Dear Ms. Smith:
Eleven-year-old Linh Briggston loves daydreaming about Vietnamese fairy tales--so much that she rarely listens to her mother. Linh’s dreams come true when a winged horse whisks her away from Ireland to the parallel world of Lau Dai La. There, she meets the power-hungry Kerai who have destroyed that land with their dark magic.
When the Kerai learn that Linh is a human, they capture her and force her to retrieve a crossbow that will allow them to bridge their land to Earth. Linh refuses until they deliver her an ultimatum: locate the weapon or her mother will die. During her imprisonment, Linh encounters a fairy named Tombo who promises that he can help locate the crossbow if she takes him back to Earth.
But he’s one magical creature whose friendship doesn’t come easy. Linh must work with him to find the crossbow for the Kerai and save her mother.
CROSSING LAU DAI LA is 46,000-word MG fantasy that blends Vietnamese folklore and Western mythical creatures. It will appeal to fans of Rick Riordan’s PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS series and Grace Lin's WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON.
The complete novel stands alone, but has series potential.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
H.T.
CROSSING LAU DAI LA
Linh stepped into the living room with her broom, its bristles wrapped in a plastic bag and double-sided tape. She’d be Tam tonight, wearing a yellow headband and a ponytail, from her favorite Vietnamese fairytale Tam and Cam.
“Con oi, what are you doing?” Linh jumped as Mom spoke behind her.
“I’m imagining myself as Tam. I’m figuring out what she’d do if she had to fix clogged pipes.” Linh turned to face her. “So you won’t have to spend money.”
Mom shook her head. “That’s sweet of you, but you’re daydreaming again. You can’t just fix the pipes with a broom. We’ll talk about it later. I have to go to the restaurant.” She tossed her keys in her bag--a familiar, tired music.
“Don’t leave!” Linh dropped the broom and seized Mom’s arm. She didn’t like staying home alone at night.
“Who’ll make your favorite pho for you, if I don’t work?” Mom sighed.
Linh looked at the floor, the tip of her bangs dipping into her eyes. In fact, she’d never thought about this. “No one but you.”
Brushing the bangs aside, Mom touched her nose to Linh’s forehead. “I’ll be back soon. I need to do some paperwork. Just heat up pho in the microwave, okay?”
Linh nodded. “Yes, Mom.”
Mom left. The car engine roared. Linh returned to the living room and sat on the worn couch to read her Faerielands book. Back to the drab lighting, drab furniture, drab wall. I wish I had a magical friend.
Eeek! Eeek!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
An Agent's Inbox #1
Dear Ms. Smith,
Seventeen year-old Marc Andrews attends an exclusive prep school, but he should be in reform school. He’s stolen a test, blackmailed a teacher, and taken advantage of more girls than he can remember...and that’s just this semester. Then he meets Bethany. Not only hot, she calls him on his usual s***. He respects that. And he’s shocked to realize he genuinely likes her. But after their first date, Marc wakes up in a mental institution. He’s told he killed Bethany after passing out while driving drunk. Marc imagines life can’t get any more messed up…until he discovers the loony bin’s a fake and he’s been kidnapped by aliens.
The aliens can see the future where Marc’s the President who starts World War III. Because he proved himself unable to become a better person, they’ve replaced him to prevent Earth’s destruction. Finding out he killed Bethany was bad enough, but Marc’s shocked he’d have caused the deaths of millions. And with the aliens’ empathy machine, he’s forced to experience his victims’ suffering from the averted future.
Initially, Marc’s grateful his captors prevented him from becoming a monster. That is, until he learns an alien faction, including the doppelgänger who replaced him, want Earth for themselves. And they’re conspiring to kick off Armageddon as previously scheduled. Marc can’t let the horrors he’s experienced happen for real. It’s up to him, with help from Bethany (apparently an alien and not dead), to escape, save the planet, and maybe even become a decent human being in the process.
I understand from your agency website you’re looking for YA in a range of genres including science fiction. I hope you’ll enjoy my 94,000 word YA Sci-fi novel, ALIEN PREP SCHOOL CONSPIRACY. The first 250 words are included below. I’d be happy to provide the rest of the manuscript.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Kind regards,
E.S.
ALIEN PREP SCHOOL CONSPIRACY
When Gil and Lew came to my dorm room with the idea of stealing the physics final, I normally wouldn’t have considered such a dumba** move. It wasn’t that I had any moral objections to cheating or stealing. An “A” in one class, even Jeffrey Taylor’s, just wasn’t worth the risk of getting kicked out of prep school.
