Agent Interview: Wendi Gu (Janklow & Nesbit)

On February 25, 2019December 13, 2019 By Only Picture BooksIn Agent Interviews

This month’s Industry Insider interview is with Wendi Gu of Janklow & Nesbit.

Wendi grew up in the sleepy suburbs of Chicago and studied Creative Writing at Northwestern University. Soon after, she found herself working at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates before moving on to Janklow & Nesbit in 2018.

But that’s the standard stuff. At OPB, we plunge deeper. Here’s where we really start to get know what Wendi’s all about.

Five Fun Facts:

Believes smoked gouda is good on ANY cracker.
Used to be picked last in gym class, but thanks to weekend yoga, she can match Dwayne Johnson/The Rock push-up for push-up.
Has watched Beyonce’s Lemonade more than any other film in her adult life.
Desires clients who are “unafraid of poop jokes.”
Admits that while beagles are her favorite, “all dogs have good souls.”

Armed with that kind of in-depth 411, we’re practically coffee-shop pals with Wendi. So let’s move on to see what our new buddy says about the world of picture books. from a literary agent’s perspective.

Onward!

Agency Website: www.janklowandnesbit.com/node/4165
Twitter: @wendilulugu
Manuscript Wish List: www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/wendi-lulu-gu/

RVC: Before we really get cooking along, I’ve got to ask–you have a degree in creative writing from Northwestern University. But you also earned a degree in anthropology. How’d that come about? (Especially because you were interning as an undergraduate with children’s book agent Brenda Bowen at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates! Was being Indiana ~~Jones~~ Gu your backup plan to the kidlit business?)

WG: Great question. I loved the reading list in the creative writing program, but I loved reading ethnographies too, which often got into the nitty gritty of cultural exchange. Really nerdy stuff.

RVC: So let’s talk about the world of agenting. What are a few unexpected things that people might not realize is actually part of what it takes to be an effective agent?

WG: Authors need thick skin, but boy do agents need it too. We get rejected all the time by prospective clients and editors.

RVC: Why is agenting the right fit for you versus, say, being an editor?

WG: I like being the midwife. I think editors are geniuses because they’re the real finishers. But I’d rather spot the potential for something.

RVC: Pet peeves regarding prospective clients?

WG: Spell my name right!

RVC: Amen to that! If I earned a quarter for each time a letter/email/note came to me but was addressed to “Dr. Cleave,” “V. Cleave,” or some variation of Cleeve/Cleve/Clave, I’d be in retirement mode already.

But let’s get back to you. It seems like you’re quite the fan of Twitter (love the bio: “Taller than your dad. Pure lit agent.”). Is following you there the best way for prospective clients to find out if you and they are a good match?

WG: Finding interviews like this one is a good start. Otherwise, read the books I represent! 🙂

RVC: If you could wave your magic literary wand and suddenly have your existing clients deliver knockout picture books about X, Y, and Z, what would those subjects/ideas be? (What are you looking/wishing/dreaming for in terms of submissions?)

WG: You know, agents get asked this question all the time, but when we fall in love with a project it’s usually a book that we didn’t even know we were waiting for. But I love voice-driven stories, books so honest that it’s clear only that very author could’ve written that story.

RVC: What are some of the most exciting trends that you’re seeing in the picture book realm?

WG: I’m seeing a lot of great picture book biographies out there. It’s such a great way to share little-known pieces of history, brought to you by little-known heroes.

RVC: What trends would you like to see in the foreseeable future?

WG: It’s expensive…and this isn’t really a trend, but I love die cuts. I just wish they weren’t cost-prohibitive for the publisher.

RVC: Got any terrifically exciting picture book projects in the works that you’d like to gush about?

WG: Oh yes. Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung, illustrated by Chris Sasaki, presenting the life and times of animator Wong, the Chinese-American immigrant behind Disney’s Bambi. Publishing this fall!

RVC: One final question for this part of the interview–your name is spelled differently than most might expect (and perhaps differently than far too many queries sent your way have it!).

WG: My name is Chinese. Wen means “culture” and Di means “enlightenment.” My parents named me that because they knew I’d grow up between two cultures.

RVC: The name Ryan means “little king.” So clearly both of our parents were on the ball when it came to naming, right? 🙂

So I’ve been waiting for it. You’ve been waiting for it. OPB friends and fans have been waiting for it … THE LIGHTNING ROUND! Zaptastically quick answers and shockingly good answers, please! Ready?

WG: Ready!

