Shanna Hughes
Twitter: @WriterShanna
YA4YA founder Shanna Hughes was born and raised in the Netherlands (meaning Hughes isn’t her official last name, but a favour so you don’t have to get your tongue in a knot). She holds a BA in business communication and worked as a journalist and (web) editor, before working as a digital marketer. Suffering from a serious case of wanderlust, she packed her bags and moved to the UK in 2014, where she now resides with her silver Bengal cat Celaena and enjoys fooling the Brits into thinking she’s an American, and the Americans into thinking she’s a Brit. She’s neither, and sometimes she’ll mix both accents in one sentence (by accident).
In her free time, she can be found writing YA novels—something she’s sure her parents didn’t mean when they said, “You should do something with writing.” Other favourite activities include burying her nose in a book and storm chasing (if you are now thinking of the movie ‘Twister’ then yes, something like that). Since the Netherlands and the UK rarely get good storms, she has travelled to the USA to chase supercells and tornadoes, and plans to do this again. People have called her crazy, and ‘Dorothy’ has been used as a nickname more than once. She did chase in Kansas. She didn’t fly.
Previously represented by Kelly Peterson of Rees Literary Agency, she took a break due to personal circumstances, but is now back in the game.
Years Mentored
2018
2019
Offer
Query + full critique + consult
I'm happy to read your full manuscript and discuss my thoughts afterwards. This can be over email or Skype (or in person, if you happen to live nearby). You can ask me all your writing/editing/publishing industry questions, and I'm happy to provide hugs and cake if you have a meltdown. If we work well together, this offer might be extended until your work is ready to be submitted to agents.
Wishlist
Honestly, I'll read anything YA. I'm always looking for new, fresh ideas. I love a good romance (slow burrrnnnn) and adore witty, funny characters. Bonus points if you can introduce me to a world I'm not familiar with, in any genre. I also really enjoy morally grey characters and good villains; they're my weakness.
Fun Stuff
Authors I order new books from without even reading the blurb:
V.E. Schwab, Susan Dennard, Leigh Bardugo, Adam Silvera, Sandhya Menon, Angie Thomas.
Favorite books I recently read:
There's Something About Sweetie, Girls of Paper and Fire, The Princess and the Fangirl, Not Even Bones and Bloodwitch.
Favorite recent TV shows:
The Good Place, Euphoria, Elite, Designated Survivor, Nashville, Sex Education.
I'm a Gryffindor with the determination and ambition of a Slytherin and the loyalty of a Hufflepuff. Funnily enough, I score 86% Gryffindor and 83% Slytherin, so I have mood changes on a good day and an identity crisis on a bad one.
In her free time, she can be found writing YA novels—something she’s sure her parents didn’t mean when they said, “You should do something with writing.” Other favourite activities include burying her nose in a book and storm chasing (if you are now thinking of the movie ‘Twister’ then yes, something like that). Since the Netherlands and the UK rarely get good storms, she has travelled to the USA to chase supercells and tornadoes, and plans to do this again. People have called her crazy, and ‘Dorothy’ has been used as a nickname more than once. She did chase in Kansas. She didn’t fly.
Previously represented by Kelly Peterson of Rees Literary Agency, she took a break due to personal circumstances, but is now back in the game.
Years Mentored
2018
2019
Offer
Query + full critique + consult
I'm happy to read your full manuscript and discuss my thoughts afterwards. This can be over email or Skype (or in person, if you happen to live nearby). You can ask me all your writing/editing/publishing industry questions, and I'm happy to provide hugs and cake if you have a meltdown. If we work well together, this offer might be extended until your work is ready to be submitted to agents.
Wishlist
Honestly, I'll read anything YA. I'm always looking for new, fresh ideas. I love a good romance (slow burrrnnnn) and adore witty, funny characters. Bonus points if you can introduce me to a world I'm not familiar with, in any genre. I also really enjoy morally grey characters and good villains; they're my weakness.
Fun Stuff
Authors I order new books from without even reading the blurb:
V.E. Schwab, Susan Dennard, Leigh Bardugo, Adam Silvera, Sandhya Menon, Angie Thomas.
Favorite books I recently read:
There's Something About Sweetie, Girls of Paper and Fire, The Princess and the Fangirl, Not Even Bones and Bloodwitch.
Favorite recent TV shows:
The Good Place, Euphoria, Elite, Designated Survivor, Nashville, Sex Education.
I'm a Gryffindor with the determination and ambition of a Slytherin and the loyalty of a Hufflepuff. Funnily enough, I score 86% Gryffindor and 83% Slytherin, so I have mood changes on a good day and an identity crisis on a bad one.
