Hi All! Happy Friday everyone. Today I'm being interviewed at The Mitten, Michigan's SCBWI blog. I hope you'll stop by and read about how I got my start at Literary Rambles and how I help writers and authors in their publication journey. Here's the link to the interview: https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2023/11/blog-host-spotlight-natalie-aguirre.html
Have a great weekend!
Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m thrilled to have debut author Mackenzie Reed here to share a fantastic guest post about rules to follow when writing a mystery and her YA thriller The Rosewood Hunt. I want to read it just to see how Mackenzie followed these rules in writing this story.
Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:
Lily
Rosewood dreams of taking over her family's company one day. Her grandmother,
Rosewood Inc's current chair, has always encouraged her, and Lily can't wait
for Gram to teach her everything she needs to know to run the business.
But then Gram dies suddenly, and Lily's world is
upended. When it's revealed that Gram's quarter of a billion dollar fortune is
missing, Lily can't fathom what her future will hold now.
Even in death, Gram has a few tricks up her
couture sleeve. A last letter from her with a cryptic clue sends Lily and three
other teens on a treasure hunt that could change their lives forever-if they
can survive it. And if they pull it off, they may be rewarded with more than
just money. But they're not the only ones hunting for Gram's treasure, and soon
the hunt becomes more dangerous than they ever could have imagined.
Irresistible intrigue, captivating suspense, a
swoony friends-to- rivals-to-lovers romance, and heartbreaking betrayal drive
this thrilling debut novel to its explosive end.
Before I
get to Mackenzie’s guest post, I have my IWSG post.
Posting: The first Wednesday is officially Insecure Writer's Support Group Day.
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns
without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire
can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of
all kinds!
The awesome co-hosts this month are: PJ Colando, Jean
Davis, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diedre Knight!
Optional Question: November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?
No, I’ve never participated in NaNoWriMo. I was always too busy when I was working full-time and taking care of my late husband and daughter. Even now that I’m only working part-time, I still feel too busy to commit to such a large word count in one month with all the other things I need to do. Plus, I write really slow and think having to produce so many words in a month isn’t realistic for me.
Rules to Follow When Writing a Mystery By Mackenzie Reed
I have this belief that might be slightly controversial.
It’s that almost every book is at least a little bit of a mystery book. It doesn’t matter what the genre or age audience is, I feel like the thing that propels us to read to the end is a mystery, whether we notice it as that or not. Think about your favorite romance book. There’s always going to be that question of, “Will the main character end up with the love interest?” and you keep reading to find out. And sure, it’s not a mystery in the most classic sense, but it’s still a mystery. You’re waiting to see the end, hoping that things might work out the way you predict. Depending on the genre, maybe they do, maybe they don’t.
I guess that’s why I’ve always been drawn to mysteries in general. It’s also why I’ve always been a little bit confused about the current genre I write most, which is thriller, because most people who write thrillers will probably agree that mystery and thriller kind of go hand-in-hand. I think what’s most funny for me is when I write, most of the time, the mystery comes last. It’s like I know the thriller aspect and I know what the bones of the mystery should be, but I don’t actually know the mystery. Usually, I need to figure it out as I go.
But those bones are my guiding light to doing that. They’re like rules to follow to help get your mystery up and running. So let’s talk about them.
Here are some rules that I find helpful to follow when writing mysteries and maybe you will, too.
Rule #1: Red Herrings (plural) are a Must
A red herring is usually
someone who is misleading both the reader and the main character from the
actual antagonist. That doesn’t mean they can’t be an antagonist themselves,
but they shouldn’t be the main one that has the big grand reveal during the second
half of a book. And the more red herrings to distract from the main antagonist,
the better. This took me a long time to learn how to weave into my writing
because I love someone who is unapologetically a villain. However, I think that
pulls over from my fantasy roots, and when writing a mystery, we usually don’t
want to know who the antagonist is right off the bat because they’re likely
part of the mystery itself, which brings me to rule #2.