But these were special circumstances. I had opportunity, thanks to Gil and Lew. I had motive, thanks to a s***ty semester with Mr. Taylor. And I had an ace-in-the-hole, thanks to hooking up with a pretty freshman in Mr. Taylor’s classroom.
It was snowing by the time I reached Maple Street with its tidy cottages. The white stuff powdered the sidewalks and clung to the branches, sweetening the already cloying New England charm. It made me want to puke.
I slipped to the back of Mr. Taylor’s small Cape. Gil waited for me near the backdoor.
“Door’s locked.” His breath was visible in the cold.
“I’ll open it,” I said.
Gil gave me a classic Gilbert and Lewis vacant look. The two of them might as well have been brothers, both with Nordic good looks, several inches over six feet…and not too bright.
I took out my tension wrench and wide-tipped pick.
Gil’s jaw went slack. “I’ve seen this s*** on TV, Marc. You’re going to pick it?”
“Yeah, if you shut up and let me concentrate for a minute.”
The doorknob turned loosely in my hand. Broken, so, I’d only the deadbolt to deal with.
Seventeen year-old Marc Andrews attends an exclusive prep school, but he should be in reform school. He’s stolen a test, blackmailed a teacher, and taken advantage of more girls than he can remember...and that’s just this semester. Then he meets Bethany. Not only hot, she calls him on his usual s***. He respects that. And he’s shocked to realize he genuinely likes her. But after their first date, Marc wakes up in a mental institution. He’s told he killed Bethany after passing out while driving drunk. Marc imagines life can’t get any more messed up…until he discovers the loony bin’s a fake and he’s been kidnapped by aliens.
The aliens can see the future where Marc’s the President who starts World War III. Because he proved himself unable to become a better person, they’ve replaced him to prevent Earth’s destruction. Finding out he killed Bethany was bad enough, but Marc’s shocked he’d have caused the deaths of millions. And with the aliens’ empathy machine, he’s forced to experience his victims’ suffering from the averted future.
Initially, Marc’s grateful his captors prevented him from becoming a monster. That is, until he learns an alien faction, including the doppelgänger who replaced him, want Earth for themselves. And they’re conspiring to kick off Armageddon as previously scheduled. Marc can’t let the horrors he’s experienced happen for real. It’s up to him, with help from Bethany (apparently an alien and not dead), to escape, save the planet, and maybe even become a decent human being in the process.
I understand from your agency website you’re looking for YA in a range of genres including science fiction. I hope you’ll enjoy my 94,000 word YA Sci-fi novel, ALIEN PREP SCHOOL CONSPIRACY. The first 250 words are included below. I’d be happy to provide the rest of the manuscript.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Kind regards,
E.S.
ALIEN PREP SCHOOL CONSPIRACY
When Gil and Lew came to my dorm room with the idea of stealing the physics final, I normally wouldn’t have considered such a dumba** move. It wasn’t that I had any moral objections to cheating or stealing. An “A” in one class, even Jeffrey Taylor’s, just wasn’t worth the risk of getting kicked out of prep school.
But these were special circumstances. I had opportunity, thanks to Gil and Lew. I had motive, thanks to a s***ty semester with Mr. Taylor. And I had an ace-in-the-hole, thanks to hooking up with a pretty freshman in Mr. Taylor’s classroom.
It was snowing by the time I reached Maple Street with its tidy cottages. The white stuff powdered the sidewalks and clung to the branches, sweetening the already cloying New England charm. It made me want to puke.
I slipped to the back of Mr. Taylor’s small Cape. Gil waited for me near the backdoor.
“Door’s locked.” His breath was visible in the cold.
“I’ll open it,” I said.
Gil gave me a classic Gilbert and Lewis vacant look. The two of them might as well have been brothers, both with Nordic good looks, several inches over six feet…and not too bright.
I took out my tension wrench and wide-tipped pick.
Gil’s jaw went slack. “I’ve seen this s*** on TV, Marc. You’re going to pick it?”
“Yeah, if you shut up and let me concentrate for a minute.”
The doorknob turned loosely in my hand. Broken, so, I’d only the deadbolt to deal with.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Now Accepting Entries
UPDATE: It's now 2:17 p.m. EDT, and I've responded to every e-mail I received. If you didn't get my reply, you might try checking your spam folder. The entries will go up first thing Wednesday morning!
