This week's Agent Spotlight features Mary Kole of Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc.
About: "Mary came to children's literature from a writer's perspective and started reading at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency to see what it was like 'on the other side of the desk.' She quickly found her passion here and, after a year of working behind the scenes, officially joined the agency in August, 2009. In her quest to learn all sides of publishing, she has also worked in the children's editorial department at Chronicle Books and earned her MFA in Creative Writing at the University of San Francisco. Mary's passion is editorial work. With all of her clients, she uses her well-honed editorial eye to develop each project to its full potential. She especially enjoys traveling to conferences and SCBWI events to meet writers and actively build her list. Mary lives in Brooklyn and operates the East Coast office of the agency." (Link)
Status: Accepting submissions, actively building her list.
What She's Looking For:
Interests: Children's picture books through young adult (all genres except high fantasy and hard sci-fi), illustrators, and graphic novelists.
From Her Bio:
"At this time, Mary is only considering young adult and middle grade novels and truly exceptional, funny, quirky and character-driven picture books (she especially loves working with author illustrators). She's seeking fresh, unique voices and idiosyncratic characters who, by book's end, are more friend than fiction. Her favorite stories are upmarket, high-concept, character-driven and well-plotted...featuring a mix of fast pacing, emotional resonance, and beautiful writing. In essence: literary spark with commercial appeal.
"While she's not interested in high fantasy (think Tolkien), she would love to consider realistic/contemporary, character-driven fantasy (think GRACELING), urban fantasy, action/adventure, light science fiction, absolutely unique paranormal (no vampires or werewolves or Greek mythology), and humor manuscripts. She is especially looking for horror, ghost, mystery, thriller and dystopian tales. One of her favorite genres is magical realism: a story set firmly in our world, only with a twist—something that turns "reality" on its ear—to make things more interesting. Favorite themes include: family, home, unlikely heroes, discovering one's voice, and finding one's equilibrium after a big life event. Mary adores manuscripts that make her laugh, make her tear up or punch her in the gut. She also loves stories of friendship, romance, betrayal, full of those "first time" moments that make teenage life electric and unforgettable.
"For all manuscripts, voice is absolutely essential and character development is key. A high-concept or upmarket commercial premise is also important in today's market. Make sure your manuscript is as strong and polished (revised, revised after feedback, revised again) as possible. She looks forward to reading your work!" (Link)
From Her Blog (as of 09/2010):
"A really edgy, dark YA novel with a real voice to match…no edgy for edginess’ sake and no voices that are sarcastic just because, please. Ghosts, murders, mystery. Ghosts, ghosts, ghosts. Did I mention ghosts? I like them less old-fashioned-spook and more creepy-under-your-skin. A MG or YA with any of these 3 elements would be absolutely great! YA or MG set in a theatre. A picture book with a great, outside-the-box friendship hook, like HARRY AND HORSIE. A really good, edgy “issue book” like WINTERGIRLS. A dystopian YA that’s a little too close to home, like FEED. An incredible MG voice and main character, like the one in LOVE, AUBREY. A YA novel in verse" (Link)
From an Interview (09/2010):
"Right now, I'd love to find more unique paranormal, a really breezy teen beach read but with substance (think Jenny Han or Sarah Dessen), a completely unique and chilling dystopian, a really creepy ghost story, a murders mystery, a thriller, a classic middle grade, like THE PENDERWICKS, and a really fun, adventurous boy middle grade. I'm still always looking for my edgy contemporary realistic teen voice, of course. I find that, for me, the edgier and darker the YA, the better. What can I say? I'm a twisted mind. Must be all that Sweeney Todd..." (Link)
From an Interview (08/2010):
"Overall, I find myself craving darker, edgier, older YA these days. Not "darker" in terms of "let's put a vampire in it." In fact, please don't. I just have a very sarcastic, edgy, dark, morbid, creepy side to myself, something my inner sixteen year old can really relate to, and I'd love to see something complex and sophisticated along those lines." (Link)
From an Interview (07/2010):
Right now, I'd love to find a great dystopian YA and murder, horror, mystery, thriller or ghost stories for MG or YA. In terms of picture books, I find myself especially drawn to author-illustrators, who can create both the art and the text (usually, the art is their first passion, then we refine the text). My picture book sensibility skews toward the quirky, funny and character-driven. In any genre or for any age, it's all about fresh voice, literary spark, and upmarket commercial appeal." (Link)
From an Interview (03/2010):
"My favorite novels are contemporary MG and YA, often with a touch of magical realism. I'm open to lighter fantasy and some historical, though that is a very tough market right now. My favorite books are character-driven, with literary writing but strong commercial appeal. For picture books, my tastes run toward the decidedly quirky and humorous. I tend to stay away from old-fashioned storytelling, high fantasy, science fiction and early reader and chapter book manuscripts." (Link)
From an Interview (12/2009):
"I've been taken recently by the 19th century, but 20th century history is also very interesting. Historical is best for me if I get to learn about some hidden history or see a part of the US or world where something unique is going on. All historical has to be really strongly justified for me to like it, and it has to have a hook that's fascinating and exciting for modern readers. One bit of advice I like to give writers about historical fiction: even if people spoke or described stuff in an affected way in the days of yore, that's no excuse to write in a dry or stilted style. Dialogue and description still has to be fast-paced, fluid and engaging." (Link)
What She Isn't Looking For:
High fantasy, hard sci-fi, early readers, chapter books, adult projects, dramatic works.
