Goal Setting as an Aspiring Writer and Author by Agent/Author Charlotte Wenger and Nancy Tandon + Query Critique and The Way I Say It Giveaway

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Nancy Tandon and her agent Charlotte Wenger here to share about Nancy’s MG contemporary The Way I Say It. It sounds like a fantastic story that tackles hard issues middle graders face like bullying and friendship as well as dealing with a speech impediment. I’m looking forward to reading it.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Rory still can’t say his r’s, but that’s just the beginning of his troubles. First Rory’s ex-best-friend Brent started hanging out with the mean lacrosse kids. But then, a terrible accident takes Brent out of school, and Rory struggles with how to feel.

Rory and his new speech teacher put their heads together on Rory’s r’s (not to mention a serious love of hard rock and boxing legend Muhammad Ali), but nobody seems to be able to solve the problem of Rory’s complicated feelings about Brent. Brent’s accident left him with brain-damage and he’s struggling. Should Rory stand up for his old friend at school–even after Brent failed to do the same for him?

Follower News

Before I get to Nancy and Charlotte's guest post, I have Follower News to share. Rebecca Bailey has a new YA fantasy, Burn This Book: The 10,000-Year Plan. Her book is about an epic fight to take over the world and was nominated for a Pulitzer as the first book to harness the power of literature to mobilize a generation to work for the common good. Here are a few links:

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O4dCnjhn3s Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Burn-This-Book-000-Year-Plan/dp/1636255086/ref=?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1634347949&sr=8-1 Website: https://www.tharriman.com/

Nancy Tandon and Charlotte Wenger Guest Post

Little and Often Makes Much  

-a fortune cookie guide to moving from blank page to finished work-

Nancy: Hello, Literary Rambles readers! The new year seems like a great time to talk about how to break down your big “New Year’s level” goals into an action plan of measurable tasks. I am so excited that my first book, THE WAY I SAY IT, releases on January 18th. But like many debut novelists, it took me years of trial and error and good old fashioned slogging away at the keyboard to make this dream a reality. The process can be overwhelming, but setting daily achievable goals is one of the best ways I know of to keep your work moving forward. In my early writing days, I came across a fortune cookie fortune that read: little and often makes much. I put it on my bulletin board and set an intention to follow it. Even if I only wrote one paragraph a day, or one sentence, I knew I was still achieving my “little and often” goal!

Charlotte, what’s the first thing you do when you’re faced with a big, formidable task?

Charlotte: I take a deep breath and break it down into manageable steps, which is pretty similar to your “little and often” goal, Nancy!  It’s easy for me to get overwhelmed if I think about a large task as a whole, so I try to take it one step at a time. For instance, you might have to clean your whole house, but it’s less intimidating when you clean it one room at a time. I also love making lists, so crossing something off a list is a tangible way for me to feel like I accomplished something. And lists also help me prepare for what the next steps will be.

Nancy: Lists are the best! I’ll admit to writing something down that I’ve already done, just so I can have the satisfaction of crossing it off. Ha! But once I’ve written things down, I know I also need a solid idea for next steps. After all, if I had stayed at my one sentence per day word count, I’d still be back somewhere in chapter ten or so. Luckily, I had another hankering for takeout. This time my fortune read: The measure of time to your next goal is the measure of your discipline. Daily objectives and tasks should have a time associated with them. Be realistic and hold yourself accountable. Decide how often and how much time you intend to commit to your goal. Be as precise as you can and don’t underestimate the power of setting specific self-imposed deadlines. Put in dates, times, and amounts of work you expect to be produced. Write as if someone is waiting for your work, even if no one is yet. This is a good way to let the people around you know you are serious, too. Practice saying things like: “I can’t go out this weekend, I need to finish this project by Monday.” When you get your book deal, you will need to write to deadlines, so this is good practice!

