Welcoming new queries here! —> http://querymanager.com/BrianneJohnson

After half a decade working at independent bookstores through my late teens and early twenties, I started at Writers House as starry-eyed intern in 2007 and worked my way up to Senior Agent before moving to HG Literary.

I LOVE what I do, and cultivate a boundary-pushing, empathy-building, omnivorous list. My main focus is children’s books, but I also represent select adult fiction and offbeat nonfiction-—see below for a more precise breakdown.

Children’s:

I’m extra-crazy-picky with taking on picture books, but I do love them and rep them. I would love a great picture book series, like a Fancy Nancy or a Knuffle Bunny—something where we could see fabulous, memorable characters encounter a variety of new circumstances. My tastes tend to run toward the funny, here—very sweet, gentle picture books are just not for me. The same goes for chapter books. I’m particularly on the lookout for humorous, entertaining, illustrated chapter books that also have some kind of educational angle to them, something that could be brought into a classroom to supplement the new Common Core Standards, and ALSO something a kid would gleefully reach for, themselves.

I have a great love for middle grade—bring on the whimsical, the imaginative, the dark/crass/wacky/hilarious. Roald Dahl's bizarre flights of fancy comprise some of the most pleasurable reading time of my life, and I love lower-fantasy in general—-I would go live at Hogwarts if I could..! It's a career goal of mine to rep a Newbery winner. I grew up reading Karen Cushman, Sharon Creech, and Scott O'Dell's books until they fell apart in my hands. I'd love to find a historical MG that is also fun and exciting--a lot of submissions I see for this genre are a little too serious/earnest for my taste. Really, I'd just love to find a fresh, beautiful, fun, thoughtful story that makes that first real step into adulthood seem brand-new, all over again. I'd love to find a great middle grade series!

I’m also looking for exciting, high-concept, gobble-down-in-one-sitting YA novels that keep me up way past my bedtime (I love creepy/horror/suspense, historical, historical fantasy, and creative fantasy in general) as well as beautiful, literary works that explore the coming-of-age theme from a truly original angle and beg for multiple re-readings. I'm a huge Francesca Lia Block fan, and tend to gravitate toward stories featuring offbeat, alternate-lifestyle protagonists who trailblaze their own weird and wonderful paths through life--I want unforgettable characters that I'd follow anywhere, who burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.

I am passionate about YA novels with strong social justice themes that are still character-driven and commercial. Huge extra bonus points for funny, too, although they don't have to be. Bring on the queer, the under-represented, the hot-button reproductive rights and feminist and social justice stories. Bring them all and bring it on! We need them now more than ever.

Adult:

What I'm really on the hunt for are juicy, well-researched historical novels—I adore Geraldine Brooks, and one of my favorite reads of all time is Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel (the first few books, before they devolve into cave porn).

That said, I'm open to other genres. I want something different, and I adore psychologically complex genre-benders. I'm a huge fan of Stephen King and Gillian Flynn, and I love being scared out of my wits in creepy, atmospheric, unexpected ways. I am in love with Liane Moriarty right now, and would love to find an upmarket, darkly-funny "domestic suspense" novel.

My ultimate adult project wish list would include a romantic historical with some unique fantasy elements, a horror novel with fantasy elements, a literary, Beat-like coming-of-age, a thrilling survival tale with well-researched, back-to-the-land details, and a dark, witchy, semi-realistic novel (think a modern-day Practical Magic or Garden Spells). I love a good cabal, coven, karass--secret histories of all stripes.

I’m pretty excited about the crossover category. In general, I’m interested in reading about younger adults and this rich, peculiar, “second coming-of-age”, where one is really exploring what it means to be an adult in the 21st century. I read FANGIRL by Rainbow Rowell this year and absolutely loved it. Like my YA interests, I love stories set in the counter-culture, quirky love stories with a stand-out hook, and subtle twists of fantasy or magical realism.

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The one link I have throughout the many genres I'm interested in is humor. It doesn't necessarily have to be silly humor—sometimes it's more interesting to find humor in darker settings—but I do love a story can illuminate something about humanity AND make me laugh. Life is serious enough. Reading should be a joy.

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COME FOLLER ME! I am twittering on The Tweeter @SecretAgentBri!

I have an Instagram with that handle as well but it's private, for now. Trust me, you don't need to see *that* many mirrored pictures of my cat. (I put the best ones on Twitter, anyway)

“Bri's support of queer voices and interest in bringing diverse voices to the mainstream is what first attracted me to her back in 2013, and it is the reason why I so highly value her advice and guidance. She is someone with a forward-thinking vision, not just of what will appeal to the marketplace, but of how we need to be steering the conversation toward inclusion. She has been ahead of her time with this, representing queer and trans voices back when few agencies and publishing houses were prioritizing such diversity. 

