#MSWL Live Horror Panel
"I feel like I just had an entire MFA course. Except MFA programs get snooty about 'genre fiction.'"
—Deborah L. Williams, Substack / Instagram

Meet the Panelists 📚

Linda Camacho

Linda Camacho

Linda Camacho is an agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. She graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in Communication and has held various positions at Penguin Random House, Dorchester, Simon & Schuster, and Writers House. Linda's done everything from foreign rights to editorial, to marketing, to operations and received her MFA in writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Children's category – All fiction genres. Adult category – General fiction, bookclub fiction, romance, women's fiction, science fiction, fantasy, speculative, suspense, horror.

Erica Bauman

Erica Bauman

Erica Bauman is a literary agent at Aevitas Creative Management and represents a wide variety of authors across middle grade, young adult, and upmarket adult fiction, including acclaimed YA author Maria Ingrande Mora, New York Times Bestseller Kayla Cottingham, and Lambda Literary Fellow Naseem Jamnia. Erica is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and has worked in the publishing industry since 2012. Prior to Aevitas, she worked at Spectrum Literary Agency. Based in New York, Erica is most interested in commercial novels that feature an exciting premise and lyrical, atmospheric writing; imaginative, genre-blending tales; speculative worlds filled with haunting, quietly wondrous magic; fresh retellings of mythology, ballet, opera, and classic literature; sharply funny rom-coms; graphic novels for all ages; fearless storytellers that tackle big ideas and contemporary issues; and working with and supporting marginalized authors and stories that represent the wide range of humanity.

Tamara Kawer

Tamara Kawer

Tamara joined DeFiore and Company in 2022. She started her career with internships at Macmillan and Writers House, then worked at ICM for five years. Tamara represents writer and illustrator clients in both the children's and adult markets, with a particular focus on talented LGBTQ+ and BIPOC storytellers. She holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Princeton University and an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. She also serves on the AALA's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, where she co-directs a mentorship program for early career agents from underrepresented backgrounds. Tamara is actively seeking graphic novels for all ages and across genres; science fiction, fantasy, horror, and speculative fiction for middle grade, YA, and adult readers; upmarket and book club fiction, especially genre-bending stories, and those with an international bent; and adult & YA rom-coms and romance featuring LGBTQ+ characters. She also represents select nonfiction, including illustrated projects. Across all categories, she is passionate about championing marginalized voices and perspectives.

"Horror is less a genre, more a mood – writing that evokes fear and/or disgust. If you can achieve that feeling, you've written successful horror."
— Tamara Kawar
"Character, character, character. Horror exploits fear. You must know what your character wants and WHY. If we don't care, you'll leave your audience cold."
— Linda Camacho
"By averting the reader's eyes, you make them an active participant in the storytelling. Nothing is scarier than imagination."
— Erica Bauman

Watch the Full Panel 🎬

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⏱️ Live Event Timestamps

  • 00:00 Welcome and Introduction
  • 00:43 Meet the Panelists
  • 01:32 Agent Linda Camacho's Horror Wishlist
  • 02:15 Agent Tamara Kawer's Horror Wishlist
  • 04:01 Agent Erica Bauman's Horror Wishlist
  • 05:29 What Makes a Good Horror Novel?
  • 11:34 Mini Class: Withholding Details in Horror Writing
  • 23:58 Query Critique with Tamara Kawer
  • 34:48 Word Count Debate
  • 35:18 Linda's Horror Writing Class
  • 37:24 Desire Lines in Horror
  • 38:55 Exploring Pet Cemetery
  • 42:21 Tension and Conflict in Horror
  • 44:28 Sacrifice in Horror
  • 49:25 Q&A: Horror Trends and Tips
  • 58:23 Prizes and Closing Remarks

🔥 What Makes Great Horror in 2025-2026

📖 #MSWL Specifics

Linda Camacho Seeks

  • Horror across all age ranges (picture book through adult)
  • Stories that use horror as comfort and exploration
  • Deep, character-driven scares

Tamara Kawar Seeks

  • Queer, trans, and feminist horror
  • Ghost stories with sociopolitical commentary
  • Historical horror (comp: Buffalo Hunter)
  • Fairytale horror mashups (comp: Butcher of the Forest)
  • Monster romance (comp: The Monster of Elendhaven)

Erica Bauman Seeks

  • "Auteur horror" – surprising depths
  • Gothic, rural, psychological, and social horror
  • Horror with the sensibility of A24 films
  • Middle grade and up, light genre on adult side

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