Upcoming Agent Spotlight Interviews & Guest Posts

  • Shannon Hassan Agent Spotlight Interview and Query Critique Giveaway on 12/9/2024
  • Vicky Weber Agent Spotlight Interview and Query Critique Giveaway on 12/11/2024

Agent Spotlight & Agent Spotlight Updates

  • Agent Spotlights & Interviews have been updated through the letter "K" as of 3/28/2024 and many have been reviewed by the agents. Look for more information as I find the time to update more agent spotlights.

Let It Snow Giveaway Hop

 

 

Happy Saturday Everyone! Today I'm excited to participate in the Let It Know Giveaway Hop hosted by The Mommy Island and The Kids Did It. Are you getting  ready for the holidays? I’ve bought most of my presents already this year. I don't buy that many, so it makes it easier. I've also started my holiday baking. My daughter will be off for two weeks so I'm looking forward to spending more time with her before the holidays. I hope you have something to look forward during the holiday season too.
 
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 December 28th 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

Monday, December 9th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Hassan and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, December 11th I have an agent spotlight interview with Vicky Weber and a query critique giveaway

Monday, December 16th I have a guest post by debut author Vicky Lorencen and a giveaway of her MG The Book of Barf, and I'm also participating in the Dashing December Giveaway Hop

I hope to see you on Monday! And Happy Holidays!

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


On Plotting and Worldbuilding for a Multi-Genre Story: Author Lish McBride Interview and Red In Tooth and Claw Giveaway and IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Lish McBride here to share about her new YA Red In Tooth and Claw, which blends western, historical, and fantasy genres. I enjoy books that include more than one genre, and I’m looking forward to reading Lish’s new book.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Faolan Kelly’s grandfather is dead. She’s alone in the world and suddenly homeless, all because the local powers that be don’t think a young man of sixteen is mature enough to take over his grandfather’s homestead…and that’s with them thinking Faolan is a young man. If she revealed that her grandfather had been disguising her for years, they would marry her off at the first opportunity.

The mayor finds a solution that serves everyone but Faolan. He hires a gunslinger to ship her off to the Settlement, a remote fort where social outcasts live under the leadership of His Benevolence Gideon Dillard. It's a place rife with mystery, kept afloat by suspicious wealth. Dillard's absolute command over his staff just doesn't seem right. And neither do the strange noises that keep Faolan up at night.

When Faolan finds the body of a Settlement boarder, mangled by something that can’t possibly be human, it’s clear something vicious is stalking the palisades. And as Settlement boarders continue to drop like flies, Faolan knows she must escape to evade the creature’s wrath.


Before I get to Lish’s interview, 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: Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine!

Optional Question: Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?

I’ve only written the first book in two series. I think cliffhangers have a place in the series, especially when the genre is dystopian, paranormal, or fantasy. I left questions to be answered in the next book in each series, but I created an ending for the stories to allow them to be a standalone. I think that’s the best strategy for the first book in a series. Readers want and expect a satisfying ending to the story.

I believe it’s more acceptable and common to have a cliffhanger in the second book in a series, especially in the genres I mentioned, though I know some people are annoyed by them. Some series, such as cozy mysteries, generally end without a cliffhanger. I’ve read a few mysteries, like The Grey Wolf, Louise Penny’s most recent book in the series, that ended in a cliffhanger, and I wasn’t bothered by it.

Interview With Lish McBride

Hi Lish! Thanks so much for joining us.

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


I honestly don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a writer. I started reading fairly young, around three, and as soon as I figured out someone had to write those books, that was it. As for about me, I never really know how to answer that question. Beyond the stereotypical writer things (I read a lot, drink a lot of coffee, write a lot), I like watching movies, I love animals, and I should really find some sort of hobby. Until then, it’s books.

2. Where did you get the idea for Red in Tooth and Claw?

From watching a movie, actually. I’m a sucker for multiple genre stuff and both my husband and I like westerns and horror and found a movie that was both. It was a good film, but I didn’t like the ending (it wasn’t a bad ending, it just wasn’t the direction I would have gone) and after the movie was over, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Like, it was honestly waking me up at night. And I kept thinking that a creature horror western mash up would make a really fun YA book. I was under deadline on something else at the time, so I tried to set it aside, but I woke up one morning with a few lines of the book in my mind in Faolan’s voice, so I wrote them down and that was it. I had no idea what the story was going to be about or any of the other characters, but her voice was very strong, so I just let her talk. She told me about losing her grandfather and how it was the worst day of her life, and we just went from there.

I know this sounds odd to a lot of people, but this is kind of how it works for me and to me it’s when writing works best—when you step back and let the characters go and it’s almost more like channeling than writing.

Your Writing Process: On Plotting and Worldbuilding for a Multi-Genre Story

3. Your story combines western, fantasy, and horror genres. Talk about your worldbuilding process and how it was impacted by writing in three genres.


