Literary Agent Interview: Sally Kim and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have associate agent Sally Kim here. She’s an agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Hi Sally! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Sally:

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

In 2023, after many years working in children’s book marketing I took a moment to regroup, think about my career path thus far, and determine what the future might hold for me. I felt that there was another proverbial mountain to climb but I wasn’t sure what that might be. Thankfully, I’m surrounded by brilliant friends and colleagues who nudged me in the direction of agenting. Fast forward to several incredible conversations with agents at Andrea Brown Literary Agency and the rest is history! Depending on what you count as my start date, it’s been roughly a year since I joined ABLA, and I’m thrilled with how it’s going so far. I’m learning every day, and I am so happy with my growing client list.

About the Agency:

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

I couldn’t be more biased, but I think Andrea Brown Literary Agency is the absolute best, and I count myself lucky to have joined this incredible group of talented agents. All my colleagues are wise, hardworking, and uber collaborative.

ABLA was founded more than 40 years ago here in California. Today, our agents span the country and represent hundreds of gifted authors and illustrators of both children’s and adult literature. To learn more, please go to https://www.andreabrownlit.com/ and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. 

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 authors and illustrators of board books, picture books, chapter books, and middle grade, fiction and nonfiction. As a newer agent, I am actively looking to grow my client list and find talented people from all walks of life. Lots more below.

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

My taste leans a bit more literary and it’s not surprising that my current client list is strong in that category. To balance things out, I’m also looking for authors and illustrators whose projects have a more commercial bent. But ask me again in a couple months and that could change!

I’ve been telling folks that I’m hungry for smart or goofy (or smart AND goofy!) humorous picture book projects from authors and author-illustrators. I’m also eager to find an author who really understands what it takes to craft an exceptional chapter book story—this is high on my wish list. Also, my profile states I’m not the best fit for rhyming picture books but it’s more accurate to say that I’m waiting for the right one. I feel like it’s coming for me soon! Oh, and I also have a soft spot for wordless picture books.
Lastly and most importantly, I’m trying very hard to build a client list that is diverse in all possible ways. I jump for joy inside when I see someone with a unique background or underrepresented perspective.
What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

I’m pretty quick to pass on submissions that fail to center the child’s perspective or those that try to teach a lesson or reinforce a common platitude like ‘just believe in yourself.’

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?

I remind myself pretty often that there are many talented writers and artists out there, but that’s not reason enough to offer representation. Equally important are 1) my connection with the work. Not only should the project be publishable, but I must also feel genuine and enduring enthusiasm for it; and 2) a connection with the creator. When we meet and get to know each other in that first Zoom call, it’s important that we’re compatible in how we communicate, how we envision working together, and a similar vision for their future in publishing.

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?

If you had asked me this a year ago when I first started, I would’ve said no. But I’ve been rapidly developing my own approach to editorial feedback. While I’ll probably never be that agent that gives you a 10-page editorial letter, I do strive to give thoughtful feedback on both the big picture and smaller details of any given project. The format in which this feedback is delivered varies, depending on the project and the client and can include email, in-line comments, and/or video conference call.

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?

Please query me through QueryTracker (link here). I read and reply to every query!

A standard query letter is great. Tell me about yourself, about the project, a short pitch and/or positioning statement, and comps. Anything more is great, but not necessary.  

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

I don’t have hard rules against anything, but I’ll admit I notice when folks skip over the letter, if there are multiple typos, and it’s also not uncommon that people mistakenly query me with an adult book or re-query me with the exact same manuscript, maybe hoping I don’t notice.

Response Time:

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

This varies wildly depending on what else in happening in my world. There are times when I can respond within a few days. Other times, it’ll take 6-8 weeks. In rare exceptions, I take even longer but that’s usually when I’m on the fence about a project and I want to give myself a break to come back and get a second, first impression.

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, I’m open to authors who have been published before, and I don’t recommend they do anything differently in the querying process. Honesty and fully transparency about one’s background is recommended for everyone.

