I have a new literary agent... Marietta Zacker!

Marietta Zacker, Amazing Agent

Back in March of 2015, Marietta Zacker was one of the first agents to request to be interviewed for my series on diversity (agents looking for more diversity, that is).

In the middle of the interview, she said,

“If you’re marginalized and reading this, I can assure you … I want to see your work. I know I’m not the only one and I recognize that each of us can only represent a small number of clients to begin with, but don’t let the hurdles and barriers stop you. If you have a story to tell and you do so from the heart, you will find your champions.”

I was so taken by that last line that I responded,

“I want that on a T-shirt:

‘If you have a story to tell and you do so from the heart, you will find your champions.’

Yeah!”

About a week later, I got a package in the mail from Marietta. It was a T-shirt, with that amazing quote on the front, and the url for this blog on the back!

Here's a close up:

I'm proud, and humbled, and so excited to announce that Marietta Zacker, of the Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency,  is now MY champion. Officially.

Hurray!

Tanusri Prasanna (Hannigan Salky Geltzler Agency): Agent Looking For Diversity

AGENTS AND EDITORS NEED TO ADVERTISE

THEIR INTEREST IN DIVERSITY

This month's interview is with Tanusri Prasanna, Agent at Hannigan Salky Gatzler (HSG) Agency.

Agent Tanusri Prasanna (photo by Michael Soluri)

Tanusri's bio:

Tanusri Prasanna is an agent at Hannigan Salky Getzler (HSG) Agency. Tanusri joined HSG in 2015 and is actively building her list. She is interested in kidlit ranging from picture books to middle-grade and young adult fiction and has a special interest in stories featuring diverse protagonists and settings. Tanusri is a lawyer by training and holds a PhD in jurisprudence and human rights law from Oxford and a Master’s degree from Harvard Law School. Her love for children’s books motivated her transition into publishing and before joining HSG she gained valuable experience at Knopf Young Readers and Foundry Literary+ Media. You can follow her on twitter at @tanusriprasanna.


Our interview...


Lee: Hi Tanusri!

Tanusri: Hello, Lee! I'm thrilled to be here.

Lee: Thanks so much for agreeing to talk about your interest in Diversity in Children's and Teen Literature! There's been growing discussion about how the 5,000 or so traditionally published books a year don't reflect the actual diversity of our world, including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the stunningly low numbers of representation revealed in "Children's Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States," put out by the CCBC (The Cooperative Children's Book Center http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/pcstats.asp )

To start us off, of the submissions you get, let's say in the past year, how many of those projects included some kind of diversity of characters or theme?

Tanusri: I joined HSG two years ago and have started taking on my own projects for about a year now. Initially the number of diverse queries that I saw personally or in general was extremely low but they have started picking up in the last few months. I am trying to put the word out through conferences and social media that I'm looking for diverse voices, stories and protagonists and I definitely see that exposure having an effect on my queries. About a third of the queries I get have some aspect of diversity to them and I'm hoping that increases significantly in the near future.

Lee: Let's unpack that a bit: Are you seeing many stories featuring protagonists of color?

Tanusri: I am definitely getting more queries featuring protagonists of color, although typically the ethnicity or religion in question tends to be in the region of my own cultural and geographical upbringing - so lots of Asian protagonists!

Lee: That's the point of this series - otherwise, how do people know a particular agents is interested in diverse stories beyond that agent's cultural and geographic upbringing?

How about LGBTQ characters, and please break that down - are you seeing lesbian characters? gay? bi? trans*? questioning? queer or gender non-conforming?

Tanusri: I'm getting a few queries with LGBTQ characters, mostly lesbian or gay but those are a very small percentage compared to diverse queries featuring race or religion. I have had only one query featuring a trans character in the past 6 months and I lost it to another agent in the end! I would love to see a John Hughes style teen angsty/funny romance featuring an LGBTQ character.

Lee: How about characters with disabilities?

Tanusri: Almost never unfortunately. I've wondered whether that is because people tend to associate my personal background with only certain specific types of diversity and I am trying to make more of an effort to indicate that I would love to represent books featuring characters who are not mainstream in some way. It doesn't matter what that identifier is.

Lee: Hurrah! Are you seeing other types of diversity in the works submitted? - And please share any specific categories that spring to mind.

Tanusri: I think this may be covered when you talk of "protagonists of color" but I am getting a lot of religious diversity, particularly with Muslim protagonists and in my view that may also be the result of having a specialized imprint like Salaam Reads out there. It provides a great opportunity for writers who might not have thought there was a good medium for their work before.

Lee: How about the creators? Are you seeing under-represented writers and illustrators submitting to you?

Tanusri: About half of the diverse queries I'm getting tend to be "own voice" which I love!

Lee: Great segue... There's a lot of discussion about who has the 'right' to tell the story of an under-represented type of character. What's your take?

Tanusri: As I mentioned above, there is something special about under-represented "own voice" stories and I am hoping to get a lot more of those. But I certainly wouldn't rule out writing diverse characters if you don't share that experience. The bar is really high and I prefer it if those characters are incidentally diverse. If a book is going to delve into an underlying socio-political issue that faces a particular community of people, it gets tough when the writer hasn't had that experience. Of course there are always exceptions but they tend to be authors who have gained a reputation for a deep and specialized knowledge of the issue, meticulous and long-term research and numerous sensitivity reads.

Lee: When you're submitting projects to editors, do you think stories with under-represented characters take more 'selling' on your part?

Tanusri: I think the hard part is pitching a book that has no real comp titles in the market because the story or character is so under-represented. So you have to find an editor who's willing to take leap of faith in a story with protagonists whose experiences are unfamiliar, or a writer whose voice doesn't quite fit the paradigm. That is the challenge we face as agents as well, I believe as an agent looking for diversity I need to be very clear on what it is that I am not connecting with before passing on a diverse query. Of course the bar is very high in terms of the quality of writing, but both agents and editors have to keep in mind that what defines "quality" writing is both subjective and dominated by a certain type of voice. So we need to make sure not to treat an unfamiliar voice as if it were the same as sub-par writing, simply by virtue of that unfamiliar quality, when considering an underrepresented voice or character.

Lee: Well said. I often feel the sense of ‘otherness’ is transferable. That from my own experiences being marginalized (for being Gay, being ill as a teen, being Jewish, being an Atheist, etc…) I feel tremendous empathy for people who are marginalized for other kinds of ‘otherness’ as well. Can you share what’s driving your desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books?

Tanusri: Intellectually speaking I believe diversity is important both to give children an interesting medium to learn about other types of people and communities and to feel in turn, that their stories are reflected in the literature--for books to be "mirrors and windows". But more personally, I'm definitely driven by the fact that I'm raising my children in a bi-religious, multi-lingual family and I would love to see more books out there that reflect their identities and experiences and where they can see characters that look like them.

Lee: Tell us about some books that highlighted or included diversity that you loved and that inspired you (maybe even ones you wish you represented). What’s a Picture Book favorite?

Tanusri: My absolute favorite picture book to read over and over is called "So Much" by Trish Cooke. It's about a baby who's waiting for his father to come home for a surprise birthday party and as he's waiting with his mother, all his relatives come in one by one and tell him how much they love him in different ways. My heart feels full every time I read it and I'm welling up as I type! This isn't typical for me as I usually don't go in for the very sentimental type of picture book but the love and joy in this book make it irresistible. I also love "Big Red Lollipop" by Rukhsana Khan, which is a great sibling story. I think both of these books are perfect examples of incidental diversity done really well.  

Lee: Middle Grade?

Tanusri: Too many to choose from but if I had to, I'd pick Pam Munoz Ryan's "Esperanza Rising" both because I love reading about immigrant experiences but also for its beautifully crafted plot and great voice.

Lee: Young Adult?

Tanusri: My current favorite is Becky Albertalli's "Simon vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda." I am a sucker for a good love story and this was one of the best, funny and tender and I couldn't put it down from start to finish. It definitely falls in the "wish I'd represented" category.

Lee:Okay, here’s your wish list moment. What are you looking for? Put out the call...

Tanusri: I am looking for kidlit ranging from picture books through middle grade and YA. I'd particularly love voices and characters who are not mainstream and are under-represented. In terms of theme, I'd be excited to see high-concept picture books or lyrical, meaningful ones that aren't however, too "sweet" or sentimental. In middle-grade, mysteries, puzzle-solving, sibling stories, interesting neighborhoods, school stories, fantasies based on mythologies from different cultures and countries. And in YA, I'd love to see issue-based novels that reach deeply into themes concerning gender, race, sexuality, anything with socio-political complexity and on the other side of that, high-chemistry romance with a twist, funny romantic comedies, coming of age stories and psychological suspense/mystery.

Lee: And for writers and/or illustrators reading this who feel a resonance with what you’ve shared and who want to submit to you, how should they go about that?

Tanusri: Please email me your query and the first five pages (if picture book, then the whole text) in the body of the email, to tprasanna@hsgagency.com. You can reference Lee's website in the subject line.

Lee: Thanks, Tanusri. Getting the world of Children’s literature to better reflect the diversity of our world -- the world kids today are growing up in -- is so important.

Look for another Agent or Editor Looking For Diversity interview the first Monday of next month! Until then,

Illustrate and Write On!
Lee

Jennifer Udden (Barry Goldblatt Literary): Agent Looking For Diversity

AGENTS AND EDITORS NEED TO ADVERTISE
THEIR INTEREST IN DIVERSITY

This month's interview is with Jennifer Udden, Agent at Barry Goldblatt Literary.