RVC: Since we’re both Chicago-ites … the best slice of REAL Chicago pizza can be found at ________

WG: Uno’s? Uno’s!

RVC: “My guilty pleasure podcasts are ________”

WG: Call Your Girlfriend, Still Processing, and Keeping a Notebook with Nina LaCour (a client rec!). However I wouldn’t characterize these as guilty pleasures. I just love them deeply.

I did BRIEFLY listen to a podcast about Megan Markle/Prince Harry’s royal wedding, but ultimately it didn’t stick. The pictures were better.

RVC: Favorite karoake song?

WG: “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia. The world doesn’t even know how much they miss that song.

RVC: I know you’re a fan of the underdog character in stories. Favorite one from a picture book?

WG: Sterling the dachshund, who just wants a family to love him, from Sterling, Best Dog Ever by Aidan Cassie.

RVC: Best picture book from 2018 that your agency didn’t rep?

WG: I loved the wordless picture book I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët.

RVC: Three words that get to the heart of who you are–and what you’re all about–as an agent?

WG: Affirmative, heart-forward, hardworking.

RVC: Thanks so much, Wendi!

Agent Interview: Elizabeth Harding (Curtis Brown Ltd.)

On September 24, 2018February 3, 2019 By Only Picture BooksIn Agent Interviews3 Comments

It’s with oodles of pleasure that I bring kidlit agent Elizabeth Harding to OPB for this month’s Insider Interview. Why am I so totally stoked about this? Three reasons.

Curtis Brown Ltd. has been representing authors since 1914 and is one of the very best full-service literary agencies in the publishing world.
Elizabeth reps a great list of authors and illustrators of picture books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult fiction, including Jane Yolen, Karen Cushman, Robert Cormier, S.E. Hinton, Nikki Grimes, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Jane Dyer, Heidi Stemple, Pat Mora, Gordon Korman, Gennifer Choldenko, and so many more.
As of August 2018, she’s MY agent, too. (Here’s my reaction to when Elizabeth offered to rep my writing)

Elizabeth started at Curtis Brown Ltd. almost 20 years ago as an assistant to the legendary Marilyn E. Marlow. Elizabeth’s list includes New York Times bestsellers, Newbery, National Book Award, Printz, and Coretta Scott King honor and award winners. She’s a graduate of the University of Michigan (there’s a 93% chance that she’ll use the phrase “Go Blue!” on any given day—it’s true!), a devoted and lifelong fan of her hometown Cleveland teams (she’ll be celebrating all week the Browns’ first win since the Stone Age), and lives in Manhattan with her husband and four sons.

Agency Website: https://www.curtisbrown.com/agents/elizabeth-harding-vice-president/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-harding-03a2335
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ehardingnyc

RVC: Thanks for agreeing to let OPB readers in on this interview, which is primarily about you and I getting to know each other as we embark on a literary partnership together. So let’s just jump right in.

A common lament at writing conferences is that it seems harder to get a kidlit literary agent than it is snare a publishing contract. What do you think? Is there any truth to that?

EH: I’m not sure I can answer that, to be honest. There are so many more agents now who specialize in children’s literature compared to when I first started, so there seems to be a broad pool of kidlit agents.

On the other hand, the quality of queries and manuscripts which I receive these days is on average much greater than when I first started, as is the sheer volume. I think social media has given new writers invaluable connections and accessible tools to better their craft. And writers these days are so savvy. So I would guess that I am not alone in saying that I receive many, many submissions that are good, but I wait for the one that is amazing.

RVC: How many queries do you get a month and what’s the ratio of No to Yes?

EH: I receive anywhere between 30–50 queries per week, which include full picture book manuscripts and sample pages for middle-grade and YA. I confess that my Query Inbox usually eats me alive, but I do take on perhaps 1–3 new writers/illustrators per year. I also pass along queries to my colleagues if I think it might be of interest to them.

RVC: What’s the most common reason(s) for passing on a query?

EH: The feeling of sameness. Or just feeling overwhelmed with my current workload.

RVC: You’ve been in the kidlit agenting business for some time now, so you’ve been able to witness how the industry changes, adapts, and transforms. What are you noticing now that’s significantly different than, say, five or ten years ago?

EH: Authors have to shoulder so much more publicity/marketing responsibility than ten years ago. At the same time, authors have so many more opportunities via social media to make their own direct connections with readers, bloggers (also new in the last decade) and teachers and librarians. The author-as-a-brand mindset is much more common today. When I started, I think that type of name-branding was reserved for the biggest of authors while now every author can create and build their own platform, brand, etc.