I'm now accepting entries for July's round of "An Agent's Inbox"! Here's a quick refresher:
The Rules
1. To enter, your manuscript must meet two conditions: First, it must be COMPLETE, POLISHED, AND READY TO QUERY, and second, it must be in one of the genres The Agent represents (which are listed at the bottom of this post).
2. IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN APRIL'S ROUND OF “AN AGENT’S INBOX,” please DO NOT participate in this one UNLESS YOUR HAVE A NEW MANUSCRIPT that meets the criteria listed above. I have a pretty good memory, and I will disqualify previous entries. If the entry slots don’t fill up by Tuesday, July 23, I may allow previous participants to enter, but honestly, I don’t expect them to last that long.
3. All entries must include A QUERY and THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript. You must paste these items IN THE BODY OF YOUR E-MAIL; otherwise, I'll disqualify it.
4. THE ENTRY WINDOW OPENS AT 1:00 P.M. EDT (OR 10:00 A.M. PDT). Once the entry window opens, I'll accept the first20 30 entries. I won't accept any entries sent before the entry window opens or after the first 20 30 slots fill up.
5. If your entry makes it in, I'll send you a confirmation e-mail with a post number. If your entry doesn't make it in, I'll still send you an e-mail, but it won't have a post number.
6. If your entry makes it in, YOU MUST COMMENT ON AT LEAST 3 OTHER ENTRIES.
The Prizes The Agent, Bridget Smith* of Dunham Literary, Inc., will select both the winners and the prizes. The Agent might pick20 30 winners, or she might only pick one. The Agent might offer full requests, or she might only ask to see another page. It all depends on how good the entries are.
Please keep in mind that THIS CONTEST ISN'T FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. I've encouraged The Agent to treat the entries exactly as she would a normal batch of queries. Essentially, The Agent will be answering the question, "How much of the entry did you read, and if you didn't read it all, why did you stop?" I think this process will be instructive for all of us, but if you enter, you need to be prepared to hear exactly what The Agent thinks of your query and first page.
The Genres
MG Fantasy
MG Science Fiction
MG Historical
MG Romance
MG Contemporary
YA Fantasy
YA Science Fiction
YA Historical
YA Romance
YA Contemporary
Adult Fantasy
Adult Science Fiction
Adult Historical
Literary Women's Fiction
For more information on the sorts of projects Ms. Smith is looking for, check out her agent bio on Dunham Literary's website.
To enter, please send an e-mail with YOUR QUERY and THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript to kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com. And please, please, please remember to PASTE THESE ITEMS IN THE BODY OF THE E-MAIL.
*I know this probably goes without saying, but if you’re thinking about entering, you should probably treat this round a little differently than you would if you didn’t already know The Agent’s identity. Feel free to do a little research and include personalization in your queries. Also, if Ms. Smith has already rejected your query, YOU PROBABLY DON’T WANT TO ENTER UNLESS YOU’VE MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO YOUR QUERY AND/OR MANUSCRIPT. I’m not going to say you can’t enter (mostly because I have no way to police it), but you--and she--are going to get a lot more out of this contest if you enter something The Agent hasn’t seen before.
I'm now accepting entries for July's round of "An Agent's Inbox"! Here's a quick refresher:
The Rules
1. To enter, your manuscript must meet two conditions: First, it must be COMPLETE, POLISHED, AND READY TO QUERY, and second, it must be in one of the genres The Agent represents (which are listed at the bottom of this post).
2. IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN APRIL'S ROUND OF “AN AGENT’S INBOX,” please DO NOT participate in this one UNLESS YOUR HAVE A NEW MANUSCRIPT that meets the criteria listed above. I have a pretty good memory, and I will disqualify previous entries. If the entry slots don’t fill up by Tuesday, July 23, I may allow previous participants to enter, but honestly, I don’t expect them to last that long.
3. All entries must include A QUERY and THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript. You must paste these items IN THE BODY OF YOUR E-MAIL; otherwise, I'll disqualify it.
4. THE ENTRY WINDOW OPENS AT 1:00 P.M. EDT (OR 10:00 A.M. PDT). Once the entry window opens, I'll accept the first
5. If your entry makes it in, I'll send you a confirmation e-mail with a post number. If your entry doesn't make it in, I'll still send you an e-mail, but it won't have a post number.
