Agent Spotlight: Barry Goldblatt
This week's Agent Spotlight features Barry Goldblatt of Barry Goldblatt Literary.
Status: Open to submissions.
About: “To paraphrase Garrett Morris of SNL, children’s books have been very, very good to me. It was never my planned career option, however.
I came to New York in the summer of 1989 after graduating from the University of Kansas with a B.A. in English and a B.S. in Journalism. I’d just finished an intensive six-week course on science fiction with James Gunn there, and I was determined to come to the city and get an editorial job at a science fiction magazine or book publishing company. If I’d only done a little research beforehand, I’d have realized how few editorial positions there were that fit that description. Fortunately I had a great interviewer at Simon & Schuster who explained a bunch of other job options, including describing the subsidiary rights department, which sounded like a lot of fun. I added that to my application letters and suddenly started getting a lot more calls for interviews…but none of them with science fiction or fantasy publishers.
"I was running low on cash and starting to worry when I got a call to meet with Donne Forrest, the Subsidiary Rights Director at Dutton Children’s Books and Dial Books for Young Readers. I liked her immediately and we had a good interview. She sent me home with three books: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor, Interstellar Pig by William Sleator, and Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne. I read them all that night, and she called and offered me the job the next day. She made it clear to me that she needed a body right then, but she’d completely understand if I found a job in SF&F in the near future and left. Six months later, I got a call from Tor about an editorial assistant job…and I said “no thanks, not interested.” I’d fallen in love with children’s books, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
"Two years later I was laid off by Penguin (after just signing a lease for a more expensive studio in the East Village to boot!), but fortunately landed a new job as the subsidiary rights associate at The Putnam and Grosset Group. After a couple of years there, I was handed a true golden ticket: I was hired as the Rights and Contracts Director at Orchard Books.When news came in 2000 that Scholastic was buying Orchard, I had to decide what to do with my future. I’d always thought of agenting as an opportunity down the road, but I certainly hadn’t planned to do it so soon. I talked with several people about it, including award-winning author Angela Johnson, who basically said that if I did decide to agent, she’d be my first client. With that kind of vote of confidence, I took the leap and in September 2000 opened my agency, and it is without a doubt the best move I’ve ever made.” (From the agency website)
About the Agency:
Barry Goldblatt Literary was founded September 2000. The agency specializes in children's and young adult fiction as well as graphic novels and adult genre fiction.
Web Presence:
Barry Goldblatt Literary website.
Publisher’s Marketplace page.
Facebook.
QueryTracker, AgentQuery.
Status: Open to submissions.
About: “To paraphrase Garrett Morris of SNL, children’s books have been very, very good to me. It was never my planned career option, however.I came to New York in the summer of 1989 after graduating from the University of Kansas with a B.A. in English and a B.S. in Journalism. I’d just finished an intensive six-week course on science fiction with James Gunn there, and I was determined to come to the city and get an editorial job at a science fiction magazine or book publishing company. If I’d only done a little research beforehand, I’d have realized how few editorial positions there were that fit that description. Fortunately I had a great interviewer at Simon & Schuster who explained a bunch of other job options, including describing the subsidiary rights department, which sounded like a lot of fun. I added that to my application letters and suddenly started getting a lot more calls for interviews…but none of them with science fiction or fantasy publishers.
"I was running low on cash and starting to worry when I got a call to meet with Donne Forrest, the Subsidiary Rights Director at Dutton Children’s Books and Dial Books for Young Readers. I liked her immediately and we had a good interview. She sent me home with three books: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor, Interstellar Pig by William Sleator, and Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne. I read them all that night, and she called and offered me the job the next day. She made it clear to me that she needed a body right then, but she’d completely understand if I found a job in SF&F in the near future and left. Six months later, I got a call from Tor about an editorial assistant job…and I said “no thanks, not interested.” I’d fallen in love with children’s books, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
"Two years later I was laid off by Penguin (after just signing a lease for a more expensive studio in the East Village to boot!), but fortunately landed a new job as the subsidiary rights associate at The Putnam and Grosset Group. After a couple of years there, I was handed a true golden ticket: I was hired as the Rights and Contracts Director at Orchard Books.When news came in 2000 that Scholastic was buying Orchard, I had to decide what to do with my future. I’d always thought of agenting as an opportunity down the road, but I certainly hadn’t planned to do it so soon. I talked with several people about it, including award-winning author Angela Johnson, who basically said that if I did decide to agent, she’d be my first client. With that kind of vote of confidence, I took the leap and in September 2000 opened my agency, and it is without a doubt the best move I’ve ever made.” (From the agency website)
About the Agency:
Barry Goldblatt Literary was founded September 2000. The agency specializes in children's and young adult fiction as well as graphic novels and adult genre fiction.
Web Presence:
Barry Goldblatt Literary website.
Publisher’s Marketplace page.
Facebook.
QueryTracker, AgentQuery.
Update 2/2/2023
MS Wish List
What He's Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Barry Goldblatt represents children's projects exclusively including middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels. He likes quirky, edgy, and offbeat. (Link)
What He Isn't Looking For:
Adult projects, screenplays, educational or institutional non-fiction.
Editorial Agent?
Yes.
Clients:
A full list of BG Literary clients is available on the website. website.
Query Methods:
E-mail: No.
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: Yes.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Fill out the online form and paste in a query, synopsis, and the first 20 pages of your manuscript. Query only one agent at the agency; querying one is querying all.
See the BG Literary website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Response Times:
The agency only responds if interested.
What's the Buzz?
For nearly twenty years, Barry Goldblatt worked in subsidiary rights for various children's publishers including Dutton Children's Books and Dial Books for Young Readers, The Putnam & Grosset Group, and Orchard Books. When Goldblatt heard Scholastic was buying Orchard in 2000, he decided it was finally time to form his own agency and founded Barry Goldblatt Literary.
Since then, Goldblatt has become a very successful, well-respected literary agent with some of the best children’s and young adult authors in his clientele. His clients absolutely adore him. He’s married to the ever-fabulous Libba Bray. If you have a chance to hear these two speak at a conference, do yourself a favor and go.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Podcasts: (Updated 2/2/2023)
What He's Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Barry Goldblatt represents children's projects exclusively including middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels. He likes quirky, edgy, and offbeat. (Link)
What He Isn't Looking For:
Adult projects, screenplays, educational or institutional non-fiction.
Editorial Agent?
Yes.
Clients:
A full list of BG Literary clients is available on the website. website.
Query Methods:
E-mail: No.
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: Yes.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Fill out the online form and paste in a query, synopsis, and the first 20 pages of your manuscript. Query only one agent at the agency; querying one is querying all.
See the BG Literary website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Response Times:
The agency only responds if interested.
What's the Buzz?
For nearly twenty years, Barry Goldblatt worked in subsidiary rights for various children's publishers including Dutton Children's Books and Dial Books for Young Readers, The Putnam & Grosset Group, and Orchard Books. When Goldblatt heard Scholastic was buying Orchard in 2000, he decided it was finally time to form his own agency and founded Barry Goldblatt Literary.