RVC: If you could wave your magic wand and change one thing about the publishing industry, what would it be?

EH: That time secretly would stop each day for an extra two hours – but just for everyone in publishing so we could all catch up.

RVC: Describe your ideal client.

EH: Everyone on my list!

RVC: Describe the writer from hell.

EH: An Ohio State fan.

RVC: You’re blessed to be able to work with such an amazing group of talented writers. Jane Yolen, in particular, is one of my favs. She even did an interview with OPB not that long ago! What’s the best thing about working with her?

EH: Aside from Jane’s versatile and astounding talent, she is beyond generous with her time and knowledge. I still learn from her.

RVC: What’s Jane’s most underappreciated but still yowzers-great book?

EH: Personally, I love Jane’s Commander Toad series illustrated by Bruce Degen. All of my boys–regardless of which school they attended at the time–brought home old, tattered paperback copies of Commander Toad straight from their classroom book bins.

RVC: Lightning round! Favorite place to get a top-notch cupcake in NYC?

EH: Two Little Red Hens.

RVC: Star Wars or Star Trek?

EH: Star Wars.

RVC: Would you rather do battle with 1 horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?

EH: Definitely 1 horse-sized duck. Once I win the battle and tame it, I can fly around like Mother Goose 2.0–I’ll be Mother Duck but perhaps with a better hat.

RVC: Greatest Cleveland sports hero other than LeBron?

EH: I grew up watching Bernie Kosar, so I’ll choose him. If I had to choose a current Cleveland sports hero, I’d chose the entire Cleveland Indians team.

RVC: Craziest thing an author wanted to have included in their contract?

EH: Mum’s the word!

RVC: Single most important thing working with Marilyn taught you?

EH: Be persistent. And never do business at a party.

RVC: Three words that describe a great literary agent/client relationship?

EH: Teamwork, respect, fun.

RVC: You’re the best, Elizabeth. Thanks so much!

Agent Interview: Linda Camacho (Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency)

On August 27, 2018February 3, 2019 By Only Picture BooksIn Agent Interviews

The August 2018 Industry Insider interview is with literary agent Linda Camacho. While I often cobble together my own version of a bio for interview subjects, this time around, you get it straight from Linda herself. Enjoy the switcheroo!

“Before I moved to Gallt & Zacker, I was with Prospect Agency and held various roles on the publishing side. After graduating from Cornell in 2005, I interned at Simon & Schuster and Writers House Literary Agency, and worked at Penguin and Random House. Somewhere in there, I got an MFA in creative writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Besides books, I love chocolate, travel, and far too much TV. In terms of submissions, I’m pretty omnivorous. I indulge in a variety of categories and genres, ranging from picture book to adult, from clean and lighthearted contemporary to edgy and dark fantasy.”

Agency Website: www.galltzacker.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/linda.camacho19
Twitter: twitter.com/LindaRandom

RVC: As revealed in your bio, you got your start on the publishing side of things. What did your time at S&S, Random House, and Penguin do to prepare you to become an agent?

LC: I worked in different departments in adult and children’s, from marketing to operations and foreign rights. In seeing the other side of the table, as an agent I’m better able to understand the processes of publishing better so that I know what questions to ask and how to better manage the expectations of my clients.

RVC: What’s an example of that insider publishing 411? For example, what’s something you wouldn’t have known to care so much about had you simply started out and stayed on the agent side of the equation?

LC: I definitely wouldn’t have realized the importance of metadata–the basic information about a book that you see flow out to websites like Amazon and Edelweiss, like ISBN, BISAC category, pub date, and such. How a book is categorized and cataloged in the scheme of metadata can affect a book’s discoverability, and, ultimately, sales. It’s all so changeable, really, and I learned about that from working in marketing operations, where I had to worry about those details.

RVC: So you went back to school and earned an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts after you had your foot in the door in the publishing world. How did that happen, and what did the MFA do for you?

LC: I knew I wanted to get a graduate degree, but it had to be in something I was passionate about. I enjoyed writing and, luckily, Random House has a tuition reimbursement program, so while I was working there, I decided to apply. The MFA in writing helped sharpen my editorial skills. Also, having gone through the writing pains, I became much more empathetic with my clients, to say the least!