This is exactly how a culture evolves - it takes bold individuals who believe deeply in the writers who they champion. It takes someone who is willing to devote the time to make sure that the work of LGBTQIA and diverse authors is so strong that it can't be ignored. I'm sure I don't have to explain the added pressure that is put on an author coming from a marginalized group, often put in the position of being the lone representative of their demographic. Bri has always understood the importance of helping marginalized authors learn to navigate those tricky waters.”

Kate Scelsa, author of FANS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE LIFE (Balzer + Bray, 2017) and the forthcoming IMPROBABLE MAGIC FOR CYNICAL WITCHES (Balzer + Bray, 2022) and THE GUIDE (S&S BFYR, 2022)

CHILDREN'S SALES:

YA: THE VINDICO by Wesley King (PYRG, Spring 2012)
YA: THE FEROS by Wesley King (PYRG, Spring 2013)
PB: ALBIE'S FIRST WORD by Jacqueline Tourville (Schwartz & Wade)
PB: LOST CAT, by author/illustrator C. Roger Mader (HMH Children's)
PB: NED THE KNITTING PIRATE: A SALTY YARN by Diana Murray (Roaring Brook)
YA: ALTHEA & OLIVER by Cristina Moracho (Viking)
MG: THE LEAGUE OF BEASTLY DREADFULS (two books) (Random House Children's Books)
CB: THE CASE OF THE MISSING CHANCLETA by Alidis Vicente (Arte Público Press)
PB: GRIMELDA, THE VERY MESSY WITCH & Untitled GRIMELDA sequel by Diana Murray (Katherine Tegen Books)
PB: DON'T PUSH THE BUTTON! by author/illustrator Bill Cotter (Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky)
PB: TIP-TOP CAT by author/illustrator C. Roger Mader (HMH)
PB: HAPPY IN OUR SKIN by Fran Manushkin (Candlewick)
CB: GRAN ON A FAN, 4 book series, by Kevin Bolger and Ben Hodson (I CAN READ, HarperChildren's)
MG: THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN WITCHES & untitled middle-grade novel by Lauren Magaziner (Dial)
YA: WHO R U REALLY by Margo Kelly (Merit Press)
PB: IZZY & OSCAR by Allison Estes & Dan Stark, illustrated by Tracy Dockray (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky)
PB: CITY SHAPES + untitled picture book text by Diana Murray (Little, Brown BFYR)
YA: THE CREEPING + untitled YA novel by Alexandra Sirowy (S&S BFYR)
PB: YOU ARE YUMMY! by author/illustrator Tim Harrington (Harper B+B)
YA: THE VIEW FROM WHO I WAS by Heather Sappenfield (Flux)
PB: HELLO, AIRPLANE! by Bill Cotter (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky)
YA: FANS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE LIFE by Kate Scelsa (HarperCollins B+B)
YA: IN OUR OWN HANDS by Vicki O. Wittenstein (Twenty-First Century Books)
MG: ADDISON COOKE & THE TREASURE OF THE INCAS + next 2 books by Jonathan Stokes (Philomel)
MG: THE INCREDIBLE SPACE RAIDERS (FROM SPACE!) by Wesley King (S&S/Paula Wiseman Bks)
PB: WEE SISTER STRANGE by Holly Grant (Schwartz & Wade)
YA: DUPLICITY by N.K. Traver (Macmillan Entertainment)
PB: BEARD IN A BOX by Bill Cotter (Knopf Children's)
PB: SHARK DETECTIVE by Jessica Olien (HarperCollins B+B)
MG: BEEN THERE, DONE THAT anthology, 2 bks, edited by Mike Winchell (Penguin Children's)
MG: WOLFBOY by Sue Beckhorn (Hyperion)
PB: THE BLOBFISH BOOK by Jessica Olien (HarperCollins B+B)
MG: CRIMEBITERS! + next 2 books by Tommy Greenwald (Scholastic)
PB: BAMBOO FOR ME, BAMBOO FOR YOU by Fran Manushkin (S&S/Aladdin)
YA: A GOOD IDEA by Cristina Moracho (Viking Children's)
MG: THE LEAGUE OF BEASTLY DREADFULS #3 by Holly Grant (Random House Children's)
MG: THE PEDRO SERIES, 4 books, by Fran Manushkin (Capstone)
MG: OC Daniel by Wesley King (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books)
CB: THREE KINGS by Alidis Vicente (Arte Público Press)
YA: LIFE AT THE SPEED OF US by Heather Sappenfield (Flux)
YA: IT LOOKS LIKE THIS by Rafi Mittlefehldt (Candlewick)
YA: THE CROWN'S GAME by Evelyn Skye, 2 books (HarperCollins B+B)
MG: THE THRIFTY TIME TRAVELER'S GUIDE by Jonathan Stokes, 4 books (Viking)
PB: GROGGLE'S MONSTER VALENTINE written by Diana Murray, illustrated by Bats Langley (Sky Pony Press)
PB: ADRIFT, written & illustrated by Jessica Olien (HarperCollins B+B)
PB: HAMSTERS DON'T FIGHT FIRES by Andrew Root, illus by Jessica Olien (HarperChildren's)
YA: EVEN THE DARKEST STARS by Heather Fawcett, 2 books (HarperCollins B+B)
PB: INTRODUCING TEDDY by Jess Walton, illus. by Dougal MacPherson (Bloomsbury)
MG: THE SKELETON TREE by Kim Ventrella, 2 books (Scholastic)
MG: THE SUN RACE by Wesley King (S&S/Paula Wiseman Books)
PB: ONE SNOWY DAY by Diana Murray (Sourcebooks)
MG: WIZARDMATCH by Lauren Magaziner (Dial)
MG: FELIX YZ by Lisa Bunker (Viking)
PB: DORIS THE BOOK-A-SAURUS by Diana Murray (Imprint/Macmillan)
ER: PIZZA! PIZZA! by Diana Murray (Random House Children's Books)
PB: RIGHT NOW & A TIGER IS COMING TO DINNER by Jessica Olien (Balzer + Bray)
YA: DAUGHTER OF THE BURNING CITY and ACE OF SHADES trilogy by Amanda Foody (Harlequin Teen)
MG: SPARKS by Mike Winchell, 2 books (Holt)
MG: P.S. I MISS YOU by Jen Petro-Roy, 2 books (Feiwel & Friends)
MG: CAPTAIN SUPERLATIVE by J.S. Puller, 2 books (Disney Hyperion)
YA: SOCIAL INTERCOURSE by Greg Howard (S&S BFYR)
YA: BLOOD & ASH by Jessica Leake, 2 books (HarperCollins)
YA: FIRST WE WERE IV by Alexandra Sirowy (S&S BFYR)
MG: CASE CLOSED by Lauren Magaziner, 3 books (Katherine Tegen Bks/Harper)
PB: WINGS by Cheryl Klein (Atheneum)
MG: YOU ARE ENOUGH by Jen Petro-Roy (Feiwel & Friends)
MG: TALKING TO TEDDY by Tommy Greenwald (Amulet / Abrams)
PB: GOODNIGHT VEGGIES by Diana Murray (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
MG: ZENOBIA JULY by Lisa Bunker (Viking)
PB: DON'T OPEN THIS PRESENT by Bill Cotter, plus 3 other companion bks to DON'T PUSH THE BUTTON (Sourcebooks)
PB: UNICORN DAY by Diana Murray (Sourcebooks)
PB: THUNDER TRUCKS by Cheryl Klein and Katy Beebe (Hyperion)
MG: THE WHISPERS by Greg Howard + untitled MG (Putnam)