My worldbuilding is chaos, always. I build as I go, so I generally don’t go in with a plan. I often mix
genres, so that’s not really new for me. I love seeing what those mixes create. For Red in Tooth and Claw, it’s sort of like our history, but not at the same time, so I knew it wasn’t going to be one hundred percent accurate, but I wanted it to feel like it was. So it was a lot of me reading about the frontier era in the US and how people lived and watching videos on the internet of historical reenactments in between writing scenes.

For some of the fantastical elements, I relied heavily on nature. Not to get too spoiler-y or anything, but I read a lot about different squids who can camouflage so well against many different backdrops that they can seem basically invisible. I also read about how some butterflies have multilayered structures in their wings that manipulate light helping them camouflage and signal other butterflies. I know, you probably wouldn’t guess either of those things contributed to this book, but they did. Nature is so varied and inspiring, but much like the historical research, I wanted to create something that felt real even if it might not be perfectly accurate.

I will say that lots of times for horror if I need inspiration, I read about deep sea creatures. Nothing really taps into deep seated human fears like the horrors from the deep. Just pure nightmare fodder at the bottom of the ocean.

4. It’s awesome to see what research you did for this story. How did you plot out Red In Tooth and Claw? Was it different than other stories you’ve written that didn’t combine so many different genres?


I don’t plot. I’ve tried and I’m bad at it. I honestly went in not really knowing much beyond the set up and who Faolan was. While Red is a little more blatant about it, most of my books are genre blending because that seems to be how my brain works. My first book, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, was sort of a contemporary fantasy comedic horror…thing. Curses was a historical fairytale romp where the history was based on the time period where the gilded age was hitting places like New York at the same time the Wild West was going on elsewhere. So you had very different lifestyles depending on geography and I found that fascinating. I did just turn in a book that was more of a straightforward romcom, so no genre blending, and my process didn’t seem very different beyond the depth and amount of research. That might have been more because it was contemporary than anything else, though.

5. We all have our writing processes that works for us. There are a lot of characters in Red in Tooth and Claw. Some reviewers commented that they really enjoyed all your wonderful characters. How did you make them all unique and keep track of them all? What are your three favorite characters?

I actually tried really hard to keep the cast down in Red in Tooth and Claw because I know I have a tendency to put a lot of characters in things. But I realized toward the end that I needed a few more characters for the plot, so I threw them in at the three-quarter mark acting as if they’d always been there and then when I revised, I added them in, which was a new experience for me. So I wasn’t very successful in keeping the cast minimal.

Keeping track isn’t really a problem for me because I visualize them in my head, but sometimes I have to look up what I named a character because I will forget. (Especially since characters sometimes go through name changes.) I also sort of discover them not only during the writing process, but during revisions. Like the gunslinger character, William Speed, showed up at the beginning and I wasn’t planning on having him stay throughout the book, but he did and then on revisions I had to figure out why he was staying at the Settlement, and I realized it wasn’t what I originally thought his motivation would be. You would think writers would know these things from the start, but we often don’t. However, I really enjoy character building/discovery, and I think that comes across.

As for favorites…that’s a hard one. I liked Faolan, obviously, but I think for this book it was less about who was my favorite on their own and more about who were my favorite when they interacted with each other. I love the dynamic between Faolan and Tallis. Faolan has had a rough life and Tallis brings a mixture of playfulness and care that she’s been missing, and it makes her uncomfortable, which is funny. I love the dynamic between Jesse and Dai Lo—the breakfast scene where they’re sharing a book is one of my favorite moments. I also really liked writing Faolan and William Speed. In Faolan’s world, most adults are sources of danger and he ends up being a steady and safe influence.

Your Journey to Publication

6. Cheyenne Faircloth is your agent. How did she become your agent, and what was it like getting your first publishing contract for Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, which was published in 2010?


My first publishing contract involved some luck and timing, which I guess is always the case. I wrote Hold Me Closer, Necromancer as my thesis to graduate from my MFA program. My thesis adviser, who is a great writer, but loves literary fiction and was despairing of my decision to write genre fiction, complained to her agent about me. (Good naturedly, I promise.) She asked him if he knew anyone who handled the kind of thing I was writing. He said yes, they had someone in their agency who handled more of the pop culture stuff and told her that I should send in my manuscript. I will be clear here that the book wasn’t ready to send out. It was a really rough manuscript. I’d barely revised it and it wasn’t query ready, but I sent it anyway because it was a good agency, and I figured I had a shot so why not take it?

I got a call two days later. My agent, Jason Anthony, had burned through it really fast and the first thing he asked me was, “you know this needs a lot of work, right?” When I explained that I knew it was a hot mess and I wouldn’t have normally sent it out, he told me it would have been a very short phone call if I’d argued. Instead we spent two hours discussing revisions. He had a great instinct for story. That was in May of 2008. We revised it over the summer as I moved back to Seattle from New Orleans. He sold it in a two-book deal in October. I worked really hard to get there, but these things always take a little bit of luck and timing as well, and I ended up getting both. The whole thing honestly felt very surreal.

