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Ep. 141 Lit Agent TELLS ALL about the industry, and what's it like to edit manuscripts
31 Plays14 days ago
I’m excited to introduce you to Jenissa Graham, a Literary Agent at BookEnds Literary Agency. Jenissa began her publishing career at Writers House, starting as an intern and working her way up to the Subrights department as the Global Licensing and Media Rights Assistant. In 2022, she joined BookEnds Literary as an Associate Agent and Subrights Manager, where she began building her client list while also supporting the agency in Film/TV, Merchandise, and Audio. In 2024, she transitioned to agenting full-time. As a first-generation Jamaican American, Jenissa is deeply passionate about increasing BIPOC representation in publishing and is always looking for new underrepresented authors. Currently based in New York, when she’s not reading submissions, writing, or adding to her “maybe one day I’ll read” pile, you can find her binging reruns of her favorite shows, fiddling with her tarot decks, or stressing over her beloved plants, Pacific, Ted, and Teddy. Join me as we explore her journey in the publishing world and her commitment to amplifying diverse voices. Listen to audio versions here:
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
All set.
00:00:10
Speaker
don't always have people like this beautiful human um today on my on my podcast, but I'm super excited because we're going to talk about some things that I often don't talk about. um I am very new to this journey of publishing, um but today I have someone who's an expert, who's an expert. um Do you mind introducing yourself?
00:00:31
Speaker
Yeah, um my name is Janissa Graham, and I'm an agent and sub rights manager at Bookends Literary Agency, and I'm excited to be here. Janissa, how are you doing? How are things? I'm doing great. You know, it's summertime in New York, so let's get into that hot heat. Publishing is publishing, but we're making a group. uhu And is New York, I thought I read that New York, you're currently living in New York.
00:00:57
Speaker
Yeah, but brookly okay in New York isn't home. Is that correct? technically Yeah, okay, born upstate, but I moved to Georgia when I was 12. And so I've been there ever since I relocated back to the city um two years ago. And I'm trying to be here. Wow. And I always start with this question and feel free to go as deep as you want to. um Tell me a little bit about Little Janissa. What did that look like for you growing up as a kid? um And specifically when it comes to, I guess, reading and writing and literature? Yeah, so Little Janissa always had a book in her hand or a notebook. And that's kind of when I knew I was maybe not a different child, but maybe like maybe now looking back, the more artsy one.
00:01:44
Speaker
My mom and my sister, they they went on their journeys in the education system. So teaching, things like that. I knew I wanted more on the creative side. So building stories, characters, worlds in my head. Random fact, I also played the violin. So I was also like, you know, I was going to be on the creative spectrum, I would call it. And so yeah, between classes, writing like little stories, notebooks, talking about books, big fantasy reader growing up,
00:02:13
Speaker
I also love like a good contemporary. And then I think, you know, seeing it now and not a lot of people that like looked like us and kind of growing up and realizing now it's okay for us to be those main characters and those who want to see it more. And I think I studied creative writing at Georgia State University and know the same thing. Like they're like, this is a dying entity. English is basic. Get into these fields. I'm not getting listed. But I was like, no, it's not really. the in creative writing and then, you know, did like a lot of sales jobs and things like that. I think Little Janissa will be proud of where, you know, maturing Janissa is right now. ah hu And look back.
00:02:50
Speaker
I love that. And I don't know you personally, but I am proud like to see you in the position that you're in. um When I've seen you online and others like you online, it makes me um so happy to see that there are individuals like you who are not only paving the way, but looking out for authors like myself and others who are to come um and who are already um within the publishing industry because it matters so much. Representation matters so much. We can't say it enough. um And I think it leads into my like my next question. And I wrote this question down, actually. So like how has your like background shaped your perspectives and the types of authors that you're like passionate about championing? Because I see that that's something you write in like your mission and what you want to do as um a literary agent.
00:03:43
Speaker
Yeah, I think it goes back to me like becoming, falling in love with industry because I always wanted to be a writer first. And so even doing that though, maybe like I had a phase where I felt uncomfortable even having a black main character because I never saw it happen. Like really honestly, you can tell that, okay, we're on screen or on page. So it's like, okay, i I can make this character black, but like having more questions about it. I think there's never been a moment where as a white author, they have to like question whether they're going to be a main character.
