When Carter Hasegawa isn’t working on a new book project, you’ll probably find him spending time with his family, exploring new places, cooking, or playing with one of the Lego sets that has been patiently waiting for him to find some time to play. However, free time is not so easy to find these days.
After many years in the publishing industry, Carter has become an agent with Tugeau 2 Literary and Illustration Agency. This agency prides itself in focusing on “children’s publishing – board books, picture books, chapter books, graphics, and YA.” And with that focus, Carter is the perfect addition to their team.
SK: Carter, we’re so grateful you were able to spare some time for an interview. We’re all eager to learn a little more about you. Let’s start with a brief bio.
CH: Here’s who I am in a nutshell: I was born in Hawaii, grew up in Seattle, and moved to Boston in 2008. I was an editor at Candlewick Press for nearly 15 years. I loved it. My wife is amazing, and she works for the public library. We are raising two boys aged 5 and 3. I have a ridiculous amount of Lego sets that sit in the closet because I have no time to build them.
SK: Would you say that your experience as an editor at Candlewick prepared you for life as a literary agent?
CH: I’ve only been an agent for a few months now, but I’m quickly realizing that most of what I do now I’ve been doing my entire career—working with authors, developing manuscripts, negotiating deals and contracts, mentoring, editing, networking, reading, asking questions, learning, being nosy, and so much more.
SK: So, agenting is a relatively new role for you. What excites you most about this role?
CH: When I first got into publishing as an editor, I think I had these romantic ideas of finding an unpublished author in the slush pile and developing their work into a mega bestseller. But the reality of being an editor – at least how it was done at my previous job – is that most of the books that you work on you don’t get to choose for yourself. They may be assigned to you via buy-ins from overseas publishers, or for the first 5-8 years of your career, you assist on projects that someone else acquired. And the books that you do sign need to be incredibly developed to make it through the acquisitions process. But as an agent, I get to work with authors at all stages in their careers. And I work on their manuscripts at different stages as well. Sometimes, we’re just doing some final edits before the book is ready to go out on submission. Others, we’re strategizing the next book idea the author should write.
SK: If you could be described as a champion of any particular type of book, what type of book would that be?
CH: If you’ve heard me speak at all the past few years, you’ve heard me say this before. But I want a book that has teeth. That says something. Yes, I’m talking about books that address big ideas on race, class, gender, etc. But this is true for funny books about farting animals or humble giants, too. Each story needs to have a unique perspective and be told in a way that only you, the author, can tell it.
SK: Here at the Mixed-Up Files, we love middle grade. What is your favorite thing about middle-grade novels?
CH: I love the whole coming-of-age / new experience part of middle grade novels. I love seeing kids challenging their independence and finding their agency. But I also love the friendships and love for family that you see in the genre.
SK: Which middle-grade book(s) influenced you most as a child?
CH: I never really stopped reading middle-grade, but some of the books that had a tremendous amount of influence on who I am and what I do are Maniac Magee, Frindle, Castle in the Attic, The Schwa Was Here, Wrinkle in Time, Wednesday Wars, the Harry Potter series, and the Chronicles of Narnia.
SK: These days, we’re all trying to figure out what’s next for this market. What is your best guess on where the middle-grade market is headed?
CH: This is truly a guess, but I imagine books about characters confronting a challenge (and winning), books that address fear and anxiety, speculative fiction, and maybe (recent) historical fiction from the last 20 years or so.
SK: Are you currently working on any projects that you’re excited about?
CH: Yes!!! I have a few things out on submission and some amazing novels and picture books in the pipeline that I cannot wait to share.
SK: Do you ever participate in pitch parties, and if so, what do you like about them?
CH: I’ve done tons of them as an editor and as an agent. I can say as an editor that I didn’t find them very useful. But as an agent I’ve had a lot of success with them. It’s a very quick and immediate way to get through tons of projects and narrow in on what you really want to read.
SK: Are you currently open to submissions?
CH: Yes, but only through conferences and workshops. I’ll be open again on QueryTracker in September when I’ve hopefully been able to catch up on the 500 submissions that came in June.
SK: What are the top reasons you pass on a submission?
CH: Lack of voice and poor writing are the biggest reasons. Generic query letters that could be sent to anyone are also (usually) quickly declined.
SK: Where can authors learn more about you?
CH: Facebook at Carter Hasegawa; Instagram and Bluesky @casahasegawa
Thank you, Carter, for a great interview! Good luck getting through those 500 submissions and the additional queries that will probably come from our readers. We wish you the best in your role as a literary and illustration agent at Tugeau 2, and we hope you’ll be able to find some time for those Lego sets in the near future!
