Erica Bauman

I'm not on here very often because life has been busy as of late, but needed to make this PSA again:

Writers, please do not cold email editors who have never talked to you or requested your work. A lot of us aren't open to unsolicited or unagented manuscripts. #publishing #amwriting #amquerying

Queer Thrillers and Space Operas: New YA Book Releases for January 21, 2026 Whether you like queer thrillers, space opera love stories, short story collections, or something else, this week's YA releases will be up your alley.

Queer thrillers, space operas, and more of this week's new YA book releases in both hardcover and paperback: bookriot.com/new-ya-book-...

A wild radiance + themes of resistance

A thread for no particular reason

Places my cat has gotten stuck today:
-tied to the leg of the bed
-between the couch and the storage basket
-under the TV console
-behind the big mirror
-tangled in a kitchen chair
-wedged between the fridge and counter

#geriatriccatproblems

Most Anticipated Young Adult SFF/H for January & February 2026 - Reactor A new year means new books!

What YA novels are kicking off your new year?? @bookjockeyalex.bsky.social brings together 14 new young adult science fiction, fantasy, and horror books from January and February! The big news: Dragons are IN

YouTube video by Old Cartoons Network The New Adventures of Winnie The Pooh - Intro (Opening theme)

Had to sing the Winnie the Pooh TV theme song to encourage myself to get out of bed this morning. Happy January!

youtu.be/ckvnRB6IHSU?...

blue and pink illustration of the iconic shot of the t-rex roaring from the end of jurassic park, except the banner now reads "life finds a way" in the trans flag colors

photo of blue and fluorescent pink risograph print of the iconic shot of the t-rex roaring from the end of jurassic park, except the banner now reads "life finds a way" in the trans flag colors

Store grand opening! I'm selling Risograph prints of my trans rex art for $20, and slightly misaligned prints for $15. Half of each print's price will be donated a local LGBTQ+ org, and the $20 print comes with a free vinyl sticker.

💖 brinsonmarie.com

My annual query inbox wrapped is up on Instagram. I’m a simple gal who loves data analysis, and hopefully this look at the numbers is helpful to writers. #querying

flyer for Year End Sale. 30% sitewide until end of 2025 Use code YEAREND30

CELEBRATE THE FINAL DAYS OF #TACHYON30 BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS AWESOME #SALE

30% OFF SITEWIDE

Use #coupon code YEAREND30

buff.ly/BCqYRJ9

30% off everything including physical books, ebooks, limiteds, and pre-orders.

When we say everything, we mean everything!

I also have a more detailed list on manuscriptwishlist.com, and update my instagram #mswl highlight reel with things that pop up throughout the year.

As always, I’m looking for projects in the MG, YA, and Adult fiction space. #mswl

Hello 2026! As we get closer to the new year—and my query inbox reopening—it’s time for me to update what I’m looking for. I saw a lot of fabulous projects in 2025 (but more on that later), and I’m excited about what I might find in 2026. #mswl

Posting this before my inbox reopens in January. I’m planning to close my query inbox for February & March 2026–I know that it’s going to be a busy time for me, and it’s better that I take those months to try to catch up. So, after January, my inbox will reopen in April. #literaryagent #queryupdate

The Glade Ellen Oh’s Spirit Hunters meets Katherine Arden’s Small Spaces in this “scary good time” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade supernatural mystery followi...

Awards eligibility 2025! I pubbed things!

THE GLADE, middle grade horror, from Aladdin (S&S)

An anxious, autistic, aspec Iranian American tween discovers a clearing in her woodsy summer camp where dreams—and nightmares—come to life. Eligible for Andre Norton (Nebulas), IGNYTE, Stoker, Mythopoeic!

My goal is to finish July-Oct before the end of the month. I also plan to go through my maybe pile in December.

If you’re waiting on a full MS, I’m working to get back to you as well before the end of the year. Thank you all for your patience!

A long overdue #queryupdate: I am nearly caught up! Many thanks again to all the authors who have had to be patient while I read. At this point, if you’ve sent a query in Apr-June and haven’t heard back, you’re in my maybe pile.

Thanks to Ashley Aya Ferguson for coordinating our panel at Books by the Banks this weekend in Cincinnati. Loved meeting and sharing stories with Mary Kay Carson, @tanyakonerman.bsky.social and Kristy High. Great festival. ❤️
#booksbythebanks #bookfests #bookfestivals #cincinnatibooks

Whelp, I did the thing. Couldn’t find my glasses when they were on my head. 👵🏻

Text that says “free replay: MSWL live agent panel: horror” over a background of Halloween pumpkins

Want to work on tension, character & querying - for free?

Check out our #MSWL live replay from last week!

One attendee said “I feel like I just had an entire MFA course. Except MFA programs get snooty about 'genre fiction.' "

Check it out! manuscriptacademy.com/mswl-live-ag...