Agent Jennifer Udden

Jennifer's bio:

Jennifer Udden was born in Houston, TX, and spent many of her formative years hiding books under tables while she was meant to be paying attention to something else. She has a BA from Mount Holyoke College, and graduated in 2008 with a major in Politics, a minor in Chinese, and honors thesis work on anxiety in British detective fiction of the early 20th century. She has worked in fundraising for an off-Broadway theater company and joined the publishing industry in 2010 at the Donald Maass Literary Agency. She is the co-host of the podcast Shipping & Handling (shippingandhandlingpodcast.com) with Bridget Smith of Dunham Literary, Inc. She blogs at www.jenniferudden.com and jenniferudden.wordpress.com

Our interview:

Lee: Thanks so much for agreeing to talk about your interest in Diversity in Children's and Teen Literature, Jennifer.  There's been growing discussion about how the 5,000 or so traditionally published books a year don't reflect the actual diversity of our world, including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the stunningly low numbers of representation revealed in "Children's Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States," put out by the CCBC (The Cooperative Children's Book Center.)

To start us off, of the submissions you get, let's say in the past year, how many of those projects included some kind of diversity of characters or theme?

Jennifer: I don’t have a specific percentage off the top of my head, but I would say that in the last year maybe 5-15% have specifically highlighted some aspect of diversity in their query or in their novel.

Lee: Let's unpack that a bit: Are you seeing many stories featuring protagonists of color?

Jennifer: Yes! Definitely more than I saw at the beginning of my career. I would say that of the percentage I saw before, more than half of those highlight that their protagonist is a person of color.

Lee: How about LGBTQ characters, and please break that down - are you seeing lesbian characters? gay? bi? trans*? questioning? queer or gender non-conforming?

Jennifer: Yes - because I represent m/m romance I tend to see a lot of queries in that genre (gay romance), but I don’t tend to see as many lesbian, bi, or trans queries. There are a few, but not that many.

Lee: How about characters with disabilities?

Jennifer: I’ve seen a few, definitely!

Lee: Are you seeing other types of diversity in the works submitted? - And please share any specific categories that spring to mind.

Jennifer: I am seeing quite a few queries from authors who live in areas other than the US and Europe - it’s awesome!

Lee: How about the creators? Are you seeing under-represented writers and illustrators submitting to you?

Jennifer: I know that the idea of creators identifying themselves as being from an under-represented group is a bit fraught, but I have seen more authors specifically identifying themselves, or providing links to blogs or social media that has more information about how they identify, and I really appreciate that!

Lee: There's a lot of discussion about who has the 'right' to tell the story of an under-represented type of character. What's your take?

Jennifer: I definitely think that I prioritize #ownvoices stories more than a similar story that might be told by a writer from a more privileged group, because I feel personally that we have had many of those kinds of books already. I think that any writer can write a story set in a culture not their own, but when they do so they ought to take into account the feedback of people from that culture. The pushback against critiques of cultural appropriation seems to me to be a case of writers who want the privilege of writing another culture, but don’t want to hear feedback from members of that culture or group when it is offered to them.

Lee: When you're submitting projects to editors, do you think stories with under-represented characters take more 'selling' on your part?

Jennifer: These days when I go out with a project with characters from under-represented groups I highlight that aspect in the pitch to editors - I don’t want to hide or minimize it for fear of editors not being interested. And I think the response has been pretty good- many editors are also looking to diversify their lists, as well!

Lee: I often feel the sense of ‘otherness’ is transferable. That from my own experiences being marginalized (for being Gay, being ill as a teen, being Jewish, being an Atheist, etc…) I feel tremendous empathy for people who are marginalized for other kinds of ‘otherness’ as well.
Can you share what’s driving your desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books?

Jennifer: Boredom, honestly! Diversity makes things more interesting. It’s literally just bringing in new stories or different stories than what we’ve seen published before.

Lee: Tell us about some books that highlighted or included diversity that you loved and that inspired you (maybe even ones you wish you represented). What’s a Young Adult favorite?

Jennifer: Two come to mind: first, SUMMER PRINCE by Alaya Dawn Johnson, which is set in futuristic Brazil, with a POC protagonist and cast. It’s one of my favorite books and is such a fun read. The second is DUMPLIN’ by Julie Murphy, which is the story of a fat protagonist in small-town Texas. I think this was one of the first books I’d read with a fat protagonist where their journey wasn’t about losing weight, and as someone who has struggled with weight and self-image before, this was such a joy to read.

Lee: Okay, here’s your wish list moment. What are you looking for? Put out the call…

Jennifer: I would love to see a fantasy (YA or adult) inspired by the world of Beyonce’s LEMONADE visual album or a scifi (again, YA or adult) inspired by Janelle Monae’s TheArchAndroid. I want romance in any category with POC protagonists. I’d like to see POC protagonists or authors in any of the genres I represent, as well as LGBT protagonists and authors from underrepresented groups.

Lee: And for writers reading this who feel a resonance with what you’ve shared and who want to submit to you, how should they go about that?

Jennifer: My submission guidelines are on the website! send the first five pages, query letter, and synopsis to query.judden@gmail.com.


Thanks Jennifer!

Look for another Agent or Editor Looking For Diversity interview the first Monday of next month! Until then,

Illustrate and Write On!
Lee

Ayanna Coleman (Quill Shift Literary Agency): Agent Looking For Diversity

**UPDATE: JULY 2018 - Ayanna has transitioned Quill Shift from an agency to a consultancy, and as such is no longer acting as a literary agent.**

AGENTS AND EDITORS NEED TO ADVERTISE

THEIR INTEREST IN DIVERSITY

This month's interview is with Ayanna Coleman, Agent and Founder of Quill Shift Literary Agency.

Agent Ayanna Coleman

Ayanna's bio:

Ayanna Coleman founded Quill Shift Literary Agency in 2013. With an educational background in marketing and English, Ayanna has worked within the publishing industry at a publishing house, literary agencies, as a book reviewer, programming and event director, and many years as a children’s librarian. She also earned a Master of Science degree in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, currently the top program in the nation.

As a child, and later as a librarian, Ayanna noticed that the books that could capture a child’s imagination and create a lifelong reader were not getting into children’s hands. Children (and their parents, teachers, and librarians) weren’t discovering the right books…or they hadn’t been created yet. With that in mind, Ayanna created Quill Shift Literary Agency to not only help usher books worthy of inspiring a passion for reading in children, but also books that represent all children's realities.

Ayanna is looking for middle grade and young adult fiction in all genres. Bring her stories with plucky, realistic characters that represent our multicultural society who grow throughout an engrossing plot in a setting that sucks the reader in.

And our interview...

Lee: Hi Ayanna!

Ayanna: Hi Lee!

Lee: Thanks so much for agreeing to talk about your interest in Diversity in Children's and Teen Literature!

Ayanna: Oh, my pleasure. It's one of my favorite things to do.

Lee: There's been growing discussion about how the 5,000 or so traditionally published books a year don't reflect the actual diversity of our world, including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the stunningly low numbers of representation revealed in "Children's Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States," put out by the CCBC (The Cooperative Children's Book Center http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/pcstats.asp )

To start us off, of the submissions you get, let's say in the past year, how many of those projects included some kind of diversity of characters or theme?

Ayanna: My agency's entire mission is focused on representing authors who are from under-represented backgrounds or are crafting stories with strong diverse characters. That said, probably about 80% have some kind of inclusive element.

Lee: Let's unpack that a bit: Are you seeing many stories featuring protagonists of color?

Ayanna: Yes, about 50% are protagonists of color.

Lee: How about LGBTQ characters, and please break that down - are you seeing lesbian characters? gay? bi? trans*? questioning? queer or gender non-conforming?

Ayanna: I'd say 20%. I've seen a fair amount of queer, lesbian, and gay characters. Of those, mostly gay and lesbian leaning a little more towards lesbian. Not too many trans at this point, but a few questioning as well.

Lee: How about characters with disabilities?

Ayanna: Probably around 5-10%. There have been a few characters with disabilities, but many of them weren't born with those disabilities, which is what I'd really like to see more of. I have a brother with several disabilities and grew up around lots of kids who were living their lives with capabilities different than mine. I'd love to see more kids' minds opened up.

Lee: Are you seeing other types of diversity in the works submitted? - And please share any specific categories that spring to mind.

Ayanna: I've seen manuscripts showcasing different religions, and a few that focus on socioeconomic and geographic diversity, but mostly the diversity that comes across my desk focuses on race or sexuality.

Lee: How about the creators? Are you seeing under-represented writers and illustrators submitting to you?

Ayanna: Yes I am, again because of the mission of my agency, but I'd love to see more. I'd say the the submissions I get come from about 40% under-represented writers.

Lee: There's a lot of discussion about who has the 'right' to tell the story of an under-represented type of character. What's your take?

Ayanna: I just did a talk at GrubStreet's Muse and the Marketplace conference in May about this. Basically, I talked about fear, and how as a writer you must work on overcoming your fear so you can tell your best story. That best story, if you're trying to be true to real life, is most likely an inclusive one and you're doing a disservice to your story if you don't recognize that.

I think everyone has the 'right' to tell whatever story they want, but it's a privilege to walk in someone else's shoes and tell their story. If you don't do it with empathy and as much understanding as you can through research (primary and secondary), discussion and feedback, and an open mind, then you don't deserve to write the story.

