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MJ JOHNSTON
Editor, Sourcebooks and Sourcebooks Landmark
WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR...
Fiction: general/contemporary fiction with a commercial hook and characters that sweep me away; women’s fiction that tells a story I’ve yet to hear (bonus points if you make me cry!); book club fiction; romcom or relationship-driven fiction with a fresh hook; historical fiction that will appeal to a female audience; mystery (especially cozy and crossover literary), thrillers and suspense that have a killer twist
Nonfiction: Science and social science narrative nonfiction that presents a new lens on a contemporary issue, female-driven memoir, books that inspire a broad readership
RIGHT NOW, PLEASE DON'T SEND ME...
Romance genre fiction, YA, children’s books, poetry, sci-fi
HOW I GOT INTO BOOKS...
You know how you’ll sometimes spot young kids with tablets under their noses in grocery stores and restaurants? Well replace the tablet with a copy of Harry Potter or The Hobbit and that was me as a kid. It got to the point where my mother had to ban reading from the dinner table (still mad about this). Studying English Lit at Saint Mary’s College and a publishing internship at Coffee House Press basically solidified the book obsession.
SOME FAVORITE BOOKS AND AUTHORS I DIDN'T PUBLISH...
Oh, it’s an ever-changing list! Currently Madam, Circe, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The People We Meet on Vacation, Final Girls, Such a Fun Age, Seven Days in June, and My Dark Vanessa are taking up my brain space. But I can always read The Secret History by Donna Tartt and I’m a sucker for a good Ken Follett epic!
ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS AN EDITOR DOES FOR AN AUTHOR IS...
Act as a sounding board, an advocate, and a partner from the first book all the way through an author’s career.
I LOVE MY JOB BECAUSE...
Every day presents a new challenge, and I get to collaborate with an incredible group of people that all share one common goal—publishing books that really do change lives!
I KEEP MY READING PILE...
On a broken bookshelf that recently collapsed due to the weight of too many hardcovers. On my kindle, in my car, on my OverDrive account. Honestly, the pile is everywhere and expanding at an alarming (amazing) rate!
BOOKSTORES YOU SHOULD VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE...
I’m a Michigander at heart so shout out to Bookbug in Kalamazoo! Also, Unabridged Bookstore in Chicago's Lakeview is teasingly close to my apartment.
WHEN I'M NOT READING, I'LL BE...
Binge-watching The Office, running down by Lake Michigan, painting, and eating a lot of nachos.
