Literary Agent Interview: Saritza Hernández and 45-Minute Ask Me Anything Session Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Saritza Hernández here. She’s an agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency. 

Status Update: Saritza is open to queries the first 15 days of each month.

Hi Saritza! Thanks so much for joining us.

Hi! Thank you for having me! 

About Saritza: 

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

 

I think my trajectory is likely similar to others who’ve realized their path in publishing is led by a desire to protect creators’ rights while being excited about ways to usher works into the literary canon. While working in textbook publishing, a friend of mine wrote a great novel that I thought should be traditionally published, but it was also the rise of digital publishing (2008), and I was seeing many writers from underrepresented communities being relegated to that space with little to no support. But many literary agents were not working in that space so there was a need that I felt compelled to fill. I reached out to agents for remote mentorship opportunities. I was a young parent of pre-teens at the time and not living in New York City, so I knew it was going to be an uphill climb but eventually found the L. Perkins Agency where I interned remotely for a few years then moved to another agency where I grew my list. In 2020, I was blessed to have the opportunity to join the Andrea Brown Literary Agency where I’ve continued to grow my list in the KidLit market as well as Adult genre fiction and nonfiction. 

For the past 18 years, I’ve worked with authors and illustrators at various stages of their writing career and am proud to have helped usher their works into the world. 

About the Agency: 

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

Andrea Brown Literary Agency has been around for over 40 years, and a big part of what has made us a success is our philosophy of making sure that our clients are not only published, but published well! We work collaboratively instead of in direct competition with each other which means our clients get the collective strength of our various areas of expertise. While the company began with Andrea representing children’s book authors in 1981, we now have more than a dozen agents representing HUNDREDS of creators whose works span all categories across children’s and adult literature. 

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?

The bulk of my client list consists of authors and illustrators whose commercial and upmarket work spans across children’s and adult categories. 

My client list consists of creators from the global majority or who identify with a traditionally underserved or underrepresented community. So, I am always looking for more stories for these readers by members of those communities whose stories have been traditionally neglected or dismissed. 

In the young adult space, I’m seeking speculative science fiction that is propulsive, immersive, and inclusive; spacefaring novels with twists that keep you turning pages; romance that feels fresh and funny. 

I’m currently looking for more middle grade fiction and select nonfiction that is fun, funny, quirky and inclusive. In middle grade, I’m eagerly seeking a rom-com approach to a first love story. I love friendship and sibling stories as well and science fiction like The Last Cuentista. I’m also actively seeking more graphic novels in middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction by author-illustrators with a proven track record in this space. 

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

Send me all of the queer, Latiné, and neurodivergent rep in genre fiction across all categories. I’m always looking to highlight the joy in our intersectional communities and prefer to focus on stories that highlight those moments rather than our pain. 

What She Isn’t Looking For: 

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

I’m not currently looking for any Christian fiction, memoirs, or super literary work. I’m just not the right agent for these types of projects. 

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? 

While I enjoy working with new authors, I like to see that they’re knowledgeable about the industry enough to know their target audience and the voice of the category they’re writing in. I like to work with authors who understand that we’re partners in their success and are constantly learning and improving their craft. 

I also need to feel like I have a vision for the client’s career as well as the manuscript they’ve submitted. If, for example, they hope to write a memoir or super literary adult novel after the middle grade novel they’ve queried, I’m likely not the right agent for them. 

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 don’t consider myself an editorial agent, no. I tell my clients that I have two (2) strong editorial rounds in me. My most successful clients have strong critique partners and editorial support so that when I get the manuscript, I’m giving them high-level, or big picture edits to get the manuscript out as quickly as possible. That’s not to say I don’t give line edits when needed, of course but I aim to get work out on submission as quickly as possible. 

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? 

We use QueryTracker at the agency so all queries must come through my query form. I like to see a professional approach to the query letter with a clear hook. 

