Category: Industry Insider

Editor Interview: Amy Novesky (Cameron Kids)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider

Hold on to your collective literary hats, folks, because this month’s Industry Interview subject—Amy Novesky, the Children’s Book Editor + Director @ Cameron Kids—said “I would love to have some fun” with this interview.

Challenge accepted, Amy.

She also pointed out that while she enjoyed the OPB interview I did with her friend Abigail Samoun, her own life “is not nearly as exciting.”

Implied challenge also accepted, Amy.

So, to get things off on the right foot, let’s begin with a semi-​biographical free association thing. I’ll start a sentence, you finish it. Ready, Amy?

  • If Netflix is the answer, the question is… 
    • what do you waste time endlessly scrolling?
  • If Sausalito were a sandwich, the right condiment for it would be… 
  • When I was a child, my least-​favorite crayon color was… 
    • the broken one.
  • A penguin walks into your room right now, and it’s wearing a tuxedo because it… 
    • clearly is a character from a picture book.
  • The only thing more important than giving a child a book is… 
    • teaching him how to cook dinner.

Whew, we’re off to a great start. I think we’re ready for the regular interview now. Sound good?

So, let me offer up a few URLs of note, then let’s get to the interview.

RVC: As an editor and writer, you’ve been involved with making kidlit books for two decades. Are you a writer who edits, an editor who writes? Or do you have some other way of thinking about it entirely? 

AN: Both, depending on the day. But I think of myself as a writer first, always. Writer is who I am, editor is what I do.

RVC: Then let’s talk about writing first!

One of the clear throughlines in your own books is your affection for creative folks–Georgia O’Keeffe (Georgia in Hawaii), Frida Kahlo (Me, Frida), and Imogen Cunningham (Imogen: The Mother of Modernism and Three Boys), to name just a few. How conscious of a thing is that? 

AN: I do have a thing for women artists—especially painters. And I have consciously wondered why, and made the connection to my mom who paints, and to our ancestors, a large family of artists called the Peales, who were known for their early American portraits. My great (x4) grandfather, Raphaelle, painted still lifes; he was the rebel of the family. So maybe the artist/​portrait/​still life gene got passed down to me, and manifests in words, instead of paint.

RVC: That’s such a cool story.

AN: I am drawn to the arts, and to artists, because I have always been in awe of one who can paint, play the piano, dance, sing. What an amazing life. For me it’s not just the art but the way these artists lived their lives like works of art. Frida was a walking canvas.

Incidentally, one of the things that connects almost all of the artists I have written about is flowers, which, I also love: Georgia’s giant red poppies, the flowers Frida wore in her hair, the signature gardenia Billie wore behind her ear. The magnolia flower Imogen photographed close-​up. And, all of these artists, Louise Bourgeois included, were especially bad ass. Imogen, was probably the most bad ass of all: she managed to be an artist and make art, while raising three boys. That’s what my book, Imogen: The Mother of Modernism and Three Boys, is about.

RVC: Speaking of your books, let’s examine the launch of your picture book author career. What’s the story of that first book?

AN: I wrote Elephant Prince after a trip to India. Among the many things that amazed me was this elephant-​headed god named Ganesh. Who was he? And why did he have the head of an elephant? The story is also, simply, the story of a mother who longs for a child, which was something I could relate to; my son, Quinn, was born a year after the book published.

RVC: You just had another picture book come out this month—Girl on a Motorcycle. Congrats on that! What’s your 20-​second pitch for the book?

AN: Thank you!

Girl with a good job in Paris, leaves it all, jumps on a motorcycle, carries only the essentials (pocket knife, tarp, anti-​diarrheal, eyeliner, bikini, paper & pen …), rides around the world—from France, through Canada to Alaska…to India and Afghanistan…—breaks down, fixes bike, falls, gets back up, finds the world is beautiful and good, writes about it, returns home.

RVC: And all in one sentence, too? Consider me grammatically wowed!

I’m curious. Like the unnamed young Parisian in this story, have you ever dreamed “to go Elsewhere”? 

AN: Every day.

RVC: Don’t we all, right? Even before the COVID world we now live in. [sigh]

What was the biggest challenge you faced when creating this book?

AN: Not being fluent in French (despite—I’m appalled to admit—15 years of studying it in school). Luckily Anne-​France Dautheville, the subject of Girl On a Motorcycle, speaks decent and, comment dit-​on, colorful English. But I would love to be able to talk with her and read her books in French. When I visited her at her home outside of Paris, I felt tongue-​tied, in addition to totally jet-​lagged. Not the best combo for meeting and interviewing your heroine.

RVC: Well, if you ever want help with French, let me know. I am très good at it! (Spoiler–I might be overstating this a bit. “Très” might be the only thing I actually recall from my Ph.D. crash-​course semester in French.)

Moving on–what do you most admire about Julie Morstad’s accompanying artwork for your book Girl On a Motorcycle?

AN: I’ve been a fan of Julie’s work for some time, and she immediately came to mind for this book for her exquisite illustrations, her stylish characters, her sublime palette, which, in this book—beginning with those gorgeous sunset colors on the cover; the coppery brown, uncoated, separate ends; and the muted, earthy and airy hues throughout—takes my breath away.

RVC: Let’s switch gears to your work as an editor. What fulfills you most about that type of work?

AN: Working with words, and in a form that is so distilled, poetic and visual. And, because I am an equally visual person, looking for and working with illustrators and artists.

RVC: How did you get the editing bug?

AN: I’ve been writing since I could write. I studied poetry in college and got a masters in writing, with a focus on short story. It’s hard to make a living writing poetry and short stories, and so I went to work for a publishing house. When I didn’t get the fiction editorial assistant job, I applied to the other editor job that was open: children’s editorial assistant. I fell in love with the picture book form and discovered it was a really good fit for me, and I’ve been doing it since.

RVC: What was the most memorable thing about working for Chronicle Books, where you got that first job in editing?

AN: Living and working in San Francisco in my 20s, making beautiful books, and, the people—many of whom are still close friends, and some I even work with (2 of the 12 Cameron employees worked at Chronicle).

RVC: What was the first picture book you acquired there?

AN: Oh boy. The Go Go Dogs, about two dogs who travel the world, a consistent theme for me. It’s got to be about 3000 words and was clearly influenced by my love of Maira Kalman.

And then there was Isabelle and the Angel, illustrated by Georg Hallensleben, a French buy-​in about an art-​loving pig who falls in love with an angel in a painting at a museum. She loves him so much she becomes a security guard so she can be near him all night. I know, it’s a little odd. But the art is so gorgeous! I have a soft spot for esoteric French picture books, what can I say. The English-​language edition is, sadly, out of print, but I did fairly recently find the original book on the bookstore shelf at the Musée D’Orsay.

RVC: A few years back, you left Chronicle and ended up acquiring titles for two presses at once. How did that happen?

AN: I left my job in 2000 to write and raise a son, and I have been a freelance editor since. Being a freelancer can be tough. I’ve had many many jobs over the years—some I wish I never took and at least one, like my stint at Pixar, which was great fun. Such is the life of a freelancer.

RVC: Tell me about it! My up-​to-​date resume is 40+ pages long to accommodate all the people/​company I’ve worked with over 20+ years of being a writer. 

