What do you think will be trends in publishing in the coming year? 

It’s never easy to predict trends, but I think readers will continue to seek out escapist fiction and fiction we’re calling “uplit” and “hope fic” because it’s uplifting and hopeful in nature. It’s a welcome balm to what we see on the news every day. In romance, we’re still seeing a lot of interest in romantic comedies and stories with happily-ever-afters that represent everyone. We’ve had great buzz for upcoming Berkley titles that fit that bill, such as Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey, Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin, The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory, and The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams. All of these books have swoony romances and premises that will make you smile before you even read the book. 

But the flip side to the search for HEAs is that these stories are not completely devoid of reality. I think readers are still looking for an accurate reflection of the world they live in but with an optimistic finish. 

What book/genre/topic would you like to see cross your transom?

I’d love to get in more fiction that’s geared toward a millennial readership, specifically in women’s fiction, romance, and mystery. There are distinct trappings to being a millennial that would be really fun to explore in books.

I’m always looking for more projects by underrepresented voices. Over the past couple years, publishers have made strides when it comes to publishing more diverse works, but there’s still plenty of room for us to grow. Berkley just bought its first queer female rom-com for print called Something To Talk About by Meryl Wilsner, and I’m so thrilled to be working on it.

What topic do you never want to see again?

Everything cycles back at some point, so there’s no topic or genre that I’m not open to seeing. What’s old becomes new again. The exciting thing about rediscovering old tropes is finding that special writer who can make it feel fresh again and remembering why readers fell in love with it in the first place.

What excites you about the publishing industry today?

I love all of the new ways editors can connect with authors and authors can connect with readers. Social media has had a fantastic impact on the publishing industry. Because people can talk directly and publicly online, there’s so much more transparency. I’ve been able to discover authors I’m interested in working with through Twitter pitches and contests. And I’m able to connect on a more personal level with my authors.

The immediacy of the internet has also made it easier for the relationship between books and other forms of media to become more fluid. A current event could be covered in the media, and shortly after, a publisher will release a book speaking to that topic. And I love that we’re seeing more books turn into TV series or movies.

Kristine Swartz is a graduate of New York University. She joined Berkley Publishing Group in 2012, where she is currently an editor. In 2015, she won the Romance Writers of America/New York City chapter’s Editor of the Year award.