Literary Agent Interview: Shari Maurer Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have Shari Maurer here. She’s an agent at The Stringer Literary Agency.
  
Hi Shari! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Shari:

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

I was a writer, having had a young adult novel (Change of Heart) published, as well as a parenting book (The Parents’ Guide to Children’s Congential Defects. I had also written hundreds of parenting articles for Romper, Patch, and other publications. A few years ago, my agent, Marlene Stringer, approached me about joining her agency. The timing was great and I am lucky to have a fabulous mentor in Marlene. As I started evaluating submissions, it was clear to me that I was gravitating toward children’s books and non-fiction, which probably shouldn’t have surprised me because that’s exactly what I had been writing and in my early career I worked for International Sesame Street.  

About the Agency:

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

The Stringer Literary Agency is a full-service agency with offices in Florida and New York, specializing in commercial fiction and select non-fiction since 2008. Marlene and I are both very hands on and help our authors editorially, too.

What She’s Looking For:

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

I represent picture books, middle grade, and young adult in both fiction and non-fiction. While I gravitate toward contemporary realistic and dystopian fiction, I’m open to all genres.

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

I would love to see some magical realism or a fantasy novel. I love a strong, voice-y protagonist and want something that will make me laugh and make me cry.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

In fantasy, I tend to shy away from the world-building types of novels—fairies, wizards, dragons, etc. are not my thing. 

I’m really open to anything.

Agent Philosophy:

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

I want to represent authors and their careers, not just one book. I like when authors are not just open to editorial suggestions, but adept at editing their own work.

Editorial Agent:

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

Yes. I always work closely with the authors to push them to make their stories as strong as they can be. Once I sign an author, I re-read their submission and send them editorial notes. They will do another draft and then, when we think the work is ready, I’ll put together a sub list and an editorial letter and send them out.

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

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

They should query me via the StringerLit website: https://www.stringerlit.com/

Your query letter is the first thing I read, so make it professional and include a blurb that makes me excited to read your book.

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

I’m a little old fashioned, but I want to see a true query letter—salutation and all. Include an enticing description and a paragraph about your writing experience and include why you are the best person to tell this story, if that’s applicable.

Response Time:

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

This varies for me. Client manuscripts are always my first priority, so when I don’t have client manuscripts to edit, I answer queries in a few weeks max. Right now, I had a wonderful spurt of clients sending me their work, so I’m a little behind. I’m hoping to catch up soon.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

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

Yes, but it’s harder to sell something that’s already been out there. That said, send me your new stuff!

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?

T.L. Simpson, Razeena Omar Gutta, Judy Campbell-Smith, Michael Méndez Guevara

Interviews and Guest Posts:

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

No interviews come to mind, but it might be useful to see my Manuscript Wish List: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/shari-maurer/

Links and Contact Info:

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

Please query me via the StringerLit website: www.stringerlit.com

Additional Advice:

15. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

Read as much as you can in the genre you want to write. Find a critique group and edit, edit, edit till that work is as shiny as it can be. Then be tenacious and query widely until you find someone who loves your manuscript as much as you do.  

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Shari. 

 Giveaway Details

Shari is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through March 29th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that’s okay. Just let me know in the comments.

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

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

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

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Wednesday, March 19th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shari Maurer and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 26th I have an agent spotlight interview with Amy Thrall Flynn and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, March 28th I have an agent spotlight interview with Sally Kim and a query critique giveaway

Tuesday, April 1st I’m participating in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, April 2nd I have an interview with debut author Lucia Damisa and a giveaway of her YA A Desert of Bleeding Sand and my IWSG post

Monday, April 7th I have an agent spotlight interview with Etsy Loveing-Downes and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 14th I have an interview with author Mia Araujo and a giveaway of her MG Afia In the Land of Wonders 

Wednesday, April 16th I’m participating in the Raindrop in Roses Giveaway Hop

Monday, April 21st I have an agent spotlight interview with Carey Blankenship-Kramer and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, April 23rd I have an agent spotlight interview with Rebecca Eskildsen  and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 28th I have an interview with debut author Alby Williams and a giveaway of their MG Where There Be Monsters

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

Debut Author Interview: Carol Baldwin and Half-Truths Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! I’m excited to have debut author Carol Baldwin here to share about her YA Half-Truths. She’s also a blogger friend and part of the MMGM (Marvelous Middle Grade Monday) group, so it’s especially exciting to celebrate her upcoming book release. I enjoy historical fiction and am looking forward to reading her book.

Here’s a blurb of Half-Truths:

It is 1950, and 15-year-old Kate Dinsmore wants to become a journalist. But, her tobacco-farming father can’t afford to send her to college. She devises a plan to move from rural North Carolina to her wealthy grandparents’ home in Charlotte in hopes of gaining their financial support. Now she has a new set of problems. How can she please her society-conscious grandmother and conform to her new classmates’ lifestyles? 

She meets Lillian, her grandmother’s teenage maid, and despite their racial differences, they form a tentative friendship. While exploring her grandmother’s attic, Kate unearths a secret that rocks her world and Lillian’s too. The shocking discovery reveals half-truths that threaten the girls’ friendship. What will Kate do when she must choose between Lillian and her new society friends?