AN: I started working for Cameron + Company, beginning in 2010, book-​by-​book, and then helped launch their children’s book imprint in 2015. Still, it was only part-​time. When Creative Editions, another small, family-​owned press, offered me part-​time work acquiring for their list, I couldn’t turn it down. Living in the Bay Area on a freelance editor’s income is not easy. Luckily, I was able to do the latter from home, and the two lists are aesthetically different so, creatively, it worked out. I left Creative in February to focus on growing Cameron Kids. And, as of September 1, 2020, I can report that I am a full-​time employee of Abrams, New York, which acquired Cameron + Company.

In short, yes, we editors often wear many hats.

RVC: Why is this super-​new role at Cameron + Company (congrats on that!!) such a good fit for you?

AN: To be the editorial director of a beautiful, thoughtful, well-​curated list of books I helped create; to work with people I respect and adore; and now to be a west coast division of a major New York publishing house, whom I also adore (and who published two of my books: Me, Frida and Cloth Lullaby), is a dream job. It was a long time coming, a lot of hard work, patience, and literal blood, sweat and tears, and I couldn’t be happier.

RVC: What’s the most common misconception about picture book editors?

AN: That we like children. Just kidding!

RVC: Who or what has influenced you most as an editor?

AN: I will give you a who and a what.

RVC: Way to overdeliver!

AN: Who: Victoria Rock at Chronicle Books. I learned so much, mostly from typing up her long, handwritten letters to authors and illustrators.

What: traveling the world. The places I’ve been and have lived and loved—India, Mexico, Paris, New York, Southern California, San Francisco, Kauai—influence my books.

RVC: How do picture books create an opportunity for adult readers to be present with kids?

AN: A picture book is a beautiful, tactile object. It takes time to turn a page, to read the words, to stop and define a difficult word or concept or two. One misconception about picture books is that they are simplistic, but they can be quite sophisticated and profound. The best books stop time, allow you to be present, and isn’t that what we strive for with our kids?

RVC: Well said, Amy. 

Let me ask an industry question. I’m hearing mixed answers these days. Is COVID making things better or worse for writers? Some argue that editors working from home are able to get more done. Some argue that editors working from home are just as swamped as ever, or even more so. What’s been your experience? And what have you seen/​heard from colleagues?

Amy’s home office in March 2020.
Amy’s home office in September 2020.

AN: For me, despite it all, I have been incredibly lucky. I have space. I live in a beautiful place. I have work and I can work from home. My son is old enough now to manage his online schooling and make a sandwich. And so, while I’ve surely gone through as many pandemic phases as stages of grief—from the urgency of it in those first few months, to heaviness and depression and rage, to a measure of acceptance, to moments of stillness and creativity–I’m doing okay, getting work done, chasing new books, even writing a new story or two.

But I know many people, friends and colleagues, who are struggling to do it all. It’s a lot. And here in California, we have pandemic + wildfires + smoke + heat + power outages, and there’s always a few earthquakes rattling about. September has been a particularly harrowing and heartbreaking month. When I can get to the office, 1⁄2 hour north, I keep a go-​bag, a 7‑gallon jug of water, and masks for multiple emergencies, in my car.

2020 is making us all bad ass.

RVC: Bad ass, indeed!

Circling back now to your work as a bad-​ass picture book author—you’ve got an author trailer on your website. Not a book trailer, but an AUTHOR one. So cool! Where’d you get that idea? 

AN: I have a good friend who is a talented documentary filmmaker, and she and the co-​founder of her company generously offered to make a short film about me. I am super camera-​shy, so it was pretty excruciating for me, which is probably apparent in the pained look on my face. That and I’m not great at promoting myself and my work. And so I am so grateful to have such a beautiful piece in my portfolio. It’s at least 10 years old at this point, but the heart of it is still current.

RVC: How have people responded to it?

AN: I’ve gotten some really nice feedback.

RVC: Rightly so. It’s terrific.

AN: Thank you!

RVC: One last question for this first part of the interview. Craziest thing that ever happened re: a school visit you did?

AN: Okay, I’ve got a good one for you. On my way to a book event at a school an hour from my house, it was first thing in the morning, rush hour, I’d drunk a pot of coffee, and there was traffic, I was running late, hundreds of elementary kids were waiting for me, and, I had to go to the bathroom really really, like painfully, badly; I wasn’t going to make it. I pulled the car over as soon as I got off the freeway, jumped out and peed in a bush. I’m guessing some homeowner has probably got some good security footage of this children’s book author squatting on their property.

RVC: This from the lady who said her life wasn’t all that exciting! OMG! 

Regardless, it’s your time to shine, Amy, because it’s the…LIGHTNING ROUND! Electrifyingly fast questions and shockingly quick answers, please. Are you ready?

AN: Let’s do this.

RVC: Smurfs, fraggles, or trolls—most underappreciated not-​so-​tall creatures in pop culture?

AN: Fraggles.

RVC: Best place in Sausalito for a slice of California pizza?

AN: My house. When the sourdough starter stars align.…

But there’s also Sandrino on Caledonia Street!

RVC: What’s the One That Got Away?

AN: Parker Looks Up.

RVC: The responsibility of the picture book writer is…

AN: To write well.

RVC: Recent picture book biography you wish you’d thought of first.

AN: The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown.

RVC: The three most important characteristics that lead to picture book success.

AN: An authentic voice, a compelling story, and a Hell Yes manuscript (Cameron Kids’ motto).

RVC: Thanks so much, Amy. And not that anyone’s keeping score, but I think I won on both counts regarding our challenges. Fun and excitement was indeed had by all. 100% of my pre-​pub focus group of 2 agree.

So, thanks for sharing a bit of your literary journey with us today. It was great having you stop by OPB. Best of luck with the new book, too!

Editor Interview: Sarah Rockett (Sleeping Bear Press)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider1 Comment

The September 2020 Insider Interview is with…Sarah Rockett!

She’s an Editor for Sleeping Bear Press as well as for Cherry Lake Publishing and 45th Parallel school and library imprints. OPB knows all about her work because we’ve recently covered books she edited: Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery, Nature’s Friend: The Gwen Frostic Story, and The Boy Who Grew a Forest. (Yep—we enjoy Sleeping Bear books here at OPB!)

She’s a Michigan person through and through, and these days, she lives outside Ann Arbor with a husband, a son, and a cocker spaniel. And a whole bunch of books, one imagines!

Let’s get to the interview to learn a bit more about all Sarah does!

RVC: You earned a degree in journalism from Boston University. What turned you from a life of newspaper/​magazine writing toward the editorial side of things?

SR: News and magazine writing ultimately felt too fast paced for me. I found that I enjoyed spending more time on the text I was working with—to really be careful with language and more creative. I didn’t love the pressure of a news cycle.

RVC: What was your favorite piece of journalism you ever wrote?

SR: I did the Semester at Sea study abroad program in college and ended up writing a handful of pieces for my hometown newspaper while I was traveling. They were writer-​at-​large type stories—and rightfully buried in the paper—but they were a lot of fun to research and write.

RVC: Sounds like a nautically cool time! I wish I’d investigated such interesting off-​campus experiences like that as an undergrad.

Now, working in NY publishing is the dream for many. What were some of the unexpected benefits/​joys of being part of it?

SR: The big budgets were great. Knowing you had some frontlist “season makers” like a new Llama Llama book by Anna Dewdney or the latest John Green YA, as well as a really strong backlist with a good number of classics, meant we could take some additional risk with other projects. The publishing community in NYC was also really wonderful. I was always running into people from other companies—and it was really nice to talk with them about issues facing the industry and trends.

RVC: What was the biggest issue facing the industry at that time?