Since then, Goldblatt has become a very successful, well-respected literary agent with some of the best children’s and young adult authors in his clientele. His clients absolutely adore him. He’s married to the ever-fabulous Libba Bray. If you have a chance to hear these two speak at a conference, do yourself a favor and go.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Podcasts: (Updated 2/2/2023)
Podcast at 88 Cups of Tea (08/2017)
SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Barry Goldblatt (07/2011).
INTERVIEW: Barry Goldblatt - Founder of Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency at A View from the Top (05/2010).
Agent Panel: Barry Goldblatt at the SCBWI Conference Blog (01/2012).
Video of Barry Goldblatt speaking at the 34th annual Mary Calletto Rife Youth Literature Seminar on YouTube. (11/2011).
The Wisdom of Agents – Panel Discussion, SCBWI-LA 2011 conference notes including Barry Goldblatt at Karen Sandler’s blog (08/2011).
Agent Friday: Barry Goldblatt at Writing While the Rice Boils (12/2010).
Children’s Literary Agent Barry Goldblatt Knows What He Likes In The Ever-Changing and Expanding Children’s Market at Writer’s Digest (03/2008).
Contact:
Please see the agency website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 2/2/2023.
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? N/A.
***
Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7(at)gmail(dot)com
Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.
INTERVIEW: Barry Goldblatt - Founder of Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency at A View from the Top (05/2010).
Agent Panel: Barry Goldblatt at the SCBWI Conference Blog (01/2012).
Video of Barry Goldblatt speaking at the 34th annual Mary Calletto Rife Youth Literature Seminar on YouTube. (11/2011).
The Wisdom of Agents – Panel Discussion, SCBWI-LA 2011 conference notes including Barry Goldblatt at Karen Sandler’s blog (08/2011).
Agent Friday: Barry Goldblatt at Writing While the Rice Boils (12/2010).
Children’s Literary Agent Barry Goldblatt Knows What He Likes In The Ever-Changing and Expanding Children’s Market at Writer’s Digest (03/2008).
Contact:
Please see the agency website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 2/2/2023.
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? N/A.
***
Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7(at)gmail(dot)com
Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.
Wednesday Nada
No word count today. I haven't been writing (sigh) but I am trying to gear up for NaNoWriMo. Things aren't looking particularly good though... I'm still not fired up about any of my ideas, there's a cold making the rounds in my house, I haven't slept much in the last three nights (Dresden's been miserable, keeping me up), and there are a lot of other little things going on.But, I'm trying to remain optimistic. I just read through my NaNo 2008 posts and I'm feeling quite a bit more excited now. I hung in there even when it got tough and managed to stay positive. I've just got to do that again.
IcanIcanIcan.
The word meter (right sidebar) and the icon are both from Language is a Virus. Last year, I found it much easier to update that meter than the official NaNo one (especially in the beginning when the site was running slow), so I'm defaulting to that one again. You might consider grabbing your own, and some of the cute icons, too!
Do you have a word count update you want to post? If you're participating in NaNo, are your ready? Don't let me be a downer, guys, please share your progress and goals with me. It's always inspiring! And yes, I promise there'll be a real Wednesday update next week with word stats -- NaNo style!
Writing / Research Tip Tuesday
Today's tip comes to you from Samantha Clark who has a fabulous writing blog where she talks about her works-in-progress, the craft, and posts great author interviews. Please, stop by visit her!
"I've found that movie credits are one of the best places to find odd and interesting names for characters. When watching a movie, I'll try to note down any that stick out as great character names. When I need a name, sometimes I'll browse through the cast and crew lists of movies on IMDb.com, and not just the actors' names, the behind the camera crew too. For example, Rhett Reese is a writer on Zombieland. Rachel Kick is a makeup artist. Toby Sells is a special makeup artist. Heather Wusterbarth is a second assistant director. Cat Rowe is a digital colorist artist. These are all from the same movie, and all interesting names -- true last names -- that I might not have thought of or found in a phone book."
Thanks Sam! I just love this tip. I always catch some great and unusual names in movie credits as they scroll by!
"I've found that movie credits are one of the best places to find odd and interesting names for characters. When watching a movie, I'll try to note down any that stick out as great character names. When I need a name, sometimes I'll browse through the cast and crew lists of movies on IMDb.com, and not just the actors' names, the behind the camera crew too. For example, Rhett Reese is a writer on Zombieland. Rachel Kick is a makeup artist. Toby Sells is a special makeup artist. Heather Wusterbarth is a second assistant director. Cat Rowe is a digital colorist artist. These are all from the same movie, and all interesting names -- true last names -- that I might not have thought of or found in a phone book."
Thanks Sam! I just love this tip. I always catch some great and unusual names in movie credits as they scroll by!
Interview with Author PJ Hoover
It always makes for a great Monday when I have an interview to share and today I have a great one with PJ Hoover, author of The Forgotten Worlds Trilogy. Check it out!
Hi PJ! I’m so excited to have you for an interview. Could you start us off by telling us a little about yourself?
Hi Casey! Thank you for having me. It's a huge honor to be on your blog! About me? I grew up as the girl who was good at math and science. I loved Computers, Calculus, and Archaeology. Archaeology? Yes, see, I always had this love of the unexplained, and though I got my degree in Electrical Engineering, I kept that love with me. So after designing computer chips for 15 years and having two kids, I decided to combine a love of the unknown and my enjoyment of reading, and write fantasy books of my own. The fun part is sneaking math and science into my fantasy books in fun, creative ways.
Your first novel, THE EMERALD TABLET, debuted in the fall of 2008, and the second book in the trilogy, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, just released this month. Please, tell us about them!
THE EMERALD TABLET is the story of a kid who finds out not only does he have to go to summer school on a hidden continent under the Pacific Ocean, he's not even human. And to complicate matters, he's not even there a day when he and his friends are tasked with saving the world. Remember when summer was just for relaxing. The fun thing about THE EMERALD TABLET is that being of another species, the main characters can do cool things like telepathy and telekinesis.
As for THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, it picks up where THE EMERALD TABLET leaves off. I always like to say the most fun thing about NAVEL is two words. Time. Travel. I love time travel stories and had a blast writing my own!
Now, how about in haiku?
How fun! Here goes:
Telekinesis
What kid wouldn't like this skill?
Practical jokes thrive.
Brother can't be found
Time Traveling Telegens
Trouble will ensue.
What did your journey from aspiring author to published author entail? What were the key milestones along the way?
The key milestone for me was attending the SCBWI conference in New York one year. I met my editor there, who kindly offered to read my extremely long manuscript. She gave me phenomenal feedback which I grabbed and jumped on. When I finished, I asked her if she'd read it again. And again. And then she bought the trilogy.
How highly would you recommend SCBWI to aspiring children’s book authors and illustrators? How has the society helped you?
This kind of follows on to the previous question. If not for SCBWI, I would never have met my editor. SCBWI is an amazing resource for networking, critiquing, and bonding in general. I can't imagine not being a member. Writing is a bit lonely, and having people to compare notes, celebrate, and commiserate with is beyond measure.
Your second book, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, had its happy release day on October 12th. What sort of release-day fun have you put into motion? Any upcoming events?