A collage of twenty-one 2025 middle grade mystery book covers. Books featured include The Tontine Caper, The Treasure of Ocean Parkway, White House Clubhouse: White House Undercover, The Accidental Stowaway, Murder At The Museum, Millie of the Manor, The Secret of Moonrise Manor, The Thirteen Doors of Black House, A Recipe For Trouble, Grady Jones and The Great Detective Game, Agent Cupcake, Windy Creek Stables: Harper and The Horse Show Sabotage, Bubblegum Shoes: The Case of the Contraband Closet, The Shadow of the World-Famous Nine, Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave, The Mizzy Mysteries, Death By Whoopee Cushion, Detective Beans: Adventures In Cat Town, Opal Watson Private Eye, Smoke & Mirrors and Murdle Jr. Sleuth On The Loose.

🔍 60 2025 Middle Grade Mystery and Detective Stories 🔍
popgoesthereader.com/60-2025-midd... #BookSky #KidLit #MGLit

Book covers of The Bruising of Qilwa, from the dark we came, his quiet agent, vespertine, breeze spells and bridegrooms, elatsoe, bisclavret, the grimrose girls

Some recs of books with ace spec main characters for Asexual Awareness Week (and a list of my own books with ace spec characters too).

www.antoniaaquilante.com/blog/book-re...

#aceweek #asexualawarenessweek #bookrecs

A wild radiance is being published in the UK and Commonwealth in spring 2026 from Walker books

Fun book news!

Loved my visits at the River School and the Landon School this week. We talked about the origins of characters and stories, and had some laughs. Thank you to everybody who participated, and to @politicsprose.bsky.social . It's always so much fun. 🥰 #schoolvisits #authorvisits #kidlit

Cover photo for a Halloween recommended reads list, featuring an elderly cat wearing a Hannibal Lector-coded mask

Meanwhile, over on instagram, I’m trolling my cat: www.instagram.com/ericabaumanb...

Hi #DVPit! Even though my inbox is currently closed, I’ll be checking out the feed throughout the day. If I 💙, I’d love to see your query, which you can send via this link: QueryTracker.net/query/EricaB...

“Furiously, tender and radically hopeful, a wild radiance is the book all of us need right now. It’s a Which helps us imagine a better one – and begin the work of building it for one another. I just adored it““ – Alix E Harrow, New York Times, best selling author of the everlasting.

This blurb for A Wild Radiance 🥺🥺🥺🥺

#DVPit Rules -#DVpit (Diverse Voices Pitch) is a Bluesky event for marginalized creators that have been historically underrepresented in publishing to pitch their work to agents & editors -Post your pitch on Bluesky on Wednesday, Oct 8, 2025 between 8AM ET - 8PM ET -Only post once per hour (6 max pitches per project) -Must have a polished, query ready manuscript or art portfolio. -Pitch must include the #DVpit hashtag (illustrators pitching their art must use the #DVArt hashtag) -A like from an agent = a query request -A repost from an editor = interest in submission once you've signed with an agent -A like from an editor = editor who takes unagented submissions -Please do not like or repost a pitch if you are not an agent or an editor. Support other creators by replying to their pitch or quote-reposting their pitches -Visit dvpit.carrd.co for more detailed guidelines.

#DVpit 2025 has 70+ Agents & Editors committed to participate & boost marginalized creators from the following literary agencies and publishers: Andrea Brown Lit Ash Literary Azantian Literary Agency Dystel, Goderich & Bourret Folio Literary Management Gallt & Zacker Literary Gelfman Schneider Literary Hachette Grand Central Publishing Little Brown Books for Young Readers Harper Collins Harlequin Hanover Square HG Literary Inked in Gray Press Jill Grinberg Literary Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency Macmillan Feiwel & Friends Farrar, Straus & Giroux Roaring Brook Press Saturday books Wednesday books Mad Woman Literary Neighborhood Literary New Leaf Literary & Media Open Book Literary Page Street Publishing Park, Fine & Brower Penguin Random House Ballantine Berkley Delacorte Labyrinth Road Penguin Workshop Viking Root Literary Simon & Schuster Aladdin Atheneum Atria McElderry Sheldon Fogelman Agency Sourcebooks Stonefruit Studio Triada US Writers House Zando

TOMORROW (Oct 8th) is #DVpit! Any unagented Marginalized writer or artist seeking out representation is invited to participate from 8AM - 8PM ET!
Please make sure you review our rules & guidelines before the event: dvpit.carrd.co#faq

#writersky #booksky #artistsky #weneeddiversebooks

1:1 Agent Consultations are now live for non-members!

If you're not sure why you're getting rejected--if you'd like "Try the following to improve your odds" advice--or if you just want to make sure your work is agent-ready before you send, we are here to help.

manuscriptacademy.com/consultations

DVpit pitch event for creators from marginalized communities.

Just 3 days until #DVpit on October 8th, 2025--a pitch event for unagented marginalized writers & artists seeking out representation!
Here's our guide about what to do during the pitch event! dvpit.carrd.co#during

So excited for all the amazing talent we'll see! #writersky #booksky #artistsky

In all seriousness, publishers are going to have to figure out how to market books in the post-social-media landscape. That should be an implicit part of their job. What authors/artists can do on their own is increasingly limited and siloed.