Through a mentorship with a newspaper editor, Kate realizes that journalism requires honesty. But, the risks of truth-telling make Kate question herself. If she reveals what she has learned, what price will she pay? 

Hi Carol! Thanks so much for joining us. 

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

Thanks for having me, Natalie. It’s an honor to be featured on your blog.

I’ve been writing ever since junior high. I had several pen pals and wrote angst-filled poetry that I tried to publish. I kept a journal for many years which helped me translate my thoughts and emotions into words. As a child, my mother told me I had a way with words. Her belief in me gave me confidence. One of these days I need to dig out some of my early “writings” that my mother saved! In high school, I worked on the school newspaper, and I published my first article in college.

2. Where did you get the idea for your story?

I moved to Charlotte from the Northeast almost 40 years ago and was curious about my new hometown and this part of the country. Over the years, I learned about the South and Charlotte. Unfortunately, many historical homes and places were not preserved in Charlotte. I started wondering what the history was “under my feet.” What had happened in areas that I walked or biked through that were now covered up by buildings or asphalt?

For a long time, I had wanted to write a book for teens, and as I became curious about what led to Blacks gaining civil rights, I began to think about a story that would incorporate this struggle. I imagined a young White girl who moved to the city of Charlotte from a farm and what her struggles would be to fit into her new world. Given the racial tensions of the time, I wanted her to meet a Black girl and form a friendship despite their differences and many conflicts. 

Your Writing Process

3. Your story is set in the 1950s in Charlotte. What research did you do about life in the 1950s in Charlotte to get these details right?

There were three main sources for my information:  books and articles I read, people I interviewed, and places I went to. First, I read about Charlotte, about the 1950s, about the conflict in Korea (at one point that was going to be a bigger part of the story); about fashion, people, and the news. You name it, I wanted to know my setting as well as possible. In the early stages, I read articles from The Charlotte Observer on microfilm. More recently, I’ve read stories archived online which is a lot easier! I also found information in other periodicals and on the internet.

Second, I interviewed close to 100 people who lived in Charlotte during the period or had heard stories from family members. Bits and pieces of their stories got woven into mine. Often it was hard to figure out what not to include!

Third, I visited places. In the End Notes of Half-Truths, I talk about visiting a former Rosenwald School in Charlotte. The personal stories of the two men I met and a picture on the school’s wall were pivotal in creating my plot. I visited the remains of an African American cemetery less than a half mile away from an upscale mall and restaurants. That cemetery was part of the inspiration for the cemetery scene in Half-Truths. I visited the Second Ward Alumni House and met alumni Vermelle Ely and Price Davis.  Over the course of many conversations, they showed me how important their Black high school was to the community and gave me a picture of what life was like for Black teenagers in the 50’s in Charlotte. 

4. Wow! You did a ton of research. Were you a plotter, panster, or a combination of both? How long did it take you to write and revise your manuscript before trying to get it published?

I am definitely a plotter. Since my previous experience was writing articles in magazines and newspapers

and two nonfiction books, I wasn’t comfortable plunging into fiction. I needed a road map. I created detailed outlines which often changed, but helped me visualize the plot, chapters, and scenes. 

It’s been 18 years from pre-writing to publishing Half-Truths. I had written nonfiction and knew I had decent writing skills, but I didn’t have the skills to write fiction. That’s an entirely different ballgame! The story grew, morphed, and solidified over those years, but the kernel of it stayed the same. And, in the process of drafting and revising I learned how to write a novel!

5. You are certainly dedicated to your story. How did your story become stronger through the editing process you went through with your publisher, Monarch Educational Services?

Jen Lowry, my publisher, loved the story but encouraged me to make my protagonist more likable and less selfish. Jen also helped me to dig deeper into my characters’ perspectives as I developed their thoughts, emotions, and motivations. She pointed out places where my protagonist wasn’t true to her character.

Your Road to Publication

6. Share about your road to publication. Did your job with Monarch help you get your publishing contract?

I queried many agents, approached a few publishers with whom I had personal contact, and submitted the manuscript to publishing houses who considered unagented authors. Although I received some interest, nothing panned out. A fellow author told me about Monarch and their emphasis on books that are clean reads. I sweated over my query, but Jen replied within hours that I should send her the full manuscript. I was ecstatic! I signed with her a few months later. Since Monarch is small, I kept asking Jen how I could help her with her work. She could tell I liked connecting with people, so she assigned me the job of being Monarch’s volunteer publicist. 

7. What a great road to publication story. You are not represented by an agent. Did that make negotiating your contract more challenging? What tips do you have for other authors signing publishing contracts without an agent?

Jen offered a very fair contract and I didn’t feel the need to negotiate it. Sorry, I don’t have any tips for authors!

Promoting Your Book

8. I know you’re organizing a blog tour in late March. How did you decide on which bloggers to ask to participate? What else are you planning?