Here are some tips to help yourself really stay on track: 

1. Get an accountability buddy/bully. Surround yourself with people who know what you’re capable of and won’t let you off the hook.
2. Assign a fun element and self-reward whenever possible! For me, pages = popcorn! 
3. Review your objectives, your to-do list, frequently. Make sure you’re keeping up with your written daily, weekly, and monthly action plan. It’s amazing how fast a month can pass without tackling a single item! 

Charlotte, do you have any deadline horror stories? Are you a planner or a procrastinator?

Charlotte: Is it boring that I don’t have any deadline horror stories? :) I’m definitely a planner, but I do pretty well under pressure too, if something comes up that I have to turn around quickly. I set reminders in my phone to help me keep track of certain recurring tasks, but assigning deadlines helps me even more. Deadlines help me stay accountable, and I’ve learned that if something doesn’t have a deadline, giving it one makes me more motivated to finish it in a timely manner because I’m someone who likes to be on time. :) I’ll admit that it’s sometimes easier said than done, though, because I feel like I’ve fallen out of practice with it a bit. This is a good reminder for me to reinstate it into my planning!

Nancy: I’m a planner, too. I love that we have that in common, and wonder if that’s one of the reasons we click so well! Looking back to when I was querying my polished manuscript, the process felt daunting and overwhelming, in part because it’s so subjective and as an author there is only so much you can control. So of course I ordered more Chinese food. And in came one of my most vocal accountability buddies in the form of, you guessed it, another fortune: 

If you really want something, you’ll find a way. Otherwise, you’ll find an excuse. As painful as it felt to be judged by my dessert, I had to admit this was oh so true. 

Here are some specific examples from my goal setting journal of what I did to find a way.

Goal: to get an agent.

Objectives: 

1.     Research conference with opportunities for feedback from agents (monthly)

2.     Read at least two blog posts with agent interviews (weekly). (Hello, Literary Rambles!)

3.     Follow agents and engage with the #amquerying community on Twitter (daily)

4.     Review sales on Publisher’s Marketplace and add names to agent list (weekly)

5.     Deep-dive research into agents who have come onto your radar, tweak query letter accordingly, and SEND THE QUERY (two new submissions/week)

6.     Set up system for tracking queries (one-time task) and update it (weekly)

The point of sharing this is to show you how time-specific and detailed I made each task. “Get an agent” is an overwhelming goal. “Read an agent-related blog post” is something you can check off your list at this very moment! And speaking of that, Charlotte, can you  tell us what you’re looking for right now?

Charlotte: For picture books, I’m especially looking for author-illustrators right now. I’d love to find stories starring spunky characters as well as stories that feature a craft or hobby. I’m also interested in more middle-grade authors. I love sister stories, not-too-creepy mysteries, and touches of magic. You can find out more from my MSWL linked below.

Nancy: Friends, what is one thing you can do, today, to move your writing career forward? Write it down and act on it. Because someday is right now. 

Nancy's bio: 

Nancy Tandon is a former speech/language pathologist and author of two middle grade novels, The Way I Say It (Charlesbridge, 1/18/22) and The Ghost of Spruce Point (Aladdin, 8/2/22). Nancy lives in Connecticut with her family and is a fan of popcorn, reading, and pestering her critique group about their writing goals. 

Charlotte's bio: Charlotte Wenger is a literary agent in the Boston area with Prospect Agency. Prior to joining Prospect, she was an associate editor at Page Street Kids. She has her Master of Arts in Children’s Literature from Simmons College (now University) and serves on the national advisory board of the Mazza Museum, which celebrates the original art of picture books using education, exhibits, events, and artist visits. Charlotte is drawn to children's literature and art for all ages—board books through YA, but especially picture books.

