Tip Tuesday #94

Tip Tuesday is a recurring feature where blog readers send in tips for fellow writers. If you'd like to send in a tip, please e-mail me at agentspotlight(at)gmail(dot)com.

Today I have a fantastic series of tips on beginnings by Laura Lascarso whose debut YA COUNTING BACKWARDS comes out from Atheneum August 2012. Hating that wait! For more info on Laura and her book, please visit her blog.

Once Upon a Time: Writing Chapter One

By Laura Lascarso

Beginnings are hard. The only thing harder is middles and ends. And because my mind tends to scattershot when faced with a blank page, I like to have rules. Chapter One rules, if you will. I’ve collected these guidelines from a variety of sources—books on writing, critique partners, conferences, blogs… Please don’t make me source them.

1. Start in the middle.

Drop me right into the action, no waking up, no looking in the mirror bemoaning life, looks and waning popularity, and absolutely no dreaming. I want to be there right before the anvil falls, so to speak. Something I’ve done in the past, is to write my entire opening scene, then erase the first half. Make it like a party, arrive late and in a tight red dress (or an ascot, feather boa, etc.)

2. Avoid talking heads.

Continuing with the party analogy, what happens when everyone introduces themselves to you at once? A. You forget their names almost immediately and B. You have no idea who’s who. Introduce characters in order of importance and keep your descriptions succinct and meaningful.

3. Make me care.

If the reader doesn’t care about the character, they don’t care about their problems. That said, don’t give the reader wet toast either. Wow em with character. Also, flaws are sexy.

4. Show don’t tell.

This is the writer’s mantra, but in addition, I will also say, save the info dump for chapter two. Give the reader a few pages to live your character’s life in the present before visiting the past. Pretend you are a playwright and you don’t have a scrim to flashback.

5. Reel me in.

You can’t catch a fish without a hook and your first chapter should have a few. Cultivate a mystique. Like a first date, you can hint at your OCD compulsion to scrub the bathroom grout with bleach and a toothbrush, but don’t go into too much detail. Let the reader draw their own conclusions about why your character acts the way she does. It’s okay to wonder.

6. Conflict.

You don’t have a story without conflict. Even if it’s not spelled out in your first chapter, at least hint at it. Internal conflict as well as external.

7. Go out with a bang.

Similar to the way you entered the party, exit Chapter One in the same fashion. Something explosive, intriguing, fantastical. Something that makes the reader want to turn the page and ask—what happens next?!

Is this asking a lot? YES! But a great first chapter will not only grab the attention of an agent or editor, it will give the reader confidence that you can pull this thing off. 300 pages is a big commitment for a reader to make. Let them know that you’re in the driver’s seat and you know where this ride is going.

Got some rules of your own? Or are you a rule breaker? Share em with the class.

HOW TO CARVE OUT TIME TO WRITE AND THANK YOU BOOK GIVEAWAY

First I’ll announce the winner of JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW by Nathan Bransford. The winner is:

PHIL

Congrats! E-mail me your address so I can send you your book.

We’ve just had our first week of summer break. And every year at the beginning of summer, I vow that next school year I’ll be less busy and have more time to write. This year here’s what I’m doing to make it happen:

1. I am retiring from volunteering for the PTO and school activities. Since my daughter started first grade, I’ve worked at any PTO event I’ve gone to, been brownie co-leader when no one else would, been restaurant night fundraiser, Academic Society reception host, etc. You get the idea. Her schools really needed the help so I’m glad I did it. But my daughter will be in a big high school next year with lots of other parents who can help out. I know I’ll have to work at some of the swim meets and other activities my daughter is involved in. But I’m retiring from major school volunteering.

2. Simplifying work at my house and in my yard. I love gardening and have a big yard. But I have been planting more perennials and grassing in weedy spots to save work so I can write more.

3. Accept help when it’s offered. For example, I’m carpooling with a friend to get my daughter to swim practice at 7:00 am weekdays. I take the early shift since I’m at work when they’re done. It cuts 40 minutes of my day, which means less writing time. She just offered to take them if I bring my daughter to her house. I’m so excited because it gives me 30 minutes extra at home alone when I can write. So I said “Thank You!” and “Yes!”

Even with this, I realize I’m going to have to claw out time to write. Because my daughter is on swim teams year round, it’s always busy going to meets and getting her to practice. But if I carve out 20 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes at lunch (when I take a lunch break, which hasn’t happened much lately) and a few 20-30 minute time slots on the weekends, I will get more done.

Sure, I’d love big blocks of time, but it just isn’t going to happen. And my years with my daughter will be ending in a few short years, so I want to enjoy them. But I can still get back into a consistent writing routine where I write some most days. If I do, I’ll finish my revisions and make progress on a new project. I started it this weekend. And the best part—it’s working!

