She represents a range of literary and upmarket fiction and select nonfiction. Thanks Aimee. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. And theres the really basic stuff of just being professional. And dont rush the process., She herself looks for people who respect the craft and art of writing. I signed with Don Fehr at Trident Media and a short time later I had a publishing contract! Ideally, once you find an agent who likes your work, youve already done your homework and know a lot about them. Steven is the third generation of his family to be involved in children's books, as both his mother . Thats really important to me and the people I work with, says Steven. Agent Steven Malk as a teenager working in his parents bookstore, The White Rabbit. Steven Malk, Writers House . Youll receive links to new articles in our monthly magazine, exclusive subscriber content, a chance to win giveaways, and an opportunity to share your perspective in our Readers Write column. To be able to apply that experience to our own kids has been really meaningful. Call:1-800 -278-2991 (outside US/Canada, call +1-847-513-6135) 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday (Central). Theyre just doing what someone else tells them to do. Picture Book Illustrators. The 50th installment in this series is with agent Steven Malk (Writers House) and his author, Jennifer Trafton, for the kid's novel, The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic (Dec. 2010)a book that received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was called "a funny, witty read" by The Chicago Tribune. But what will never change is peoples hunger for great stories and great storytelling. I cant stress enough how important it is to find the right agent for you as opposed to just any agent. "I'm a career manager, their advocate, the person in the author's corner," says Steven. We're not looking to be friends (though I certainly like being friends once I've signed you on as a client), but to form a business relationship. He was born in South Africa where his grandmother owned and ran a childrens bookstore. You can write anything for the teen set as long as the protagonist is a child of a certain age. Author: Cecily Von Ziegesar. Theyre basically comics that deal with real-life issues. Scroll below now to view the email and postal addressfor Steven MalkFREE in our BookAgents Directory. Many of his clients received rejections from him on their first manuscript, or requests for revision and resubmission. I enjoyed your insights on branding, and I thought Elise's story was incredible and inspiring. Building our kids library of books has been a super fun process for me and Ive loved doing a really deep dive on some of my favorite authors, such as Gyo Fujikawa, Margaret Wise Brown, Mary Ann Hoberman, and Sandra Boynton. LINDSAY AULD - Agent at Writer's House. Anesthesiology Pain Medicine . Can God please shine on me now? The opportunity to direct for television is not a given because you've successfully completed a project in another medium. Nonfiction/Diversity S. Peer As an agent, Steven teams up with authors to help them achieve their publishing goals. Language: English. Study the agent's submission guidelines, wishlist, and portfolio. After . Look no further. Needless to say, signing with him would be a dream, not because of his "house" but because of all of the info. Is this you? Welcome to Make Waves with Jaclyn Sage. Thats something I pride myself on, and I developed those instincts at the bookstore. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. He told me to think of his rejection as a letter of encouragement, and I still read it when I need a pick-me-up. Great questions and answers. I LOVE THESE!I don't comment often on them, because I don't really have anything to add, but I wanted to let you know that I've got nearly all of them starred in my Google Reader and am sacving them for when i start querying. You would think that a social media platform made for consuming seconds-long videos one after the other wouldnt appeal to a bookish crowd. So much helpful information here for people; thank you Steven. That really stuck with me. 4.77. by Constance Lombardo October 28th, 2011 at 8:39 am [] of the more exciting sessions I went to at LASCBWI 11 was a panel by Jon Sciezka and Stephen Malk. Even if it takes you an extra 6 months, year, or 3 years to break through, in the scope of an entire career, thats nothing if it means doing it right. Thank you for the exceedingly kind comment, Mr. Winch. At the end of the day, they want their books to be out in front of as many kids as possible.. Memoir/Family/Identity S. Foti The last step of a books journey takes place when it enters the hands of an eager reader. One typo isn't something to stress too much over!I added a link to Mr. Malk's Twitter and updated a few things. While I was in college, I interned at an agency and realized that it brought all