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

I consider the query letter similar to a cover letter for a resume. I like to see a good attitude about the industry, their role in that industry, and a professionalism that lets me know they take the business of publishing seriously. I don’t like to see things like, “you’re probably not going to read this” or being negative about publishing as a whole. 

Response Time: 

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

I respond to every query so it can take some time to get back to folks. At the moment I’m running about 12-14 weeks on novel-length works. But I’m also not averse to a nudge from folks after 6-8 weeks or when they’ve received an offer of representation or publication. 

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? 

Yes, absolutely as long as it’s not previously published then I’d be happy to consider it. 

Clients: 

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?

I rep a ton of amazing authors and author-illustrators working on everything from picture books to adult genre fiction. You can get to know them and their works better here. 

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. 

I have a Resources page on my website with links to tons of great publishing information including my agency sibling, Jennifer Laughran’s Ask-Me-Anything Tumblr that has even MORE great information about the industry including the query process. 

Links and Contact Info: 

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

All queries should come in through QueryTracker. 

You can learn more about me and links to my website and Manuscript Wishlist from my agency page here. 

Additional Advice: 

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

Writing can be a lonely profession, but authorship requires community. Be sure to build your community as a writer through critique groups and writing organizations like SCBWI. The relationships you create at the start of your career can be lifelong, make sure that they fuel your creativity as well as your success. 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Saritza! 

Giveaway Details 

­Saritza is generously offering a 45-minute Ask Me Anything session 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 April 18th. If you do not want to enter the contest, that’s okay. Just let me know in the comments. If I do not have your email (I can no longer get it from your Google Profile), you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you follow me on Twitter or Bluesky 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, April 13th, I’m reviewing Jennifer Nielsen’s MG The Free State of Jax and Magnitude with a book giveaway 

Thursday, April 16th, I’m participating in the Rain Drop on Roses Giveaway Hop 

Monday, April 20th, I have an interview with Van Hoang and a giveaway of her MG Auntie Q’s Golden Claws Nail Salon 

Monday, April 27th, I have an interview with Gareth P. Jones and a giveaway of his MG Solve Your Own Mysteries 

Wednesday, April 29th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Erica Bauman and a query critique giveaway 

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

 

 

 

 

 

Author Interview: Jill Tew and Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap Giveaway

Happy Monday, Everyone! Today I’m excited to have Jill Tew here to celebrate the release of her MG, Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap. It sounds like a great contemporary story that addresses many of the issues middle graders experience, and I’m looking forward to reading it. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

Rayana Johnson always thought that turning thirteen would mean being old enough to stay home alone, go on her first date, and attend Galaxy Camp, a sleepaway camp that’s all about her true passion—space exploration.

But instead of having a blast on flight simulators and multi-axis trainers or learning about what it takes to explore the stars, Ray’s mind is stuck on Earth, wondering why her parents are arguing, why her best friend isn’t acting like herself, and why her totally-crushworthy-counselor keeps treating her like a kid. And even worse,
puberty throws her the ultimate curveball—she has her first period.

In the span of just a few days, Ray’s gone from having total certainty in her universe to barely being able to count on anything—not her parents’ marriage, not Galaxy Camp, and not even her own body. Will she ever feel grounded again, or is the rest of her life destined to be as nebulous as the Milky Way? 

Hi Jill! Thanks so much for joining us. 

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

I always loved stories growing up, but knew that when it came time to make a career choice I needed to make a practical decision. I was lucky enough to get into a great college and graduate with a business degree, and from there I worked in corporate environments as well as startups. But the whole time I felt like kind of a square peg in a round hole; even though I was good at these jobs, it felt like something wasn’t quite natural. 

One day, some coworkers suggested we go see a movie after work period that movie was “Divergent”, and walking home from the theater I felt like a spark inside of me had been rekindled. This was what I wanted: to create stories that made people think, and imagine, and question, and dream. That night, instead of going home to work on a PowerPoint presentation for work, I began outlining my very first novel, and the rest is history. 

