Meet Jennifer R. Hubbard, YA author!

by Tammy Burke

Hi Jennifer,

It is such a pleasure having you join us as one of our conference faculty this year. With three YA novels, submissions in Willow Review and North American Review, and a short story in the 2011 anthology Truth & Dare under your belt, our conferees are sure to gain wonderful insight from you. 

Jennifer R. Hubbard: Thank you! I’m looking forward to being there.



I am curious, your first two novels, The Secret Year and Try Not To Breathe, are written in a male point-of-view...did you find that challenging? Is a female POV easier? Or doesn't it make a difference? Also, do you come up with your protagonists first or the story idea? 

Jennifer R. Hubbard: I grew up around men and boys. I have male relatives, friends, coworkers, and a husband. I grew up reading the work of male writers. So I have many models for a male voice. Besides, all characters are people first. 

I have both male and female characters in my head. In the short stories I published before I started publishing novels, about half my main characters were male and half female. The protagonists and story ideas show up together; each story seems to have its natural main character.




With the Young Adult market being so popular I have to say what a brilliant idea to offer two sessions, Part 1 and Part 2 of Teen Voices: Writing YA at the conference. Can you give us a teaser on how one finds an authentic YA voice? 

Jennifer R. Hubbard: One advantage most of us have is that we’ve been teenagers. We’ve lived those years. While external fashions and technologies change over the generations, emotions and watershed experiences don’t; we can tap into that.



I like that your protagonist, Maggie, in Until It Hurts To Stop has the same hobby, hiking, that you do.  (I peeked on your website). Does any of Maggie's hiking experiences coincide with yours? Have you ever known any one like Raleigh Barringer, the ringleader bully from your story? 


Jennifer R. Hubbard: I did borrow some of my own hiking experiences for the book, such as the rattlesnake encounter, and a very windy mountain summit where I resorted to crawling. 

Raleigh isn’t based on any single, real-life person. But I think we’ve all known bullies. Raleigh doesn’t have much patience with people, and she feels better about herself when she’s asserting her own superiority, cutting other people down. She has had problems of her own, but unfortunately it hasn’t led to her being very empathetic, so far.




I'm also curious, does hiking help you when working on story ideas?  


Jennifer R. Hubbard: Absolutely. I try to take a walk, even a short one, every day. Often my mind will solve a writing problem while I’m walking, but it’s good to get exercise in any case. 




I like that you tackle real issues teens face such as bullying and suicide. What has been the inspiration to write on these topics? 


Jennifer R. Hubbard: They’re important issues, and they are things that people really face. But I don’t write about a topic unless I think I have something to say about it, and something that’s maybe a little new or unusual take on the subject. For example, in Try Not to Breathe, I wanted to focus on what it’s like for a character to put his life back together after a suicide attempt. In Until It Hurts to Stop, I wanted to focus on the long-term effects of bullying, the way it can affect people’s thinking and their relationships for years afterward.




I understand that you've been writing since you could hold a crayon. Can you remember the gist of any of your early creations? Also, what were some of the first stories which captivated you and which ones have stayed with you? 

Jennifer R. Hubbard: I think I wrote one about Christmas, and I was so young that I had no sense then what time of year Christmas was. I set it in July and had people eating corn on the cob. I used to illustrate my stories with crayons and staple them together.

I read everything I could get my hands on. In addition to the children’s books my parents gave me, and that I found in the library, I raided the family bookshelf in our living room. It contained, among other things, a first-aid manual, a book of photographs, a book of poetry, and my mother’s nursing-school textbooks. I read everything even if I couldn’t understand it. I still have the poetry book. It was produced in 1969, and has this psychedelic neon cover.



Could you tell us a little bit of KidLit Authors Club and YA Novelists Pushing the Boundaries of the Genre? What are your thoughts about synergy among writers? 