My biggest plans were my release party. I just had it on October 18th! It was a blast with lots of people coming out, including kids who always make any party better! In addition to the party, I'm traveling to some conferences and book festivals in the upcoming months. You can check my schedule on my website at www.pjhoover.com. In addition to conferences, I love talking to kids. I've spent the last few weeks talking to classrooms of kids about the books. They ask the best questions!
Where can readers stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest on you and your books?
There's my website at www.pjhoover.com. It has links to all the fun social networking sites I'm part of. Please find me. And friend me. And tweet me. And all that! I love getting email!
I'm also an avid blogger. My blog is at pjhoover.blogspot.com, and I love when people drop by and comment. So please, drop by, and comment!
In reading your blog and the interviews you’ve done in the past, I know your books have a lot of little life treasures and inspirations in them. I believe some have to do with your past work as an electrical engineer and others are related to family and interests. Care to tell us about some of these? I love getting an inside look at the creation of a book!
Well for starters, one of the bad guys is named after my high school Geometry teacher. He was one of my favorite teachers, and I immortalized him forever :)
I love Rubik's Cubes, and thus made up the Kinetic Orb which is like a Rubik's Cube but for smart people.
My son came up with the word "Nogical" which turned into a genetically engineered creature.
And I try to incorporate binary numbers whenever possible as my special tribute to electrical engineering. After all, there are 10 kinds of people in this world: those who understand binary and those who don't.
I’ve read most of the reviews you’ve received for THE EMERALD TABLET and I’m pretty curious. How does it feel to have your books compared to titles like the HARRY POTTER series by J.K. Rowling and the PERCY JACKSON series by Rick Riordan? I can’t think of any greater praise for a middle-grade author!
Yes, I love being able to say my books are in that same genre! Everyone has heard of HARRY POTTER, and being able to legitimately compare my books to those and the PERCY JACKSON books is such a blast. This is exactly the audience I was targeting with THE EMERALD TABLET, and I'm thrilled when reviewers point this out.
You’re currently a full-time author (and mother of two!) with an admiringly stable writing schedule. What’s an average work day like for you? Any tips for those of us struggling to pull it together? What other nugget(s) of advice would you give for aspiring authors?
The best advice I have is to make chunks of time. If marketing needs to be done, work on a big chunk of it one day such that the next day revisions or writing can be done for a big chunk. Being able to focus on something for longer than a half hour at a time is key for me in completing anything.
Other advice I have is patience. Patience when writing and revising. Patience while waiting on agents and editors. Patience between revisions. I try to set aside stuff for a while (like months at a time) while revising. This helps give me a fresh, shiny perspective.
Oh, and finally, don't give up!
With THE FORGOTTEN WORLDS trilogy coming to a close in the fall of 2010 with THE NECROPOLIS, you must be working on something new. Can you divulge anything about your current works-in-progress?
I'm so totally closed-lipped about new projects. But here's what I have. I am working on new stuff! I have an Egyptian mythology themed middle grade book I've been working on, and I also have a young adult fantasy heavy with Greek mythology. Everything seems to be centered around mythology :) There's a YA I have in the oven also, but it's pre-anyone-reading it at this point.
You live in Texas and really seem to love it. What’s your favorite thing about living there? How’s the local writing community?
Amazing is the only word I can use to describe the Austin writing community. Seriously how did I get so lucky as to move to the best city in the world for children's authors? Aside from how many talented authors we have here, everyone is so nice. It's the most welcoming community I can image.
Finally, what’s one interview question you haven’t been asked and wish you would be? And please, answer it!
Okay, how about my favorite Mario Kart character. When I'm talking to kids, I always ask them if they can guess. No one ever does. The answer? Bowser.
Thank you so much for having me, Casey! It's been a blast!
Thank YOU, PJ! It's been a pleasure. I can't wait for my copy of THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD to arrive so I can have another adventure with Benjamin and his friends!
Hi PJ! I’m so excited to have you for an interview. Could you start us off by telling us a little about yourself?Hi Casey! Thank you for having me. It's a huge honor to be on your blog! About me? I grew up as the girl who was good at math and science. I loved Computers, Calculus, and Archaeology. Archaeology? Yes, see, I always had this love of the unexplained, and though I got my degree in Electrical Engineering, I kept that love with me. So after designing computer chips for 15 years and having two kids, I decided to combine a love of the unknown and my enjoyment of reading, and write fantasy books of my own. The fun part is sneaking math and science into my fantasy books in fun, creative ways.
Your first novel, THE EMERALD TABLET, debuted in the fall of 2008, and the second book in the trilogy, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, just released this month. Please, tell us about them!
THE EMERALD TABLET is the story of a kid who finds out not only does he have to go to summer school on a hidden continent under the Pacific Ocean, he's not even human. And to complicate matters, he's not even there a day when he and his friends are tasked with saving the world. Remember when summer was just for relaxing. The fun thing about THE EMERALD TABLET is that being of another species, the main characters can do cool things like telepathy and telekinesis.As for THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, it picks up where THE EMERALD TABLET leaves off. I always like to say the most fun thing about NAVEL is two words. Time. Travel. I love time travel stories and had a blast writing my own!
Now, how about in haiku?
How fun! Here goes:
Telekinesis
What kid wouldn't like this skill?
Practical jokes thrive.
Brother can't be found
Time Traveling Telegens
Trouble will ensue.
What did your journey from aspiring author to published author entail? What were the key milestones along the way?
The key milestone for me was attending the SCBWI conference in New York one year. I met my editor there, who kindly offered to read my extremely long manuscript. She gave me phenomenal feedback which I grabbed and jumped on. When I finished, I asked her if she'd read it again. And again. And then she bought the trilogy.
How highly would you recommend SCBWI to aspiring children’s book authors and illustrators? How has the society helped you?
This kind of follows on to the previous question. If not for SCBWI, I would never have met my editor. SCBWI is an amazing resource for networking, critiquing, and bonding in general. I can't imagine not being a member. Writing is a bit lonely, and having people to compare notes, celebrate, and commiserate with is beyond measure.
Your second book, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, had its happy release day on October 12th. What sort of release-day fun have you put into motion? Any upcoming events?
My biggest plans were my release party. I just had it on October 18th! It was a blast with lots of people coming out, including kids who always make any party better! In addition to the party, I'm traveling to some conferences and book festivals in the upcoming months. You can check my schedule on my website at www.pjhoover.com. In addition to conferences, I love talking to kids. I've spent the last few weeks talking to classrooms of kids about the books. They ask the best questions!Where can readers stay up-to-date on the latest and greatest on you and your books?
There's my website at www.pjhoover.com. It has links to all the fun social networking sites I'm part of. Please find me. And friend me. And tweet me. And all that! I love getting email!
I'm also an avid blogger. My blog is at pjhoover.blogspot.com, and I love when people drop by and comment. So please, drop by, and comment!
In reading your blog and the interviews you’ve done in the past, I know your books have a lot of little life treasures and inspirations in them. I believe some have to do with your past work as an electrical engineer and others are related to family and interests. Care to tell us about some of these? I love getting an inside look at the creation of a book!