Jason and I worked really well together, but he retired a few years ago, which left me needing a new agent. And it meant for the first time ever I had to properly query an agent. I’d always been grateful that I got to skip that part, because it’s a daunting prospect. I was also in a weird position where I was trying to sell a partial of a book to my current editor and a lot of agents won’t take on clients without a full manuscript.

But again, luck and timing. I was talking to another author friend, and she said that she would love to recommend me to her agency, but she wasn’t sure they were taking horror yet. She checked the website, and they’d basically just started taking horror that week. She wrote an email introducing us and Cheyenne happened to already know my work. I sent her everything I had on the new book, talked to her clients and other agency clients, and loved what I heard back. We got on the phone and just clicked. I feel like I’ve been very lucky with agents, honestly. Cheyenne not only seems to get what I’m going for, but her and the agency as a whole are supportive of long-term goals. It’s hard finding an agent and an agency that handles all the kinds of stuff I want to write—multiple genres and different age ranges. Handspun does all of that and I’m so happy to have ended up there.

7. Wow! I think a lot of us would love to get our agents like you have. Since your debut novel was published, you’ve also had nine other YA and adult books published, including Red in Tooth and Claw. What has it been like writing stories with publishing deadlines? What advice do you have for other writers who haven’t written a story on deadline before?

The last two years have been interesting because I’m juggling a lot at once. I usually have overlapping deadlines, like a book in revision while drafting another, but this year I had multiple books in these phases at the same time.  

Like this year I had deadlines for the new YA, Most Likely to Murder, which comes out in Spring 2026. But I was also editing Red in Tooth and Claw. I was also drafting a rom com that will come out in April of 2025…and I have a series I publish myself that’s adult fantasy romance as well as a book I’m drafting on Patreon. So…lots of juggling. I had to finally break down and buy a planner.

Deadlines can be very helpful, honestly, because they provide a push to get going, but they can also be very stressful. My biggest advice is recognizing that things don’t always go as planned. Life often gets in the way and writing a novel is a creative process. You have to take care of yourself or none of it will work.

I’ve had to ask for small (and sometimes not so small) extensions before. It used to really freak me out to do that and I worried that my editor would get mad or I’d lose my contract. I also didn’t want to get the reputation as a writer who didn’t deliver. Because of all of that, I would hesitate to even ask and often leave the problem until almost too late meaning I’d end up asking for more time instead of getting help from my editor or giving my agent a head’s up so they could handle things neatly for me. I also have the experience now to know how long certain stories seem to take, so I try to be really transparent with my team. I give my agent a head’s up as soon as I know I’m having problems and a deadline might need to be moved, and if I get stuck I know to reach out to other writers for help/support or my editor.

So, you know, do your best, but also be gentle with yourself, my friends.

Promoting Your Book

8. How are you planning to promote Red in Tooth and Claw? How has your approach to marketing your books changed over the years?


I try to keep it basic because I’m not an expert on marketing and my personal budget for such things is pretty nonexistent. I had a really good marketing team and publicist for Red in Tooth and Claw, and they’ve all worked really hard to get the book into the hands of booksellers, librarians and book bloggers/reviewers. On my end, I have a newsletter, my Instagram, my website, and Patreon, where I try to let people know what I’m up to. I had some really fun bookmarks and stickers designed but honestly that’s about it. Because I also worked in a local bookstore for years, I’m pretty entrenched in that community, so I’m able to talk to local booksellers and librarians and get some support there.

9. What are the best ways you’ve found to reach readers, librarians, and booksellers? What tips do you have for debut authors trying to connect with them?

I mean, so much of this still remains a mystery for me. I’ve generally just tried to talk to people and have genuine conversations. I love talking about books, so do they, so it seems to work. One big thing I will say is that you should try to create long term connections with your local bookstore if you’re lucky enough to have one. Stop in, introduce yourself, and say hi. Tell them you have a book coming out and would love to know more about how you can support readers getting it from them.

I don’t think a lot of people realize how many books come out in a year and how difficult it can be for booksellers to stay on top of that. They don’t have time to read everything, so a five-minute chat with them about your book can go a long way. My old bookstore, for example, had little signs to let readers know which authors were local, which was great. Be mindful of your approach—if the bookstore is super busy, now might be the right time to chat, you know? I think it’s good to also be mindful of how you present your books on your website and your socials. Do you link to your local bookstore or a favorite brick and mortar? Do you tell readers how they can get your book (or request if they don’t have it) from your local library? Do you mention bookshop.org or Libro.FM as options to support these stores, or do you only link to Amazon? Booksellers pay attention to these things, and they talk to each other. They’re much more likely to go out of their way to support your book if you’re also supporting them.