2. How cool that you decided to write because it fulfilled you more. Where did you get the idea for Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap? 

I was the responsible kid, from really early on, and it took me a long time to realize that a lot of my preparedness actually came from anxiety about all of the ways something could end in disaster (which it almost never did). And then my parents announced they were getting divorced, which actually was a disaster, and to me, anyway, came out of nowhere. Middle grade is that age where you start to realize that life is a lot more complicated than you’ve been told, and you start to be let in on more adult situations. Rayana’s parents’ divorce really shakes her up, because it’s like– what else don’t I know? Throw in getting her very first period on top of that, and I think that disorientation is an experience a lot of kids can relate to. 

And I did, in fact, go to space camp, where the book is set! And it was the coolest. I was part of mission control for my team’s final simulation, and I still remember that experience fondly.  

3. That’s so cool that you went to the space camp where your story is set. Tell us about your writing process for this story. Did you flesh it out, develop a plot, or just start writing? Why does this system work for you? 

I'm definitely what people call a “plotter”, someone who likes to outline and plan their stories before digging into the draft. For this story I had a really clear sense of the arc I wanted Rayana to go through, and a few ideas of the types of space camp shenanigans I wanted her to experience. So I went through chapter by chapter and wrote down a couple of sentences about what I thought would happen in that chapter. I sent that to my editor, because I always like to get a thumbs up before I begin spending time on a draft. When we were happy with the shape of the story, I began to write! 

I have two young kids and every minute that I can get away to write is precious, so it's really important to me to have a plan before I sit down in the chair. Something about knowing exactly where the story is headed for the scene I need to write that day (or that hour) really helps me stay focused. 

4. How did you incorporate Rayana’s love of space exploration into your story? Did you have to do any research into the types of opportunities available at this type of summer camp? 

Being a big space nerd myself definitely helps! Like I said above, I did go to space camp as a kid, and was able to rely on those memories to flesh out the story. There are also a ton of YouTube videos online from the US Space and Rocket center in Huntsville, Alabama, and I was able to find a Facebook group of space camp alums to help refresh my memory when things got hazy. 

5. Rayana deals with a lot of issues—worries about her parents, friendship issues, a crush, and her first period. What made you choose these issues, and how did you weave all these plots into your story? 

I think I was just relying on my own experience of being twelve! I went through all of these experiences, and had friends who did too, in middle school. I think it's a time when you're trying to figure out who you are, but life is lifing in ways that it never has before. Things just seem to be changing so quickly and it can be a bit chaotic. I thought that was the perfect backdrop for a story about a girl who, more than anything, wants to be in control. 

Ask for weaving them in, I think it helps that they are all helping Rayana reach the same conclusion about what to do when life starts to spin out of control. At the end of the day, pretty much all of these issues are things that she doesn't see coming, and situations where trying to hold on too tightly can actually make things worse. So, it was kind of like a juggling act, thinking about when to slot them in and how to braid them together, but luckily for me none of the issues Ray faces were ever in tension. 

6. Reviewers have described this story as funny. How did you add humor to your story? What tips do you have for other writers on including humor in their stories? 

I don't know if I'm allowed to say this, but I was a pretty funny kid, especially in middle school. Laughter and humor were my coping mechanisms for being awkward, for being one of the only Black girls in my friend group, for having buck teeth and bad acne-- you name it. Joking about situations helped me feel in control of them, and I wanted to have Ray’s humor be a way that she retains command of situations where she feels uncertain. 

I also think funny characters, especially in middle grade, are a lot of fun to root for. I wanted Ray to feel like your best friend, because she actually was my main character's best friend in my middle grade debut Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement. Ray leapt off the page then with her humor and loyalty to Kaya, and I wanted to make sure she stayed just as funny in her own book, even as she was facing some very real challenges. 

7. Yes, you can say that you were a funny kid. You published two dystopian YA novels and two middle grade novels (including Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap) within a few years. How have you been able to keep publishing so many books? 

