This week's Agent Spotlight features Julie Just of Janklow & Nesbit Associates.
Status: Open to submissions.
About: “Julie Just recently joined the Janklow & Nesbit literary agency as an agent specializing in Children’s and Young Adult books. She was an editor at The New York Times for 16 years, first at the Op-Ed Page, then the Times Magazine and finally at the Book Review, first as Deputy Editor, then as Children’s Books Editor, from 2005 to 2010. Previously she worked at The New Yorker magazine. From 2005 to 2010, Just oversaw the celebrated New York Times Book Review’s ‘Best Illustrated Children’s Books Awards.’ She also served as a judge for the 2010 Horn Book Awards.” (Link)
About the Agency:
“Janklow & Nesbit has been in business since 1973, and is one of the largest and most powerful literary agencies in the world. Since its inception the company has prided itself on the diversity of its clients, who are defined by their quality rather than any over-riding editorial ethos, and who range from the literary (Tom Wolfe, Jeffrey Eugenides, Joan Didion) to the commercial (Thomas Harris, Danielle Steel, Anne Rice, the estates of Sidney Sheldon and Michael Crichton). As well as novelists, the agency represents non-fiction authors of every stripe (Amy Chua, Gore Vidal, Eric Schlosser, Malcolm Gladwell, David Mcullough and His Holiness Pope John Paul II) and is known in the US for the politicians on its roster, including Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, Al Gore and Senator John Kerry.” (Link)
Web Presence:
What She's Looking For:
Genres/Specialties:
Fiction: Children’s, middle grade, young adult, graphic novels.
Non-Fiction: Adventure / true story, pop culture, narrative. (Link)
From AgentQuery:
“Her specialty is children's literature -- illustrated books, middle grade, young adult and graphic novels, with a particular interest in literary fiction, adventure, mystery, fantasy, and romance.
“Selectively, she is also interested in humor and adult fiction and nonfiction.” (Link)
What She Isn't Looking For:
Screenplays; otherwise unknown.
Editorial Agent?
“YES, I am editorial: I work a great deal on polishing nonfiction proposals and also do editing on ms.s.” (via e-mail)
Clients:
Jeff Baron (forthcoming debut “I Represent Sean Rosen,” 2013); Dan Greenburg (many successful m.g. series like Maximum Boy, The Zack Files, Secrets of Dripping Fang); Joan Heilbroner (author of “Robert the Rose Horse”); Lucy Hawking (with her father Stephen Hawking, the “George’s Secret Key” series); Fabian Negrin (illustrator of “Gauchada” and “The Secret Footprints”); and Renee Watson (author of picture book “A Place Where Hurricanes Happen” and also “What Momma Left Me” – which debuted as the New Voice for 2010 in middle grade fiction by The Independent Children's Booksellers Association).
Sales:
See the July 25th, 2011 PW Deals column here to read about two deals negotiated by Ms. Just in July.
As of this posting, Ms. Just is listed on Publisher’s Marketplace as having made 1 deal in the last 12 months, 1 six-figure+ deal, and 1 overall. Recent deals include 1 young adult.
NOTE: PM is usually not a complete representation of sales.
Query Methods:
E-mail: Yes (only).
Snail-Mail: No.
Online-Form: No.
Submission Guidelines (always verify):
E-mail a query with the first chapter of your manuscript as an attachment.
See the query databases above for contact information.
Submission Tips:
“She is not interested in long synopses -- two or three paragraphs, tops.” (Link)
Response Times:
Ms. Just’s stated response time for queries is currently one month (see comments). Stats on the web show Ms. Just responding to most queries and requests within days to a month.
What's the Buzz?
Julie Just joined top agency Janklow & Nesbit in December of 2010 after a sixteen year career with The New York Times. She is very well respected in the industry, and I think she’ll shine as an agent. I’m looking forward to watching her client list grow and succeed under her representation.
Worth Your Time:
Interviews:
None recent.
Children’s Bookshelf talks with Julie Just at PW (11/2005).
Around the Web:
Janklow & Nesbit Associates on P&E ($, AAR, Highly Recommended).
Janklow & Nesbit Associates thread on AbsoluteWrite (2006 – Present).
On My Nightstand: Julie Just's Nighttime Reading at PW (08/2011).
National Book Critics Circle Secrets of Publishing, video of the panel including Ms. Just (06/2011).
Julie Just Moves to Agent Side, Joins Janklow & Nesbit, move announcement at PW (10/2010).
Articles and reviews by Ms. Just at The New York Times during her career there.
Contact:
Please see AgentQuery and QueryTracker for contact and query information.
Profile Details:
Last updated: 9/8/11.
Agent Contacted For Review? Yes.
Last Reviewed By Agent? 9/8/11.
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Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or e-mail me at agentspotlight(at)gmail(dot)com
Note: These agent profiles presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. They are not interviews. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found herein is subject to change.
These agent spotlights are so helpful for many of us. I really appreciate you sharing these. It makes my agent searching a little less painful :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Casey: I feel like you've summarized my career and interests more efficiently than I could. I would add: I'm in a very Bronte-esque mood these days -- all Brontes. And adventure, strong relationships... I've also started to do some nonfiction (very selectively, as stated).
ReplyDeleteAnd: I'm trying for a response time of under a month -- but not always making it. Thanks, Julie
Thank you, Casey, for another great spotlight! And thank you, Julie, for the added info!
ReplyDeleteThanks Casey for the spotlight and Julie for providing us with additional info.
ReplyDeleteThese agent spotlights are always so helpful.
Love these posts!
ReplyDeleteCasey,
ReplyDeleteI was unsure after reading this if she reps illustrated picture books. Do you know?
Thank you!
Wow, I think this is the first spotlight I read where an agent responded in the comments! She sounds awfully nice. Thank you for posting these.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all these Spotlights, Casey. I'm just starting to get caught up. Can't wait to get back to the States!
ReplyDeleteThis is the best series on the net right now. Thanks so much for these posts, Casey - and I've noticed you spotlighting more agents who handle PBs as well as novels, so THANK YOU for that!
ReplyDeleteWell, goodness, if that agency's good enough for His Holiness...
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Oooh nice spotlight, Casey! Thank you so much. She sounds like a good one:)
ReplyDeleteThanks Casey, as always.
ReplyDeleteWonderful profile as usual. Thanks much for these.
ReplyDeleteCasey, I feel like you are an angel that whispers in my ear to never give up, there are plenty of agents out there for everyone. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, everyone. And thank you, Julie, for taking the time to comment! The additional info is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate your time and hard work to feature all these great names-
ReplyDeleteKit Grady