Well for starters, one of the bad guys is named after my high school Geometry teacher. He was one of my favorite teachers, and I immortalized him forever :)
I love Rubik's Cubes, and thus made up the Kinetic Orb which is like a Rubik's Cube but for smart people.
My son came up with the word "Nogical" which turned into a genetically engineered creature.
And I try to incorporate binary numbers whenever possible as my special tribute to electrical engineering. After all, there are 10 kinds of people in this world: those who understand binary and those who don't.
I’ve read most of the reviews you’ve received for THE EMERALD TABLET and I’m pretty curious. How does it feel to have your books compared to titles like the HARRY POTTER series by J.K. Rowling and the PERCY JACKSON series by Rick Riordan? I can’t think of any greater praise for a middle-grade author!
Yes, I love being able to say my books are in that same genre! Everyone has heard of HARRY POTTER, and being able to legitimately compare my books to those and the PERCY JACKSON books is such a blast. This is exactly the audience I was targeting with THE EMERALD TABLET, and I'm thrilled when reviewers point this out.
You’re currently a full-time author (and mother of two!) with an admiringly stable writing schedule. What’s an average work day like for you? Any tips for those of us struggling to pull it together? What other nugget(s) of advice would you give for aspiring authors?
The best advice I have is to make chunks of time. If marketing needs to be done, work on a big chunk of it one day such that the next day revisions or writing can be done for a big chunk. Being able to focus on something for longer than a half hour at a time is key for me in completing anything.
Other advice I have is patience. Patience when writing and revising. Patience while waiting on agents and editors. Patience between revisions. I try to set aside stuff for a while (like months at a time) while revising. This helps give me a fresh, shiny perspective.
Oh, and finally, don't give up!
With THE FORGOTTEN WORLDS trilogy coming to a close in the fall of 2010 with THE NECROPOLIS, you must be working on something new. Can you divulge anything about your current works-in-progress?
I'm so totally closed-lipped about new projects. But here's what I have. I am working on new stuff! I have an Egyptian mythology themed middle grade book I've been working on, and I also have a young adult fantasy heavy with Greek mythology. Everything seems to be centered around mythology :) There's a YA I have in the oven also, but it's pre-anyone-reading it at this point.You live in Texas and really seem to love it. What’s your favorite thing about living there? How’s the local writing community?
Amazing is the only word I can use to describe the Austin writing community. Seriously how did I get so lucky as to move to the best city in the world for children's authors? Aside from how many talented authors we have here, everyone is so nice. It's the most welcoming community I can image.
Finally, what’s one interview question you haven’t been asked and wish you would be? And please, answer it!
Okay, how about my favorite Mario Kart character. When I'm talking to kids, I always ask them if they can guess. No one ever does. The answer? Bowser.
Thank you so much for having me, Casey! It's been a blast!
Thank YOU, PJ! It's been a pleasure. I can't wait for my copy of THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD to arrive so I can have another adventure with Benjamin and his friends!
Everyone Doing NaNoWriMo 2009...
Let's unite!BUDDY ME and then leave your link or user name in the comments for others. That is, if you're interested in buddying and being buddied. : )
Six days... six days...
P.S. Thank you for your sympathy, comments, and fabulous morale yesterday! It meant a lot to me, really. I've been pretty down.
Overthinking It
So...
I've been a bit mum about my writing lately and that's because it's not going well. I beleive I have a classic case of overthinkage. Having a really hard time shutting off my internal god-I-want-to-write-so-good-so-bad editor. It's gotten to the point that I can't stand anything I write creatively.
Yeah.
I do think it's sort of awesome that if you type "overthinking" in Google an article called "Overthinking Is The Enemy of Creatives" comes up first. And it's good! Give it a read if you can relate to my struggle.
Anyway, in overthinking overthinking, I overly think I've come up with a solution.
Yeah.
Whaddya think?
I've been a bit mum about my writing lately and that's because it's not going well. I beleive I have a classic case of overthinkage. Having a really hard time shutting off my internal god-I-want-to-write-so-good-so-bad editor. It's gotten to the point that I can't stand anything I write creatively.
Yeah.
I do think it's sort of awesome that if you type "overthinking" in Google an article called "Overthinking Is The Enemy of Creatives" comes up first. And it's good! Give it a read if you can relate to my struggle.
Anyway, in overthinking overthinking, I overly think I've come up with a solution.
Yeah.
Whaddya think?
Inanimate Alice - Digital Fiction
You've seen all the future-of-publishing talk surrounding e-books, but what about digital fiction? Have you heard of it?
I was recently introduced to Inanimate Alice, a digital story that combines text, sound, images, and even games to create an interactive reading experience. It follows the story of eight-year-old Alice and her digital imaginary friend, Brad, as they grow up in the 21st century with a peculiar, somewhat troublesome childhood. With Brad's "help," Alice goes on to become an extremely successful games animator.
"'Inanimate Alice' is a study of human/computer relations in a world where having friends means never having to meet them."
It's co-written by Kate Pullinger, a novelist, and Chris Joseph, a digital writer and artist, and produced by Ian Harper of The BradField Company.
Check out the first episode, China, and see what it's all about. Four of the ten episodes are currently available online for free.
I can see a future for this form of media with reluctant readers, the video game generation, in schools as an interactive educational tool, etc., and I suspect e-readers of the future will be compatible with the format.
What are you thoughts on digital fiction? Do you embrace this as a form of advanced reading or do you think it's too game-like? Please share the link, and let's discuss!
I was recently introduced to Inanimate Alice, a digital story that combines text, sound, images, and even games to create an interactive reading experience. It follows the story of eight-year-old Alice and her digital imaginary friend, Brad, as they grow up in the 21st century with a peculiar, somewhat troublesome childhood. With Brad's "help," Alice goes on to become an extremely successful games animator.
"'Inanimate Alice' is a study of human/computer relations in a world where having friends means never having to meet them."
It's co-written by Kate Pullinger, a novelist, and Chris Joseph, a digital writer and artist, and produced by Ian Harper of The BradField Company.
Check out the first episode, China, and see what it's all about. Four of the ten episodes are currently available online for free.
I can see a future for this form of media with reluctant readers, the video game generation, in schools as an interactive educational tool, etc., and I suspect e-readers of the future will be compatible with the format.
What are you thoughts on digital fiction? Do you embrace this as a form of advanced reading or do you think it's too game-like? Please share the link, and let's discuss!
Agent Spotlight: Sara Megibow
This week's Agent Spotlight features Sara Megibow of kt literary.
Status: Update on 9/28/2024: Sara has opened her own agency, Megibow Literary Agency. She is open to submissions. Check her agency website to learn how to submit to her.
About: "Sara Megibow is a literary agent with kt literary out of Highlands Ranch, CO. She has worked in publishing since 2006 and represents New York Times bestsellers authors including Margaret Rogerson, Roni Loren, Jason M. Hough and Jaleigh Johnson. She specializes in launching debut authors and working on long-term career development and profit strategy with them. She is a graduate of Northwestern University with degrees in Women’s Studies, Gender Studies and American History. Always LGBTQ+ Friendly!" (Link)
About the Agency:
"Books aren’t just what we do, they’re who we are. We become the sum total of our reading experiences – the romance, the adventures, the coming-of-age, the fantasy, the dare-to-believe. At kt literary, we want to be more.
