Category: Industry Insider

Editor Interview: Kelsey Skea (Two Lions and Amazon Crossing Kids)

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This month’s Industry Insider Interview is with Kelsey Skea, the Editorial Director of Two Lions and Amazon Crossing Kids at Amazon Publishing. Prior to taking on this position, she worked as an editor at Disney Book Group—a real plus in my book, considering that I live in Florida which means I’m barely a stone’s throw from Orlando!

(Okay, Sarasota’s a brisk two-​hour drive, but when it comes to The Mouse, who’s going to quibble about a little distance?)

And here’s another reason I had to invite Kelsey to be part of the OPB friends and family club—I’m a fan of Two Lions books, as you can see!

Witness Picture Book Reviews for Anna Kang’s We Are (Not) Friends (Two Lions) and Joy Jordan-​Lake’s A Crazy-​Much Love (Two Lions)!

Behold Educational Activities for Lindsay Gray’s This Book is Gray (Two Lions)! and Todd Tarpley’s Naughty Ninja Takes a Bath (Two Lions)!

So, let’s see if Kelsey can help us figure out what makes Two Lions Books so appealing!

RVC: Looking back at when you first got hooked on books, where did you think it was going to lead you?

KS: I’ve always loved books. I remember going to the library from a very young age and the very proud moment I got my own library card. I also loved writing stories and was encouraged to write by my family. As a young girl, being a writer was one of the many possibilities I imagined for myself. I feel so fortunate to have ended up in children’s publishing.

RVC: What key training/​experiences prepared you for your editing career?

KS: I had a couple of internships and summer jobs that involved publicity, copywriting, and writing articles. Those, alongside my English literature classes at the University of Virginia, gave me insight into writing for different purposes and reacting to fiction (albeit of a different kind).

The best training was on the job. As an editorial assistant and assistant editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, I tried to learn everything I could from the senior staff I supported. I was fortunate that they were all generous with their time and expertise—that’s something I always remember as a manager.

RVC: What’s the best advice you’d give to a current college undergraduate who’s interested in an editing career? 

KS: If possible, try to get some sort of work experience that relates to the field, even if tangentially. I came to my interviews for editorial positions with writing from a publicity internship, ad copy I’d written for my local radio station, articles I’d written for a local business journal, and some essays from literature classes. In a way, these all related to aspects of the industry, even if not directly. They showed I had the potential to write good jacket copy and critically analyze fiction.

During my interview, my first (future) boss asked me if I liked to organize. Reflexively, I said, “No.” Happily she started laughing, and then I jumped into how I was good at it even though I didn’t like it.

Pro tip: maybe be more enthusiastic about your organizational prowess than I was! Also, use your college’s alumni network to see if you can connect with someone in the field to learn more about it or possibly connect with a job opportunity.

RVC: Great advice indeed!

So, you joined Amazon in 2013, right after they acquired 450+ titles from Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books. How challenging is it to incorporate another press’ entire catalog like that and still keep up with your own publishing agenda?

KS:  It was an exciting time to join the company. The Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books list had so many strong titles, and some of those titles absolutely took off at Amazon Publishing. For example, Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano and Lee Harper, has had such growth that we’re publishing a fifth book in the series this summer, Turkey Goes to School, with a sixth book signed up for next year.

That’s one of the things I love best about Amazon Publishing—our books are supported in many different ways over their lifetime and constantly exposed to new readers.

RVC: How did those original Marshall Cavendish books differ (or not!) from Two Lions books? And what makes a Two Lions book a Two Lions book, in your opinion?

KS: Well, the Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books all became Two Lions books (or Skyscape, in the case of the YA titles), but as every publisher’s focus evolves over time, so has ours. Many of those titles were acquired with an eye to the institutional market, and while that is important to us, we’re also looking for books that have an emotional core that kids can connect with, as with Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant’s You Are (Not) Small series, which uses bearlike creatures to examine broad subjects like perspective, fear, perception of perfection on a level that’s very kidlike and full of humor and heart. Another great example is A Home Again by Colleen Kosinski and Valeria Docampo, out this fall, which is from the perspective of a house who closes itself off after its first family moves away, only to rediscover that it can be a home once again.

RVC: Let’s get specific about your job. What’s something about the editing process that might surprise people?

KS: People outside of the industry often think that my work focuses on grammar-​related issues. Thankfully, our terrific copyeditors make me look good in that respect. People are often surprised at how much of my day involves business decisions about our overall list or assessing and participating in new opportunities. Often they’re surprised to hear about the developmental process and how I work with closely with our art director from sketches through to the final artwork.

RVC: People talk all the time about the importance of community for writers and artists. What about community in terms of editors? 

KS: I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing editors over the course of my career, and lucky to work with some amazing women, in particular, who really lift each other up. But beyond editors, I also work closely with folks from marketing, production, publicity, sales, and various other departments. What I love about the kidlit community is that those connections last, even if you fall out of touch with someone and run into them at a conference (and I’m imagining a post-​pandemic world where that will happen once again).

The publishing community wants the best for each other and that’s a nice thing to be part of professionally.

RVC: Complete the following sentence. Kelsey Skea is an editor who…

KS: …puts her heart—and her pencil—into working with authors and illustrators to make their book the best it can be.

RVC: What are a few of your proudest moments as an editor?

KS: It’s always a thrill to see a book you’ve worked on win an award or receive a great review, but the proudest moments for me are seeing a child’s excitement about a book or character, either in person or in a letter from their caregiver.

RVC: How do you balance the creative side of editing with the business side?

KS: As a publisher, I want to do everything possible to support the success of the books I acquire, so I spend a significant amount of time on the business side looking at the best opportunities for a particular title, whether that’s in terms of publicity, marketing, or placement in some of our programs, in addition to how it fits into the overall list. I work with these teams consistently to experiment and get creative with different ways to give our books exposure.

I spend a lot of time in creative development so the book is the strongest it can be. When possible, I try to group meetings to open up blocks of time when I can focus on a book-​in-​progress. I block out longer chunks of time for significant editing and sign out of email so that I can delve into the work uninterrupted.

RVC: Speaking of the business side of things…it SEEMS like you’re trying to buck the trend of books taking so long to come out. I especially note this with a series—like Dexter T. Rexter or Duck and Hippo—where titles come out without a year or two between them.

KS: We try lots of different approaches at Amazon Publishing in how we publish, including cadence. I always think about how long a child will be passionate about a picture book character before they leap to the next reading level or format. And so much in the way that people consume content now with binge-​viewing, I’ve tried to launch follow-​up picture books quickly so that if a child loves a character, they can read the next book as soon as we can get it to them.

RVC: What are some forthcoming projects you’re excited about?

KS: So many projects! It’s always a special treat to work with debut talent, and I have two titles this year that fall into that bucket: Julius and Macy: A Very Brave Night, a gentle tale of friendship and bravery from author-​illustrator Annelouise Mahoney that is enchantingly illustrated and comes out on April 1st, and Dancing with Daddy, a debut from Anitra Rowe Schulte and established illustrator Ziyue Chen, that tells the story of a girl who uses a wheelchair and communicates through gesture and a book illustrated with pictures that show her dreams of her first father-​daughter dance. I love that it’s a story many young girls can relate to, but coming from an underrepresented point of view.

Also this year, we have a couple of titles that address the importance of community and finding common ground: Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides from Geisel winners Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant, out this May, which features a cat and dog who can’t agree on anything, and Between the Lines from Lindsay Ward, out this fall, about a neighborhood that drifts apart and literally loses its color until a boy takes matters into his own hands.