I contacted kidlit bloggers who I have virtually met over the years, including my fellow MMGM bloggers. Since Half-Truths is coming out on April 2, National Reconciliation Day, I contacted The Levine Museum of the New South and suggested a panel discussion on reconciliation. The director was interested and I invited three local authors to join me for the event, “Reconciliation Through Story.”  I am also having a launch party at the local indie store on April 5 and (hopefully!) a virtual launch event on Instagram on April 3. I’m still working on that. 

9. You’re a publicist at Monarch Educational Services? How has your experience shaped your marketing plan for your book? Please share tips on how other authors should help promote their books.

That’s an excellent question! Marketing and promoting books are HUGE jobs. You can read my blog Nine Tips on How to Be Your Own Publicist for the answer. Now that I’m in the middle of promoting my book, I would add a tenth tip: Keep in mind that you can’t do everything. Pick and choose what works for your time, energy, and budget.

10. Your last tip is a really good one. Other authors I’ve interviewed say the same thing. What are you working on now?

Right now promoting Half-Truths is my priority. When the dust settles I want to get back to a prequel to Half-Truths. Out of the Flame is a middle-grade book about Half Truth’s protagonist’s grandfather. Here’s the pitch: At the turn of the 20th century, a young factory worker is surrounded by deafening noise, blisteringly hot glass, and mind-numbing exhaustion. There is no end in sight until he finds mysterious notes from a boy who lived this life 150 years earlier.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Carol. 

You can find Carol here. You can preorder Half-Truths through Barnes & Noble. 

Carol is hosting a separate preorder giveaway (separate from the Literary Rambles giveaway), U.S. addresses only. If you preorder the book and send Carol the receipt, she’ll send you swag!

Giveaway Details

Carol is generously offering a paperback of Half-Truths for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by March 29th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or follow Carol on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S. 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Wednesday, March 19th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shari Maurer and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 26th I have an agent spotlight interview with Amy Thrall Flynn and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, March 28th I have an agent spotlight interview with Sally Kim and a query critique giveaway

Tuesday, April 1st I’m participating in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, April 2nd I have an interview with debut author Lucia Damisa and a giveaway of her YA A Desert of Bleeding Sand and my IWSG post

Monday, April 7th I have an agent spotlight interview with Etsy Loveing-Downes and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 14th I have an interview with author Mia Araujo and a giveaway of her MG Afia In the Land of Wonders 

Wednesday, April 16th I’m participating in the Raindrop in Roses Giveaway Hop

Monday, April 21st I have an agent spotlight interview with Carey Blankenship-Kramer and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, April 23rd I have an agent spotlight interview with Rebecca Eskildsen  and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 28th I have an interview with debut author Alby Williams and a giveaway of their MG Where There Be Monsters

I hope to see you on Wednesday! 

Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

 

Happy Sunday! Today I'm excited to participate in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox and Mom Does Reviews. I hope you're having a good month. It's finally gotten warm here, and I'm enjoying taking my dog for daily walks and starting to work in my yard,

 

 Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card

I am offering a book of your choice that is $20 or less on Amazon. I’m looking forward to seeing what books everyone is looking forward to reading.

If you don’t have a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Giveaway Details

To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by March 31st telling me whether you want a book, and if so, which one, or the Amazon gift card and your email address. Be sure to include your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is U.S. only and the Amazon gift card giveaway is International.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Tomorrow, March 17th I have an interview with debut author Carol Baldwin and a giveaway of her upper MG/YA Half Truths

Wednesday, March 19th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shari Maurer and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 26th I have an agent spotlight interview with Amy Thrall Flynn and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, March 28th I have an agent spotlight interview with Sally Kim and a query critique giveaway

I hope to see you tomorrow!

And here are all the blogs participating in this blog hop:

 

1.	Mom Does Reviews, WW	9.	Angel's Book Nook, WW
2.	Ana Jolene, WW	10.	Mocha Girls Read, US
3.	Versatileer, WW	11.	Sharing Life's Moments, US
4.	It's Free At Last, WW	12.	DairyFreeGFLife, US
5.	Jody @ Jody's Bookish Haven, WW	13.	My UnEntitled Life, US
6.	Literary Rambles, WW	14.	Celebrate Woman Today, US
7.	Says Me Says Mom, US	15.	The Frugal Grandmom, US/CAN
8.	The Candid Cover, WW

(Linkup closed)

MamatheFox, Mom Does Reviews, and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Author Interview:Allie Millington Interview and Once For Yes Giveaway

 Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Allie Millington here to share about her MG contemporary Once For Yes. From the description, it sounds like a really heartwarming story that I know I’m going to like.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

The Odenburgh, an old apartment building made of brick and blunt opinions, is the last of its kind in a swiftly changing neighborhood. After years of putting up with people and their many problems, the Odenburgh knows there’s no point in getting attached. They all just leave eventually. A truth that comes all too soon when the building is sold and slated for demolition, giving tenants a month to move out.

