Literary Agent Interview: Lane Clarke Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

 

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Lane Clarke here. She is an associate literary agent at ArtHouse Literary Agency.

Hi­ Lane! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Lane:

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

I spent a year as an editorial intern and another year as an agent mentee by the time I reached out to one of the ArtHouse founders about possibly joining their team and the rest is history. That was in May 2022, so for about a year and some change I’ve been signing great clients and pitching their fantastic work to editors.

About the Agency:

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

ArtHouse is a small Black-owned agency whose main goal is to uplift marginalized voices. We offer editorial assistance in addition to representation, and are open minds always looking for new ways to get our clients work and recognition.

 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 all age groups, picture books through adult. I’m a bit eclectic when it comes to genres I represent, so I look for contemporary, speculative, funny, serious, etc. I read A LOT so I’m always looking for something that I haven’t seen before, whether it be a completely fresh perspective or a common trope really turned on its head. 

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

I’m really keen on finding contemporary stories set in the real world with just a hint of something speculative. I’d also really love some horror that gives me goosebumps, whether that be because there’s something deliciously gross about it or because it addresses an issue that just makes me feel big emotions.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

I don’t find myself leaning towards fantasy about fae or related topics, not to say that I never could be so I hate to say I’m not interested in something because I really never know what may blow me away. I do think my bandwidth has made me not as interested in longer books over 100,000 words. I’m also really not into submissions about a marginalized character or group from a writer who is not a part of that group—we should be giving those creatures space in publishing, not telling their stories for them.

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 is publishing, the reason I became an agent really, is to always push publishing towards being more diverse, so my list represents authors from all backgrounds. It’s really important for me in my career to do my part in getting those voices heard and to the forefront.

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’m very editorial, some of my clients might even call me nitpicky lol but I try to get my clients’ work as “perfect” as we can so editors can have a clear vision and have fewer reasons to hopefully say no. That can mean multiple rounds of developmental edits or hefty line edits to make the book really sing.

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 use the QueryManager link on ArtHouse’s website’s contact page. We have a shared inbox so every ArtHouse agent sees every query. In addition to your query letter, we also ask for a synopsis and the first three chapters of your manuscript.

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

No, not really. I don’t mind typos or small mistakes, even if it’s my name. As long as the query letter is clear what your book is about and gives me an idea on whether or not I want to read it, then it’s well done.

Response Time:

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

Now that I’m finally all caught up with queries and requested materials, my response time is about 2 months to respond to your query and *fingers crossed* one-two months to read the manuscript.

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’m definitely open to hybrid authors and authors already published by a small press. My advice is the same as it would be for any author—query with your best (unpublished) work and be ready to talk about your other projects both published and unpublished. If you’re self-published, make sure you have an idea of your sales record because agents may ask.

12. With all the changes in publishing—self-publishing, hybrid authors, more small publishers—do you see the role of agents changing at all? Why?

I think the role of agents is everchanging because books tend to reflect the world and the world is everchanging. For me personally, I try not to focus too much on the hottest trends because the market is moving so quickly right now, editors are moving in and around and out of publishing houses so figuring out how to maintain those relationships is taking a new flexibility for sure. I think since we’re seeing so many popular self-published books get picked up by traditional publishing, agents becoming more agile and connected in the international market feels like it’s becoming more necessary. (**caveat that I’m still fairly new and maybe these are things agents have always been doing, but that in my time I’ve learned I need to pay more attention to than I knew coming in.)

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

Clients who have had deals announced include Jenny Alvarado, Jasmine Smith, Melissa Kendall, and Leigh Anne Carter.

Interviews, Guest Posts, and Podcasts:

14. 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:

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

Writers can query me at the QueryManager form on ArtHouse’s website’s contact page. You can address the query to the agency as a whole since we share an inbox or you can address it to me specifically.

Additional Advice:

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

Publishing is moving slow, I mean really slow, right now. So the best advice I can give is to be patient. I’ve seen authors CNR a query that was only out for 4-6 weeks, which, unless that’s what an agent’s guidelines state, just feels like way too short a time. I completely understand that wait times are just horrendous right now, but most of us are truly reading as fast as we can while managing our existing list, so hang in there!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Lane.