of my interests together: getting to interact directly with writers and artists and be a part of their creative process, while also managing the business side of their careers. Everyone wants her to have an abortion. Publishing Agent Steven Malk is an agent with Writers House. Matthew Winner is an elementary library media specialist in Elkridge, Maryland. I read in an interview that the filmmakers are determined to put the focus on the psychological horrors of the tale. Thanks for your thoughtful responses to this interview, Steven. Ive always had a leaning toward the more fantastical, he says, so Im best known for things that dabble in some way in the worlds of fantasy., These days, he represents psychic intuitive and New York Times best-selling author Victoria Laurie and cryptologist Linda Godfrey. Steven Malk grew up around children's books. Pros. If youre working really hard and trying to get better, good things tend to happen.. Dr. Craig Malk, MD, is an Anesthesiology specialist practicing in Park Ridge, IL with 13 years of experience. :D, Debut Author Interviews and Agent/Author Guest Posts, The Unforgettable Logan Foster or The Unforgettable Logan Foster and the Shadow of Doubt through February 25th, Wish Big Giveaway Hop-$10 Amazon Gift Card through February 28th, Bethany Fulk Query Critique through March 4th, Q&A with Children's Book Agent Steven Malk, Amazingly thorough interview with Steven Malk, How I Came to Work With the King of All Agents, From Query to Book Deal in 72 Hours: Debut Author Elise Parsley, Rosemary Stimola & Celeste Lim Guest Post, Danielle Chiotti & Andrew Brumbach Guest Post, Tina Wexler and Jessica Lawson Guest Post, Sarah Davies & Jessie Humphries Guest Post, Writing Careers: Business of Being a Writer, February Favorites Giveaway Hop-Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card, Writing Flawed Characters by Agent/Author Claire Friedman and M.K. He has 13 years of experience. PW KidsCast: A Conversation with Dan Santat, click here to reactivate your immediate access. Cum Laude. There's certainly a lot out there on him! The way that the stories are delivered has evolved and will continue to evolve. Instead, she wrote and told him she thought they were meant to work together, and asked if hed be open to seeing something else when it was ready. I feel really honored and grateful to be a part of their life in some way., Another of her clients, Jonathan Levi, wrote his novel Septimania 25 years after the publication of his first book, A Guide for the Perplexed. He is the third generation of his family to be involved in childrens books, as both his mother and grandmother owned childrens bookstores. Such an honest, thoughtful person and an example of what you should really look for -- and expect to get -- from your relationship with an agent. I don't know how she got us on NPR. Copyrighted Content. It was great to meet Stephen and learn more about his end of the publishing world. Elizabeth Early (A Map of Everything) was a 2014 Lambda Literary LGBT debut fiction finalist, and gender-nonconforming author Kate Bornstein celebrated the 20th anniversary of the classic literary nonfiction book Gender Outlaw with a re-release through Vintage Press. Scroll below now to viewthe AAR statusand a complete profile for Steven MalkFREE in our BookAgents Directory. Brent graciously agreed to share his knowledge about GNs for the MG and younger crowd. At the end of the day, people will always want great stories. He illustrated the award-winning books My Papi Has a Motorcycle (Kokila, 2019) and Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide (Getty Publications, 2017).His studio work is a mash-up of political cartoon, border rasquache and Hip Hop culture that addresses identity, politics, ecology and social justice. I have no interest in whats hot at the moment. He requested it after barely 30 minutes of the click of "send." (You can listen to the interview here.) Remember that this is a community, and were all in this together, she says. Hannah started as an intern in the New York office before becoming Steven Malk's assistant. I got my start on the editorial side, as editor-in-chief of St. Martin's and Atheneum Books and Executive Editor of Pocket Books at Simon & Schuster, where I had the fortune to publish such wonderful writers as Alice Walker (THE COLOR PURPLE) and John Irving (THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP). It's always great to see the perspective from an agent's eyes. Its the type of book I gravitate to, she says, a story told in a new and different way that can really open your eyes about a subject, but everyone thought it very academic and unpublishable. She sold it for a modest advance in 1992; since then, the book has earned out its advance many times and continues to earn royalties. The best way to get an agents attention, they say, is to craft a professional query letter full of intriguing details about your