RVC: I look forward to seeing those books!

But let’s toss a submission-​related bone (or two!) to writers. What are you just not interested in seeing right now?

KS: We’re pretty well covered on turkeys, dinosaurs, monsters, and fractured fairy tales. And no counting books, please!

RVC: And what’s the flip side of that? What kind of submissions would you love to see?

KS: For Two Lions, we’re looking for books from a diverse group of authors and illustrators that have an emotional arc, either driven by a memorable personality or featuring standout writing and illustration. We’re also always looking for seasonal titles.

RVC: One last question for this part of the interview. In all your experience as a picture book editor, what has most surprised you? 

KS: I think what surprises me the most—in a good way—is the sheer reach and impact a picture book can have each time I experience it. I love seeing a child in the UK dressed up as a character from a book I edited, or seeing a child’s reaction to a book knowing it is helping them cope through a difficult time. It’s easy to get a little caught up in my own world, so these moments are always a refreshing surprise that centers me and reminds me why my job is so important.

RVC: Thanks for that! But now it’s time for the SPEED ROUND, Kelsey. That means zippy questions and zoomy answers, please. Are you ready?

KS: So ready!

RVC: Favorite lunchtime pick-​up spot in Midtown? 

KS: When I need to grab a quick lunch, I like the chicken shish at Naya. I’m looking forward to getting some once we’re back at the office. There’s always a line out the door, but it moves quickly.

RVC: You’re caught singing in the shower. What song is it?

KS: Assuming I’m not groggy, maybe a little Zac Brown.

RVC: Biggest time waster?

KS:  Twitter. And pulling information into spreadsheets!

RVC: Five things you can’t do your job without?

KS: Creative thinkers. Outstanding authors and illustrators. A team who is passionate about kidlit. Literary agents. A sense of humor.

RVC: What are some recent non-​Amazon picture books that really caught your attention?

KS: Well, of course all of the Caldecott honorees—such a terrific group this year. Watercress by Andrea Wang and Jason Chin—can’t wait to flip through that. Oona by Kelly DiPucchio and Raissa Figueroa (Raissa is working on a book with us in 2022, We Are One), and The Tree in Me by Corinna Luyken.

I could go on and on, but I’ll stop there.

RVC: Let’s end with a single fave line from a picture book you edited.

KS: “You’ll show them a world that’s bright and true, so ever after, when they think of you, the world will feel full of love … and soft and sweet and new.” This is from World So Wide by Alison McGhee and Kate Alizadeh, and the pairing of Kate’s gorgeous art and Alison’s lovely text gets me every time.

RVC: What a terrific way to end! Thanks so much, Kelsey. It’s always a treat to partner with my friends at Amazon (like we did with Marilyn Brigham a few years back!).

Agent Interview: Stephen Barr (Writers House)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider

This month, we welcome Stephen Barr to the OPB friends and family club. He’s an agent at Writers House, which is one of the largest literary agencies in the industry.

Fun fact: it’s an actual house—see for yourself!

Back to Stephen…he graduated from UCLA with a degree in English, then flew to NYC with the goal of riding the carousel in Central Park…and maybe becoming an editor. If you bribe him with a Frappuccino, he’ll confess he didn’t even know literary agents existed, but after coming up short in his hunt for one of a slew of editorial assistant jobs, he chased internships, and those were all at literary agencies. So, he landed an agent’s assistant gig at Writers house, and the rest is literary history.

But that’s not enough Stephenness. We need more! So, here are seven fun Stephen-​centric bio-facts.

  1. He had a New York Times article written about him in 2011 where he confessed to being “freakishly, dangerously ambitious.”
  2. His clients include David Macaulay (Caldecott Medalist and MacArthur Fellow), Emily Hughes, and Christopher Silas Neal
  3. He loves silly and/​or sweet and/​or heartbreaking picture books
  4. His Twitter bio awesomely claims “customer at Pancake House”
  5. He’s 110% pro-lightsaber
  6. He wrote and recorded a song to score a book trailer for the very first book he found in the slush pile
  7. He met his future wife in the spiral staircase at Writers House, five years before their first date

For those of you who want to check out Stephen social-​media-​wise, here are some URLs. Everyone else? Let’s get to that interview!

RVC: You joined Writers House in 2008. What’s the story of how you got there? Where did you develop the itch for agenting?

SB: Had I known that literary agents existed, I suspect I would’ve been pretty laser focused on becoming one! But editors are more visible cultural figures, I’d argue, in a way that literary agents are not, so the former was all I knew while growing up as a bookworm.

After graduating from college in Southern California, moving to New York with crossed fingers and whiffing a handful of interviews for editorial assistant positions, I started interning at Writers House and saw how much room for variety and self-​starting there is in agenting.

Cue the itch!

RVC: Please share your literary-​world résumé gimmick. 

SB: Alas, there were quite a few, some more embarrassing than others, but I landed an interview at Bantam Books by rubber-​banding my resume around a Batman action figure, which I’d spent a few hours adapting from “Submarine Adventure Batman” into “Editorial Assistant Bantam,” who looked stupendously nerdy (and for some reason had a trident).

RVC: Sounds totally reasonable to me, but then again I still try hard to convince people that chocolate milk comes from brown cows.

Now, since we’re being honest, one of the reasons you’ve been on my radar is your uncommonly high SPF—Smarty-Pants Factor. My evidence? There’s a lot to choose from, such as your one and only post on MS Wishlist which says “send me your epistolary novel and our correspondence can be a plot point in your larger epistolary novel. #manuscriptofmydreams.” How vital is it that clients—current or future—share your same level of hah-hahness?

SB: As long as they can successfully ignore the majority of my dad jokes, we should be fine : )

RVC: What’s your secret vice when it comes to a picture book manuscript?

SB: Double-​meanings!

RVC: What are the top three reasons you reject a picture book submission? 

SB: 1) no surprises 2) no heart, 3), no double-meanings!

RVC: Since you’ve brought it up twice…please offer up an example of double meanings in a picture book so I’m sure we’re on the same page.

SB: Well, I feel like there are a whole bunch of different ways to peel that banana, but Sydney Smith’s Small in the City does an inhumanly amazing job of getting twice the impact out of single lines.

RVC: Fantastic–thanks! Now, how do you describe your agenting style?

SB: Joyful, creative, collaborative, never settling, always dreaming.

RVC: At one point, you admitted in an interview that you love being an agent “cartoonishly much.” Why?

SB: Let me count the ways, etc. But certainly because it’s given me a golden opportunity to help good people make their dreams come true (and when those dreams come true, the world has more art in it!)

RVC: What’s a favorite author success story?

SB: It’s impossible to pick just one, so here are ninety! Or okay, I’ll at least start with Bethany Barton, who’s practically a walking picture book herself (in terms of her energy, her expressiveness, her casual profundity, etc.) but needed a nudge to carve out time from the rest of her busy artistic life to devote to picture books. Her first two books (This Monster Needs a Haircut and This Monster Cannot Wait!) were supremely delightful but never quite took off…so we were talking about who knows what one afternoon when she mentioned these terrifying spiders that had taken up residence in her studio and how, even though she desperately wanted to squash them, she was “trying to love spiders.”

