I’m an editor at Ballantine Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

I’m an editor and writer interested in upmarket fiction. My favorite novels balance compelling hooks and fast-paced plots with quality writing and a singular voice; they’re entertaining and thought-provoking.

I acquire, edit, and oversee the publication of around ten fiction titles a year— for every kind of reader. I collaborate with authors to conceptualize and refine manuscripts, providing in-depth editorial feedback.

About Me

I’m from Long Island. I graduated with Honors from Johns Hopkins University with a degree in the Writing Seminars. I won the Stephen Dixon Prize for Fiction Writing and was published in the Hopkins Review, Bmoreart, and other magazines.

Currently reading: The Spear Cuts Through Water

Contact

If you’re a literary agent or you’re seeking an informational interview, you can email me at: jshuman (at) penguinrandomhouse.com. I cannot consider unagented manuscripts.

Wishlist

At Ballantine, I’m looking for work that combines exceptional prose, strong narrative momentum, and an enticing and high-concept hook. I love a lost, lovable protagonist, good people who behave badly, and stories that drop me into a world or subculture that I didn’t know about before. I seek adventure stories, coming-of-age stories, quirky family dramas, humanistic speculative fiction, and a lot more. The books I tend to acquire combine emotional poignancy with dark humor.

At Bantam, I’m looking for fresh psychological suspense, voice-driven and character-driven mysteries with charming sleuths. I seek thrillers that stand out in a crowded market, that keep me on the edge of my seat, have a strong sense of atmosphere, emotional resonance, and a strong premise.

At Dell, I’m looking for love stories full of heart and humor. My taste in this area tends to be out-of-the-box.

Books I read and loved recently: Glorious Exploits by Ferdia Lennon, Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter, The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis

Works-in-Progress

. . . A debut novel about Jamaican American siblings.

. . . A family dramedy set on a cross-country road-trip.

. . . A Lost in Translation-esque platonic love story.

. . . Zombies.. . .

. . . .. . .