00:04:10
Speaker
It's, you know, do I have to put somebody else in there? I feel like as, you know, a person of color, i ask people like as a black person, as a black woman, like always having to second guess yourself. I didn't want to do that kind of when it came to the industry. I'm also a first generation Jamaican. My dad was born in Jamaica. My mom was born in London. So I really love stories that have that cultural background, that lore. And I think especially in fantasy, it's so big. And I think there's so many different identity conversations that we can have through storytelling that I want to see more in the forefront.
00:04:37
Speaker
And again, just increasing that number when I got into the industry, it was what less than 5% of books, wow why African Americans are being published, so they can learn, you know, that's ridiculous. And even the one that came out a couple years ago about in picture books, I know, like you also do picture books and kind of kid lit as well. But there are more um books about animals I came, then people were calling. It's crazy. And it's like, okay, we can connect with the fox. We can't connect with the black or brown person. And that's such an issue to me. Uh-huh. It is. It is. And I think it's so interesting because I've seen those graphics and those graphics have been shared so many times and it's still not enough. Like we, you know,
00:05:16
Speaker
publishing houses say it and agents and authors are saying it, but it's still not enough books. um We still look at the shelves and we are still, you know, there's still a lack of representation for us. Were there people outside of it? And it's because it sounded like um your family was an influence for you in regards to the books that you were reading.
00:05:36
Speaker
Were there teachers that have influenced the type of books that were put in your hand you speak about fantasy? And i I want to think about fantasy because I was never given fantasy books that had characters that looked like me. I was given, the you know, the the Harry Potters and it was like shoved down my throat. It was like, this was the one you need to read. But but were there teachers out there or people out there outside of like your family that were giving you those books?
00:06:05
Speaker
To be honest, not really. And I think that was kind of the issue in that hole that was kind of being plugged. I had like a lot of teachers who were black women who were saying, you know, be proud of who you are. But like when it came to teaching material, it was kind of telling a different story. Not by their fault, but just because of kind of the curriculum of being passed and also what we thought was out there. And then my mom, she studied um black studies, African American studies. And so again, kind of seeing that balance of why is it only black stories told in this light, but not in like the world. It wasn't until I was reading more and it got into like more like the empty exemption and then reading like Angie Thomas and Caleb Byron and and finally getting into the book industry and saying like, oh, there is a demographic here. There are readers here. We aren't invisible. And finally publishing is catching up. And so unfortunately, I didn't have that growing up. And that's why I want to ah fill and plug that hole in now. And I love that because all the people that you mentioned, they also like they sound like family. So when you're reading their stories, like their voices aren't
00:07:00
Speaker
covered up in if I'm being super candid like you know like the academia of of education or what the typical book would look like it doesn't sound white it sounds like a black person or a person like us wrote it and I think that's one of the reasons why I love literature today um and so a lot of the authors that are of today because when I'm reading them they make me feel like I'm at home and I never had that growing up either and it just like really has shifted my mindset in regards to what I want to do as a writer um as well because there is no limitations but it does also depend a lot on someone like you
00:07:41
Speaker
right? Someone like you who trusts that person in their voice, et cetera. Can you tell me a little bit about the voices that you represent? Um, the voices that you look for in manuscripts. Um, and what does that process look like for you when you're trying to find those individuals? Yeah. So I think first and foremost, I'm like, you kind of pointed out and I'm always going to stay anywhere in your room five o'clock first.
00:08:06
Speaker
And I think that's always going to be my priority. And I think even when I hop on this offer clause, it's, I'm not picking this story because it's a black book or Latinx book. It was a really good book. And the main character happened to be black or brown. And I haven't seen this before. And I think that's such a distinction that I really want to set forth for people in the book publishing industry. We're not here to fill a quota or be a token. Like we deserve the same space as everyone else. So when it comes to like the backgrounds, how is it being approached differently? Is it going to be the structure? Is it going to be kind of like a retelling that we've seen?