Quotables:
"I'm looking for a very hands-on and long-term relationship with each client. The best clients, to me, are writers who stay informed about the business and the market but who also yearn to grow, learn, and improve their craft. You can always tell when someone is a 'lifer' and can't imagine doing anything else. Their determination and their willingness to evolve are what will make these kinds of writers successful in today's changing publishing market." (Link)
About the Agency:
"We are a mid-size literary agency based in California celebrating over 2,000 titles sold. We bring the best of both worlds to the table—the personal client attention of a small agency and the clout of a larger one. We invest a great deal of care in each project and each client. We devise a strategy at every stage of the writing process, from conception, to editorial, to publication, that is tailored to the client and will enable us to find the best publisher for his or her books. We are seeking long-term relationships with writers and illustrators whose careers we can develop and whose talent we can foster." (Link)
"We're looking for fresh, different, and new. As a largely West Coast based agency, we follow in a tradition of West Coast innovation in our passion for discovering new voices and sparking new trends. We're a part of the NY-centered publishing world but also cultivate the advantage of an insider's/outsider's perspective. We have access, standing, and visibility but also think outside the box. Our agents make regular trips to New York, attend industry conventions, and participate as faculty at writers' conferences all over the country. We ensure a high profile for our clients and keep our fingers on the pulse of publishing." (Link)
Her Advice to Writers:
"Read, read, read, write, write, write. Writing is a journey and a craft. Most writers typing away today need to put their fevered rush to publication on the back burner. Too many people make that the goal and lose focus on the writing. Not everyone will be published and not everyone will be published as quickly as they’d like. Most really successful authors report that it took them five, ten, fifteen years to finally get on shelves. So focus on the writing and the reading. You learn how to write from reading, too." (Link)
"Read your butt off, grow a new butt and read it off again. Lather, rinse, repeat. A large chunk of my writing knowledge comes from my aggressive reading load. I read both published, unpublished and soon-to-be-published books. In doing so, I internalize plotting, character arc, tension, pacing, description, dialogue. Plus, for me, it's research. There's no excuse not to be reading voraciously within and outside of your chosen genre or market." (Link)
The following pages are also available on the Andrea Brown website: Submission Advice, Dos and Don'ts, Tips From Our Team.
Dislikes/Peeves:
"I discuss a lot of query snafus on my blog, but the most ineffective queries, to me, aren't personalized, start with rhetorical questions or other gimmicks, and fail to make me care about the character at the heart of the story that's being pitched. Bad writing in a query also bodes to bad writing in the manuscript, so poorly-executed queries are a big red flag." (Link)
"Any kind of moralizing is an immediate turn-off. The people who succeed at writing for kids and teens respect their readership and acknowledge that this time in a person's life is just as rich, vibrant, smart and complicated as adulthood is." (Link)
Editorial Agent?
Yes. "I’m highly editorial and give in-depth notes. Writers have little awareness of what makes a manuscript 'editor ready,' so it’s my job to get something in the best shape possible before submission. It’s not just the writer’s name on that manuscript, it’s mine, too. These days, it’s so difficult to get a manuscript through to acquisitions that it has to show up at the editor’s desk wearing a suit and tie." (Link)
Web Presence:
Andrea Brown Agency website.
KidLit.
Twitter.
Facebook.
AgentQuery, QueryTracker, AuthorAdvance.
Clients:
Lisa Albert, Josh Ferrin, Carolyn Flower, Jamie Harrington, John Krause, Karsten Knight, Jenny Martin, Amanda Morgan, Bethanie Murguia, Kimberly Webb Reid, Lesley Simpson, A. Genevieve Tucholke, Lindsay Ward, among others.
There is also a select list of Andrea Brown Lit titles on the website.
Sales:
As of this posting, Ms. Kole is listed on Publisher's Marketplace as having made 5 deals in the last 12 months and 5 overall. Recent deals include 3 picture books and 2 young adult.
NOTE: PM is usually not a complete representation of sales. You can also see a sample of her deals on the Andrea Brown website here.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes (only).
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: No.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
Brief query in the body of the e-mail. Put QUERY in the subject line. Include publisher submission history and previous publishing credits (if applicable). Only query one agent at the agency. Note if it's a multiple submission. PB: Include full text. Fiction: Include first ten pages. NF: Proposal and sample chapter. Illustrators: Two to three jpegs of children and animals. No attachments.
See complete, up-to-date submission guidelines here, as well as the agency's General Advice, Do's and Don'ts, and Tips.