“Madeleine L’Engle once said, ‘You have to write whichever book it is that wants to be written. And then, if it’s going to be too difficult for grown-ups, you write it for children.’ Write for children. Write for adults. Write for yourself. And then, when you’re ready to find a literary agent to take your work to the next level, think of us.
“kt literary is a full-service literary agency operating out of Highlands Ranch, in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado, where every major publishing house is merely an email or phone call away. We believe in the power of new technology to connect writers to readers, and authors to editors. We bring over a decade of experience in the New York publishing scene, an extensive list of contacts, and a lifetime love of reading to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
“And did we mention our boundless optimism?" (Link)
Web Presence:
kt literary website.
kt literary blog.
Publisher's Marketplace page.
Twitter.
#MSWL tweets.
AgentQuery.
QueryTracker.
What She's Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Middle Grade, Young Adult, Romance, Erotica, Science Fiction and Fantasy. (Link)
From her Manuscript Wish List
"I’m on the hunt for middle grade and young adult novels (absolutely all sub-genres!) as well as romance novels and science fiction/ fantasy novels for the adult market. A manuscript must be 100% complete and never previously-published and as long as it fits those guidelines, bring it on! I love contemporary and historical, paranormal and urban fantasy, stand alone novels and series – anything goes. Always LGBTQIA+ Friendly!" (Link)
What She Isn't Looking For:
“Sara does not represent screenplays, memoir, self-help, picture books or any book that has been previously published.” (Link)
Agent Philosophy:
"My passion as an agent is strategizing profitable long-term careers with my authors. I want clients to love the books they write and make money writing them. Crafting that kind of balance between artistic and commercial success takes communication, teamwork and a focus on "Art. Patience. Strategy."
"In terms of personality, I tend to be chatty with clients. I aim to set clear expectations and explain publishing processes so authors can focus as much as possible on writing. To that end, I communicate regularly and keep my client list small in order to support each author effectively." (Link)Editorial Agent?
“I’m excellent at selling books and I identify works in the slush pile that are ready to go. Certainly I read and help shape my clients’ second, third, fourth, etc books, but in general I am not an editorial agent. There are some wonderful agents out there who are also great editors and if that’s what you are looking for in a partnership, you will find it!” (Link)
Clients:
A list of Ms. Megibow's clients is available on the kt literary website.
Ms. Megibow’s clients include: Casey McQuiston, Jaleigh Johnson, Jason M. Hough, Roni Loren, Rebecca Roanhorse, Margaret Rogerson, Angelina M. Lopez, among others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes (only).
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: No.Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Send a one-page query letter and the first three pages of the manuscript. Put QUERY and the title of your project in the subject line. No attachments.
“You are encouraged to include the link to your author website in your query letter. LGBTQ friendly!” (Link)
See the kt literary website and Ms. Megibow’s PM page for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines
Response Times:
Ms. Megibow's response time is 5 to 14 days.
What's the Buzz?
Sara Megibow joined kt literary in 2015 after nine years with Nelson Literary. She is known to be very nice, professional, and enthusiastic. The agency is highly respected and her clients seem quite happy with her representation.
I recommend following Sara on Twitter @SaraMegibow.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews & Chats:
On the Podcast: Sara Megibow at the kt literary blog (12/2019)
Interview with Sara Megibow at Sirens (06/2019)
Interview with Sara Megibow on YouTube at WriteNow Workshop (05/2019)
Meet Sara Megibow at Beyond the Book (04/2019)
Around the Web:
For conferences Ms. Megibow will be attending, see her Publisher’s Marketplace page.
Contact:
Please see the ki literary website and Ms. Megibow’s Publisher’s Marketplace page for further contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 5/18/2020.
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed by Agent: 5/19/2020.
***
Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7(at)gmail(dot)com
Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.
Status: Update on 9/28/2024: Sara has opened her own agency, Megibow Literary Agency. She is open to submissions. Check her agency website to learn how to submit to her.
About: "Sara Megibow is a literary agent with kt literary out of Highlands Ranch, CO. She has worked in publishing since 2006 and represents New York Times bestsellers authors including Margaret Rogerson, Roni Loren, Jason M. Hough and Jaleigh Johnson. She specializes in launching debut authors and working on long-term career development and profit strategy with them. She is a graduate of Northwestern University with degrees in Women’s Studies, Gender Studies and American History. Always LGBTQ+ Friendly!" (Link)About the Agency:
"Books aren’t just what we do, they’re who we are. We become the sum total of our reading experiences – the romance, the adventures, the coming-of-age, the fantasy, the dare-to-believe. At kt literary, we want to be more.
“Madeleine L’Engle once said, ‘You have to write whichever book it is that wants to be written. And then, if it’s going to be too difficult for grown-ups, you write it for children.’ Write for children. Write for adults. Write for yourself. And then, when you’re ready to find a literary agent to take your work to the next level, think of us.
“kt literary is a full-service literary agency operating out of Highlands Ranch, in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado, where every major publishing house is merely an email or phone call away. We believe in the power of new technology to connect writers to readers, and authors to editors. We bring over a decade of experience in the New York publishing scene, an extensive list of contacts, and a lifetime love of reading to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
“And did we mention our boundless optimism?" (Link)
Web Presence:
kt literary website.
kt literary blog.
Publisher's Marketplace page.
Twitter.
#MSWL tweets.
AgentQuery.
QueryTracker.
What She's Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Middle Grade, Young Adult, Romance, Erotica, Science Fiction and Fantasy. (Link)
From her Manuscript Wish List
"I’m on the hunt for middle grade and young adult novels (absolutely all sub-genres!) as well as romance novels and science fiction/ fantasy novels for the adult market. A manuscript must be 100% complete and never previously-published and as long as it fits those guidelines, bring it on! I love contemporary and historical, paranormal and urban fantasy, stand alone novels and series – anything goes. Always LGBTQIA+ Friendly!" (Link)
What She Isn't Looking For:
“Sara does not represent screenplays, memoir, self-help, picture books or any book that has been previously published.” (Link)
Agent Philosophy:
"My passion as an agent is strategizing profitable long-term careers with my authors. I want clients to love the books they write and make money writing them. Crafting that kind of balance between artistic and commercial success takes communication, teamwork and a focus on "Art. Patience. Strategy."
"In terms of personality, I tend to be chatty with clients. I aim to set clear expectations and explain publishing processes so authors can focus as much as possible on writing. To that end, I communicate regularly and keep my client list small in order to support each author effectively." (Link)Editorial Agent?
“I’m excellent at selling books and I identify works in the slush pile that are ready to go. Certainly I read and help shape my clients’ second, third, fourth, etc books, but in general I am not an editorial agent. There are some wonderful agents out there who are also great editors and if that’s what you are looking for in a partnership, you will find it!” (Link)
Clients:
A list of Ms. Megibow's clients is available on the kt literary website.