6. If your entry makes it in, YOU MUST COMMENT ON AT LEAST 3 OTHER ENTRIES.
The Prizes The Agent, Bridget Smith* of Dunham Literary, Inc., will select both the winners and the prizes. The Agent might pick
Please keep in mind that THIS CONTEST ISN'T FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. I've encouraged The Agent to treat the entries exactly as she would a normal batch of queries. Essentially, The Agent will be answering the question, "How much of the entry did you read, and if you didn't read it all, why did you stop?" I think this process will be instructive for all of us, but if you enter, you need to be prepared to hear exactly what The Agent thinks of your query and first page.
The Genres
MG Fantasy
MG Science Fiction
MG Historical
MG Romance
MG Contemporary
YA Fantasy
YA Science Fiction
YA Historical
YA Romance
YA Contemporary
Adult Fantasy
Adult Science Fiction
Adult Historical
Literary Women's Fiction
For more information on the sorts of projects Ms. Smith is looking for, check out her agent bio on Dunham Literary's website.
To enter, please send an e-mail with YOUR QUERY and THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript to kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com. And please, please, please remember to PASTE THESE ITEMS IN THE BODY OF THE E-MAIL.
*I know this probably goes without saying, but if you’re thinking about entering, you should probably treat this round a little differently than you would if you didn’t already know The Agent’s identity. Feel free to do a little research and include personalization in your queries. Also, if Ms. Smith has already rejected your query, YOU PROBABLY DON’T WANT TO ENTER UNLESS YOU’VE MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO YOUR QUERY AND/OR MANUSCRIPT. I’m not going to say you can’t enter (mostly because I have no way to police it), but you--and she--are going to get a lot more out of this contest if you enter something The Agent hasn’t seen before.
Friday, July 19, 2013
"An Agent's Inbox" Contest Alert
THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR ENTRIES! I'M JUST GIVING YOU A HEADS-UP. THE CONTEST OPENS NEXT MONDAY, JULY 22.
It’s been a while since we did one of these, so here’s a quick refresher. “An Agent's Inbox” is exactly what it sounds like--next week, I'm turning the blog into an agent's inbox, a public one. We'll get to see20 30 queries along with their first pages, and we'll get to hear what a bona fide agent thinks of each one.
The queries and first pages will be yours, of course. I'll accept your entries this Monday, July 22, and then I'll post them next Wednesday, July 24. The entrants and anyone else who wishes to review them may comment until the following Monday or Tuesday, July 29 or 30, when I'll announce the winners.
Those winners will be chosen by The Agent, and this month, The Agent is Bridget Smith* of Dunham Literary, Inc!
The Rules
1. To enter, your manuscript must meet two conditions: First, it must be COMPLETE, POLISHED, AND READY TO QUERY, and second, it must be in one of the genres The Agent represents (which are listed at the bottom of this post).
2. IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN APRIL'S ROUND OF “AN AGENT’S INBOX,” please DO NOT participate in this one UNLESS YOUR HAVE A NEW MANUSCRIPT that meets the criteria listed above. I have a pretty good memory, and I will disqualify previous entries. If the entry slots don’t fill up by Tuesday, July 23, I may allow previous participants to enter, but honestly, I don’t expect them to last that long.
3. All entries must include A QUERY and THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript. You must paste these items IN THE BODY OF YOUR E-MAIL; otherwise, I'll disqualify it.
4. THE ENTRY WINDOW OPENS AT 1:00 P.M. EDT (OR 10:00 A.M. PDT). Once the entry window opens, I'll accept the first20 30 entries. I won't accept any entries sent before the entry window opens or after the first 20 30 slots fill up.
5. If your entry makes it in, I'll send you a confirmation e-mail with a post number. If your entry doesn't make it in, I'll still send you an e-mail, but it won't have a post number.
6. If your entry makes it in, YOU MUST COMMENT ON AT LEAST 3 OTHER ENTRIES.
The Prizes The Agent will select both the winners and the prizes. The Agent might pick20 30 winners, or she might only pick one. The Agent might offer full requests, or she might only ask to see another page. It all depends on how good the entries are.
Please keep in mind that THIS CONTEST ISN'T FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. I've encouraged The Agent to treat the entries exactly as she would a normal batch of queries. Essentially, The Agent will be answering the question, "How much of the entry did you read, and if you didn't read it all, why did you stop?" I think this process will be instructive for all of us, but if you enter, you need to be prepared to hear exactly what The Agent thinks of your query and first page.