It's definitely been a juggling act! Planning out my books before I sit down to write definitely helps make every minute count. I've also been able to work with some fantastic editors to help me stagger releases and keep all of the balls in the air. It's also been kind of a nice brain rinse, in some ways, to jump back and forth between genres. Whenever I'm feeling like my brain is tired from worldbuilding in my dystopian books, I can always jump back to the real world for my middle grade. And if I'm ever feeling like I miss my sci-fi tech or my romance arcs, I can always turn back to my YA stories. I think a lot of authors carry these multitudes of stories and genres inside of us, and I'm very lucky to have been able to publish across a wide spectrum of my interests so far. 

8. How are you planning to promote Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap? 

We've been able to reach out to fans of my middle grade debut Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement, to see if they'd be interested in following Kaya's bestie’s journey in her own book. I've also been lucky to participate in some events for Black families and children here in Atlanta, where I'm based. Lastly, we're having a big launch party early in May at one of my favorite bookstores here in Atlanta called Brave and Kind books, and my friend Jordan Ifueko (New York Times bestselling author of the absolutely phenomenal Raybearer series), is going to moderate that. I'm so excited! 

9. What are you working on now? 

I'm currently jumping genres and age categories yet again to work through developmental edits for my adult debut next year, a sci-fi romance called Headspace. I like to say it’s “The Expanse meets Emily Henry”—for any fans of the space opera TV show Firefly, this would be right up your alley. (Wow, with a pitch like that, I’m definitely not beating the nerd allegations any time soon!) 

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

www.jilltew.com

https://jilltew.substack.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jtewwrites/

https://www.threads.com/@jtewwrites

https://www.tiktok.com/@jilltew 

Giveaway Details

Jill is generously offering an ARC of Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap 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 April 18th. If I do not have your email (I can no longer get it from 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 Bluesky or follow Jill 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 ARC giveaway is US.

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, April 8th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Saritza Hernández and a a 45-minute Ask-Me-Anything giveaway 

Monday, April 13th, I’m reviewing Jennifer Nielsen’s MG The Free State of Jax and Magnitude with a book giveaway 

Thursday, April 16th, I’m participating in the Rain Drop on Roses Giveaway Hop 

Monday, April 20th, I have an interview with Van Hoang and a giveaway of her MG Auntie Q’s Golden Claws Nail Salon 

Monday, April 27th, I have an interview with Gareth P. Jones and a giveaway of his MG Solve Your Own Mysteries 

Wednesday, April 29th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Erica Bauman and a query critique giveaway 

I hope to see you on Wednesday!

 

Debut Author Interview: Christopher Roubique and Mythspeaker Giveaway and IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday, Everyone! 

If you're looking for my Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop, you can find the link at the top of the blog or here.

Today I’m excited to have debut author Christopher Roubique here to share about his MG fantasy, Mythspeaker. It sounds like an action-packed story based on Indigenous folklore, and I’m excited to read it. 

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

 

For fans of Race to the Sun and the Aru Shah series, this epic fantasy adventure inspired by Indigenous American mythology follows a band of misfit children who must pull off an impossible heist in order to save the world!

Thanks to a prophecy revealed when he was little, thirteen-year-old Kyta always knew that he was destined to save the world. But waiting for that moment has kept him on edge his whole childhood, preventing him from having fun like other kids in his tribe. So when the ground quakes and the trees whisper that something is wrong, Kyta leaps into action, desperate to fulfill his destiny.

He is horrified to find that the precious Egg of the World Turtle, on whose vast shell everyone and everything lives, has been stolen by invaders. The Turtle is angry and grief-stricken, threatening to upend the very land under their feet. The invaders refuse to heed the warning of the tribes and return the Egg . . . so Kyta comes up with a plan to steal it back!