10. What are you working on now?

A couple of different things. I just turned in revisions of a rom com I can’t talk about but should be announced in the next week or two. I’m doing revisions on Most Likely to Murder (2026!), and drafting Bevy of Trouble, which will be my next self-published book due out in 2025. I’ve also been drafting a book on my Patreon which is a follow up to my book Curses. It’s been a really busy year! I just got the rights back to three of my books, Necromancing the Stone, Firebug, and Pyromantic, so we’re recovering those and adding some fun extras and then we’ll be putting those back out. I’m also in the midst of putting out the audiobook for Rough Around the Hedges (order links should be up soon) and finally getting one made for Pyromantic (next year, I hope). Basically, I could really use a vacation and a nap.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Lish. You can find Lish at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lish-McBride-164438753667937/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lishmcbride/
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/lishmcbride.bsky.social
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lishmcbride
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lishmcbride?fan_landing=true&view_as=public
Newsletter: https://lishmcbride.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=7f90e13f06f5ff7f09874bf9a&id=38f14a78b3
Website: https://lishmcbride.squarespace.com

Giveaway Details

Lish’s publicist is generously offering a hardback of Red in Tooth and Claw 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 December 14th. 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 Lish 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

Saturday, December 7th I’m participating in the Let It Snow Giveaway Hop

Monday, December 9th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Hassan and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, December 11th I have an agent spotlight interview with Vicky Weber and a query critique giveaway

Monday, December 16th I have a guest post by debut author Vicky Lorencen and a giveaway of her MG The Book of Barf

I hope to see you on Saturday!





Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop


 
Happy Sunday Everyone! Today I'm excited to participate in the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving and have lots to be thankful for. And for those of you who have a hard time during the holidays, I hope you got through them okay. I had a good Thanksgiving, and I’m grateful for so much this year. But this time of year is always hard from me because it was my late sister's and husband's birthdays, and my sister died shortly after Thanksgiving. But I'm learning as I go how to make this time of year easier for me and how to regain my joy during the holiday season. 

Important Question for You

MamatheFox just let us know that she will only do one more of these blog hops. I really appreciate you all and would continue posting a book or Amazon Gift Card giveaway on the 1st and 16th of each month if you would be willing to stop by and enter the giveaway. I know my Bloglovin follower button isn't working, and I will try to get them to fix it after a trip I'm going on soon if this is making it harder to follow me. You could follow by email to get notified in the meantime. I only post once or twice a week so you won't be getting tons of emails about my posts.

So here's my question to you: Will you continue to enter my giveaways if I continue to post them? Please let me know in the comments. Also, do you know of any other blog hops I could join? Thanks so much for letting me know.
 
Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

There aren't as many newly released MG and YA books this month so I've added some books I've enjoyed, including adult fiction, 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 your 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 December 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.

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops


Wednesday, December 4th I have an interview with author Lish McBride and a giveaway of her YA Red in Tooth and Claw and my IWSG post

Saturday, December 7th I’m participating in the Let It Snow Giveaway Hop

Monday, December 9th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Hassan and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, December 11th I have an agent spotlight interview with Vicky Weber and a query critique giveaway

Monday, December 16th I have a guest post by debut author Vicky Lorencen and a giveaway of her MG The Book of Barf

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

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

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

Literary Agent Interview: Courtney Donovan Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

 Today I’m thrilled to have agent Courtney Donovan here. She’s a junior agent at Writers House.

Status: Courtney is temporarily closed to queries. Please check the agency website to learn when she reopens to queries.

Hi Courtney! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Courtney:

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

Like many people who end up in the industry, I was the quintessential bookworm growing up. I read books under my covers with a flashlight and everything. But I never thought much about how books made it onto shelves (I assumed largely by magic) and growing up in a small town in North Carolina, I was far removed from anything resembling the publishing industry. I had a vague idea that there were these things called publishers and editors and maybe even agents, but it didn’t seem like an attainable career. But after serving six years in the military, I decided to finally pursue my love of books. I went to the University of California San Diego for a BA in Literature and Writing, and through their internship program discovered Writers House. From day one I knew I’d found my people, and the more I learned the more I realized agenting was the perfect fit for my skills and interests. I’ve now been working as an assistant to Steven Malk for almost five years, and I was promoted to junior agent and began taking on my own clients at the beginning of this year. 

About the Agency:

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


Writers House has an impressive roster of acclaimed authors and illustrators and a long history of successful career building and collaboration. Established in 1973, Writers House has grown into a full-service agency, with dedicated departments for global licensing, media, contracts, and accounting.  

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 am open to all genres and age categories in children’s books, from picture books through young adult. Voice and character are essential no matter the genre, and I am particularly drawn to the speculative, including fantasy, science fiction, and magical realism.