Giveaway Details

­Lane 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 October 31st. 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

Monday, October 16 I have an agent spotlight interview with Jane Chun and a query critique giveaway and am participating in the Silly Pumpkin Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 23 I have an interview with debut author Elisa Stone Leahy and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Tethered to Other Stars

Wednesday, November 1st I have a guest post by debut author Mackenzie Reed and a giveaway of her YA mystery The Rosewood Hunt and my IWSG post

Monday, November 6th I have an agent spotlight interview with Morgan Hughes and a query critique giveaway

Thursday, November 9th I’m participating in the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop

Monday, November 13th I have an interview with debut author DaVaun Sanders and a giveaway of his MG fantasy Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew

Hope to see you on Monday! 

 

Debut Author Interview: Sean O’Brien and White House Clubhouse Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Sean O’Brien here to share about his MG adventure/time travel White House Clubhouse. It sounds like a page-turner, and I love that the kids travel back in time. I’m looking forward to reading it.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

From a former White House a middle grade series following two First Daughters who team up with historical presidential children to save the nation. Marissa and Clara’s mom is the newly elected president of the United States, and they haven’t experienced much freedom lately. While exploring the White House they discover a hidden tunnel that leads to an underground clubhouse full of antique curiosities, doors heading in all directions―and a mysterious invitation to join the ranks of White House kids. So they sign the pledge. Suddenly, the lights go out, and Marissa and Clara find themselves at the White House in 1903. There they meet Quentin, Ethel, Archie, and Alice, the irrepressible children of President Theodore Roosevelt. To get back home, Marissa and Clara must team up with the Roosevelt kids “to help the president” and “to make a difference.” White House Clubhouse is a thrilling and hilarious adventure that takes readers on an action-packed, cross-country railroad trip, back to the dawn of the twentieth century and the larger-than-life president at the country’s helm. Black-and-white illustrations throughout.

Hi Sean! Thanks so much for joining us.

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

I’ve always loved fiction but my first writing opportunities were in politics. I worked in Congress, the White House, and the Pentagon as a speechwriter, but I always looked for good stories to tell, and great history to relate. So it’s a thrill to bring some of those stories from history to life in an adventure story for kids!

2. Where did you get the idea for White House Clubhouse?

My kids and I spent a lot of time discussing the characters that went into this book and the adventures we might take them on. We were particularly interested in the Teddy Roosevelt White House because he had 6 kids and over 20 pets! It sounds like an amazing time and place to be a kid!

Your Writing Process

3. That’s so cool that you involved your kids in creating your story. You were a speech writer for President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden. How exciting! How did working in the White House help you in creating your story, the kids’ exploration of the White House, and their finding of the hidden tunnel?

I got to see up close how the tight knit world of the White House operates, and I also got to see how tough it must be to live in that world all the time. I could go home to my kids and step outside the motorcade. But what if you’re a President’s kid? That helped inspire the story. The physical space of the White House also fascinated me and it helped to be able to walk around with a badge and take the time to really look at things like the wooden eagle table, which is featured in the story as the gateway to the clubhouse.

Working in the White House also helped my journey as a writer because it taught me about working on hard deadlines, handling tough feedback and rewriting effectively. It also helped inspire some of the lessons in the book on how to truly make a difference.

4. Marissa and Clara go back in time to the White House in 1903 and on a train trip across the country with President Theodore and his kids. What research did you have to do to get the historical aspects of your story right?

Online resources from great organizations like the White House Historical Association and the Theodore Roosevelt Center were really helpful, as were the National park Service resources about the Teddy Roosevelt Birthplace, Sagamore Hill, and Yosemite National Park. The Ken Burns Roosevelts series was a great starting point, and I read books by Edmund Morris, Douglas Brinkley, and others to help generate stories and gain insight into Roosevelt, his family, and the 1903 train trip which would change the course of conservation history.

5. You have so much going on in White House Clubhouse. How did you plot out your story? Have you changed your plotting process at all from what you learned from writing this book?

 

I learned a LOT! Through over 10 rewrites and great editorial feedback from Simon Boughton and Elizabeth Law as well as experienced writers like Peter Lerangis, I learned about the importance of plotting and outlining, character arcs and creating a good balance between description and dialogue. At one point I even wrote plot points on cards and lined them up across my basement floor so I could move things around and see how they worked.