So get those queries and first pages polished up, then meet us back here on Monday, July 22, at 1:00 p.m. EDT! At that time, you may send your entries to kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com. Looking forward to it!
The Genres
MG Fantasy
MG Science Fiction
MG Historical
MG Romance
MG Contemporary
YA Fantasy
YA Science Fiction
YA Historical
YA Romance
YA Contemporary
Adult Fantasy
Adult Science Fiction
Adult Historical
Literary Women's Fiction
For more information on the sorts of projects Ms. Smith is looking for, check out her agent bio on Dunham Literary's website.
And of course, if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below!
*I know this probably goes without saying, but if you’re thinking about entering, you should probably treat this round a little differently than you would if you didn’t already know The Agent’s identity. Feel free to do a little research and include personalization in your queries. Also, if Ms. Smith has already rejected your query, YOU PROBABLY DON’T WANT TO ENTER UNLESS YOU’VE MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO YOUR QUERY AND/OR MANUSCRIPT. I’m not going to say you can’t enter (mostly because I have no way to police it), but you--and she--are going to get a lot more out of this contest if you enter something The Agent hasn’t seen before.
It’s been a while since we did one of these, so here’s a quick refresher. “An Agent's Inbox” is exactly what it sounds like--next week, I'm turning the blog into an agent's inbox, a public one. We'll get to see
The queries and first pages will be yours, of course. I'll accept your entries this Monday, July 22, and then I'll post them next Wednesday, July 24. The entrants and anyone else who wishes to review them may comment until the following Monday or Tuesday, July 29 or 30, when I'll announce the winners.
Those winners will be chosen by The Agent, and this month, The Agent is Bridget Smith* of Dunham Literary, Inc!
The Rules
1. To enter, your manuscript must meet two conditions: First, it must be COMPLETE, POLISHED, AND READY TO QUERY, and second, it must be in one of the genres The Agent represents (which are listed at the bottom of this post).
2. IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN APRIL'S ROUND OF “AN AGENT’S INBOX,” please DO NOT participate in this one UNLESS YOUR HAVE A NEW MANUSCRIPT that meets the criteria listed above. I have a pretty good memory, and I will disqualify previous entries. If the entry slots don’t fill up by Tuesday, July 23, I may allow previous participants to enter, but honestly, I don’t expect them to last that long.
3. All entries must include A QUERY and THE FIRST 250 WORDS of your manuscript. You must paste these items IN THE BODY OF YOUR E-MAIL; otherwise, I'll disqualify it.
4. THE ENTRY WINDOW OPENS AT 1:00 P.M. EDT (OR 10:00 A.M. PDT). Once the entry window opens, I'll accept the first
5. If your entry makes it in, I'll send you a confirmation e-mail with a post number. If your entry doesn't make it in, I'll still send you an e-mail, but it won't have a post number.
6. If your entry makes it in, YOU MUST COMMENT ON AT LEAST 3 OTHER ENTRIES.
The Prizes The Agent will select both the winners and the prizes. The Agent might pick
Please keep in mind that THIS CONTEST ISN'T FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. I've encouraged The Agent to treat the entries exactly as she would a normal batch of queries. Essentially, The Agent will be answering the question, "How much of the entry did you read, and if you didn't read it all, why did you stop?" I think this process will be instructive for all of us, but if you enter, you need to be prepared to hear exactly what The Agent thinks of your query and first page.
So get those queries and first pages polished up, then meet us back here on Monday, July 22, at 1:00 p.m. EDT! At that time, you may send your entries to kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com. Looking forward to it!
The Genres
MG Fantasy
MG Science Fiction
MG Historical
MG Romance
MG Contemporary
YA Fantasy
YA Science Fiction
YA Historical
YA Romance
YA Contemporary
Adult Fantasy
Adult Science Fiction
Adult Historical
Literary Women's Fiction
For more information on the sorts of projects Ms. Smith is looking for, check out her agent bio on Dunham Literary's website.
And of course, if you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below!