Clients:

12. Who are some of the authors you represent?

My author clients include Britt Crow-Miller, Amy Reitz, Emilie Boon (author-illustrator), Talitha Morena Moniz, Nicola Schofield (author-illustrator), and Tom Witkowski. I look forward to adding to this list in 2025!

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.

Read about me on Andrea Brown Literary Agency: https://www.andreabrownlit.com/Team/sally-m.-kim

Query me at https://querymanager.com/query/sallyabla

Follow me at
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:lh7ha7unltwskpvaqh27yzo3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallymkim

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Sally.

Giveaway Details

Sally 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 April 5th. 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

Tuesday, April 1st I’m participating in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, April 2nd I have an interview with debut author Lucia Damisa and a giveaway of her YA A Desert of Bleeding Sand and my IWSG post

Monday, April 7th I have an agent spotlight interview with Etsy Loveing-Downes and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 14th I have an interview with author Mia Araujo and a giveaway of her MG Afia In the Land of Wonders

Wednesday, April 16th I’m participating in the Raindrop in Roses Giveaway Hop

Monday, April 21st I have an agent spotlight interview with Carey Blankenship-Kramer and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, April 23rd I have an agent spotlight interview with Rebecca Eskildsen  and a query critique giveaway

Monday, April 28th I have an interview with debut author Alby Williams and a giveaway of their MG Where There Be Monsters

I hope to see you on Tuesday!

Literary Agent Interview: Jen Newens Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Jen Newens here. She is a senior literary manager at Martin Literary & Media Management.

Update on 1/19/2025: Jen is currently closed to submissions. Please check the agency website to find out when she reopens to submissions.

Hi­ Jen! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Jen:

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

I was the publishing director at West Margin Press for 7 years when the parent company sold the press in October 2022. When I was winding down my job and contemplating what to do next, I had a lot of people say, “Have you ever thought about being a literary agent? You’d be really good at it.” That planted a seed. In early 2023 I saw a job posting on LinkedIn by Sharlene Martin, head of Martin Literary Management and we had a conversation and just clicked. I started at the agency in April 2023.

About the Agency:

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

Martin Literary Management has been around for over 20 years. It offers authors a comprehensive suite of literary agenting services and works with publishers big and small. It also offers foreign rights representation and our founder has strong relationships with entertainment brands. When I was a publisher, I loved working with Martin Lit agents because they were so professional and delightful to work with—it’s part of the reason I wanted to join the team.

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 kidlit age groups from board books through YA. All genres are fair game for me, but I’m not as keen on sci fi or fantasy. That hasn’t stopped me from signing them, however, when the story is good. I have a soft spot for underdog stories and historically excluded groups.

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

Something laugh-out-loud funny. Something I don’t want to put down. Something with a premise I’ve never seen before. Something that makes me cry.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

Horror, scifi, high fantasy. I’m a little tired of retellings of fairy tales, but I can see a place for them in certain circumstances.

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?

I’m pretty open as to who I want to represent. I love debut authors who have done their homework about how traditional publishing works and are keen to work with the system and not against it. (I’m aware that publishing has its challenges, but working with a client who wants to “disrupt” traditional publishing would be exhausting.)

I’m drawn to ideas that are unique, not derivative (which makes it hard to find comps, but I accept the challenge!)

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 am an editorial agent, but I’m looking at edits through the lens of what is going to help my authors get the best book deal. I leave it to the editors at the publishing houses to further edit the stories for the marketplace.

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?

First and foremost, they should get my name right. After that, I’d like to see the following:

·       One paragraph pitch

·       Story synopsis

·       Author bio

·       Word count

·       List of previous published books (if applicable)

·       Note if author has been previously represented by a literary agent 

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

I prefer that authors do not send manuscripts with query letters; please wait until I specifically ask for them. I prefer to work on one story at a time, so please do not send multiple submissions (series submissions are fine).

Response Time:

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

My response time varies with the volume of queries I receive, the number of active clients on my roster, and the time of year. I wish I could be clearer on this question, but it really varies.

