Sally’s Big Adventure ~ Can You Spell Children’s Literary Agent?
You may have noticed I’ve been absent for a few weeks.
You may have noticed the links to the book reviews have gone missing from my header.
Why, you may ask?
Because I don’t think literary agents should do a lot of book reviews.
It’s finally official, and I can make my big announcement.
I’m a children’s literary agent.
For a long, long time—from way back into the misty years of childhood—I’ve wanted three things. I’ve wanted to write children’s books (and win Newbery Awards), I’ve wanted to own a bookstore, and I’ve wanted to be a literary agent.
Well, I didn’t win any Newberies. And I didn’t open a bookstore. But this year the wonderful and kind-hearted shepherd of newbie authors, Les Stobbe, expanded his role to become a shepherd of new literary agents. I am officially an associate agent at the Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency. I’m thrilled.
And I’m really tickled, besides.
I love reading children’s books. I love critiquing and doing big-picture edits. I love the publishing industry. I love writers’ conferences. What could be more perfect for me than to be an agent?
I’m hoping to accomplish a few things as an agent:
- I hope I’ll add to the agency by bringing in some expertise in the children’s publishing world.
- I hope to help authors by serving a segment that is presently underserved. I want blockbuster YA’s, sure, and like everyone else, I’m hoping for some funny, rich middle-grade boy books, but I’m also hoping to take on some PB authors and writers with books that have spiritual elements.
- I hope to help editors by sending them stellar proposals for manuscripts they can snap up, publish, and sell by the truckload.
- And most of all, I hope to serve readers by championing books that are worth the reader’s time and that enrich the reader’s life.
What does this mean for you dear blog reader? Well, probably not too much change. I haven’t been posting over here much lately and I won’t be picking up the pace anytime soon. (I’ve been busy, busy, even if it’s been a fun busy.) I hope to get over here a couple of times a month.
I will also be blogging over at my children’s literary agent site, sally-apokedak.com, and I do hope some of you will come visit me over there once in a while so I don’t get too lonely.
Thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~
photo credit: jaxxon via photo pin cc
You Might Also Like
Categories: Uncategorized
Congrats! Well deserved!
Wow!!! Congrats!
Wonderful news! Praying…
Congratulations!!
SO happy for you!
Cyn Rogalski´s last [type] ..I Still Don’t Feel Like It! (But I’m Gonna Be Still)
Sally – Wow!!!! I’m so happy for you! It’s about time things started lining up right! And what better role for you than this???? You totally get the writer’s side and you know what you want out of a good agent…I am so proud for you!
I’ll keep praying – absolutely!
Becky Doughty´s last [type] ..I Dedicate This Song…
Sally, I adore Les. He’s such a delight to work with from my side of the hallway (in my editor’s hat)–a gracious, thoughtful agent. I think you’ll both benefit from this, my friend. Congratulations.
Congratulations, Sally. I think you and Les are a great fit. Wonderful news!
How exciting! Congratulations!
Sally, this is exciting. Happy for you! Les is the first editor to hire me when I started out as a newbie with Here’s Life Publishers back in the 80′s! Glad to hear to he’s still fulfilling his mission.
Wow, congratulations!!! All the best in your new role Sally.
Megan Sayer´s last [type] ..Details schmetails…do it anyway.
Way to go Sally!
I have a feeling you’re going to do great things to advance the work of bringing young people to Christ by the hard work you’ll be doing from this side of the desk. I’ll be praying for your success.
Oh, by the way, how does one go about pitching a manuscript to a new agent?
Thank you all for your well-wishing and your congratulations.
Becky, thank you especially for telling me to call Les in the first place. And for reminding me several times. We do seem to work well together. He’s kind, energetic, and he’s been in the business since before I was born. And that’s a long time. I’m looking forward to learning a lot from him.
Wade, you can find out of how to submit by clicking over to http://sally-apokedak.com/submission-guidelines-2 . I look forward to hearing from you.
This is SOOO exciting, Sally! I’m so happy for you. You’re going to be an awesome agent and I wish you all the best in your new venture.
Debra Mayhew´s last [type] ..My Favorite Fairy Tale
Catching up on blogs and spotted this wonderful news. Congratulations! (And I’m forwarding this to my sister who has been working on some YA stuff…and she’s a good writer
)
Loren Warnemuende´s last [type] ..The Magic Life
I’m late to the celebration, but congrats, dear Sally. Go find jewels!
Mir´s last [type] ..Learning WordPress (sigh) and Doing NaNoWriMo 2012. Going FTW…YOU?
AH HA! Now I get it. You now have two blogs and two websites; one as author and one as literary agent. When I originally saw this headline, I thought it meant you had found a new literary agent for your first novel and I never actually clicked over here and read the good news. So….way late and very poor timing, I’m still going to say congratulations. I am thrilled that you have found this new path in the publishing world!
Note: I’m out of it for a little while and everyone gets delusions of grandeur. (FYI…That’s a quote from Han Solo in Return of the Jedi when he hears Luke is now a Jedi Knight, I’m not actually meaning to say you are delusional.)
Trisha Slay´s last [type] ..Fun, Fear & Loathing at Dragon*Con 2012