00:08:36
Speaker
being published hundreds of times by you know a string of people, but you know not giving up 24 black and brown people. And I think really cultivating that voice. And I think that rawness of it. I read everything. So I'm going to do speculative, fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary, make me laugh, cry. I think as long as I think the good bones are there to really get into that main character, because I'm very character driven, I think, and very arc heavy.
00:09:01
Speaker
you kind of like sell me at the front door. And so when it comes to that process, I think it's really kind of like going through that, that one line page, going through those three notes, going through those pages and really figuring out what was that factor for me? I call it the Oolong. So if I'm reading the query letter and I go like, o or like in the first 10 pages, I know you got me. I think that's kind of the thing that I'm waiting for. And I see a more now going on in my ranges from picture book, all the way up to adult, I'll even do literary fiction. And that's important to me.
00:09:28
Speaker
So I vote first, definitely, and also if any represent a community. So if it's like ah own voices, if it's going to be like an adoptee story, something that like we've never seen before. I always want to highlight any type of community that I think hasn't been to the forefront.
00:09:41
Speaker
Mm hmm. I think that's so important. I think that's so important. I guess my next question is because I kind of went through this phase when I first started looking for an agent, and like what are the steps to find not necessarily, I guess maybe, yeah, find someone like you and then submitting some sort of piece of writing? Because one of the things I found when I went through that process is that Y'all want different things. Like one person wants it this way. And I i totally understand that and I am such a, you know, um systematic person when it comes to things that are being given to me. So I totally understand why agents would want certain things a certain way.
00:10:22
Speaker
um like But let's talk specifically for you. And if you want to speak but like on a broader sense of what agents look for, um what do they do and when they send you information in regards to manuscripts, et cetera? Yeah, so you can see like my submission. Yeah, ah yeah.
00:10:40
Speaker
Um, usually like I'm using query manager now. So I'm going to ask for query letter first 10 pages. I don't require a synopsis because like me and my writing background, I hated writing them. So I'm not going to put an office through that. That's kind of, you know, good for you. yeah You gotta give back. And I think they're like, I don't need this. Plus I hate to be spoiled. Um, because it's like a thriller, um, contemporary or fantasy. I don't want to be spoiled. I'm never really going to read the synopsis. And I think it's important to authors to kind of have like a press case. You should know now it's kind of like,
00:11:09
Speaker
you know, as an author, like having that bio headshot kind of packet ready. And so same thing when it comes to anybody who wants to create at least have your first two chapters, I think I ended up double space time through Roman have that pitch letter have a synopsis because a lot of authors do a lot of agency require it. And just you know, a bio about you and I think For me, it was really social media that got me really privy to all my opportunities. I found my first internship in publishing on The Writing Community and Twitter. That's where I'd found just other editors, other agents, other writers. So I think for right now, if there's somebody who is more social media savvy, getting involved in The Writing Community, a lot of page contests, I think,
00:11:46
Speaker
have landed people their agent, their book deals. And then if not going on, again, like query tracker, researching those agencies and going through like their major push list. but I think it's important to think long-term. If you just write this one genre, but you know, you want to explore, look at somebody who kind of represents that whole range of things. I've spent a lot of clients who are like, I signed with this person and they only do middle grades. I'm also looking for like picture book representation. And I think that can kind of get muddled down the way.
00:12:12
Speaker
So if you can find someone that's willing to kind of represent your whole career for long-standing purposes, that's probably the best bet as well. And I like that because, yeah, if you have to juggle multiple agents for multiple books, I can see that getting a little... I mean, for me at least, I would hate that.
00:12:30
Speaker
that I would not do well with that. i'm all right like I'm a teacher and I'm already getting emails from like parents and staff and like I just can't even imagine. and all right like I only have one age right now and I'm like you know really taking my time in the process and we get emails all the time. like I can't imagine getting emails from different people about different things. I think that would drive me crazy. I mean, it may work for other people, but I could totally see how that could work out for having one person handling everything. And it's so interesting that you mentioned going online and being active with agents and people, because that's exactly kind of what I did. like i Because I'm a reader and I have a lot of you know authors that I enjoy, I just went and I was like, who is soand so-and-so's agent? um who is like And I would go online and I would search like on ah Twitter or X and just be like, who's looking for submissions? and
00:13:28
Speaker
Like you said, there's so many people that are constantly asking authors to share information with them um and then you just send them out and then you kind of see what happens. So I appreciate that because sometimes I think people are just a little bit scared of what to do or they don't know what to do. um And it's not hard. It's just like I think the waiting can can play a toll on some people um as well. Right. How many submissions would you say you get over time?