Ms. Megibow’s clients include: Casey McQuiston, Jaleigh Johnson, Jason M. Hough, Roni Loren, Rebecca Roanhorse, Margaret Rogerson, Angelina M. Lopez, among others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes (only).
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: No.Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Send a one-page query letter and the first three pages of the manuscript. Put QUERY and the title of your project in the subject line. No attachments.
“You are encouraged to include the link to your author website in your query letter. LGBTQ friendly!” (Link)
See the kt literary website and Ms. Megibow’s PM page for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines
Response Times:
Ms. Megibow's response time is 5 to 14 days.
What's the Buzz?
Sara Megibow joined kt literary in 2015 after nine years with Nelson Literary. She is known to be very nice, professional, and enthusiastic. The agency is highly respected and her clients seem quite happy with her representation.
I recommend following Sara on Twitter @SaraMegibow.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews & Chats:
On the Podcast: Sara Megibow at the kt literary blog (12/2019)
Interview with Sara Megibow at Sirens (06/2019)
Interview with Sara Megibow on YouTube at WriteNow Workshop (05/2019)
Meet Sara Megibow at Beyond the Book (04/2019)
Around the Web:
For conferences Ms. Megibow will be attending, see her Publisher’s Marketplace page.
Contact:
Please see the ki literary website and Ms. Megibow’s Publisher’s Marketplace page for further contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 5/18/2020.
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed by Agent: 5/19/2020.
***
Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7(at)gmail(dot)com
Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.
Research Tip Tuesday
Want to know what people are saying about a particular agent or subject? Google Blog Search specifically searches blogs (all blogs, not just Blogger) for your search term or phrase. Advanced options also allow you to filter and search by date. I use it all the time for my spotlights!
Next week, I have a fabulous tip from Samantha Clark. Look forward to it! Want to see your own tip featured? E-mail me at agentspotlight(at)gmail(dot)com.
Next week, I have a fabulous tip from Samantha Clark. Look forward to it! Want to see your own tip featured? E-mail me at agentspotlight(at)gmail(dot)com.
So Tell Me: What Personal Greatness Do You Aspire To?
What an interesting discussion we had yesterday! Some of you agree with King and some of you don't. From reading through all the comments, I'd say King's view of the bad, competent, good, and great writer looks something like this.
Great = Innately talented, has something that can't be learned or taught.
Good = The majority of successful published writers (and those aspirees with this level of drive and talent).
Competent = Potential to become published, potential to become "good," but maybe never quite good enough if the drive isn't there (the line walker).
Bad = Actually incapable or unwilling to reach competency.
Which would put most of us in the "competent" and "good" categories, including beginners not stuck in the (unfortunate) bad category. Would you agree with assessment?
I've got a different but related question for you today though. What PERSONAL greatness do you aspire to? Is it becoming a published author, prolific, renowned, a bestseller, an award winner? Or is it more related to craft... is there a level you're trying to reach, and how are you gauging it?
Do tell!
Great = Innately talented, has something that can't be learned or taught.
Good = The majority of successful published writers (and those aspirees with this level of drive and talent).
Competent = Potential to become published, potential to become "good," but maybe never quite good enough if the drive isn't there (the line walker).
Bad = Actually incapable or unwilling to reach competency.
Which would put most of us in the "competent" and "good" categories, including beginners not stuck in the (unfortunate) bad category. Would you agree with assessment?
I've got a different but related question for you today though. What PERSONAL greatness do you aspire to? Is it becoming a published author, prolific, renowned, a bestseller, an award winner? Or is it more related to craft... is there a level you're trying to reach, and how are you gauging it?
Do tell!
On the Potential of the Bad, Competent, Good or Great Writer
I recently devoured ON WRITING by Stephen King. It really is a great read (fascinating, inspiring), and I'm happy to have finally read it. Since finishing, I have found myself returning to a couple things Mr. King said and I'd like to discuss one. And that is the following:
"...while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a merely competent one." (p. 136)
I don't know how I feel about this. The horde of hopefuls in my head want to beleive that, wherever I'm at talent-wise, I have a chance at becoming good or great. But then, I also don't see myself developing the talent of, say, Markus Zusak or Suzanne Collins—ever.
So I see what he's saying, and I think it comes down to how one defines or views such words as "good" and "great." A writer can improve greatly, for example, as I think many of us have, but will never be a [insert author that fills you with awe]. And yet, I still find myself balking at the idea that we have a built-in cap to our potential, and wondering if it really is impossible to cross these thresholds. Even if a good writer will never become one of the greats, does a bad writer really have no chance at becoming competent or good? I'm not sure. I find myself agreeing and then disagreeing in the span of two thoughts.
What's your take?
"...while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a merely competent one." (p. 136)
I don't know how I feel about this. The horde of hopefuls in my head want to beleive that, wherever I'm at talent-wise, I have a chance at becoming good or great. But then, I also don't see myself developing the talent of, say, Markus Zusak or Suzanne Collins—ever.
So I see what he's saying, and I think it comes down to how one defines or views such words as "good" and "great." A writer can improve greatly, for example, as I think many of us have, but will never be a [insert author that fills you with awe]. And yet, I still find myself balking at the idea that we have a built-in cap to our potential, and wondering if it really is impossible to cross these thresholds. Even if a good writer will never become one of the greats, does a bad writer really have no chance at becoming competent or good? I'm not sure. I find myself agreeing and then disagreeing in the span of two thoughts.
What's your take?
Agent Spotlight: Michael Stearns
Profile removed. Mr. Stearns is no longer directly representing authors (see comments below).
Thanks!
Casey
Thanks!
Casey
Review: FROM THE QUERY TO THE CALL by Elana Johnson
A few weeks ago, I won a copy of Elana Johnson’s e-book, FROM THE QUERY TO THE CALL, just as it was released. I was pretty darn excited. Why? Well, despite the many, many examples of queries I’ve read online, how-to posts I’ve studied, and attempts I've made, I’ve never been able to write a good query. I love Elanja’s blog (so smart and funny!), and I especially love her voice, so I was eager to see if this e-book would be the eye-opener I needed.
The short answer: It was. The long answer: I’d like to skip today’s WIP post one more week and review it for you.
***
Three things I really love about Elanja's book. 1.) It has everything for the writer just starting to learn about "the process" of seeking representation, but plenty also for the writer who has a good handle on it. 2.) It is, essentially, said "process" in one well-organized bundle with a handy column ever-present on the side that enables you to jump to the section you want to read or re-read. No more hours of searching Google and hopping from site to site as you try to piece it all together. 3.) There are seven well-written query examples used to teach throughout the book and then available in their entirety at the end. All of which have gained their respective writers representation or resulted in a high percentage of requests. In other words, all successful. I learn well by example, so these queries were like the icing on the cake.
There's no telling which section(s) will be the most helpful to you until you buy it and read it for yourself, but for me, it was the meat of the book, "Writing a Killer Query." The way Elana broke the example queries down and showed me the four elements of a successful query was exactly what I needed. Many others have done this online for free, sure, but not quite so in depth and certainly not Elana-style. The big eye opener for me? Learning I've been missing a very important element in my query—the consequence—and how important that small element really is.