What about you? How do you stay productive in your writing?

So now onto my book giveaway. I really want to thank everyone who helped spread the word for Elana Johnson’s debut of POSSESSION and for supporting me in general. As a new blogger, I so appreciate it.

Casey and I decided that I would join as her blog partner right at the time Borders filed for bankruptcy. I know to most of you, it is just another super bookstore. But I remember Borders when it was an Indie bookstore on State Street in Ann Arbor down the street from the University of Michigan campus. Then when we moved to the other side of Ann Arbor, Borders expanded there too. My daughter and I have many happy memories of going there when she was younger. Sadly, that store was closed.

So even though I knew I wasn’t getting any “super” deals, I stood in line for almost an hour to buy some books I wanted to read and give away to try to help them in my little way to survive. Here’s what I chose:

DELIRIUM by Lauren Oliver

Here’s the description from Goodreads:

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the governments demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

I haven’t read BEFORE I FALL, another Lauren Oliver book, yet. But I loved this first book in her dystopian series.

DESIRES OF THE DEAD by Kimberly Derting

From Goodreads:

Violet can sense the echoes of those who've been murdered—and the matching imprint that clings to their killers. Only those closest to her know what she is capable of, but when she discovers the body of a young boy she also draws the attention of the FBI, threatening her entire way of life.

As Violet works to keep her morbid ability a secret, she unwittingly becomes the object of a dangerous obsession. Normally she'd turn to her best friend, Jay, except now that they are officially a couple, the rules of their relationship seem to have changed. And with Jay spending more and more time with his new friend Mike, Violet is left with too much time on her hands as she wonders where things went wrong. But when she fills the void by digging into Mike's tragic family history, she stumbles upon a dark truth that could put everyone in danger.

A friend lent me the first book in this series. I loved figuring out the mystery and learning about Violet’s special abilities. This book is a great continuation in the series.

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS by Stephanie Perkins

From Goodreads:

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris—until she meets Étienne St. Claire: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.
As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near-misses end with the French kiss Anna—and readers—have long awaited?

I won this book and was hesitant to read it because I don’t read much romance. But everyone, including Casey, raved about it. I confess that once I got to a part in it on a Saturday night I could not go to bed until I finished the book.

THE IRON QUEEN by Julie Kagawa

From Goodreads:

My name is Meghan Chase.
I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.
This time, there will be no turning back.

This is the third book in one of my favorite fantasy series. I love the world Julie created, the fey, and the love triangle. I bought an extra copy of this one to share with you.

To win a copy of one of these books, all you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment by midnight on July 9th. Please list your first two choices in your comments. I can’t guarantee you’ll win one of them, but I’ll try. I’ll announce the winner on July 11th. International entries are welcome.

Next week I’ll be doing a short post because it’s July 4th. And on July 11th, I’ll be interviewing Andrea Cremer and giving away a copy of her book NIGHTSHADE.

Here’s something else you’ll want to mark on your calendar. On July 6th at 9:00 pm EST, WriteOnCon’s doing a live chat with Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stiefvater, and Brenna Yovanoff. Even though my in-laws will be here, I’m going. I’m so excited! You’ll definitely want to check the WriteOnCon site often because a lot is going to happen as a lead up to their FREE online conference August 16-18.

Hope to see you next week.

Agent Spotlight: Lucienne Diver

This week's Agent Spotlight features Lucienne Diver of The Knight Agency.
Status: Closed to submissions. Please check the agency website to find out when Lucienne opens to submissions.
About: “Lucienne Diver joined The Knight Agency in 2008, after spending fifteen years at New York City’s prestigious Spectrum Literary Agency. With her sharp eye and gift for spotting original new voices, Lucienne is one of the most well-respected agents in the industry. A lifelong book addict, she graduated summa cum laude from the State University of New York at Potsdam with dual majors in English/writing and anthropology. She thus came well-equipped for her work as an agent.
Over the course of her dynamic career she has sold well over one thousand titles to every major publisher, and has built a client list of more than forty authors spanning the commercial fiction genres, primarily in the areas of fantasy, science fiction, horror, women’s fiction, romance, mystery/suspense and young adult. Her authors have been honored with the Hugo, Nebula, Colorado Book and National Readers’ Choice Awards, and have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. A publishing veteran, Lucienne has superb industry knowledge, and a keen understanding of the foreign rights market.” (From the agency website and agent email)
About the Agency:
"A visionary perspective on industry trends. Comprehensive client services. Hands-on management. Since 1996 The Knight Agency (TKA) has utilized these principles to guide countless writers from query letter to published book, in the process developing a powerhouse roster of bestselling authors.
"Our team has placed well over 8000 titles across the entire spectrum of New York publishers, as well as at independent houses throughout the world. Though we have represented clients in virtually all genres, our areas of fiction expertise include women’s, romance, young adult, literary, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction, as well as multicultural and inspirational/religious fiction. Our agents have also placed narrative nonfiction, self-help, health, memoirs, and financial/business titles.
"The agency focuses on a broad range of client services, addressing all aspects of our clients’ careers. TKA agents bring to bear their extensive experience and knowledge of subsidiary rights management in the areas of foreign, motion picture and television, audio, merchandising, and electronic rights. Additionally, our marketing and publicity department offers wide-ranging support in the areas of book promotion and branding.
"In the continually evolving world of publishing, The Knight Agency remains committed to providing cutting-edge services and scouting for fresh, unique voices to bring to the forefront. Yet what truly sets our company apart are the lasting relationships between our authors and our team; ultimately, for us, it’s all about people." (From the agency website)