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. I used to run a small press and I am a big champion of them. Self-publishing and hybrid can be fantastic for some types of books. Traditional publishing can be a good choice for other types of books. I think there is a time and place for all modes of publishing, and I believe authors can choose any of them depending on which ever mode best suits their book or their needs at the time.

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 haven’t seen this yet, but I’ll keep watching.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

Rob Broder

Tenisha Bernal

Anne Broyles

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews, guest posts, and podcasts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

https://www.pbspotlight.com/single-post/agent-spotlight-jen-newens

Update on 1/19/2025

Interview at Eleanor Ann Peterson (08/2023)

Agent of the Month at Children's Writing and Illustrating Part 1 and Part 2 (05/2023)

Links and Contact Info:

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

https://www.martinlit.com/jennewens

https://www.jennewens.com/

Update on 1/19/2025:

Twitter

Instagram

Publishers Marketplace

Query Tracker

Blue Sky

Additional Advice:

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

Don’t give up! I know it sounds cliché, but if you keep following your dreams, they can come true. One of my clients, a debut picture book author at age 50, had been trying to find an agent and get a story published for years. One day, she posted on Twitter that all she wanted for her birthday was to find an agent. I responded, “I’m an agent, let’s chat.” Three months later I got her a two book, five-figure deal with an option for a third book from a big-name publisher. You just never know when things are going to happen for you!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Jen.

Giveaway Details

­Jen 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 7th. 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.

Last updated: 1/19/2025
Agent Contacted for Review? Yes
Last Reviewed By Agent? 01/22/2025

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

Wednesday, October 4 I have an interview with debut author Kellie Parker and a giveaway of her YA thriller Thin Air

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 Wednesday!

 

 

Literary Agent Interview: Heather Cashman Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Heather Cashman here. She is a literary agent at Storm Literary Agency.

Update on 9/14/2024: Heather is currently open to submissions. 

Hi­ Heather! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Heather:

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

What seems like a lifetime ago, I was an agent intern at The Bent Agency and working as an editor while also helping the amazing Brenda Drake run Pitch Wars. About five or six years ago, I was at a conference giving a presentation about pitching when I met Victoria Selvaggio, owner of Storm Literary Agency. She said she was expanding into middle grade and young adult fiction and was looking at bringing on another agent. I told her at dinner that I would love to be considered, and in January of 2019 I became an agent.

About the Agency:

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

Storm is a boutique agency that has grown from primarily picture books to now representing all age categories and genres, both in fiction and nonfiction. We have a client-only facebook group with the wealth of accomplished authors helping one another. We have foreign rights and film agents we work with, as well as a marketing specialist who guides our authors to find strategies that are right for them. We’re very collaborative and family oriented, and work to create a positive environment that will be nurturing and conducive to creativity, including offering free workshops to our clients.

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’ve been described by my colleagues as a literary omnivore because I represent all age categories and all genres, in both fiction and nonfiction. I’ve considered everything you can imagine. While I do have commercial taste in premise, I love literary-leaning line writing, unique twists, and timeless themes. I look for the things that are different, that should be out there and aren’t. And I love learning about new people and places and perspectives.

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

Anything that fills a hole in published works. Anything that brings a new and fresh perspective. I love to find new formats and writers who are pushing against norms in form.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

Generally, I’m not a good fit for talking animals, circuses, non-humanish creatures, and sad elephants. Yes, those might sell, but I generally can’t get through them (or can’t get through them the seven or ten times it takes to get a book published—I’ll just bury my head in the sand).

Please, nothing misogynistic or prejudiced.

I’m usually not a good fit for memoir, military SF, or books where animals are killed.

Also, I don’t appreciate gore or anything gruesome on the page, anything gratuitous, or slasher-esque. I also don’t like graphic sex on the page, and I’m starting to shy away from issue books. I don’t mean to say that you can’t have problems, and I believe that’s a true part of any character. However, the books I lean toward balance this with levity and other emotions rather than just darkness.