No one is more troubled by the news than eleven-year-old Prue, who refuses to leave her family’s apartment. Not when it was the last place she lived with her sister Lina, before she lost Lina forever. When Prue launches a plan to save their home, the Odenburgh joins in—flickering lights, jamming elevators, triggering fire alarms—all to try and bring a building full of bickering residents together. In the process, Prue meets Lewis, an eccentric boy who lives across the street—and the only one who can help her discover the missing elements of her sister’s story.

 

Follower News

Before I get to Allie’s interview, I have Follower News to share. Ronel Janse Van Vuuren has a new book

released, Smoke on the Water. Here’s a blurb: Immortals + Boredom = Catastrophe
Something old and dangerous is awake and influencing immortals from various pantheons to act in ways they’d only imagined. Their actions – sometimes hilarious, mostly dangerous – bring the realms to the brink of the Apocalypse. Can a few manage damage control and stop the end from coming for them all? And here are a few links:
Book details: https://www.ronelthemythmaker.com/my-books/smoke-on-the-water/
Buy link: https://books2read.com/u/mYk6AG

Interview With Allie Millington

Hi Allie! Thanks so much for joining us.

1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

Writing has always been one of the biggest parts of myself ever since I can remember. Through all the different changes and hobbies and interests I’ve had, writing has stayed constant. It’s how I spent most of my time growing up, throwing a ball against the side of the house while I spoke stories into existence, or writing plays that I forced my siblings and neighbors to take part in. When I first left home, I lived overseas in England and Brazil, working with kids in various capacities. Those experiences really shaped my passion for spending time with students, and much like writing, it became what I felt like I was made for.
I’m grateful to now have a job that allows me to invest in both of those things that are deeply important to me. I currently live near Atlanta, GA, with my husband, a dog called Crumpet, and a house full of thrifted items (including multiple typewriters).

2. Where did you get the idea for Once For Yes?

Most of my books start with an interesting character—someone or something that we’ve possibly never heard a story from before. The idea sparked with a run-down, crotchety apartment building called The Odenburgh, who showed up on the first page with a very strong voice. The plot began to fill in as I started reading countless articles about old apartments being demolished and tenants being forced to move. All of the lives, communities, and buildings that are affected by these decisions fueled much of this story. The book’s themes of grief and saying goodbye, healing and holding onto hope, were drawn from personal experiences and experiences of people close to me. 

Your Writing Process

3. What was your plotting process like for Once For Yes and how long did it take you to write a draft that you felt comfortable sending to your agent and editor?

Writing Once For Yes was a completely different experience than what I was previously used to. I sold it as part of the two book deal I received with my debut, Olivetti, and at that time it was only a three-sentence pitch when my editor offered on it. Olivetti’s publication date ended up being moved up earlier than expected, so it meant I had four months to turn the three-sentence idea of Once For Yes into a novel that I could turn in. The actual plotting of the story was different too—it was the first time that I knew exactly how the book would end before I started. I laid out some major emotional beats that I’d look to as lighthouses guiding the story, but for the most part I tried to let the characters make their own choices and tell me where the story needed to go.

4. Yikes, you had a short time period to write your first draft. Much of Once For Yes is told from the point of view of The Odenburgh, which is unique. What made you decide to tell some of your story through the building’s point of view and how did you get enough of Prue’s POV into the story?
    

Like with Olivetti, which is narrated by a typewriter, I’m drawn to writing from the perspectives of things we often don’t think much about—because they’re old or forgotten or simply an object. I thought an apartment building’s perspective would be interesting because it would naturally be full of stories, as it’s held the lives of residents, seen the ins and outs of humankind. My favorite part of writing Once For Yes was thinking from this unique point of view, and using empathy to try and understand what it would be like to hold people inside of you and be constantly left behind. In that way, The Odenburgh quickly became very alive to me.  
    Though having an inanimate, stationary character brings its challenges, it was really enjoyable to think of all the ways I could make a building feel more than just a building—and explore how I could make him feel alive to everyone else too. I wanted Prue and some of the other tenants’ POV’s too because I love hearing stories from all sides, and I love providing a cast with a wide variety in characters in hopes that there will be one each reader can relate to. Using these alternating POV’s also helped me figure out strategic times to reveal certain information and hints, especially moments that only The Odenburgh had witnessed.

5. How was writing Once For Yes different than writing your debut mg, Olivetti? What did you learn from working with your editor and/or agent on Olivetti that helped you write Once For Yes?

As I alluded to above, writing Once For Yes was a bit of a whirlwind. It was the first time I’d written on a deadline, the first time I’d been paid to write a book, and going into it knowing it was already going to be published was something new I had to wrap my head around. There was a lot I had to work through in terms of creating under pressure and how to protect the playfulness of the writing process when it becomes your ‘job.’ Before Once For Yes, I’d written books for several years inside my bubble, with hardly any outside feedback or voices ever involved. Working with my editor and agent on Olivetti helped me to be more open to sharing my work at earlier stages, how to better handle critiques and other opinions, and how collaborating on a book makes it that much stronger. I also learned the importance of listening to my instincts, and trying to stay true to myself while not necessarily writing to please anyone else.