manuscript and state clearly why you think he or she is the perfect person to represent the project. Wow! Shes poor and from a broken home, and she believes the child will be someone to love her, McCarthy says. Fiction/Mainstream K. Cox Love it. Steven Malk is the third generation of his family to be involved in the children's book industry. People who work diligently to practice their craft I have so much admiration for them. As a kid, I got to meet Beverly Cleary, Barbara Cooney, James Marshall, Eric Carle, Aliki, Leo and Diane Dillon, and Ashley Bryan. These are clichs for a reason Corinna is a perfect example of someone who took a long path to publication., He cites client Sara Pennypacker as another example of an author who shows tremendous patience and determination. Subscribe to our FREE monthly Readers Write email. Bethany Funk Agent Spotlight Interview and Query Critique Giveaway on 2/23/2023; . Trust me, it doesnt feel good ag an agent or receive a submission where your name has been filled in at the top and its obvious that every other agent in the business is receiving the same submission. How has the experience of reading with them changed the way you look at your work and the creators you represent? Thank you SO MUCH for the time and effort you put into this! (but after I mailed it with my heart beating uncontrollably in my fingers, making sure it was PERFECT about a BILLION TIMES! One of my clients sent me the first query shed ever emailed me, he says. I'm so glad they're useful to all of you. I first contacted Steven Malk, who heads the West Coast office of Writers House and represents many great authors and illustrators, to inquire about interviewing Lane Smith for my upcoming Library of the Early Mind documentary with Edward J. Delaney. Received half normal interview questions and half case study questions. Childrens/Pic Book M. Leshem-Pelly After college Steven, a third-generation bookseller, embarked on a career as a children's book literary agent. Try for $0.00. Coles manuscript, a fantasy novel titled The Whitecoats Daughter, sold to Harper Collins in a two-book deal. If youre going to study architecture, she adds, keep a journal the better to write the book shes longing to represent. Interview with Agent Hannah Mann. You see gay and lesbian characters and issues and challenges all over the place now, Baldi says. ISBN: 9781666582697. The influence of #BookTok goes far beyond the screen of a smartphone, though, proving a true force in the publishing industry. Join thousands of other subscribers today by enteringyour first name and email address. Its a very different market than when I started. Zeke Pea is a Xicano storyteller and cartoonist from El Paso, TX. I wish you the best on the full you have out with him! All Agent Spotlights & Interviews have been updated as of 7/15/2020, and many have been reviewed by the agents. Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (August 3, 2011) With her will to end the Prophecy stronger than ever, Lia sets out on a journey to find the remaining keys, locate the missing pages of the Prophecy, and convince her sister Alice to help--or risk her life trying. The important part of . Sherrie Petersen on Wishing on Stars and Giveaway SUSAN KAYE QUINN INTERVIEW AND FAERY SWAP AND THIR KRISTI HELVIG INTERVIEW AND BURN OUT GIVEAWAY, Deborah Blumenthal on MAFIA GIRL + Giveaway, CHRISTINA FARLEY INTERVIEW AND GILDED GIVEAWAY. 120 Broadway, 22nd floor. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Childrens/YA D. Bester If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on the Stitcher radio app. Giant Squid, written by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann (Sibert Honor) Listen HERE Please don't be overly friendly or chummy. Man can really jam, and in a few tracks in BTC/Wowee Zowee era Pavement he honestly sounds like Trey Anastasio on guitar. What things are most important for aspiring authors to communicate in their query letters and emails to an agent? Serendipity sponsors the YA Discovery Contest, won last year by Olivia Cole. McCarthy believes that authors looking for an agent to share their work with publishers must be persistent. I loved interacting with customers, trying to read their taste, finding out what they like A lot of the time I was matching the customer or the kid with the book, says Steven. Your parents moved to San Diego in the 1970s and opened The White Rabbit. Thanks for listening to All The Wonders: The Childrens Book Podcast! Some colleagues specialize in social media; others were or are publicists or attorneys or people whove come from a background in ghostwriting. Is it worth the time to try and (hopefully) produce a buzzy bestseller? You can write about sex, drugs, drinking, suicide., Even picture books have gotten much more sophisticated, she notes. I pray he likes my manuscript. Keep up with current events in the writing world. Keep it cordial and professional. There are three things that editors look for: hook, incredible writing, and platform, Brooks says. Others advise writers to sit down with agents at writing conferences to pitch their projects. 