SR: When I was with Penguin, ebooks were just really taking off and it was so interesting to see how the industry was feeling out the best way to work with the technology. For adult books, the link to ebook is easy/​obvious. But for children’s books, there are so many more issues around the benefits of books vs ebooks. Many ebook developers wanted to include a lot of interactive features and animations–which can be great, but when does it become a game or cartoon and no longer a book? I don’t think the industry (or consumers) have figured it out yet, but it was really interesting to be in the hub of publishing when the initial ebook frenzy started.

RVC: If you had to summarize the most important thing you’ve learned about editing books for children, what would it be?

SR: I think brevity and specificity are the two most important elements to creating wonderful picture books. There’s something magical about leaving space in the text for a child’s imagination. And if you’re keeping text really tight, you have to be sure each word is working really hard for you—it has to mean exactly what you want it to mean.

RVC: About seven years ago, you left NY publishing and worked as a freelance writer/​project manager for ProQuest  for a year. 

SR: When I moved back to Michigan, there weren’t a lot of children’s publishing companies to work with. In fact, there’s exactly one in about a 500-​mile radius—Sleeping Bear Press. Working freelance let me keep my skills fresh while I nudged the owner of Sleeping Bear about an informational interview and waited for a position to open.

RVC: In 2013, you landed that coveted job. What were some of the differences between working at Sleeping Bear versus a large outfit like Puffin/​Penguin Young Readers?

SR: I love working with a smaller company. The doors to the owner and publisher are always open for questions and advice. And I love that there aren’t a ton of steps to project approval. If I’m passionate about a title or project, I can generally make my case to the owner or acquisition group and then move forward. There aren’t a lot of corporate hoops to jump through—which I think allows the editors (and everyone) to be more creative.

RVC: Let’s talk submissions. I know you like timely hooks (which right now probably means diversity, social justice, environmentalism, etc.), but it strikes me that Sleeping Bear leans toward picture books well-​suited to solid educational backmatter. Would you rather see a great-​for-​the-​classroom book, or one that’s a total laugh-​out-​loud good time?

SR: I don’t think I can choose! I really love working on books that have something important to say—whether that’s a biography of someone previously overlooked in history or a story that encourages kids to reduce their plastic waste, etc.—but books that are just pure fun are a delight! Truly funny, laugh-​out-​loud books are so hard to write, so they can be few and far between.

RVC: How many submissions do you see in a month?

SR: Probably 50–100.

RVC: What percentage of those is agented?

SR: I would guess about 20 percent of those are agented or submitted directly from an author I have a relationship with—the rest come in via email submissions per the guidelines on our website.

RVC: Help us understand what Sleeping Bear is really all about. What three picture books really capture the representative spirit of your press’ aesthetic and creative philosophy?

SR: The Legend of Sleeping Bear for its regional hook and unparalleled art. Memoirs of a Goldfish, which is funny and heartfelt. Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery, which is a great classroom title with really strong trade crossover—and the illustrations are just so lovely.

And I have to add A Boy Like You—a story with a really important social emotional message.

RVC: It’s interesting that you mention Memoirs of a Goldfish, because that’s how I learned about your press. I was at Book Expo America in NYC back in 2010 or so, and that book was a giveaway from your press. My kids enjoyed it so much that we eventually picked up the sequels–witness the photographic evidence (minus the Elf and Parrot ones, which my kids have hidden somewhere special, and they won’t share where)!

SR: Oh gosh! I love coincidences like that!

RVC: In many ways the publishing world is a small one, and kids really latch onto their favorites.

Back to the regularly scheduled interview…I’ve heard that you appreciate when an author sells themselves in a pitch letter. But there’s the flip side, which is when a not-​yet-​debut author might say, “Hey, I’m going to be the next Jane Yolen, only faster!” What are some examples of how to manage the middle ground between self-​promotion (the good version) versus SELF-​PROMOTION (the icky version)?

SR: It’s important for editors to have the facts on our authors. So writing groups you’re involved with, social media platforms, relevant professional experience, existing school or conference presentations, etc. But authors should stay away from subjective and/​or grandiose claims. If you/​your story is as good as you think it is (i.e. “the next Where the Wild Things Are”), we’ll see it—don’t force it on editors.

RVC: Great advice. And speaking of advice, what do you say about art notes?

SR: In general, I strongly advise against them. A submitting author’s goal is to have the acquiring editor feel personally and passionately about their story. It’s hard to feel an attachment to a story if every other line the author is telling you what you’re seeing. The beauty of publishing a picture book is that everyone involved brings something to the project (author, editor, illustrator, and designer) that makes it stronger. Let editors have that moment to really be engaged in the story.

RVC: One final question for this part of the interview. Rumor has it that you’re a mega-​fan of Gwen Frostic. Actual news or fake news?

SR: Yes! Love her. I grew up with her art and going to her studio in Northern Michigan—I even met her a couple time before she passed and I have a tattoo of one of her pieces!

When I received the submission for Nature’s Friend, I was SO floored!

RVC: Alrighty, it’s time for the Lightning Round! And that means the questions are zippy, the answers are zappy, and the fun is totally electrified. Are you ready?

SR: Let’s do it!

RVC: Which picture book character would you love to be for a day?

SR: Hannah, from Hannah’s Tall Order. She’s got an appetite and knows what she wants.

RVC: Best place in Northern Michigan to get a cherry pie?

SR: King Orchards on US-​31.

RVC: Pick a theme song for where your life is at right now.

SR: “You’ve Got a Friend” by James Taylor.

RVC: What’s your dream project?

SR: Something lyrical and important.

RVC: Favorite non-​Sleeping-​Bear picture book of 2020 (so far)?

SR: Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-​Bigelow.

RVC: Three words that sum up what picture books mean to you?

SR: Growing little minds.

RVC: Thanks so much, Sarah! Next time I’m up in Ann Arbor, the Vernors ginger ale is on me!

Agent Interview: Kaitlyn Sanchez (Olswanger Literary LLC)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider15 Comments

This month’s Industry Insider Interview is an interesting one because our interview subject, Kaitlyn Sanchez, can come at picture books from so many angles.

Oh, and she’s an Associate Agent at Olswanger Literary. Clearly with a picture-​book resume like that, we’re in for a treat. Let’s get ready for the interview with five bonus Kaitlyn facts.

  1. Short stories are her jam.
  2. Was a jock and a band nerd.
  3. Adores math and English.
  4. Loves the smell of cement. (She admits: “I know, weird, right?”)
  5. Jamba! not Starbucks.

Now that we have a better sense about our new friend Kaitlyn, let’s have a hearty Q&A session on our shared fave topic—picture books!

RVC: So, you got into agenting the way many do—you started at Olswanger Literary as an intern in 2019. Why did you seek that position, and how did you land it?

KS: My critique partner Andrea Walker was working as an intern at Olswanger and one day it donned on me that she was in Japan and still able to be an intern, so I asked her about it! She told me about Bookjobs.com and how they list if an internship is at a location or online, and of course, Andrea suggested I apply for Olswanger, so I did! I sent Anna [Olswanger] my letter and resume, and she responded the same day!

RVC: Congrats on recently moving up to Associate Agent. Yay! But let me ask—what are some of the often-​undiscussed challenges and obligations of being a literary agent? 

KS: Thank you so much! I can’t explain how exciting that day was. For agenting challenges, funnily enough, it’s the same I’d say for teaching–there’s a ton of research to do as well as spurts of super busy times.

RVC: I hear you there! Now, in terms of what you want to see in submissions, you mention that you appreciate “rocking rhymes.” What does that mean to you?

