Katie Ferriello is a list-building agent at Mansion Street Literary Management whose taste runs speculative and commercial, with a particular appetite for genre-blended YA, New Adult, and adult fiction—especially where romantasy, dark academia, cozy fantasy, and RomCom collide with something unexpected.
In brief
Ferriello is actively building their list and describes their pace as slow and strategic—meaning they are selective, but genuinely hunting for the right projects rather than simply filling slots.
Their wishlist is almost entirely about genre fusion: straight romantasy, straight RomCom, or straight dystopian are less interesting to them than a romantasy-mystery or a RomCom-horror blend. The blending angle is not optional flavor—it is the pitch.
KidLit (MG and picture books) is explicitly off the table for now; Ferriello has paused those categories while building the YA–NA–adult side of the list. Writers in those categories should monitor their social channels for a future reopening rather than querying today.
Their background as a longtime English teacher and a real estate negotiator is a genuine differentiator: clients can expect editorial depth and contract literacy from an agent who has spent decades teaching close reading and negotiating deals.
As a newer, list-building agent, Ferriello has reached inbox capacity quickly—hitting 250 queries before closing—which signals strong writer interest and means the submission window can be brief. Time any query carefully and watch for reopening announcements.
Lately
I will be opening to queries on July 15th for 5 days. YA, NA, Adult only right now. Check out my MSWL! manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/ka... In the future, I plan to open the first 3 days of every month, starting in September. #amagenting #mswl #querying
If I liked your #PosterPit pitch, please DM me for a link as my Query Manager inbox is currently closed.
Alright querying writers, I am at 250 queries. I said I’d give a half hour heads up, so I’ll be closing my inbox at 7:10 EST tonight. I will be open again once I sort through these queries.
Surprise: I am open to queries (YA, NA, Adult only for this round). I will remain open until my inbox hits 250 queries. I have no idea how long that’ll take, but I will update here when it is closed.
Authors who have fulls with me: I am currently working to get a client out on submission. I plan to start reading fulls once we have finished this round of revisions. I hope to get back to everyone within the next six weeks. If it is in my queue, note that I haven't read yet.
Ferriello announced they had received 250 queries and would be closing submissions at 7:10 PM EST that evening, offering a half-hour heads-up as promised. They indicated the inbox would reopen once the current batch had been reviewed.
What Katie is looking for
Ferriello wants romantasy, but the baseline genre is not enough on its own—they are specifically looking for a blend that brings in a second genre to create something distinctive. Any spice level is welcome. Think of the romantasy as the foundation, then add an element that makes it stand apart.
Commercial RomCom is high on the list, but Ferriello pushes writers to resist the purely contemporary version. A RomCom layered with mystery, horror, or another genre earns bonus consideration. The underlying note is: get creative, take a swing, and trust that the comedy can survive a darker or stranger co-genre.
Ferriello grew up reading the YA dystopian wave of the 2010s and wants to see that energy revived in the New Adult space. Romance can be present or absent—the priority is a fresh, contemporary take on the genre brought to an older protagonist demographic.
Ferriello explicitly welcomes both extremes of tone: commit fully to the dark or fully to the playful and whimsical—half-measures in either direction are less interesting. These can overlap (dark academia) or stand alone as cozy, light-hearted stories. The throughline is tonal commitment.
Cozy fantasy is a stated priority, and Ferriello extends the cozy sensibility beyond fantasy—any genre that brings warmth, low-stakes comfort, and charm is on the radar. This openness to 'cozy anything' suggests a genuine tonal preference, not just a category trend.
Ferriello leans toward the atmospheric and psychological end of horror rather than gore-heavy work. A folk horror story rooted in dread, folklore, and a haunting sense of place—especially when romance threads through it—is the target. Writers with visceral, body-horror-forward manuscripts should look elsewhere.
Ferriello has a specific and openly stated hunger for stories centered on elderly characters—think nursing-home escapees at a rock concert, someone discovering magic in old age, or a late-life romance. The tone can be adventurous, fantastical, or romantic. This is a genuine gap they want to fill, not a passing interest.
Ferriello is candid that sci-fi is a narrower taste for them. Space opera and technology-heavy hard sci-fi are not a fit. The green light is specifically for sci-fi that feels atmospheric and character-driven enough to read like a fantasy—if the science is foregrounded over the human story, this is not the right match.
Not the right fit
Taste fingerprint
How to query Katie
Check the live submission form before doing anything else — Ferriello closed at 250 queries on April 16, 2026, and will reopen once that batch is reviewed. The window can close quickly, so monitor their social channels for a reopening announcement.
Lead with your genre blend, not just your primary genre. Saying 'romantasy' or 'RomCom' in isolation undersells the pitch — Ferriello's wishlist is built around fusion. Name both genres prominently in your query hook.
If you are writing in the New Adult space (a chronically under-agented category), say so clearly. Ferriello specifically calls out NA dystopian and NA romance as priorities, and many agents still collapse NA into adult or YA — distinguishing your work will help.
For folk horror or darker projects, establish atmosphere and psychological tension in your query letter itself. Ferriello responds to dread and mood; a query that reads clinical or plot-summary-heavy will not convey what they are looking for.
Do not query MG or picture books right now, even though Ferriello genuinely loves KidLit. They have explicitly paused those categories — querying them anyway signals you have not read the submission guidelines.
Ferriello values editorial back-and-forth and transparency, so a query letter that shows self-awareness about your manuscript's strengths and where it sits in the market will resonate with their stated communication style.
They are building their list slowly and strategically — meaning they are looking for long-term author relationships, not just a single book. If you have series potential or a developing body of work, that context is worth including briefly.