Bethany’s heart is Guinness-​world-​record-​sized, so it was an utterly Bethany thing to say, but we also immediately realized it was the title of her next book…so what felt like seventeen seconds later, she resurfaced with a perfect dummy for I’m Trying to Love Spiders, which launched a series of briskly-​selling books about facing your fears with curiosity that’s now moving on to its fifth installment, I’m Trying to Love Garbage.

RVC: One last question for this part of the interview. (Spoiler—it’s a toughie.) What type of long-​term effect do you see COVID-​19 having on the kidlit industry?

SB: I was speaking about this to a fellow at the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. (a front for Dave Eggers’ 826 NYC literacy non-​profit) and the combination of 1) school districts hustling to provide their students with sufficient technology to support remote learning and 2) authors and publishers adapting so many of their events to online spaces means that more schools serving low-​income students will be able to bring those students in front of more authors, without budget issues or technology issues standing in the way!

RVC: Alright, Stephen…you are now entering…THE LAND OF THE SIX-​QUESTION SPEED ROUND! ARE YOU READY?

SB: Absolutely not, but let us proceed.

RVC: Your six questions start…NOW! Best place in NYC for an astonishingly good cupcake? 

SB: If my son eats more than one cupcake from Ladybird Bakery in Park Slope, he’s capable of generating an apocalypse.

RVC: West Wing, Mad Men, or Twin Peaks?

SB: Twin Peaks, unless it’s past midnight, in which case it would be too scary, in which case I’ll just color in my Twin Peaks coloring book.

RVC: You’re hosting a picture-​book pizza party picnic and can bring four picture book friends. Who gets the invites?

SB: Wait, is this real humans in the picture book world, or picture book characters? Either way, Elephant & Piggie and George & Martha.

RVC: What’s the One That Got Away?

SB: Cindy Derby, bless her beautifully odd heart.

RVC: Last non-​Writers House picture book that you just loved.

SB: The humongous deluxe edition of Big Picture Press’s MAPS by Aleksandra and Daniel Mizielińscy, which is perfect for just leaving open in your living room every day while a little bit of the world slips into your life.

RVC: If you had an agenting motto, it’d be…

SB: in Latin, and I wouldn’t understand it.

RVC: Thanks oodles, Stephen! This was quite the experience!

Agent Interview: Jazmia Young (Curtis Brown, Ltd.)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider

While OPB regularly interviews well-​established and senior agents, editors, and publishers, we wanted to take a fresh look at the industry here at the start of 2021. With that goal in mind, we’re trying something different this month, which is why this month’s 2021 Industry Insider interview is with Jazmia Young, an agents’ assistant at Curtis Brown, Ltd. After two years of working alongside some of the top kidlit agents in the business, she’s got a lot of insight and perspective to share.

Let’s get started!

RVC: In the two years that you’ve been at Curtis Brown as an agents’ assistant, what has surprised you the most? 

JY: The most surprising discovery is how much intuition goes into agenting. I’ve been in certain communications where I’ll have this gut feeling it’ll go my way, so I’ll be more forceful (in a nice way) with my negotiations or asking for more. Also, being organized and having an organizational system is beneficial for your sanity.

RVC: One of the agents you work closely with is Vice President Elizabeth Harding, who has a sizable list of clients. What impresses you most about Elizabeth?

JY: I can say, without a doubt, Elizabeth Harding is the most generous, caring, poised, and warmhearted person I’ve ever met. There’s nothing I can’t come to her with that she won’t have a solution to. She’s a wealth of knowledge and extremely generous with it.

RVC: Agreed, though I’m biased since she’s my agent.

JY: Before being hired, I was an intern for two other agents at Curtis Brown. I was told by a few people how kind Elizabeth was but I just didn’t know to what extent. I can say without a doubt, Elizabeth has been by far my best boss (aside from the other agent I work for, Katherine Fausset.)

RVC: What does it actually mean to be agents’ assistant? What’s your day-​to-​day work like?

JY: It’s safe to say any assistant’s workload heavily includes administrative work and mine’s no different. I process book contracts to make sure they’re executed and all respective parties have a copy. I answer client questions. I handle small contracts such as magazine, audio, and anthology rights, etc.

Besides the administrative work, I give my thoughts on client’s manuscripts, then Elizabeth and I will discuss our thoughts. That’s my favorite aspect of the process. My thoughts are really valued and as I go through these readings with her, I’ve honed in on the genres and subjects I’m interested in.

RVC: Which are?

JY: Middle grade has definitely been one genre that has caught my attention. King and the Dragonflies and The Thing About Jellyfish are two of my favorite middle grade novels. There’s a sort of innocence to that age range that an author can play with, and, if done well, it entraps my heart and easily rises to the top of my “Favorite Books of All Time” list.

RVC: What’s the most difficult aspect of your work?

JY: I wouldn’t say this is a difficult aspect but learning when to take the next step in agenting has been a recurring issue for me. This is purely a personal issue–I find myself worrying about when/​if I will take on clients. I’ve spoken to my colleagues and it seems like it boils down to a gut feeling. You’ll when you’ll know. Also, the time between being an assistant and being an agent is not a linear path, and that flexibility gives me comfort.

RVC: You recently took on a role with the AALA (Association of American Literary Agents). How’d that happen, and why is the AALA so important?

JY: At the end of last year, Elizabeth came to me about a part-​time position that she thought I’d be a good fit for. At first, I was a bit confused because here was my boss letting me know about a job offer. I thought I might be getting the boot. Lol!

But she explained to me the details of the job, what it has to offer, and what it meant to be the Administrative Assistant to the AALA (formerly known as the AAR). It’s a wonderful organization that really cares about educating agents on all aspects of publishing. My ties are deeply rooted with them. They have an internship program that I was a recipient of and that’s how I ended up interning at Curtis Brown. Then by way of that, I obtained my current position there. I really owe the start of my career to the AALA.

RVC: Let’s talk about how your career got started. You earned a two-​year degree in liberal studies at Borough of Manhattan Community College. Did you have your eye on the publishing world at that point?

JY: I didn’t. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. All I knew was that I liked to read and write. So, I began taking courses in English, creative writing, and literature. Then I realized I liked my creative writing courses above the rest. After that, I knew that was the path to take.

RVC: That makes sense since you went on to complete a BA in creative writing from CUNY. What’s the most useful thing(s) you learned there about writing and stories that still helps you today?

JY: One thing that has stuck with me is to be receptive to the criticism of others. Someone is always going to see a text or a manuscript or a body of work differently than you. That doesn’t mean they’re wrong–it just means you have another perspective to consider. Not everyone is going to like what you like, and that’s definitely okay. I just feel more receptive to different angles and different ways of looking at someone’s writing.

RVC: After college but prior to Curtis Brown Ltd., you were an editorial intern at W.W. Norton (a publishing house) and then at Fletcher & Company (a boutique literary management company). What tips do you have for those interested in breaking into the publishing side of things like you did?

JY: I got both of those internships by way of my alma mater, The City College of New York. There, I was in the Publishing Certificate Program and one of the classes was an internship. That was my W.W. Norton position. For Fletcher, I was interviewed by them for the AALA internship program. I ultimately didn’t choose them to be my agency for the program but they needed an intern for a month and they asked if I could fill that spot, so I said yes.

There isn’t any clear-​cut way of breaking into the industry but being genuine and taking opportunities you wouldn’t think of taking is a start. Networking is a big plus, too, and being part of a publishing program is a huge step in the right direction.