Web Presence:
Knight Agency website.
Knight Agency Twitter.
Ms. Diver’s website.
Ms. Diver’s blog.
Ms. Diver’s Twitter.
Ms. Diver's Instagram.
Publisher’s Marketplace page.
Facebook.
AgentQuery, QueryTracker.

Update on 1/25/2023

MS Wish List
What She's Looking For:
Genres / Specialties:
General fiction, Mystery, Romance, Suspense/thriller, Fantasy/science fiction, Young adult, Juvenile fiction (Link)

"My list is incredibly full at the moment. Still, I can’t bring myself to stop reading anything with a unique premise, particularly involving concepts that are relevant to the sociopolitical challenges of today and particularly with diverse voices.
"Most wanted for me: a novel that keeps me on the edge of my seat with characters I care about deeply. I enjoy fresh perspectives and surprising turns. I don’t want to feel as though I’ve heard it before or can anticipate where the novel is going before it even gets there.
"Recent and upcoming titles include THE CITY WE BECAME by N.K. Jemisin, BITTER FALLS by Rachel Caine, WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING by Alyssa Cole, THE GHOST TREE by Christina Henry, and THE DARK ARCHIVE (Invisible Library #7) by Genevieve Cogman." (From the agency website)
Editorial Agent?
Yes, but it depends on the project.
Clients:
There is a list of agency clients on the website. 
Query Methods: Lucienne is currently closed to submissions.
E-mail: No.
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: Yes.

Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Query through Query Manager on the agency website. No attachments. No additional material. Only submit to one agent at a time. They will share a query if they believe it is a better fit for another agent.
See The Knight Agency website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Response Times:
The agency’s stated response time is two to four weeks for queries.
What's the Buzz?
Lucienne Diver is a highly respected agent with over 30 years of experience.  She’s sold an incredible number of titles, and her clients seem very happy with her representation. Given her full list, she isn’t taking on many new authors, but she’s definitely worth a shot. You might just be the next writer to blow her away. 
Worth Your Time:
Agent Interviews and Podcasts:

Interview at Damayanti Biswas (08/2022)

Podcast with Middle Grade Ninja (07/2022)

Interview at Daily Dragon Online (08/2018)
Blog Stuff:
For quick links to past articles and guest posts Ms. Diver has done, go here. 
Around the Web:
Read through the agency website pages including “News,” and “Recent Deals.”
You can sign up for the agency newsletter.
Contact:
Please see The Knight Agency website for contact and query information.
Profile Detail:
Last updated: 1/25/2023.
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 2/6/2023.
***
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.

Busy, Busy

Just a quick note that I'm running behind this week and won't be able to post today's Spotlight until later this evening or tomorrow. So sorry!

Feel like sharing your latest blog posts with each other? Leave links in the comments!

Tip Tuesday #93

Tip Tuesday is a recurring feature where blog readers send in tips for fellow writers. If you'd like to send in a tip, please e-mail me at agentspotlight(at)gmail(dot)com.

Today's fantastic tip was sent in by K.D. Lum who blogs at Writtled. Please give her a visit (and follow!) after you're done reading here. Here's K.D.:

One major writing tip that I have heard of and used is the notion of writing lists, either daily or weekly, in order for one to reach his or her writing goals. I love this as a tip. It allows you to set up attainable goals, and of course, its main power lies in the glorious ability to pen a wicked line through those things you’ve gotten done. My tip is to take the list power and amplify it by writing down what you have already done, instead of just what you planned on doing.