KS: For rhyme, I want the story to be the focus and the rhyme to support it. The rhythm should be spot-​on (with variations to keep it from being sing-song).

Diana Murray and Josh Funk are great examples of writers who do that.

Ned the Knitting Pirate is one of our favorite books in my house and Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast is another fun example of a great rhyming book!

RVC: We’ve got an interview with Josh Funk coming up in September, so I’ll be sure to ask him about rhyme, too. But from your perspective, what kind of rhyme crimes do you most often see?

KS: Oh, I can’t wait for Josh’s interview, he’s so amazing!

As far as rhyme crimes, the two I often see are lack of rhythm and inversions. Ironically enough, Renée LaTulippe just put out an awesome Peek & Critique Video on rhyme crimes! Make sure to subscribe; she’s amazing.

RVC: You’re currently closed for submissions. When do you expect to throw wide the doors again and invite new work?

KS: I honestly have no idea. I still have hundreds of queries to get to!

RVC: Here’s a question I don’t typically ask agents (for obvious reasons). How does being an agent inform your work as a picture book author? And/​or the other way around?

KS: That’s a great question. The biggest thing is the recognition that, especially for debut PB authors, your idea really has to stand out. I think reading pitches during #PBPitch can give you that same sense, too. When you’re participating, go out and find those pitches that are getting tons of likes.

As for the other way around, being an author, I know what it’s like to be in their shoes, so when I give feedback or communicate with clients, I always first think about how I’d feel.

RVC: Your own picture books are repped by Joyce Sweeney, who is your second agent, I believe. Why is Joyce a great fit for you?

KS: She is my second agent, and I can’t explain how perfect Joyce is for me. We see eye to eye–she’s totally honest and open like I am, and she found my voice. I thought I found my picture book voice before, but once she found this “outrageous” side of me, the stories just started to flow. I can’t thank her enough for that!

RVC: That’s exactly what a great agent can do. 

KS: Yes! It can be a really amazing relationship when you find the right fit.

RVC: What are you working on now? 

KS: I just sent two new stories to Joyce and she loved them (whew!), so I’m trying to start another idea from my Outrageous Ideas document. What’s an Outrageous Ideas document? Well, based on the story I queried her with, she told me those stories were my jam and said to show her more of these. So, I sat down right after that and filled a few pages with outrageous ideas. I’m thinking she was definitely right! The one I’m working on is about magical creatures warring in the kitchen.

RVC: I’ve got some of those creatures in MY kitchen, too. Unicorns, I think. And they’re eating all the strawberry jam. I’ll have to read your book to figure out how to deal with them because bad puns (like “are small unicorns puny-​corns?”) aren’t doing the trick!

KS: LOL! And ironically, you hit on the topic of one of the stories that already has the Joyce seal of approval 😉

RVC: Let’s talk about manuscripts. How do you know when your own story-​in-​progress is ready to be seen by others? 

KS: Lol, I don’t know if I do. My first and longest running critique group, Awesome Ladies, is totally amazing and bears with me at all stages. I’ll often say, “Hey, Awesome Ladies, I have a first draft but I haven’t finished, and I’m not sure where to go, wanna see it?” And they’re ALWAYS on board and give me the confidence and ideas to keep going.

RVC: It sure sounds like you’ve made the most of critique groups over the years. What are some best-​practice tips for those thinking about creating or joining one?

KS: Thanks so much! I absolutely love critiquing and reading stories. For CGs, just remember, every group is different. The most important thing–in my opinion–is to click with the group, so if you’re just starting one, it’s good to have check-​ins and time frames for determining if it’s a good fit.

RVC: I often point people to Jane Friedman’s fine post on that subject, too, for guidance on critique groups. 

KS: Oh, yeah. She’s got a lot of good info there!

RVC: Care to share a bit about the kidlit contests you’re part of?

KS: Oh, man. I can talk about these fun contests for hours! The main things for all of them is to connect people in the writing community in a fun, positive way! (And having awesome prizes!) Check them all out here.

RVC: You just completed Kidlit Zombie Week. Tell us more!

KS: For those that don’t know about Kidlit Zombie Week, it’s a week filled with inspiration and discussion to help and encourage people bring back their zombie manuscripts (the ones that they set aside, thinking they’d never again see the light of day) and of course there’s tons of prizes from generous kidlit donors! We were hoping it would be a fun event but could not have predicted how amazing it would end up being; we’re over-​the-​moon with how it turned out.

This was Jolene Gutiérrez’s brainchild. She brought up Brian Gerhlein’s blog post, and we were like “So cool, right?” And she already had the wheels turning and asked if we could do something to help others revise their dead manuscripts. Brian was stoked to hear what he had inspired, and he and this agent (the ones who inspired the event) were our first-​prize donors. Find out more about Kidlit Zombie Week here.

RVC: From all you’ve just shared plus your wide-​ranging bio—which is only part of the story!—it’s clear you have a full plate. How do you juggle it all?

KS: I don’t always, but balance is always my goal. At one point, my husband had to sit me down and talk to me about balance. When I was offered my internship, we had a discussion, and I decided to give up a few critique groups (I may have had like…8?) to have time for agenting. Overall, though, I think you make time for things you’re passionate about, and I’m incredibly passionate about kidlit!

RVC: One last question for this part of the interview, and FYI—this one might tickle your high-​school math teacher heart. Which of the following jokes would work best as the jumping-​off point for a picture book?

  • Are monsters good at math?
      • Not unless you Count Dracula!
  • Why does nobody talk to circles?
      • Because there is no point.
  • How do you count cows?
      • With a cowculator!

KS: Ha! As a math teacher the second one made me go “Oh no!” because the definition of a circle is the set of all points equidistant from a single point so not that one, LOL. But, I have definitely been into the whole monsters in picture books concept since reading and falling in love with Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies, so I adore the Count Dracula one!

Did you come up with these, Ryan? If so, you should write some math pbs!

RVC: I just might do that. Who knows what’s next for me in the long term! But in the short term, I know what’s next. It’s the SPEED ROUND where we pair Zoomy Qs with Zippy As in fashion fast-tastic.

Audiences, beware. Participants, be ready. Passersby, stop where you are. We’re ready to GO GO GO!

Kaitlyn, are YOU prepared?

KS: Hold on, let me stop gawking at your awesome intro to this, limber up, annnd, wait for it.…

Okay–GO!

RVC: The answer’s algebra. What’s the question?

KS: What type of reasoning do you use every day and don’t realize it?

RVC: Craziest rhyme you ever tried to make work?

KS: Ha, I wish I knew. I’d have to go back through my manuscripts.

RVC: Best late-​night reading snack?

KS: Cheez-​Its. No, chocolate. NO!! CHEEZ-​ITS ANNND CHOCOLATE! 😋

RVC: Favorite math picture book?

KS: Tie between Zero by Kathryn Otoshi and One Family by George Shannon.

RVC: Dream picture book submission?

KS: One that I can’t stop reading and the world falls away until I’m done, and I’m totally satisfied, but also want to read more from this author because it just swept me off my feet. (Btw, I have had these, and luckily, I get to rep some of them.)

RVC: What’s your picture book motto—as a writer and/​or agent?

KS: Almost anything can be a picture book as long as you can approach it from the kid angle (and please don’t quote me on this because I’m definitely not the first to say it😃) And, if I can add a bit more, there are no steadfast rules. Many books break the mold, so trust yourself and have a reason for your approach.

RVC: Thanks so much, Kaitlyn! From one kidlit zombie fan to another, it’s a no-​brainer having someone like you stop in for an interview with us. Much appreciated!