RVC: Compare the type of work you did at those places with what you do at Curtis Brown, Ltd. 

JY: It’s completely different. As an intern, you don’t really feel as significant to the company as regular employees. I was doing the same thing each day and some days I didn’t do anything. But, at Curtis Brown I feel valued. Clients know me and are familiar with me. People trust me and give me responsibilities. I’m relied on. It feels good to be part of a company that values your time and effort.

RVC: What kind of career plans do you have? Are you going to be part of the next generation of agents? An editor? Something else entirely?

JY: I don’t have any three-​year plan or five-​year plan–I just set goals for myself. Then once I meet them, I go further. For now, I’d like to transition to taking on clients and really delve into agenting. But, for my publishing legacy, I hope to publish a variety of Black literature, both children’s and adult books by Black authors–specifically Black women.

When I was younger, Nikki Grimes and Sharon M. Draper were staples on my bookshelf. The characters they wrote were so relatable and mirrored problems I had in my life. Now, Angie Thomas and Nic Stone are dominating with their writing. I hope to discover new amazing Black women writers.

RVC: What do you think Elizabeth Harding would say if I asked her about you and your work?

JY: Elizabeth would say that I’ve been a huge help to her. She would boast about how insightful I am. Even though she’s completely too kind, I know she’d say having me as an assistant has been immensely helpful to her over these past two years.

RVC: What’s the #1 attribute of a good literary agent?

JY: Communication. Being honest with your client and knowing how to delegate between them and an editor is key. It takes a person with good communication skills to take their client’s comments into consideration and relay them to the editor concisely. I think once the communication can flow freely, the relationship can have longevity.

RVC: Whether they admit it or not, almost all literary agents have writing projects of their own. What are you working on?

JY: My writing is in a box in the back of my closet. I haven’t had the motivation to write. I used to write all the time and have so many notebooks full with scribbles of stories. I do have a recurring idea that floats in my mind consistently. My brother passed away four years ago. Often times I’m fearful that I’ll forget him. So, I desperately want to write his life but my emotions get in the way. I hope to revisit it soon.

RVC: Wow–that’s what we call a “heart book,” as opposed to what Jane Yolen calls a “head book” or a “pocket book.” Good luck with that!

JY: Thank you so much!

RVC: So, you’ve now seen like a million manuscripts. What advice do you have for budding picture book writers?

JY: I would say don’t submit an already finished book with illustrations. It stifles and pigeonholes the text. And I’m not talking about illustration notes but an actual fully composed book. Obviously, it’s different for illustrators who are also authors and other authors but if you can’t draw/​illustrate, don’t.

Also, your text doesn’t always have to rhyme.

RVC: Do you see the #OwnVoices movement affecting the demographics of editors and agents as much as we see it affecting writers? How do you think this is going to affect the kidlit world over the next few years?

JY: Well, I would hope that it would have more of an effect on the publishing world. Honestly, I don’t think it’s enough for a white agent or editor to publish a BIPOC author. It feels like they’re checking off a box. They’re done their good deed for the BIPOC community and now they can pat themselves on the back.

No.

The real change comes when you make your team diverse. You hire more diverse editors and agents, then put those people in positions of power. Once that happens, it opens more doors for BIPOC authors and illustrators. I believe the disconnect happens when the editor or agent doesn’t find a text relatable or it is far from their realm of understanding. And, maybe, the text wasn’t meant for them to understand. That’s why having a diverse team is necessary. It pushes for more books to be published that isn’t just relatable to the people publishing it but to the people that want to see themselves more within them.

RVC: Okay, Jazmia—you’ve been waiting for it, and now the time has come. It’s the LIGHTNING ROUND! We’re firing off 100mph questions and hoping for equally zoomy answers. Are you ready? 

JY: I was born ready, so I never have to get ready!

RVC: Best NYC comfort food: cronuts, cupcakes, burgers, or mac & cheese?

JY: Pizza.

RVC: What secret talent do you have that no one would suspect?

JY: I can bend my fingers backwards. It’s kind of unsettling.

RVC: If you had to play no-​limit Texas Hold’em poker against your coworkers at Curtis Brown Ltd., who would be the most fearsome opponent(s)?

JY: Sarah Gerton. She’s super sweet, but I just know she’d have a good poker face.

RVC: Biggest writer-​fangirl moment at work so far?

JY: Elizabeth represents Nikki Grimes, and I used to read her books in middle school. When I met her, she gave me a huge hug. I couldn’t contain myself!

RVC: If you could change one thing about the picture book world, what would it be?

JY: More depictions of BIPOC children in all situations by BIPOC authors and illustrators.

RVC: Let’s wave the OPB magic wand and WHAM, we’ve now got the Jazmia Young Literary Agency. What’s the motto?

JY: Your stories are safe here.

RVC: Thanks so much, Jazmia! I really appreciate the chance to get to know you and your work better!

Editor Interview: Melissa Manlove (Chronicle Books)

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This month’s Industry Insider interview is with Chronicle Books senior editor Melissa Manlove. I first met her in Miami back in 2018 when she gave an inspiring one-​day workshop on picture books with Sylvie Frank—I have pages of scribbled notes to prove it! And I’ve been a fan of Melissa’s ever since.

Melissa didn’t go the regular route to a job in the kidlit world. Her college major was Classics, and she also immersed herself in mythology, folklore, Shakespeare, Milton, Chaucer, Hindu religion, poetry, and more. Talk about a wide-​ranging liberal arts education!

Now it’s no secret that I’m a fan of Chronicle books, and Melissa’s own list has too many faves to list here, so I’ll simply limit myself to three really fine picture books that I urge you to read.

Now that we’re all pals with Melissa, let’s chat!

https://twitter.com/mmanlove

https://www.chroniclebooks.com/

RVC: Let’s start by talking about Chronicle. You’ve been there for 16 years. What’s the best thing about working at an independently owned company? 

MM: There’s a lot of trust invested in the people making the books—aside from covers, the book making process is the privilege of a very small group who work with the author and artist, and I think that makes space for the selfhood of the book itself.

RVC: That’s a great phrase–“selfhood of the book.”

Among your various superpowers is an ability to translate Latin and Ancient Greek. How did your college degree in Classics prepare you for a career in kidlit?

MM: I’ve forgotten most of my Greek and Latin, but my studies of those languages, as well as Russian, French, and Spanish really helped to underline that each language has its own rhythms and music. That and the background in mythology have been a help to how I understand story as a performance art.

RVC: How IS story performance art?

MM: Not all story is necessarily performed, but picture books—especially for the younger ages–are most often read aloud, and that requires the author to consider how their text informs performance. In my talks, I point out that all of the clues authors leave that might inform performance add up to voice. Storytelling started before writing, and passed from voice to ear to mind long before there was written history, and it is still in the profoundly human circle of firelight and voice (whether the firelight comes from a screen these days or not) that we remember what it means to have a shared story.

RVC: And there’s a great explanation on why so many editors are deeply concerned with a manuscript’s “voice.” Thanks for that!

Speaking of editors, I’ve got a few students at Ringling College who are interested in that as a career. When I tell them that a shockingly large percentage of an editor’s day is spent handling email and attending meetings, they don’t quite buy it. Care to drop a truth bomb on me/​them/​everyone?

MM: You are so right!