*I know this probably goes without saying, but if you’re thinking about entering, you should probably treat this round a little differently than you would if you didn’t already know The Agent’s identity. Feel free to do a little research and include personalization in your queries. Also, if Ms. Smith has already rejected your query, YOU PROBABLY DON’T WANT TO ENTER UNLESS YOU’VE MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO YOUR QUERY AND/OR MANUSCRIPT. I’m not going to say you can’t enter (mostly because I have no way to police it), but you--and she--are going to get a lot more out of this contest if you enter something The Agent hasn’t seen before.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Interactive Interview with an Agent: Ginger Knowlton
Hey, look, it's another interactive installment of "Interview with an Agent"! I'm so thrilled to welcome Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown, Ltd. As you're about to find out, Ms. Knowlton has a ton of experience and represents some fabulous authors, so get those questions ready! (As always, details on the interactive part are at the bottom.)
KV: How long have you been agenting, and how did you get into it?
GK: In 1986, I was living and working in Mendocino, California. I was taking some teacher education classes at a local college when I called my father to ask if he would be willing to help finance my full return to school to get my masters. He declined, and instead invited me to move back to the 'civilized coast' to work in the children's book department under the tutelage of Marilyn E. Marlow. His offer was well-timed, since my boyfriend and I had just broken up and I was ready for a change. My ex-boyfriend came back from Hawaii to drive across the country with me, and I started working for Marilyn on October 27, 1986.
KV: How would you summarize your personal agenting philosophy? What do you expect from an agent-author relationship?
GK: I can't say I have a personal agenting philosophy per se, but I do think it's important to remember that I work for my clients, not the other way around. That said, each party needs to respect the other, and I think open communication is vitally important.
KV: What client work do you have coming out soon? What drew you to those writers and/or projects?
GK: I'm looking forward to the publication of ROAD RASH by Mark Parsons. He is Wendelin Van Draanen's husband and I am so excited that he's writing young adult novels now, and that Nancy Siscoe, Wendelin's editor, will publish him, too. Speaking of Wendelin, her 17th Sammy Keyes book will be published soon. I just love Sammy, who has her own Facebook page.
Wendy Mass and her husband Michael Brawer are collaborating on a series (SPACE TAXI) for Little, Brown, which is also fantastic.
Helen Frost's SALT is coming soon from FSG, and I absolutely love Helen's writing. She and Rick Lieder are collaborating on another book for Candlewick. This one is called SWEEP UP THE SUN.
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is hard at work revising ADA'S WAR for Liz Waniewski at Dial, and I can't wait for its release.
I've worked with all of these authors for years (with the exception of Mark), but what drew me to them in the first place was their wonderful writing and ability to make their characters come alive on the page. Honestly, that's what it's all about, isn't it?
KV: What genres do you represent? What genres do you definitely NOT represent?
GK: I represent all children's book genres because I have a wide variety of clients, but that doesn't mean I'm looking for all genres. I'm not actively looking for graphic novels or beginning readers. I'm open to just about everything, though, as long as I love the execution.
KV: What query pet peeves and/or pitfalls should writers avoid when querying you?
GK: It sounds so ridiculous because it should not happen, but to me, grammatical mistakes and spelling errors show a lack of proofreading/care. If you can't write an error-free letter, I worry that your manuscript will be full of errors, too. Blatant form letters (Dear Agent) are a turnoff.
KV: What are you looking for in a manuscript right now? What are you tired of seeing at the moment?
GK: I always want to see great writing with a compelling story that draws me in right away. I think that's really important in children's books, whether it be contemporary, historical, fantasy, sci-fi, etc. I am especially interested in funny, contemporary middle grade novels. I would love to find another mystery series. Wendelin's Sammy Keyes books have brought my daughter, mother, and me pleasure for many years (and we are all unhappy that #18 will be the last one!).
I'm not interested in seeing picture books that are too long or beginning readers (aka easy-to-read short chapter books).
KV: What's the best way to query you?
GK: At this point, I receive so many emails that I can't keep up with queries via email. So if you want to be sure I read your query, it's best to submit it the old-fashioned way, via post, with either one picture book or the first two or three chapters of a novel or nonfiction project included with a self-addressed stamped envelope. I know it's old school, but it seems all of us are drowning in email, and this will allow me to keep afloat.
Thank you, Ms. Knowlton, for these informative answers. I will definitely have to check out these Sammy Keyes books...
All right, readers, it's your turn! If you have a question for Ms. Knowlton, feel free to leave it in the comments below. She'll pop in later and leave her responses in the comments as well. You have until 4:00 p.m. EDT (or 1:00 p.m. PDT), so don't dilly-dally!
KV: How long have you been agenting, and how did you get into it?
