Agent Spotlight: Nicole Eisenbraun Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Nicole Eisenbraun here. She is a literary agent and Translations Right Manager at Ginger Clark Literary.

Status: Open to submissions

Hi­ Nicole! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Nicole:

1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.

I knew I wanted to go into publishing starting my junior year of high school. Like so many in this field, I was the bookworm of my class and it just seemed like the right fit. I went to University of Nebraska – Lincoln, where I was able to do several internships. One of those internships was with Noah Ballard at Curtis Brown, Ltd. my senior year.

When I was able to make the move to NYC, I was lucky in that an assistant position had opened up at Curtis Brown. I assisted Ginger Clark and Maureen Walters for the first year. After Maureen’s retirement I transitioned into assisting Sarah Perillo – the foreign rights director. I spent my second year in agenting learning all about foreign rights.

I am now in my fourth year in this field. I have joined Ginger Clark Literary where I am creating my own list and handling foreign rights.

About the Agency:

2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.

Ginger Clark Literary is dedicated to guiding and supporting new and established authors in their literary endeavors both in North America and internationally. Based in the New York City area, the agency launched in 2021 and provides more than 20 years of agenting experience.

What She’s Looking For:

3. What age groups do you represent—picture books, MG, and/or YA? What genres do you represent and what are you looking for in submissions for these genres?

I am currently looking for MG and YA in all genres.

4.  Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?

Fresh, colorful fairytale retellings – especially ones that haven’t been done before! I LOVED Marissa Meyer’s GILDED.

Contemporary stories set in the Midwest

Family stories center around the family business (think FRONT DESK by Kelly Yang)

Stories that tackle difficult issues in an unexpected way with a strong voice – something like RIVERLAND by Fran Wilde. An eerie, atmospheric thriller in the vein of YELLOWJACKETS – not necessarily in terms of plot, but in theme. I love the examination of the human psyche in unusual situations and the omnibus speculation of something supernatural going on.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?

I do not handle picture books.

I currently am not looking for animal stories in MG.

Please don’t send me any stories about a world-wide pandemic.

Agent Philosophy:

6. What is your philosophy as an agent both in terms of the authors you want to work with and the books you want to represent?

My “why” is getting great books out there to kids. I believe in the power of a good book changing your life and think it’s important for kids to have stories that reflect the world they live in – something that can comfort them or change the way the think about something.  I want to work with authors and represent books that share that belief.

Editorial Agent:

7. Are you an editorial agent? If so, what is your process like when you’re working with your authors before submitting to editors?

Every book I represent will go through at least one round of edits.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

Please email queries to nme (at) gingerclarkliterary (dot) com with ‘nmequery’ in the subject line, including just your query letter and contact information.

9.  Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?

Query letters that include paragraphs and paragraphs describing the plot.

Response Time:

10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?

For queries 2-3 weeks; 6-8 weeks on requested pages.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

11.  Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?

Yes. For advice, I would say query agents with something that has not already been published, unless your self-published book has been a huge break out success.

12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

I think an agent’s role centers around having their clients’ best interests mind. That means learning and changing your role as the industry changes. Good agents are always adapting to fit the needs of their clients.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

I am building my list. Ginger Clark Literary represents authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin, Karina Yan Glaser, Gretchen McNeil, Elizabeth Wein, Liz Braswell, Monica Hesse, and dozens more.

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews and guest posts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

N/A

Update on 3/18/2024: Literary Agent Spotlight at Chuck Sambuchino 

Links and Contact Info:

15. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.

Please email me at nme@gingerclarkliterary.com.

https://gingerclarkliterary.com/About

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-eisenbraun-95499511a/

Update on 1/27/2023

Manuscript Wish List

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Nicole.

­Nicole is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through October 2nd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that's okay. Just let me know in the comments.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.

Profile Details:
Last Updated: 1/27/2023
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes
Last Reviewed By Agent? 2/10/2023

Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com

Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.