Your Road to Publication

6. What was your road to publication like?

It was long but I’m thrilled with where I’ve ended up. Norton Young Readers is doing a lot of cool things and they’ve really been very supportive and enthusiastic about this project. It surprised me how tough it was to get an agent in the first place – you really have to have something that’s almost publication ready – but I’m so glad I found Reiko Davis of Defiore and Company. She’s been amazing and really helped me figure it all out!

7. What was something that surprised you about working with your editor?

Simon has a great vision for Norton Young Readers and it’s a thrill to be a part of it. It surprised me how much my former speechwriting career helped prepare me to respond effectively to editorial feedback and to find places to trim, and concepts to incorporate. He’s also been very helpful in introducing me to the booksellers and librarians who help inspire young readers across the country.

On Marketing Your Book

8. How did you celebrate the release of your book and what are you planning to do to promote it after its release?

We released it at East City Bookshop in DC, a great place that my kids have grown up in. It was a no brainer where to kick this thing off, since they helped inspire many of the ideas and supplied the books we used as sources! I’m going to be visiting many schools and bookstores across the country, starting with Booked in Evanston, Illinois on 10/7, and Schuler’s in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 10/10, then I’ll be out in the Bay Area at Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, California on 10/21, and I’ll be doing school visits with great stores like Copperfield’s and Book Passage in San Francisco. I’m also looking forward to more DC area events, like the Fall for the Book festival on 10/13, and the Arts Club of DC on 10/25.

9. Too bad you aren’t coming to the Schuler’s in Ann Arbor where I live. You hired a publicist to help you market your book. What made you decide to hire one and how did you find yours? How has your publicist helped you?

Megan Beatie of MB Communications has been very helpful in helping ensure a strong and effective launch, and also in getting me going in critical areas like social media! I would recommend any new author securing a publicist, and I hope yours is as good as mine!

10. What are you working on now?

We plan on making White House Clubhouse a series. The first book was focused on the Teddy Roosevelt Administration. Now I’m working on taking all the War of 1812 stories I learned while a Department of Navy speechwriter and putting together a new adventure for Marissa and Clara beginning with the 1814 burning of the White House!

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

Seanobrienbooks.com

Instagram, Facebook, Twitter: @seanobrienbooks

Giveaway Details

Sean is generously offering a hardback of White House Clubhouse 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 October 21st. 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 Sean on his social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S.

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

Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops

Wednesday, October 11 I have an agent spotlight interview with Lane Clarke and a query critique giveaway

Monday, October 16 I have an agent spotlight interview with Jane Chun and a query critique giveaway and am participating in the Silly Pumpkin Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 23 I have an interview with debut author Elisa Stone Leahy and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Tethered to Other Stars

Wednesday, November 1st I have a guest post by debut author Mackenzie Reed and a giveaway of her YA mystery The Rosewood Hunt and my IWSG post

Monday, November 6th I have an agent spotlight interview with Morgan Hughes and a query critique giveaway

Thursday, November 9th I’m participating in the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop

Monday, November 13th I have an interview with debut author DaVaun Sanders and a giveaway of his MG fantasy Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew

Hope to see you on Wednesday!

 

 

 

 

Howl-O-Ween Giveaway Hop

 

 

Happy Thursday Everyone! Today I'm thrilled to be participating in the Howl-O-Ween Giveaway Hop hosted by The Mommy Island and The Kids Did It. I hope you're having a good start to the fall. I'm looking forward to going to Texas to see my late husband's family with my daughter and her husband. I'm grateful it shouldn't be so unbearably hot when we're there. I'm hoping to go to the Texas State Fair. My husband always wanted to take me, but we never got to Texas when it was going on. 

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. Here are some recent releases you may want to choose.

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 October 26th 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, October 9 I have an interview with debut author Sean O’Brien and a giveaway of his MG historical White House Clubhouse

Wednesday, October 11 I have an agent spotlight interview with Lane Clarke and a query critique giveaway

Monday, October 16 I have an agent spotlight interview with Jane Chun and a query critique giveaway and am participating in the Silly Pumpkin Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 23 I have an interview with debut author Elisa Stone Leahy and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Tethered to Other Stars

Hope to see you on Monday!

