Amy Bishop-Wycisk is a Trellis Literary Management agent who hunts high-concept, propulsive fiction with strong prose—spanning literary crime, upmarket book club reads, historical fiction, speculative/SFF, and YA—with a consistent, stated mission to amplify authors of color and writers from underrepresented communities.
In brief
The sales record and wishlist together paint a clear picture: crime and mystery are Amy Bishop-Wycisk's hottest lane right now, with recent deals confirming active deal-making in that space—not just aspirational interest.
The wishlist is unusually specific with comp titles, which is a gift to querying writers: matching your book to one of the named touchstones is the clearest possible signal you're on the right track.
A recurring, non-negotiable throughline is representation: Amy Bishop-Wycisk explicitly names wanting more authors of color and writers from underrepresented backgrounds, and the wishlist backs this up with multiple examples of loved-and-lost books by authors of color. If your work fits and you're from an underrepresented community, lean into that.
Humor is a differentiator—sharp banter and a sense of play consistently come up across genre categories, suggesting that even dark or literary projects land better when they carry wit.
Despite describing themselves as a generalist, the pattern skews heavily toward literary and upmarket fiction, with genre work welcomed when it has strong craft—pure commercial genre-by-the-numbers is unlikely to land.
Lately
Announced a new deal for A KILLING IN BLACK NEWPORT by Christal Roberts, a mystery centered on a journalist with complex relationships at its core—described as exactly what Amy Bishop-Wycisk looks for in a mystery: elegant pacing and layered character dynamics.
What Amy is looking for
This is Amy Bishop-Wycisk's most active space right now, confirmed by recent deals. On the literary side, the target is character-rich, prose-forward mysteries in the tradition of Liz Moore and Steph Cha. On the more commercial end, propulsive, high-concept thrillers à la Ashley Elston. A particular priority: crime fiction by authors of color featuring protagonists of color. Genre blending is actively encouraged—crime crossed with historical, speculative, or cozy-lite sensibilities are all of interest. Elegant, witty, 'cozy-lite' premises with sophisticated execution (think Sherry Thomas's THE LIBRARIANS as a model) are welcome.
Strong ongoing interest, with a specific lean toward mid-twentieth century settings (1950s–60s) and locations underrepresented in fiction—the American West and similar overlooked geographies. Plot must not be sacrificed for period detail. Immigrant stories and narratives set in the aftermath of major historical events are especially welcome. Novels built around a specific profession (midwife, botanist, morgue technician, etc.) are a recurring enthusiasm. Speculative twists within historical settings are also invited. Art-science intersections are a draw.
Love stories that feel sweeping and epic without being old-fashioned, family dramas, capers, and joyful romps all fit here. The bar is either genuine emotional or intellectual substance, or simply being very good fun—ideally both. Contemporary settings are fine; this doesn't have to be historical or speculative to qualify.
Interest centers on grounded or low-fantasy and character-driven sci-fi rather than epic, world-building-heavy fantasy. Two distinct flavors are both welcome: whimsical and philosophical on one end, darker and twisty on the other. Magic systems rooted in the natural world are a recurring enthusiasm. Books set mostly in the real world with a clever speculative twist are actively sought. A specific, re-stated call for horror or horror-adjacent work by women of color or queer women that engages with meaningful social questions—this is framed as a gap Amy Bishop-Wycisk wants to fill.
Interest in YA runs toward murder, intrigue, and justice—especially with unexpected settings and heroines who aren't the usual suspects. Immigrant stories, queer narratives, and girls (loudly or quietly) pushing for change are all priorities. Light, contemporary-set YA with heart is also welcome alongside darker fare. Historical-set YA with multicultural perspectives is of clear interest based on named touchstones.
Not the right fit
On Amy's list
Taste fingerprint
How to query Amy
Match your comp titles to Amy Bishop-Wycisk's own named touchstones wherever honest—this wishlist is unusually comp-rich, and alignment signals you've done real homework.
Lead with your protagonist's identity and background if you're an author of color or from an underrepresented community, and if your main character reflects that—this is explicitly stated as a priority, not a checkbox.
Name your genre blend clearly upfront: if your book is crime-plus-historical or speculative-plus-mystery, say so in your first sentence. Amy Bishop-Wycisk has repeatedly flagged genre hybrids as a draw, not a complication.
Humor and wit are differentiators across every category—if your book has sharp banter or a sense of play, make sure that comes through in the query letter's own voice and in the sample pages.
For thriller and crime submissions, be specific about what kind of crime story it is: literary and character-driven vs. plot-propulsive commercial thriller will land in different parts of the wishlist, and the query should make clear which lane you're in.
Avoid centering your pitch on domestic abuse or sexual assault as a primary narrative driver—this is currently flagged as not a good fit.
If querying YA, foreground the mystery/intrigue element or the social-justice throughline rather than leading with romance; the wishlist signals those are the stronger hooks for this agent.
Verify query status on the live submission form before sending—status can change and the last confirmed open date should not be taken as permanent.