KS: Thanks for having me, Ryan. This was SO fun, and I’m so glad you loved Zombie week! Sadly, I didn’t revise one myself, but thanks to a funny gif from Clare Helen Welsh, I wrote a new story that my agent loves!

Agent Interview: Christa Heschke (McIntosh & Otis)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider

The June Industry Insider interview is with none other than Christa Heschke, who’s been with McIntosh & Otis, Inc. since 2009. While there are many reasons why she’s a great a fit for OPB, here are just three.

Reason One: Her Twitter bio claims a Hufflepuff affiliation.

When I was last in NYC, I made a point of seeing Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic & Magic. Kindred spirits!

Reason Two: She’s a Green Bay Packers fan.

I was born in Neenah, WI (a stone’s throw from GB), and I taught at UW-​GB, where I lived walking distance from Lambeau Field. Plus, my folks had season tickets when I was a kid!

Reason Three: She likes LOTR, zombie TV shows, and RL Stine.

My take on those same things? Yes, amen, and wahoo!

With so many things in common, the two of us making some magic at OPB is all but guaranteed. Let’s prove it right now!

RVC: Let’s start with an unexpected connection we have–Kristen Schroeder (one of your clients!). I just met her at the Jane Yolen/​Heidi Stemple Picture Book Boot Camp back in November. She had an Advance Reading Copy of her debut, Alien Tomato, which was a real hoot to see, to say the least. What do you like most about that book (which comes out in July 2020)?

CH: I love the humor and Gopher is such a fun main character! The ending twist is perfect! Seeing the art capture the text was really cool, too. It’s one of my favorite things about working on picture books.

RVC: Please say a few words about why Kristen’s pitch to become your client worked.

CH: Kristen had queried me and then later notified me she had an offer of rep from another agent. I remember really liking the project she sent me, Howie, which was a fun look at dog-​shaming photos. I liked the humor and I thought the idea was standout. After reading that one and enjoying it, I asked her to tell me more about her body of work and she sent me a whole list of projects she had written or was working on and I was SO impressed! I could see her range and once I read a few more of her projects, I just had to offer her representation!

RVC: Is that something you recommend others do?

CH: Yes! I think it’s helpful to have a handful of finished polished picture books ready when you start querying. When it comes to picture book authors, I always like to see a few projects–I’m rarely offering rep based on just one project. This may be personal preference, but I have stepped aside a few times when I really liked one project but the author didn’t have anything else to share or tell me about.

RVC: Let’s jump back to the beginning. At what point did the publishing career become your path?

CH: Well, it all started back in college. A friend interned at Writers House and suggested I apply. At the time, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but hey, I loved to read so I applied. I loved my time there and that led to another internship at Sterling Lord. When I graduated college, I applied to all kinds of publishing jobs. After some time, I got the job offer to be an assistant at McIntosh & Otis in their children’s department. I said yes, and haven’t looked back since. I got lucky that I fell into the area of publishing I was meant to be in. I love working on the kids side and I’ve always been a kid at heart, so it was a perfect fit for me! After assisting a few years, I moved up to agent.

RVC: I’ll bet you REALLY got the literary bug a bit earlier than college. Did you write term papers about copyright infringement and intellectual property issues? As a teen, were you negotiating deals for writer friends to ghostwrite prom-​posals? Were you doing Muppet Babies fanfic? The OPB family wants to know!

CH: Other than reading a lot growing up, I did have my own magazine for a while called Gal’s World. I was in the 12–14 range when I was actively putting the magazine out there. I also had my own website dedicated to Sailor Moon fanfiction. So, from a young age, I was active on the writing side of things. In school, we wrote and illustrated our own books from kindergarten up through 4th grade. I still have most of them!

RVC: Let’s take a closer look at your time as an intern at Writers House and Sterling Lord Literistic. What does life as an intern look like?

CH: A big part of interning at an agency is reading queries and manuscripts, and then writing reader’s reports. Writers House also had classes on different topics for their interns on everything from subrights to contracts, so it was a great learning experience. At Sterling Lord, I got to help a bit with foreign rights which was cool, including editing their rights guides/​preparing for a major Fair (Frankfurt, if I’m remembering correctly).

I basically helped whomever needed it, so I got to read kids and adult work as well as perform general office tasks such as filing, mailings, organizing, answering phones, etc.

RVC: Any tricks to landing one of those coveted jobs?

CH: Networking helps SO much when getting an internship. Without my friend having a connection at Writers House, I’m not sure if I would have gotten an interview.

RVC: You joined McIntosh & Otis in 2009. What about that agency makes it such a good fit for you?

CH: I love that we’re more of a boutique agency. There are only two agents (plus two assistants and an office manager/​royalty manager) and we handle everything for our clients. So, aside from editorial work and sending projects out on submission, I also handle all subrights (translation rights, audio, film/​TV/​stage etc.), my own contracts, helping authors with promo, permissions, and more. It certainly keeps me busy, but I like that I get to work on a little bit of everything!

I especially love working on foreign/​translation rights. It’s always a good day when a copy of one of your books translated into another language comes in and sometimes with an all new cover! I also like that I can build my list how I want to. So, I can take on the projects that I’m passionate about. Of course, it’s also very important to me to do what I can to raise up marginalized voices. I strongly believe every child should be able see themselves and characters like them in books.

Getting kids to start reading and enjoy reading from a young age is so important to creating lifelong readers. Whenever I see kids reading (whether it’s on the subway or in the park) I get excited! M&O gives me the support to do these things which I sincerely appreciate.

RVC: Though you rep all types of kidlit, what about picture books appeals to you? 

CH: It’s a child’s first experience with reading. I love that! I remember how much I enjoyed picture books as a little kid. My parents told me before I could read, I would flip through picture books and make up the words based on the pictures (or what I remember from my parents reading them to me). So, they have always been special to me. I love how they can be fun and character driven, but still have a great message. I also like seeing how the art works together with the text to create a finished book. I could go on and on!

RVC: How important is voice to picture books?

CH: It’s important. If the text is wordy and the voice feels “too old,” it won’t work for the age-​range. Every so often, I see picture book texts that almost read more like a middle grade as far as word choice, wordiness, and overall voice. Every word counts with a picture book. Voice often comes across more strongly when you have an engaging and developed central character. Even in a picture book they will grow and change from beginning to end and when that’s done right, it helps the voice!

A good example off the top of my head is A Place for Pluto by Stef Wade. Of course Alien Tomato is another. Lindsay Bonilla’s Polar Bear Island. Piglette by Katelyn Aronson. I may be biased but I think all my clients have great picture book voices.

RVC: What are your thoughts on rhyme?

CH: I work on the occasional rhyming text, but I wouldn’t say it’s something I gravitate towards. My assistant, Daniele, is the resident poetry expert.

RVC: How can a writer do a better job if they decide it’s the route to go?

CH: To do a rhyming book right, you need to be well-​versed in poetry and understand meter, rhythm, etc. When you want to write in rhyme, it has to be perfect. I’d also ask writers why they feel this particular story needs to rhyme. Maybe it doesn’t. Some stories work better in prose.

Reading the story out loud can help you find areas where you trip up and may need to work on. Getting extra sets of eyes on a story also helps–especially if you can find readers that specialize in rhyming work or poetry!

RVC: How many submissions do you see per week?

CH: A lot! The number fluctuates a bit. If I recently participated in a Twitter pitch event or a writer’s conference, my inbox numbers will often go up quite a bit. I’d say I get at least 10 queries on a typical day, so upwards of 100 a week is common.