00:13:57
Speaker
Um, I think now I'm at the point where if I reopen up the queries next week, cause I'm currently closed, I'd probably average about five or five 50 a month. And then it's kind of like going through that. And that's a lot. I know. It's a lot. It is just why I'm closed right now. I'm kicking up. Um, but I think, yeah, and I think we, me personally, I don't go in order when it comes to query hugely, I'll filter it. Like, okay, today I know I want something more notar grade. I want something more, you know, serious. I might do like a contemporary or now I'm in the mood for a mystery thriller.
00:14:27
Speaker
if I have like my coffee with me or, you know, wine. So I think it just depends on like, I'm very much a mood reader as well. But yeah, I think agents are trying to do better with controlling their inbox because that wait time also has been a lot. But if we are getting like 100 plus a week, it is hard to keep up with. It is crazy. And like, if we're also still building a list, I'm still a newer agent. I'm, I'm two, two years in now and I have about a list of 22 right now.
00:14:52
Speaker
So juggling all of them, all that editorial type of styles, it does kind of pull me from my inbox sometimes, but I love when I'm reading queries though. And I can find the first invoice. Yeah, I think that I could, I could see why that is so fun. Cause like, especially if it's like a new author and they're just sharing for the first time and you get to be introduced to a new world, a new person.
00:15:13
Speaker
a new writing style, like all the things. I can totally see how intriguing that would be. And also difficult, because if you're getting 50 or 100 of them, that's a lot of reading. That's so much reading. And they have to make it so they get way more. So I mean, I found out that I'm playing, because I see some 80 post there stats, and they got like 1,000 in this month. Oh, god.
00:15:36
Speaker
That is insane. And I mean, those are, and top oh I don't know if a lot of them are, but like some of them are novels, middle grade, young adult, adult. And those things are long. So I can't even imagine how much time it takes for you just to get through it, digest it, and then provide feedback and then make a decision.
00:16:01
Speaker
Like for you, is that like, do you know right away? Do you sit with it for a little bit? Like how does that process process work for you? Yeah. So I think usually I'm able to kind of pinpoint right away if I'm going, if it's a be that good fit for me or not. There's sometimes I read the query letter. I'm like, oh okay, this might be better for this agent at my agency. um So like I'll forward along a pass to them, but usually by the query letter, I think that's why for me, it's so important for the query letter to kind of be as polished as possible because I think I compare that to the cover when you're walking in a bookstore. So that query letter is the first thing that an agent is going to kind of see and read before that 10 pages. Same thing if you walk into a Barnes and Noble and you see like a book cover, that's going to be the first time it kind of stops you and say like, okay, let me read more. And so usually by the time that happens, I'll either read the query letter or even like the one line pitch. So how are you going to elevate elevator pick me your story in one line? What is the most important thing that you're trying to sell me on to keep my attention? And it's not saying because a story
00:16:57
Speaker
doesn't have those elements, but if I have 550, I have to narrow down as quickly as possible, not even for my benefit, but also for that author, if we're even gonna be the right fit, because I would hate to waste your time when it comes to querying, because I know how hard it can be. i was and that was That was my next question, like what makes a good query letter, and you just said it, I think that's the first thing you're gonna look at, right? And you're really, and it's weird, and I don't know how but i don't have other words to say, but you're really selling, yours that's how you're selling yourself there, is through that letter, it's like,
00:17:26
Speaker
who you are on the page before they get into whatever the manuscript is. What does your day-to-day look like outside of reading a lot? Outside of reading a lot, for me, it's also kind of relationship building. So getting to know all the editors out there, because if I have a very high YA or even adult list right now, hopping on the call with editors from a Viking Children or a Harper's Children, something like that, getting to know like what they're looking for. What's on your list right now? What's kind of that slate of schedule for 2026? What's working right now in the market? What's not working right now in the market? So being able to talk to editors in real time about what's kind of going through sales meetings and what's not, can also help me when it comes to like my list right now when it comes to that. So I think a lot of it is relationship building.
