Posts Tagged Agent Interview

Editor and Agent Spotlights

We love spotlighting agents and editors every month! There’s so much you can learn from their interviews.

Are there any MG agents or editors you hope we’ll spotlight soon?

If so, please let us know in the comments.

Any MG agents or editors who would like to be interviewed—please tell us and we’ll be in touch with you as soon as possible.

Just in case you’ve missed some of these interviews, here’s a list of them to check out. Happy reading!

*Things may have changed with some of agents and editors from older interviews. The best thing to do is check for agents at https://querytracker.net/ for updated information and helpful links. You can also check out the Manuscript Wish List (MSWL) for agents and editors.

 

AGENTS

Michaela Whatnall

Kaitlyn Sanchez

Leslie Zampetti

Dani Segelbaum

Ali Herring

Christie MeGill

Victoria Doherty-Munro

Molly Ker Hawn

Adria Goetz

James McGowan

Kristin Ostby

Sarah N. Fisk

Lynnette Novak

Ameerah Holliday

Jacqui Lipton

Tina Dubois

Joyce Sweeney

Tracey Adams

 

EDITORS

Rachel Stark/Disney-Hyperion

Elizabeth Law/Holiday House

Alison S. Weiss/Pixel+Ink

Chris Krones/Clarion

Thalia Leaf/Calkins Creek

Carol Hinz/Millbrook Press & Carolrhoda Books at Lerner Publishing

Karen Chaplin/Quill Tree Books/Harper Children’s/Teen

 

We can’t wait to share more spotlights for amazing agents and editors soon!

Meet Literary Agent Dani Segelbaum

Dani Segelbaum agent headshot

Dani Segelbaum was born and raised in Minneapolis and grew up as a voracious reader. She’s a graduate of Boston University’s College of Communication, where she studied journalism and political science. 

Early in her career, she worked with established and debut authors as a literary assistant at New Leaf Literary and Media. Her career in publishing began when she became an editorial assistant at HarperCollins Publishers, where she focused primarily on highly designed non-fiction titles. 

Now, Dani is Vice President, Literary Agent, and Subsidiary Rights Director at the Carol Mann Agency. And she’s stopping by the Mixed-Up Files to tell us a little bit about her journey, the work she currently represents, and the kind of manuscripts she wants to find in her inbox.

 

Hi Dani. Welcome to the Mixed Up Files! 

Hi, Susan! It’s great to join you today.

 

Can you tell us a little about your path to becoming an agent?

I started my career as an editorial assistant at HarperCollins. After a few years, I realized I wanted to be an agent instead of an editor. From there, I went on to work at New Leaf Literary as an agent’s assistant and slowly started to build my list. I then joined Carol Mann in 2021 and am now Vice President, Subsidiary Rights Director, and Literary Agent for the agency.

 

Please give us a little background on the Carol Mann Agency.

The Carol Mann Agency was established in 1977 and has long been home to highly-regarded writers of fiction and non-fiction. We are a boutique agency that prides itself on giving individual attention to all our clients and regularly placing projects with leading publishers both in the United States and overseas. Our broad range of tastes, our experience guiding authors and their manuscripts through the publication process, and our industry relationships make us on of New York’s top literary agencies. We are privileged to work with a number of bestselling and award-winning authors.

 

It sounds like you’ve found your niche in the publishing world. Tell us what you find to be the best and worst parts about being an agent.

Best: I’m always learning something new from my authors! Each book teaches me something exciting and different.

Worst: Rejections! Although, it is a regular part of the publishing process.

 

Can you describe what you look for in a query?

I want to see that the author has done some initial research on what I’m looking for and that they followed my submission guidelines.

 

What are the top reasons you pass on a submission?

The number one reason is that the query is not in the genre I work on.

 

Here at MUF, we’re all about middle grade. Can you tell us what you love most about middle grade literature?