Instead of writing lists of what you want to do, at the end of each day, write a list of what you have done. You’ll still feel accomplished because you get to write down everything you managed in one day. (P.S. I keep my “log” in an unlined book dedicated for these lists).The trick to making this work for writing is to write how much you have written at the end of each day, either in words or pages. If you didn’t write anything, have yourself write down “I didn’t write anything today.” Or, you can what I do and really stick it to yourself by writing “NO WRITING DONE” for that day’s log. If you diligently keep a log every day (which is how it’ll be the most effective), eventually, that’ll wear your nerves, let me tell you.

You’ll want to be able to write down that you’ve written something, because writing down every day that you written a big huge amount of zippity doesn’t feel so dandy. So for all you list-ers out there, try the “end of the day” list and see if it’ll help you the same way it helped me!

- K.D. Lum

INTERVIEW AND BOOK GIVEAWAY MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY

First I want to thank everyone who participated in my celebration of Elana Johnson’s debut of her book POSSESSION. You all were so amazing in spreading the word. 105 people entered the contest. As a new blogger, it was more than awesome to see the response. Thank you all so much!

And the winners of POSSESSION are:

HEATHER KELLY

AND

CAROLINA VALDEZ MILLER

AND


MY LIFE WITH BOOKS

E-mail me your addresses so I can have your books sent out.

Today I’m so excited to be interviewing Nathan Bransford. He’s a former agent at Curtis Brown Ltd and a debut middle grade author. His book, JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW, was released May 11, 2011. I loved it. It was fast paced and so funny.

Here’s a description of the book from Goodreads:

Jacob Wonderbar is used to detentions, but when a spaceship crashes near his house, he finds himself in a whole new level of trouble. After swapping a corn dog for the ship, he and his two best friends, Sarah Daisy and Dexter, take off on a madcap adventure. They accidentally cause an epic explosion, get kidnapped by a space pirate, and are marooned on planets like Numonia and Paisley, where the air smells like burp breath and revenge-hungry substitute teachers rule. And that's only the beginning . . . It turns out that there's an entire colony of space humans, and Jacob's long-lost father just might be one of them.

Hi Nathan. Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and your book.

My book is JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW, which is about three kids who trade a corndog for a spaceship, blast off into space, accidentally break the universe, and have to find their way back home. It’s the first in a series published by Dial Books at Penguin.

I’m a California native and former literary agent now working as a social media manager in the tech industry. In my spare time (that is, when I am not working or writing), I enjoy traveling, skiing, and drinking copious amounts of coffee.

2. I can totally relate to the drinking coffee. It’s how I survive too. How did you come up with the idea of your book? Did you make a conscious decision to write middle grade versus YA or did your idea dictate this?

The idea started with an image I had of a kid trapped on a planet full of substitute teachers. I let that idea guide the rest of the process, and since it felt middle grade to me I decided to go with that genre.

3. I love your three main characters. Tell the truth now. Were you at all like Jacob, the smart aleck who always gets in trouble or Dexter, the more scared but maybe smarter guy who follows Jacob? How did you develop them as characters?

Ha, thanks! I was way more like Dexter than Jacob. I was too scared to get into trouble (though I always admired the kids who were brave like Jacob).

To develop the characters I started with a few basic defining characteristics, and then build around that. So Jacob is a goodhearted troublemaker, but it’s more complicated than that because he’s missing his dad. Dexter is timid, but then again he secretly wants to have fun, but then again he also has a pretty rigid sense of right and wrong. I just kept fleshing things out as the book went on.

4. I just love Sarah because she’s so independent and her role models are Betty Friedan and Susan B. Anthony. Did you pattern her after someone in your life? If not, what made you decide on her character?

I always seem to be surrounded by strong women in real life, so Sarah reflects that. I knew I wanted to have a strong, independent female character in the book, but Sarah also has to learn to balance her fierceness and not let it get the best of her.

5. You do a great job of showing that balance. You created a world that middle graders should totally enjoy—talking spaceships, a pirate and his ship, and a planet that smells like burp. Tell us a little about your world building process and how your intended audience shaped your decisions.

I tried as much as possible to remember the types of things I thought were funny at that age and to really channel my inner eleven-year-old. So burp breath, upside-down calculator jokes (which took my 4th grade class by storm), and snoring.

Beyond that, I just tried to really build a world where those initial ideas I had made sense. It needed to feel natural for there to be a planet of substitute teachers and for Jacob to accidentally break the universe. From there I just kept trying to build a galaxy that reflected that wacky spirit.

6. I’m always totally inspired when I see other authors who are able to write while working at a full-time job. It gives me hope that I can do it too. You have a demanding job and have a super popular blog. How do you juggle it all? What’s your writing process?