GK: In 1986, I was living and working in Mendocino, California. I was taking some teacher education classes at a local college when I called my father to ask if he would be willing to help finance my full return to school to get my masters. He declined, and instead invited me to move back to the 'civilized coast' to work in the children's book department under the tutelage of Marilyn E. Marlow. His offer was well-timed, since my boyfriend and I had just broken up and I was ready for a change. My ex-boyfriend came back from Hawaii to drive across the country with me, and I started working for Marilyn on October 27, 1986.
KV: How would you summarize your personal agenting philosophy? What do you expect from an agent-author relationship?
GK: I can't say I have a personal agenting philosophy per se, but I do think it's important to remember that I work for my clients, not the other way around. That said, each party needs to respect the other, and I think open communication is vitally important.
KV: What client work do you have coming out soon? What drew you to those writers and/or projects?
GK: I'm looking forward to the publication of ROAD RASH by Mark Parsons. He is Wendelin Van Draanen's husband and I am so excited that he's writing young adult novels now, and that Nancy Siscoe, Wendelin's editor, will publish him, too. Speaking of Wendelin, her 17th Sammy Keyes book will be published soon. I just love Sammy, who has her own Facebook page.
Wendy Mass and her husband Michael Brawer are collaborating on a series (SPACE TAXI) for Little, Brown, which is also fantastic.
Helen Frost's SALT is coming soon from FSG, and I absolutely love Helen's writing. She and Rick Lieder are collaborating on another book for Candlewick. This one is called SWEEP UP THE SUN.
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is hard at work revising ADA'S WAR for Liz Waniewski at Dial, and I can't wait for its release.
I've worked with all of these authors for years (with the exception of Mark), but what drew me to them in the first place was their wonderful writing and ability to make their characters come alive on the page. Honestly, that's what it's all about, isn't it?
KV: What genres do you represent? What genres do you definitely NOT represent?
GK: I represent all children's book genres because I have a wide variety of clients, but that doesn't mean I'm looking for all genres. I'm not actively looking for graphic novels or beginning readers. I'm open to just about everything, though, as long as I love the execution.
KV: What query pet peeves and/or pitfalls should writers avoid when querying you?
GK: It sounds so ridiculous because it should not happen, but to me, grammatical mistakes and spelling errors show a lack of proofreading/care. If you can't write an error-free letter, I worry that your manuscript will be full of errors, too. Blatant form letters (Dear Agent) are a turnoff.
KV: What are you looking for in a manuscript right now? What are you tired of seeing at the moment?
GK: I always want to see great writing with a compelling story that draws me in right away. I think that's really important in children's books, whether it be contemporary, historical, fantasy, sci-fi, etc. I am especially interested in funny, contemporary middle grade novels. I would love to find another mystery series. Wendelin's Sammy Keyes books have brought my daughter, mother, and me pleasure for many years (and we are all unhappy that #18 will be the last one!).
I'm not interested in seeing picture books that are too long or beginning readers (aka easy-to-read short chapter books).
KV: What's the best way to query you?
GK: At this point, I receive so many emails that I can't keep up with queries via email. So if you want to be sure I read your query, it's best to submit it the old-fashioned way, via post, with either one picture book or the first two or three chapters of a novel or nonfiction project included with a self-addressed stamped envelope. I know it's old school, but it seems all of us are drowning in email, and this will allow me to keep afloat.
Thank you, Ms. Knowlton, for these informative answers. I will definitely have to check out these Sammy Keyes books...
All right, readers, it's your turn! If you have a question for Ms. Knowlton, feel free to leave it in the comments below. She'll pop in later and leave her responses in the comments as well. You have until 4:00 p.m. EDT (or 1:00 p.m. PDT), so don't dilly-dally!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
When Enough Isn't Enough
I've been unhappy several times the last couple of months. More than several times, actually, and every time I feel myself succumbing to despair, I also feel guilty. "Buck up," I tell myself. "Why are you so sad? Is it because you're still struggling to achieve your lifelong dream? Oh, wait, you already did that."
Now don't get me wrong--I'm absolutely thrilled that Steve is getting published. But with Clyde still on submission, I've transferred all my worrying to him: "Yep, it's gonna stink if, after everything, Clyde still doesn't sell. You may have succeeded in the past, but you'll probably fall flat with this. And that's gonna drive you crazy, isn't it? That's gonna ruin everything."