Rule #2: Betrayal Is Your Friend
I might be biased, but I
think a good betrayal can be a massive turning point in any story, especially
mysteries. A gutting twist adds so many layers and so much emotional depth to
the story. Also, a lot of times, it can be used to further your main
character's journey. As somebody who often struggles with figuring out my main
character's arc, throwing in a betrayal by someone close to them is the perfect
opportunity to give them some reflection and things to think about, not to
mention a crisis. Choosing someone close to the main character that they might
not expect is extra gutting and will keep the reader on their toes. To add more
depth to a betrayal aside from using it as a plot device or for shock value, I
recommend rooting it in a morally gray perspective. What I mean by that: It’s
not so much that the betraying character is doing something straight up bad,
but it’s bad in the eyes of the main character. Maybe a stranger or an unbiased
reader could look at it from the outside and see the reason from both
perspectives. This will also create tension between characters, especially when
both think their way of thinking is correct. And while we’re on the topic of
characters, that brings me to rule number three.
Rule #3: Keep Characters at the Core
Obviously, characters are
an important part of any story regardless of audience or genre. However, the
thing about mysteries is that a lot of people read them because they like to
try and catch the main twists and the ending. As the writer, we simply can’t
out-think everyone. There will always be somebody who guesses your red herring
for what it is and knows the actual antagonist, or somebody who senses what
betrayal is coming or sees that final twist. The worst is when somebody solves
the mystery within the first 10 pages. But hey, it happens! No matter how
genius you are, you can’t anticipate and manipulate everyone’s thought process.
Which brings me to my second controversial opinion on mysteries: I don’t think the mystery needs to carry the story. Sure, the excitement and plot can and should, but as somebody who loves reading character-centric stories, I also like writing them. When you have characters that your readers are invested in, they’re going to want to keep reading for the characters and they’ll also want to stay to see if they’re right if they have big presumptions upfront. Fleshing out your characters by having strong, emotional arcs and personable traits that maybe don’t excuse their actions, but allow the reader to empathize with them is a big draw. And, in my opinion, I think banter and catchy dialogue goes a long way. When you write gripping characters, people want to stick with them until the end. If you’re looking to write a mystery series, that’s even more incentive to make sure your characters are as ensnaring as possible so readers will want to keep picking up books to stick with them.
Rule #4: Time-stamping Will Save You
I started time-stamping my
chapters the very first mystery I wrote, and I didn’t expect it to be something
that I stuck with. However, I haven’t written a book since then without it.
It’s made a massive difference in my drafting and my revising process, not to
mention probably saved me loads of time scrolling my doc searching. Before I
even start a story, I like to figure out what calendar year it takes place in.
If I’m on contract and I know when it’s getting published, I’ll aim for that
year, but if I’m not, I just put it way in the future assuming it’ll hopefully,
eventually, get picked up. Then at the beginning of every chapter I write the
day, the date, and the time. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t know the exact time
things happen for everything, so I usually pick a random time, but as you write
the book, times fall into place.
In a mystery, whether you’re working with a super tight timeline –– which I typically am because most of my books only span a couple weeks –– or if you’re working with a longer timeline, I can’t stress enough how helpful it is to timestamp your chapters because it helps you move around and figure out when things happen. You might think you’ll remember and maybe you’re better than me at memorizing things, but when you’re in the throes of drafting, I find it so easy for my brain to turn into scrambled eggs and forget everything but the page I’m currently writing. Not only that, but when you have to go back to look at certain parts for editing or to fact-check yourself, it makes it so much easier to find those parts because you can start narrow it down by what day it might’ve happened which you can see in your *time-stamped chapter outline* (imagine I’m doing jazz hands right now). It’s definitely not something you have to do, but I think it’s helpful, at least in the drafting and revising stages.
Rule #5: Foreshadowing Is Never Wasted
I’m sure this one is the
most obvious, but I saved it for the end because you truly can’t discount how
big of an impact good foreshadowing has on a mystery. Mysteries are usually
built on clues but one of my favorite things is putting teeny clues or little
mentions in the plot earlier that the main character doesn’t pick up on, but
hopefully the reader might. When the big reveal happens, the reader can look
back on all the things they picked up on or missed earlier in the story. It
also adds a really great level of interest to the book for anybody who wants to
reread it because then they might realize things that they hadn’t captured the
first time.
