Saturday, February 9, 2019

The Diversity Social: A Guide to the Agents and Editors in Attendance

Did I miss anyone? Please leave a comment below and I'll correct the inadvertent omission. Links are coming!--AQ

Sunita Apte, editor (Reycraft Books)
Sunita is the half-Indian, half-Hungarian child of immigrants. She has lived and traveled in Asia, Europe, South America, and Africa. Born and raised in the southern United States, she grew up never seeing herself reflected in the books she read. To help rectify this state of affairs, she has spent 30 years in publishing, working to create inclusive, compelling material for children and young adults.
http://www.reycraftbooks.com/

Wiley Blevins, editor (Reycraft Books)
Wiley has lived throughout the United States, South America, and the Middle East. He has also worked extensively in Asia. As an author, former Editorial Director at Scholastic and McGraw-Hill, and early reading specialist, he brings three decades of experience creating books for young readers. http://www.reycraftbooks.com/

Linda Camacho, agent (Galt & Zacker)
Linda graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in Communication and has seen many sides of the industry. She’s held various positions at Penguin Random House, Simon and Schuster, Writers House literary agency, and Prospect Agency. She’s done everything from foreign rights to editorial to marketing to operations, and somewhere in between all that (and little sleep), Linda received her MFA in creative writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Now an agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary, she’s seeking middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction across all genres (particularly upmarket and women’s fiction/romance); also seeking select picture book and graphic novel writer-illustrators. Diversity of all types welcome!
http://www.galltzacker.com/index.html

Adriana Dominguez, agent (Full Circle Literary)
Adriana has 20 years of experience in publishing. Prior to becoming an agent, she was Executive Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, where she managed the children’s division of the Rayo imprint. Before that, she was Children’s Reviews Editor at Críticas magazine, published by Library Journal. Adriana has performed editorial work for both children and adult publishers. She is also a professional translator, a member of the Brooklyn Literary Council that organizes the Brooklyn Book Festival, and one of the founders of the Comadres and Compadres Writers Conference in New York City. Adriana is based in New York.
https://www.fullcircleliterary.com/

Andrew Eliopulos, editor (HarperCollins)
Andrew Eliopulos (né Harwell) is an executive editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, focusing on middle grade, YA, and graphic novels. He is honored to work with such authors and illustrators as Noelle Stevenson, the New York Times best-selling author-illustrator of the Eisner Award-winning and National Book Award finalist title Nimona; Adam Silvera, New York Times best-selling author of the ALA Rainbow List Top 10 title, They Both Die at the End; Madeleine Roux, New York Times best-selling author of the Asylum series; Jimmy Cajoleas, author of the Southern Book Prize finalist title, Goldeline; Ethan M. Aldridge, author-illustrator of Estranged; Jerry Craft, author-illustrator of New Kid; Amie Kaufman, author of the Elementals middle grade series; and more. Andrew was named the 2016 Publishers Weekly Star Watch Superstar, and he is a member of the judging committee for the We Need Diverse Books Walter Grants.
https://www.harpercollins.com/childrens/

Barry Goldblatt, agent (Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency)
Barry began his career in publishing in 1989, and opened his eponymous literary agency in September 2000. He represents everything from picture books to adult fantasy & science fiction. His clients include many bestselling and award winning authors, including Libba Bray (to whom he is also happily married), Angela Johnson, Kate Milford, Christopher Barzak, Tobias Buckell, Fran Wilde and Genevieve Valentine.
https://bgliterary.com/

Wendi Gu, agent (Janklow & Nesbit Associates)
Wendi started her career as an intern at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates and continued working there as a literary assistant after graduation. She soon began representing her own fiction and nonfiction picture books, middle grade, and young adult titles with a special interest in girl power, family relationships, and the immigrant experience. For illustration, she enjoys elegant and eclectic color palettes and looks for nuanced character expression and dynamic composition.

Emily S. Keyes, agent (Fuse Literary)
Emily joined Fuse Literary in 2013. Previously she worked at the L. Perkins Agency as a contracts manager and associate agent. Before entering the world of agenting, she worked in the contracts department of Simon & Schuster, Inc where she handled copyright, reversion of rights and assisted with author contracts. In 2008, she graduated from New York University’s Center for Publishing. She uses her knowledge of contracts, copyright and the publishing business to benefit her clients and the Fuse team.

Elizabeth Lee, editor (FSO Books for Young Readers)
Elizabeth is an editorial assistant at Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers.

Jennifer Laughran, agent (Andrea Brown Literary Agency)
Jennifer joined Andrea Brown Literary Agency in 2007 after a long career as a bookseller, buyer, and event coordinator. Always on the lookout for sparkling YA and middle grade fiction with unusual and unforgettable characters and vivid settings, she loves funny books, thrilling books, romantic books, books that make her cry, and all-around un-put-downable books. Some clients include beloved and award-winning author-illustrators like Giselle Potter, Don Brown, Raul the Third, and Phoebe Wahl; middle grade authors like Daniel Pinkwater, Kate Messner, Alex Gino and Linda Urban; YA authors like Erin Jade Lange, Paula Stokes, Karen Rivers and Ellen Emerson White, among many others. She also has a publishing podcast called the “Literaticast.”
http://www.andreabrownlit.com