Your Journey to Publication

6. It’s good you learned the skills you need to write on deadline. Your agent is Kristen Terrette. How did she become your agent and what was your road to getting a publishing contract like?

I love telling this story. I knew Kristen back before she was an agent. She was the only person I knew in my area that was a writer, so when I wrote my first book several years ago, I met with her to ask what I should do next. She offered to help edit my book (which really needed it), and taught me how to write a query letter. I remember her distinctly telling me at that coffee shop that I would be a bestselling author one day, and I just laughed because it sounded so ridiculous.
Especially considering the fact that I went on to query for four years, writing multiple books in different genres, and getting around 400 rejections. It was a disappointing season to go through, but one thing that helped was starting what I called my Rejection Collection—which is where I’d make one doodle or poem for every rejection letter I received. It was my tiny act of defiance to continue to make art even in the midst of being told my work wasn’t ‘good enough’. With so many pieces piling up in my Rejection Collection, I was able to send them out to encourage other people who were struggling or in their own disappointing seasons.
After four years of querying, I finally got some agent interest in a previous version of Olivetti—but I wasn’t sure if it was a good fit. Something about it wasn’t sitting right with me, but with it being the only positive connection I’d made after all that time, I thought I should move forward with them. The same exact minute I opened the offer letter from this agent, I got a call from Kristen, who I hadn’t heard from in a while. She said, “You’ll never believe what’s happened. I just got a job as a literary agent, and I want you to be one of my first clients.” I had no idea she was on the path to becoming an agent, but the timing of how it all played out what something I couldn’t ignore. She was already familiar with my writing and had always believed in me, so having that foundation of a trusting, warm relationship was an incredibly special place to start from.

7. What a cool story of how you got your agent. In your bio on your website, you say: “Olivetti, was an instant USA Today Bestseller and Indie Bookstore Bestseller, received a glowing review in the New York Times by Tom Hanks, and made several Best of 2024 Lists including School Library Journal, NPR, and The Boston Globe.” That’s amazing! Share a bit about what it was like to be a debut author and get such good reviews and news.

Thank you! I still don’t think it’s sunk in yet. It was very hard to grasp that it was happening at the time, especially coming freshly off of years of rejections. I’d gotten used to people saying ‘no’ or ‘not right now’ to my work, so suddenly receiving praise felt strangely foreign…like they couldn’t possibly be talking about my book, could they? Everything happened very quickly too—I signed with Kristen in November, went on submission with editors in January, and got multiple offers within the first week of Olivetti being out.
When it all started unfolding, a friend kindly bought me a journal to write my thoughts and emotions into, knowing I would likely forget it all if I didn’t record it. That’s been a big help in being able to reflect and remember the gifts the past year has brought, especially on days where there is bad news or I’m feeling inadequate about my work. I’m immensely thankful for the love and support Olivetti has received. It’s been incredibly rewarding to share my words with other people. And having Tom Hanks read my book and write about it in The New York Times is something I will never get over!

Promoting Your Book

8. How are you promoting Once For Yes? How have your marketing plans changed since you were a debut author?

    I’ve made some really wonderful connections with bookstores, libraries, and schools through Olivetti, so most of my promoting with Once For Yes is in partnership with those places. I’ve set up bookstore events and author visits at schools during the few months after the book releases. I’m also holding a preorder campaign on my Instagram with book goodies, as well as some fun giveaways! My publishers are also very helpful in promoting behind the scenes—sending out ARCs, including it in their newsletters, and having the book available at different festivals and conferences.

9. You have two upcoming picture books and one middle grade novel coming out in 2025 and 2026. Tell us about these books and how you got publishing contracts for them.
     
I started writing picture books during my querying journey, as I was experimenting with different genres.

One of those picture books in particular came as a result of me processing the disappointment and afraid-to-hope feelings I experienced throughout querying, which was called When You Find A Hope. I had a few picture books under my belt when Olivetti was first submitted to editors, and because it received multiple offers, I was able to get my foot in the door in some places. Two months after Olivetti received a two book deal, I received a two book deal for picture books with one of those editors I’d connected with.
The first of which was When You Find a Hope, an emotional, allegorical tale about how sometimes our hopes are shattered before they can be spread and shared. It’s a very special full circle moment for me that this book now has the chance to spread hope to readers. The second picture book I have coming out in 2026 is called When You Find A Question, which is a similar abstract story about the power and importance of questions.

10. What are you working on now?

Thank you for asking! I’m currently revising my third middle grade novel, called EARL GREY, which is set to release in Fall of 2026. I’m also gearing up for the release of my two new books this spring, as well as the paperback of Olivetti. It’s been a learning curve figuring out how to be in different stages with multiple books at once—but I’m very grateful to have all this in the works!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Allie. You can find Allie at www.alliemillingtonbooks.com or on Instagram at @allieinink.