Lee: When you're submitting projects to editors, do you think stories with under-represented characters take more 'selling' on your part?

Ayanna: Simple answer? I do. Right now it looks as if editors are very excited to see something "diverse" come through their inbox but I've still found it challenging to place stories that don't focus on issues or historical figures, to find a home with editors who say they want diversity. Those everyday stories that under-represented kids definitely do have, they aren't all in urban settings struggling to survive for example, seem to have a hard place in the market because there are so few of them, which seems to be the perfect reason why we should add more.

Lee: I often feel the sense of ‘otherness’ is transferable. That from my own experiences being marginalized (for being Gay, being ill as a teen, being Jewish, being an Atheist, etc…) I feel tremendous empathy for people who are marginalized for other kinds of ‘otherness’ as well.

Can you share what’s driving your desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books?

Ayanna: I'm African American and growing up as a huge bookworm, I had very few books with protagonists that looked like me or had a life resembling mine--very middle America, solidly middle class. There were no drugs, no missing mothers, I wasn't a slave, I didn't use Ebonics, etc. I played tennis, I danced ballet, I read all the time, I loved to cook. Where were stories with girls who looked like me? Why couldn't I solve mysteries or have adventures? It was like my life/world didn't matter. The fact that these stories--that representation--is still very much missing from children's literature is upsetting to say the least.

I crave for there to be more books celebrating the every day parts of kids' lives and not focusing on the problems--and we very much still are--that come with race, religion, sexual orientation, ability, etc. With my marketing and librarianship background, acting as liaison for the CBC Diversity Committee during its first three years, and my experience not seeing myself in books growing up, I knew that I had the tools to help others create those stories. How could I not put myself in the position to help representative books find their way into the hands of today's kids?

Lee: Tell us about some books that highlighted or included diversity that you loved and that inspired you (maybe even ones you wish you represented). What’s a Picture Book favorite?

Ayanna: I loved Wait, Skates! by Mildred Johnson and The Rough-Faced Girl by Rafe Martin. I read both so many times growing up. Wait, Skates! was pure fun and something that I could totally relate to as a child and The Rough-Faced Girl is a take on the Cinderella tale in the most beautiful way. It spoke to my heart and soul; it was a book I saw myself in.

Lee: Middle Grade?

Ayanna: Yolanda's Genius by Carol Fenner was a huge favorite of mine. The main character has a brother who is on the spectrum and is an amazing harmonica player. She started off by resenting having to take care of him and his way of communication but realized what an amazing person he was with his differences and she looked up to him for his ability. I believe reading that book helped me see my brother in a new light and appreciate him more.

Lee: Young Adult?

Ayanna: I was so thrilled to read Bad Kitty by Michele Jaffe in grad school. It was exactly what I would have loved as a teen. The main character is biracial, it's fluffy and fun, but there's wit and adventure and hijinks. I hadn't encountered books with protagonists of color that had all of those things before and I wanted to see more.

Lee: Okay, here’s your wish list moment. What are you looking for? Put out the call...

Ayanna: I'm always looking to support more authors from under-represented backgrounds who have well-crafted stories of their truths that have yet to be told. I'm looking for more books featuring physical disabilities where the kids were born with their ability, not through some tragic accident. I'm looking for fantasy and science fiction where the main character is a kid of color. I'm looking for great horror and thrillers with a diverse cast of characters that doesn't have the African American kid die at the end. I'm looking for stories that take place in other countries, and I'm always looking for more stories that have under-represented kids and teens as the main character where the conflict is not about their skin color, or their religion, or their class, or ability. I want it to be an undeniable part of the story and inform the character's identity, but I want their "problem" to be something else entirely and see how all of the things that make them who they are--which is not just their skin color or socioeconomic status--come together to help them on their journey.

Lee: And for writers and/or illustrators reading this who feel a resonance with what you’ve shared and who want to submit to you, how should they go about that?

Ayanna: They can submit through the agency website's submission form here.

Lee: Anything I didn’t ask that you’d like to add?

Ayanna: I think we covered quite a bit! One thing that I wish more people would say to under-represented writers is that you don't have to write minority characters if you don't want to. Write what you want to write. Write what feels good and natural and right to you. I hate feeling like I'm "carrying the flag" in a meeting because I'm the only representative voice in the room. It's not fair and I shouldn't feel like I have to do it, but sometimes I do. I'd like to put out there to writers that you don't have to write your background if you don't want to. We definitely need more insider voices uplifted, but we also need more under-represented writers writing everything.

Lee: Getting the world of Children’s literature to better reflect the diversity of our world -- the world kids today are growing up in -- is so important. Thank you so much for working to make things better!

Ayanna: Thanks so much for taking the time to do these interviews and showcase all of those in publishing who really care about representation so that more aspiring authors from all backgrounds know that there is a place for them and their creations.

Thanks, Ayanna!

Look for another Agent or Editor Looking For Diversity interview the first Monday of next month! Until then,

Illustrate and Write On!
Lee 

Tricia Lawrence (Erin Murphy Literary): Agent Looking For Diversity

AGENTS AND EDITORS

NEED TO ADVERTISE THEIR INTEREST IN DIVERSITY

That's the idea. And this series is an effort to do just that.

For now we're focusing on agents, and today's post features agent Tricia Lawrence of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Agent Tricia Lawrence

Tricia's Bio:

Tricia is the "Pacific Northwest branch" of EMLA—born and raised in Oregon, and now lives in Seattle. After 21 years of working as a developmental and production-based editor (from kids books to college textbooks, but mostly college textbooks), she joined the EMLA team in March 2011 as a social media strategist.

As agent, Tricia represents picture books/chapter books that look at the world in a unique and unusual way, with characters that are alive both on and off the page, and middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction that offers strong worldbuilding, wounded narrators, and stories that grab a reader and won't let go.

Tricia loves hiking, camping out in the woods, and collecting rocks. She loves BBC America and anything British. She has way too many books and not enough bookshelves. You can find Tricia's writing about blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking, and other social media topics (for authors and the publishing industry at large) here and here.

And here's our interview:

Lee: Hi Tricia, let's jump in... There's been growing discussion about how the 5,000 or so traditionally published books a year don't reflect the actual diversity of our world, including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the stunningly low numbers of representation revealed in "Children's Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States," put out by the CCBC (The Cooperative Children's Book Center)

So, of the submissions you get, let's say in the past year, how many of those projects included some kind of diversity of characters or theme?

Tricia: Hi, Lee. All of my submissions are referrals or from attendees of conferences that I speak at, and I will say that in years past, the pickings have been slim, but because of #WeNeedDiverseBooks, I’ve actively sought out and advocated for more submissions and thanks to #DVPIT and Justina Ireland (@justinaireland) and Debbie Reese’s work (@debreese) mentoring and advocacy, I’ve found many more in 2016 than in previous years. But I had to be active. I had to seek out those manuscripts, contests, mentors, advocates. I never expected it to be handed to me on a silver platter. I do believe things are changing, albeit slowly. I think I can do better and that we all can still do better. That’s why I’m on your blog and letting people know who I am. ;)

Lee: Hurray for letting people know you're interested in diversity! Let's unpack those submissions a bit: Are you seeing many stories featuring protagonists of color?

Tricia: Yes, thankfully. My biggest book sale in 2015 (A CRACK IN THE SEA, by H.M. Bouwman, to Putnam, which pubs January 2017) featured protagonists of color and it just spurred me on to keep going, to increase my reading of those manuscripts every chance I could get. I am very excited about the stories in my query/submissions inbox. And doubly thrilled to represent writers who are writing those stories or on submission right now.

Lee; How about LGBTQ characters, and please break that down - are you seeing lesbian characters? gay? bi? trans*? questioning? queer or gender non-conforming?

Tricia: Again, yes. But I had to seek them out, not expect them to approach me. And I’m happy to do so. The time to just be an observer is over. We have to act, to inspire others to act. I wish I had more LGBTQ, especially in this day and age where hatred and fear pervade our world. I have seen horrible videos of the hatred against Target’s brave stand, and even more disturbing, how that has increased calls to suicide hotlines. And then Orlando. Dear god. If we don’t strive harder today, we will lose important voices, and we need them. Desperately. Again, I’m so grateful for wonderful advocates like Vee (@findmereading), among others, who keep their voices going strong.

Lee: How about characters with disabilities?

Tricia: Not enough, sadly. Corinne Duyvuis (@corinneduyvis) is such a help to me (and all of us) on this. I have received pitches that need some work and I always tell them to follow Corinne’s work and advocacy on this and to keep trying.

Lee: Are you seeing other types of diversity in the works submitted? - And please share any specific categories that spring to mind.

Tricia: I am VERY worried about the lack of diversity progress in submissions that misappropriate Native American customs, tradition, and mythology. I have pushed back with several writers recently about this and was so relieved when they took my challenges to go back to their manuscript and try to figure out how to make it more their story rather than just stealing someone else’s. I’m a bit aghast at our beloved J.K. Rowling for her really discouraging and maddening example here. Despite her resistance to have a conversation about her missteps, I’ve had wonderful conversations with writers who are very open about theirs. This is good. Some writers have just not dug deep enough (hello, this is part of writing!) and other writers become attached to a situation or a character and it’s hard work to move away from something they have settled on, but this is the work we do. This is the work we must do.