I personally think foreshadowing can also coincide with recurring imagery, which I am a huge fan of in mysteries. Not only is it fun, but when your book gets published, it can be really cool to see how that’s brought to life on the cover or is used for branding purposes. That’s my marketing girly brain talking and I’ll shut her up now, but just wanted to put it out there.
Rule #6: Treat the Setting Like a Character
I think mysteries thrive
when the setting is ultra-specific or feels like a character in and of itself.
There’s a reason that Knives Out is so well-known to take place in a mansion,
or on the opposite side, why Glass Onion takes place in a glass mansion. Agatha
Christie used settings on a whole other level in her mysteries, like Death
on the Nile or Murder on the Orient Express, both of which take
place in a compact environment which adds its own level of intrigue to the
story.
In THE ROSEWOOD HUNT, when I was building Rosetown, the fictional Massachusetts town in which the story takes place, I knew I wanted a coastal town in New England that really captures the essence of a place that suspends disbelief just a bit. The main family is rich and throws parties all summer long with a Gatsby-edge and I really wanted it to be a sparkling place with a slightly suspect underbelly. When you’re writing a mystery, I recommend taking some time to really flesh out the place where your story is set. Even if it’s a real location, making it palatable and vivid to the reader is going to help them get transported into that world so they can solve the mystery with your main character.
While none of these rules are steadfast by any means, they certainly help get me on the right track, and I hope that if you’re writing your first mystery or your second or third or fourth, they might help you, too. The most important thing to remember is that no two books are alike, and the same can be said for mysteries. I’m still realizing every single book’s process is different, but by knowing these six rules, it gives me a solid place to start. Good luck, happy writing, and I can’t wait to pull your mystery off-the-shelf one day.
If you want to stay in touch (please do!), find me on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Threads. To order a copy of my debut YA thriller THE ROSEWOOD HUNT, go here. Thank you!
Giveaway Details
Mackenzie’s publisher, HarperTeen, is generously offering a hardback of The Rosewood Hunt 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 November 11th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.
If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter or Mackenzie on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is international.
Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops
Monday, November 6th I have an agent spotlight interview with Morgan Hughes and a query critique giveaway
Thursday, November 9th I’m participating in the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop
Monday, November 13th I have an interview with debut author DaVaun Sanders and a giveaway of his MG fantasy Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew
Thursday, November 16th I’m participating in the In All Things Give Thanks Giveaway Hop
Monday, November 20th I have an interview with author Natalie Richards and a giveaway of her MG thriller 13 Secrets to Survival
Friday, December 1st I’m participating in
the Holly Jolly Giveaway Hop
Wednesday, December 6th I have a guest post by debut author Dana VanderLugt and a giveaway of her MG historical Enemies in the Orchard
Thursday, December 7th I’m participating in the Let It Snow Giveaway Hop
Monday, December 11th I have an agent spotlight interview with Ashley Reisinger and a query critique giveaway
Hope to see you on Monday!
Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Elisa Stone Leahy here to share about her MG contemporary Tethered to Other Stars. It sounds like a powerful story about a middle grade girl dealing with immigration worries while navigating middle grade issues. I’m looking forward to reading it this fall.
Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:
Perfect for fans of Efrén Divided and A
Good Kind of Trouble, this luminous middle grade debut follows a tween girl
navigating the devastating impact of ICE's looming presence on her family and
community.
Seventh grader Wendy Toledo
knows that black holes and immigration police have one thing in common: they
can both make things disappear without a trace. When her family moves to a new
all-American neighborhood, Wendy knows the plan: keep her head down, build a
telescope that will win the science fair, and stay on her family's safe orbit.
But that's easier said than
done when there's a woman hiding out from ICE agents in the church across the
alley--and making Wendy's parents very nervous.
As bullying at school
threatens Wendy's friendships and her hopes for the science fair, and her
family's secrets start to unravel, Wendy finds herself caught in the middle of
far too many gravitational pulls. When someone she loves is detained by ICE,
Wendy must find the courage to set her own orbit--and maybe shift the paths of
everyone around her.