It's risky and dangerous . . . but abandoning the Egg is certain doom. Kyta assembles other kids who could sneak into the invaders' fortress and pull off the heist, but getting four very different personalities to work together is harder than he thought. And when they discover that the Egg is being guarded by an evil collector, his savage ogres, and a beast so terrible that it defies description, their odds seem all but impossible! Will Kyta be able to fulfill his destiny, or did he set himself up to fail . . . and the world to fall?

Inspired by the Indigenous American folktales, this thrilling and heartwarming fantasy shows the importance of teamwork, respect for nature, and believing in yourself.

 

Before I get to Christopher’s interview, I have my Insecure Writers Support Group 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: Melissa Maygrove, Cathrina Constantine, Kate Larkinsdale, and Rebecca Douglass! 

Optional Question: If you have a playlist (or could put one together) that either gets you in the groove to write or fits with one of your books, what is it? What type of music or what songs?

I don’t use a playlist or listen to music before or while I’m writing. I concentrate better when in silence. 

Interview With Christopher Roubique 

Hi Christopher! Thanks so much for joining us. 

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

Hi! Thanks so much for having me! I’m Christopher Roubique (said roo-beek), a lover of fantasy and science fiction, a gamer, a husband and dad, and collector of books about monsters. I’ve been trying to get a book traditionally published for around 14 years at this point and still can’t believe it’s actually happened! 

I became a writer after I wrote a poem in 2^nd grade about wolves. I have this vivid memory of finishing it and rereading it and finding the whole idea of writing so magical. It’s a wonderful thing to be able to take a blank page and create anything you want on it. I was solely a poet through my school years until I tried writing a novel out of sheer boredom at my first adult job, which is when everything clicked. I realized books were what I always had been wanting to write. I’d just convinced myself I couldn’t do it up to that point. 

2. Where did you get the idea for Mythspeaker? 

Mythspeaker came from two things, really. The first is that I always wanted to write an Indigenous fantasy adventure. I’m a huge lover of fantasy stories: The Lord of the Rings, Broken Sky, and The Chronicles of Narnia all meant the world to me as a kid. But there were very few characters in those stories that represented certain parts of me I was looking for, especially my Indigenous heritage. And I think that kind of quietly became this thing in the back of my head waiting for me to finally decide to write books. Because when I did, a story like this was the first thing I wanted to figure out how to write. 

The second thing that made it all possible was some encouragement from my wonderful agent, Melanie Figueroa. At the time, she had challenged me to figure out “high concept” pitches: basically, a unique but relatable pitch that can grab someone in a sentence. It took me a long time to work out how to do that, but when it finally clicked, the very first high concept pitch I figured out was a high fantasy heist . . . and when I fused that with the Indigenous fantasy novel I really wanted to write, I suddenly had more ideas than pages to put them on. 

3. It’s great that your agent helped you come up with your story’s idea. Once you came up with your idea, what was your plotting process? Did you just start writing, plot out your story, or flesh it out in another way? 

For me, I always start with what the book is about. Not in the nuts and bolts “it’s about a kid who goes on a heist to save a special egg” sense. But in the sense of what am I trying to say? What’s the point of this book? So in Mythspeaker, it started with wanting to tell a story about the importance of faith when facing life’s challenges, and the fact that we don’t have to tackle life alone. 

From there, I got to my favorite part, which is worldbuilding! Basically from the ground up, I figured out how the entire physical world worked for this novel. Then I narrowed in on the specific settings I knew I would need—like Tlera Tana and New Collum—and then I built the main characters as part of that setting in that world. For me to keep going, everything has to fit together. I don’t need to know everything, but I do need to understand the basic rules of how the world works. 

Once that was done, I just started writing. I’m not an outliner or a plotter. I like to discover the story as it goes along. Follow where the characters lead me. It’s a ton of fun!   

4. You have an interesting process. Your story is inspired by the Indigenous American folktales. In your author note, you mention that this book was a way for you to connect to that part of your heritage. What research did you do to learn about this part of your story and your life? 