Do any of you watch Frasier? I've probably seen every episode two, three, maybe four times, and one of my favorites is when Frasier is the subject of a focus group. He's a radio psychiatrist who hosts a daily call-in show, and in this episode, his station puts together a focus group to critique his program. Frasier watches from the other side of a one-way mirror, but the mirror probably isn't necessary. Eleven out of twelve participants give him glowing reviews. But the twelfth participant is less enthusiastic. He doesn't say anything negative, but he doesn't say anything positive, either. Eleven out of twelve people absolutely love him, but Frasier can't stop thinking about the one guy who (sort of) didn't.
Afterward, Frasier tails the twelfth participant to the man's newsstand and literally begs him for feedback. He's certain he can win him over if only the man will tell him what to fix. Finally, the man admits he just doesn't like Frasier, and through a series of mishaps, Frasier ends up burning down the man's newsstand.
I read this article the other day on this same phenomenon (as well as this article and this one, which the author linked to in her post). I found myself nodding the whole time, because this is exactly what I've been feeling lately. No matter how many things I have, I always seem to fixate on the things I don't (even when what I have is pretty great). I agreed with everything they said, but it was what they didn't say that rubbed me wrong.
All three authors seemed to think this lack of contentment was okay.
Well, maybe not okay so much as inevitable. This is just how writers are, they said, so we just have to accept it and move on. But I don't think it's good enough to say that this is good enough. We're ALL like this to some degree, writer or no, ambitious or not, but it's not okay to roll over and chalk our weaknesses up to human nature. I truly think we're here to become more than what we are.
I'm not there yet, but that's my goal. I want to learn how to be happy with the things I have, how to ignore that awful voice inside my head that tells me I'm not good or smart or brave enough. It's a lesson I've been trying to learn for quite some time, as you can see, but I'm not giving up yet. It's not over until the end.
I'm not there yet, but that's my goal. I want to learn how to be happy with the things I have, how to ignore that awful voice inside my head that tells me I'm not good or smart or brave enough. It's a lesson I've been trying to learn for quite some time, as you can see, but I'm not giving up yet. It's not over until the end.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Critique Winners and Other Tidbits
Thank you for your comments on last week's post! Like a nerd, I put together a quick tally of everyone's favorite shots, so here's how those broke down:
| Picture | Votes |
| #1 | 6 |
| #2 | 22 |
| #3 | 32 |
| #4 | 8 |
| #5 | 1 |
Picture #3 was the clear favorite, but the more I looked at it, the more I decided I didn't really like my hair. It swoops over my shoulder on one side and kind of hangs in irregular pieces on the other, so I think I'm going to go with #2. I love the blurred-out brick wall, and with a little cropping, I'm sure I can produce the same kind of close-up look that #3 has going for it. (Photographer Julie informed me the images would be sharp enough to crop at will!)
And now for the winners of the query or first-page critique:
Amy Smith
Ninja Girl
kathrynjankowski
A.J. Cattapan
Lorena
If you guys have a query or first page you'd like a little more feedback on, feel free to send it to me at kvandolzer(at)gmail(dot)com!
Last but not least, I just scheduled an interactive installment of "Interview with an Agent" with Ginger Knowlton of Curtis Brown, Ltd., so definitely come back next Wednesday, July 17, and ask her your questions!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Head Shots Galore
If you haven't figured it out already, I'm not a picture person. I rarely use them on the blog, and my Twitter avatar only says, "[INSERT AVATAR HERE]." Not surprisingly, then, I've put off taking head shots for a long time--but no longer! Thanks to Julie Kirby of Simply You Photo, I'll now have a picture that doesn't include a Christmas tree or Honey Bear's tie:)
At the risk of looking vain, I've included a few of my favorites below, and I'd love to hear which ones you like best (or which ones you DON'T like). To sweeten the deal, I'll offer a query or first-page critique toone five random commenters! (You're welcome to comment as long as you want, but the giveaway will close sometime next week. I'm not sure when...)
Thoughts?
Fun fact: We took all of these on Main Street in Kaysville, Utah, which is where I grew up. It feels like my lifelong dream of publishing a book has come full circle.
At the risk of looking vain, I've included a few of my favorites below, and I'd love to hear which ones you like best (or which ones you DON'T like). To sweeten the deal, I'll offer a query or first-page critique to
 |
| #1 |
 |
| #2 |
 |
| #3 |
 |
| #4 |
 |
| #5 |
Fun fact: We took all of these on Main Street in Kaysville, Utah, which is where I grew up. It feels like my lifelong dream of publishing a book has come full circle.
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