Jeanne De Vita, Literary Manager

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While working in acquisitions and as a developmental editor for traditional publishers and freelance clients, Jeanne has edited hundreds of aspiring and established authors, including NYT, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon bestsellers. After more than a decade working with stories at various stages of the publishing cycle, including teaching both writing and editing at the college level, Jeanne brings a strong editorial vision and passion for the publishing industry to her clients. She is excited by strong voices and compelling stories across the sub-genres of fiction, with a specific interest in romance, fantasy, thrillers/mysteries/suspense, horror, and speculative fiction.

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She has MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Notre Dame and a BA in English from Iowa State University. Jeanne’s love for happy-ever-afters started in childhood, as her mother was a traditionally published romance author who wrote across the genres over her two-decades long career in publishing. Jeanne is committed to developing diverse voices and has run pro bono mentorships for underrepresented authors. Jeanne has volunteered extensively with medically fragile children, the arts, and survivors of gender-based violence. Jeanne is excited to discover new talent and to work with established authors searching for a caring, informed, and supportive advocate. 
 

Jeanne’s current wish list includes the following:

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Romance: Romance of all subgenres is my happy place. Give me everything from contemporary small-town romance to epic romantasy, dystopian, horror, and just about every variation. 

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• All heat levels (low spice to five chili-pepper open door) 

• Every niche from holiday to space opera to monster to dark 

• Diverse cultures and traditions welcome

• LGBTQIA+ romance is always welcome in every sub-genre/heat level

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Romantasy:  Since this term is used widely, I’m including a separate definition of what I’m looking for here. If you’re writing a no-technology universe with magic, monsters, or mythology, I’d love to see it. I also love paranormal romance or urban fantasy with contemporary settings and present-day technology. Pirates, mermaids, orcs, aliens, fairy tale retellings… I’d love to see it all!

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Thrillers/Suspense/Mystery: Thrillers might just tie with romance for my go-to comfort reads. I love a strong cast of characters, a premise that keeps me guessing, and well-developed pacing that keeps me turning the pages. A lot of sub-genres fall under the umbrella of thrillers/suspense/mystery, so I’d love to see:

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• Paranormal thriller

• Cozy mystery

• Psychological suspense

• Domestic thriller

• Just about any others 

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Please make sure your law enforcement/legal/medical research is strong before you submit. 

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Horror: Send me your scary! I am not a good fit for demonic/possession stories, but all other horror including Gothic, paranormal, slasher, crime, ghosts, zombies, haunted places—send my way.  

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Women's Fiction:  I am very selective about women’s fiction, but feel free to surprise me. What I’m looking for here is depth. Is the voice compelling? Setting immersive and someplace that comes to life? What truth is revealed or experience made real for the reader? Give me un-put-downable characters, themes, and places. 

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Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Dystopian/Post-Apoc: My interest in these genres is broad (space opera, LitRPG, soft sci-fi and fantasy, steampunk, etc.), but execution is key. I’m looking for readable voice, propulsive pacing, deep stakes, and relatable characters. 

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Non-fiction: I love non-fiction, but I’m very selective about non-fiction at this time. I’m open to character-driven memoirs that read like novels (please no entire life stories) and work from experts who have something highly marketable to share with a defined audience. If you have expertise in a niche and have a book that makes your passion more accessible to others, I’d love to see it.  

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What I'm not reviewing at this time: 

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• Faith-Based/Inspirational fiction and non-fiction, including memoirs

• Illustrators 

• Middle Grade

• Picture Books

• Graphic Novels

• Grimdark 

• Wellness, health, and lifestyle nonfiction

• Military or hard sci-fi/fantasy

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To see Jeanne’s listing on #MSWL, click here: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/jeanne-de-vita/ 

To see Jeanne’s website, click here: jeannedevita.com
If your manuscript is ready, please submit to Jeanne via Query Manager here: https://QueryTracker.net/query/4097