Giveaway Details

Allie is generously offering a signed hardback of Once for Yes with goodies inside for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by March 22nd. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or follow Allie on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S. and Canada.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Sunday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Monday, March 17th I have an interview with debut author Carol Baldwin and a giveaway of her upper MG/YA Half Truths

Wednesday, March 19th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shari Maurer and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 26th I have an agent spotlight interview with Amy Thrall Flynn and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, March 28th I have an agent spotlight interview with Sally Kim and a query critique giveaway

I hope to see you on Sunday!

Traditional Publishing Without an Agent and Contract Terms to Watch for: Guest Post by Author Angie Dickinson and Truth Cursed Giveaway and the IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have author Angie Dickinson here to share a guest post to celebrate the release of her YA Truth Cursed. I love the idea of a curse, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Cressida Hoth is alone in the world. Orphaned and unwanted, she is inflicted with a peculiar curse by her mischievous aunts and banished to a finishing school in the secluded kingdom of Dernmont. Students train in every accomplishment suitable for young ladies: music, dancing, etiquette…and strangely, poison-making, fencing, and lock-picking.

The school is a front for a rebel spy ring, and when her training is complete, Cressida is selected to join a mission to infiltrate the kingdom’s royal court. She has been thrown unceremoniously into a world of ball gowns and espionage, but she is still under a curse, and it threatens to expose them all.

Defending her teammates and her secret, Cressida discovers that the kingdom’s buried history and the truth behind her curse run far deeper than she imagined.

 

 

Before we get to Angie’s guest post, I have my IWSG Post.

Posting: The first Wednesday is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

The awesome co-hosts this month are: Joylene Nowell Butler, Louise Barbour, and Tyrean Martinson!

Optional Question: If for one day you could be anyone or *thing* in the world, what would it be? Describe, tell why, and any themes, goals, or values they/it inspire in you.

I don’t really want to be anyone else because I don’t think we can know who a person really is and their heartaches and personal challenges. However, I always wish I could be more like people who have done great things to help their communities and the world we live in. A few people I really admire are Michelle Obama, Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy (the father), and Mother Theresa. I could add many more to my list. They all had/have compassion for those less fortunate, fight for underdogs in our world, promote peace, and try to make the world a better place.

In these dark times, I try to do my best to do good. I’m focused on helping writers through this blog, helping friends and family, and recently, making small stuffed animals to donate for kids going through hard times, like being in foster care, experiencing homelessness and poverty, and coming here as immigrants.

Traditional Publishing Without an Agent and Contract Terms to Watch For
By Angie Dickinson

The Query Trenches:

If you’re like me, you are well-acquainted with the slippery, shifting sands of the query trenches. Or perhaps you are early in your writing-to-publish journey, venturing into the search for literary representation and wondering what you’re in for. Everyone’s path is going to look different. In my personal experience, I began to feel like I could spend years in the trenches, sifting through names, wish lists, agencies, and submission guidelines, checking names off a list that grew longer every time I sat down to research.

There was never a point when I felt that I was done with this route and ready to climb out of the trenches completely. I had heard for years that there was only one right way to get a traditional publishing contract. But now, as an author who has just published her first novel with a well-respected traditional publisher, I can now say confidently that publishing alongside a literary agent is certainly not the only path.  

A couple of years ago, due to life simply growing busy and my weakening ability to slough off the rejection emails or no-responses with ease, I began to take a break from querying my novels. I had cast my net widely on and off for years, then narrowed my focus, and yet I was never completely confident when I hit send that the agent I was querying was truly the right fit for my book. Wish-lists were so specific, and trends were so fast-moving, that snagging the attention of an agent that could be a good fit felt like trying to catch a raindrop.

The Shift:

And so, I shifted my focus altogether. I began to concentrate on craft and community. As I spent my time

reading books in my genre, writing and revising my work, and engaging with other readers and writers, I began to notice how many happy, working writers were published by smaller publishing houses, often with no literary representation required. I did some research. The tricky part is finding the publishers who do not require representation and sorting the good from the bad. Ultimately, it was word-of-mouth that led me to my publisher. I first heard of Enclave Publishing when I saw their name printed on the copyright page of one of their young adult titles that I happened to pick up at my library. I looked up the author and found a warm and thriving community surrounding her. With very little effort, I slipped into this community, finding much in common with the readers and writers within. Then, another writer I’d interacted with on social media announced a contract signing with Enclave. After years of digging through lists of literary agents, I began to look in another direction.

The Proposal:

Submitting directly to a publisher rather than an agent is not necessarily done the same way. I was used to agency submission guidelines that usually required query letters and polished first chapters, first ten pages, or first five pages submitted in the body of an email. The publisher I chose to submit to directly had very specific and thorough guidelines, and they required a proposal. If you are required to submit a proposal rather than a query letter, it is essential that you do some research and learn what is expected. Find samples and ask questions. A thorough, accurately executed submission could easily be the difference between your work remaining in the slush pile, and being given a closer look. In a sea of submissions, it is much easier for the publisher to focus on what you are offering if the information they require is right in front of them as requested.