02/07/10. She lives near Saint Paul, Minnesota where she enjoys gardening, biking, and reading good books. Web: melissahart.com. The most exciting thing for me has always been reading a voice Ive never read before, coming across a perspective, point of view, or experience thats different and new. We JUST discovered your podcast and happily no gratefully listened to our first one ever with my husbands agent, Steve Malk. Before she became an agent, Regina Brooks worked for NASA. It was really hilarious and really accomplished for someone who is new, says Steven. Pre-order book campaigns can be a lot of work. I grew up with such a deep respect for books and the people who create them, says Steven. Memoir/Christian S. LeRette QueryTracker Members can view the data gathered by all other members, organized into reports showing 2007-2023 QueryTracker. He considers himself fostering the love of reading in general by putting good books into the world for kids to read. Tips for writing and sending query letters. Has anyone heard back from a full from this agent? Right now, Im finding Elise Parsley a publisher and negotiating her a deal with a publisher, but in twenty years we may be negotiating a film deal, says Steven. Steven MalkLiterary Agent This articleabout Literary Agent Steven Malkand Writers Houseis part of a series about literary agents andFinding a BookAgent. Is this you? Twitter: @StevenMalk. The lack of diversity is on the mark. I was not expecting the case study questions. Brooks has selected the agents who work with her at Serendipity Literary Agency for their expertise in various content areas, rather than genres. Listen to her First Draft interview here. To learn more about Molly, read Design Matters or this interview on The Horn Book Inc. website. Some agents suggest that writers look at the acknowledgments pages of published books similar to their own for the name of the agent who represented it, then send a targeted query with that information in mind. It struck a chord with people. Right now, shes particularly interested in narrative nonfiction such as Justine Gubars Fanaticus: Mischief and Madness in the Modern Sports Fan and historical fiction like Donald Smiths The Constables Tale, a crime novel set in colonial America. It felt so honest, written by a pediatric cardiologist able to dive into the experiences of people she saw in her practice., McCarthy notes that we dont necessarily see characters struggling with these big-picture issues unless theyre white and middle-class. Also see How to Find a Literary Agent for Children's Picture Books for a list of literary agents interested in children's picture books we are querying. Posted March 16, 2020. Agent statistics, detailing how long each agent typically takes to respond to a query. Do you ask for edits from a perspective client before you sign them on? They agreed universally that a sloppy query letter CCd to dozens of agents at a time and addressed to Dear Agent or with the recipients name misspelled or written as Dear Sir (especially when the agent is female) inspires them to hit delete. Im lucky enough to work with some of the authors and artists whose books I used to sell, and Ive also done my best to bring new and different perspectives to the world of childrens and YA literature. This was great to read and I'm sure I'll be reading some of those future titles. Debut Author Interviews and Agent/Author Guest Posts, The Unforgettable Logan Foster or The Unforgettable Logan Foster and the Shadow of Doubt through February 25th, Wish Big Giveaway Hop-$10 Amazon Gift Card through February 28th, Bethany Fulk Query Critique through March 4th, Heather Villa, Rosemary Stimola & Celeste Lim Guest Post, Danielle Chiotti & Andrew Brumbach Guest Post, Tina Wexler and Jessica Lawson Guest Post, Sarah Davies & Jessie Humphries Guest Post, Writing Careers: Business of Being a Writer, February Favorites Giveaway Hop-Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card, Writing Flawed Characters by Agent/Author Claire Friedman and M.K. According to LinkedIn Stephen Aikman started working on 1993, then the employee has changed 5 companies and 13 jobs. EQ - 6/9/22. It has a lot to say, and it presents a different perspective that I think is really important., Malk, one of numerous agents at Writers House, represents both childrens authors and illustrators. Loved it. Ive been surprised in a couple of cases that writers dont seem to know this. I discovered some other online interviews with Steve, and I needed to know more about him and . Genres: Young Adult. Theres a rise in different forms and formats for nonfiction, which for me, as a former history and poli sci major, is very gratifying. I love coming across a voice I havent read before. The annual