
Jemiscoe cannot say that her love of reading came organically. Rather, pizza inspired this new obsession. At seven, her school offered free Pizza Hut and Shakey’s Pizza coupons as a reward for reading books, and Jem was sold. Eventually, the books held more interest than the pizza ever did.
Jem spent over a decade as an Assistant Director for film and television before returning to books and joining the Andrea Brown Literary Agency in 2020. She considers herself a generalist when it comes to agenting and represents adult fiction, YA, MG, picture book authors, illustrators, graphic novelists, and select nonfiction. However, she is only currently open to adult fiction, YA, and illustrators.
Adult:
Romance—contemporary, rom com, paranormal, action adventure, and fantasy
Mystery/Cozy Mystery—(think Living Single or Golden Girls with a dead body)
Thrillers—psychological and timely, and anything that explores societal fears such as GET OUT
Young Adult:
Contemporary
Romance—rom com, contemporary - can also have speculative elements
Thriller/Horror
Middle Grade:
Not open to MG at this time
Picture Book:
Not open to PB at this.
Graphic Novel:
Not open to GN at this time
Illustrator:
Open to artist who are interested in picture book all the way up to Adult coverwork.
Please note: Jem does NOT accept queries through email. She is closed to picture book, middle grade, and graphic novel queries at this time, with the exception of referrals and conference attendees.
Jem is closed for the month of March.
(Updated in March 2025)
RECENT DEALS
Thaís Mesquita will illustrate NYT-bestselling author Joanna Ho's A ROOM WITH A VIEW, about a boy reluctant to go on outdoor adventures with his mother because it means driving a bazillion miles and sleeping someplace with bears and bugs and bats, but despite his misgivings, he realizes there are more memories to treasure than he initially believes. Harper Children's will publish in spring 2026.
NYT Bestselling illustrator and author-illustrator of the forthcoming PENELOPE WEATHERVANE'S GRUMPY DAY and THERE'S A DRAGON IN THE WELL James Serafino's graphic novel debut, TIME TRAVELING DINOSAURS, an epoch-spanning humorous early reader in which a trio of dinosaurs find themselves lost in time and mysteriously tiny—friendships will be forged, patience will be tested, and villainous cats will be defeated. Chronicle will start to publish the 2-book series in spring of 2028.
Reese's Book Club 2022 LitUp Fellow and Stonewall Honor author of TIME AND TIME AGAIN and TRY YOUR WORST Chatham Greenfield's LIKE A LADY, a YA romantic comedy pitched as She's the Man meets DUMPLIN', in which a 16-year-old with PCOS is determined to do whatever it takes to show her family that she can be a debutante just like her perfect older sisters—even if it means enlisting her butch lesbian classmate to pose as her fake boyfriend. Bloomsbury will publish in winter 2027.
August Zhang will illustrate Michael L. Printz Medal winner and National Book Award finalist An Na's A ZOMBIE DAY, in which a zombie's first day at a new school is filled with humorous mishaps and misunderstandings, and only with time will everyone discover her gifts. Make me a World will publish in summer 2026.
Noreen Nanja's THE SUMMERS BETWEEN US, pitched as Carley Fortune meets WELL-BEHAVED INDIAN WOMEN, set in Canadian cottage country and told in a dual-timeline narrative, in which a young, ambitious lawyer returns to her family's rural property after 10 years and must confront her deepest fears and long-buried secrets for a second chance at love with the one that got away, despite her family's expectations. Random House Canada will publish in summer 2025.
Maisha Oso's VENUS WASHINGTON AND THE LASAGNA DRAMA, the first in a chapter book series, following a girl who enlists her hamster, two girls from across the street, and their cat to find grandma's super secret lasagna ingredient after grandpa says she put her foot in it, illustrated by Courtney Lovett. Atheneum bought at auction, and will start to publish the 3-book series in spring of 2026.
Author-illustrator Nadia Fisher's debut AT THE COOKOUT, following a young girl searching all over the family's summer cookout for her favorite cousin—and when he's not running through the sprinklers, turning the double Dutch ropes, playing spades with the uncles, or chatting with the aunties, she finally finds him in the most unexpected place. Putnam will publish in summer 2026.
Lucas Elliott will illustrate, Celina Frenn's graphic novel, SPY GRANDMA, which follows a 12-year-old girl and her younger brother who must spend the summer with their supposedly boring grandma, only to discover she used to be a spy, and the villains she once fought are now out to get her—and them. Aladdin will publish in spring of 2026.
Michelle Jing Chan's debut graphic novel SOMEWHERE IN THE GRAY, following a girl who is dating the most popular girl at school, and what seems easy for her friends—being intimate in any way with their partners—doesn't feel quite right to her as she learns it's more than okay to live somewhere in the gray of asexuality. Farrar, Straus Children's acquired at auction, for six figures, and will publish in the fall of 2026.
Amy Buchanan's LET'S CALL A TRUCE, a sexy debut contemporary romance, about a recently widowed single mom reentering the corporate world and her annoying (and attractive) workplace rival, who call a truce on their feud to complete a career-making project, but when that truce turns into something more, the past comes back to threaten their second chance at love. Griffin will publish the first book in 2024 (world English).
USA Today-bestselling author Shannon Messenger and adapter Celina Frenn's graphic novel adaptation of KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES, parts one and two, in which a girl discovers she has secrets buried in her memory—secrets others would kill for—and has to figure out why she's the key to a brand new world, illustrated by Gabriella Chianello. Aladdin will publish in fall 2023.
Amaka Egbe's RUN LIKE A GIRL follows a 17-year-old high school track star who moves in with her estranged father only to find out her new school doesn't have a girls track team, so she joins the boys' team instead. HarperCollins | Harlequin, Inkyard Press will publish in summer 2024.
THINGS I LOVE:
Black joy!
Romance novels
Windy days
Starlight
Cats, owls, sloths, and tarsiers
Happy-Ever-Afters
I'd really love to see all the love stories in YA and Adult. And if you happen to be writing a Golden Girls/Living Single murder mystery, I'll be your best friend!
REPRESENTATIVE TITLES
One of my mentors, Jo Knowles, said that she looks for that beautiful page that brings what the book is about to its knees. Years later, that sentiment still holds true; I'm always on
the hunt for that
beautiful page.
AWARD WINNERS
& BESTSELLERS