Lee: How about the creators? Are you seeing under-represented writers and illustrators submitting to you?

Tricia: Yes! I’m delighted to get referrals and attendees from conferences who are brave enough to send something that is often very personal and to open themselves up to the fear of rejection or racism. Luckily, we work in a wonderful industry and our specific little corner of publishing has so many good-hearted people. But as I said above, we can’t simply observe, we have to help. I challenge writers to hand over their privilege by allowing someone who is underrepresented to take their pitch opportunity to an agent or editor during or after a conference. It’s not my idea. I had a writer years ago ask me if she could give her submission spot to another writer and ever since then, I’ve always encouraged people to do so. What a great opportunity to equalize! Especially if an underrepresented writer/illustrator wasn’t able to register in time for a spot or wasn’t able to attend or needs a beta reader or crit partner before they submit. Try it. Those of us who can should be seeking out chances like this. We’ve all had plenty of chances to pitch. Let’s increase our chances to help others get to pitch. What a great goal.

Lee: That's very cool. There's a lot of discussion about who has the 'right' to tell the story of an under-represented type of character. What's your take?

Tricia: I believe in the creativity of each individual writer and illustrator. We cannot control how our imagination works. If we wake up one morning and feel compelled to write a story that may not be our own, we should try. We have to. Un-lived creative potential makes us cranky racist bigots (as we see in our news every day). However, and this is a big however, just because our imagination and creativity led us to write the story for ourselves, doesn’t mean that the story is ours to tell the world. As a writer, I have written many stories for myself, working out themes and situations during my life that just aren’t for publication. They are stories for my soul, trying to heal my soul, trying to work out the darkness inside of me. At the time I wrote them, I was very marginalized in my privileged world, struggling to find my own way, all while working through my own white privilege and my sense of inherited ownership, because of my upbringing, and I got the stories wrong. Completely wrong. And now I choose to tell different stories, from my own experience and truth.

But that’s the process of creativity and imagination. You get things wrong and you see that you did. You have to look at what you are doing wrong. And you change.

And to complete my answer (sheesh, I’m long-winded), this is why diversity is not a quick-fix solution for anyone. You don’t slap a sticker on something and call it good. This is a foundation-shaking challenge that cannot be ignored. If you’re writing something because you must, the next question to answer is “Is this your story to share?” And if it’s not, by God, don’t ignore that voice in your head. Use the story to write another. It’s okay to fail in this way. Not everything you write is publishable or needed or necessary. But if it is YOUR STORY, and you are a writer who has answered the question “Is this your story to share?” with a big YES, dig deeper. Poke at your story, shake its foundations, make sure you are peeling away the facade and giving us the real deal. Have courage. I believe in you!

Lee: When you're submitting projects to editors, do you think stories with under-represented characters take more 'selling' on your part?

Tricia: Yes and no. I’ve had very frustrating moments trying to sell something that just didn’t translate to the editors I was pitching to. And I truly felt there was something there. But this is part of being an agent. I believe in something first and then I work to get an editor to believe in it next. Sometimes I can do that; sometimes I can’t. I’ve had stories with underrepresented characters sell right off the bat and then others just haven’t sold. I have encountered resistance to manuscripts because of editor personality, but that’s part of our business. I think my main job has evolved since I started. It’s not so much about just selling or building an author’s career. Being an agent is a chance to advocate and ally with writers who are not as visible and should be. I don’t care if anyone else likes it in the beginning; if I like it and think I can sell it, that’s all I need. And if I can work with a writer or illustrator, maybe that first story isn’t the first one to publish. At EMLA, we’re very focused on a career, and sometimes those careers take a while to formulate, no matter who you are.

Lee: I often feel the sense of ‘otherness’ is transferable. That from my own experiences being marginalized (for being Gay, being ill as a teen, being Jewish, being an Atheist, etc…) I feel tremendous empathy for people who are marginalized for other kinds of ‘otherness’ as well.

Can you share what’s driving your desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books?

Tricia: Being marginalized in a very subset sort of way (as part of a white privileged middle class world) has made this desire grow. The nuanced ways that white privilege can sneak up on me shock me every single day. I was brought up in a very fundamentalist religious world, where “other” is simply ignored, and I got really, really good at judging others. It has taken a while to undo all that (like a tangled sticky web) and yet, working through it has given me truly singular moments to realize that the human soul is powerful. It took a dear friend and heartfelt conversation about his being gay to open the door. What a powerful doorway. I’ve never looked back. It was another dear friend sharing with me about her abortion. Another powerful doorway. I’ve never looked back. And there are stories after stories. The power of story changes lives. This drives me every single day. I am changed because of my friends’ stories. Them opening up their hearts to me, bringing me along with them, forgiving my privilege, my missteps. I am so grateful. And I don’t take it for granted. No one owes me their forgiveness or their stories. No one owes me another chance. I owe. Oh, do I. That drives me.

Lee: Thank you for sharing that.

Can you  tell us about some books that highlighted or included diversity that you loved and that inspired you (maybe even ones you wish you represented). What’s a Picture Book favorite?

Tricia: Matt de la Pena’s and Christian Robinson’s LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET. Vivid. Amazing.

Lee: Middle Grade?

Tricia: Sherman Alexie’s DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN still knocks me down every time I read it. A masterpiece.

Lee: Young Adult?

Tricia: I. W. Gregorio’s NONE OF THE ABOVE was fabulous. I offered on it but didn’t get picked. Beautiful.

Lee: Okay, here’s your wish list moment. What are you looking for? Put out the call...

Tricia: I want a strong Native American manuscript that rings true (like Sherman Alexie’s PART-TIME INDIAN). I want a historical or fantasy with a LBGTQ mc that delivers that same truth. I adore Lisbeth Salander from GIRL WITH A DRAGON TATTOO, and would love a MG or YA about a hero who fights for truth and she struggles with a disability (and she’s not white). Or something a la VERONICA MARS, but featuring a protagonist who is not blonde and white, but is gutsy like Olivia Pope (another character I adore) and fights for the truth even though she has a social disorder and is scared of talking to people or she’s hiding her true identity because she’s in witness protection and so we see this masquerade she puts on and we also get how hard it is for her to deal with herself, etc. But don’t listen to me! Let your imagination and your creativity run the show. These are just ideas, or prompts, to get your creative engines running.

Lee:. And for writers and/or illustrators reading this who feel a resonance with what you’ve shared and who want to submit to you, how should they go about that?

Tricia: Please send a query and the first five pages (pasted) into the email to info@emliterary.com to my attention. No deadline. Whenever you are ready.

Lee: Anything I didn’t ask that you’d like to add?

Tricia: I am so grateful for this industry and for the advocates we have like you, Lee. Thank you for doing this series. I am honored to be a part of it. A special note to the writers who are afraid at this moment, who feel like they are breathless a bit because there is a story inside of them that they need to tell and it’s going to take work. I feel ya. That is the good kind of fear. It keeps us awake as we write our stories, as we push boundaries, as we try to get our truth out to readers who need it. Remember, it’s not all on you. We’re in this together! Keep writing! Reach out! Find mentors! Never settle. Keep pushing for better. Onward!

Lee: Yay! Getting the world of Children’s literature to better reflect the diversity of our world -- the world kids today are growing up in -- is so important. Thank you so much for working to make things better!

Tricia: Thank you so much for having me! I wish I could do more. I owe so much to the advocates and mentors I mentioned in this post. Please, follow them on Twitter and use their guidance. They are doing so much more than I am.

Thanks, Tricia. Look for another Agent Looking For Diversity interview on the first Monday of next month. Until then,

Illustrate and Write On!
Lee

Penny Moore (Fine Print Literary): Agent Looking For Diversity

AGENTS AND EDITORS

NEED TO ADVERTISE THEIR INTEREST IN DIVERSITY

That's the idea. And this series is an effort to do just that.

For now we're focusing on agents, and today's post features agent Penny Moore of Fine Print Literary.

Agent Penny Moore

Penny's bio:

Penny Moore represents middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction. She’s also open to nonfiction projects in the realm of pop culture, humor, travel, food, and pets.

In MG and YA, she’s interested in all genres, and is seeking inventive works that combine well-defined voice, complex characters, and compelling plot lines. She also acquires select picture book projects on a referral basis.

While completing degrees in Linguistics and Japanese Language & Literature at the University of Georgia, she spent time studying comparative literature at top universities in Japan and South Korea. She then worked as a middle school TESOL teacher, a period during which she grew to love and understand the children’s book market. In 2013 she found her way to FinePrint as an intern, officially joining the agency in 2014, and has since been actively working to build her list with exceptionally talented clients.

And here's our interview:

Lee: Hi Penny!

Penny: Hi, Lee!

Lee: Thanks so much for agreeing to talk about your interest in Diversity in Children's and Teen Literature!

Penny: It’s my pleasure! I think the discussion about diversity in children’s book publishing on your blog is fantastic and a much needed one, so I feel honored to be included in it. Thank you!

Lee: There's been growing discussion about how the 5,000 or so traditionally published books a year don't reflect the actual diversity of our world, including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the stunningly low numbers of representation revealed in "Children's Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States," put out by the CCBC (The Cooperative Children's Book Center.)

To start us off, of the submissions you get, let's say in the past year, how many of those projects included some kind of diversity of characters or theme?