Query Tips:
"I love short queries that make me care about the character and story. You can easily do this by presenting me with a compelling character, telling me what they want, what the stakes are if they don't get it, and the obstacles in their way. If you're having trouble identifying these elements in your story, you're in trouble." (Link)
"Make me care. A lot of queries don't tell me what's important to the character, what's at stake, how things go from bad to worse for them. People read to bond with people. Even if you've got a blockbuster plot, the character is still important because they're what will pull me into the other elements of your story. Focus on them. Keep things simple and brief. Also, I'm sure you have lovely children, pets, hobbies, anecdotes, pictures, friends ... but, no offense, unless they're directly related to your project, maybe leave them out of your pitch." (Link)
Response Times:
The agency tries to respond within 4-8 weeks but has a no-response policy in place for busy times. However, Ms. Kole responds to all submissions (unless you don't personalize your query to her!) and usually responds within a few days but sometimes up to a couple weeks. She seems to respond to most requested material within a month.
What's the Buzz?
Mary Kole has fabulous buzz. Her presence in social media and willingness to help writers navigate the publishing industry has made her very popular among the kidlit community. She has the backing of a highly respected agency and is building a great list of clients and sales. Her clients seem really happy with her.
Definitely follow her on Twitter and subscribe to her blog to get a great feel for her personality (as well as a first-class writing education!). She frequently participates in Twitter chats such as #yalitchat and does the occasional critique contest on her blog.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews and Q&As:
7 Questions For: Literary Agent Mary Kole at Middle Grade Ninja (09/2010).
Agent Interview: Mary Kole at Alice Pope's SCBWI Market Blog (08/2010).
Interview with Mary Kole at Market My Words (08/2010).
Interview with YA Agent Mary Kole Dark Angel’s blog (08/2010).
Interview Mary Kole of Andrea Brown Literary at Cynsations (07/2010).
Interview with Mary Kole at Naomi Canale’s blog (05/2010).
Interview with an Agent: Mary Kole at MotherWrite (03/2010).
Interview with Mary Kole on urban fantasy at The Spectacle blog (01/2010).
Agent Advice Interview with Mary Kole at the Guide to Literary Agents (12/2009).
Interview with Literary Agent Mary Kole about revision posted on the NaNoWriMo blog (12/2010).
Interview with Mary Kole at the Editorial Department (12/2009).
Select Blog Posts From Kidlit.com:
Slush Behind the Scenes (08/2010).
Similarities to Existing Clients (07/2010).
Leaving Your Agent (07/2010).
Prequerying (06/2010).
Newer vs. Established Agents (06/2010).
Getting Offers from Multiple Agents (05/2010).
Know Your Category (05/2010).
Pitchcraft (02/2010).
Why I Say "No" To Great Work (01/2010).
Exclusive Submissions (01/2010).
What "Show, Don't Tell" Really Means (12/2009).
Fix Your Beginning (12/2009).
Manuscript Length (11/2009).
Being an Agent who Edits (10/2009).
Querying with a Series and Series in General (10/2009).
Writing in Multiple Genres or for Multiple Audiences (10/2009).
Inside the Agent/Client Revision Process (10/2009).
Rejection Follow-Up (10/2009). Rejection Follow-Up Part 2 (11/2009).
Writing a Simple, Compelling Query (08/2009).
When to Cut Something Out of Your Manuscript (06/2009).
Should I Send a Revision to Agents Looking At My Work? (06/2009).
What Not to Name Your Document (05/2009).
The One Thing Never To Do in a Manuscript ((04/2009).
This is only a sample! Seriously, I had to cut this list down quite a bit. Subscribe or follow or whatever it is you do.
Around the Web:
Article with Publishers Weekly Children’s Bookshelf about WriteOnCon (08/2010).
Avoiding Character Stereotypes vlog by Mary Kole at WriteOnCon (08/2010).
Live Panel featuring Mary Kole and others at WriteOnCon - press "replay" (08/2010).
Article about the Do the Write Thing for Nashville Auction in the SCBWI National Newsletter, July/August 2010.
Video featuring Ms. Kole at 2010 Highlights Foundation agent/editor panel at The Whole Megillah (05/2010).
Agent Day: Insight from Agent Mary Kole at Ingrid's Notes (05/2010).
Article Ms. Kole was interviewed for about using technology references in YA for WOW Women on Writing (2010).
Twitter #scribechat transcript with Mary Kole at Scribd (01/2010).
Client Jamie Harrington and Jenny Martin's success stories from the DFW Writers Conference.
Agent Appreciation Day post on Mary Kole by client Lisa Albert.
Andrea Brown Literary Agency thread on AW.
Andrea Brown Literary on P&E (recommended).
Check out the Big Sur Writers Workshop that the Andrea Brown Agency hosts (Ms. Kole will be attending).
Join her mailing list (on the sidebar of Kidlit) to stay up-to-date about conferences and workshops she will be attending.
Finally, also keep an eye on the sidebar of Kidlit for updates on what she's looking for!
Contact:
Please see the Andrea Brown Literary website for contact and query information.
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Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at agentspotlight(at)gmail(dot)com
Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.
