Jill Grinberg Literary

Larissa Melo Pienkowski grew up outside of Boston and attended Simmons University, where she earned her degree in Social Work and Sociology, performed poetry competitively and recreationally, and edited a number of literary magazines. Larissa later went on to receive her MA in Publishing and Writing from Emerson College, where she worked with the likes of Beacon Press and Barefoot Books, before becoming the assistant publisher of a small indie press. She joined Jill Grinberg Literary Management in 2020 and is now working to build her list. The daughter of Brazilian and Polish immigrants, Larissa speaks Portuguese and Spanish and travels to experience as much of the world as possible—always with a good book in hand.

Larissa gravitates toward books with emotional depth, lyrical writing, and topics that often go silenced or unexplored.

​In fiction, she is looking for character-driven, idiosyncratic stories that center underrepresented voices; braided, multigenerational narratives that make her cry; powerful stories of migration, diaspora, and displacement; haunting, atmospheric speculative fiction and magical realism in the vein of Carmen Maria Machado’s Her Body and Other Parties and Isabel Allende’s The House of the Spirits, respectively; modern re-imaginings of mythology for adult and YA readers; quirky coming-of-age stories about identity and the gritty yet relatable parts of life; and well-researched historical fiction that immerses her in another world. She has a soft spot for novels that stretch the boundaries and limitations of genre.

​On the non-fiction side, she is seeking emotionally searing memoirs from underrepresented perspectives; journalistic reporting that blends seamlessly with personal narrative; cookbooks that feature diverse cuisines; essay collections that chronicle contemporary life through the lens of social justice; niche cultural history and criticism; and radically transformative spiritual/self-help titles.

Larissa likes poetry that addresses contemporary themes while striking her in the heart. She is also open to funny, whimsical picture books in which children can see a reflection of themselves.

As an advocate for authors from marginalized communities, Larissa is especially interested in representing diverse voices and experiences across all genres.

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