Contract Terms:

In spite of my excitement when I was first offered a contract by my publisher, I knew that as an unrepresented author I had to do my due diligence. I wanted to make sure I understood it to the best of my ability. So, the first thing I did was ask a lawyer in my family to take a look at it with me and make sure I understood the legalese. We researched anything that she was unfamiliar with and made sure it all made sense. I took my time with the contract and paid particular attention to rights granted, royalty rates, and termination clauses. I made a list of my questions, many concerning what the publisher pledged to do and what was expected of me. Then I had a phone conversation with my publisher, who was very transparent and informative. When I was satisfied that the lack of a literary agent wasn’t going to result in me being taken advantage of, I signed. This marked a turning point in my life, and a full year later, I am incredibly grateful for this diligent, small-but-mighty press and their willingness to consider authors without representation.

Conclusion

Whether you are a query-trench dweller like I was, or brand-new to the scene, I hope you will understand earlier than I did that there is more than one road to publication. We each need to find the one carved out just for us.

Website: https://angiedickinsonbooks.com/
Truth Cursed on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Sq5KEs
Publisher: https://www.enclavepublishing.com/books/truth-cursed/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angiedickinsonbooks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556496787590&mibextid=ZbWKwL

Giveaway Details

Angie is generously offering a signed hardback of Truth Cursed for a giveaway. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by March 15th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter or follow Elly on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Monday, March 10th I have an interview with author Angie Millington and a giveaway of her MG Once for Yes
Sunday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Monday, March 17th I have an interview with debut author Carol Baldwin and a giveaway of her upper MG/YA Half Truths

Wednesday, March 19th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shari Maurer and a query critique giveaway

Monday, March 26th I have an agent spotlight interview with Amy Thrall Flynn and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, March 28th I have an agent spotlight interview with Sally Kim and a query critique giveaway

I hope to see you on Monday!

Lady Luck Giveaway Hop

 

Happy Saturday! Today I'm excited to participate in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox and Mom Does Reviews. I'm grateful March will bring warmer weather. We had a few days of nice weather (40's) this week. It's been a bitter cold winter, and I could use some warm weather and more sunshine. I'll be going to visit my father-in-law this month where it will be spring/summer weather. I can't wait! I hope you have good things to look forward to this month.

Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

I’ve got a lot of exciting newly released MG and YA book choices this month that you might like. You can also choose another book in the series by these authors or a book of your choice. You can find descriptions of these books on Goodreads. 

 

Here are some fantastic middle grade choices:

And here are some YA choices:

If you haven't found a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

 

Giveaway Details

 

To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment by March 15th telling me whether you want a book, and if so, which one, or the Amazon gift card and your email address. Be sure to include your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is U.S. only and the Amazon gift card giveaway is International.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is hosted by Greg Pattridge. You can find the participating blogs on his blog.

 Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Wednesday, March 5th I have a guest post by debut author Angie Dickinson and a giveaway of her YA Truth Cursed

Monday, March 10th I have an interview with author Angie Millington and a giveaway of her MG Once for Yes

Sunday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Monday, March 17th I have an interview with debut author Carol Baldwin and a giveaway of her upper MG/YA Half Truths

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

And here are all the blogs participating in this blog hop:

 

1.	Mom Does Reviews, US	9.	Angel's Book Nook, WW
2.	Ana Jolene, WW	10.	Mocha Girls Read, US
3.	Versatileer, WW	11.	The Frugal Grandmom, US/CAN
4.	It's Free At Last, WW	12.	Celebrate Woman Today, US
5.	Literary Rambles, WW	13.	DairyFreeGFLife, US
6.	Says Me Says Mom, US	14.	Sarcastically Yours, Jen, US
7.	Powered by Mom, US/CAN	15.	My UnEntitled Life, US
8.	The Candid Cover, WW

(Linkup closed)

MamatheFox, Mom Does Reviews, and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

Literary Agent Interview: Reiko Davis Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Reiko Davis here. She’s an agent at DeFiore & Company.

Hi Reiko! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Reiko:

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

I’ve been working in publishing for twelve years (basically since I graduated from college!). I worked as a literary assistant for a few years before I started building my own list. In 2016, I joined DeFiore and Company and have been an agent there ever since.

About the Agency:

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

DeFiore and Company is a mid-sized agency based in Manhattan. Our office is near Union Square. Many of our agents, including the head of the agency, Brian DeFiore, were high-level editors and publishing directors for many years before they became agents. It’s an asset to have colleagues who deeply understand the inner workings and acquisitional decision-making within publishing companies when we’re on the other side of the negotiating table as agents. I consider DeFiore a very collaborative team, which is important. As agents, we’re working independently on our own clients’ projects much of the time, so it’s wonderful when we come together as a group to exchange information, expertise, and guidance. I count myself lucky to be at an agency with a dependable “brain trust” and supportive environment, and I think my clients also benefit from being a part of DeFiore as a whole.

What She’s Looking For:

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

I primarily represent middle-grade nonfiction and fiction, along with the occasional picture book. I tend to take on more MG nonfiction than fiction these days, but I’m always interested in finding an MG novel to fall in love with and champion. For MG nonfiction, I enjoy working on books that explore mental health, science, political activism, outer space, the natural world/environmentalism, and narrative history. I’m most drawn to writing that disrupts hegemony, centers community, and helps young readers feel more informed, grounded, and empowered in the world. For MG fiction, I’m very open. I enjoy contemporary and historical, realistic and magical/speculative, humorous and more emotionally serious.