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

Debut Author Interview: Kellie M. Parker Interview and Thin Air Giveaway and IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Kellie M. Parker here to share about her debut YA thriller Thin Air. I love YA thrillers and mysteries and can’t wait to read this one.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Eight hours. Twelve contestants. A flight none of them might survive. A flight to Paris full of teenagers seeking opportunity turns deadly in this suspenseful, locked-door YA thriller. Perfect for fans of Diana Urban, Karen McManus, and Jessica Goodman.

Seventeen-year-old boarding school student Emily Walters is selected for an opportunity of a lifetime—she’ll compete abroad for a cash prize that will cover not only tuition to the college of her choice, but will lift her mother and her out of poverty.

But almost from the moment she and 11 other contestants board a private jet to Europe, Emily realizes somebody is willing to do anything to win. Between keeping an eye on her best friend’s flirty boyfriend and hiding her own dark secrets, she’s not sure how she’ll survive the contest, much less the flight. Especially when people start dying…

As loyalties shift and secrets are revealed, Emily must figure out who to trust, and who’s trying to kill them all, before she becomes the next victim.

 

Before I get to Victoria’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: Kim Lajevardi, Debs Carey, Gwen Gardner, Patricia Josephine, Rebecca Douglas and me!

Optional Question: The topic of AI writing has been heavily debated across the world. According to various sources, generative AI will assist writers, not replace them. What are your thoughts?

Before I answer the question, I want to let you know that my SCBWI webinar went really well. It was well-attended, and people said they found it helpful. I knew my script well enough that I didn’t need to print it out. And thankfully, I didn’t have a coughing attack while I was presenting. It was a good learning experience, and I feel much more confident about presenting at a conference or a webinar after doing this one.

I don’t think AI can or should be used to write manuscripts. However, I do think it could be useful in completing other writer duties, like finding comps, creating an outline, and drafting a pitch. There are probably other things it can help with and save time on that I’m not thinking of.

I already use AI in my job as a writer on contract where I write articles on areas of the law. I use it to draft my 325 to 1,300-word articles on general topics related to the practice areas my clients (lawyers) practice. I use it to create articles like: Steps to take after a car, How long do I have to file a lawsuit, How much is my claim worth, and What to do if you’re arrested for DUI.

I always do my own research and verify the content being written by AI is accurate, which is not always the case. I have to say that in general AI saves me time and work. As a writer on contract, I have no benefits and have not gotten a raise since I started working at my current job in 2015. So, this is a way to get a little raise and not work as hard. Like my job, I think AI has a place to help people save time and work less hard in their jobs. This would benefit writers too, who are very underpaid for their work.

Interview With Kellie Parker

Hi Kellie! Thanks so much for joining us.

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

Thanks for having me! I’m a part-time writer and full-time mom of four kids in west Michigan. I was an avid reader and writer as a child but never considered writing as a career option when I was in school. Instead, I studied biology in college and went on to earn a Master’s degree in nautical archaeology (the study of shipbuilding and shipwrecks, and yes, it’s fascinating but also very academic). After my first baby was born, I decided to stay home with him and ended up homeschooling my kids for several years. Writing became my “brain break,” and I fell in love with it all over again. After some false starts and early attempts, I buckled down and decided to see if I could get published. My agent signed me after a revise and resubmit on a YA fantasy. Neither that manuscript nor my second that went out on sub sold, but the third time was the charm for Thin Air.

2. Where did you get your idea for Thin Air?

While my second YA fantasy manuscript was floundering on submission, my savvy agent, Ali Herring, suggested I consider writing a thriller. I’d already successfully sold a couple of adult romantic suspense books to Harlequin under a pen name, so I knew a thing or two about suspense. She pitched me the idea of a group of students on a class trip trapped with a killer on a plane. I mulled it over, but I didn’t get excited about the concept until I pulled some ideas from one of my favorite books growing up, The Westing Game. That book got me thinking about creating a diverse cast of characters each with their own secrets, competing against each other for a prize. The rest of the story sort of fell into place from there.

Your Writing Process

3. That’s awesome that you’d already written suspense stories when Ali suggested it. What was your plotting process like when drafting Thin Air? What advice do you have for writers who want to write a thriller but aren’t sure how to plot it out?