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

I would love to see more grounded science fiction in picture books and middle grade! I’m also on the hunt for graphic novels. But some of my favorite submissions are ones that have surprised me. No matter the genre, I’m looking to connect with characters so deeply I’d follow them anywhere or discover a world that feels so vivid and immersive I never want to leave.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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


I’m currently closed to picture book text-only submissions except by referral. Additionally, I don’t represent screenplays or short stories.

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?


My goal as an agent is to be a collaborative partnr and advocate for talented and passionate creators. I believe that stories are central to human connection, enabling us to share experiences and ideas that enrich our lives. I am dedicated to bringing forth impactful and compelling narratives that make people think, laugh, and feel seen.  Stories that are deeply moving or funny, or both. Stories that kids need. (That we all need.)

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! The editorial process is one of my favorite parts of the job, and I feel it’s more important than ever to make sure a project is as strong as possible before going on submission. Of course, the editorial process will look a bit different depending on the creator, their preferences, and the particular project. Typically, I provide my editorial thoughts either in a letter or over a call and it becomes a discussion. My goal is to work with a creator until we both feel the project is the best possible version of itself. Sometimes this involves one round of edits, sometimes more, but the process is always an ongoing conversation.

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?


You can query me on Query Manager: querymanager.com/courtneydonovan

Aside from the query letter, I also ask for a synopsis and first 10 pages, as well as a few optional Query Manager specific fields. And please don’t forget to share your bio, even if you don’t have writing credits or accolades. I’d love to know a bit about you and the inspiration behind your work.

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

Vagueness! It may seem obvious, but a query letter should tell me what the story is about. I want to know the specifics—why this character, why now, what obstacles will they face? Too often I think writers are trying to avoid spoiling some element of the plot, and this can lead to vague pitches that just don’t stand out. I also don’t love when a query is written from the perspective of a character. It’s not an automatic “no,” but I want to hear from the author in the query—I’ll get to know the character when I read the manuscript.

Response Time:

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


My goal is 10-12 weeks, but this can be longer during high-volume periods and holidays. I do respond to all queries, so if you haven’t heard from me, I simply haven’t read yours yet (or I’m still considering).

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?


Absolutely! When it comes to previous publishing experience of any kind, I simply want to know about it. Self-publishing and small presses are perfectly legitimate and viable publishing paths, but it also means a lot of extra work beyond creating the thing. Oftentimes, these authors are doing everything on their own (negotiating contracts, handling marketing and publicity, etc). That’s a lot—and it is exactly what agents are here to help manage.   

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?


I’m very fortunate to be working with some incredibly talented authors and illustrators, including Sojourner Ahebee, Allyssa Yohana, Rebecca Mooradian, Bonnie Maisen, and Audrey Day.

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.


N/a

Links and Contact Info:

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


Queries should go through Query Manager: querymanager.com/courtneydonovan
You can find more about what I’m looking for here:
https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/donovanc
https://www.cadonovan.com

Additional Advice:

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


You’ve likely heard it a thousand times (and will a thousand more), but this is an almost entirely subjective industry. Success (however you define it) often comes down to a combination of perseverance and timing. Work on your craft first and foremost, focus on finding joy in your creations, and trust in the process (long as it may be).

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Courtney.

Giveaway Details

Courtney 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 December 2nd. 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
 
Sunday, December 1st I’m participating in the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, December 4th I have an interview with author Lish McBride and a giveaway of her YA Red in Tooth and Claw and my IWSG post

Saturday, December 7th I’m participating in the Let It Snow Giveaway Hop

Monday, December 9th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Hassan and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, December 11th I have an agent spotlight interview with Vicky Weber and a query critique giveaway

Monday, December 16th I have a guest post by debut author Vicky Lorencen and a giveaway of her MG The Book of Barf

I hope to see you on Sunday, December 1st! And Happy Thanksgiving!






Shipbuilding Your Way to an Author Life: Elisa Stone Leahy Guest Post and Mallory in Full Color Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Elisa Stone Leahy here with a guest post about navigating becoming a debut author to celebrate the release of her new MG Mallory in Full Color, which is a companion book to her debut book, Tethered to Other Stars. You may want to check out my interview with Elisa when she was a debut author in 2023. Her new book deals with a lot of issues middle graders are contending with, and I’m looking forward to reading it.

Here’s a blurb of Mallory in Full Color:
 
Mallory Marsh is an expert at molding into whatever other people want her to be. Her true thoughts and feelings only come out in her sci-fi web comic, which she publishes anonymously as Dr. BotGirl.

But juggling all the versions of herself gets tricky, especially when Mal’s mom signs her up for swim team. Instead of being honest about hating competitive swim, Mal skips out on practice and secretly joins the library’s comic club. There Mal meets Noa, a cute enby kid who is very sure of who they are. As Mal helps Noa plan a drag queen story time, she tries to be the person she thinks Noa wants her to be—by lying about her stage fright.