Basically I work for my day job during the week, get most of my blogging done on weeknights and write my books on the weekends. I’ll wake up on a Saturday morning, fire up the pot of coffee and just get right to it. It can get tiring, but I do it because I love it.

7. By the way guys, Nathan did a fabulous guest post on Janice Hardy’s blog (a great blog btw) where he describes how he writes in more detail. You can find it here. I recently learned that this wasn’t your first book. What was your road to publication like?

When I was in my mid-twenties I wrote an adult science fiction novel that didn’t work out. I tried to find agents and received some positive feedback, but ultimately reached the conclusion that it just wasn’t going to happen.

Around that time I had the idea for Wonderbar. I dashed off a few pages, it felt like it was working, and so I went with it. Six months later I was querying agents, Catherine Drayton at InkWell offered to represent me, and a few months after that I was deciding between publishers. I was really lucky.

8. That’s awesome, but shows that even agents have to query like the rest of us. Being a former agent at Curtis Brown Ltd, you have a lot of expertise in publishing that many debut authors don’t have. How are you marketing your book? Do you think marketing is different for middle grade authors than if their book was YA? Do you have any advice for us?

I’m mainly promoting via my blog, and just hoping that the people who know me through the blog and who have a sense of my writing style will pick up a copy and then mention it to their friends. I don’t know that I have a great deal of insight into marketing to middle grade readers specifically, but my general advice for authors is to just do what you’re best at. If you like to blog, do that. If you like to do appearances and school visits, do that. If you’re a great networker, do that. The best way to maximize your efforts is to do the activities you enjoy the most and are best at.

9. That’s great advice. And it should give us all hope that there is a way we can help market our books well. What are you working on now?

I’m starting the third book in the Wonderbar series, tentatively titled JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE INTERSTELLAR TIME WARP

And so everyone knows, Nathan’s second book is JACOB WONDERBAR FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSE. I know it’s going to be great just from the title.

Good luck Nathan. You can find Nathan at his blog. You should definitely check it out. He always has such great advice .

I’m giving away a copy of JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE COSMIC SPACE KAPOW. All you need to do is be a follower (just click the follow button if you’re not a follower) and leave a comment by midnight on June 25th. I’ll announce the winner on June 27th. International entries are welcome.

Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays was started by Shannon Whitney Messenger to spotlight middle grade authors. Check it out here.

And check out these other Marvelous Monday Middle Grade Reviewers:

Shannon O’Donnell
Joanne Fritz
Sherrie Petersen
Brooke Favero
Myrna Foster
Anita Laydon Miller
Barbara Watson
Just Deb
Kit Lit Frenzy
Michael Gettel-Gilmartin
Pam Torres

Next week I’m going to do a book giveaway of some books I’ve been saving for you to thank you for all the support you gave in the Elana Johnson contest.

Hope to see you next Monday.

CRACK the CODE Winner!

A loud click sounds within the door. Heart drumming, you pull on the handle and the monstrous round door swings open.

10 - 48 - 64

Congrats to Beck Nicholas who successfully CRACKED the CODE at The Bookshelf Muse, winning my 10 pg YA/MG critique. Please contact me at caseymccormickya(at)gmail(dot)com as soon as possible so I can get your prize to you! Thanks everyone for playing along & helping to celebrate a great writing community. :)

P.S. Happy Father's Day to all you great dad's out there!

Agent Spotlight: Mandy Hubbard

This week's Agent Spotlight features Mandy Hubbard of Emerald City Literary Agency.
Status: Currently closed to submissions until she catches up. 
About: “Emerald City Literary Agency launched in 2015, by agency founder Mandy Hubbard.
"Mandy began her publishing career on the other side of the desk–as an author. Her debut novel, Prada and Prejudice, was published by Penguin’s Razorbill books imprint in 2009, and went on to appear in TIME magazine and Entertainment Weekly. She has since written 10 other novels, published by Penguin, Harlequin, and Bloomsbury. Her work has been translated into a half dozen languages and optioned for film.

"Prior to founding ECLA, Mandy joined D4EO Literary Agency in February of 2010, where she began building her list. A few months later she sold her first book in a 4-way auction. The following year, she brokered her first six figure deal. Mandy has now sold over 100 books. They have been optioned for film, hit the New York Times Bestseller list, and been translated into dozens of languages" (From the agency website)

About the Agency:
"Emerald City Literary Agency is a boutique, full-service literary agency founded in Seattle, Washington– otherwise known as the Emerald City, hence the agency’s name. ECLA now has offices in both Seattle and New York.
"Our location isn’t the only reason we chose our name. In The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy and her new friends are in search of their greatest desires… and they head to The Emerald City to find them.
"The desire to be published might just be the biggest dream you can imagine. And if you found this website, then you must have something in common with Dorothy and her trio of new friends, because you’re on a journey to find someone who can grant your greatest wish.
"We want the chance to partner with you–to help you down the yellow brick road to the place of your dreams." (From the agency website)

Web Presence:
Emerald City Literary Agency Website.