Penny: Honestly, it’s difficult to say. In the past year I’ve gotten countless submissions, which makes it impossible to give a concrete number. Though, I will say with confidence that diverse submissions are not the majority of what I usually get in my inbox unless I make an extra effort to seek them out. This is why I’ve been more active about it lately. For example, I held a query event for marginalized writers and participated in the DVpit on Twitter. The results have been amazing and I can say that 6 out of the 10 manuscripts I’ve requested in the last two months have been diverse. I know it’s not a large number in the grand scheme of things, but it gives me a lot of hope.

Lee: Let's unpack that a bit: Are you seeing many stories featuring protagonists of color?

Penny: Lately, I have. Again, I think it’s because I’ve been more active in seeking out diverse stories and very vocal about it on social media. So writers have been very forward in their query letters, letting me know if their MC is a POC, or if they themselves are POCs writing about POCs. I also think it doesn’t hurt that I’m a POC agent. They might be a little more comfortable with bluntly telling me this information.

Lee: LHow about LGBTQ characters, and please break that down - are you seeing lesbian characters? gay? bi? trans*? questioning? queer or gender non-conforming?

Penny: I do receive LGBTQ submissions, but not nearly as many as I’d like. Again, I can’t give specific numbers, but I can say I do receive more lesbian/gay characters than bi, trans, queer/gender non-conforming and questioning characters in my inbox. I have no idea why this is the case, but I would definitely love to see just as many BTQ submissions as I do LG.

Lee: How about characters with disabilities?

Penny: I rarely ever see characters with disabilities in my submissions and it makes me sad. And when I do, it’s usually a very inauthentic portrayal of them. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the super crip trope, but it’s what I’m usually stuck seeing when I do get submissions featuring characters with disabilities. A super crip is a disabled character who has magical powers to negate their disability, or they encounter a miracle that cures them of it. In real life, the vast majority of disabled people don’t get to experience this, and they just want others to accept their disabilities as a normal part of their identities. I wish I had more submissions that reflected this. We need to see more stories that send the message that disabled people don’t need to be fixed in order for us to find them interesting/important enough to read about.

Lee; Here! Here!  Are you seeing other types of diversity in the works submitted? - And please share any specific categories that spring to mind.

Penny: I’ve been seeing diversity in the form of socioeconomics. Writers have been making it a point to let me know if their MCs face challenges due to socioeconomic discrimination, or if they themselves have faced such challenges. I think this is great because we tend to forget people living below the poverty line in underdeveloped areas are marginalized as well, and it’s not necessarily the color of their skin, sexuality, or religion that falls under the diversity umbrella.

I know this still falls under the POC category, but I’ve recently had a lot of submissions where writers are making it a point to tell me that their MC is biracial. I think it’s because I recently sold a YA story about a half Japanese and half Caucasian American girl, written my client who is of the same racial/ethnic background. I’m also half Asian and white, so I think writers are hoping to strike a chord with me by telling me this. Honestly, it can get frustrating at times. Some non-diverse writers think that a biracial character is an easy way for them to get in on the diversity ‘trend.’ If their MC has an Asian father and a Caucasian mother, they’ll say that the MC looks more like their dad but identifies with their mom so they can have a POC character without having to do the research that goes into accurately portraying them. I can see right through this. A lot of thought and personal experiences went into my client’s story, and I would hope that others would understand that the majority of biracial people do not automatically pick one part of their race/ethnicity as a default. We’re often caught in a liminal state where we do/want to connect and identify with both of our racial identities/cultures. I don’t think a writer has to be biracial to write biracial characters, but they need to do their research.

Lee: How about the creators? Are you seeing under-represented writers and illustrators submitting to you?

Penny: I only take picture book submissions on referral, so the answer for this is no. I rarely take on picture book projects, so I’m probably not the best agent to ask about this. I would hope to see under-represented creators if I did start to accept unsolicited PB submissions though!

Lee: There's a lot of discussion about who has the 'right' to tell the story of an under-represented type of character. What's your take?

Penny: I believe we all have the right to tell the story that we want, and it’s wrong to try and sensor anyone. However, I do feel that writers have a responsibility to be mindful and do their research before trying to write outside of their own diverse experiences. I always tell writers to enlist multiple beta readers of the background that they want to write about, and to really listen to what they say. When they don’t do their research, their characters can come across as inauthentic and possibly offensive, which can do greater harm than good, especially among younger readers who are still in the middle of shaping their own identities.

I will say that I think own voice projects are very important, and a big priority for me when it comes to submissions. Successful, diverse authors are so few and far between, so I think it’s important for us to keep encouraging them, to let them know that some us are really listening, and to make it clear that they deserve to be heard just as much as writers from non diverse backgrounds.

Lee: When you're submitting projects to editors, do you think stories with under-represented characters take more 'selling' on your part?

Penny: No. I don’t think so. It’s a very good time to be in children’s publishing right now. Many editors have joined in on the diversity discussion. I’ve actually had some pretty great conversations where they’ve specifically told me they really want more diversity on their lists!

Lee: I often feel the sense of ‘otherness’ is transferable. That from my own experiences being marginalized (for being Gay, being ill as a teen, being Jewish, being an Atheist, etc…) I feel tremendous empathy for people who are marginalized for other kinds of ‘otherness’ as well.
Can you share what’s driving your desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books?

Penny: For me it’s a very personal thing. Being half Korean and half Irish American, and growing up in Georgia, I really know what it’s like to be in the minority. I was never ever able to see myself racially represented in any book until Eleanor & Park, with Park also being half Korean and half Irish American. The first time I read this book I cried because of it. I wish I had had it when I was younger. Additionally, being one of few Asian/mixed Asians at my school in Georgia really made me feel like an outsider, which is why I buried myself in books and music while growing up. On a more personal level, I also had a disability when I was younger, and had corrective surgery for it. It’s no longer visible (though I still suffer from some internal symptoms), but there was a time when I was severely picked on for it. All of those experiences have really contributed to my desire to see a larger number of diverse books in the children’s lit market, and why I’m so vocal about it.

Lee: Thank you for sharing that, Penny.

Tell us about some books that highlighted or included diversity that you loved and that inspired you (maybe even ones you wish you represented). What’s a Picture Book favorite?

Penny: I love The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi. It’s such a sweet story that might teach early readers empathy for immigrant children who are trying to adapt once they come here.

I also love Taye Diggs’s Mixed Me, a book that shows mixed children to embrace their beauty.

Lee: Middle Grade?

Penny:
Grace Lin’s The Year of the Dog.
R.J. Palacio’s Wonder
Linda Sue Park’s A Long Walk to Water; A Single Shard

Lee: Young Adult?

Penny:
Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I Loved Before duology
Meredith Russo’s If I Was Your Girl
Lamar Giles’s Endangered
Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor & Park
I'm also going to shameless plug my client's new contemporary YA due out in Fall 2017, Akemi Dawn Bowman's Starfish

Lee: Okay, here’s your wish list moment. What are you looking for? Put out the call...

Penny: I’m pretty much looking for anything and everything diverse in MG and YA, as long as it’s not paranormal romance or urban fantasy. I really am dying for a sweet contemporary romance a la Jenny Han with an authentic voice and juicy hook. I’m also on the look out for my first LGBTQ project! Send me yours! And as always, I’m a big sci-fi/fantasy girl, so anything that’s inspired by cultures outside of Europe would be fantastic!

Lee: And for writers and/or illustrators reading this who feel a resonance with what you’ve shared and who want to submit to you, how should they go about that?

Penny: Writers can submit to me per my query guidelines that are on the FinePrint website. They're also welcome to let me know if their story is diverse. As for illustrators, I only take PB submissions on referral.

Lee: Anything I didn’t ask that you’d like to add?

Penny: Let's keep fighting the good fight and remember we're all in it together!

Lee: Getting the world of Children’s literature to better reflect the diversity of our world -- the world kids today are growing up in -- is so important. Thank you so much for working to make things better!

Penny: You're very welcome! It's been a blast!
Also, thank you for all the work you've done to keep the discussion on diversity going!

Thanks, Penny! Look for another Agent Looking For Diversity interview on the first Monday of next month. Until then,

Illustrate and Write On!
Lee

Linda Camacho (Prospect Agency): Agent Looking For Diversity

AGENTS AND EDITORS

NEED TO ADVERTISE THEIR INTEREST IN DIVERSITY

That's the idea. And this series is an effort to do just that.

For now we're focusing on agents, and today's post features agent Linda Camacho of the Prospect Agency.

Agent Linda Camacho

Linda's bio:

Linda Camacho joined Prospect Agency in 2015 after nearly a decade in publishing. After graduating from Cornell University, Linda interned at Simon & Schuster and Writers House literary agency, and worked at Penguin before happily settling into children's marketing at Random House. She has an MFA in creative writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

In terms of submissions, she's pretty omnivorous. She enjoys a variety of categories and genres, ranging from picture book to adult, from clean and lighthearted contemporary to edgy and dark fantasy. Her Twitter handle is @LindaRandom.

Our interview:

Lee: Hi Linda! Thanks so much for agreeing to talk about your interest in Diversity in Children's and Teen Literature!

Linda: Thank you for inviting me, Lee! I’ve been a fan for quite sometime, so I’m excited to be included in your amazing lineup of people involved in the discussion.

Lee: Aww, thanks. There's been growing discussion about how the 5,000 or so traditionally published books a year don't reflect the actual diversity of our world, including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the stunningly low numbers of representation revealed in "Children's Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States," put out by the CCBC (The Cooperative Children's Book Center.)

