have a ton of energy and probably should be resting right now but I'm trying to catch up on work. Maybe there's one for it in German?

Pssst - did you see the news that if you donate to your public library this week, you'll get a free audiobook credit from us? 👀⁠⏬

#MSWL I'd love to see wuxia or xianxia stories from Asian writers or the diaspora, either in YA/MG. I find stories from Asian history and folklore fascinating and want to see more from authors from those cultures. But I'm not interested if it's from a cultural appropriation self-insert perspective.

Okay, self, it doesn't help when you're trying to get over a cold to drink your tea down the wrong pipe and you end up coughing all over again because you have issues with basic tasks like drinking liquids.

I always hope it doesn't need to be said, but sadly it does: even though I'm so white I'm clear and very much cishet, I'm not the agent dor books that feature any kind of intolerance toward other people, whether race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, etc. I don't tolerate intolerance. #MSWL

Going through my old tweets to find MSWL posts and apparently in 2019 it was YA that everyone was doomsaying no one would buy anymore. . . It's all cyclical, folks. YA eventually pulled out of its slump, and MG will too. It's just frustrating waiting to come out of any downward trend, so I get it.

This will forever be a #MSWL for YA/MG: kids/teens leading rebellions and speaking truth to power. Especially right now, when so many of them *are* leading the rebellions against those who want to oppress us.

I have a soft spot for Southern Gothic. Especially from/about POC. And I don’t mean just tossing a side character who practices hoodoo/voodoo into a mostly white story. *side eyes Hollywood* #MSWL

Dark fantasy or magical realism à la Pan’s Labyrinth is another love of mine. I love that creepy, ethereal feel of magical realism and folklore mixed with a dash of horror. #MSWL

I often crave dark, spooky, creepy stories in YA/MG, especially during fall and winter—those darker times of year. There’s something about it that especially makes me want to curl up with a good ghost story. #MSWL

Note to those new to Manuscript Wishlist Day: The purpose of #MSWL is to give writers an idea of the *kinds* of books agents are looking for. If your ms has a similar tone, theme, genre, etc., then that agent/editor might love your story too. #MSWL tweets are examples, not the only things we want.

Today I’ll be bringing over some of my perennial #MSWL from my old Twitter account, which will soon be going the way of the dodo. I’m currently closed to submissions while I catch up on work, but I always love when writers cite my MSWL tweets in queries, so I don’t want these to disappear forever.

Just saw more news about the terrible ways people are treating our trans siblings and I just want to send you all so many hugs (or whatever form of support you prefer).

The best advice I can give writers at any stage of the process is to find your community, whether it be online, in person, or a combination. Find the people who will buoy you when you feel like you’re drowning and who’ll cheer you on in your successes—and then do the same for them.

#kidlitchat For those who haven't heard, there will be an official #MSWL day on Thursday this week. If you're currently in the query trenches or will be soon, it's a great resource and may put some wonderful agents on your radar based on what they're looking for.

Plus I finally remembered that it's Tuesday evening so I could make it to #kidlitchat and discuss children's books with all you wonderful people. It's been a hectic few months, that's for sure.