Then Mal’s web comic goes viral, and kids at school start recognizing the unflattering characters based on Mal’s real-life friends. With negative pushback threatening the drag queen story time and Dr.BotGirl’s identity getting harder to hide, Mallory must reckon with the lies she has told.

If she reveals her full self, will her friends, her parents, and her new crush accept the real Mallory Marsh?
 
Follower News
Before I get to Elisa’s guest post, I have Follower News to share. Nancy Stewart’s MG Me and the Missouri Moon recently received a starred Kirkus award. Here’s a blurb: Ten-year-old Scarlet has never had a best friend until she meets Cricket, a rich girl from St. Louis, Missouri. But a dark secret threatens their friendship. Scarlet’s dad, with Scarlet in the car, hit Cricket’s brother and left him wounded just before the beginning of fifth grade. Terrified of losing Cricket, Scarlet tells no one about the incident. Will she tell Cricket the truth and risk everything? Or will she stay silent and live with the guilt? Find out in this story of friendship, forgiveness. And here are a few links: X @stewartnancy Instagram: @rosenthalstewart/ Website
 
 
Shipbuilding Your Way to Author Life 
By Elisa Stone Leahy

When you are still at the beginning of your publishing journey, debuting a book can seem like a bridge to a magical island, where all the successful, published authors are hanging out together.
You think, “If I can just get that book deal and get my book on the shelf, I’ll get to cross that bridge.” But debuting a book is not like crossing a bridge. It’s more like building your own boat, charting a course and trying to navigate a sea of unexpected waves in the dark.

1)    Build your boat. Your writing is the craft that will carry you on your author journey. It will always be important, no matter how many publishing wins you get. If you have the time and resources, tap into the plethora of writing classes, workshops and retreats available. Many not only hone your craft but also help you build a community in the writing world. Often there are scholarships, but those are limited. I know what it is like to build a writing career while raising a family on a struggling income. I couldn’t afford to financially invest in my writing for many years. When I sold my debut book, I had never attended a single writing class. My literary education came from reading and bingeing writing podcasts (Writing Excuses, Just Keep Writing and The Mythcreant Podcast are some of my favorites!). Find what works for you, whether that means paying for a free-lance editor who can give you a top-tier education through the process of editing your manuscript (shout out to Laura Bontje) or joining a critique group and maxing out your library card. Whatever you do, pay attention to your writing. Find honest beta readers and notice what resonates with them in your work. Look for patterns. No one knows your writing as well as you do. Not your critique partner, not your beta readers, not your agent or editor. Only you. Be an expert on your own craft.

2)    Chart a course. For me, this is about knowing your readers and understanding where your book fits on the shelf. The best way to do this is to read. If you are writing for children for example, you should be reading children’s books. Not just classics or the newest bestsellers, but a broad variety. My second book, Mallory in Full Color, features a protagonist who writes a webcomic. There is plotline that harkens back to Harriet the Spy when Mallory’s webcomic goes viral and her friends begin to recognize themselves in her story. But my book also taps into the more recent graphic novel trend. Because of my familiarity with what kids are currently reading, I asked my publisher to include pages of the webcomic at the beginning of each chapter. The result is a stunning hybrid novel with art by the talented illustrator Maine Diaz. I’m thrilled to see how middle schoolers will connect with the graphic novel elements in my book.
3)    Learn to navigate the unknown. My 2023 debut experience with Tethered to Other Stars was heady, fulfilling and exhausting. There were all the highs I had dreamed of—glowing starred reviews, news articles, speaking engagements, the thrill of opening that box of fresh copies with my own name on the cover and the launch party itself. But the ups come with downs and those emotional waves can be tricky to navigate. On the day my book released, I visited local bookstores to sign stock. On the way I stopped to buy Sharpies and a bottle of water. My card declined. The shame and fear that washed over me in the checkout line were not new, but I had never felt them while also brimming with the excitement of fulfilling a childhood dream. More recently, a publisher passed on my book submission on the same day that Mallory in Full Color received a starred review from SLJ. The whiplash of publishing is real. Be aware of how you best regulate emotional upheaval so that you are prepared for both the highs and the lows. 

4)    Find lights to guide you. So much about your debut year is learning what kind of an author you want to be, not just in your writing but in the way you move through the publishing world. Look for authors who have built a brand you admire and study them. Watch how they interact with other writers and with their readership. Make sure your guiding lights include authors from diverse backgrounds and identities. Straight, white voices have always been centered in the publishing industry and it is all too easy to exist in an echo chamber of only those voices. The stories I’ve heard from Black, Latine, AAPI, Muslim, Jewish and queer authors who I follow gave me a clearer understanding of the publishing landscape. I learned to raise questions about the diversity of the lineup at literary events and to be wary of places where equity is not valued. I also learned that celebrating my own wins includes recognizing both my privilege and the luck involved in those wins.