An editor’s job is in the vast majority a communications job—passing and filtering information between designer, production manager, copyeditors, proofreaders, fact-​checkers, sales reps, marketing, author, artist, agents … Editors are meant to be the hub of a wheel of people, and the guardian of what the book is meant to be to all its stakeholders. It means that I actually edit and read submissions on the weekends, mostly.

RVC: Let’s dig a bit deeper into the life of an editor. How many submissions do you see in a week?

MM: 10–15 from agents, another 5–10 from writers’ conferences that I’ve taught at. But Chronicle’s Children’s Division accepts unagented submissions, and of those we get about 200 per week.

RVC: What’s your favorite part of a workday?

MM: Editing is always my favorite—talking to writers about the craft of writing; talking about the infinitely varied path toward finding what a book wants to be.

RVC: Now I’m going to get all complimenty. It’s clear to me that you’re open to nonfiction picture books that avoid the expected approach, which often is cold precision and a sense of linearity and/​or formality. 

Take Josephine, for example. That book delivers facts, but it’s got real heart, too.

MM: True stories fascinate me, but even more fascinating is what makes a story feel true. That’s something you could give many names, and yes—heart is one of those. After all, what’s the point of telling kids about the world if we don’t also communicate why we should care?

RVC: Is it fair to say that Josephine—as well as many of your nonfiction books—fundamentally presents a transformation arc? Is that something you’re looking for in submissions?

MM: Often, yes! Readers love a transformation arc because when we see how a character can change themselves, we know we have that power, too. And changing ourselves is changing the world.

RVC: From looking at what you teach at conferences and at Storyteller Academy, rhyme is something you appreciate (when it’s done well). So, let me ask—how do you know when it’s done well? What do you look for?

MM: Poetry of all kinds is aware of the space it occupies—in its rhythms, in its breaths, in its white space on the page. Some people are more naturally attuned to the way language moves through its music. But every poet becomes familiar with the idea of scansion, whether they decide to use its structure to build something, or break it purposefully.

RVC: What’s the easiest way to help aspiring rhymers understand syllabic vs accentual poetry?

MM: The question is which you are counting to make a poem. Haiku counts syllables. Sonnets count syllables and accented syllables. Mother Goose just counts accented syllables. Take Humpty Dumpty—the first and second lines have a different number of syllables than the third and fourth lines. But all four lines have the same number of accented syllables—beats.

RVC: What are a few of your favorite rhyming books?

MM: I love Bubble Trouble, Go to Sleep Little Farm, Goodnight Moon, All the World, Bad Bye Good Bye, I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More…

And of course I’m very proud of my many rhyming picture books, which include Interstellar Cinderella and its sequels, Mighty Mighty Construction Site and its sequels, You Are New, Water Sings Blue, Green Is a Chile Pepper, and of course parts of Josephine.

Look for Bathe the Cat and It’s So Quiet coming soon!

RVC: Attendees of your SCBWI workshops on picture book voice rave and rave about them. Now, let’s be honest—if we wanted to really go deep into voice, that’d need to be its own interview. But can you share a misconception about voice that gets writers into trouble?

MM: I think the worst misconception is that a great writer has a single voice. That might be true of reporters. But adapting voice to story, character, mood—that’s what storytellers do.

RVC: In all your experience as a kidlit editor, what has surprised you the most?

MM: There are too many to count or rank!

One of the great gifts of this job is how wide a variety of skills it asks of you, and how wide a variety of experiences it offers. I suppose one is that I’m now teaching public speaking—something I feared and loathed for years. There’s a transformation arc for you!

RVC: What was your secret for moving from a state of fear about public speaking to being comfortable teaching it to others?

MM: The psychiatrist Fritz Perls said “fear is excitement without the breath” and that’s the truth—if you can take a breath and get excited about what you fear, the nervous energy before you go on stage becomes the energy you use to reach out to your audience, and to give them something that matters.

RVC: Love it. Thanks for that!

One last question for this part of the interview. You’ve been a bookseller for a long, long time. Do you still do that? And do you still put on puppet shows?

MM: Sadly, my mother (with whom I did the puppet shows) decided to retire from show business, but I still work at a bookstore on the weekend! I love recommending books.

RVC: Alright, Melissa—it’s time for the SPEED ROUND! Lickety-​split questions followed by zappity-​fast answers. Are you ready?

MM: Oh! Really? I—

RVC: What’s a secret talent of yours?

MM: Um. I can recite Ladle Rat Rotten Hut from memory?

RVC: If you had to live inside a picture book world for a day, which book would you choose?

MM: Oh, well, here at the end of 2020 I’m wishing for something cozy. Maybe something by Phoebe Wahl?

RVC: How would you use a 30-​second ad slot at the next Super Bowl?

MM: Probably for an encouragement to reading aloud to kids. Parents give it up too early and too easy, and it makes a huge difference!

RVC: What’s the One That Got Away?

MM: Small in the City. *shakes fist at Neal Porter* (Neal knows I love him)

RVC: Five things you can’t do your job without.

MM: People! That’s who it’s for.

Kids, educators, my friends and colleagues at Chronicle, my brilliant authors and artists, and my own child self.

RVC: Something your authors and illustrators probably say about you.

MM: Oh no. My anxiety and guilt wants to answer “delinquent”—it’s so hard to keep up with this job, especially in a pandemic year. But I guess what I hope I am to my authors and artists is someone who wants their hearts—what’s best and worst about them, what’s true.

RVC: Thanks so much, Melissa. It was great having you come by OPB!

Agent Interview: Clelia Gore (Martin Literary & Media Management)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider

Let’s give a big OPB welcome to Clelia Gore, the VP of Martin Literary & Media Management, where she serves as Literary Manager of the Children’s and Young Adult Division. Normally, I create a fabulously researched and often-​amusing made-​to-​order biographical introduction at this point, but when someone takes the time to create such an fine Twitter bio as Clelia did, what can I do but share it here?

  • Optimist
  • Lover of things lovely
  • Crooked smiler
  • French-​Peruvian-​American living in Singapore for a bit
  • Mama

And if you’re wondering how to pronounce her name, I asked, and I have the answer. From Clelia herself: “For those wondering, it’s pronounced Clel (rhymes with bell)-eeee-uh. Named after an Italian duchess from a Stendahl novel.”

Perhaps most important, she recently tweeted that “PBs are my jam.” Same here.

With that, let’s get to the interview!

RVC: Rumor has it that you had a great book experience in first grade that got you on the literary path. Care to share your special magic book moment?

CG: Yes! Charlotte’s Web by EB White sparked something within me that has stayed with me through adulthood. I was the kind of reader that devoured everything on my bookshelf, pretty much as soon as I got the hang of reading. I had read only one other chapter book on my own prior to Charlotte’s Web (a book about a dogcatcher called The Terrible Mr. Twitmeyer). My older brother had acquired it through a Scholastic Book Fair order. He didn’t like me touching his things, so I went into his room secretly, swiped it, and read it behind closed doors while sitting in a bathtub!

I remember being completely affected by the story—how much I loved the characters, the farm and county fair settings, enchanted by the storytelling and feeling ALL the emotions when Charlotte met her fate. I remember crying in the bathtub by myself, completely moved by this terrific pig. From then on, I understood the magic of books in a big way and I’ve spent the rest of my life chasing that same feeling in the books I read.

RVC: Some pig, indeed!

CG: I still have that same copy of the book today! I used to read it right before school started every year, as a comforting ritual. Now I bring it with me wherever we move, carrying a bit of my childhood with me.

RVC: I keep my first copy of  The Saggy Baggy Elephant for the same reason.