Believe it or not, there's a cherry on top all that cake and icing. If you buy FROM THE QUERY TO THE CALL, Elana will critique your query either by e-mail or on her Query Ninja blog. Not only are you bound to learn a lot from this book, but you'll get a personalized, hands-on lesson too, if you wish. Pretty darn good deal, and a great opportunity.
Congratulations on a fabulous e-book, Elana, and thank you so much for the insight and knowledge you've put into a neat, accessible package and provided so many.
***
Have you read FROM THE QUERY TO THE CALL? If so, please leave your thoughts in the comments. Haven't read it? Feel free to ask any questions you might have.
Research Tip Tuesday
Hey everyone, if you'd like to see this feature continue, please send some tips in! I haven't been receiving enough to keep it going. I've got one more from Tara for you today, and I'll put up one of my own next week.
"Romance fiction writers or people who write Historical Fiction might benefit from tracing modern works back to their origins. The Online Etymology Dictionary allows writers to type in a word, and then it returns the history for that word. If writers don't see a word they like in the history, they can enter one of the words from the search results, allowing a new set of results to display."
Bio: Tara is a freelance writer and editor. She maintains her own blog Eye Feathers.
Thanks Tara! I use the Etymology Dictionary all the time when I'm trying to create words for my fantasy stories, so it can be really useful to all the fantasy writers out there as well.
"Romance fiction writers or people who write Historical Fiction might benefit from tracing modern works back to their origins. The Online Etymology Dictionary allows writers to type in a word, and then it returns the history for that word. If writers don't see a word they like in the history, they can enter one of the words from the search results, allowing a new set of results to display."
Bio: Tara is a freelance writer and editor. She maintains her own blog Eye Feathers.
Thanks Tara! I use the Etymology Dictionary all the time when I'm trying to create words for my fantasy stories, so it can be really useful to all the fantasy writers out there as well.
I'm Back, YA News, and Question Box Revival
I'm back! And I have to say, it feels good knowing things should be back to normal this week. I'm looking forward to getting caught up and reading all the replies you left in various posts while I was gone, especially the blog party post.
First up, Happy Release Day to PJ Hoover whose second book, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, comes out today! If you haven't read book one, THE EMERALD TABLET, in PJ's THE FORGOTTEN WORLDS trilogy, you're missing out! And while you're busy reading book one or book two, you can look forward to my interview with PJ, which should go up in the next couple weeks.
Next, some agent news that came out while I was away...
Elaine English Literary Agency is now accepting young adult lit. You can read about the wide range of genres they're now accepting YA submissions for and some of Naomi's and Elaine's preferences on the agency blog.
ETA: Sara Crowe is back from her maternity leave and put up a call for submissions on the Crowe's Nest. In her post, she also talks about some of her YA authors and why she took them on.
In other YA news, Sourcebooks has added a new teen imprint called Sourcebooks Fire and will publish seven titles in its debut season. You can read all about it on Publisher's Weekly.
Any other news I missed while I was gone?
Finally I'd like to revive The Question Box and invite everyone to leave me some questions, if you have them. I think a healthy batch of questions would give us some great discussion material and it would let me know what kinds of posts you'd like to see here on Lit Rambles!
Try to have a great Monday!
First up, Happy Release Day to PJ Hoover whose second book, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, comes out today! If you haven't read book one, THE EMERALD TABLET, in PJ's THE FORGOTTEN WORLDS trilogy, you're missing out! And while you're busy reading book one or book two, you can look forward to my interview with PJ, which should go up in the next couple weeks.
Next, some agent news that came out while I was away...
Elaine English Literary Agency is now accepting young adult lit. You can read about the wide range of genres they're now accepting YA submissions for and some of Naomi's and Elaine's preferences on the agency blog.
ETA: Sara Crowe is back from her maternity leave and put up a call for submissions on the Crowe's Nest. In her post, she also talks about some of her YA authors and why she took them on.
In other YA news, Sourcebooks has added a new teen imprint called Sourcebooks Fire and will publish seven titles in its debut season. You can read all about it on Publisher's Weekly.
Any other news I missed while I was gone?
Finally I'd like to revive The Question Box and invite everyone to leave me some questions, if you have them. I think a healthy batch of questions would give us some great discussion material and it would let me know what kinds of posts you'd like to see here on Lit Rambles!
Try to have a great Monday!
So Tell Each Other: What Are You Blogging About This Week?
I'm married! The wedding went really great, and I'll share some pictures as soon as I have them.
In the meantime, we're taking off again this afternoon and I'll be staying relatively "unplugged" until Monday. I should be back full time about then.
For today, I'm using a fabulous suggestion sent in by Heather Lane and putting up the following question...
What are you blogging about this week? Please self-promote, share what you've posted and/or will post, and click around some new blogs. I think we all loved doing this a couple weeks ago. The response was amazing!
Have fun romping about the place while I'm gone (keep it clean!), enjoy the blog party, and I'll be back to check in with everyone fairly soon.
In the meantime, we're taking off again this afternoon and I'll be staying relatively "unplugged" until Monday. I should be back full time about then.
For today, I'm using a fabulous suggestion sent in by Heather Lane and putting up the following question...
What are you blogging about this week? Please self-promote, share what you've posted and/or will post, and click around some new blogs. I think we all loved doing this a couple weeks ago. The response was amazing!
Have fun romping about the place while I'm gone (keep it clean!), enjoy the blog party, and I'll be back to check in with everyone fairly soon.
Agent Spotlight: Brenda Bowen
This week's Agent Spotlight features Brenda Bowen of The Book Group.
Status: Open to submissions.
About: "Brenda Bowen represents authors and artists of books for young readers from preschool to young adult; she also represents some adult titles. Her clients have won the MacArthur Fellowship; the Newbery Medal and Newbery Honor; the Caldecott Medal and Caldecott Honor; the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent; the Stonewall Award; the Geisel Honor; the William C. Morris Honor; the New York Times Best Illustrated Book prize; the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal; as well as many other awards and citations. Brenda’s clients have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, and have been translated around the globe; she represents Oscar-, Emmy-, and Tony-Award winners; career authors and artists; and newcomers making their debuts. She can’t decide which she loves more: a bold picture book, or a lyrical middle-grade novel.
"Brenda has the unusual advantage of having seen publishing from all sides: she began her career as an agent at Sanford J. Greenburger; she was a children’s book publisher for many years; she has written an adult novel; and she’s an award-winning author of some forty books for children. She lives with her family in New York City, and spends August in a cottage in Maine, where the menu almost always includes blueberry corn muffins."(From the agency website)
About the Agency:
"We are a full-service literary agency founded in 2015 by longtime friends and publishing industry veterans Julie Barer, Faye Bender, Brettne Bloom and Elisabeth Weed. Since then we have expanded our agency to include Brenda Bowen, Dana Murphy, Jamie Carr and Nicole Cunningham, and our office manager DJ Kim.