To start us off, of the submissions you get, let's say in the past year, how many of those projects included some kind of diversity of characters or theme?

Linda: I get way too many to count, but proportion-wise, I get quite a few submissions featuring diversity of some kind. In my unscientific deduction, I’d say it’s a 60/40 ratio of diverse vs non-diverse, so to speak. I credit that to the fact that I’m a POC (though sadly, not related to Macho Camacho) and that we’ve had a big spike in the diversity conversation the past year or so.

Lee: I love hearing that! Let's unpack that a bit: Are you seeing many stories featuring protagonists of color?

Linda: I am! It tends to be mentioned in query letters, so I do take note of it. The quality of those submissions, I will admit, can vary. Since diversity is a big trend now, I do get the occasional submission where I can tell that a character has been made “diverse” to garner interest. It reads as inauthentic and that’s very disappointing. Token characters are not what I’m looking for. On the flipside, I’ve received more authentic portrayals than not, so I can’t complain too much.

Lee: How about LGBTQ characters, and please break that down - are you seeing lesbian characters? gay? bi? trans? questioning? queer or gender non-conforming?

Linda: I definitely get LGBTQ characters as well. The most diverse submissions I see fall into this category, with a close second being ones featuring protagonists of color. With regards to LGBTQ, if I had to list in descending order of categorical quantity that I receive, it would be: Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Queer/Gender Non-conforming, Questioning, and Trans. These submissions tend to fall into the realistic genre. I’d also really, really like to see them branch into other genres as well, particularly fantasy and horror—and not just as side characters, but as protagonists.

Lee: I'm all for LGBTQ protagonists! How about characters with disabilities?

Linda: Sadly, these are the fewest I receive. One of my clients, a POC with a disability, recently lamented that there just aren’t enough books with disabled characters out in the world. That, of course, is something she and I will certainly be working on. And to other writers whose work features disabled characters, know that your voices are being sought by me and plenty of other agents, so please do submit.

Lee: Everyone reading, take note! Back to Linda, are you seeing other types of diversity in the works submitted? - And please share any specific categories that spring to mind.

Linda: I’m sure I’m missing something, seeing as how diversity can encompass so many things, but occasionally I do get plus-size protagonists. I’m a fat girl who’s always excited when I see a protagonist looks like me, without the plot necessarily revolving around weight loss. I’d love to see more of them across all genres.

Oh, and I recently got a few submissions with religious diversity, so that’s exciting!

Lee: How about the creators? Are you seeing under-represented writers and illustrators submitting to you?

Linda: I’m seeing more under-represented writers submit to me, so that’s promising. Would I love to see that number increase? Yes, absolutely. I’m still building my list, but so far, half of that list includes diverse writers across the board (one of them is Mary Cronin, actually, who was featured on your blog last May for her workshop on Gay (LGBT) & Questioning characters in Middle Grade).

Lee: Mary's workshop sounded amazing! (Here's that link.)

Linda: I’m focusing on my MG, YA, and adult fiction list at this stage, but if a special writer-illustrator catches my eye, I’m game. I have been trying to keep an eye out for under-represented illustrators, which I know editors are hungry for.

Lee: There's a lot of discussion about who has the 'right' to tell the story of an under-represented type of character. What's your take?

Linda: I have clients writing outside of their experience in terms of diversity, and I do like to ensure that they really do their research and to do the best they possibly can. I warn them to expect criticism and to learn from any mistakes they made. Yes, non-diverse (for lack of a better word) writers can certainly write about diversity, but I ask that they be humble and improve with each effort. I’m a Latina, but even though I’m a “diverse” person, I don’t speak for every POC and I certainly don’t get it right all the time. I’m learning as I go, too.

As someone in the publishing industry, I try to remain as open-minded and pragmatic as possible, since I’m all about inclusivity and, well, good business. However, there are times that my Latina side groans when I get yet another border crossing story written by a white person. Reflecting on that, however, I realize that it’s not so much that a white writer can’t write that border crossing story, but if that’s the only story they can think to tell with a latino character, I wonder why, when there are so many stories out there to tell. Therein lies the danger of only one story.

Maybe a better question a non-diverse writer should ask himself when writing that perspective is not can he write that particular story, but should he. If he really feels the answer is yes, since it’s adding to the canon, then they should. I’ve read some tremendous stories written by people who are not necessarily of that experience.

What I would really love to see more of is non-diverse people being allies in not only writing the subject matter, but also in helping those disenfranchised voices tell their own stories. That’s the true need, getting more diverse people access to create their narratives.

Lee: Nicely said. When you're submitting projects to editors, do you think stories with under-represented characters take more 'selling' on your part?

Linda: The diverse market is in an upswing right now, so I’ve seen things sell that wouldn’t have sold a year ago. It’s a trend, what can I say? I have a love/hate relationship with the word “trend,” but there you have it. I feel I can sell a story with an under-represented character more easily in this market. I only hope that it’s a trend that’s here to stay. The idea that it could be a passing fad is a scary prospect and I wonder where we’ll be even a year from now.

Lee: Here's hoping it's a trend like cooked food. That's really caught on. (Apologies to my raw food friends, but it was the best metaphor I could come up with...)

More seriously, I often feel the sense of ‘otherness’ is transferable. That from my own experiences being marginalized (for being Gay, being ill as a teen, being Jewish, being an Atheist, etc…) I feel tremendous empathy for people who are marginalized for other kinds of ‘otherness’ as well.

Can you share what’s driving your desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books?

Linda: I’ve been in publishing ten years now and hadn’t really realized the lack of diversity until a few years ago. It’s a funny thing, how what can seem completely normal can be problematic. I’m a Puerto Rican from the Bronx who went to prep school, then the Ivy League, and eventually, moved into publishing, all the while not questioning being the rare person of color in the room.

When I was working at Random House, I was getting my MFA in children’s writing, so my first semester, I introduced myself to writing instructor Matt de la Peña (whom we published). We had a lovely chat, during which he said it was important to write POC characters and to not be afraid to do so. I hadn’t really thought about it before and considered it for a long time afterward. I’d thought of POC characters as a bonus, not something that we really needed. I’ve learned so much since then. I’m still learning every day. I have to say, it is pretty nice to feel like I exist in books.

Beyond the authors, I’m well aware of how few diverse people are on the publishing side, which is something that I would like to see change over time as well. If you thought it was bad in the publishing houses, it’s even worse on the agenting side. I’ve really come to notice it now that I’m an agent. Also, as a POC writer who’s looking for diverse agents to query, that list is pathetically short. There are some people working to change that, folks like Michael Mejias at Writers House, who makes a concerted effort to recruit diverse candidates for the internship program (he’d recruited me way back when!). At Prospect Agency, I recently noticed that about half of us are POC, which is thrilling. We need more diverse recruitment across the board, so when I see more instances of that, I’ll be very glad.

Lee: Here, Here! Tell us about some books that highlighted or included diversity that you loved and that inspired you (maybe even ones you wish you represented). What’s a Picture Book favorite?

Linda: I really love Lauren Castillo’s Nana in the City, Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson’s Last Stop on Market Street, and Meg Medina’s Mango, Abuela, and Me because they harken back to my Bronx days when my abuela lived with us and would take my sister and me around.

Lee: Middle Grade?

Linda: So many!

· Cece Bell’s El Deafo
· Paolo Bacigalupi’s Zombi Baseball Beatdown
· Meg Medina’s Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass
· Varian Johnson’s The Great Greene Heist
· Alex Gino’s George
· Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming.

Lee: Young Adult?

Linda: Yet again, quite a few to choose from!

· Gene Luen Yang’s Boxers & Saints
· Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
· Malinda Lo’s Ash
· Rae Carson’s The Girl of Fire and Thorns
· Justine Larbalestier’s Liar
· Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
· Adam Silvera’s More Happy Than Not
· Sarai Walker’s Dietland

Lee: Okay, here’s your wish list moment. What are you looking for? Put out the call...

Linda: I love so many things. What I can say is that I’m especially looking for stellar middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction across all genres and all aspects of diversity (socio-economic, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, etc.). Like everyone else, I’m looking for a great story that resonates, really. More specifically, though, I’d love a fantasy set in a non-European setting and, of course, a story featuring a plus-size protagonist (contemporary is fine, but bonus points for another genre!)

While I’m only choosing to work on select illustrator projects, if you’re a diverse writer-illustrator, do reach out!

Lee: And for writers and/or illustrators reading this who feel a resonance with what you’ve shared and who want to submit to you, how should they go about that?

Linda: You can query me via the electronic form on Prospect Agency’s submission page (http://www.prospectagency.com/boathouse.html).

Lee: Anything I didn’t ask that you’d like to add?

Linda: Even with the state of diversity of the industry, things are slowly starting to shift. We have some terrific allies, “diverse” and “non-diverse” alike, who are fighting together to change things. I remain hopeful that given more time and more sweat, we can all effect a long-lasting change in publishing.

Lee: Getting the world of Children’s literature to better reflect the diversity of our world -- the world kids today are growing up in -- is so important. Thank you so much for working to make things better!

Linda: It’s something that hits close to home for me, so it’s definitely a pleasure. And thank you for the work you do on your end as well!

