melissa johnston miles
BIO
Melissa Johnston Miles (she/her) writes across the kidlit spectrum, from picture books to YA and everything in between—including graphic novel scripts, novels in verse, and nonfiction. She’s repped by indomitable senior agent, Kristen Terrette, at Martin-Newens Literary Management. Her debut MG novel, CAUGHT ON CAMERA comes out in April of 2027 in both the UK and the US. She’s spent almost seven years in regional team management and is currently a co-Regional Advisor for the Southern Breeze region of SCBWI. You can also find her work in The School Magazine, and several Flash Fiction anthologies from Vine Leaves Press.
As an alum of the mentoring programs, PitchWars (with YA) and WriteMentor (with MG), as well as receiving back-to-back mini-mentorships from PB Rising Stars, Melissa has been on the other side of mentoring programs. Giving back to the writing community as a mentor, feels like a full circle moment, and she can’t wait to get her hands on the entries and get to know her mentee.
In her non-literary life, she’s a pediatric nurse and certified educator. Her nonprofit, Superhero Success Foundation provides scholarships to graduating seniors with an IEP in the Savannah Chatham County Public School System where she lives. As Melissa is passionate about disability rep in books for kids and teens, the foundation also uses corporate donations to provide free books featuring medically complex superhero characters to schools, libraries, children’s hospitals, and camps. Her husband and kids are long-time supporters of her writing pursuits, for which she’s extremely grateful!
MSWL
WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR: I’m especially drawn to stories with characters I can’t stop thinking about. I absolutely love the quieter stories, but hooky concepts, plot-driven stories, and fast paced thrillers are also in my wheelhouse. I’m open to Picture Books, Chapter Books, MG, and YA. In the MG and YA space, you’ve got to nail the voice to draw me in. As a kid, I adored books set in faraway lands from cultures I’d never experienced, and I want to see more of those non-Western stories like The Arabian Nights. Folk retellings like I Am Archa by Ranjeeta Raam still captivate me.
Send me your stories with all kinds of relationships at the heart. Unusual sibling dynamics fascinate me. I love a good “found family” story. If you’ve got a character modeled after Dolly Parton, I’ve got to see it. We could use a little kindness and light (ala Dolly) in the world these days. Bonus points if you can make me laugh, cry, or both in the same chapter, like The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise or Ms. Bixby’s Last Day. Quirky characters, ala Kate DiCamillo books are always high on my list. Lately, in YA, my tastes have leaned towards thrillers with twisty endings, like anything by Holly Jackson or Megan Davidhizar. My absolute favorite Picture Books are the ones so skillfully layered, that adults and kids both love them, but for different reasons, like The Bad Seed. Chapter Books with series potential are such an important reading stage for the kids not quite old enough for MG, and I’d love to see anything in this space.
My tastes are broad, so if you think I’d be a good fit, I’d love to take a look. I love verse novels in the MG and YA space, though it’s tough to break into the market with one these days. Ask me how I know, lol. I’ve written and been out on submission with two NIV. Think Reem Faruqi and Rajani LaRocca’s lovely verse novels. I also would love to see historical fiction, especially from an era or region I know little about. Think anything Ruta Sepetys.
WHAT I’M NOT LOOKING FOR: I’m not the right person for high fantasy/sci-fi. Not because I don’t enjoy reading them, but I don’t think I have the skills to help with world building on that level. I’m also a terrible fit for truly scary horror or anything with excess violence or gore. I don’t read those types of books, but there are tons of other mentors looking for horror. So please don’t keep me up at night with your scary tales. J