Links for Nancy:

www.nancytandon.com

Twitter @NancyTandon

Instagram @_NancyTandon_

Goodreads 

Order a signed copy of THE WAY I SAY IT

Links for Charlotte:

www.charlottewenger.com

https://www.prospectagency.com/agent.html#charlotte_wenger

Twitter: @WilbursBF_Char

Manuscript Wish List: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/charlotte-wenger

Giveaway Details

Nancy has generously offered a hardback of The Way I Say It and Charlotte has offered a query critique 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 January 22nd. If you do not want to be included in the critique giveaway, please let me know in the comments. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. The book giveaway is U.S. and Canada and the query critique giveaway is International.

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

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Wednesday, January 12th I have an agent spotlight interview with Haley Casey and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, January 16th I’m participating in the Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop

Monday, January 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Snow and a query critique giveaway

Monday, January 24th I have an interview with debut author Shawn Peters and a giveaway of his MG adventure The Unforgettable Logan Foster

Tuesday, February 1st I’m participating in the Heart to Heart Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, February 2nd I have an agent/author guest post with Nicole Resciniti and Lillie Lainoff and a giveaway of Lisa’s YA fairytale retelling All for One and a query critique giveaway and my IWSG post

 Hope to see you on Monday!

 

 

Debut Author Interview: Leslie Vedder and The Bone Spindle Giveaway and IWSG Post

Happy Wednesday and Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays. Mine were good but still pretty quiet due to COVID. I was grateful to spend more time with my daughter this year.

Today I’m excited to start my 2022 blog schedule with an interview with Leslie Vedder to celebrate the release of her YA fantasy The Bone Spindle. It’s a retelling of Sleeping Beauty, one of my favorite fairy tales, so I’m excited to read it.

Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:

Sleeping Beauty meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling fairytale retelling for fans of Sorcery of Thorns and All the Stars and Teeth.

Fi is a bookish treasure hunter with a knack for ruins and riddles, who definitely doesn't believe in true love.

Shane is a tough-as-dirt girl warrior from the north who likes cracking skulls, pretty girls, and doing things her own way.

Briar Rose is a prince under a sleeping curse, who's been waiting a hundred years for the kiss that will wake him.

Cursed princes are nothing but ancient history to Fi--until she pricks her finger on a bone spindle while exploring a long-lost ruin. Now she's stuck with the spirit of Briar Rose until she and Shane can break the century-old curse on his kingdom.

Dark magic, Witch Hunters, and bad exes all stand in her way--not to mention a mysterious witch who might wind up stealing Shane's heart, along with whatever else she's after. But nothing scares Fi more than the possibility of falling in love with Briar Rose.

Set in a lush world inspired by beloved fairytales, The Bone Spindle is a fast-paced young adult fantasy full of adventure, romance, found family, and snark. 

 

Before I get to my interview with Leslie, I have my IWSG Post.

Posting: The first Wednesday is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

The awesome co-hosts with me this month are Erika Beebe, Olga Godim, Sandra Cox, Sarah Foster, and Chemist Ken!

Optional Question: What’s the one thing about your writing career you regret the most? Were you able to overcome it?

I don’t have a writing career, but this month’s question ties into one I’ve been contemplating recently. I’m writing my climax scenes in my current manuscript, which means that I will really finish my manuscript in the next few months. I’ve been kind of freaking out about it because it raises some constant questions I have that make me really insecure. Here’s a few of the questions this raises for me:

• Do I want a writing career after already having a successful career as a writer? Or do I want my writing to be a hobby?
• Can I write on contract if I become traditionally published? This is a big fear for me because I’m a slow writer.
• Should I keep my current writing job where I work part-time and have made about $100,000 in about six years or quit it if I get a publishing deal? I really don’t want to have two jobs anymore.

I don’t have any answers to these questions yet. I’m just going to take it one step at a time and hope that the answers will become clearer after I finish and revise my manuscript.

What’s the one thing you regret about your writing career?

Interview with Leslie Vedder

Hi Leslie! Thanks so much for joining us.