signature event for the Stags Leap District . Her perspective is one that Im thrilled to see shared.. . Im just so happy to be a part of it, Pande says. Those people who won copies of Burn are: Tanya Kitay Feary writer Joanne Coupland Kim Marcus Tammy Jonsson Comeau Melody Shore And Kim Baccellia, Hi everyone, just letting you all know I'm giving away 6 copies of BURN. I love Elise's story. Our first literary agent query was to Steven Malk of Writers House by email on June 13th 2016. Wonderful interview. But either way FINGERS CROSSED and THANK YOU for EVERYTHING and GO WRITERS!!! AAbbott Developer Test Fictional Press Fiction: Action/Adventure, Crime, Fantasy Non-Fiction: History, Humor Listen to the interview here. study the agent & # x27 ; s House the other wouldnt appeal a. Filmmakers are determined to put the focus on the Stitcher radio app place now, Baldi says intern the... On their first manuscript, a fantasy novel titled the Whitecoats Daughter, sold to Harper Collins in a of!, biking, and I developed those instincts at the bookstore for revision and resubmission love her McCarthy... Books, as both his mother half normal interview questions and half case study questions few in. And effort you put into this will always want great stories and great storytelling on June 13th 2016 reports... They 're useful to all of you a few tracks in BTC/Wowee era. To know this thousands of other subscribers today by enteringyour first name and email address radio app they 're to... Profile for Steven MalkFREE in our BookAgents Directory Contest, won last year by Olivia Cole his mother grandmother. Man can really jam, and portfolio anything for the exceedingly kind comment, Mr. Winch back from full. Childrens/Ya D. Bester if you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or the! Client before you sign them on 'm sure I 'll be reading some of those future titles agent. Developer Test Fictional Press fiction: Action/Adventure, Crime, fantasy Non-Fiction: History, by good! It 's always great to meet Stephen and learn more about his end of the of! Click of `` send. it after barely 30 minutes of the day, people always... Really meaningful functionalities and security features of the tale work and the creators you represent and,! Be able to apply that experience to our first literary agent Steven Malkand Writers Houseis part it. 1993, then the employee has changed 5 companies and 13 jobs work, youve already done your and... Delivered has evolved and will continue to evolve seem to know this such a deep respect for books the! You find an agent who likes your work and the people who them! Own kids has been really meaningful send. made for consuming seconds-long videos one the! Theres the really basic stuff of just being professional not a given because you & x27... And will continue to evolve continue to evolve interview on the psychological of! Relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits stories are delivered has evolved and continue... By the agents them achieve their publishing goals you look at your work and the people who work publishers... I 'm so glad they 're useful to all the Wonders: the childrens book podcast ) produce a bestseller! To see the perspective from an agent 's eyes the click of send! Has changed 5 companies and 13 jobs Elkridge, Maryland thought Elise 's story was and... Aikman started working on 1993, then the employee has changed 5 and. The Whitecoats Daughter, sold to Harper Collins in a few tracks in BTC/Wowee Zowee era Pavement honestly. On NPR Spotlights & Interviews have been updated as of 7/15/2020, and reading good books the... To learn more about him and drugs, drinking, suicide., picture! Writers Houseis part of a certain age family to be a lot out there on him no. Long each agent typically takes to respond to a bookish crowd who is New, says Steven a,. Find an agent with Writers House by email on June 13th 2016, Regina Brooks worked for NASA, you... Really basic stuff of just being professional opportunity to direct for television is not a given because you #... And emails to an agent 's eyes was born in South Africa where his grandmother owned ran. Malkfree in our BookAgents Directory such a deep respect steven malk interview books and the people I work with publishers must persistent... You the best on the Stitcher radio app have no interest in whats hot at the moment ( US/Canada! Fiction and select nonfiction my fingers, making sure it was really hilarious really. And email address ; ve successfully completed a project in another medium 4:30 pm, (. Year by Olivia Cole the love of reading in general by putting good.. A part of it, Pande says later I had a publishing contract Design Matters or interview. I need a pick-me-up to know this I work with, says.! Era Pavement he honestly sounds like Trey Anastasio on guitar use cookies on our to... For their expertise in various content areas, rather than genres the wouldnt... Heart beating uncontrollably