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

I’d love to find more MG nonfiction by authors with established platforms and diverse perspectives. I’d also love to see more MG mysteries or MG adventure/survival stories set in wild, unexpected places (anything that features nature or the environment).

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

I’m currently not interested in YA projects or graphic novels.

Agent Philosophy:

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

I believe in Walter Dean Myers’s statement: “Reading is not optional.” I want to work on books that are educational and super entertaining, and that humanize people and events. I want young readers to get excited about literature because, as we know, reading deepens our empathy and shapes us into better humans and citizens who can make a positive difference in our communities. Obviously, I’m preaching to the choir here because children’s book people—whether they’re writers or publishing workers—already know and love this part of the job of reaching kids through storytelling. I want to work with authors who are singular in their writing voice and also passionate about this mission to both entertain and expand the hearts and minds of kids. 

Editorial Agent:

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

Yes, I consider myself an editorial agent. The length of the editorial process varies by project. Some projects need more development than others before I go on submission. Once an author and I are officially working together, I will send them written editorial notes along with a marked-up manuscript with my smaller edits and comments in track changes. Then we usually hop on the phone to discuss my feedback before the author steps away to work on a revision. The number of editing rounds we do depends, again, on the project.

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

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

Authors should follow my query guidelines on my agent page on DeFiore’s website .I want to see a query letter, author bio, and the first twenty pages of the manuscript pasted in the body of the email. If it’s a nonfiction project that’s in the form of a proposal rather than a full manuscript, I want to see the query letter, author bio, and the overview and chapter summaries sections of the proposal pasted in the body of the email.

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

I dislike it when authors pitch me projects that do not align with anything I represent or have expressed interest in representing. So my pet peeve is a lack of research. I would say that at least 40% of the queries I receive are not relevant to my work, and it eats up a lot of time sorting through them to get the queries from authors who’ve spent time researching agents and being intentional about the people they approach.

Response Time:

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

Response time is generally no more than a month if I’m requesting a partial or full manuscript. I’m unable to respond to every query I receive, so writers should consider it a pass if they do not hear from me within six weeks.

Self-Published and Small Press Authors:

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

Yes. I’ve worked with several authors who’ve been published by smaller presses before I represented them. I wouldn’t discount an author simply because they’ve had either self-publishing or small press experience before trying to find an agent.

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?

Andrea Debbink (The Wild World Handbook series), Dawn Cusick (The Astrochimps), Sean O’Brien (White House Clubhouse series), Stephanie Seales (My Daddy Is a Cowboy), MinuteEarth (the team of science communicators behind the YouTube channel; their How Not to Go Extinct is forthcoming from Bloomsbury Children’s), Lindsey Klingele (The Truth Lies Here),Lucy Jane Bledsoe (Running Wild).

Interviews and Guest Posts:

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

https://www.midwestwriters.org/2024/10/16/meet-agent-fest-online-faculty-reiko-davis-defiore-company/

https://www.writingdayworkshops.com/blog/short-story-collection-literary-agents-an-interview-roundup-with-reiko-davis-kim-lindman-and-amanda-orozco

http://www.middlegradeninja.com/2018/07/7-questions-for-literary-agent-reiko.html

Links and Contact Info:

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

Writers should contact me by email. My email address is on my agent page on the DeFiore website. My agent page is the most up-to-date place to find my query guidelines and other information about my wishlist and client list.

I also have a Member page on Publishers Marketplace: https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/rodavis/

Additional Advice:

15. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?

Toward the end of 2024, I was feeling mentally burned out, which is pretty common in publishing. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to read more books for pleasure. So far this year, I’ve read six books (for 100% pleasure, not a nagging “I feel like I should” read this book). This has reinvigorated me. It’s even helped in how enthusiastically I find myself reviewing manuscripts for work and thinking about edits.

I think this is the best advice I could give to an aspiring author right now: don’t forgot what pleasure reading does for you. I can definitely get caught in work! work! work! all the time, whether it’s writing, or editing, or thinking constantly about how to get a book published. But that eventually drains the joy from my work if I’m not maintaining a strong connection to why I do it in the first place: getting lost in a transformative book, closing the cover, and thinking, wow, all that time reading was entirely well-spent.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Reiko. 

Giveaway Details

Reiko is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through March 8th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that’s okay. Just let me know in the comments.

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

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

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

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Saturday, March 1st I’m participating in the Lady Luck Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, March 5th I have a guest post by debut author Angie Dickinson and a giveaway of her YA Truth Cursed

Monday, March 10th I have an interview with author Angie Millington and a giveaway of her MG Once for Yes

Sunday, March 16th I’m participating in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop

Monday, March 17th I have an interview with debut author Carol Baldwin and a giveaway of her upper MG/YA Half Truths

I hope to see you on Sunday!