Follower News
Before I get to Elisa's interview, I have Follower News to share. My nephew, Joshua Corder, has just
released his debut MG contemporary, Joshua's dream stories. Here's a blurb: Enter the imaginative mind of author Joshua Corder, who was
diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at age 3. Joshua is pleased
to have you join him as he explores 16 whimsical stories that began as his
childhood dreams. Joshua has always wanted to be a published author and share
his stories with everyone. And here is a purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Joshuas-Dream-Stories-Joshua-Corder/dp/B0CKM3G2PN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1OPD1UCYIWVNR&keywords=joshua%27s+dream+stories&qid=1697475097&sprefix=Joshua%27s+D%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1
Interview With Elisa Stone Leahy
Hi Elisa! Thanks so much for joining us.
1. Tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.
I have always been drawn to stories. Growing up Peruvian-American meant continuously examining how my two cultures intersect. There are gaps between how different people see the world, and I’ve always been fascinated by that space of disconnect and how stories work to bridge the gap. I learned to tell stories early on as a way to bring those two parts of my world closer together. As I grew older, I saw the value of stories in shifting perceptions and garnering a deeper understanding of others. Storytelling is such an integral part of who I am that I became a documentary filmmaker and eventually found work at the library. I firmly believe stories are the best tool we have to build a more empathetic future and I want to be a part of that, whether it’s handing a kid a library book or writing the book itself!
2. Where did you get the idea for Tethered to Other Stars?
This book is shaped by the experiences of many, many friends who I have had the privilege of walking alongside. I fought alongside Edith Espinal who lived in sanctuary for over 3 years in a church to avoid a deportation order. She took her fight to the news, to the presidential candidates and to the front page of the New York Times. I traveled with her team to DC to lobby for her and others in sanctuary. We led letter-writing campaigns and petition signings. Edith became the face of the sanctuary movement. One day she wondered out loud why the immigrant community didn’t show greater support for her case. This book began as an attempt to answer that question in an accessible way. I wanted the experience of sanctuary and all it’s complicated, messy truth to make sense for any kid (or adult), regardless of how much they know or understand about immigration.
About Your Writing Process
3. You’re also a documentary filmmaker. How has this helped you in plotting out your story and keeping the plot moving? Share two or three tips on plotting a contemporary middle-grade manuscript.
I’m happy to give tips, with the caveat that different methods work for different writers! Here’s what I’ve learned about myself and what I need in my writing:
4. Those are great tips. Reviewers have said that this is a very powerful, heart-warming story that also did a good job balancing Wendy’s worries about her family’s immigration status with her struggles navigating typical middle grade issues, like friends and crushes. How did you balance all this as you wrote Wendy’s story?
I wanted this book to be
something that any kid could pick up and understand, regardless of how much
they knew or understood about immigration policy. I also wanted to clearly show
Wendy as a typical seventh grader, dealing with all the usual stuff that a new
school and new friends might bring. My own kids were about the same age as
Wendy when I started writing, so I was already thinking about those issues and
questions that middle schoolers face. There is a scene in the book that takes
place at a school skate party, which I actually drafted on my laptop while at
my own kids’ school skate party! Being connected to the age group you are
writing for definitely helps. It also helps to stay connected to your own internal
kid. I love astronomy, and I would have loved a book that connected to that
dreamy side of me, but also pulled in those big life questions about right and
wrong. Although I never would have built a winning telescope in seventh
grade–Wendy is way smarter than me!
5. How long did it take you to write and revise Tethered to Other Stars? What did you learn from the process that will help you write your next manuscript that will most likely be written under contract with a deadline to complete it?
I wrote this book little by little, during lunch breaks and my kids’ sports practices, so it took a LONG time. The first draft took me 3 years and I finished it in early 2020. I spent the Covid lockdown editing, polishing and figuring out what to do with it next. I did some version of an “I wrote a book, now what?” google search and discovered I needed an agent and had to do something called “querying”–all brand new information for me! After I got my agent and a book deal, I still had another year of revisions before this book was done. In total it took about 5 years to write from start to finish. But I must have learned a lot because my second book only took 1 month! NaNoWriMo is an event where writers challenge themselves to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November, and I decided to participate. I started writing book 2 on November 1st. On November 3rd, my agent called me with a two book offer from Quill Tree/HarperCollins, for Tethered to Other Stars and for the untitled book I had started writing just two days before! I still feel like I stumbled into some kind of lucky fairy dust! Having a two book offer on the table was a powerful motivation to complete that NaNoWriMo! By the end of November, I had a very rough draft of my second book (coming Fall of 2024). And anyone can participate in challenges like NaNoWriMo, so if that kind of structure is what you need, I encourage you to try it! NaNoWriMo pushed me to get that messy draft done much faster than the first book I wrote. I did it the next year as well and hit my goal even without a book deal to motivate me!