Publisher's Marketplace.
Manuscript Wish List.

MS Wish List.
Blog (No longer posts there).
Twitter.
Facebook.
QueryTracker, AgentQuery.
What She's Looking For:
Genres / Specialties:
Middle Grade, Young Adult.
See the agency website and Mandy's Manuscript Wish List for more information about what she's looking for.
What She Isn't Looking For:
Picture books, adult books, screen plays, short stories/novellas, or previously published books (including self-published works or rights-reverted books) (From the agency website)

Editorial Agent?
Yes.
Clients:
You can find a list of Ms. Hubbard's clients on the agency website and her Goodreads shelf.
Query Methods: Currently closed to submissions until she catches up. Check the Emerald City Literary Agency to find out when she reopens and her specific query requirements.
E-mail: No.
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: Yes.
Submission Guidelines (always verify): 
See the Emerald City Literary Agency website for complete, up-to-date submission guidelines.
Response Times:
Unknown.
What's the Buzz?
Mandy Hubbard became an agent at D4E0 Literary Agency after interning for The Bent Agency and then opened her own agency. If you’re writing MG or YA, give her a shot when she opens to queries!
I recommend following on Twitter for more insight into her personality and agenting style. 
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Posts:
Mandy Hubbard of Emerald City Literary Agency at Writing and Illustrating (02/2018)
Contact:
Please see the Emerald City Literary Agency website for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 3/29/2023.
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 6/16/11.
***
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.

YA Books in Libraries—What’s Popular? Guest Post by Karen McCoy

I've been anxiously waiting to share this awesome guest post by Karen McCoy with all of you. When I found out Karen is a librarian, I mentioned it would be super interesting to hear what's circulating in YA right now and Karen went above and beyond to answer. I can't wait to hear what you think! After you read her amazing guest post below, please leave a comment and then visit Karen at her website and blog, The Writer Librarian.

YA Books in Libraries—What’s Popular?

How do you know if the manuscript you’re pitching to a literary agent is marketable? How do you know if your idea hasn’t already been done?

Anyone can look at a bestseller list on Barnes and Noble or Amazon, but those cover recent books only. What about the books that end up long-lasting bestsellers? For this kind of comprehensive data, I consulted people in my own field: librarians.

I began by looking into library literature. When I couldn’t find anything concrete, I surveyed children’s and teen librarians myself. I also consulted a few colleagues of mine who worked in public libraries, where the popularity of books depends on how often they circulate (check-out).

A total of 34 librarians responded. I also gathered my own data, as I’m in charge of the YA collection in the academic library where I work, making a total of 35 respondents.

I was not only interested in what was checking out, but what librarians have recommended. Librarians are some of the highest consumers of books, and most selection policies are based on patron demand, so the titles they’re buying and recommending are likely to be popular.

Results:

35 Librarians

44 Series

94 Individual Titles

Titles and series were separated into two different categories: which were checking out the most, and which were the most recommended.

Both teen and children’s librarians responded, as well as some others, like me, who don’t fit into either category. Here’s a graph of the demographic surveyed:

Others that didn’t fit into those categories were readers’ advisory librarians.

What are librarians recommending?

Many librarians were forthcoming about their favorite YA titles, but the vast majority said recommendations depended on a patron’s interests. Age group, income, individual preferences, and geographic areas were all listed as factors. Genres listed included some I hadn’t heard of (e.g. steampunk, which involves Victorian era time periods with advanced steam technology).

Below are the top series, titles, and genres that were recommended. Individual titles are separated from series, and ** denotes books that were (or will be) made into movies.