Thanks Linda! Look for another AGENT LOOKING FOR DIVERSITY interview on the first Monday of next month. Until then,

Illustrate and Write On!
Lee

Linda Epstein (Emerald City Literary Agency): Agent Looking For Diversity

AGENTS AND EDITORS

NEED TO ADVERTISE THEIR INTEREST IN DIVERSITY

That's the idea. And this series is an effort to do just that.

For now, we're focusing on agents, and today's post features agent Linda P. Epstein of Emerald City Literary Agency.

Agent Linda Epstein

Here's Linda's bio:
Linda Epstein has been a literary agent since 2011. She joined Emerald City Literary Agency in 2016, representing picture books, and middle grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction. Prior to that she was at the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency for 4 ½ years. Linda speaks at writing conferences throughout North America and you can find her all over the Internet, at her agency website EmeraldCityLiterary.com on Facebook, on Twitter @LindaEpstein, and talking about writing and publishing on her blog theblabbermouthblog.com.


And here's our interview:

Lee: Hi Linda! Thanks so much for agreeing to talk about your interest in Diversity in Children's and Teen Literature!

Linda: Hey there, Lee! Thank you so much for the opportunity. It’s truly my pleasure.

Lee: There's been growing discussion about how the 5,000 or so traditionally published books a year don't reflect the actual diversity of our world, including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the stunningly low numbers of representation revealed in "Children's Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States," put out by the CCBC (The Cooperative Children's Book Center.)

To start us off, of the submissions you get, let's say in the past year, how many of those projects included some kind of diversity of characters or theme?

Linda: First of all, can we have some applause for the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement?! I’m hopeful that this focus of attention on the lack of diversity in traditional publishing will make a difference. I think it’s important to make sure forward movement occurs, and that it’s not just talk and hashtags. As agents are the first “gatekeeper” in the traditional publishing world, I’m trying to do my part to attract and encourage projects with diversity of characters or theme, and written by diverse authors. But to answer your question, I think only about 3 or 4% of the new projects that come my way could be categorized as “diverse.” Which is frustrating, given my commitments.

Lee: Let's unpack that more: Are you seeing many stories featuring protagonists of color?

Linda: Not so much. In the last year I probably only got a handful of submissions that included Hispanic or Latino characters, and then maybe another handful of submissions with Asian characters. I rarely get any submissions with African American main characters. Mostly I see people of color cast as peripheral characters, like my black best friend, that Chinese girl in class, or the Puerto Rican kid down the block.

I’ve tried to let writers know I want to see more stories in my inbox where the protagonist is a person of color, that this is something important to me, but I haven’t been very successful. I’ll have to figure out some other ways to attract those kinds of submissions.

Lee: Here's hoping this interview will help! How about LGBTQ characters, and please break that down - are you seeing lesbian characters? gay? bi? trans*? questioning? queer or gender non-conforming?

Linda: I’m more successful in this area. Perhaps this is because LGBTQ writers know I represent Lambda and Stonewall book award winning author Bill Konigsberg? Of the submissions that can be put in this category, in the past year I’d say I get mostly stuff by and about gay males. After that would be lesbian and bi girls, in about equal numbers. I can’t recall if I’ve gotten any submissions with a trans, questioning, or gender non-conforming character, which shows how few of these have ever come my way. I currently represent three clients who specifically write about LGBTQ characters, and who identify as one of those letters. That’s not the reason I initially took any of them on as clients though. For me, it always always always comes down to the story. These are authors who are writing great stories, and who know their craft.

Lee: I was so happy for Bill and his recent win! Congrats to you both. How about characters with disabilities?

Linda: I get very few submissions about characters with things that could be labeled a disability. I get so uncomfortable with the “disability” label. For example, say you’ve lost your leg. You have a prosthetic limb that you’re comfortable with. You do all the things that you like to do, and are even on the track team at school. I mean, you might think it sucks that you need to use a prosthetic, but you also might not consider yourself disabled. To me, disabled implies not working at full capacity or in some way handicapped. And perhaps some people with a prosthetic limb would fall into that category, but certainly not everyone. I’ve heard the term “differently abled” used, but that sounds so clunky. I think we’ve got to come up with a better moniker for this.

Lee: Are you seeing other types of diversity in the works submitted? - And please share any specific categories that spring to mind.

Linda: Not so much. I do get some submissions of stories that either touch upon or include characters on the autistic spectrum.

Lee: How about the creators? Are you seeing under-represented writers and illustrators submitting to you?

Linda: I don’t think so. Or, if I am, they aren’t identifying themselves as such. I mean, how would I know? I really want my list to be more diverse but it seems like I get very few under-represented writers or illustrators submitting to me. I think.

Lee:There's a lot of discussion about who has the 'right' to tell the story of an under-represented type of character. What's your take?

Linda: I believe that writers, as artists, are free to write about whatever they’d like. I don’t think one has to live a particular experience, or be labeled a particular thing (whether that’s based on gender, sexual orientation, race, lived experience, or something else…) to tell the story of a traditionally under-represented type of character. The most important thing, in my opinion, is to do one’s best at getting it “right.” That, of course, can be the difficult part.

Lee: When you're submitting projects to editors, do you think stories with under-represented characters take more 'selling' on your part?

Linda: Most of my experience with this has been in submitting LGBTQ projects, and I’d have to say no, it doesn’t take more selling. This has changed though. I’ve only been in the publishing industry for seven years, but when I first got into the business LGBTQ projects were still considered “niche.” That’s not the case any longer, which I’m so happy about.

Lee: Here I have to interject with a "YAY!"

Linda: It’s also been a positive selling point when I’ve had the opportunity to pitch some of my client’s projects and say something like, “This story includes ethnically and racially diverse characters.” The editors that I know are looking to publish books that more accurately reflect the diversity of our world.

Lee: I often feel the sense of ‘otherness’ is transferable. That from my own experiences being marginalized (for being Gay, being ill as a teen, being Jewish, being an Atheist, etc…) I feel tremendous empathy for people who are marginalized for other kinds of ‘otherness’ as well.
Can you share what’s driving your desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books?

Linda: This is kind of a funny question. I mean, I get it… I really do. I guess I’ve felt like an outsider in some ways, and at times I’ve felt marginalized for various reasons, but I’m not sure that those feelings have anything to do with why I’m committed to diversity in literature. Someone once said to me, “You’re not black, you’re not gay. Why do you care so much?” I had to laugh. I don’t really need a reason to be committed to diversity in literature, or a reason why I care, do I? I just care. Maybe what drives my desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books is my personal commitment to do my part to make the world a better place. I know the world will be a better place when all different kinds of voices can be heard, telling all different kinds of stories. It’s way more interesting that way, don’t you think?

Lee: Yes, I do. Well said.

Tell us about some books that highlighted or included diversity that you loved and that inspired you (maybe even ones you wish you represented). What’s a Picture Book favorite?

Linda: I don’t know if this would traditionally be considered a “diverse” book, but Munro Leaf’s FERDINAND is an all time favorite of mine. I find it inspiring because it’s about a character who lives his life true to who he is. It’s not specifically about what we're talking about when we talk about diversity, and yet… Also it’s about being peaceful. I must have read Mem Fox’s WHOEVER YOU ARE to my own children about a thousand times when they were little. I loved reading it because it goes for a global perspective of humanity, uniting us as a human family. Another favorite picture book is Chris Raschka’s CHARLIE PARKER PLAYED BE BOP, because I love the pictures and the musicality of the text.

Lee: Middle Grade?

Linda: I was blown away by Holly Goldberg Sloan’s COUNTING BY 7’s. That’s one I wish I’d repped. And like so many other people, I really loved Cece Bell’s graphic memoir, EL DEAFO.

Lee: Young Adult?

Linda: Well, I’m lucky enough to be able to brag that I represent Bill Konigsberg, and quite honestly I’m one of his biggest fans! If you haven’t read THE PORCUPINE OF TRUTH, get on it. For me, it hits all the right notes: friendship, family, spirituality, history. It’s SO good. A couple of YA books that I’ve particularly enjoyed, by people I don’t represent, are Jandy Nelson’s I’LL GIVE YOU THE SUN and Malinda Lo’s ASH. Both were terrific.

Lee: Okay, here’s your wish list moment. What are you looking for? Put out the call...

Linda: Like many other agents and editors, I find this such a difficult question to answer, because I really just want to say, “Something different!” And how do I know what that is, until it comes to my in-box? That being said, I can specifically say that I’d like to rep more racially and culturally diverse stories and I’d like to rep racially and culturally diverse authors. I’m on the lookout for diversity, in general. My client list is currently full of extraordinary writers, writing quirky, interesting, funny, challenging, entertaining, sometimes even important stories. I guess my wish list is for more of that!

Lee: And for writers and/or illustrators reading this who feel a resonance with what you’ve shared and who want to submit to you, how should they go about that?

Linda: They should follow the submission guidelines on my agency’s website (Emerald City Literary agency) or my blog (theblabbermouthblog.com), and send queries to QueryLinda (at) EmeraldCityLiterary.com. I suppose it would be helpful if they want to mention in their query if they identify themselves as part of an under-represented community. Of course that won’t guarantee that I’ll take them on as a client, but I’ll be honest, I will give their work a closer look. 

Lee: Getting the world of Children’s literature to better reflect the diversity of our world -- the world kids today are growing up in -- is so important. Thank you so much for working to make things better!

Linda: Thank you, Lee, for giving me the opportunity to let people know I want to see more submissions by and about all kinds of people. Bring ‘em on!