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

I’ve always loved fantasy books! When I was kid, after lights out, I would crawl under my covers with a flashlight and a book and read late into the night. There was something magical about that space. Just me and a tiny circle of light and the fantasy worlds I was transported to.

I continued to devour books all through my teens, and it wasn’t long before my love of reading also into a love of writing. It’s a little cliché, but I really have always wanted to be an author.

2. That’s awesome that you always wanted to be an author. Where did you get the idea for The Bone Spindle?

Shane and Fi and their partnership was one of the biggest inspirations for this book! I knew I wanted to have girl treasure hunters with these big personalities that would allow them to clash, and bicker, and really get under each other’s skin in the best way. Finding their voices was a huge part of that.

I spent a long time, before I even started writing, taking walks with my girlfriend (now my wife!) and just speaking possible dialogue aloud and finding these voices. I knew I finally had them when brainstorming together turned into laughing and cracking each other up.

3. You definitely made this retelling of Sleeping Beauty your own story. What was the process like and what advice do you have for other authors who want to write a retelling?

I think one of the most important steps in coming up with a retelling is deciding what you want to keep and what you want to change.  Some retellings take a lot of the elements of an original story and give them a fun remix or twist, while others are more like reimaginings touched off by just a few elements the source material.

In the case of The Bone Spindle, the big change I knew I wanted to make was genderflipping the story, so that Briar Rose would be the sleeping prince waiting for a girl to wake him with a kiss.  A lot of the other pieces of the Sleeping Beauty story fell into place during the drafting process, but that was the first puzzle piece for me, and what I built everything else around.

4. That’s a great tip to decide what to keep and change from the original story. Your story is described as fast-paced in the blurb and by reviewers. What techniques did you use to keep readers wanting to turn the page?

I always try to make sure each chapter ends with some kind of tension. Sometimes it’s situational, sometimes emotional—sometimes the characters’ lives are in danger, and sometimes they’re just breaking their own hearts. Either way, I hope every chapter leaves the reader wanting to read just one more page, which is the feeling I love when I’m tearing through my favorite books!

The Bone Spindle is an action-adventure, with a lot of emphasis on action, so I had a lot of fun coming up with traps for the treasure hunting scenes, as well as what I hope are some truly edge-of-your-seat fighting sequences!

5. Having every chapter end with some type of tension sounds like a great way to keep readers want to keep reading. What was a challenge you faced when writing The Bone Spindle and how did you overcome it?

One of the challenges I had drafting this book was worldbuilding. The Bone Spindle has a lot of treasure hunting and traps in ancient ruins—which meant that these lost, abandoned places needed to exist within the history of the fantasy world.

After struggling with some of the details, I realized I needed to approach the worldbuilding as though I was building two places at the same time.  There’s the world of centuries past, when all of these ancient places were flourishing, and the world the main characters inhabit, where all of it has been lost.

So many tidbits didn’t even make it into the book in the end, but just having them figured out in my head really helped ground me when I was writing.

6. Your agent is Carrie Hannigan. How did she become your agent and what was your road to publication like?

My road to publication was a little bit long and winding. Like many authors, I had a number of projects I queried that didn’t go anywhere—and then one project that actually got me an agent, but didn’t ultimately make it. In fact, that entire literary agency ended up closing down.

So by the time I was querying The Bone Spindle, I was definitely a bit weary, but a lot wiser about the process. It still took many months, but when I connected with Carrie Hannigan and Ellen Goff, they were so enthusiastic, and I knew they were the perfect agents for my book!  They saw me through an edit and then being on submission that stretched into the pandemic.

So I would say, no part of my journey was really fast, but I feel like I ended up exactly where I’m meant to be.

7. That must have been hard to have the first agency you were with close. What did you do for your cover reveal and your pre-release pre-order campaign if you did one? Would you do the same things again for your next book? Why?

My cover reveal was with Culturess, which was a lot of fun. They’ve covered some of my favorite fantasy books!