00:18:16
Speaker
A lot of it is client management. So talking to my new clients that either have just recently sold. So now we're working on, you know, getting your press kit ready. um Having those cover meeting calls, that marketing calls, getting those blurbs ready. If it's somebody who's still revising, okay, let let's hop on this creative call because, you know, maybe you're stuck here. So let's have an hour call to really break down this world building. I'm very developmental when it comes to my editorial style. Let's bounce ideas off of each other when it comes to it. It's probably one of the most fun parts of my job.
00:18:42
Speaker
or writing a pitch letter, creating a sub list, accounting. I think an agent wears so many hats under being an agent. We are talking department. We are going through contracts to read it because some agencies don't have a contract department. So I'm going through with the red pen, you know, add an Esquire to my last name at some point because, you know, but this is what we're doing. It's following up on submissions. um Sometimes, you know,
00:19:06
Speaker
having more talks with like within the agency department about like, okay, this is my stuff that's going out next week. What do you think about it? So a lot of it is getting sometimes second eyes on things to just make zoom or collecting submissions, talking to your clients. And, you know, at the end of the day, it's like, okay, cool. Now I can jump to my queries and find something else, blocking time off to read and edit. So It's a lot, but it's also exciting when we do get an offer or, you know, we know so much more in acquisitions as well. ah Of course. And I think that's the most exciting part because you do so much. There's so many there's so much in the back end.
00:19:38
Speaker
the emails, the conversations, and then when the contract comes in, the conversations start happening with editors. There is so much exciting um so much excitement around that, and I know that feeling because it's still very, very new to me. ah Can you tell me about your time at Writer's House? Because we talked about this very briefly, um and I didn't know. I didn't know that, but it makes me feel very happy.
00:20:03
Speaker
yeah and with an internship Was an internship there? or your book So I started off with the writers at the internship program. That was my first um job, like in the traditional publishing. And so I was there, I was interning under the desk of Marilee Heifetz, and I had my own supervisor there, Rebecca as well. And so that's when I was learning how to really read queries and kind of make that a exciting factor. And also learning like the other styles of other agents. So me trying to figure out what Marilee liked at that point in time.
00:20:32
Speaker
um What things work for her and luckily enough for Marilee and for me and my benefit she read everything So middle grade graphic novels all the way up to adults I got see such a wide range of queries which I loved and then also kind of that one-on-one sessions with the mentorship director about Building learning more about the the industry So we went through like everything about sales publicity marketing cover design and really trying to figure out if you want to stay in publishing What's the best job for you?
00:20:56
Speaker
I knew I either wanted to be an agent or editor, so we were working on like, pitch letters. um What does it mean to write a reader report? What does it mean to write an editorial letter? How deep would you have to be? So I think really sharpening and introducing me to the skills is that later I would have. But after the inter internship program, they didn't have any full-time spots. As an agent assistant, so I ended up working, not ended up, I got the privilege to work in the sub rights department. And I was working under the EVP and the director of UK and under there, I supported them in film and TV theater merchandise, while UK rights and permissions and veride on over here versatile.
00:21:33
Speaker
but like you make it and me now he's kidding but i think it's something but that You know, and I learned just the love of sub rights. And I love sub rights, especially as like an agent who was trying to champion BIPOC voices, how to get those extra deals, how to get those extra income for my client between like a DNA and pub payment, something like that.
00:21:52
Speaker
That is a lot though. That is so much. I mean, i get I see it a little bit in regards to working with Steve. Obviously, I don't know everything that he does. um But yeah, it's just like, and you have...