Your Road to Publication
6. I’d love to be able to write a book in a
month. Brent Taylor is your agent. How did he become your agent and how long did you query before you received his offer of representation?
I had been querying for about 5 months when I attended the SCBWI Summer conference and heard Brent Taylor speak on a panel. Agents are typically open to queries from writers who hear them speak on panels, which was one of the reasons I attended the conference (this was 2021, and the conference was all virtual). I queried him the next day. It was surreal how quickly everything happened after that! He requested the full almost immediately and read it over the weekend. That Monday, I got an email saying he wanted to talk. The first thing he said when we spoke on the phone was that he was calling to offer representation. It was a great conversation and he was so authentic and professional. I did have 8 other agents with the full, so I asked them to get back to me in the next 2 weeks. I ended up with 4 offers of representation and only one other who I seriously considered. In the end, I went with Brent and I am so glad! He is fantastic at what he does and I know I’m in great hands.
7. What a great road to getting an agent story. Share what it was like to go on submission. What tips do you have for other writers going on submission?
It’s similar to querying in that there is a lot of waiting! My agent put together a list of editors who he thought would be interested in my book and sent it out to them. He asked me if I wanted to hear every time someone responded or if I’d rather wait until there was good news. I wanted to know everything, so he shared it all! There were a few rejections and two interested editors. Having calls with interested editors was so exciting and nerve-wracking! I was incredibly grateful to have Brent walk me through what to expect. Again, it all happened so fast! I was only on submission for about 2 months. But the waiting always feels long. So my biggest advice is to keep busy! While I was on submission, I got my idea for the second book and decided to do NaNoWriMo, largely because I needed to keep my mind on something else. And I’m so glad I did, because I now have a second book coming out next Fall!
Promoting Your Book
8. Tell us about the events you have planned to celebrate the release of your book and how you decided to organize these events.
The main event is a book launch hosted by my local children’s bookstore at the public library. In addition to that, I contacted all my favorite local bookstores to ask if I could come in and sign stock. I’ve tried to keep my expectations low as far as numbers. I think I’ll have a decent turn out at the big launch event, but the bookstore signings will probably just be me, sitting at a table, signing stock copies. And I’m fine with that! I think if I had high expectations it would be different, but I’m actually excited to just go and sign some books and hang out in local bookstores. I’m so thrilled to see my book on the shelf, that is really all I need! For the actual day that my book releases, I’ve tried to plan low stress, fun ways to celebrate, like meeting a friend for brunch and signing books at a bookstore. Although I took off work, I’m probably going to stop in at my library (where I work) to see my books on the library shelves. And then I have a private launch party planned with friends after all those events are over. My introvert author friends would probably shudder at all the people interaction but I think I’ve planned a good balance for myself!
9. What else have you done to promote your book? What are you planning for the future?
There are some articles coming out around the launch in local newspapers and magazines, and I specifically reached out to those who have covered immigration and the sanctuary movement. I’ve done a handful of online interviews (Literary Rambles, Middle Grade-Minded, Smack Dab in the Middle, the Middle Grade Matters podcast) and I have a panel on Utopia State of Mind YouTube channel coming up. My main goal is to connect my book with middle grade teachers, so I’m working on an educator packet and I’ve begun setting up school/library visits. I’ll be speaking on a panel at a conference for Ohio school librarians just a few days after the book comes out and I’ll be at Books on the Banks, a festival in Cincinnati, next month. I’m trying to stay on top of all the application deadlines for book festivals and conferences that will help get my book out there. It is a lot! I have a spreadsheet to manage all the folks I’ve reached out to and where we are in the process.
