LARISSA MELO PIENKOWSKI
Larissa Melo Pienkowski is a literary agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management, the associate publisher of Dottir Press, and a freelance editor. As a mixed-race Latinx bookworm, she’s passionate about reading and supporting #OwnVoices stories, uplifting underrepresented authors, and reading voraciously across genres, with a soft spot for MG, YA adult literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, and books that stretch the boundaries of genre altogether. A Massachusetts native, she earned her BSW from Simmons College and her MA in Publishing and Writing from Emerson College, and when she doesn't have a book in hand, she can be found in her pottery studio.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR
I gravitate toward books with emotional depth, unforgettable narrators whose voices leap off the page, lyrical writing, and topics that often go silenced or unexplored.
In fiction, I am looking for character-driven, idiosyncratic stories that center underrepresented voices; braided, multigenerational family sagas; stories of migration, diaspora, and displacement; haunting, haunting, atmospheric queer horror in the vein of Carmen Maria Machado; smart, sexy, laugh-out-loud rom-coms with spirited, unforgettable protagonists; non-Western gothic horror; non-Western retellings of folklore/mythology/cultural stories; quirky coming-of-age stories featuring protagonists and communities of color; middle-grade novels that emphasize Black and Brown joy; and darkly complex mother-daughter, sister-sister, and best friend relationships.
On the nonfiction side, I am seeking emotionally searing memoirs from underrepresented perspectives; narrative nonfiction that explores the underbelly of contemporary society; cookbooks that feature diverse cuisines; essay collections that chronicle contemporary life through the lens of social justice; and underexplored cultural history and criticism.
SAMPLE TITLES OR AUTHORS
J K Chukwu
K. Tempest Bradford
Aline Mello
Specializes In
FICTION: Family Saga, GLBT, Horror, Literary Fiction, Middle Grade, Multi-Cultural, Romance, Upmarket Women's Fiction, Young Adult
NONFICTION: Cultural/Social Issues, Food & Lifestyle GLBT, Investigative Journalism, Memoir, Multi-Cultural, Narrative, Travel, Women's Concerns
Considers
FICTION: Chick Lit, Children's, Commercial Fiction, Graphic Novels, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Short Story Collections
NONFICTION: Current Affairs, Dating/Relationships, Gift Books, Juvenile, Nature/Ecology, Pop Culture