But back to you–how do you go from an amazing reader experience like that into the world of lawyering? What happened?

CG: I continued to be an avid reader through high school and college. At that time in my life, I was a bit of a book snob and only read classics—I was determined to read all of them. I think I was the only 17-​year-​old who had read all of John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, and Edith Wharton’s entire catalogs. I took a lot of pride in having read their deep cuts. In college, naturally, I became an English major. My parents put it in my head that, with that major, I could become a lawyer and I just decided to go with it. I wish I could say I put more thought into it than that, but I didn’t. Looking back, it wasn’t an illogical choice, just not the most thoughtful one. I ended up going straight to law school after college.

RVC: What got you out of the legal world and into the literary agent arena?

CG: I knew early on that being a lawyer was not for me. It was 2009 and I was working at a big corporate law firm in Manhattan litigating securities disputes—not quite the scene for a whimsical gal like me. I will say this—I gained so much from my experience in law school and practicing as an attorney for about four years. It, of course, helps me as a literary agent who negotiated contracts. I’m a better analytical thinker as a result of it, better equipped for the adult world and most importantly, it helped me develop a sense of professional confidence. For me, being a lawyer was a really hard job during a really hard time (the recession). I was challenged every day and was able to rise to the occasion, and I succeeded at it even though I didn’t like it. I brought the confidence I developed from that experience with me to publishing. I also met many lifelong friends and my husband along the way! Plus, I like knowing and learning about the law—I just didn’t like practicing it.

RVC: You’re not the first ex-​lawyer to say something like this here at OPB. Maybe one of these days, I’ll get you all together for a special Picture Book panel discussion.

CG: When I was first contemplating a career switch, I immediately thought of children’s book publishing. Kids books, especially picture books, were always an important part of my life. Even as an adult. As a lawyer, I worked in the Chrysler Building, across from Grand Central Station, and when I was feeling really stressed or sad, I’d go to the Posman Books that used to be there and just browse the picture book section and it would always bring me a sense of calm.

RVC: What happened next?

CG: I reached out to Rotem Moscovich for coffee, who is now editorial director at Knopf. She and I went to high school together and I asked her about children’s book publishing. She was the first person to put the idea in my head that I could be a literary agent—a career I didn’t really know anything about. It took me a few years to figure out how to transition, and I wanted to make sure I made the right step. I decided to go back to grad school, where I received a scholarship at Emerson College’s M.A. in Publishing & Writing. This program helped me try out a few avenues I was interested in: I interned at Houghton Mifflin for half a year in their children’s book division and then I tried out academic publishing at Oxford University Press. I also tried out teaching writing to college freshmen. Funnily enough, I never did an internship with an agency, but when I graduated, I was convinced that that was the path for me. As it happened, my then-​fiancé (now husband) had moved to Seattle from NYC for a job, so I joined him out there.

I was lucky enough to connect with Sharlene Martin right away—she agreed to meet me after I sent her a cold-​call email. I was going to ask her questions about starting my own agency such as: What is Step 1? We ended up sitting in a coffee shop talking for two hours, and at the end of it, she said: “Don’t start your own agency—come work for me! I’ll teach you everything you need to know.” Here I am seven years later, still calling her my mentor!

RVC: I’ve got a lot of creative writing majors here at Ringling College contemplating a path similar to yours. Some of them are thinking about going after internships like the one you had at Houghton Mifflin. How valuable was that for you?

CG: That was truly my first experience in children’s publishing, something I had always dreamed about. I was so grateful for the opportunity. It was definitely an odd experience going from being an attorney in NYC to an intern making $11/​hr. But I was determined to make the best of it, learn as much as possible, and I tried to make the weird situation as comfortable as possible—and the wonderful women I worked with were game, too. It was a great education in how kids’ books are made—having that foundational knowledge absolutely helped me in my career as an agent. I also made some great relationships—I still pitch to editors at HMH whom I knew as an intern. I made several book deals based on a referral from their former managing editor. And I crossed paths with Scott Magoon there, who was working there at the time and he ended up being the illustrator for Rescue and Jessica: A Life-​Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, which was an award-​winning and bestselling book that I represented.

RVC: You’ve been at Martin Lit for a good while now. In all your experience at that agency, what has surprised you the most?

CG: I started in September 2013, so it’s been seven years now, and in that time I’ve learned so, so much. I mean I was really starting off with very little knowledge and had to learn on the fly from Sharlene and from any resources I could access. I was very determined to right my career path and be successful at this.

One thing that surprised me is how thick-​skinned I would become. Publishing can be a roller coaster ride, especially at the submissions/​acquisitions stage and, having ridden that roller coaster over and over again, I can weather even deep disappointments well—and happily celebrate the highs. I also didn’t realize how my business relationships with clients could form into strong bonds of friendships.

RVC: A lot of early-​career picture book writers ask me if a platform is necessary. What do you think?

CG: I truly think the most important thing is that a book be great (and the timing is right!). Platform is a bonus and plus, of course, but if the work has that special sauce, it doesn’t matter if the author is unknown and has no platform to speak of. If you want to sell a book that plays off of your platform, then, absolutely, you should have an established platform. In certain genres like adult nonfiction, platform is everything. In kidlit, it’s less important, especially at the acquisitions phase. I do think it’s important to signal to publishers that you understand the author’s role in promoting and publicizing the book, that you are willing to play the game.

For authors trying to figure out what kind of platform they have to offer, I would think about what access you have to the target readers and book buyers for your book. Social media is one thing, sure. But…

  • Do you have or can you seek out media contacts that you can take advantage of when the book comes out?
  • Do you belong to certain groups or industries or speak at conferences or events that are made up of your target buyer?
  • What are ways that you can use those groups or gatherings to promote your book?
  • Can you reach out to your school alumni networks to promote the book in some way?
  • Can you write articles, start a podcast, create a blog related to your book or topics you cover in your book?
  • Can you start a newsletter that accesses your entire personal network?
  • Do you have connections to others who have a large platform who would be willing to promote your book?
  • Have you scoured Instagram for influencer accounts that reach your book-​buying audience and are ready to reach out to them?

Think about all the ways you can take advantage of your personal and professional networks so that people can find out about your book.

RVC: Love those examples–thanks!

You’re a self-​confessed sucker for picture books that are a “heart squeezer.” What are some PB examples that really made you get out the Kleenex (in the good way)?

CG: As a mother who struggled with infertility, I cry 100% of the time I read Matthew Cordell’s Wish. Seriously, I have not gotten through even to the third page turn without misty eyes.

Other recent heart-​squeezing favorites include Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love, The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld, Hair Love by Matthew Cherry, Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackhall, and Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler.

RVC: You dig nonfiction—so says your Manuscript Wishlist as of May 2020—but biographies aren’t really a big hit with you. Is that a marketplace thing, personal preference, or something else?

CG: I already have several picture book biographers amongst my clientele so I’m looking to diversify. I have said in the past that the market was thinning a bit to picture book biographies, but I do see evidence of the market opening back up. I sold two this summer. Publishing is dynamic! I will always love picture book biographies, but to me, there are a lot of cool things happening in kid’s nonfiction outside of biographies. I want to see more of those kinds of books!

RVC: How do you describe your agenting style? Is it different with your clients than with prospective editors? 

CG: Collaborative. Respectful. Transparent. Hard-​working. Analytical. Confident. Kind!