Not merely for this book, I’ve spent a lot of time reading Indigenous American mythology, trying to understand the style of storytelling, the themes and lessons, the way stories were (and are) shared across tribal cultures over time. My goal with this book was to capture that feeling of a story being told to you by someone. A story that had the weight of history behind it and also that feeling of interconnection with the greater world it’s a part of. Things that really help when dealing with this sort of old folklore is finding old sources. Recordings of old storytellers. Books written at the time. Modern presentations by historians and experts. They all have so much value. 

My connection with my own heritage is complicated, and my journey to finding myself in that is still ongoing. It might always be. And that’s okay! The time I’ve spent in study and consideration brought me to what I describe in the author’s note. I’ve seen a few reviews of Mythspeaker that said they used my fictional story as a jumping off point for reading and discussing real Native folktales, culture, and history with their kids, and that’s absolutely amazing. All I could ask for, really. 

5. Share about your main character, Kyta. Did you discover surprises about him as you wrote his story? 

Oh absolutely! Kyta is the son of a powerful figure—the sole Mythspeaker in the city of Tlera Tana—and also the (unfortunate?) recipient of a huge destiny. A figure of myth told him, when he was five, that he would have to save the world one day. Not how. Or when. Just that he would have to find a way. And that burden has rested on him ever since. 

I think the biggest surprise to Kyta that I hadn’t entirely foreseen when I started writing the book is how much of his life has been turned inward. In the earliest drafts, he had a best friend who was always there with him, but I realized as I considered his story that . . . no Kyta doesn’t have a best friend. He doesn’t have room for one. His whole life has been eaten up by this destiny he didn’t ask for. He feels fundamentally alone. And the full breadth of that realization brought me to a whole new set of discoveries for his character that made the book better. 

7. Melanie Figueroa is your agent. How did she become your agent, and what was your road to getting your publishing contract like? 

My story to getting an agent is . . .  unique. Like most, I wrote a book and started querying once I’d edited it. All the agents I queried said no. (That part isn’t unique.) But I’d fallen in love with writing books, so I kept writing. I didn’t get a single full request until the 5^th manuscript. But of the 15 or so I received, they all said no. It hurt, but I was determined to keep learning and improving. Yet when I started querying my 6^th manuscript, it only got one full request that happened to be from Melanie. 

And she said, “No.” Well, more specifically, she said she enjoyed the story and understood what I was doing. She just didn’t know how to sell it because it didn’t pitch well. But she enjoyed it enough to say, “If you ever write something else, please send it my way.” 

So I sent her that 5^th manuscript, which was my favorite thing I’d ever written at that point in my life. And she asked for the full, read it, and then said the same thing: “This is beautiful, but I don’t know how to sell it.” Same exact problem. I thanked her and moved on to my 7^th manuscript. 

Months passed. I was just sending out queries on the 7^th when I got an email out of the blue from Melanie asking if she could call me. Thinking that maybe she’d had an idea for one of the manuscripts and wanted to do a Revise & Resubmit, I accepted. But that’s not what the call was about. She told me that she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about my writing “voice”. She knew I didn’t have a book she could sell and that this sort of thing is never done for a variety of good reasons, but she believed in the way I wrote so much that she wanted to represent me anyway. 

Of course, I said yes. 

I queried with 7 manuscripts and got rejected more than 200 times over 8 years before I finally landed an agent without a book at all. 

But things weren’t instantly rosy. Sure, I had an agent . . . but I didn’t have a book! At least, not one that she felt had a chance of landing a publisher. Melanie focused me on the thing she said my books lacked: a high concept. An irresistible hook. My 7^th manuscript didn’t have one. I tried to make one work with my 8^th manuscript but I still didn’t understand what “high concept” really meant or how to meld it with the books I wanted to write. Years passed. Melanie was always encouraging, but I felt like I was failing her. And then one day, I had it. 

Over the course of a week, I came up with 6 high concepts, and the very 1^st of those became Mythspeaker. 