Stephen Colbert said, “As far as I can tell, a young adult novel is a regular novel that people actually read.” I feel the same applies for middle-grade novels. They take real-life issues and make them understandable for all ages!

 

What kind of middle grade books do you enjoy?

The middle-grade landscape has changed drastically since I was a kid. Now, there are all types of middle-grade books available that weren’t around when I was young. It’s really incredible to see.

Matt Sprouts and The Curse of the Ten Broken Toes cover

My author Matt Eicheldinger’s book MATT SPROUTS AND THE CURSE OF THE TEN BROKEN TOES is such a delight. It’s funny, relatable, and entertaining. He’s fantastic to work with and has such a creative mind. Kids will absolutely love this book. I promise!

 

What types of queries would you like most to see in your inbox right now?

I’m interested in seeing both fiction and non-fiction. In fiction, I’d really like to see literary and upmarket adult fiction including debut, historical, rom-coms, and women’s fiction. In non-fiction, I’m looking for proposals with an emphasis on politics, women’s issues, popular culture, and current events. Oh, and I love memoir, narrative non-fiction, lifestyle, and cookbooks, too!

In both fiction and non-fiction, I hope to work with authors from diverse backgrounds to tell the stories that are important to them. Overall, I’m really drawn to compelling narrators and writing that is voice-driven, highly transporting, and features unique perspectives and marginalized voices.

 

Where can authors learn more about you? 

You can follow me on Twitter (X) and Instagram at @danisegelbaum and check out my MSWL.

 

Now that we know all about Dani the agent, tell us what you like to do when you’re not at work.

When I’m not working, you’ll most likely find me baking, making homemade ice cream, or walking my dog!

 

Thanks again for joining us, Dani.

Thanks for having me!

Adria Goetz – Editor/Agent Spotlight & Giveaway!

I’ve been a huge fan of agent Adria Goetz since meeting her online years ago. Adria is kind, supportive, and her enthusiasm for great books and her talented clients shines through. After reading this on her Manuscript Wish List, how could an unagented writer resist submitting to her?

A note to writers considering querying me: I hope you do. I love, love, love receiving submissions. It’s an ongoing honor and delight to me that everyday, people scattered all over the world, send me their stories to read. What a privilege! If you’re on the fence about whether you think your project is the right fit for me, but you think we’d make a good team—my vote is you just go for it. Your submission is never an email clogging up my inbox—it’s a gift that I can’t wait to open. I opt to refer to my slush pile as a “treasure trove” because it doesn’t feel like wading through slush to me. It feels more like sifting through gems. I can’t wait to see what you’ve created!

NEW AGENCY UPDATE!

Here are a few additional questions Adria answered after switching to KT Literary:

Congratulations on your move to KT Literary on May 2, 2023. Can you tell us about your new agency? 

Absolutely! KT Literary’s motto is, “Nice people, great books” which I think is a great foundation to build an agency on and feels like the perfect place for me to put down roots. KT is probably most known for their YA authors Maureen Johnson and Stephanie Perkins, but they’ve represented quite a bit of amazing adult and middle grade fiction as well, and they’re actively expanding their presence in the picture book and graphic novel spaces which is exciting to see.

I see that you’re their Illustration Coordinator. Congrats! What does that entail? 

I am! I’ll be the point person for editors and art directors to come to when they’re looking for a talented illustrator for their project. A matchmaker between artists and publishers, basically! Logistically, my first order of business will be assembling a look book of KT’s illustrators. I’m also going to be meeting with art directors in the coming months to hear more about what strategies do and don’t work for them. Do they still like receiving physical postcards? Do they follow art Instagram accounts? Do they open up email blasts highlighting illustrators? Do they comb through the various kid lit art hashtags on social media? There are lots of strategies out there and I’m curious to get a better sense for which are most effective. 
 