One thing I learned from my job as a lawyer, another client-​services industry, is the importance of maintaining professionalism. You can count on me to always be professional.

RVC: Unlike some agents, you’re open to developing MG and YA nonfiction projects with talented writers. Do you ever do such a thing with picture books? 

CG: I think there is a lot of room for growth in the middle grade and YA nonfiction space. There aren’t enough writers of these genres yet! So, at this point, I’d be willing to work with authors who are experts in a field, or journalists or researchers interested in specific topics to help pull good, marketable book ideas.

Picture books have a lot more nonfiction contributors so I’m not looking to develop ideas from scratch beyond my own clientele. I do LOVE coming up with ideas for market-​ready books. It’s one of my favorite parts of my job. Typically, when I think up a good idea, I think about which client would make a good fit and reach out to them and see if they are game to write it. Often, they are. At this point, I think there around about 6–7 books out or coming out that started as one of my brain children. It’s my way of bringing some of my own creativity into this job which is about supporting amazing creative talent.

RVC: Your clients are so lucky! Here’s hoping they send you a jumbo box of gourmet muffins when those book ideas you launched actually happen.

MMMmmmMMMMM…gourmet boysenberry muffins with cream cheese frosting.…

Sorry–I got distracted there. Now here’s a question I wish I didn’t have to ask. How has COVID-​19 changed your day-​to-​day agenting work?

CG: COVID-​19 came at a weird time for me. Since July 2019, I’ve been living in Singapore with my husband and daughter on an ex-​pat stint for my husband’s job (we’ll be back next year). So I was already operating a bit differently than I typically do in that there was less in-​person stuff. Because of COVID-​19, everyone else is doing less in-​person stuff, too. So I would say my day-​to-​day is very similar, but more editors are open to having video meetups as it’s now the norm. I do find that all of this has made me cherish life more and I’m motivated to only work on projects that I’m really passionate about and believe in.

RVC: I quite agree with that!

One last question before we move to the final part of the interview. Did you ever get that longed-​for picture book manuscript about the mathematical golden ratio?

CG: Ha ha, nice memory! No, I didn’t. I did a project on the golden ratio in the sixth grade and I remember it fascinated me, a math-​hating girl. I feel like if that topic could reel in the likes of me, it could reel in lots of other kids!

Feel free to send me one, dear reader!

RVC: There you have it, OPB friends and family. An exclusive manuscript request. When you send it to her and she sells that book, do remember me for helping facilitate this (hint: muffins, muffins, muffins).

Alright, it’s time for The Speed Round! Ferrari-​fast questions and Corvette-​quick answers please. Clelia, are you ready?

CG: Let’s do this.

RVC: Best place for food in Singapore?

CG: Hawker markets. There’s a stand in the Zion Food Centre in a neighborhood called River Valley that has the most perfect pan-​fried dumpling you can possibly imagine. I salivate every time I think about them. I’m salivating right now….

RVC: “If I wasn’t a literary agent or a lawyer, I’d be…”

CG: Government lawyer at the Federal Communications Commission (an alternate history in my lawyering career); speech writer; something in TV/​Film production; book-​related shop owner; First Lady of anything.

RVC: If you put together a golf foursome with PB characters, it’d be you plus which three others?

CG: Okay, I’m going to go pragmatic on this one—maybe that says something about the way my brain works. I own a gorgeous Anne of Green Gables-​inspired picture book from Tundra Books called Goodnight, Anne so I’d pick her so I can hang out with Anne-​With-​An‑E, one of my first major heroes. Ruth Bader Ginsburg from I, Dissent (rest in peace, legend), a major real-​life hero. And Jessica from Rescue and Jessica because that Jessica is really author Jessica Kensky, my longtime friend who is hilarious and probably as bad at golf as me and we could all have a good laugh together.

RVC: Describe your Dream Client in five words or less.

CG: Talented, perseverant, kind, charismatic, self-starter.

RVC: A forthcoming client’s book that has BIG commercial potential?

CG: Oh man, I am seriously SO excited about my upcoming titles. But in terms of which might have major sales potential–I would guess two picture books: Daddy Speaks Love by Leah Henderson and illustrated by EB Lewis (Nancy Paulsen), a beautiful tribute to fathers and The Very True Legend of Mongolian Death Worms by Sandra Fay (Godwin Books), a truly hilarious and very uniquely illustrated picture book that I think will appeal to Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett fans. She’s from New Zealand and brings that trademark dry Kiwi wit to her stories. She’s brilliant!

RVC: What’s the One That Got Away?

CG: In terms of picture books, I remember deciding not to offer representation on The Crayon Man by Natascha Biebow and that always bugs me–I would have made a different decision today. One book I offered on but the author ended up going with a different agent is an upcoming middle grade novel called La Loteria by Karla Valenti. I was dying to rep lovely Karla and her book, but she went with Ammi-​Joan Paquette, whom I like and respect very much, so I can’t be too mad!!

I just realized these responses were not “Corvette-​fast.” Sorry!

RVC: No worries, Clelia. The real bar for anything at OPB is quality, and you delivered, no doubt about it. Thanks so much!

Editor Interview: Kristine Enderle (Magination Press)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider
photo credit: Elizabeth Dranitzke

Hello! We’re here today with Kristine Enderle, the Editorial Director of Magination Press. One of the things that intrigues me most is how she came to publishing in such a roundabout way (more on that in a moment!). Her Twitter bio declares her a “full-​time mom, all-​the-​time-​feminist, serious ally, and native Hoosier.” In terms of her publishing career highlights, she offers this sample of titles:

 

Girl: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You by Karen Rayne (starred review from Publisher’s Weekly; one of Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best Nonfiction Teen books)

 

This Day in June by Gayle Pitman (Stonewall Award winner; ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom’s Top 100 Challenged Books)

 

My Anxious Mind: A Teen’s Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panic by Michael Tompkins and Katherine Martinez (ABCT Self Help Book Seal of Merit Award)

 

Something Happened In Our Town: A  Child’s Guide to Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazard (A New York Times and #1 IndieBound bestseller, A Little Free Library Action Book Club Selection, and an NCSS-​CBC 2019 Notable Social Science Trade Book for Young People)

 

Whew! That’s a great start. But let’s move on to the interview to find out a bit more about Kristine and her career.

RVC: As mentioned in the intro above, you might win the award for most unusual path toward becoming an editor—at least in terms of industry insider interviews here at OPB! You’ve got a BS degree in microbiology (minor in psychology) from Indiana U, right? What kind of career goals did you have back then?

KE: I honestly didn’t have any career goals! I was lucky enough to be allowed to just study whatever I wanted in college! I grew up in an enormous old house (with actual bats in the attic) in the middle of the woods in southern Indiana. There was always something smashed on the road that we could poke at, or strange insects or fungi living on rotting logs. My dad was a doctor and my mom was a nurse, so there were always ongoing conversations about medicine and health in my house.

RVC: That sounds like an awesome way to grow up.

KE: You bet! I grew to love the natural world and naturally (hah!) that flowed into biology coursework. Eventually after taking a microbiology course, my sights were set on what is unseen and I became fascinated by fungus and bacteria and have a sweet spot for infectious diseases.

RVC: After college, you worked as an AIDS research tech for the AIDS Vaccine Development Program at the National Cancer Institute, and then as a tech at Northwestern University’s Lurie Cancer Center. Isn’t the latter position where you started taking classes in writing?

