The opening pages of any book are critical for capturing the reader's attention and keeping them engaged as your story unfolds. Submit the first 7k words and a synopsis of your manuscript and have a 45-minute call to get personalized feedback from a mentor of your choice!
Questions? Email terra@roadmapwriters.com
I love a competent, enthralling voice and unique, collar-grabbing character. I also love when a writer masterfully sets the atmosphere and aesthetic through powerful writing.
In general, Miriam is eagerly looking for everything and anything speculative across most age ranges (Adult, New Adult, Young Adult, and Upper Middle Grade).
For Fantasy, Miriam seeks intersectional diverse stories ripe with unique magic, immersive atmosphere, and memorable characters, especially from BIPOC and/or LGBTQAI+ perspectives. In both Adult and Young Adult, they hunger in particular for romantic queer fantasies like THE MAIDEN AND HER MONSTER, A TREACHERY OF SWANS, and A DARK AND DROWNING TIDE—although a romantic plotline is never a requirement for their list. They’re not impartial to a good multiverse/portal story (see their beloved A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC or VOIDWALKER), fairytale-tainted quests (SOMEONE YOU CAN BUILD A NEST IN), epic-leaning series the likes of PRIORY OF THE ORANGE TREE and THE JASMINE THRONE, quieter, elegant settings—particularly if Catholic-inspired (THE SACRED SPACE BETWEEN)—and outrageous genre-blenders (ROAD TO RUIN). Of recent, they’d love to find something horror-adjacent that excites them as much as THE STARVING SAINTS.
That being said, Miriam also would love to see fantasy stories set in our world, whether through an urban feel like LEGENDBORN, a small-town undertone like STARLING HOUSE, a paranormal allure like IMMORTAL DARK, a sentient dark setting like TOGETHER WE ROT, and a historical perspective like VESUVIUS or THE SPIRIT BARES ITS TEETH.
While for upper middle-grade Miriam leans more toward the speculative side of things, (WITCHLINGS, ARU SHAH, and GHOST SCOUT’S HONOR) they’re also eager to find authentic contemporary stories that, in particular, discuss grief, home, moving places, losing friends, or disability/chronic illness (themes that apply to their list overall).
For Science Fiction, Miriam is eager to have their brains teased and blown. Though no book in their heart will ever compare, they won’t stop chasing the perfect companion to GIDEON THE NINTH. They’d love space shenanigans (SOME DESPERATE GLORY), heist dystopias (HAMMAJANG LUCK), capitalist critique (METAL FROM HEAVEN), and AI that surpasses our current understanding (ANCILLARY JUSTICE or THE ARCHIVE UNDYING).
In addition, Miriam takes an interest in Young Adult Contemporary novels that draw on their fascination with American high school from immigrant perspectives and with summer camps/adventures, in the veins of SMASH OR PASS. They’re also looking for queer YA Horror & Thriller the likes of WHAT THE WOODS TOOK and THEY BLOOM AT NIGHT.
Arthuriana or Medieval Fantasy in general. Book centered around organized crime/mafia.
Born and raised in Italy, Miriam Cortinovis (they/she) moved to Chicago as a teenager and has since earned a BA in Creative Writing and an MA in Writing & Publishing from DePaul University. After an internship with Aevitas Creative Management and more than a year working at ArtHouse Literary (USA), they joined the amazing team at the Ki Agency in 2025, continuing to expand and support their list in everything and anything speculative.
After registering, you will receive instructions on how to submit your material in your order confirmation email. After submitting your material, please allow about 3-4 weeks to receive proposed times for scheduling your call with the mentor. If you haven't heard from your exec by the 3-4 week mark about scheduling, please email terra@roadmapwriters.com so we know to check in with them on your behalf about their proposed dates/ETA for you.
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Questions? Email terra@roadmapwriters.com
Cancellation Policy: You may cancel your registration for a refund or Roadmap gift card if you have not yet submitted your material for review. However, once your material has been received by Roadmap, your registration cannot be canceled. Having revised material or a desire to retroactively apply a discount or gift card code are not grounds for cancellation, refunds, or gift card credit. Once your material has been submitted, the only acceptable grounds for cancellation and a refund or gift card credit is an unforeseen, ongoing emergency on the part of either the writer or the exec resulting in more than 6 weeks without any scheduling update from the exec via direct contact or Roadmap, or a sudden change in the exec's ongoing availability. In the instance of an irreconcilable scheduling issue, the writer may still receive a written feedback report from the exec. In this case, the writer is not entitled to a refund or gift card credit as the exec has read the submitted material and provided written feedback in lieu of the call.