After using e-mail all these years, I see you’re using QueryManager. How is it different for you, and do you have any tips for querying writers? Some QueryManager forms ask for detailed info that repeats parts of a typical query…so writers often worry they aren’t sharing what the agent truly wants to see. 

It makes it so much easier for me to send personalized responses which I really like. I tried to make my form as universal and bare bones as possible so that I’m only asking for what I really need. My advice to querying writers is just to write “N/A” for any spots in the form that don’t apply to you, and don’t worry about repeating yourself. If the form is repetitive, that’s not your fault!

And now, back to the original interview questions. Enjoy. 🙂

Here’s Adria’s bio: Adria Goetz represents picture books, middle grade, adult fiction, and graphic novels. She specializes in picture books by author/illustrators. She graduated from the University of Washington with a Bachelor’s degree in English with a Creative Writing emphasis, as well as the Columbia Publishing Course. In 2019, she was selected as a Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree. Adria has eclectic taste but particularly enjoys projects that are tinged with magic, have so much heart you can practically hear their heartbeat, and have a compelling, commercial hook. She was recently proud to represent THE OCEAN CALLS by Tina Cho, THE WHATIFS by Emily Kilgore, THE UGLY DOODLES by Valeria Wicker, NO ORDINARY THING by G.Z. Schmidt, HALAL HOT DOGS by Susannah Aziz, and BATTER ROYALE by Leisl Adams, and dozens of others. Adria lives in an old Victorian farmhouse in Washington state with her husband and their two darling cats, Maple and Mulberry. You can find her detailed manuscript wishlist on her website, her MSWL Pinterest board, and you can find Adria on Twitter and Instagram.

 

Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Adria! We’re thrilled to have you here. Can you share how you became an agent…and the best parts of your job?

Sure! I started off with an internship at Martin Literary when I was in college. I interned for two years, then became a part-time assistant there. I attended the Columbia Publishing Course, which is a summer intensive where you learn about all the ins and outs of the publishing industry. When I returned from that, I officially joined the Martin Literary team as an associate literary agent in 2016. I switched over to P.S. Literary in 2022. The best part of my job is the wonderful, creative people I get to work with—so many of my clients feel like kindred spirits to me. I’ll also always love getting to feel like a bookish fairy godmother—becoming an author is often a lifelong dream that people have had since they were kids, so the fact that I get to come alongside people and help make that dream come true is really special and exciting to me.

 

You definitely are a bookish fairy godmother–helping dreams come true. What do you love most about middle-grade novels?

I think the thing I love about middle grade most is how much room there is for whimsy. But it also takes me back to such a special and vivid time of reading for me growing up. I’ll never forget being captivated by A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS and fretting about Count Olaf and the creepy eye tattoo on his ankle, or reading THE DOLLHOUSE MURDERS and having to close the book and take a deep breath because I was so frightened. Or feeling like I was actually traveling through time with THE MAGIC TREEHOUSE chapter books, or actually running around Chicago with Esperanza in THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET. I remember desperately hoping with all my heart that Winnie Foster would drink the water in TUCK EVERLASTING. Those books are all so vivid to me in ways that books I’ve read as an adult or young adult just aren’t for some reason. Can we dial up a lovely neuroscientist to explain why that is? I’m sure they would know!

 

What are some of the top reasons you pass on submissions?

The top reason I pass on things is just because of the volume of submissions I receive. I usually receive somewhere between 4500-5500 submissions per year, and I only sign a couple of clients from that stack. The second most common reason I pass on things is based on the concept of the book, rather than the writing. I’ll read a query and if I don’t feel like it has a strong hook, then I pass at that point. I think when writers receive passes they think, “Oh no! They didn’t like my writing!” But for me it’s usually more about the idea. That’s why whenever I have appointments with writers at conferences, I always like to ask about what other projects they’re working on, so if I hear an idea that sounds particularly interesting, I can say, “Ooh! That’s a good one. Follow that rabbit.”

 

What do you wish people knew about the life of an agent?