KE: Yes. While working at Northwestern I took fiction writing, linguistics, and communication courses. I needed to move away from lab work to exercise the other side of my brain. I always hung out with English majors and musicians in school, so I finally got to take all those classes I missed as an undergrad.

RVC: What’s the most valuable thing you learned in those writing classes?

KE: That I am NOT a fiction writer! I have so much appreciation for storytellers and creative people now. Plus it’s more fun to be the oddball science nerd in the room than the way-​too-​serious poet.

RVC: What was the learning curve like going from a science researcher to a development editor at Human Kinetics, a sports science textbook publisher in Illinois? 

KE: Between working in the lab and my first publishing gig, I was a Medical & Scientific Affairs manager at the Alzheimer’s Association. This was pre-​Internet, so I wrote newsletters and fact sheets for the general public and answered the phone, fielding a ton of questions from families and caregivers about Alzheimer’s disease. Working there taught me to explain complicated concepts and technical language, so maybe this was what got me from the lab to publishing?

RVC: Sounds like GREAT training to be an editor.

KE: At Human Kinetics as a development editor, I had to look at big picture things in planning a textbook–editing and organization becomes a puzzle to solve as you need to figure out a way to fit and package a ton of information into ways people can understand and into one comprehensive and complete book, visually with photos, diagrams, charts, and graphs. I still do that at Magination. Our books combine science and literature (or evidence-​based information and creative expression) into something that is accessible and interesting to read.

A great example of this is Move Your Mood which is a hoot and teaches readers about how physical movement positively affects mood–there is psychological research to support this. Or Layla’s Luck. People tend to attribute a woman’s or girl’s success as them being lucky and not relating to their smarts, skill, and hard work. Layla takes aim at that.

RVC: Let’s dig a bit deeper into your publishing career. These days, you’re the Editorial Director at Magination Press. How does that compare to being a developmental editor? Writers ask me versions of this all the time—what’s the difference in terms of those roles?

KE: Editorial director really means that I am responsible for editorial strategy and focus of the press and oversee major initiatives, budgets, planning, and staff. But having come up through the ranks, I am still developing and editing and acquiring books because I have a hard time leaving that behind. I am still a senior/​acquiring editor and have a nice group of house authors I have been working with since their debut work. Many authors call me their editor (and that’s the best thing ever!)

RVC: Compare that to the roles of your Magination colleagues, Senior Editor Sarah Fell and Editor Katie Ten Hagen.

KE: Sarah and Katie do all that, minus the planning and overseeing, and have a bunch more books than me to develop. And they work with new authors mostly, and I’m technically their boss!

RVC: Thanks for that!

Now, some people might not realize that Magination Press is connected to the APA (American Psychological Association). How does that work?

KE: APA’s mission is to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives. So what that means for Magination Press is that we share world mental health expertise and psychological knowledge to help kids through rough patches. Some of our books deal with serious issues like depression and anxiety; others are more of those everyday things that bug you or that you may confront sometime during your life. Also just recognizing the sometimes-​tough job of being a kid these days. We want kids and teens to know that we are listening, we see what they are dealing with, and might have something that can help.

I’d like to think that books like Bye Bye Pesky Fly, Lucy’s Light, Jacob’s Room to Choose, and Lulu the One and Only really make a difference in the lives and well-​being of kids.

RVC: Here’s something else that people might be surprised by. Not only do you publish books exclusively for kids (ages 4–18), but you’re putting out 20+ books a year! 

KE: Yeah. We are kind of overachievers that way.

RVC: What’s the common denominator with all your kidlit?

KE: The stories (and nonfiction) really must be grounded in evidence-​based research. It’s true that there is a little bit of psychology in everything, but to be a publication of the American Psychological Association, the work must be based on science and fact. It would be irresponsible otherwise!

RVC: How vital is it that your writers have backgrounds in psychology or the sciences? Or know APA style?

KE: We prefer our authors be psychologists or are mental health professionals, but it’s not a prerequisite. If an author doesn’t have those credentials, we will hire a psychologist to write the endmatter/​readers note (to provide the psychological context for the story). Also all of our books are reviewed by our editorial advisory board that is made up of child psychologists. They act as peer reviewers and comment on the accuracy and relevancy of the psychological content and whether the coping strategies have merit.

Extra points for folks using APA Style/​Pub Manual 7!

RVC: Let’s say you publish a picture book on depression and so, too, does a NYC press. What are some of the likely differences in how a Magination picture book covers a topic like that? 

KE: Reviewed and vetted by the American Psychological Association, maybe?

RVC: That’s a key distinction, for sure.

Now, you just signed When Nana Dances, a picture book by Jane Yolen and her granddaughter about the relationship between children and grandparents, and how dance can be at its core. This isn’t as clear of an “issue book” as some of your others. Why did you have to snatch this one up?

KE: Because Jane Yolen!

No, really it’s a joyful celebration that combats ageism and models mentally healthy and happy intergenerational relationships. You know that emotional stress can speed up aging at the cellular level. So, this is stress-​relief and mental wellness at its core!

RVC: Your press is always at the trade shows—in fact, that’s how I learned about it. I chatted with one of your sales reps at BEA (Book Expo America) at the Javits Center in NYC a couple years ago, and I was impressed by the quality of the books and topics covered. 

KE: Thank you! You can find us all over, from the Bologna Children Book Fair to the Texas Library Association annual meeting to National Council for Teachers of English. We also attend psychological conferences like American Counseling Association, and of course APA’s Annual Convention.

RVC: For people considering writing for your press, what’s the most important thing they should know or understand?

KE: Despite our serious and sensitive topics, we love humor, humility, and honesty. Not sure what that means exactly for books… might speak more to who we are and our community of authors and illustrators we take up with.

Otherwise a couple things come to mind:

  • Do your research. Before submitting a proposal, please review our catalog: we don’t repeat topics year after year and are unlikely to acquire new titles on already-​covered topics.
  • Keep it universal. We are not interested in autobiography, reflections on childhood, or personal stories about family members, pets, or friends. Keep the appeal wide and general and keep the focus on interesting characters and good storytelling. Be careful with first-​person narrative. Good stories and excellent topics can sour with unrealistic, adult-​sounding, or dated dialog.

RVC: In all your experience with editing picture books, what has most surprised you?

KE: Just how many books I have signed after just reading the cover letter. Another book hooked me immediately with its proposed title–There’s a Cat in My Class!

RVC: One final question for this part of the interview. Your Twitter bio says you’re a “part-​time troublemaker.” Care to support that impressive claim with evidence?

KE: I live in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Washington, DC. Marching and protesting is what we do!

RVC: Okay, Kristine. We’ve now reached the SPEED ROUND. Speedy questions and even faster answers. Ready?

KE: Ready!

RVC: “If I didn’t have a career in publishing or science, I’d be…”

KE: A park ranger!

RVC: Fave secret lunch spot in DC?

KE: Indigo!

RVC: If you could be any picture book character for a day, who would it be?

KE: Nancy Drew!

RVC: Something that’s on your picture book wish list?

KE: A book about a whale.

RVC: An underappreciated Magination picture book that you simply adore?

KE: Underappreciated? I’m a huge fan of King Calm: Mindful Gorilla in the City. But I also adore our more recent relatively unknown activity book, How Do You Doodle: Drawing Your Feelings and Emotions.

RVC: The one must-​have for every picture book you acquire?

KE: A good pun or a dog.

RVC: Thanks so much, Kristine!