Series:

Popular Authors	Book Series	Genre	Librarians who Recommended Series
Suzanne Collins	Hunger Games**	Dystopian	16
Stephanie Meyer	Twilight**	Paranormal Romance	3
Rick Riordan	Percy Jackson**	Fantasy	3
Maggie Stiefvater	The Wolves of Mercy Falls	Paranormal Romance	2
J.K Rowling	Harry Potter**	Fantasy	2
James Dashner	Maze Runner	Science Fiction	2
Scott Westerfield	Uglies	Science Fiction	2
Eoin Colfer	Artemis Fowl	Fantasy	2
Brandon Mull	Fablehaven Series	Fantasy	2
Libba Bray	Gemma Doyle	Historical Fiction	2
Richelle Meade	Vampire Academy	Paranormal Romance	1
James Patterson	Maximum Ride	Science Fiction	1
Scott Westerfield	Leviathan Series	Steampunk	1
L.J. Smith	Vampire Diaries	Paranormal Romance	1
John Flanagan	Ranger's Apprentice	Fantasy	1
Maggie Stiefvater	Books of Faerie	Fantasy	1
Anthony Horowitz	Alex Rider	Spy Fiction	1
Claudia Gray	Evernight	Paranormal Romance	1
D.J. Machale	Pendragon	Fantasy	1
Cherith Baldry	Eaglesmount	Fantasy	1
R.L. LaFevers	Lowthar's Blade	Supernatural	1
Dan Waters	Generation Dead	Supernatural	1
Michael Grant	Gone	Science Fiction	1

Titles:

Popular Authors	Book Titles	Genre	Librarians who Recommended Titles
Markus Zusak	Book Thief	Historical Fiction	3
Lauren Oliver	Before I Fall	Character-driven	3
Stephanie Perkins	Anna and the French Kiss	Realistic/Chick Lit	3
L.A. Meyer	Bloody Jack	Historical Fiction	2
Neil Gaiman	Graveyard Book	Fantasy	2
Robert Cormier	I Am the Cheese	Spy Fiction	2
Robin McKinley	Chalice	Fantasy	2
Patrick Ness	Knife of Never Letting Go	Science Fiction	2
Jennifer Donnelly	A Northern Light	Historical Fiction	2
Jennifer Donnelly	Revolution	Historical Fiction	2
Paolo Bacigalupi	Ship Breaker	Dystopian	2
Kristin Cashore	Graceling	Fantasy	2
Kristin Cashore	Fire	Fantasy	2
Sarah Zarr	Story of a Girl	Realistic Fiction	2
Gayle Forman	If I Stay	Realistic Fiction	2
Ellen Hopkins	Burned	Coming of Age/ Realistic	1
Sara Dessen	Along for the Ride	Coming of Age/Realistic	1
John Green	Looking for Alaska	Coming of Age/Realistic	1
Walter Dean Myers	Monster	Realistic Fiction	1
Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen	The Compound	Psychological Suspense	1
S.E. Hinton	The Outsiders	Realistic Fiction	1
Laurie Halse Anderson	Speak	Realistic Fiction	1

Which books are checking out the most?

Results here indicate that though vampires aren’t as popular, they and their supernatural counterparts still have a firm place in YA. One librarian said, “Supernatural romances with a twist are staying steady (love interests are werewolves, angels, undead).” However, dystopias, post-apocalyptic worlds, and steampunk settings are elbowing their way in. The best example of this is The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. A whopping 27 out of 35 librarians listed it as circulating the most. As above, ** denotes books that were (or will be) made into movies, and *** denotes newly published works.

Series:

Popular Authors	Book Series	Genre	# of Times Listed Among Most Checked Out Items
Suzanne Collins	Hunger Games**	Dystopian	27
Stephanie Meyer	Twilight**	Paranormal Romance	23
P.C. Cast	House of Night	Coming of Age	8
Sara Shepard	Pretty Little Liars	Realistic/Chick Lit	8
Cassandra Clare	Mortal Instruments	Urban Fantasy	8
Maggie Stiefvater	The Wolves of Mercy Falls	Paranormal Romance	7
Rick Riordan	Percy Jackson**	Fantasy	6
Rick Riordan	Kane Chronicles	Fantasy	6
J.K Rowling	Harry Potter**	Fantasy	6
Richelle Meade	Vampire Academy	Paranormal Romance	4
James Patterson	Maximum Ride	Science Fiction	3
Scott Westerfield	Leviathan	Steampunk	3
Alyson Noel	Immortals	Paranormal Romance	3
James Dashner	Maze Runner	Science Fiction	3
Cassandra Clare	Infernal Devices	Steampunk	3
Scott Westerfield	Uglies	Science Fiction	2
Lisi Harrison	Clique	Realistic/Chick Lit	2
L.J. Smith	Dark Visions	Supernatural/Gothic	2
L.J. Smith	Vampire Diaries	Paranormal Romance	2
Melissa De la Cruz	Blue Bloods	Supernatural	2
Michael Scott	Nicholas Flamel	Fantasy	1
Erin Hunter	Warriors	Fantasy	1
Eoin Colfer	Artemis Fowl	Fantasy	1
Christopher Paolini	Eragon	Fantasy	1
John Flanagan	Ranger's Apprentice	Fantasy	1
James Patterson	Daniel X	Science Fiction	1
James Patterson	Witch &Wizard	Fantasy/Wizards	1
Anthony Horowitz	Alex Rider Series	Spy Fiction	1

