Miriam Cortinovis is a literary agent with The Ki Agency.
Born and raised in Italy, Miriam (they/she) moved to Chicago as a teenager and has since earned a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Writing & Publishing from DePaul University. When not reading or writing SFF fiction of their own, Miriam enjoys playing videogames with their partner and scheming on Dungeons & Dragons with her friends. Their MSWL is inspired by all these speculative passions on top of their non-binary, bisexual, and chronically ill identity.
She is seeking:
In general, Miriam is eagerly looking for everything and anything speculative (fantasy and science fiction) across most age ranges — adult, young adult, and middle grade.
For fantasy, Miriam seeks intersectional diverse stories that make of magic—whatever its definition—an instrument of identity and/or social discovery. They want portal trilogies like A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, D&D-inspired adventures like TIL DEATH DO US BARD, alluring paranormal glimpses like TOGETHER WE ROT, and the triumphal return of urban fantasy through the likes of LEGENDBORN. They would love epic tales set in worlds similar yet different from ours like THE JASMINE THRONE, coming-of-age powerhouses like WITCHLINGS & PERCY JACKSON, riveting academia plots like CURIOUS TIDES, and retellings that deviate from the Western canon—with a special interest in medieval romance & the Arthurian cycle. Above all, Miriam is on the frontlines of championing queer perspectives, especially trans, non-binary, and asexual voices, through all human facets: rage, joy, healing, and messy glory. Think, HELL FOLLOWED WITH US and VESUVIUS.
For science fiction, Miriam is eager to have their brains teased and blown. While not keen on hard sci-fi, they relentlessly chase the necromantic high of GIDEON THE NINTH. They would also love space shenanigans à la TREASURE PLANET and JUNKER SEVEN. On earth or otherwise, Miriam awaits dystopian novels that fearlessly interrogate and exaggerate modern society with the timeless insight of THE HUNGER GAMES, the cutting genius of PARABLE OF THE SOWER, and the ruthlessness of HBO’s WESTWORLD.
Similarly—for horror, thriller, gothic, and historical, they would love to champion manuscripts that utilize the speculative to challenge, endanger, and transform the psyche anew. Less splatter, more mind metamorphosis. To note that Miriam isn’t looking for historical novels set during or after WWI-WWII unless told from a non-Western perspective.
Miriam takes an interest in young adult contemporary novels that draw on their fascination with American high school from immigrant perspectives and with summer camps/adventures, in the veins of YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN. They’re also looking for queer YA horror & thriller the likes of HOW TO FIND A MISSING GIRL and HOLLOW.
Miriam is also on the lookout for selective works of literary fiction and creative nonfiction. For everything listed above, they’re also highly interested in novellas.
What they don’t want: Poetry. Picture Books. Trade Nonfiction. Contemporary Mafia Fiction. Contemporary Adult Romance. Erotica.