For my preorder campaign, I commissioned art from the amazing Arz28. In my heart I’ve always been a shipper, so having pictures of the couples was a dream come true!

I’m not positive the preorder campaign itself has really moved the needle on my preorder numbers. But honestly, I would do it again. It’s been really nice to have something gorgeous and fun to post about! Instead of having to come up with clever ways to say preorder my book, I can share the beautiful art and offer preorder goods. For someone who struggles with social media, it’s been a great help.

8. What are you doing to promote your book for your release?

I’ve had a lot of fun doing several Q&As with great sites (like Literary Rambles!)—as well as being on a few podcasts, which has been pretty nerve-wracking, since prior to a few months ago I’d never done an interview in my life!

One of the things I’m most excited for, though, is the book launch, which I will be doing in person with another debut author, Meg Long! Her amazing book COLD THE NIGHT, FAST THE WOLVES is a dynamite YA sci-fi and I think the whole event is going to be lots of fun.

So if you’re in the Denver, CO area, come join us at the Tattered Cover on Jan 11!

9.  I saw on your website that you are mostly on Instagram. Why do you prefer this social media platform?

There are a lot of great book people on Twitter, but I personally find the platform very difficult to keep up with. It feels like everything moves at a very fast pace and really wants a high level of engagement that burns me out.

Instagram is a lot more my speed. My posts can be long or short, and a lot of the message can be conveyed through pictures. Plus it gives me an excuse to take photos of my cats, which is my very favorite activity!

10. What are you working on now?

The Bone Spindle is a trilogy, so I’ve been working on editing book two and writing book three! No spoilers, but I’ve really enjoyed the chance to dig into the characters and the romances! Plus ancient libraries, more treasure hunting, and even a book code!

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Leslie. You can find Leslie at leslievedder.com. On twitter: @leslievedder, and Instagram: @leslie.vedder.

Giveaway Details

Leslie has generously offered a hardback of The Bone Spindler 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 January 22nd. If your e-mail is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.

If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter, 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 giveaway is U.S. and Canada.

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Monday, January 10th I have an agent/debut author guest post with Charlotte Wenger and Nancy Tandon and a query critique and MG contemporary The Way I Say It giveaway

Wednesday, January 12th I have an agent spotlight interview with Haley Casey and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, January 16th I’m participating in the Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop

Monday, January 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Snow and a query critique giveaway

Monday, January 24th I have an interview with debut author Shawn Peters and a giveaway of his MG adventure The Unforgettable Logan Foster

Tuesday, February 1st I’m participating in the Heart to Heart Giveaway Hop

Wednesday, February 2nd I have an agent/author guest post with Nicole Resciniti and Lillie Lainoff and a giveaway of Lisa’s YA fairytale retelling All for One and a query critique giveaway

Hope to see you on Monday!

 

New Year New You Giveaway Hop

 

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you had a good holiday season and got some time to relax with family and friends--and of course read a few good books. My holidays were good but still pretty quiet given COVID. I was grateful to spend more time with my daughter and her boyfriend this year. 

I'm so excited to start 2022 by participating in the New Year New You Giveaway Hop hosted by MamaFox. I’ve got a lot of exciting newly releases MG and YA book choices this month to help you get through this month. Every month I spotlight new MG and YA debut books as well as some of the most anticipated books that month. 

Here are the newly released MG and YA books I'm offering in this giveaway hop. You can also choose another book in the series by these authors. You can find descriptions of these books on Goodreads. Here are your choices:

If you haven't found a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

 Giveaway Details

 One lucky entrant selected by the entry form will receive a book of their choice listed above or a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Open to entrants internationally as long as Book Depository ships to you for free, 13 years and older. Open for entry from 1/01 – 1/15/2022 at 11:59 pm EST. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The selected winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email to claim this prize or a new winner will be selected.