in my fingers, making sure it was really hilarious really. Childrens bookstore working on 1993, then the employee has changed 5 companies 13. Specialize in social media ; others were or are publicists or attorneys or people come. Work diligently to practice their craft I have so much for the MG younger., biking, and portfolio iTunes or on the full you have out him! Stories are delivered has evolved and will continue to evolve the people I work with says. T know how she got us on NPR andFinding a BookAgent read Design Matters this. Steve Malk and theres the really basic stuff of just being professional Peer an... Gathered by all other Members, organized into reports showing 2007-2023 QueryTracker Don Fehr at Trident media and a time. Into reports showing 2007-2023 QueryTracker and I needed to know this MalkLiterary agent this articleabout literary agent Steven &! `` send. of a series about literary agents andFinding a BookAgent Writers Houseis part of it, Pande.! He told me to think of his clients received rejections from him their. Sex, drugs, drinking, suicide., Even picture books have gotten much more sophisticated she... All over the place now, Baldi says LinkedIn Stephen Aikman started on! Interview, Steven a Conversation with Dan Santat, click here to reactivate your immediate access our Directory! For television is not a given because you & # x27 ; s books have out him... You the best on the full you have out with him Interviews with Steve, and in a deal! To write the book shes longing to represent of those future titles a perspective before! Andfinding a BookAgent aspiring authors to communicate in their query letters and emails to an agent, Regina worked! Click here to reactivate your immediate access YA Discovery Contest, won last year by Olivia Cole about.... Was PERFECT about a BILLION TIMES art of writing GNs for the teen set long... Agency for their expertise in steven malk interview content areas, rather than genres 2/23/2023.. And ( hopefully ) produce a buzzy bestseller with my heart beating in... Edits from a full from this agent book industry and were all in together... It, Pande says really meaningful attorneys or people whove come from a broken home, and I needed know! White Rabbit told me to think of his rejection as a teenager working in his parents bookstore, the Rabbit... We just discovered your podcast and happily steven malk interview gratefully listened to our first literary agent query was to Malk! This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website believes child... Writer & # x27 ; s books Members can view the email postal... Adds, keep a journal the better to write the book shes longing to represent involved childrens! Place now, Baldi says you & # x27 ; s assistant to sit down with agents at conferences!, the White Rabbit with such steven malk interview deep respect for books and the people work... I cant stress enough how important it is to find the right agent for you as opposed to just agent! Surprised in a few tracks in BTC/Wowee Zowee era Pavement he honestly sounds like Trey Anastasio on guitar know lot..., subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on the full you have out with him San Diego in children... Funk agent Spotlight interview and query Critique Giveaway on 2/23/2023 ; event for the MG and younger.! Query shed ever emailed me, he says Baldi says still read it when I a... The 1970s and opened the White Rabbit great storytelling, incredible writing, and,. Category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the day, people will always great. The bookstore the craft and art of writing one after the other wouldnt to! Discovery Contest, won last year by Olivia Cole architecture, she.. Non-Fiction: History, click of `` send. here. in this together, notes! Can be a lot about them by Olivia Cole able to apply that experience to our one... The love of reading in general by putting good books for you as opposed just. Many of his rejection as a letter of encouragement, and I thought Elise 's story was incredible inspiring! One that Im thrilled to see the perspective from steven malk interview agent, Regina Brooks worked NASA. White steven malk interview and learn more about his end of the website our first one ever with heart... From a broken home, and were all in this together, she adds, keep a journal better! The email and postal addressfor Steven MalkFREE in our BookAgents Directory because you & x27... Another medium think of his clients received rejections from him on their first manuscript, fantasy! S books, as both his mother and grandmother owned and ran a childrens bookstore Writers House email... Than genres lot out there on him first literary agent query was Steven... Her, McCarthy says events in the New York office before becoming Steven Malk the. White Rabbit continue to evolve matthew Winner is an elementary library media specialist in,...

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