Editor / Agent Spotlight

Editor / Agent Spotlight — Meet Courtney Stevenson, Editor, Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins

By Erin Dealey on August 29, 2025 / Editor / Agent Spotlight

Editor Courtney Stevenson in black and white polkadot dress

We are thrilled to welcome Courtney Stevenson to the Editor/Agent Spotlight on The Mixed-up Files of Middle Grade Authors today.

Courtney is an Editor with Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins.

She has been with HarperCollins since 2016, when she joined as an assistant to Rosemay Brosnan and dove right in working with Rosmary’s incredible list of authors, such as National Book Award-winning Elizabeth Acevedo (The Poet X), Newberry honor author Gail Carson Levine (Ogre Enchanted), and American Indian Youth Literature Award-winning author Christine Day (I Can Make This Promise).

In building her own list, Courtney is focused mainly on MG and YA, including That’s What Friends Do by Cathleen Barnhart,

Dinner at the Brake Fast by Renee Beauregard Lute, and Money Out Loud by Berna Anat. She has “a particular interest in clever humor, family dynamics, historical stories and settings not seen enough”, as well as “the occasional pop nonfiction, and writing that pulls me along to the next page.” Check out her wish list and submission guidelines here.

Speaking of historical stories, Pura Belpré Medalist (Efrén Divided) Ernesto Cisneros’ Queso, Just in Time, will release with Quill Tree on March 10, 2026.

Welcome to the blog, Courtney. We’re excited to learn about your editorial journey. Congratulations on your work with Rosemary Brosnan and cheers to your own projects! How did you initially discover these authors?

CS: Thanks! It was such a dream to work with Rosemary on her amazing list of titles—she really is the GOAT, and has been an invaluable mentor for me. (Also, I wish I could go back in time and tell little Courtney that she’d one day be regularly emailing the author of Ella Enchanted!)

My own list has grown mostly through submissions from agents—they are the real discoverers, and I’m so, so glad to have ended up on sub lists for these projects. It’s the most magical feeling to read the first few pages of a submission and feel like I have fireworks going off in my brain, or a big cheer of I want this one!

“Chock-full of hooks…”

We notice you are drawn to a strong hook. Can you give us an example from one of your Quill Tree acquisitions?

CS: I do love a strong hook, a detail or premise that will make the reader sit up straight and pay attention. Best when paired with the feeling that they’ve found a friend for the next ~300 pages!

Dinner at the Brake Fast is chock-full of hooks: the setting of a family-run truck-stop diner (and all the good food descriptions), the promise of a ROAD TRIP HEIST to SEEK JUSTICE, and the mismatched group of characters that comes to support each other. It’s a fun adventure story with a heartwarming center, plus a perfect middle grade voice that snags you from the moment you meet Tacoma. Each of those details serves as a friend who invites you to come along for the ride.

Speaking of Hooks

As for your latest projects, we’re hoping you can share a little about the NEW mg novel from Pura Belpré author Ernesto Cisneros, Queso, Just in Time, coming March 2026.

CS: I’m so excited for folks to read this book! I’ve been a fan of Ernesto’s books since Efrén Divided, and I was thrilled to start working with him one-on-one when I started to build my own list. As a lover of both historical fiction and family stories, I was hooked on this novel from the very start.

Protagonist Queso wishes that he could see his father again after he passes—and ends up back in 1985 with twelve-year-old Pancho, the boy who will grow up to be his dad. Between navigating an analog world and helping Pancho build up his confidence, Queso is in for quite a time. This novel has Ernesto’s signature blend of humor and heart, and highlights themes that are just as topical in 2025 as in 1985.

From Agent to Editor

We understand that your kidlit career path started on the agency side. How did you come to switch to the editorial side?

CS: I had my heart set on being a children’s book editor from the time I first started thinking about a career path—but after I graduated college, I was ready to work any publishing job that would have me!

I feel so lucky to have landed at Pippin Properties as my first publishing job. Sitting at that assistant desk gave me a holistic view of the industry—everything from subrights, audio, contracts, and art—along with the opportunity to work closely with authors and creators, form relationships, and develop books from the earliest stages.

After a few years of learning on that side of the business, I still felt that editorial would be the best fit for me. The timing was perfect since Rosemary was looking for an assistant right when it was time for me to make a move. I gained so much experience in both of those early roles.

Are there any other upcoming titles/current projects you are excited about?

CS: So many books I wish I could share with readers right now!

Jess Hannigan’s next picture book, The Cow in the Dark at Night, makes me laugh each time I read it.

I’m currently in edits on The Girl in Green, a new horror YA novel by Laura Creedle slated for Fall 2026 that is the perfect amount of terrifying.

I’ve ended up with more illustrated nonfiction projects on my list than I had expected—with topics ranging from aliens and linguistics to spies and icons—and I can’t wait to see each one hit shelves. And of course, I’m very excited to be working on a new novel from superhero Ernesto Cisneros! 😊

What a gorgeous cover!

BONUS Editor Lightning Round:

Query/Pitch pet peeve __Word count over 100k_______
Please don’t send me ___High fantasy
Title on your TBR pile __Pasta Girls by Taylor Tracy___
PB you could probably recite by heart ___Many Moons by James Thurber (I actually have nearly recited this book to many unsuspecting friends!)____________
Favorite line from a mg or YA novel__Two that come to mind: The gut-punch from Code Name Verity of “Kiss me, Hardy!” (sob) and the unforgettable first line of Feed: “We went to the moon to have fun, but the moon turned out to completely suck.” One more for good measure: “Corpus bones! I utterly loathe my life” from Catherine, Called Birdy.