Arthur A. Levine, editor (Arthur A. Levine Books)
Arthur has been a children's book publisher and editor for twenty-five years. Arthur A. Levine Books launched in 1997. The first book published was Norma Fox Mazer's outstanding novel When She Was Good. In terms of writing quality, this set a very high standard for their novelists, but Arthur is proud of the group that he's gathered together. They include literary stars like Carolyn Coman, Francisco Stork, Lisa Yee, Bobbie Pyron, Jaclyn Moriarty, and of course, J. K. Rowling, as well as fabulous newcomers like Mike Jung, Martha Brockenbrough, and Alaya Dawn Johnson. Mr. Levine lives in New Jersey with his family.
arthuralevinebooks.com

Laurent Lin, art director (Simon & Schuster)
Laurent collaborates on picture books, middle grade, and teen novels with both celebrated and new illustrators such as Tomie dePaola, Vashti Harrison, and Raúl Colón. He is also the author/illustrator of the critically acclaimed young adult novel Draw the Line. Laurent is on the SCBWI Board of Advisors and is the artistic advisor for the annual Original Art exhibit at the Society of Illustrators in New York. Laurent began his career as a puppet designer/builder in Jim Henson’s Muppet Workshop, creating characters for productions including the Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island films. He eventually became the creative director for the Sesame Street Muppets, winning an Emmy Award.
 www.laurentlinn.com

Erin Murphy, agent (Erin Murphy Literary Agency)
Erin Murphy was born and raised in Arizona, and founded EMLA in 1999. She cut her teeth in regional publishing at Northland Publishing/Rising Moon Books for Young Readers, a beloved decades-old Flagstaff company that was bought out in 2007, where she was editor-in-chief. As founder of EMLA she has focused not just on publishing books, but on building careers—and creating a sense of community, as well.  Erin represents writers and writer-illustrators of picture books, novels for middle-graders and young adults, and strong nonfiction. Her favorite reads feel timeless, have strong voices, and express unique creative visions. Because of her full client list, she rarely signs new writers or illustrators, but she is particularly interested in adding cultural diversity to her client list. In addition to reading, her interests include traveling, knitting, walking, kayaking, watching movies, and figuring out How People Work.

Alexandra Penfold, agent (Upstart Crow Literary Agency)
Alex has been working in publishing for over a decade. Formerly an Editor at Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, she specializes in young picture books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult. Prior to becoming an editor, Alexandra was a children’s book publicist. She worked on media campaigns that appeared in USA Today, Newsweek, US News and World Report, and NPR’s All Things Considered. She’s the co-author of New York a la Cart: Recipes and Stories from the Big Apple’s Best Food Trucks and the author of Eat, Sleep, Poop, illustrated by Jane Massey and We Are Brothers, We Are Friends, illustrated by Eda Kaban as well as three forthcoming picture books, for more on Alexandra’s books visit her website. Alexandra is looking to take on select lifestyle and cooking projects in addition to children’s books.
http://www.upstartcrowliterary.com

Rubin Pfeffer, agent (Rubin Pfeffer Content)
Rubin is the founder of Rubin Pfeffer Content, LLC, a literary agency focused on children’s content, representing industry luminaries, award winners, and exciting new talents. Previously, Rubin served as president and publisher of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Trade, working with world-renowned writers and illustrators of adult and children’s literature. As SVP and chief creative officer of Pearson, Inc., Pfeffer coordinated programs between Penguin and Pearson’s educational products and services. Later, he joined Simon & Schuster as SVP and publisher of children’s books, overseeing such fine imprints as Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Atheneum, McElderry Books, and the launching of Beach Lane Books.

Matt Ringler, agent (Scholastic)
Matt Ringler is a senior editor at Scholastic specializing in chapter book, middle grade, and YA fiction. He works on the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine, The Puppy Place series by Ellen Miles, and the Two Dogs in a Trench Coat series by Julie Falatko. His YA list include New York Times best-selling author Goldy Moldavsky’s Kill the Boy Band and No Good Deed, plus It’s Not Me, It’s You and The Date to Save by Stephanie Kate Strohm.
http://www.scholastic.com/home/

Eileen Robinson, editor (Reycraft and MOVE Books)
Eileen Robinson has worked with children’s writers all over the world for over twenty years. Former Executive Editor at Scholastic and Editorial Director at Harcourt, she has acquired published works from the U.K. and Italy, and created original works for U.S. markets. One of the very few African-Americans to own an imprint, she is the founder of Move Books and also teaches the art of revision through The Highlights Foundation and individual workshops. She serves on the Connecticut Digital Library Board and is an adjunct academic advisor for Rosemont College’s publishing program.
http://www.reycraftbooks.com/

Shelley Romero, editor (Scholastic)
Shelley is an assistant editor at Scholastic.
http://www.scholastic.com/home/

Alexander Slater, agent (Trident Media Group)
Alex has been with Trident Media Group since 2010. For many years he oversaw the foreign rights sales of all of Trident’s young adult and children’s projects, which includes the work of R.J. Palacio and Louis Sachar. Now with his own list, he’s kept his focus on YA and middle grade with an eye towards contemporary fiction, light fantasy, narrative nonfiction, and any work in general that expands the ideas of representation in children’s literature. Particularly, his manuscript wish list includes graphic novels, stories that blend genres, and historically underrepresented voices. Some of his clients today include Keah Brown, Jodi Kendall, Adam Perry, and SCBWI’s 2017 Emerging Voices Award Winner Anuradha D. Rajurkar.
https://www.tridentmediagroup.com/

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