I wish people knew how much we hate rejecting people! It’s truly the worst part of the job. Every time I pass on a project I think, “I hope I didn’t ruin this person’s day.” I know how emotional it is to put yourself out there. Querying takes guts.

 

We’d love to hear what your favorite middle-grade novels are…and why you love them so much.

I recently read THE ELEPHANT’S GIRL by Celesta Remington—actually, I don’t think I read it, I think I inhaled it. There’s so much heart in that story, and I loved the magical realism elements. I loved CIRCUS MIRANDUS by Cassie Beasley—it’s magical, and I always love a dual timeline.

I love novels that reflect specific moments in history the way BROWN GIRL DREAMING by Jacqueline Woodson explores the Great Migration or the way SHIP OF DOLLS by Shirley Parenteau highlights the 1926 exchange of Friendship Dolls. I also loved INDIAN NO MORE by Charlene Willing Mcmanis and Traci Sorrell.

Ooh, and I adore anything Brian Selznick creates—especially THE INVENTIONS OF HUGO CABRET and THE MARVELS.

 

What exciting projects have your clients published (or will publish soon)? What drew you to these manuscripts the most?

One of my favorite middle grade novels I’ve had the chance to represent is NO ORDINARY THING by G.Z. Schmidt which is a magical story about a snow globe that travels you through time when you shake it. The mysterious tone of those opening pages was such a love at first read moment for me, I’ll never forget it. G.Z. Schmidt also has THE DREAMWEAVERS which is a fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology and is very atmospheric—it’s about mooncakes whose secret ingredients are dreams. I’m excited for her next novel, THE CURIOUS VANISHING OF BEATRICE WILLOUGHBY, which publishes this fall. I also adore the first middle grade novels I ever sold—a whimsical fantasy trilogy by Jon Etter whose series title is “Those Dreadful Fairy Books” by Jon Etter. It’s a really funny series about a cranky fairy who very reluctantly goes on magical adventures. The books are narrated by Quentin Q. Quacksworth who is a Lemony Snicket-esque narrator of fairytales who actively judges the reader for bothering to read the dreadful books. That cheeky voice instantly drew me in. I loved working on HOUSE WITHOUT WALLS by Ching Yeung Russell which is a beautiful novel-in-verse about the Vietnam Boat People Exodus of 1979—the lyrical writing hooked me and all of the details make you feel like you’re a fly on the wall witnessing a harrowing refugee experience.

I’m also really excited for the middle grade graphic novel-in-verse THE OTHER SIDE OF TOMORROW, written by Tina Cho, which publishes next year with HarperAlley and is being beautifully illustrated by Deborah Lee. It’s about North Koreans leaving the country through a network of safehouses referred to as the Asian Underground Railroad.

Thanks for sharing, Adria. Those sound amazing! I just added so many wonderful books to my must-read list and have a feeling our readers did, too.

What about chapter books? Have you represented anything in that area?

I have! I represented an 8-book chapter book series called HELPER HOUNDS by Caryn Rivadeneira. Each book in the series follows an emotional support dog and shows how they help kids navigate different emotional challenges.

 

That sounds incredible! I love animals and can’t wait to read the HELPER HOUNDS series.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?  

Can I do a quick plug for some events I’ll be at this year? I’m teaching a workshop in Tuscany, Italy this summer called The Art of Picture Book Writing and it’s going to be a really fun week filled with writing, learning, and exploring Tuscany. I’m also going to be on faculty at a writers retreat in the Catskills this fall. Anyone who is interested in either event can visit my website adriagoetz.com for more details!

 

Thank you so much for joining us at the Mixed-Up Files, Adria! It’s been wonderful chatting with you. 😊

Adria generously donated a query critique! 

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The winner will be announced here and contacted via e-mail on Saturday, April 8. Good luck!

Edited to add…congrats to the lucky winner…

Julie Hauswirth

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