We are passionately committed to fostering the careers of writers from a diverse range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, and we represent books for readers of all ages. Please explore our virtual bookshelves, where you’ll discover award-winning novelists and illustrators, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and book club favorites, bestselling thrillers, fantasy, horror, and young adult classics, inspiring memoirs and beloved cookbooks.(From the agency website)
What She's Looking For:
Specialties:
Books for children and teens, as well as some fiction for adult trade.
What She's Not Looking For:
Picture book texts, adult fiction and non-fiction, Christian fiction and non-fiction
Quotables:
"It's not good for us to make one sale and never sell your work again. You have to imagine a partnership, to trust that we're going to give our best to each other and that we'll be there for the long haul." (Link)
Referring to when she was an editor: "I was aware that some agents' names in the inbox meant that what was attached, although maybe not perfect for me, was going to be really good for someone in the house, and that it was ready to go. I'd like to be one of those agents..." (Link)
Editorial Agent?
Yes.
Web Presence:
The Book Group website
Around the Web:
Her author bibliography on Amazon (She writes as Margaret McNamara).
Agent Day: Insight from Brenda Bowen, detailed conference notes at Ingrid’s Notes (06/2010).
Notes on Ms. Bowen from the SCBWI blog
Contact:
Please see The Book Group website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 1/7/2023
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes
Last Reviewed by Agent: 3/28/11
***
Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7(at)gmail(dot)com
Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.
Status: Open to submissions.
About: "Brenda Bowen represents authors and artists of books for young readers from preschool to young adult; she also represents some adult titles. Her clients have won the MacArthur Fellowship; the Newbery Medal and Newbery Honor; the Caldecott Medal and Caldecott Honor; the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent; the Stonewall Award; the Geisel Honor; the William C. Morris Honor; the New York Times Best Illustrated Book prize; the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal; as well as many other awards and citations. Brenda’s clients have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, and have been translated around the globe; she represents Oscar-, Emmy-, and Tony-Award winners; career authors and artists; and newcomers making their debuts. She can’t decide which she loves more: a bold picture book, or a lyrical middle-grade novel. "Brenda has the unusual advantage of having seen publishing from all sides: she began her career as an agent at Sanford J. Greenburger; she was a children’s book publisher for many years; she has written an adult novel; and she’s an award-winning author of some forty books for children. She lives with her family in New York City, and spends August in a cottage in Maine, where the menu almost always includes blueberry corn muffins."(From the agency website)
About the Agency:
"We are a full-service literary agency founded in 2015 by longtime friends and publishing industry veterans Julie Barer, Faye Bender, Brettne Bloom and Elisabeth Weed. Since then we have expanded our agency to include Brenda Bowen, Dana Murphy, Jamie Carr and Nicole Cunningham, and our office manager DJ Kim.
We are passionately committed to fostering the careers of writers from a diverse range of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences, and we represent books for readers of all ages. Please explore our virtual bookshelves, where you’ll discover award-winning novelists and illustrators, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists and book club favorites, bestselling thrillers, fantasy, horror, and young adult classics, inspiring memoirs and beloved cookbooks.(From the agency website)
What She's Looking For:
Specialties:
Books for children and teens, as well as some fiction for adult trade.
What She's Not Looking For:
Picture book texts, adult fiction and non-fiction, Christian fiction and non-fiction
Quotables:
"It's not good for us to make one sale and never sell your work again. You have to imagine a partnership, to trust that we're going to give our best to each other and that we'll be there for the long haul." (Link)
Referring to when she was an editor: "I was aware that some agents' names in the inbox meant that what was attached, although maybe not perfect for me, was going to be really good for someone in the house, and that it was ready to go. I'd like to be one of those agents..." (Link)
Editorial Agent?
Yes.
Web Presence:
The Book Group website
Brenda's Manuscript Wishlist on The Book Group website
Brenda Bowen website
Twitter
Publishers Marketplace
QueryTracker
Clients:
There is a list of clients available on The Book Group website. Clients include:
Carin Berger, Marisa Calin, Jessie Hartland, G. Brian Karas, Hilary Knight, Caroline Lawrence, Martine Leavitt, George Ella Lyon, Donna Jo Napoli, Chris Raschka, Stephen Savage, Marilyn Singer, Naoko Stoop, Rosemary Wells, among many others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes
Snail-Mail: No
Online-Form: No.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Send a query letter and ten sample pages by e-mail (no attachments). See The Book Group website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Publishers Marketplace
QueryTracker
Clients:
There is a list of clients available on The Book Group website. Clients include:
Carin Berger, Marisa Calin, Jessie Hartland, G. Brian Karas, Hilary Knight, Caroline Lawrence, Martine Leavitt, George Ella Lyon, Donna Jo Napoli, Chris Raschka, Stephen Savage, Marilyn Singer, Naoko Stoop, Rosemary Wells, among many others.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes
Snail-Mail: No
Online-Form: No.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Send a query letter and ten sample pages by e-mail (no attachments). See The Book Group website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Query Tips:
“A catchy title can be reason alone for me to request a manuscript. For example: The Masterwork of a Painting Elephant. This shows me that the author is confident enough to name his/her book this. It shows me the book is not a trend, and the title has a lyrical sound to it.
“Please query me as Ms. Bowen and not Mrs. Bowen.
“I like non-classical queries that are whimsical and share a confident story.
“Have a query that shows your voice.” (Link)
Response Times:
Ms. Bowen only responds if she is interested in reading more.
What's the Buzz?
Ms. Bowen has nearly 30+ years of experience in the publishing industry and has worked with some truly amazing companies and talents. Her transition to agenting was met with great approval. She’s quickly become a top dealmaker for children’s book authors and illustrators.
I recommend following her on Twitter @bbowen949.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Podcasts:
“A catchy title can be reason alone for me to request a manuscript. For example: The Masterwork of a Painting Elephant. This shows me that the author is confident enough to name his/her book this. It shows me the book is not a trend, and the title has a lyrical sound to it.
“Please query me as Ms. Bowen and not Mrs. Bowen.
“I like non-classical queries that are whimsical and share a confident story.
“Have a query that shows your voice.” (Link)
Response Times:
Ms. Bowen only responds if she is interested in reading more.
What's the Buzz?
Ms. Bowen has nearly 30+ years of experience in the publishing industry and has worked with some truly amazing companies and talents. Her transition to agenting was met with great approval. She’s quickly become a top dealmaker for children’s book authors and illustrators.
I recommend following her on Twitter @bbowen949.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Podcasts:
Lunch With Brenda Bowen podcast at Applebaum Editors and Publishers (08/2021)
Brenda Bowen podcast at Picture Book Summit (03/2021)
Conversation with Literary Agent Brenda Bowen at Jane Friendman (01/2016)
Four Questions for Brenda Bowen at Publishers Weekly (06/2015)Around the Web:
Her author bibliography on Amazon (She writes as Margaret McNamara).
Agent Day: Insight from Brenda Bowen, detailed conference notes at Ingrid’s Notes (06/2010).
Notes on Ms. Bowen from the SCBWI blog
Contact:
Please see The Book Group website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 1/7/2023
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes
Last Reviewed by Agent: 3/28/11
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Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7(at)gmail(dot)com
Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.
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