I’m also not interested in seeing a book that’s been subbed to me multiple times or withdrawn multiple times because you want to sub and then do edits and then sub and do more edits.

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?

In one word: uplifting.

My general philosophy is that I want books that uplift us as individuals, as a society, as a nation, as citizens of the world.

As for my clients, I try to lift them up in every way: elevate their writing, elevate their creative mood, elevate their careers. I want to support their hopes and dreams.

And I want them to always be reaching as well. I love it when my clients take continuing education workshops or get edits from experts to elevate their work. I love it when they look for opportunities, when they search out awards, when they work to market themselves, when they are actively studying the market and finding a way to break into it with their own unique ideas and perspectives to share.

The agent/author relationship is a creative team, and it only works when both are giving their all.

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. I generally do the traditional three-step edits. Developmental—any big-picture issues with theme, character, world-building, and plot. Consistency—anything having to do with being consistent such as character behavior and arc, rolling plot on a more action/decision oriented scale, and world rules. Line—word choice, sentence order, paragraph and chapter issues.

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?

I take queries through Query Manager (link on Storm submission page). I prefer my queries with a ‘Hi Heather,’ opening, personalized title paragraph with comps and logline, the pitch, and a biography paragraph about the author’s writing credits and anything that would influence the project being submitted, and a full-name signature.

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

I don’t appreciate arrogance or condescension. Big surprise, but I see it too often. Your pitch and premise should speak for themselves. In other words, I should need convincing.

Response Time:

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

Here is where I have to apologize. I am very slow!

Because I love so much, it’s very difficult to decide what I should take on. I give a lot of thought to every query, and when I get 200+ per week, it takes a long time to process them and give each one individual attention.

So unfortunately, it takes me three to four months for a query, and then another three to six months for a full read. I know—it’s terrible. But during the day I have a fairly full schedule with current clients, and so I have to do queries on nights and weekends, and that’s also when I edit client manuscripts. I love looking through my query submissions, but it’s hard to find time as well.

All this said, I know that queries are the life-blood of the publishing industry. This is where I find the unique, the wonderfully creative, and amazing books that I want to champion!

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.

They need to know their numbers, meaning the number of sales, the price points of those sales, and the timeframe of those sales. Because that’s what an editor I’m submitting to will want to see. They are not really a debut author and so, might not be billed as such. Of course, there are a lot of exceptions and considerations for this that can’t be covered here. But previous sales will be something that’s discussed.

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?

Yes. I think as authors need to adapt to keep their careers healthy, agents also need to be flexible and willing to discuss options. For instance, a hybrid author needs an agent to sell their traditional books, but they might also be able to sell audio, film, foreign rights, etc. to their client’s self-published works. There are opportunities everywhere if authors and agents are willing to work together.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

Mariely Lares, author of the gender-swapped Zorro retelling Sun of Blood and Ruin (HarperVoyager, Feb 2024) and it’s sequel (2025)

Matthew Broberg-Moffit, author of the food-aversion cookbook Color, Taste, Texture (Penguin Avery, Aug 2023)

Nathalie Alonso, author of Call Me Roberto (Calkins Creek, 2024) and

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews, guest posts, and podcasts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

Manuscript Wishlist Post & Podcast Link (at the bottom)

https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/heather-cashman/

Storm Literary Agency About Us Page

https://www.stormliteraryagency.com/aboutus

Publisher’s Marketplace Page

https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/HeatherCashman/

Links and Contact Info:

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

Query Manager

http://QueryMe.Online/HeatherCashman

Personal Website

http://heathercashman.com/home/

Storm Literary Agency | Way-Word Writer | Twitter

LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | Publisher's Marketplace

Additional Advice:

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

There is so much advice I could give, but my condensed version would be to decide what you want to do with writing and publishing, then stick with it as long as it’s worth it to you. There are different paths now, and I think people should do what makes them happy. I’ve had wonderful writer friends who loved writing and then went on to decide they were happier doing weaving or theater. And we should all give ourselves permission to do whatever we love.