Please note that you must be a blog follower and leave a blog comment to enter the contest. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Wednesday, January 5th I have an interview with debut author Leslie Vedder and a giveaway of her YA fantasy The Bone Spindler and my IWSG post

Monday, January 10th I have an agent/debut author guest post with Charlotte Wenger and Nancy Tandon and a query critique and MG contemporary The Way I Say It giveaway

Wednesday, January 12th I have an agent spotlight interview with Haley Casey and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, January 16th I’m participating in the Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop

Monday, January 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Snow and a query critique giveaway

Monday, January 24th I have an interview with debut author Shawn Peters and a giveaway of his MG adventure The Unforgettable Logan Foster

Hope to see you on Wednesday!

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

Dashing December Giveaway Hop

Happy Thursday Everyone! I hope you're getting ready for the holidays, whichever ones you celebrate, and are planning to spend some time with family and friends and doing the things you enjoy. This is my last post of the year. I'm looking forward to a little break to read more, work on my manuscript, and spend time with family and friends. Thank you all for being followers and reading my posts and commenting. I really appreciate it.

Today I'm excited to participate in the Dashing December Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox. I really appreciate that she offers so many giveaway hop opportunities every month. 

Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card

I am offering a book of your choice that is $20 or less on Amazon or The Book Depository. I’m looking forward to seeing what books everyone is looking forward to reading. If you don’t have a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

Giveaway Details

One lucky entrant selected by the entry form will receive a book of their choice for $20 or less at Amazon or The Book Depository or a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Open to entrants internationally as long The Book Depository ships to you for free, 13 years and older. Open for entry from 12/16 – 12/31/2021 at 11:59 pm EST. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The selected winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email to claim this prize or a new winner will be selected.

Please note that you must be a blog follower and leave a blog comment to enter the contest. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Upcoming Interviews and Giveaways

Wednesday, January 5th I have an interview with debut author Leslie Vedder and a giveaway of her YA fantasy The Bone Spindler and my IWSG post

Monday, January 10th I have an agent/debut author guest post with Charlotte Wenger and Nancy Tandon and a query critique and MG contemporary The Way I Say It giveaway

Wednesday, January 12th I have an agent spotlight interview with Haley Casey and a query critique giveaway

Sunday, January 16th I’m participating in the Winter Wishes Giveaway Hop

Monday, January 17th I have an agent spotlight interview with Shannon Snow and a query critique giveaway 

Happy, Happy Holidays! Hope to see you on Wednesday, January 5th!

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

 

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

 

 

Agent Spotlight: Stacey Kondla Interview and Query Critique Giveaway

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Stacey Kondla here. She is a literary agent at The Rights Factory.

Status update on 12/19/2025: Stacey is no longer listed on The Rights Factory website. I've been unable to find any information that she's moved to a new agency. 

Hi­ Stacey! Thanks so much for joining us.

About Stacey:

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

Hi Natalie – thank you so much for inviting me to participate here!

I had met Sam Hiyate, the CEO, at a festival for readers and writers called WHEN WORDS COLLIDE in August of 2017. After working in the book and publishing world for around 14 years between being a field rep for Scholastic Book Fairs Canada, managing at two different Chapters/Indigo stores, doing beta reading, editing, and sitting on the organizing committee of When Words Collide for 8 years, I was really interested in agenting. I started doing some reading and writing editorial letters for Sam that fall and was super excited to start building my own list as of March 2018 when he promoted me to Associate Agent.

Since then I have built an incredible list of authors that I represent and have so far helped over 30 books find their perfect publishing home. I’ve had the pleasure of working with a range of publishers from small and medium size independent presses like Orca, Kids Can Press, and Thistledown Press to large publishers and imprints like Scholastic, Knopf, Delacorte, Lerner, Henry Holt, and Penguin Random House Canada.

I primarily focus on the children’s side representing authors with picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction and nonfiction. I have expanded my list to represent some stellar authors with adult works that range from nonfiction science writing to literary to horror and sci-fi. I like variety and read a variety for recreation as well. My consistent theme is that I do gravitate towards the quirky, unique and weird. I also love funny!

