Rachael Donovan

Fifteen years ago, Rachael started in book publishing in sales and marketing with Little Brown, a division of Hachette Australia before moving into editorial and publishing. 

In 2015, Rachael joined HQ as a commissioning editor where she discovered how genre and commercial fiction can reach out to entertain, start conversations and change minds. 

Now a publisher, Rachael loves connecting readers with remarkable stories and talented voices.

What is the minimum word-count your agency takes, or your publishing house requires? 
Single title only (80k and upwards)

What sub-genres or genres are you not looking for?
We are not currently accepting erotica, horror, children’s or young adult fiction

Is there a genre or sub-genre you’re particularly keen to see?
Being Conference time, I’m thinking a lot about genre fiction. So I’m particularly interested in seeing well-written romance that celebrates its subgenre but brings a freshness to it. Any kind of setting will do – contemporary, rural, suburban – but an Australian hook is always a benefit. Sweet slow-burn romance or some heat in there is fine, but not to the point of erotica. It can be relatable, funny or touching and bittersweet, but I love stories that say something about who we are and how we live our lives. I’m also looking for mystery, and adventure thrillers that are fast-paced and surprising, with characterisation so absorbing the real world melts away. In particular, I’m interested in when a mystery or crime crosses into the domestic space (though prefer to avoid domestic violence as the sole topic). Think stories that at their core question women’s experience in our world. Or perhaps have a psychological bent or intriguing relationship unfolding between its investigative duo. 

What genre is your personal favourite?
Like all of us in the industry, I read widely. But I particularly love stories that dig into the human psyche and have something to say about how we live our lives

What is your major turn-off in a book?
Our lead character not being in the driver’s seat. When I run into that in a submission, the chances are the character has slipped into passively telling us of the events unfolding around them, rather than having a depth of motivation and personality to enact change

What is likely to really knock your socks off besides an engaging voice and well-written book?
Something that shows you more about the world around us or the universality of human experience without you even realising it as we’re too engrossed by the characters

Any advice to your potential pitchers?
We’re looking for books to publish from new Australian writers, so I want to hear about you and your story