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Heather.

­Heather 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 September 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

Monday, September 18 I have an interview with Emi Pinot and a giveaway of her MG modern fairytale retelling Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters

Monday, September 25 I have an agent spotlight interview with Jen Newens and a query critique giveaway

Wednesday, October 4 I have an interview with debut author Kellie Parker and a giveaway of her YA thriller Thin Air

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

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!

Literary Agent Interview: Daniele Hunter Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Daniele Hunter here. She is a junior literary agent at McIntosh and Otis.

Hi­ Daniele! Thanks so much for joining us.

Thank you so much for having me—I really appreciate your interest!

About Daniele:

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

I’ve known I wanted to be an agent since I was a little kid (I know, I was a bizarre one!), but it took me quite a while to get here. After college, I hopped around in the publishing industry—teaching creative writing classes, working for submission services and literary magazines, tutoring, and so forth. Following about a zillion applications, I landed a remote job reading for McIntosh & Otis in 2016, and they haven’t been able to get rid of me ever since! I’m very grateful to be here, especially with my incredible boss and mentor, Christa Heschke.

About the Agency:

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

McIntosh & Otis works with both children’s and adult clients. The agency has been around since 1928 (it was the first literary agency started by women, in 1928, which is a fun fact I share whenever possible!). We’re very small and personal, and work with authors not just on domestic book deals, but on subsidiary rights such as foreign translation, audiobooks, stage adaptations, and film/TV adaptations.

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?

In order of priority, I’m looking for: YA, MG, and picture books!

For YA and MG, in terms of genre: Contemporary, novels-in-verse, and contemporary fantasy are my favorites and top priorities! I also look for select suspense/thriller, historical, and higher fantasy. I’m a fan of genre-bending books, too—for example, I don’t work on genre horror, but am open to contemporary or fantasy with horror elements. For picture books, I tend to prefer real-world stories with human narrators, but am open to touches of magic here, too.

I have a heavy preference for first-person—I’d say that about 90% of the time, a third-person book isn’t going to be for me. I’m more relaxed on this when it comes to picture books, though!

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

I love the “heavy” and “dark” and “gritty” books, the ones that center hard-hitting topics like grief, loss, abuse, mental health battles, etc. And I love books that focus in on relationships, but that doesn’t have to mean romance for me; I’m equally passionate about friendship stories, complex family dynamics, etc.

Overall, the most important elements to me are writing style and character development: Whether a book is verse or prose, and even in more commercial genres, I love writing that’s incredibly literary and lyrical. I fall for books with three-dimensional, lived-in character and relationship dynamics; books with tons of narrative interiority. I’m also excited about books that are immersive and descriptive in terms of both emotion and physical setting, and I love mixed-media or unconventional formats in manuscripts.

It’s important to me to work with stories from all underrepresented creators, whether or not their books are explicitly about marginalization. I’m quite open in terms of a book’s topics—but as a queer and disabled agent, I’m also extremely passionate about books that center LGBTQIA+ and/or disability or chronic illness representation!

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

In picture books, rhyme is not for me, and I tend not to be a good fit for concept books—while I do value characterization, I also prefer picture books with more of a plot arc! I don’t work with chapter books or early readers, middle grade with narrators under 11, or adult books. I tend to be most drawn to books with narrators who are 12 years old and above.

Of course, if a client I already represent has one of those categories, I’m more than happy to work with it, often with the help of my boss!

In terms of genre, I’m not a good fit for graphic novels, sci-fi, or most horror. I’m also not the right reader for anything that heavily features insects (with apologies to my boss’s client Ann Fraistat, whose upcoming bug-centric book is amazing!).

In MG and YA, I’m not a fit for talking animal characters, pirates, court fantasy, or any non-human characters other than ghosts (I LOVE ghost stories!). And while I love YA stories set in college, and books with crossover potential, I’m not right for any book that is solidly New Adult (hopefully someday, though!). In any age range, I’m also not a good fit for Christian religious themes or parables.