RVC: Speaking of editorial skills–what’s one of your big grammar bugaboos? What drives you bonkers when you see an otherwise competent manuscript come across your desk but it has this ONE BIG GLARING GRAMMAR ARRRGHH thing happening?

I’ll share mine if you share yours!

LC: Misuse of commas is a big one for me! If someone doesn’t know how to use them, that issue crops up quite a bit throughout the text.

RVC: Oof–that’s a good one. Err, I mean a bad one. Well, you know what I mean.

The grammar gaff that makes my nostril hairs curl is the confusion over it’s vs. its. I tell my students all the time that guessing is not an acceptable option. Write down the two definitions on a Post-It note. Stick said Post-It note to your computer. Glance at said Post-It note as needed. Review regularly.

Its = possessive (The dog licked its paw.)
It’s = it + is (It’s pretty gross to see a dog lick its muddy paw.)

Voila, right?

LC: That has come to mind for me, too, actually! I feel your pain. 🙁

RVC: Alright–back to the interview. One of your clients, Jamie LB Deenihan, and I both took Jane Yolen’s Picture Book Boot Camp together back in April 2017. One of the manuscripts Jamie was working on at the time was When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox–which you recently sold to Sterling. What grabs you most about this manuscript?

Additionally–I happen to know that this story went through a lot of variations and revisions, as most picture book manuscript inevitably do. How did you know when it was 100% ready to send out? What’s your process for determining that?

LC: Jamie’s so great!

RVC: Totally agree! Plus she knows oodles about pets, picture books, and lemon trees. Just saying.

LC: When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox definitely underwent quite a few revisions. I provided feedback, but because this was a potential companion book to her first book with Sterling (When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree), a majority of the process was between Jamie and her editor. Eventually, Jamie got the manuscript to a place where her editor offered.

Jamie and I had gone back and forth on the manuscript before going on sub and, really, it’s instinct that tells me when to go out on sub. I try to help Jamie get it into its best shape possible and then I send her work out into the world when it just feels ready.

Recently, Jamie and I did go out on sub with another picture book that sold within a few months to a big 5 house and we’re eagerly awaiting the day we can announce that one.

RVC: Congrats on that!

One of the other topics I wanted to ask you about is We Need Diverse Books. How important is this movement in general and this nonprofit organization in specific?

LC: I could go on and on ad nauseam about the importance of the diversity movement, but the best I can say about it is this: It’s long overdue.

Inclusion is not a new conversation by any stretch, but from the moment #WeNeedDiverseBooks went viral, the publishing industry took notice in a way it hadn’t before. Things are changing and while we still have far to go, I’m optimistic it’ll only get better from here. We just have to keep pushing and remembering that this is more than a “trend.”

RVC: Since we’re hitting the biggest PB issues of the day here, let’s go after one more. A few weeks back, Lupine Grove Literary Agency unexpectedly shut down, and a lot of authors who thought they were being properly represented were horrified to discover that nothing could be further from the truth. The Lupine Grove client pool included quite a few PB authors.

Tell me a bit about what the value of a quality literary agent is today, and also how vital trust, honesty, openness, and a collaborative spirit is to its success.

LC: The Lupine Grove discovery was certainly a shock to so many people. Trust is certainly key to the agent-client relationship, so all I can advise creatives is to stay open, trust their instincts, and to keep a supportive community around them.

RVC: It’s time for the lightning round. Ready … GO! Favorite hobbit?

LC: Peregrin “Pippin” Took.

RVC: Neil Gaiman–great English writer or the greatest English writer?

LC: Great English writer. 🙂

RVC: The Hollywood celeb Linda Camacho is most likely to be mistaken for?

LC: I can’t say that I’d ever be mistaken for a celebrity. LOL. An extra maybe?

RVC: “If I never got into the world of writing, publishing, or agenting, I’d instead be …”

LC: Ha–I’d be a divorce attorney. It’s sad and all, but it doesn’t sound dull.

RVC: Longest amount of time it took to secure a deal for a picture book manuscript you repped?

LC: About 5 months. I do have a couple out on sub that have been out longer, so if they sell (fingers crossed!), maybe those will set the new record.

RVC: Shortest amount of time it took to secure a deal for a picture book manuscript you repped?

LC: So far, two months. So nothing too crazy yet!

RVC: Since we mentioned Jane Yolen in this interview… your favorite Jane Yolen picture book?

LC: Owl Moon–it’s so lyrical.

RVC: Three words that describe your dream client?

LC: Professional, hard-working, and kind.

RVC: Thanks so much, Linda!