00:22:09
Speaker
I guess you have to have answers for everything, I guess. like that is that that is That part is mind-blowing to me because you're like you said, you you said you wanted to be an editor as well. And an agent kind of is also an editor because they're also looking at your work and helping you decide whether you should push it through, whether you should go back and like revise it, whether you should structure it differently. So like you are doing all those things all at once at the same time you're doing the back end where you're thinking about the business side of it as well. It's a lot of work. It is and coming into the industry, I had worked in a lot of sales out there for that. So I knew I wanted a balance of still the business and the creativity side. And that's why I ended up going with an agent job because you are still kind of handling your own business, like my clients or my clients, even though I'm under bookends right now. And so I'm able to kind of build my list and call to that list differently than somebody else.
00:23:06
Speaker
But still being in control of like the the clients who I'm signing and how I'm equipping to build their career, something that I really enjoy from that kind of brand and marketing aspect. And then yeah, still being an editor. And not only just Steve at Writer's House, but there are so many different people, agents who had such a great list and being able to really see how their clients were able to get deals in every other facet of just a primary deal because that's what we think is kind of like the cream of the crop. It's either like a book deal and film and TV.
00:23:33
Speaker
we forget all the kind of nuances in between that. So being able to learn that and know how to handle that was really cool. It's such a science. It's such a science. Like, and I, again, I'm still very new, but as I talk to other authors and as I'm working with an agent, like you really get to see how they can navigate you know contracts and have conversations around certain things that you don't even know to talk about um as an author because you you you're really, I don't want to say just a writer, but like you're writing, you're doing the the the writing to to get to the publishing part. And if they don't talk about those things, you probably wouldn't, know especially as a new author, you wouldn't know.
00:24:11
Speaker
he really, really would know. So you have to know so much as an agent. So I appreciate you guys so much. I really do. Yeah. And I think there's been like a sort of veil that's been lifted from authors to kind of now the publishing side. I think before I got to industry, it's kind of like, yeah, you're an author. And then someone else kind of handling, you know, your deals where now I think so many authors now in rightfully so want to have questions like, well, what does this mean? So why are you asking for this? And so I think it's really important to know what you are assigning or what, you know, the negotiation strategy is going into yeah any type of deal, whether it's primary or sub-right, and like what that means long term for you, and long you have to watch for your career. Yeah, no, I love that. I love that. um What do you do for fun? Because you're I know you're busy. I know you're busy. What do you do for joy? And you cannot I mean, you can say reading, but give me more.
00:25:04
Speaker
But you know, being in New York, I'm able to walk everywhere. So there's like an art gallery that's literally right around the corner from my apartment. So going there like every other weekend, trying to go at least once a month to see what new kind of creations are there. I'm trying new food. I'm a big foodie girl. So trying new places. I'm still trying to learn my way around New York. So exploring different areas, walking to the farmer's market, getting something very small, um hanging out with colleagues here, some of my friends.
00:25:30
Speaker
And, you know, I can just enjoy like that me time. I think a lot of time for me, at least in publishing, I'm talking to so many different people throughout the day. It's kind of taking that alone time and just going somewhere and sometimes just sitting, doing different things. um I'm also very big into like theater, musicals, so Broadway shows that are kind of coming out are a cool thing to do. I like watching creativity in different mediums, whether it's dance, art, so any other form.
00:25:54
Speaker
And you're at literally the mecca of all of that. So that is have you seen anything recently in regards to musicals or theater? um Two weeks ago, I went to the opera for the first time and saw a fire set up in my bones. And that was really good. I'm so jealous. no ah The screen wasn't working, though, because, you know, yeah they're singing the whole time. So you you forget that they're not really talking. And so I put it on English subtitles. and It was in German for the second half of the whole thing, but I still was able to appreciate it, even though I don't speak German. But that, or I saw the piano lesson last year, and that included John David Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Daniel Brooks, and that was really good as well. I saw Titanic a couple weeks ago, and that was a really funny
00:26:42
Speaker
off Broadway musical telling Celine Dion story of how she was on the Titanic. and Wow. Really random. big but But I feel like there's always stuff happening. There's always something happening. I mean, I'm like ah want a big so I would say I'm a big sports person. But there's always sports things. There's always theater. There's always people there. There's always something happening. So I can't there's probably no shortage of events that you can find. um And like I guess from all the ranges, from like the biggest events to maybe smaller things as well, where they're like more local shows or people who are like you know trying to to make it, so to speak, as well, which is really good, which is really good. um I have a couple more questions for you. One of the questions was, I was thinking about just like publishing in general. And are you seeing um any trends in publishing right now?