10. What are you working on now?
If you loved Wendy and her friends, then I have some great news! The second book, which follows one of Wendy’s new friends from school, comes out next Fall. The title reveal and description are coming soon! It takes place just a few weeks after Tethered to Other Stars. I can’t give too much away, but there will be: A secret Sci-Fi webcomic, library shenanigans, a drag queen story time, a cute new enby kid, chaos twin brothers, an exorbitant amount of people-pleasing and a glitter cat.
Thanks for sharing all your advice, Elisa. You can find Elisa at www.elisastoneleahy.com and @elisastoneleahy on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Giveaway Details
Elisa is generously offering a hardback of Tethered to Other Stars 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 November 4th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. Please be sure I have your email address.
If you mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog and/or follow me on Twitter or Elisa on her social media sites, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This book giveaway is U.S.
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, November 1st I have a guest post by debut author Mackenzie Reed and a giveaway of her YA mystery The Rosewood Hunt and my IWSG post
Monday, November 6th I have an agent spotlight interview with Morgan Hughes and a query critique giveaway
Thursday, November 9th I’m participating in the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop
Monday, November 13th I have an interview with debut author DaVaun Sanders and a giveaway of his MG fantasy Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew
Hope to see you on Wednesday, November 1st!
Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
I'm offering a $10 gift
card to Amazon for this giveaway.
Giveaway Details
To enter, all you need to do is be a follower of my blog (via
the follower gadget, email, or bloglovin’ on the right sidebar) and leave
a comment by October 31st telling me how you plan to use the gift card and
your email address. Be sure to include your email address.
If you mention this
contest on Twitter, Facebook, or other social media sites and/or follow me on
Twitter, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry for
each. You must be 13 years old or older to enter. This giveaway is
International.
Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops
Monday,
October 23 I have an interview with debut author Elisa Stone Leahy and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Tethered to Other
Stars
Wednesday, November 1st I have a guest post by debut author Mackenzie Reed and a giveaway of her YA mystery The Rosewood Hunt and my IWSG post
Monday, November 6th I have an agent spotlight interview with Morgan Hughes and a query critique giveaway
Thursday, November 9th I’m participating in the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop
Monday, November 13th I have an interview with debut author DaVaun Sanders and a giveaway of his MG fantasy Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew
Hope to see you on Monday!
And here are all 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.
Today I’m thrilled to have agent Jane Chun here. She is a literary agent at Transatlantic Agency.
Status update on 10/25/2025: Open to submissions.
Hi Jane! Thanks so much for joining us.
About Jane:
1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent.
I wasn’t sure if I
wanted to be an agent, editor, or book-to-film scout when I initially considered
jumping into publishing, but the hands-on experience I got through my
internships at Writers House and Maximum Films & Management and my freelance
work for HG Literary solidified my desire to pursue agenting. I had my heart
set on agenting to the point that I was only looking at jobs at agencies when
the wiser decision would have been to be flexible and consider any position
that would get me in the door—I certainly would have gotten a job faster that
way!
I know what I want, though, and eventually I ended up joining Janklow & Nesbit in 2019 as an assistant. I stayed there for four years, learning from some of the best agents in the business and engaging with both well-renowned names and exciting debut authors alike, before landing at Transatlantic in July as a literary agent.
It’s exhilarating getting to focus solely on agenting, and I’ve been busy searching for and signing clients in adult and MG/YA, participating in events and conferences, and preparing submissions to send out to editors.
About the Agency:
2. Share a bit about your agency and what it offers to its authors.
Transatlantic Agency offers the full spectrum of representation to authors, which means that we not only look after a book through its lifetime, but we also grow an author’s career in the book, screenwriting, and speakership spaces. Our team of 20 agents is based in cities across North America, and our combined experience, specialties, and long-term relationships with publishers, co-agents, and studios/production companies have equipped us in handling everything from selling books to securing foreign/translation, audio, and film/TV/stage deals for the past 30 years. We also have great colleagues in contracts and royalties, so while all of us agents keep on top of both and are involved in the contract negotiation and drafting process, knowing that we have that backend support allows us to concentrate on developing and polishing our authors’ works and figuring out strategies to set up our clients for success.