But I still wasn’t done. I’d spent so long in the trenches that my writing style and voice had gotten muddled by my desperation to be what agents were looking for. Melanie read the first draft of Mythspeaker and said it was great, but she could tell I was holding back. She asked if I could try it again and do it exactly how I wanted, not for anyone else. So I rewrote the whole book. 

A lot of that next draft is what’s on shelves right now. 3 years after she became my agent, we went on sub. And though it took more than a decade to finally get there. . . we were only on sub for 30 days before getting an offer. I still can’t believe it. 

8. What a story of perseverance and following your dreams! What is something you learned about the craft of writing that made Mythspeaker stronger from working with your editor? 

One thing that really struck me is that it’s okay for a book to be little bit longer if what you’re adding is of real value to the story. Every author knows the hardship of making a book fit into a word count. We cut and wedge and squish trying to get the absolute most out of whatever hard cap we’re working with. And those caps and counts do matter! Books can only be so long and audiences have certain expectations, after all. But after so much time in the query trenches, I’d become hyper focused on keeping everything under a particular hard cap like my life depended on it. So I was flabbergasted when my (terrific) editor at Viking asked me to add another chapter to the book. 

I remember asking if she was sure because it seemed wrong somehow. But she told me that it was okay for the book to get a little longer if those words made the whole story better. 

I’m still blown away that the biggest edits I was asked to make were to add to the book rather than subtract from it. And she was right. It’s much the better for those additions. Word counts are guidelines and they matter, but there are times when it’s okay to break them a bit. 

9. Being asked to add to a story is unusual. How did you celebrate the release of Mythspeaker? What are your plans to promote it? 

The day Mythspeaker came out, my wife took off from work, we packed our toddler in the car, and spent most of the day going from bookstore to bookstore looking for copies out in the wild. I signed every one we could find. It was amazing. I highly recommend it as a way to spend a launch day. 

As far as promotion, I’ve appreciated the opportunity to do interviews like this with amazing sites like Literary Rambles. I’ve also done a public radio interview, an elementary school visit, and we had a book launch event at a local library! There’s more coming, too, including some events potentially happening this Fall. I’ve made an effort to visit and meet librarians at the libraries in my wider area along with local bookstores. It’s funny; the biggest impacts I’ve seen haven’t been the massive outreach attempts on social media or elsewhere (though those really do help!). They’ve been the personal connections I’ve made with people who are passionate and excited about books in the world. 

10. What are you working on now? 

So many things, heh. I’m currently editing a new MG fantasy adventure while I wait for an edit letter on an unannounced (BUT VERY COOL) MG project. And then I’m also worldbuilding two new novels, one YA and one adult. I have so many stories I want to tell, I just need more hands to type them. Or more time, but more hands seems like a more realistic ask. 

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Christopher. You can find Christopher at @Dreamertide on Blue Sky and Twitter as well as using @christopherroubique on Instagram. 

Giveaway Details

Christopher’s publisher is generously offering a hardback of Mythspeaker 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 April 11th. If I do not have your email (I can no longer get it from 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 Bluesky or follow Christopher 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 US.

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 

Monday, April 6th, I have an interview with Jill Tew and a giveaway of her MG Rayana Johnson’s Giant Leap  

Wednesday, April 8th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Saritza Hernández and a 45-minute Ask-Me-Anything giveaway 

Monday, April 13th, I’m reviewing Jennifer Nielsen’s MG The Free State of Jax and Magnitude with a book giveaway 

Thursday, April 16th, I’m participating in the Rain Drop on Roses Giveaway Hop 

Monday, April 20th, I have an interview with Van Hoang and a giveaway of her MG Auntie Q’s Golden Claws Nail Salon 

Monday, April 27th, I have an interview with Gareth P. Jones and a giveaway of his MG Solve Your Own Mysteries 

Wednesday, April 29th, I have an agent spotlight interview with Erica Bauman and a query critique giveaway 

I hope to see you on Monday!