Thank you, Courtney, for joining us on The Mixed-up Files of Middle Grade Authors today!

While she is no longer on social media (She misses Book Twitter like we do!)

you can learn more about her at the wish list link above.

Meet Carter Hasegawa, Literary and Illustration Agent

By Susan Koehler on July 30, 2025 / Articles, Editor / Agent Spotlight

Literary and illustration agent Carter Hasegawa, dark hair, glasses, white beard, seated, wearing navy blue jacket and jeans

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!

Editor Spotlight: Tara Weikum

By Michael M. Jones on May 30, 2025 / Articles, Editor / Agent Spotlight

Tara Weikum has worked in publishing for decades. Starting as editorial assistant with ALA Booklist Magazine in 1996, she then spent three years as an associate editor with Disney Publishing. In 2000, she moved to HarperCollins where she’s been ever since. Beginning as an editor, she became editorial director in 2009, and vice president, editorial director in 2013. In 2024, she was promoted to vice president, publisher of HarperCollins’ new Storytide imprint. From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors borrowed Tara for a quick chat to learn more about her career, influences, and Storytide in general.

headshot of Tara Weikum, vice president and publisher, HarperCollins' Storytide imprint

MUF: Thanks for agreeing to speak with us, Tara. Congratulations on launching this new endeavor. First off, what can you tell us about the Storytide imprint? What’s its focus or specialty?

TW: The Storytide imprint publishes powerful and distinctive stories with commercial, bestselling potential as well as literary merit, across all genres. Our focus is on middle-grade and teen fiction.

MUF: What has your career path been like so far? How did you get into publishing in general, and editing in specific? What was your educational background?

TW: Like many in publishing, I was an English major. I grew up in the Midwest and after college I attended the Rice University Publishing Program, which is no longer around. That immersive experience was what convinced me to take the leap and move to New York, after a year of working at the American Library Association in Chicago, to look for opportunities in publishing.

MUF: What sort of duties and responsibilities do you fulfill in your current position?

TW: Editors wear many different hats. I currently oversee the Storytide imprint and team of editors. We are focused on shaping the imprint identity with the books and authors we publish. I manage budgets, acquire new projects, edit manuscripts, write copy, review design and marketing materials—the list goes on!

MUF: Did you always know you wanted to work with this aspect of the field? Did you ever dream of being an author?

TW: I’ve always dreamed of working with books in some capacity. I never aspired to be a writer myself but I devoured everything I could get my hands on when I was growing up, and I was always the person that friends asked for advice about their English assignments and personal writing. I grew up on a farm in a rural area so bookstores and even libraries were hard to come by. My childhood reading appetites were fed with a wide-ranging variety of books I could scrounge up from friends and relatives by authors such as VC Andrews, Shel Silverstein, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Danielle Steel; series like Harlequin Romance; and classics like the Trixie Belden and Bobbsey Twins books, supplemented by books that were assigned at school and birthday gifts. The adage of “reading widely” was true for me by necessity and I believe it helped inform my ability to love all kinds of books across genres.

MUF: What books have inspired you along the way, whether growing up or as an adult? What books do you wholeheartedly recommend at any given opportunity?

TW: Books by authors such as Jandy Nelson, Franny Billingsley, Jacqueline Woodson, Alison Bechdel, and Casey McQuiston are some favorites over the years. Kate Atkinson’s Life after Life and Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow are two adult novels that were wonderfully devastating. And of course from my own list of middle-grade I’ll hand any of Katherine Applegate’s incredible novels to any child or adult, as well as Thanhha Lai’s award-winning verse novel Inside Out & Back Again.

MUF: What do you look for in books and submissions? What catches your attention and calls to you?

TW: If a premise feels fresh and offers a unique twist on an idea, and the writing is engaging and compelling, I’m often open to considering manuscripts. Since I’m drawn to a variety of genres I like to consider a range of subjects.

MUF: Do you have a favorite age range or genre to work with?

TW: I’m drawn to contemporary realistic novels; romance; magical realism; and light fantasy across middle-grade and teen.

MUF: What sort of tips, tricks, and advice do you have for aspiring writers, editors, or even agents?

TW: Reading widely in the area in which you’d like to write or work is definitely the top piece of advice. As a writer, what will help you see how and where your future books might sit alongside current books, or how they can be set apart in an intriguing way. And as an editor or an agent it’s important to be knowledgeable about the market. And for aspiring writers in search of an agent, research who represents your favorite writers as a first step to finding a good fit for your own work. For future editors and agents, internships will provide incomparable insight into the ways in which all manner of publishing works, and can help guide you to find out where you’d like to work.

MUF: Do you have any interesting hobbies or interests? How do you unwind and relax?

TW: I work remotely and live in Hawaii, so everything water-related is a favorite of mine, from snorkeling to swimming to stand-up paddleboard. I also volunteer regularly at the local humane society and take shelter dogs on hikes and to the beach.

MUF: Do you have any upcoming Storytide releases you’d like to plug? Any juicy announcements?

TW: Lady’s Knight by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner is a raucously funny and romantic teen novel publishing in early June; The Haunting of Bellington Cottage by Laura Parnum is a gently spooky middle-grade novel coming in July; No Sam! And the Meow of Deception, Drew Daywalt’s sequel to the NYT bestseller They Call Me No Sam, is coming in September; and Thorn Season by debut author Kiera Azar is a sharp and sexy romantasy also publishing in September, in both hardcover and a gorgeously spec’d out deluxe limited edition.

Cover of Inside Out & Back Again Cover for No Sam and the Meow of Deception Cover for The Haunting of Bellington Cottage

Editor / Agent Spotlight