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 middle grade, YA, and adult as well as graphic novels/nonfiction. In both fiction and nonfiction, I’m passionate about championing stories that center marginalized communities and I gravitate towards compelling, fresh voices and characters with emotional depth. I consider myself versatile in that I’m open to literary, upmarket, and commercial fiction and I read anything from realistic contemporary fiction to fantasy, sci-fi, historical fiction, speculative fiction, and some horror. I have a very thorough manuscript wish list here if anyone wants a more detailed rundown on what I’m seeking!
4. Is there anything you would be especially excited to seeing in the genres you are interested in?
If you have a narrator who can speak to me intimately like I’m an old friend or acquaintance, you’ll reel me in immediately. I’m a huge film and TV person (there’s a reason I considered being a book-to-film scout once!), so I love cinematic, sensory writing where I feel like I’m right in the thick of it, navigating the world with the protagonist as them or right by their side. As I mentioned before, supporting marginalized writers and getting more stories featuring marginalized communities out there is a fundamental part of what I do. I want to see variety with that as well, where we get everything from joyous, uplifting, lighthearted stories to darker and/or more serious fare, particularly if it’s an angle we haven’t seen before. I will say, though, that if you’re dealing with challenging topics, it’s important to me that the writing avoids being didactic or exploitative.
What
She Isn’t Looking For:
5. What types of submissions are you not interested in?
I’m not the right person for picture books (I’m only open to referrals at the moment), prescriptive nonfiction, self-help, religion/spirituality books, romance, commercial thrillers, hard sci-fi, poetry, and essay and short story collections. That’s not to say that I don’t enjoy some of these genres, but I don’t plan on including them as part of my list.
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 always tell writers that there needs to be trust on both sides. The author needs to feel confident about my expertise and believe that everything I’m doing is with them in mind; this is particularly important when we’re in choppy waters and struggling with another draft or going through another round of submissions. We’re a team and I want you to succeed! On my end, I need to trust that you can respond to feedback positively, and we can work in tandem to make your book not only a reality but the best version of itself that it can be as well.
I’d love to work with authors who aren’t afraid to try new things and to expand the scope of their writing, even if they’re aware of where their strengths and weaknesses lie, in terms of what they’re able to do with characters, themes, etc.
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 like rolling up my sleeves and digging into the project, and I want to make sure that both the writer and I are happy with the final draft and confident that what they wanted to say comes through before we send it off to editors. I go from a big picture approach first and then once the foundational issues have been addressed and the structural integrity of the “house” is sound, then we can go through the manuscript with a fine comb and deal with the details.
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 send the following through Query Manager. If you have difficulty using Query
Manager, you can email queryjane@transatlanticagency.com. Please do not submit
your query through both methods; the duplicate query will not be answered.
Fiction: a brief introduction, a
synopsis, and the first ten pages. For email queries, include all text in the
body of the email
Nonfiction: a brief introduction, a full
outline, and the first ten pages of the proposal. For email queries, include
all text in the body of the email
Graphic
novels/nonfiction: a
brief introduction, a synopsis/outline, and at least five illustrated pages
with text. If you don’t have five pages, you can send ten script pages and some
sample art instead. For email queries, please attach the sample pages/art as a
PDF
For email
queries, include the book title, category/genre, word count (or estimated page
count for graphic novels/nonfiction), and your author bio.
9. Do you have any specific dislikes in query letters or the first pages submitted to you?
I don’t have specific dislikes, but I recommend sticking with a basic query letter format as you want the content to stand out instead of the structure or visuals. Keep to about 250–450 words. For the actual content itself, specificity is key. Don’t be too in the weeds or too vague that your query could be about any other book. I should get a clear sense of the character’s journey and the conflict—what do they want and what’s preventing them from achieving that?—as well as how this book stands out from other stories. For nonfiction, the letter should address “Why this book? Why now? Why you (the author)?”
As for first pages, I wouldn’t worry so much on making them stand out. Often, I find that writers workshop the first pages a lot and then the rest of the pages don’t feel as tight. As long as I feel like I’m immersed in the character’s head or their world and the writing itself is compelling, I’ll keep reading and hopefully ask for more pages once I’m done.
Response Time:
10. What’s your response time to queries and requests for more pages of a manuscript?
It depends on my schedule and the volume of queries, but I try to respond within eight weeks, if not faster. I go through queries in chronological order to be fair to everyone.