RVC: And what does the process look like going forward from a good query all the way to an offer from you and then having you submit the project to editors?

CH: Once I come across a query that jumps out at me after reading the first pages, I’ll request either a partial manuscript or a full manuscript. When I request a partial, I’m interested but want to read on a bit and see what I think. When I request a full, I generally love both the premise and writing, and I’m intrigued by the synopsis enough to want to see where the story is going.

After I’ve read the entire manuscript and I know I’m in love, I contact the author via email. I like to offer rep over email and give the basics before having a phone call. On the call, I answer any questions, go over any editorial feedback, and ask my own questions. Then I wait. That author likely will have the manuscript with other agents and will wrap up those submissions. A two-​week deadline is pretty standard.

During this time, the author may get more offers and will have to decide who they feel is the best fit for them and their career. If they end up going with me (yay!), we work on editorial and get the manuscript as polished as possible before submitting to editors. I come up with a submission list, share it with the author, and take it from there.

RVC: Last question for this part of the interview. Rumor has it that one of your secret literary weapons is an assistant named Daniele. Care to dish?

CH: Daniele is amazing, and that’s no secret! Daniele helps me SO much. She’s another skilled set of eyes on manuscripts, she has a great editorial eye…She literally assists me with pretty much everything! She also keeps me organized. We always have a high volume of pending things to do, submissions to read etc. etc. and without her, I’d likely get to things a lot slower!

And she’s a ray of sunshine and optimism. She’s so supportive and genuinely loves what she does and working with my clients, and they love working with her. We are very much a team!

RVC: Alright, it’s time…for…the… LIGHTNING ROUND!!! Are you ready for zip-​zappy question and electrifyingly fast answers?

CH: You bet!

RVC: Star Wars, Star Trek, or Stargate?

CH: Star Wars.

RVC: Best fake language—Parseltongue, Dothraki, or Tolkien-Elvish?

CH: Definitely Elvish! A recent highlight was watching the LOTR cast reunion Zoom special. All the feels!

RVC: It’s a night of magical mini-golf…with a literary theme. What three authors (living or deceased) do you invite out onto the (mini) links?

CH: That’s an impossible question to answer! LOL!

Hmm…how about Jane Austen, R.L. Stine, and Garth Nix? These are all authors who I loved reading growing up. If I were to go into authors I admire and fangirl over as an adult, it’d be a super long list. There are so many authors doing such amazing things and creating necessary change in the kidlit world!

RVC: Beyond typos and getting your name wrong, what’s a query pet peeve?

CH: Not doing your research. If you’re sending me something I don’t represent, it’s an automatic no.

RVC: Name an agent‑y bucket list item.

CH: Having a book I rep win the Newbery, Caldecott, or another major award is definitely up there!

RVC: Three words that sum up your picture book philosophy?

CH: Every. Word. Counts.

RVC: Thanks so much, Christa!

Agent Interview: Steven Chudney of The Chudney Agency

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider

While literary agent Steven Chudney is a bit camera-​shy (I’ve worked around this via the “photo-​realistic” artwork I provided alongside his agency’s logo!), The Chudney Agency is devoted mostly to kidlit (about 10% of his list is Adult), and there are plenty of clients who sing his praises. That’s already got the OPB radar turned his way.

But when I learned that he was part of the marketing campaign for the 40th anniversary of Eloise, the launch of a line of kidlit books for Nickelodeon, and the development of the Cheerios board books, I knew he had to pop in to chat with us at OPB.

With that, let’s pour two cups of oolong, get comfy on some easy chairs, and have a chat with our new friend, Steven!

http://thechudneyagency.com/

RVC: What was the turning point that set you on the path to become a publishing professional? How early did that happen?

SC: Although I’m American born, I grew up and lived in Israel for 7 years as a young boy and teenager. I didn’t enjoy reading in Hebrew, and so I read a ton of British books for kids, like all of those lovely and kitschy Enid Blyton books. Then, I got my first real job working in a small English used bookstore in our town, Andy’s Books. Tons of paperbacks. I was about 12, before my bar mitzvah! That’s when I discovered Agatha Christie mysteries. I loved working in the bookstore and felt so lucky to be surrounded by books. To this day the scent of old books is quite intoxicating.

RVC: That helps explain how you went on to hold a number of different jobs in the book world (sales, marketing, licensing, and sub-​rights positions at Viking Penguin; Farrar, Straus & Giroux; Dell; Simon & Schuster, and Winslow Press). How has that range of experience positioned you to be a successful literary agent?

SC: It seems cumulatively I had the perfect background to become an agent. Every one of those positions offered me experience needed in my present job: how to negotiate, how to review a contract, how to think about a manuscript in terms of future marketing and sales potential. When I worked at Winslow Press (now defunct) I handled sub rights for the small list there and was lucky that they sent me to the Bologna Bookfair–so that was wonderful, of course, but it really opened up my eyes to the international scope of children’s books and introduced me to many foreign children’s publishers.

RVC: It must’ve been a real treat, then, being able to work on such big brands like Eloise and the Cheerios board books?

SC: It taught me the power of the brand, and specifically for an evergreen or legacy brand. Everyone knew Eloise, of course, and it was our responsibility to keep the book in the forefront of booksellers minds, so the 40th anniversary was a perfect opportunity to create more awareness and to increase sales.

Cheerios was very different. It’s not a literary brand, of course, but it was such a known commodity, a top brand–especially with mothers/​caregivers and snacking toddlers. At this point in my career, I was the director of licensing and product development at Simon & Schuster. I was charged with bringing in all kinds of licenses to see how they could be leveraged and made into books for children.

I kid you not, this is how it happened: I had read an article about the pincer grasp, which is a big milestone for toddlers in their fine motor development. So I was food shopping, rolling down the cereal aisle, probably thinking about work as one does, and I stopped to let a mother and her kid pass–their cart had 3 boxes of Cheerios in it. Somehow my brain made a connection with the article I had read and this cereal brand–and I knew I wanted to do Cheerios toddler board books. Back in the office I presented the brand and described that the board book pages needed to be thick so that a toddler could insert a Cheerio piece in a round indentation. Voila! The perfect book to help a toddler with their pincer grasp.

RVC: Wow. That’s an amazing story.

SC: I went on to negotiate the license with General Mills, though I eventually left S&S. By that time, I think there were three Cheerios books that had sold millions of copies. A shoutout to Lee Wade who was the art director at the time at S&S (she now has her own imprint at Random House). She designed and gave birth to all the books.

RVC: Since we’re talking about giving birth here…let’s move ahead to chat about you forming The Chudney Agency in 2002.

SC: I actually became an agent because I was in between jobs. I had foolishly quit a position without having anything else lined up (I did say it was foolish), and then September 11th happened and all of New York froze. For months…no jobs opened up, nothing. I needed to do something and it was suggested to me that I be an agent–and that’s exactly what I did.

I must say here I couldn’t have done any of this without the tremendous support of Ralph, my beloved partner when I founded the agency, who is now my husband. I literally would have been homeless had I tried to do this totally on my own. He was totally onboard and behind me from day one.

RVC: What would you have done differently, knowing what you know now?

SC: If I had to do it all over again, I would have tried to get a position with an agency to really learn the ropes. Doing it alone was a bit daunting, but I muddled through it. Getting clients was the easiest: if you were the new agent in town, at least back then, one would be bombarded with authors and illustrators looking for representation.

RVC: What was the biggest surprise? 

