Annalise is a graduate of Lesley University where she earned a B.A. in Creative writing with a double minor in Literature and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. She is excited about uplifting stories by authors with marginalized voices and intersectional identities, ultimately making room for the diverse voices that have long since been ignored and suppressed in the literary world and beyond. When she isn’t agenting, Annalise spends an excessive amount of time snuggling with her cat, Mittens, and writing romance novels that are more swoony than strictly necessary. Annalise is looking for more queer, BIPOC representation across the board, especially in romances that give Happily Ever Afters to complex and palpable characters. Fiction Adult
Romance
Romance is Annalise’s genre of choice, especially when they center on queer and BIPOC protagonists and love interests, such as Talia Hibbert’s “Take a Hint, Dani Brown”. Annalise wants to see queer/BIPOC historical fiction (think a queer “A League of Extraordinary Women” or Cat Sebastian); queer/BIPOC baking rom-coms; queer/BIPOC holiday romances; books that tackle the intersection of romance and mental health like “The Charm Offensive” (the topic of fame is a plus!); and anything that’s warm and cozy. Romances about bisexual women sit particularly close to Annalise’s heart. HEAs or HFNs are a must (per rules of the genre, and Annalise’s adoration). Her favorite tropes are enemies-to-lovers; serious-and-sunshine; and second-chance romance. She does not accept erotica or romances featuring unhealthy or abusive relationships to any degree.
Mysteries/Thrillers
Annalise is looking for queer/BIPOC thrillers that function as social commentary such as Alyssa Cole’s “When No One Is Watching” and queer/BIPOC historical mysteries like Nekesa Afia’s “Dead Dead Girls”. She loves novels with interesting formats such as compilations of files and articles (think “Night Film” by Marisha Pessl). She is always intrigued by complex who-dun-its. It is hard to sell Annalise on thrillers that feature violence against women as their main plot. She is not a good fit for supernatural, ungrounded thrillers; thrillers that border too close to horror; gore-heavy thrillers; or thrillers that use the “bury your gays” and/or “fridging” trope. Annalise is looking for thrillers that feature a mystery of some kind: queer/BIPOC Agatha Christie is her dream mystery/thriller. She loves dark academia with a historical mystery. She is not looking for medical or apocalyptic thrillers.
Commercial/Women’s/Contemporary Fiction
Annalise wants character-driven contemporary fiction that has enough plot movement to keep the reader invested (no character studies, please!). She likes books that use alternative formats (like “Daisy Jones & The Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid) and question the boundaries of typical contemporary fiction. Books with social commentary about queer/BIPOC characters finding their way in life — think “Luster” and “Such a Fun Age” —are also a good fit for Annalise. She loves books that focus in on fictional celebrities or reflect upon fame such as “The Comeback” by Ella Berman and “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Books with happy endings are a plus. Annalise also wants fiction featuring change as a thematic focal point with unabashed self-love and romance, like Claire Christian’s “It’s Been A Pleasure, Noni Blake”. New Adult Annalise wants New Adult romance and contemporary fiction that focuses on found family and a during- or post-college bildungsroman plot. She would especially like to see fiction set immediately post-college that follows the queer/BIPOC protagonist’s trials and tribulations in the “real world” or warm and nerdy new adult like “Fangirl”. It is hard to sell Annalise on a new adult book that doesn’t feature romance in some facet. Any genre mentioned on this page, Annalise would love to see in a New Adult space. Young Adult Annalise is focusing on representing YA