Self-Published and Small Press Authors:
11. Are you open to representing authors who have self-published or been published by smaller presses? What advice do you have for them if they want to try to find an agent to represent them?
I am! That said, I don’t typically represent books that already have been self-published, and for authors who have been published by smaller presses, I consider the trajectory of their career. For instance, does it seem like they have built on that experience or know how to? Do I have a new strategy to bring to the table that will help the author with the next chapter of their career? If you’re trying to find an agent and you’ve been previously published, whether through traditional publishing or self-publishing, you must be transparent about that in your query letter. It’s helpful if you can demonstrate that you’ve learned from publishing your previous books through the concept and writing of the book you’re querying.
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?
The basic tenets still hold. Agents are there to advocate for their clients. How that advocacy happens has evolved and will continue to evolve as the publishing landscape itself goes through changes.
Clients:
13. Who are some of the authors you represent?
I’m currently building my list, and I recently signed Jeanne Panfely and Kelly Bull. Jeanne is working on her finishing touches to her lyrical, atmospheric middle grade mystery/fantasy novel and Kelly is tinkering with a vibrant, energetic graphic novel proposal that speaks to the times we live in and will be returning to her delightfully entertaining high fantasy adventure webcomic, VAINGLORIOUS, soon.
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.
Jericho Writers Spotlight Feature Interview: https://jerichowriters.com/townhouse/articles/spotlight-feature-jane-chun-from-transatlantic-agency/
My manuscript wish list: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/jane-chun/
Updates:
Interview at Writing and Illustrating Part 1 (11/24)
Links and Contact Info:
Transatlantic Agency bio/submissions guidelines: https://www.transatlanticagency.com/about-us/agents/jane-chun/
Query Manager: https://querymanager.com/query/janechun
Twitter: janechunlit
15. Please share how writers should contact you to submit a query and your links on the Web.
Writers can submit their queries through Query Manager. If you have trouble submitting through Query Manager, you can email me.
Additional Advice:
16. Is there any other advice you’d like to share with aspiring authors that we haven’t covered?
Writing and querying are lonely processes, so it helps to find a community whether online or in person. Try to set yourself up for success as best you can by researching agents, so you find the right fit for you at an agency and the right agency too. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear from agents for weeks if not months; that’s normal and it doesn’t say anything about your query! Many of us receive dozens if not hundreds of queries per month, and it takes time to sift through them all and give each one the careful consideration it deserves on top of the other non-query-related work we juggle. If you are receiving rejections, then take them in stride. Think of it this way: that just means that you’re one step closer to meeting your agent. If you see agents are saying the same things in their feedback, however, it’s worth reevaluating and potentially even reworking your manuscript/proposal. In the meantime? Keep writing! Sometimes it’s book #2 or #3 that will land you representation. It’ll keep your mind off things, and you want to make sure that your love for writing doesn’t fade or sour (and make sure to take breaks to enjoy life too).
Thanks for sharing all your advice, Jane.
Giveaway Details
Jane 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 28th. If your email is not on your Google Profile, you must leave it in the comments to enter the contest. If you do not want to enter the contest, that’s okay. Just let me know in the comments.
If you follow me on Twitter or mention this contest on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, mention this in the comments and I'll give you an extra entry. This is an international giveaway.
Have any experience with this agent? See something that needs updating? Please leave a comment or email me at natalieiaguirre7@gmail.com
Note: These agent profiles and interviews presently focus on agents who accept children's fiction. Please take the time to verify anything you might use here before querying an agent. The information found here is subject to change.
Upcoming Interviews, Guest Posts, and Blog Hops
Monday, October 23 I have an interview with debut author Elisa Stone Leahy and a giveaway of her MG contemporary Tethered to Other Stars
Wednesday, November 1st I have a guest post by debut author Mackenzie Reed and a giveaway of her YA mystery The Rosewood Hunt and my IWSG post
Monday, November 6th I have an agent spotlight interview with Morgan Hughes and a query critique giveaway
Thursday, November 9th I’m participating in the Super Stocking Stuffer Giveaway Hop
Monday, November 13th I have an interview with debut author DaVaun Sanders and a giveaway of his MG fantasy Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew
Hope to see you on Monday!