SC: The biggest surprise was that I couldn’t sell everything I sent out on submission. I thought I could do poetry, picture books, novels, nonfiction–the sky was the limit! But that wasn’t the case. It took me a couple of years to find my groove and understand where my strengths lay within kidlit.

RVC: Indeed, your agency website says you specialize in “the wonderful world of books for children and teens.” What is it about kidlit that interests you?

SC: I actually began my career selling mostly adult books and eventually became a children’s specialist. I was drawn to the artistic side of children’s books–all that art!–and the many school and library conferences for kids books allowed me not only to travel around the country, but  also to meet teachers and librarians firsthand. It was a great way to learn more about their jobs and their young readers. I really felt part of the process.

I secretly also felt that the people in children’s books were nicer. But it was when I was at Farrar Straus & Giroux over 2 decades ago that I first enjoyed a marketing promotion success which lead me forward in my career: then I did both sales and marketing. FSG then distributed a small press that had the lovely Linnea in Monet’s Garden book–a backlist staple for FSG for years. A big anniversary was coming up and I proposed we do a promotion to increase sales. I don’t remember all the details, but we designed and printed a cardboard easel-​backed cutout figurine of Linnea that bookstores could get for free if they ordered a certain amount of copies of the book. Probably 5–8 copies, I imagine, with maybe a little extra discount. It worked, and sales bloomed for Linnea in Monet’s Garden. That cutout figurine remained in stores for years and years.

RVC: You’ve said that you really enjoy the “beginning of the process,” which I take to mean reading submissions and discovering new talent. What do you find so appealing? 

SC: It’s discovering new talent that excites me a lot, the proverbial diamond in the rough–reading something that is really good, if not wonderful–and realizing there’s something here, that once revised and polished, there may be an audience for the piece down the road once it’s ready for submission.

Since we’re talking about the beginning of the process, I also like bringing ideas to my authors. For example, I suggested that Alice McGinty write The Water Lady, forthcoming from Anne Schwartz Books/​Random House, after seeing a heartbreaking and astonishing news segment about the lack of running water on Navajo reservations. I had read Marcel Marceau’s obituary and learned he had survived the Holocaust–perfect for a picture book biography by Leda Schubert, Monsieur Marceau: Actor Without Words. And author Elisa Boxer took my idea of a picture book bio about Nancy Pelosi and ran with it–this is due with Crown /​ Random House in 2021.

RVC: Those books sound terrific. But let’s talk about the submission process a bit. Pretend “Joe Smith” sent you one and it’s now at the top of your to-​read stack. What are three things you might find in Joe’s manuscript that get you excited?

SC: At the moment, I’m only looking for author/​illustrator projects–that is, text and art from one individual–so let’s use that as an example.

First, I must like and relate to the art. This is entirely subjective and can be frustrating for authors when I reject a submission. Believe me, this happens to me with editors all the time, so I totally get it. Luckily I do like a variety of art styles. I have to love the story, feel there’s something worth telling and that it has value of some sort to the general consumer, but especially to editors and publishers. Is it fresh and maybe unusual? Is it a new take on a classic issue for kids? Is it a perfect blend of story and art? And then, does it have some kind of hook or sales handle that an editor can use to get the project through the acquisition process?

Besides loving the art, of course, here are some more tidbits.

What I loved about Joowon Oh’s Our Favorite Day story was that it was intergenerational: about how a grandfather couldn’t wait for his granddaughter to come for a visit. That Joowon and the characters are Korean added another element–and the dumplings didn’t hurt the story!

Jacob Grant’s Bear books with Bloomsbury are so wonderfully simple and humorous, yet their plots all relate to things that any toddler goes through in life. All those fears and issues!

Sarah Brannen’s two picture books with Philomel, Bear Needs Help and A Perfect Day, have very brief texts, but deliver colorful, beautiful art. Each book has a clever, wry twist, as well.

Julie Fortenberry’s forthcoming Darcy’s First Sleepover (Christy Ottaviano Books) and Pearl goes to Preschool (Candlewick), both offer wonderful art and also little kid issues told in a comforting and very appealing manner.

RVC: Beyond the obvious things—typos, preachiness, and length issues—what are some of the common reasons you say no to a manuscript?

SC: If the art doesn’t appeal to me, then I’ll pass on the project, of course. A lot of the art I pass on feels too amateurish and wouldn’t pass muster with my editors, I’m afraid. But then I look at some art in books from major houses that looks like my four-​year-​old nephew could’ve done it–and I sit back and simply wonder at that!  If a story feels derivative, if it’s too similar to others out there, or ones I’ve seen, then I’ll pass on it. I’m not a big fan of alliterative stories, or of rhymed texts–unless superbly done.

RVC: What’s a typical workday like for you?

SC: This is pre-​pandemic: I’m up early, and already reading manuscripts in bed. One of us walks the dog, and then I’m at my desk at 7:00am eating breakfast and reviewing overnight emails–my foreign rights agency is based in London, so I’m always hopeful some good news might have come in about a book. A finalized deal from Italy, an offer from Poland, interest from the UK about a novel? I delete all the crappy emails that come in…and then it’s on to the rest of the work day stuff.

As I work totally alone (a true sole proprietor!), I don’t have partners, other agents, or an assistant. I do everything here. All day long I’m responding to a variety of emails from clients and editors and other agents, reading queries (up to 10 to 15 a day). I’m following up with authors on their projects, cajoling some of them to write something new, reviewing a picture book text for the 8th time to see if it works, does it flow well, is it as strong as it can be for submission – does it need one more round? If there’s art involved, is the text laid out well and is it readable? Does the character look the same throughout the pdf?

Many times I send the author an email full of notes about their project, and then we hop on the phone for a conversation to make sure we’re both happy and on the same page. I break for lunch for an hour–and I do a lot of reading of manuscripts, especially novels. After lunch it’s maybe walking the dog again and then back to the computer. The afternoon is filled with much of the same, though I may need to run to the post office or the bank. By 4:00pm, I’m slowing down a bit, and by 4:30 until dinner time, I can be found reading manuscripts in the sunroom. No work until bedtime, when you’ll find me reading manuscripts in bed–or a non-​client novel for pure pleasure, if I’m lucky.

RVC: Can we take one of your books as a case study in how the process works? How about Joowon Oh’s 2019 Our Favorite Day, which earned a starred review from School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly?

SC: I met Joowon in August 2016. She’s from Korea and was living in New York when she submitted two pdfs to me. I was very much drawn to her art style, I loved the mixed media and her vibrant colors. I passed on one story, yet I told her the other one–then called The Gift–had potential, but needed work. And it did. The story was about a grandfather waiting for a visit from his granddaughter–totally sweet. She wanted some more revision details from me, which I provided, and we decided then to meet in the city for a coffee. Things went well, and I made her an offer of representation, which she accepted. Then we got to work on the text and story, as well as some things in the art.

Once the pdf was ready to go, the submission process began. Our first submission was an exclusive in November. The editor passed on it, so then I did a multiple submission round in December. And another one in January, and another one in March, which finally generated some interest from Candlewick! But then that editor was leaving and she passed it on to another editor there. The new editor, Kate Fletcher, loved it and eventually made an offer, which we negotiated and accepted.

Kate did a beautiful job working with Joowon on this story–it’s ostensibly the same story, but so much better. The title was changed to Our Favorite Day, and it published in September 2019 to lots of wonderful critical acclaim.

RVC: You’ve been closed to submissions for some time, but you’re open again now (June 2020). What are a few things you’re NOT really looking for in picture books at the moment?