Even with a strong craft to carry you, a map of where you are headed, preparedness for the unknown and lights to shine the way, the published author life is never quite what you expect. In fact, when you arrive at that magical island on the other side, you’ll find it is not an island at all. It’s just a fleet of handmade boats bobbing along, some more seaworthy than others. My published author friends and I are constantly learning, working on our craft and looking ahead. So take heart. Even before any agent requests or editor interest, you have been gathering the tools and knowledge you need for the journey. You are already doing the work. Write on and may your craft sail far.

Thanks for all your advice, Elisa! You can find Elisa at:

Website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok

Giveaway Details

Elisa is generously offering a hardback of Mallory in Full Color 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 November 30th. 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 your blog and/or follow me on Twitter or follow Elisa 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

Wednesday, November 20th I have an agent spotlight interview with Courtney Donovan and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, December 1st I’m participating in the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, December 4th I have an interview with author Lish McBride and a giveaway of her YA Red in Tooth and Claw and my IWSG post

Saturday, December 7th I’m participating in the Let It Snow Giveaway Hop

Monday, December 9th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Hassan and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, December 11th I have an agent spotlight interview with Vicky Weber and a query critique giveaway

Monday, December 16th I have a guest post by debut author Vicky Lorencen and a giveaway of her MG The Book of Barf and am participating in the Dashing December Giveaway Hop

I hope to see you on Sunday, December 1st! And Happy Thanksgiving!


In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop

 

 

Happy Saturday Everyone! Today I'm excited to participate in the In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox. Practicing gratitude has been a big part of my life since my husband died ten years ago, and it has helped me stay content and grateful as I've learned to live with the grief. It's helped me see all the good in my life and remain positive. Today, I'm super grateful to you and all my followers who continue to follow Literary Rambles. I hope you have things in your life that you're grateful for too. 
 
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 November 30th 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

Monday, November 18th I have a guest post by Elisa Stone Leahy and a giveaway of her MG Mallory in Full Color

Wednesday, November 20th I have an agent spotlight interview with Courtney Donovan and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, December 1st I’m participating in the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, December 4th I have an interview with author Lish McBride and a giveaway of her YA Red in Tooth and Claw and my IWSG post

Saturday, December 7th I’m participating in the Let It Snow Giveaway Hop

Monday, December 9th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Hassan and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, December 11th I have an agent spotlight interview with Vicky Weber and a query critique giveaway

Monday, December 16th I have a guest post by debut author Vicky Lorencen and a giveaway of her MG The Book of Barf and am participating in the Dashing December Giveaway Hop
 
I hope to see you on Monday! Happy Thanksgiving!
 
And here are all the other blogs participating in this blog hop:

 

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

Literary Agent Interview: CoCo Freeman Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent CoCo Freeman here. She’s an associate agent at The Linda Chester Literary Agency.

Hi¬ CoCo! Thanks so much for joining us.

About CoCo:

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

 

I graduated from Bard College in 2013 with a BA in Written Arts. I was hired by a production company run by Tom Yoon to edit existing material and develop and write original screenplays. It was extremely instructive and engaging, but also restrictive, so I worked to maintain other creative outlets. I wrote poetry, song lyrics, short and long form fiction. When an opening occurred at the agency and my old friend, Laurie Fox, asked me if I would be interested in joining her, I said yes. I have been at Linda Chester for about eighteen months, and I love the work. I feel lucky and grateful to have found both a second passion and to get to be in the world of my first love, books. I represent commercial fiction that spans a range of genres and age categories, everything from adult and young adult to middle grade, chapter books and picture books. The first of those projects, a picture book called If My Sister Were a Worm written by Julie Hauswirth and illustrated by Jessica Goecke is slated to come out in 2026.

About the Agency:

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

Linda Chester established the Linda Chester Literary Agency in 1989 after beginning her publishing career at Doubleday. We are a full-service boutique agency and we sell all subrights including audio, foreign sales, and film (via co-agents). We take great pride in serving our clients, welcoming authors who are gifted in the areas of fiction, biography, and memoir, as well as experts in their given fields. Our ultimate goal is to liberate writers to pursue and fulfill their dreams.

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 YA, MG and picture book fiction across genres. Fundamentally, I am looking for well-conceived, well-constructed stories from authors who understand their genres and their target audience. In picture books, which I accept from both authors and author/illustrators, I am looking for work that uses humor, whimsy and subtlety to get its message across, work that will appeal to the parents who will ideally be reading it over and over to their children as well as to the children themselves. In middle grade and YA I am looking for stories that explore and address contemporary coming-of-age themes regardless of whether they’re presented through a fantastical lens. I am drawn to immersive science fiction/fantasy and horror, but also appreciate a grounded, resonant modern story.