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 foremost priority with my clients is, and always will be, communication. I know agents can be intimidating to authors, and I never want my clients to feel afraid of me! Whether they have questions or want to raise issues, I’m always here to listen and troubleshoot. For authors working with me, I want every part of the publishing process to be an open dialogue, from creating and editing manuscripts, to the submission process, to contracting with a publisher, to working with that publisher toward publication, and beyond.

I also believe that, though publishing is a business, creating these deeply personal, vulnerable stories is not. I will always treat my clients and their stories with respect. To me, this also means that working with underrepresented authors necessitates willingness to champion and protect these authors and their books in the industry.

As far as the books I work on, I want to work with such heavy topics because I’ve always believed that young readers and teens experience much more, and feel much more deeply, than adults tend to give them credit for. I think books have so much power for readers who are struggling—I know they did for me!

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, I’m extremely editorial! I love working with clients on both developmental edits and line-level tweaks, and I almost never recommend going on submission with a manuscript before it’s had some editing. In such a tight, competitive publishing market, I think it’s in the client’s best interest to make sure their manuscript is as strong as possible before going on sub.

I always lay out my editorial vision for a manuscript when I first offer representation—it’s important to me to make sure that the author is on board with how editorial I am in nature, as well as my vision for their book specifically.

Once I already represent a client, I’m excited to offer my editorial opinions at any stage of the process, whether they’ve just gotten the idea for a new book, get “stuck” while writing, or have a completed draft. Typically, my clients and I will volley back and forth on a few drafts before going on submission.

This all being said, though, I make sure my clients know that my notes are suggestions, not requirements. While I’ll always have lots of editorial ideas, I want to make sure the author is happy with the book they’re putting into the world—so if they want to go in a different direction than I’ve proposed, I’m always okay with that! The only exception would be any potentially problematic content flagged in a draft.

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?

Please query me only via Query Manager—this helps me keep much better track of queries than I could via email. Include a query letter, synopsis (this should be a summary of the whole book, including the ending), and either the first 25 pages or first 3 chapters of your manuscript (whichever is more).

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

In my personal opinion, a query letter should be one page or less: While you want to give agents a solid idea of your premise and world, you also don’t want to get too bogged down with details. Often, for picture books, writers may need even less space—a paragraph or two might be enough space to adequately set up the plot.

I also appreciate comp titles! From the moment I first read a query, I’m thinking about where I as an agent might be able to place this book in the literary market, and being able to picture some comparative books (or shows, movies, albums, etc.) is very helpful.

I tend to connect most strongly with opening pages that strike a good balance between action and exposition: It’s difficult to hook a reader’s attention with paragraphs of expository narrative; but it can also be jarring to start in the middle of a battle scene, for example, where readers may lack proper context. In perpetually seeking this balance, I don’t tend to be a fan of prologues (but they’re not a dealbreaker for me by any means!). Also, I love seeing dialogue in the opening pages, to give me a sense of characters’ voices right away.

For novels, I like to come away from the opening chapters with an idea of where the plot is heading: a solid sense of the protagonist, a feel for the setting and atmosphere, an inciting plot incident. Though of course revealing the entire plot is a tall order for only three chapters, I find it’s easiest for me as an agent to want more when the author has set up a solid foundation for the story!

Response Time:

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

I know how tough it is for authors in the query trenches right now, and how vulnerable it can feel to put your book out there—I never want to leave an author hanging. That being said, my response times can lag more than I’d ideally like them to. For one thing, my job as a junior agent is incredibly busy, especially because I assist on my boss’s list, and also have a handful of clients I share with her. Also, I’m a chronically ill agent, which makes my health and capacity variable. I always strive to get back to authors within 2-3 months’ time, but can fall behind on that (I am right now).

I’ll also admit that sometimes I catch myself sitting on manuscripts I’m interested in—if something about a query has hooked my interest, but I’m not sure about it for whatever reason (editorial vision, similarity to another book I’m working on, voice, etc.), I can hold onto it for much longer than I intend by mistake.