00:27:36
Speaker
um in regards to not necessarily who they're taking on as writers, but just like overall in publishing because I know that there's been a lot of things happening with a lot of different publishing houses. um But do you see any trends um over the last few years in publishing? I think one of the things that was really big was um Not because of, but as there's all kind of like but book toss and that kind of growing and blowing up a lot of indie authors being able to kind of get that traditional deal that may be at, you know, when they first started writing, they weren't looking for, but now that they have like three books out and more kind of clients and more fans, they really want someone else to kind of handle that marketing publicity. So I've been seeing a really big shift of indie authors now coming in balancing and having two careers, still writing in indie books and still being able to traditionally start like a new series with like a publishing house.
00:28:30
Speaker
I'm seeing a lot of adult kind of taking off when it comes to like the fantasy element of it. I think for a very long time, and myself included, we saw fantasy in like that YA space really, or even like the upper YA, but not really saying like, you know, adult can be here in like a sci-fi fantasy space in more than one imprint. So I think things like Marvel and like The Witcher and Carnival Role kind of coming out really he kind of puts that, oh, there's still people who are, you know, between this age range that still want to see fantasy just with, you know, adult characters. um Doing that, Kibla isn't going anywhere. I know there's a big uproar about middle grade, but I think it's just coming in trends. I mean, we need middle grade to get to people my age to read books. And I love middle grade. And I think picture books is always showing as well. So I think there are certain things that are not going anywhere, romance, rom-coms, thrillers, and then different trends. High school in a couple of years ago when, I think, like, portion of the beef came out. Now it's kind of, you know, lowing a bit more the beef game, but that did really well.
00:29:29
Speaker
So I think there are the few friends that come and go, but there's always going to be like the staples, I think input publishing. Yeah. I mean, we always need books. but We're always gonna need new books, right? I think it's so interesting, the middle school thing. I talked about this with someone else, but like, I think it's such a crucial time in a kid's life. And this is, it's it's list it's literally what we say. We always talk about the middle child and how like we abandon the middle child, et cetera. Like you the middle middle school is such a crucial time in a kid's life. And the attention that it needs in regards to literature
00:30:08
Speaker
right now, specifically in the world today is even bigger than it's ever been. Like we should be leaning even more into middle school and asking for more stories about multiple people in how the world is working in society in general. Like there's so much happening and those kids need it more than anybody. They're going through the most, their hormones are everywhere. They are like, you know, relationships, all the stuff. So when I hear people talking about middle school books, it's like,
00:30:38
Speaker
Yeah, we need more of them. That's it, period. like That's it. like It's not dead at all. We just need more of them. We need a variety of range, etc. um Those kids are so important. They're so important. um This was really fun. where are you You say you're online a little bit, so where can people find you online?
00:31:00
Speaker
Yeah, so I'm on Twitter at Tina so Michelle that's really gonna be like my agenting page I'm on Instagram maybe this year just because I have more clients now more illustrators I want to showcase their work so you can find me on Twitter. Awesome. Awesome. And you're not open for submission right now. um which is okay. But if someone's listening, do you have like a timeframe for when you may be opening again, or is that kind of just like, kind of goes and flows depending on how you're feeling? Yeah. So right now I do want to be open at least twice out of the year. I'm shifting out of the sub rights role at the end of this month to eight full time. So I would love to open a query sometime this summer. So either like a late June, early July, and that's my game plan.
00:31:47
Speaker
I just have a couple more um full minutes because I want to kind of get through the get feedback that the author's on. So if you are looking for, you know, representation, I am out there. Again, I do picture book all the way up into adult fiction and select nonfiction. And I'm also going to be doing kid lip pit as well. So a lot of the writing community, like Twitter pitch contest, I usually kind of pop in, i see things I like. And then even if I'm not open to queries, I can send you a link to social. Thank you. That's all ask for.
00:32:18
Speaker
That's all we could ask for.