Titles:

Popular Authors	Book Titles	Genre	# of Times Listed Among Most Checked Out Items
Lauren Kate	Fallen	Paranormal Romance	5
Ellen Hopkins	Burned	Coming of Age	3
Sara Dessen	Along for the Ride	Coming of Age/Realistic	3
Jay Asher	Thirteen Reasons Why	Realistic Fiction	3
Becca Fitzpatrick	Hush, Hush	Fantasy	3
Ellen Hopkins	Crank	Coming of Age	2
Markus Zuzak	Book Thief	Historical Fiction	2
Sara Dessen	Lock and Key	Coming of Age/Realistic	2
John Green	Looking for Alaska	Coming of Age/Realistic	2
Stephenie Meyer	The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner	Paranormal Romance	2
Pittacus Lore	I Am Number Four**	Science Fiction	2
Ellen Hopkins	Identical	Coming of Age	1
Ellen Hopkins	Fallout	Coming of Age	1
Allison Van Diepan	Snitch	Coming of Age	1
Walter Dean Myers	Monster	Realistic Fiction	1
Amy Efaw	After	Coming of Age	1
Bryan Lee O'Malley	Scott Pilgrim	Graphic Novel	1
Allyson Condie	Matched***	Dystopian	1
Lauren Conrad	L.A. Candy	Realistic Fiction	1
Christopher Pike	Thirst	Supernatural	1
Marlene Perez	Dead is Just a Rumor	Supernatural	1

What are the trends?

As was mentioned, trends are impacted by varying demographic factors. Still, many librarians felt that steampunk and dystopias will overtake the recent paranormal romance trends, while fantasy, sci-fi, and chick-lit will hold their own. Others believed a gothic feel to novels would remain, particularly regarding book covers. Graphic novels have also stayed strong. Another emerging trend is character-driven novels, such as Before I Fall.

Current Trends	Librarians Recommended	Librarians Noted as Being Popular
Supernatural/Gothic	3	13
Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic	2	10
Fantasy	9	5
Paranormal Romance	0	3
Graphic Novels/ Manga	2	3
Steampunk	0	3
Science Fiction	2	2
Realistic	6	2
Chick Lit	0	2
Character-driven	0	1
Coming of Age	1	0

The good news…

While other areas of publishing seem to be lagging, YA is still in very high demand. One librarian said, “I read everything, and have been on the Printz, Morris, state award committees (member and chair), and am currently on the Walden Award Committee for ALAN. I am surprised that publishing has kept up with the demand for teen literature--I thought that with the economic slump we would see a YA lit decline. Not so…”

Further study

I’d be interested in finding out if these trends and titles hold true for ebooks and audiobooks, as different formats gain prominence.

Places to find more info

A couple librarians recommended the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) list of Top Ten Books for Young Adults. This is a good place to check titles, since YALSA books tend to explode in popularity soon after they’re listed (if they’re not popular already). Here are the YALSA books from 2010, categorized into genre:

Brennan, Sarah Rees. Demon's Lexicon. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Margaret K. McElderry. 2009. Fantasy

Griffin, Paul. The Orange Houses. Penguin/Dial Books. 2009. Realistic Fiction

Herlong, M.H. The Great Wide Sea. Penguin/Viking. 2008. Adventure

Jinks, Catherine. The Reformed Vampire Support Group. Harcourt/ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2009. Supernatural, Mystery

Napoli, Donna Jo. Alligator Bayou. Random House / Knopf. 2009. Historical Fiction

Small, David. Stitches: A Memoir. W.W. Norton & Co. 2009. Graphic Novel

Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. Random House / Wendy Lamb Books. 2009.
Science Fiction

Stork, Francisco X. Marcelo in the Real World. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Books. 2009.
Realistic Fiction

Taylor, Laini. Lips Touch: Three Times. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine. 2009.
Paranormal Romance

Walker, Sally M. Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland. Lerner/Carolrhoda Books. 2009. Nonfiction

Another good resource to check out is WhatchYAreading? a blog full of YA recommendations from consumers.

Notes:

Genre information courtesy of Novelist, An Ebsco Database.

YALSA Award Books are listed on YALSA’s website at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestbooksya/topten2010.cfm

Karen is a librarian by day and writer by night. She is currently in the process of revising her first completed manuscript, and has drafts of three more books in the works. Her blog is The Writer Librarian, found at http://thewriterlibrarian.blogspot.com/. For more information, you can visit her website, www.karenlibrarian.com.