All of this is to say, I apologize in advance for any delays and welcome nudges from authors! I will always respond to queries, no matter how long it’s been, and am happy to confirm receipt with writers or give them a sense of my current timeline.

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?

Of course! I don’t work with manuscripts that are currently published or self-published, but am always happy to hear from writers who have pursued these avenues for past projects. (Also, I love small presses—I submit to many of them as an agent! I think they’re an integral part of the publishing world.)

I know the query trenches can be especially frustrating for already-published writers, but I believe this is the best way to match with an agent. (Almost all of the clients I co-represent with my boss started out as cold-call queries!) I’m always excited to hear about other books an author has published, and always Google them while reading my queries, so definitely feel free to include those in your query letter. I also appreciate when published writers tell me in their queries whether they envision their next books being similar to what they’ve already published, or whether they want to branch out into new genres or age ranges.

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?

That’s a great question! At its heart, agenting is about advocating for and protecting authors: It’s my job to make sure that authors and their stories are in the best hands possible, and get the best possible deals. That being said, the list of things we need to watch out for and new technologies we need to know about is ever-changing (a good example right now is the growing popularity of AI technologies, and how AI can affect publishing components like audiobooks, editing, and art). I think a core part of being an agent is being adaptable.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

I actually just recently signed with the first client for whom I’m the primary agent, Kade Dishmon! His book is YA—a trans, gorgeously lyrical and dark, emotional ghost story that centers grief, queerness, and friendship—trust me when I say I’m head-over-heels. :) I’m also incredibly lucky to co-represent some extraordinarily talented creators with my boss, Christa Heschke: Jennifer Archer (YA), Eric Bell (MG), Stacey Byer (PB author-illustrator), Maribel Castells (PB author-illustrator), Kim Chance (MG, YA), Catherine Cal Tanner (YA), Tiffany Golden (PB, MG, YA, and she illustrates!), Chad Lucas (MG), Diana Ma (MG, YA), Amren Ortega (YA), and Karyn Riddle (YA).

Interviews and Guest Posts:

14. Please share the links to any interviews, guest posts, and podcasts you think would be helpful to writers interested in querying you.

Just one so far—earlier this summer, I had the amazing opportunity to do a podcast interview for the AALA subgroup I’m part of, Literary Agents of Change:

https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-daniele-hunter

Update on 4/19/2024: Interview at Writing and Illustrating Part 1 and Part 2 (04/2024)

Links and Contact Info:

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

Website: https://www.dhunteragent.com/

Query Manager: https://www.querymanager.com/ddhunter/

AALA Member profile: https://aalitagents.org/author/dhuntermcintoshandotis-com/

Publishers Marketplace: https://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/danielehunter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/danieledhunter/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/danieledhunter.bsky.social

Additional Advice:

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

As rough as the query trenches are, as backlogged as many agents are, and as slowly as the publication process can move—don’t lose hope. Your voice, and your story, matter. Find a band of authors to get you through the many idiosyncrasies of publishing (and a band of non-authors to occasionally pull you away from your laptop J).

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Daniele.

­Daniele 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 August 26th. 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

FYI, I do not have as much planned this summer. I’m taking a little break to enjoy my daughter’s wedding celebrations and to help get ready for the wedding.

Wednesday, August 16 I’m participating in the Old School Giveaway Hop

Wednesday. September 6 I have a guest post by Victoria Wlosok and a giveaway of her YA mystery How to Find a Missing Girl

Thursday, September 7 I’m participating in the September Holiday Giveaway Hop

Monday, September 11 I have an agent spotlight interview with Heather Cashman and a query critique giveaway

Monday, September 18 I have an interview with Emi Pinot and a giveaway of her MG modern fairytale retelling Bee Bakshi and the Gingerbread Sisters

Monday, September 25 I have an agent spotlight interview with Jen Newens and a query critique giveaway 

Hope to see you on Wednesday!