ADULT FICTION:

THE SPIRIT KEEPER by K.B. Laugheed (Plume, Fall 2013)
THE MEMORY PAINTER by Gwendolyn Womack (Picador, Winter 2015)
ARCANA by Jessica Leake (Skyhorse/Talos, Fall 2014)
THE VIOLINIST OF VENICE + next bk by Alyssa Palombo (St. Martin's Press)
ROSES & ROT + next bk by Kat Howard (S&S/Saga Press, Spring 2016)
THE ORDER OF THE ETERNAL SUN by Jessica Leake (Skyhorse/Talos, Fall 2015)
THE SECRETS OF FLIGHT by Maggie Leffler (Harper/William Morrow)
CATHEDRAL OF MYTH AND BONE by Kat Howard (S&S/Saga Press, 2017)
THE SPELLBOOK OF KATRINA VON TASSEL by Alyssa Palombo (St. Martin's Press)
A QUEEN FOR ALL THE WORLDS by Kat Howard (S&S/Saga Press)
YOU LET ME IN by Camilla Bruce (Tor)

ADULT NONFICTION:

SMITTEN: The Way of the Brilliant Flirt by Simone Kornfeld & Ariel Kiley (Chronicle, Spring 2013)
GEEK KNITS by Toni Carr aka Joan of Dark (St. Martin's Griffin, Winter 2014)
A BACKPACK, A BEAR, AND EIGHT CRATES OF VODKA by Lev Golinkin (Doubleday, 2014)
THE MAGIC WORDS: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl Klein (W. W. Norton, Fall 2016)
FUN WITH FROSTING by K. Callard (Skyhorse, 2016)
WHAT LIFTS YOU and sequel by Kelsey Montague (Harlequin, 2016)

Prior to coming to HLG in 2021, I was with Writers House from 2007-2021. I have also worked in three different independent bookstores, a book warehouse, a literary magazine, and in publishing here in NYC. I love books!

In September of 2016, I was chosen as one of Publishers Weekly Star Watch honorees:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/people/article/71435-pw-star-watch-2016-honorees.html

Submissions should be sent to http://QueryManager.com/BrianneJohnson

Five points to Ravenclaw if you can make me laugh out loud!