About the Agency:

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

The Rights Factory is a boutique agency that currently has 10 active agents, a TV/Film Agent, Karmen Wells, and a phenomenal Foreign Rights agent, Milly Ruggiero, who is based in Italy. We are a proven editorial agency and we work closely with our clients to ensure their books are the best they can be before we send them out on submission and actively seek to support our clients with sub-rights sales – like translation, audio, TV and Film.

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 primarily focus on the children’s side representing authors with picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction and nonfiction. I have expanded my list to represent some stellar authors with adult works that range from nonfiction science writing to literary to horror and sci-fi. I like variety and read a variety for recreation as well. My consistent theme is that I do gravitate towards the quirky, unique and weird. I also love funny!

Currently, I am closed to queries, but plan to re-open hopefully early spring and will be tweaking my #MSWL to be quite specific. I’m at the point with my client list that I need to be very, very selective and not take on client’s that are a direct competition to my existing clients and need to start filling in some holes in what I represent. I’m looking forward to spending some time with my #MSWL and hopefully find the best queries arriving in my QueryManager when I re-open.

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

One of my greatest pleasures right now for my personal recreational reading is “books about books” – like I recently read THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS by Pip Williams, THE DARK LIBRARY by Cyrille Martinez, TALK BOOKISH TO ME by Kate Bromley, THE FORBIDDEN LIBRARY by Django Wexler, and several others – and I would love to find a fabulous book, either fiction or nonfiction, children’s or adult, that is a “book about books” for my list.

I also love feminist stories and desperately want to find a contemporary/literary adult novel with a 50+ female main character written by a 50+ woman that rocks my world.

On the children’s side, for middle grade and young adult, I’m definitely hoping to find a contemporary, rom-com, or horror by an Indigenous author. I’d love to see more queries from more authors that are BIPOC and/or LGBTQ2S+, and also neurodiverse authors, especially for nonfiction in both children’s works and adult.

What She Isn’t Looking For:

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

I’m not looking for anything that is self-help, extremely political, anti-science, and it’s a hard no if a work is misogynistic. I’m not looking for gratuitous violence and intensely dislike rape as a plot device. I am also not the person for memoir.

Update on 3/28/2024: Not interested in Erotica, Self-help, Inspirational, Politics, Trauma Memoirs

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 firmly believe that every book I help bring to market has the potential to change someone’s life. So it is very important to me to work on projects that mean something and can contribute to the world around us. I love working with authors that are easy going and see the humor in life. I truly see the author/agent relationship as symbiotic and love working with people who want to succeed together.

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. Honestly, every project is different, much they way many authors have said that every book they write involves a different process, the same concept can be applied to the editorial process. It really depends on where the project is and what level of editing it needs. Some projects I take on need more than others and some need less than others. I think it is important to not approach every project the same way as each author and novel or proposal are very different. Typically, I start with big picture story or structure changes and we work our way from there. I appreciate having an assistant to have a second set of eyes on projects I am too close to, and certain projects I will work with one of our agency editors through the process. The one consistent factor is that the editorial process is very collaborative and focused on helping the author make their project the best it can be before sending it out on submission.

Query Methods and Submission Guidelines: (Always verify before submitting)

8. How should authors query you and what do you want to see with the query letter?

Authors can check The Rights Factory website’s submission page and click on my link to see if I am open to queries. If I am, clicking the link will take you to my QueryManager form which asks for very specific information. Typically, I am looking for a one-line pitch, a full pitch, author bio, author website and social media tags, and the first 30 pages of the manuscript to sample.

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

I totally get that authors are busy people and filling out query forms and structuring queries for different agents can be time consuming and frustrating. For that reason I have kept my QueryManager form as very basic. I am asking for the bare minimum I need to make a decision so I don’t like it when things are not completed in full.