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

One of the most wonderful benefits of the work is that I am frequently surprised by what excites me. I have had lots of impetus to expand my sensibilities and conceptions about what I respond to. A few things I would love to see at the moment include an excellent mystery, for children or adults, humor in all categories, more contemporary, character-driven stories for middle grade and YA, horror for children and teens that runs the gamut between lightly spooky and humorous to properly spine chilling, dark and whimsical fantasy, which can also involve elements of humor, and inventive and well-paced romances and romcoms.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

I don’t currently represent nonfiction, memoir, short stories/anthologies or poetry.

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?

The relationship between a writer and agent is uniquely singular. We’re business partners and a creative team. Trust and open communication are crucial. Getting to know my clients and helping guide their trajectories is one of the most wonderful parts of the job.

In the best fiction workshop I ever took, the critique directive our professor gave was to assess a story based on what its author was trying to do as opposed to what we, its readers, wished to see. That’s the attitude I take to the projects I sign. Do I believe in its author’s vision? Can I help them take a story where they want it to go? If the answer is no, then I am unequivocally the wrong agent. There is no editing around that, even if I like an author’s voice or certain elements of a manuscript. I need to be able to get behind the whole.

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?


I try to do whatever a project needs. Every manuscript is different. I try to blend my vision with my author’s and make sure the two align. I will typically read through a manuscript several times before taking it out to publishers. On the first read, I’m absorbing everything: the voice, the plot trajectory, character development, pacing. If a passage starts to lose me, I pay attention to why and consider what might elevate it. The first run-through is about my undiluted instinct as a reader. Before I sign an author, I always have an open conversation about what I think and what I would be asking them to do during development. I don’t ever want anyone to feel surprised or ambushed. Then on subsequent reads, I’m able to go deeper on the elements I mentioned and approach them from a more primed standpoint.

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 review our agency guidelines at https://lindachester.com/submissions-rights/. We ask for a short synopsis and the first two chapters of a manuscript in the body of the email, double-spaced, and please no attachments. I would also appreciate a query that opens with a pitch introducing me to the story and major themes. Please include title, genre, word count, and a short bio. Comp titles can also be useful, though I advise authors to communicate specifically how these titles relate to their work.

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

Consider a query letter as essentially your calling card. It’s crucial to be professional. After you’ve addressed an agent, don’t feel self-conscious about jumping straight into your story’s pitch. The more concise and direct, the better, and a preamble just bogs the process down. Please don’t editorialize or hard sell your work or add blurbs from beta readers. The only opinion I’m paying attention to, at this stage, is my own. Another bugaboo is when an author denigrates other books in their genre or category. Focus on yourself and what your work is offering.

Response Time:

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


I try my best to respond to queries within two-three weeks, and to respond to partial or full manuscript requests within two-three months. I will, in the latter case, let an author know that I need more time with their work if I exceed that. Otherwise, I am responsive to polite nudging.

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?


I am certainly open. As long as you are querying unpublished work that’s unrelated to previously published stories, my advice is the same as what I would offer all authors: present thoughtful, well-developed and polished work.

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?


I currently represent nine authors: Julie Hauswirth, Kerry Hansen, Andrew Dykstal, Hannah Strom-Martin, Claire Rako, Vincent Jorgensen, Kai Cooley, Ari Lichtenstein, Frauke Uhlenbruch.

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.


An interview with Writing and Illustrating: https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2023/10/13/october-agent-of-the-month-coco-freeman-2/

And an excellent website with advice on querying:

https://janefriedman.com/

Links and Contact Info:

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


My agency: https://lindachester.com/. Please view the Submissions & Rights page for querying information.

Manuscript Wishlist: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/coco-freeman/

Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/agent/coco-freeman-36655

Additional Advice:

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

Love what you’re doing and creating. This is a process-oriented world and industry. The wins are wonderful, but the process is what you come back to every day. Find the middle ground between being able to hear resonant and constructive feedback and being able to listen to yourself. It is all deeply, fundamentally subjective, and as difficult as rejection can be, remember why you’re here doing what you’re doing. The passion and faith keeps us all going, regardless of what role we play in this business. Hold fast to yours.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, CoCo.

Giveaway Details

CoCo 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 November 23rd. 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, November 16th I’m participating in the In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop

Monday, November 18th I have a guest post by Elisa Stone Leahy and a giveaway of her MG Mallory in Full Color

Wednesday, November 20th I have an agent spotlight interview with Courtney Donovan and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, December 1st I’m participating in the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, December 4th I have an interview with author Lish McBride and a giveaway of her YA Red in Tooth and Claw and my IWSG post

Saturday, December 7th I’m participating in the Let It Snow Giveaway Hop

I hope to see you on Saturday!