Ha ha, I’m probably not the best person to ask, because my natural writing style is to “pants” my way through the story. As anyone who has written a thriller can tell you, that doesn’t work very well with mystery plots—unless you love rewriting multiple drafts while you try to get the story right. Back when I was unagented and working on my first fantasy manuscript, that’s exactly what I did. But I’m happy to report that I’ve reformed my ways and become more of a “plantser” now.

When I start brainstorming a new manuscript, I love using a notebook and pen. I’ll write a short pitch or blurb to nail down the heart of the story and make notes on the characters. Since Thin Air has a large cast, I created a Pinterest board and found pictures for each character. I also created a spreadsheet listing what school they attended, physical descriptions, and notes about their secrets and character arcs. My last step before I start writing is to create a simple one-page outline that lists the major plot points. This outline acts as a “skeleton” to give structure to the story as I write.

My biggest advice is to read mysteries and thrillers, or at least plot summaries of them, so you can learn what works and what doesn’t as you’re thinking through your own plot points and characters. Having a solid foundation will make revising so much easier.

4. I can imagine that being a pantser wouldn’t work well. Your new way of plotting would be a way I could outline a mystery because I can’t write a complete outline either. Writing a thriller and mystery sounds complicated to plot out. Share three or four tips on how to write them and any craft books you used that helped you write yours.

As I’ve mentioned above, I’ve read a lot of mysteries and thrillers—starting with Nancy Drew back in second grade—so I’ve learned some of the basics: open the chapter with a hook, end the chapter on a cliffhanger, create a believable red herring or two, drop in enough clues that readers have an “aha” moment when the killer is revealed but not so many that they guess right away. My subconscious mind handles a lot of these details for me as I’m drafting. Sometimes even I’m surprised! I love seeing how something I planted earlier in the story suddenly becomes crucial at just the right moment. I think a lot of that innate feeling that something just needs to happen or “feels right” for the story comes from extensive reading and from practice writing.

I didn’t use any craft books specific to writing mysteries, but I would highly recommend K.M. Weiland’s Helping Writers Become Authors website. She has an excellent series of blog posts that go through plot structure and the basic plot points. I pored over these in my early days of learning the craft and then applied my growing knowledge to identifying structure in books and movies. It helped so much with learning how to plot! Two other go-to books include Lisa Cron’s Story Genius (for understanding how characters drive stories) and Rayne Halls’ The Word-Loss Diet (for tightening your writing).

5. Thanks for the recommendations. Good mysteries and thrillers have complex, sympathetic protagonists. Share a bit about Emily and how she grew as a character as you wrote her story.

Emily is seventeen and heading into her senior year of high school. Like the other characters, she attends an elite boarding school, but unlike them, she’s on a full needs-based scholarship. Her mother, who is divorced, recently lost their house and is living in her car while she tries to find work. Emily will be living in the car with her during the summer while she’s not at school—a secret she’s keeping from everyone else.

I knew heading into the story that Emily would have some secrets, and as I was thinking about her motivations and how to develop her as a character, I knew I wanted to pull in this topic of family homelessness, both to make her more sympathetic and to bring attention to a social issue that maybe doesn’t get as much time in the public eye as it should. As I wrote the first draft, I was able to delve deeper into the key relationships in her life and how her decisions have affected them. She makes some important realizations during the story, and I loved seeing those moments fall into place. The book puts her through the wringer, but she comes out a stronger, better person for it.

Your Road to Publication

6. Ali Herring is your agent. How did she become your agent and what was your road to publication like?

I first queried Ali with a YA fantasy manuscript in 2018. She sent me back a very kind pass, with the offer to look at new work or even the same manuscript if I did some major revisions. Using some books she recommended (Story Genius and The Word-Loss Diet, mentioned above), I reworked the opening of the story and tightened the writing considerably. To test out my changes, I sent another round of queries to other agents and started to get significantly more requests than I had before.

In the meantime, I’d also written an adult inspirational romantic suspense and submitted it to Harlequin. When they made an offer, a friend of mine (who was one of Ali’s clients), mentioned me to her and suggested I query her again. Now that I’d revised my YA fantasy with apparent success, I queried her with it again in spring of 2019. She loved it and offered me representation only a few weeks later! After seeing her investment in her clients, and me as only a querying writer, I was delighted to sign with her.