SC: Yes, it’s been a tough several months for my family: we lost an aunt to cancer and I was her primary caretaker–it took up a lot of time, both literally and emotionally, and so I needed to close for new submissions for a while.

RVC: I’m so sorry to hear that, but I’m sure that writers and illustrators seeking representation understand.

SC: I’m open now to author/​illustrator submissions only. I want kid-​friendly, mostly character-​driven stories of any kind. A touch of humor always helps! But, first and foremost, I’m looking for stories that a child would pick up and want read to them (again and again)–not one where the appeal is more for the adult.

I’m also open to fun and or unusual nonfiction in picture books, too. If it has an anniversary tie-​in of any type, even better.

RVC: Just to be clear, you’re NOT looking for writers unless they also do their own art.

SC: That’s right. I’m not open to text-​only projects. Sorry, but I have enough clients writing those.

RVC: Now, it’s time for the long-​awaited, always-​appreciated, rarely equaled OPB SPEED ROUND! Zoomy questions and zippy answers, please. Ready?

SC: Let’s do it!

RVC: Best bakery in New York City?

SC: We love Breads Bakery down near Union Square, although there are other locations. You must try their chocolate babka!

RVC: If The Chudney Agency were ice cream, what flavor would it be?

SC: Italian pistachio gelato.

RVC: Your dream picture book project?

SC: Gosh, there are so many. Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall. Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Davis and Brian Pinkney. There are too many, so I’ll stop here.

RVC: Favorite picture book from childhood?

SC: Bread and Jam for Francis.

RVC: Favorite line from a Chudney-​repped picture book?

SC: “I don’t need pants to party” from Jacob Grant’s forthcoming book, No Pants!, Viking, 2021

RVC: Way to end strong, Steven. Thanks so much!

Agent Interview: Jennifer Unter (The Unter Agency)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Industry Insider

I had genuine worry that the COVID-​19 situation would understandably keep the OPB blog from continuing with the every-​Monday posts we’ve managed since we launched in April 2018. I’m incredibly stoked that we’re able to keep on trucking thanks to the generosity of literary agent Jennifer Unter who agreed to be this month’s Industry Insider Interviewee. What luck!

Here are three things you need to know about Jennifer before we get rolling.

  1. She has her own literary agency.
  2. She has her own literary agency.
  3. She has her own literary agency.

Let’s be clear about something. Jennifer has plenty of other selling points that make her an agent any writer would be ecstatic to partner with, but here’s what I’ve come to realize over the years—if you can launch your own agency and keep it up for more than a decade, you’re doing not just one thing but a BUNCH of things well. Let’s find out what those are!

Agency Website: www.theunteragency.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferUnter

RVC: There’s no way to interview anyone right now without asking this question—how has the COVID-​19 virus affected your work?

JU: It’s so hard to tell at this point. In the present moment, many editors are asking me to re-​pitch them with projects in June since they’re so overwhelmed with working from home (with kids and other issues) that they aren’t buying anything. A few of my books have been pushed back to 2021, but some are going forward as planned, so we’ll see how that works. I’ve been trying to support my authors whose books are out now with new ways to publicize–online storytime and the like. Publishing is a real community, so everyone is trying to help everyone else out and we’re all just getting used to the new (temporary) normal.

RVC: Thanks for that honest update. I get a lot of questions from students, colleagues, and writing friends about what’s going on in the writing world. We’re all sort of holding out collective breath.

JU: Holding our breath and taking very deep breaths at the same time, if that’s possible!

RVC: Exactly so! Let’s circle back to the beginning. At what point did you know you were going to work in the writing world?

JU: I knew when I was in college that I wanted to work with writing in some way. I was an English major and my favorite thing was to read books, so I figured that working in publishing would be an extension of that!

RVC: How did you land that first editorial job at Henry Holt & Co.? And what was the most valuable lesson you took from that experience?

JU: I went to the publishing course at NYU the summer after I graduated college and the editorial assistant job at Henry Holt was on the job board, so I applied and, luckily, I got it. My boss, Allen Peacock, was a brilliant editor, and he taught me to trust my instincts and to have passion for every project. Every book is at least 2 years of work and if you don’t completely love it from the get go, you’re going to fall out of love pretty quickly when you have to read it for the 4th time.

RVC: While you’re not a copyright lawyer, you did attend Fordham University School of Law, and you spent some years at an entertainment firm, so I’m guessing you have better-​than-​average insight into this. What’s the most common misconception that writers (and maybe some agents and editors) have about contracts in general, and/​or copyright? 

JU: Many people believe that contracts are ironclad or can’t be negotiated, but that’s not the case. In addition, contracts can be difficult to read or make sense of–that’s what I focused on as a transactional entertainment attorney. After reading many hundreds, they become much clearer!

RVC: Is there one part of them that most early-​career authors don’t appreciate or think though? I guess I’m thinking about what a genius move George Lucas made way back when to keep the merchandising rights (and sequel rights!) to the Star Wars franchise. Any recommendations for contract parts to read with extra-​care and attention?

JU: Definitely the competition clause. A contract should never prohibit a writer from doing their job, which is being a writer! A contract that doesn’t allow a writer to publish other things–whether it’s another book, an article, or anything that isn’t very similar to the work that is the subject of the contract–is going overboard and should be negotiated so that it’s fair to the writer.

RVC: Great advice there for sure! Now let’s talk about the decision to create The Unter Agency, LLC in 2008. 

JU: I knew I wanted to work for myself for a long time, but it’s hard to find the right moment. I had two young kids at home, and I wanted to do something that was for me. I felt like if I didn’t go for it then, I was never going to do it.

RVC: What was your first sale?

JU: David Gumpert’s Raw Milk Revolution to Chelsea Green Publishing.

RVC: Unlike some kidlit agents, you also represent a host of other areas—food/cooking, nature/​environment, biography/​memoir, pop culture, travel/​adventure, true crime, politics, and health/​fitness. What percentage of the books your rep are kidlit in general? And picture books in specific?

JU: I would say that 60–70% of my list is kidlit. And out of that 60%, probably ½ is picture books.

RVC: What do you like most about picture books?

JU: I love the whimsy and the truth of picture books. They are our emotions, distilled down to 32 pages.

RVC: What picture book project at your agency—at whatever stage it’s in—are you most excited about?

JU: That is not really a fair question, since I love them all! But, I think for this current moment, a picture book that just came out entitled Krit Dreams of Dragon Fruit by Emily France and Natalie Becher–which is about weathering change–is perfect for kids right now.

RVC: Okay, it’s time for another installment of the World’s Greatest Picture Book Blog Speed Round™(ish)! Jennifer, are you ready? 

JU: Ready, willing, and able!

RVC: Since your agency’s office is a half-​block from Central Park…“The strangest thing I’ve seen at Central Park was…”

JU: A clown with a pet snake.

RVC: Best-​yet-​somehow-​underappreciated indie bookstore in NYC?

JU: I think because there are so few of them, no bookstores in NYC feel underappreciated, but my favorite at the moment is The Corner Bookstore on the Upper East Side.

RVC: If picture books were comfort food, what would they be?

JU: Eggplant lasagna.

RVC: Top attributes of your top clients?

JU: Their dedication to their craft and their desire to bring joy to their readers.

RVC: Best non-​Unter-​repped picture book of 2019?

JU: Magic Ramen by Andrea Wang.

RVC: What’s the secret sauce of YOUR success?

JU: I work all the time! And, I love what I do.

RVC: Thanks so much, Jennifer!