Thanks again, Linda! Look for another AGENT LOOKING FOR DIVERSITY interview on the first Monday of next month. Until then,

Illustrate and Write On!
Lee

Laura Zats (Red Sofa Literary): Agent Looking For Diversity

AGENTS AND EDITORS

NEED TO ADVERTISE THEIR INTEREST IN DIVERSITY

That's the idea. And this series is an effort to do just that.

For now we're focusing on agents, and today's post features agent Laura Zats of Red Sofa Literary.

Agent Laura Zats

Here's Laura's bio:

Laura Zats graduated from Grinnell College with degrees in English and anthropology. While completing her studies, she took advantage of her love of Young Adult literature and wrote a thesis on identity formation in YA. She’s been working as an editor since 2011 and has held positions at companies in both the US and the UK. In 2013, Laura joined Team Red Sofa as Associate Agent.

Even though she loved YA books first, titles that are Middle Grade, romance, and Sci-fi/Fantasy have been slowly taking hold. Picking a favorite genre now would be like choosing between puppies and kittens. In her free time, Laura likes to craft, swing dance, bake, and binge on Netflix marathons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Doctor Who.

And here's our interview:

Lee: Hi Laura!

Laura: Hello! Thanks fo much for having me!

Lee: Thanks so much for agreeing to talk about your interest in Diversity in Children's and Teen Literature!

Laura: You are most welcome! Look at us! So full of enthusiasm and exclamation marks!

Lee: Ha! (Oh gosh, there's another one.) There's been growing discussion about how the 5,000 or so traditionally published books a year don't reflect the actual diversity of our world, including the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and the stunningly low numbers of representation revealed in "Children's Books by and about People of Color Published in the United States," put out by the CCBC (The Cooperative Children's Book Center http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/pcstats.asp )

To start us off, of the submissions you get, let's say in the past year, how many of those projects included some kind of diversity of characters or theme?

Laura: Well, my experience might not be a 100% accurate one, as I have had a standing request for diverse submissions for quite a while, but I'd say that in total, my submissions are comprised of maybe 30% diverse books. If you section out twitter competitions or #MSWL submissions, you'll land closer in the 70% range. Of course, I'm not just talking racial diversity. I am considering also religious, socio-economic, neuro, gender, sexuality, ability, and size diversity.

Lee: Let's unpack that a bit: Are you seeing many stories featuring protagonists of color?

Laura: Many but not enough! I am seeing much more mixed-race protagonists than any other type, because I think for white authors, it seems a bit "easier" to write about that liminal state, although I don't think that the experiences of mixed individuals are easier to understand or relate with than others. The next most prevalent is black protagonists, followed by latino (they all seem to be Puerto Rican, for some reason though). I'd love to see more representation from the Mid-East and Eastern countries!

Lee: How about LGBTQ characters, and please break that down - are you seeing lesbian characters? gay? bi? trans*? questioning? queer or gender non-conforming?

Laura: Oh man! Well that is really two different questions--one about sexuality, and one about gender expression and identity.

Lee: I appreciate you breaking it down like that. Go on...

Laura: On sexuality, I am seeing more lesbian characters than gay characters, especially in SFF. I'm missing books with bi characters (especially bi men!), and completely missing books with questioning characters (although that might be because of my disinterest in repping a coming-out story).

As for gender identity, I am seeing a very small amount of trans characters, but they're almost all books about the coming out and the transitioning process. There is a huge proportion of the trans community that aren't transitioning, or never plan to, and I'd love to see their stories. There is a fair amount of books hinting at a character being gender-queer, but not a lot of gender non-conforming, and I'd break my first love YA ban to see a gender non-conforming protagonist be a lead in one!

Lee: I kind of love that you have a "ban" and that you're willing to break it!

How about characters with disabilities?

Laura: As always, we get a lot of limping/wheelchair-bound protagonists (always paraplegic, never quad). There's often lots of supporting characters with degenerative diseases as well, but not a ton of anything else. Except for YA romances with deaf protagonists. That is also a thing.

A new exciting area that has been getting a lot of attention though is neurodiversity, usually in terms of a TBI or an autism-spectrum disorder. I'm super excited about that, but I sometimes think that some authors treat autism in books as just a disorder they can attach to their MC's quirky sidekick, and that doesn't do much as far as representation goes.

Lee: Agreed. We need diversity to go beyond the sidekicks, to the stars of the story!

Are you seeing other types of diversity in the works submitted? - And please share any specific categories that spring to mind.

Laura: I'm seeing some socio-economic diversity, but especially in the given political climate in the US, I'd LOVE to see more religious diversity, and, relatedly, cultural diversity. Today, I put out a call for more Muslim characters, especially as romantic leads!

Lee: Nice. I'd read that.

How about the creators? Are you seeing under-represented writers and illustrators submitting to you?

Laura: You know, I rarely even read author names/do author research until I am really far into their book--even sending requests, typing the name is so automatic, 30 seconds later I couldn't tell you what I typed--there's no time for me to race anyone! I only know if someone is under-represented if they say so in their query or in our phone call.

When I answer queries or read manuscripts, story is king. Being diverse doesn't increase your chances of me wanting to work with you, but my commitment to diversity in subject is represented in what books I request, and my commitment to diversity in authorship is reflected in my social media presence and my continuous call for diverse authors--but they still have to come to me and go through the same process.

Lee: There's a lot of discussion about who has the 'right' to tell the story of an under-represented type of character. What's your take?

Laura: I think that books with under-represented characters are a good thing. Full stop. I do not think that you necessarily have to be in that minority to write a book about a character, because I do not believe that an individual's experience can or should speak for an entire group. I also believe that literature represents the world around us, and it's silly to expect a white, straight, cisgender male to only write about people who resemble him.

What I will say though is that every author, but ESPECIALLY a non-minority author, has the responsibility to make sure that their story is as close to accurate as possible when it comes to the experiences of the characters therein. This means doing research. This means having beta readers of people in that group. It means that you should want them to call out when you do/say something wrong. It WILL happen, and it should happen, and you should fix it and learn from it. That's what being a good ally is.

I don't, however, think that making the writing of non-minority authors more diverse should give people an excuse to avoid reading books by marginalized groups. These books should just add to the pile, not edge out others. And I think this is the responsibility of people like me (agents), publishers, and also of readers to make sure that we acknowledge both diversity of character and diversity of author.

Lee: When you're submitting projects to editors, do you think stories with under-represented characters take more 'selling' on your part?

Laura: No. I don't. But that might be because I am known to the editors I work with as "that agent who does feminism and diversity." The agents I sell to care about these things as much as I do, and know to expect it from me.

Lee: I often feel the sense of ‘otherness’ is transferable. That from my own experiences being marginalized (for being Gay, being ill as a teen, being Jewish, being an Atheist, etc…) I feel tremendous empathy for people who are marginalized for other kinds of ‘otherness’ as well.

Can you share what’s driving your desire to see more diversity in Children’s and Teen books?

Laura: Sure! Well, to start off with, I was raised Jewish, and I'm a woman, and the bulk of my upper schooling has been very racially mixed. I also come from a feminist queer family, and as a heterosexual in that environment, have experienced an interesting blend of being othered myself and of seeing what is my norm be othered in the larger world. It has made me largely aware of the different labels humans place upon themselves and others.

Lee: Tell us about some books that highlighted or included diversity that you loved and that inspired you (maybe even ones you wish you represented). What’s a Picture Book favorite?

Laura: Last Stop on Market Street! Agent Carly Watters just told me about it, and it's lovely! A great depiction of class and racial differences.

[note: About a month after this interview happened, Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson, won the Newbery Medal.]

Lee: Middle Grade?

Laura: Well, I just read a great book (it's not out yet, but will be in the next year or so) from #pitchwars, and right now it's called Alan Kim is Not a Coward. The main character is Korean, gay, and the son of immigrants. It made me cry.

Lee: I want to read that.

Laura: I also really loved El Deafo. I read that recently!

Lee: Young Adult?

Laura: Oh man. Eleanor & Park for sure, if I'm keeping with the theme of Diverse Books That Made Laura Cry. And, obviously, many of the books on my list! I've got a book in development now with my author Lisa Sills that is about a boy's coming-of-age post-transition. It's not a coming-out book, but more of a book about how, after this guy can be who he really is, he then gets to figure out who he wants to be!

Lee: Okay, here’s your wish list moment. What are you looking for? Put out the call...

Laura: Well, my ultimate diverse #MSWL is for an anti-coming-out YA story, where the MC is coming to terms with their straightness in a queer community. I want it to be about how they're both othered and not, and them figuring out who they are and where they belong.

Other than that, I want it all. With two caveats: I do not want coming-out books, and I don't want problems disguised as people (so, no books teaching lessons).

Lee: And for writers and/or illustrators reading this who feel a resonance with what you’ve shared and who want to submit to you, how should they go about that?

Laura: Send a query to laura (at) redsofaliterary (dot) com!

Lee: Anything I didn’t ask that you’d like to add?

Laura: I think we just about covered it! If you have any more questions, just ask me on twitter @LZats!

Lee: Getting the world of Children’s literature to better reflect the diversity of our world -- the world kids today are growing up in -- is so important. Thank you so much for working to make things better!

Laura: And thanks for having me!


Thanks Laura! Look for another AGENT LOOKING FOR DIVERSITY interview on the first Monday of next month. Until then,

Illustrate and Write On!
Lee