After revisions, we sent the manuscript on sub that summer. There were a couple of close passes, but no offers. I had another YA fantasy nearly finished, so we took it out in the spring of 2020—unfortunately, the week before everything locked down. When it became clear the timing wasn’t right for that one either, Ali suggested I think about writing a YA thriller. I wrote Thin Air in the late summer/ fall of 2020, and we took it out in spring of 2021. Our first offer came in three days after we sent it out, and after going back and forth with editors, we accepted the offer from Razorbill two weeks later.

7. How did working with Ali on your manuscript before going on submission make your story stronger?

Ali has a great eye for finding things that need to be changed to make a story more sellable. She was super excited about Thin Air and the pitch I’d put together, but she helped me flesh out the ending more (it was a little too abrupt and less twisty in the first draft), tighten the pacing, and refine Emily’s character to make her more likable. With the secrets she’s keeping, Emily does walk the line toward being unlikable, and Ali’s suggestions really helped draw out her voice and make her more sympathetic.

Marketing Your Book

8. How are you planning to celebrate the release of your book and promote it after its release? What made you decide on your plan?

Okay, I have to admit, my launch day plans aren’t quite what I originally envisioned. Thin Air’s release date happens to fall in the middle of my kids’ Fall Break from school, so I will be spending that week celebrating on a mother-daughter cruise with my thirteen-year-old and some friends of ours. When you’re trying to coordinate travel plans, you only have so many available dates to work with. At least it will give me a chance to take some pictures of the book on an airplane!

I will have a traditional book launch when I get home, which I’m really looking forward to. I’ll be in conversation with bestselling YA author Erin A. Craig at Schuler Books, an independent bookstore close to my house. It’s a dream come true to have my book launch there! I’m also active on social media and my author newsletter on Substack, so I’ll be promoting the book online. My publicist is coordinating some virtual events and in-person school events as well. Thin Air is written more for teen readers than crossover adult readers, so I’m excited to be able to reach out to my target audience.

9. I live on the other side of the state. I wish I could come to your book launch. How have you been connecting with writers, readers and librarians? What advice do you have for writers on how to connect with them?

When I first joined Twitter (now “X”) in 2016, it had a wonderful, active writing community. I met several writers there, including some who’ve become critique partners and friends. It did take a lot of participation, though, in chats, pitch events, and just commenting and interacting with others in a genuine way. With how that platform is changing, writers might have more success now on Instagram or even in Facebook groups. I’ve also connected with local writers by joining a writing group in my area. Another great way to meet people in person is to attend conferences, whether big national ones or local ones.

For readers and librarians, I’ve had the most success meeting new people on Instagram. There’s a very active, welcoming “bookish” community on that platform. One of the perks of working with a bigger publisher is that they helped me out in this area by sending advance reader copies to interested book influencers. ARCs of the book were also made available on Edelweiss and Netgalley, allowing librarians to read early copies. And submitting the book for trade reviews can also help garner attention from librarians. 

So much of publishing is about networking, so I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to get to know people. I know this is tough for a lot of writers, since we tend to be introverted, but you’ll be so thankful later in your journey when you have friends to cheer you on and encourage you, and readers who are excited to get their hands on your book.

10. That’s such great advice. What are you working on now?

I can’t share details at this time, but my current project is another YA thriller. Not locked-door this time, but set in a fascinating location with some survival and speculative elements.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Kellie. You can find Kellie at www.kelliemparker.com, on Substack at https://kelliemparker.substack.com/, on Twitter and Instagram at @kelliemparker, and Facebook at @kelliemichelleparker.

Giveaway Details

Kellie is generously offering a hardback of Thin Air 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 October 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 your blog and/or follow me on Twitter or Kellie 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

Thursday, October 5 I’m participating in the Howl-O-Ween Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 9 I have an interview with debut author Sean O’Brien and a giveaway of his MG historical White House Clubhouse

Wednesday, October 11 I have an agent spotlight interview with Lane Clarke and a query critique giveaway

Monday, October 16 I have an agent spotlight interview with Jane Chun and a query critique giveaway and am participating in the Silly Pumpkin Giveaway Hop

Monday, October 23 I have an interview with debut author Elisa Stone Leahy and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Tethered to Other Stars

Hope to see you on Thursday!