Response Time:

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

I wish I could say I am speedy fast all the time, but that would be a lie ☹

Because I have a prolific list of signed clients, I have to prioritize their work and their reading first, so depending on the time of year and how many client projects are on the go, I can be either very fast, take a little time, or be tragically slow. And I am sorry for when I am tragically slow. I do my best. When I find that I am getting very slow on response time, I cut myself some slack and close to queries so I can catch up. Sometimes I miss out on great work because I am too slow and that does make me sad, but we all can only work so many hours and I honestly read a minimum of 2 manuscripts per week – my personal evenings are often spent reading manuscripts. And the thought of rushing through something is also awful. I want to give my focused attention to each project and that takes time.

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, but the project they query me with must be unpublished – it cannot be previously published. I know many talented authors that self publish or that are agented and also self publish as a hybrid author. There is no one single path that is right for every single author. My best advice to self published authors is to make sure you have a fresh project, not part of a series they are already publishing, that has not been published in any form and then be patient. Traditional publishing takes a lot longer than self publishing, so be prepared to wait.

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 don’t think any role in publishing is safe from change as the publishing landscape continues to evolve and change as every year goes by. Of course, the role of agents will change and already has as we take a larger role in editing prior to pitching and in promoting our clients. I think the role of the literary agent in looking out for the best interests of clients, protecting their rights, and negotiating deals and contracts will remain static for a while yet. Having an agent to help liaise between the author and publisher can be helpful to both parties, especially in difficult situations or situations of disagreement.

Clients:

13. Who are some of the authors you represent?

Kalena Miller, the debut author of the YA novel THE NIGHT WHEN NO ONE HAD SEX, which just released in October, H. N. Khan, debut author of the YA novel WRONG SIDE OF THE COURT, releasing in March 2022, Dana L. Church, debut author of the middle grade nonfiction book THE BEEKEEPERS, which released in March 2021, Ali Bryan, whose YA novel THE HILL just released in March 2021, Mary Boone, whose middle grade nonfiction book BUGS FOR BREAKFAST recently released in October 2021, and many others with books that have already released or are upcoming and I could go on and on – it’s so exciting!!!

Interviews and Guest Posts:

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

I don’t think I have any – older interviews won’t be helpful as I am overhauling my #MSWL for the new year and I’d rather authors not listen to old wishes.

Then again this online interview from a while back isn’t bad, I’ve just come a long way since then 😊 https://medium.com/the-partnered-pen/a-peek-into-the-world-of-literary-agents-part-one-stacey-kondla-74632f3198ba

Links and Contact Info:

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

I only accept queries through QueryManager, which can be accessed through the agency website here: https://www.therightsfactory.com/submissions

Alternatively, I do accept qualified referrals from my signed clients and I do participate occasionally in online virtual pitch events. I will tweet about those as they come up. Twitter is a good place to watch as I announce opening and closing for queries there.

Update on 3/28/2024:

Manuscript Wish List 

X

Publishers Marketplace

Query Tracker

Podcast Interview at Stark Reflections (08/2019)

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

I think that there is never enough said about the power of networking and developing relationships in the writing community. Make friends with other writers, editors, publishers, book store staff, readers, book podcasters, #bookstagramers, Book Tok-ers, everyone who loves books. Go to writing conferences, attend virtual book launch events, entrench yourself firmly in your local writing community. You never know when you will meet someone who will help you on your next leg of your publishing journey, and you never know who you may inspire to keep writing. Be kind out there and make bookish friends <3

Thanks for sharing all your advice, Stacey.

­Stacey is generously offering a query critique to one lucky winner. To enter, all you need to do is be a follower (via the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave a comment through December 31st. If your e-mail 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 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 e-mail 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.

Profile Details:
Last updated: 3/28/2024 
Updated by Agent? Yes
Reviewed By Agent? 12/15/2021