Jennifer R. Hubbard: The Kidlit Authors Club (www.kidlitauthorsclub.com) is a group of authors from the mid-Atlantic region who work together to promote, market, sign, and sell our books at stores, schools, libraries, conferences, and festivals throughout our region. Doing book signings can be such a lonely business; through the club, we can do group events instead. It’s more fun, and it offers book shoppers a wider variety of books. Because there are so many of us, we can almost always muster some writers to do any event we’re invited to. Our authors write for kids of all ages, picture books through young adult, so we can do events for many different age levels. Teaming up together this way has given us more opportunities, as well as giving more flexibility to the stores and libraries and schools. It has enabled us to support one another in many ways, personal and professional.

YA Outside the Lines (http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com/),  subtitled “YA Novelists Pushing the Boundaries of the Genre and Writing from the Heart,” is a group of YA authors who do a joint blog. (I also have my own individual blog at http://jenniferrhubbard.blogspot.com/). Holly Schindler coordinates YA Outside the Lines. We have a topic each month, and we each have a certain day of the month to blog on that topic. I like it because it only takes a one-day-a-month commitment, and readers get to see so many different takes on each topic. 

I highly recommend authors finding other authors: whether for critique groups, swapping professional tips and information, doing promotional events together, or just giving emotional support and mentorship. This is a tough profession, full of uncertainty and rejection. It is immensely helpful to find other writers to share the journey with.


What advice do you think is most important for writers to know? 

Jennifer R. Hubbard: Read a lot. Write a lot. 



Last question...What is next on the horizon for you?

Jennifer Hubbard: I have three books out there right now, and my works in progress are at various stages of completion. 

_____________________________________________

Jennifer R. Hubbard lives and writes in the Philadelphia area. Her short fiction has appeared in literary magazines including Flashquake, Willow Review, and the North American Review, and children's magazines including Cricket. In 2010, Viking/Penguin began publishing her contemporary young-adult novels.

The Secret Year, a story of a boy coping with the tragic end of a secret relationship, was on YALSA's Quick Picks List and the Indie Next list. Try Not to Breathe, in which a boy recovering from a suicide attempt befriends a girl with many questions and many secrets, received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Library Media Connection. Jennifer's most recent novel is Until It Hurts to Stop, about a formerly-bullied girl whose nemesis moves back to town.

When not writing, Jennifer is usually hiking, reading, or at the library. Online, she can be found at www.jenniferhubbard.com.

_____________________________________________

Tammy Burke, GLVWG member, 2011 conference chair and past president, has published over 300 newspaper and regional magazine articles and has interviewed government officials, business and community leaders, everyday folk and celebrities. Currently, she is in the revision stage for her first YA fantasy adventure book, the first in an intended series. When not writing, she works in the social service field and is a fencing marshal in the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA).

Interview with Emily Keyes

by Bernadette Sukley

 

Emily Keyes is an agent with the L. Perkins Agency. Emily is the Contracts & Foreign Rights Manager. She’s very passionate about YA and teen novels and is looking to acquire in that area. Previously, she was a Contracts Administrator at Simon & Schuster, Inc. and a writer for “The World Almanac for Kids.” She is a graduate of the NYU Publishing program and knowledgeable about many areas of publishing, and an expert on all things “Sweet Valley.”

 

Q: What's your greatest joy about writers conferences?

 

A: I love conferences--trying to go to more if any of your readers need agents for other conferences. The best part is finding an author you're excited about, of course. But I also find conferences energizing. Spirits are high, people are positive and hopeful. I always return to work feeling better about my job. I know that sounds hokey, but I think authors are used to working in solitude and when they come together there is a great energy. Conferences keep me from feeling too down about all the rejections I get!

 

Q: What's your biggest pet peeve?

 

A: Tough one. I don't like when people are rude or entitled, which doesn't happen often at conferences but when it does it really gets under my skin.

 

Q: Have you ever felt "meh..." about a manuscript, but pursued it anyway?

 

A: I think every agent has the experience of being excited about a manuscript and then feeling more "meh" about it after a few rejections or reading it half a dozen times. But I've never pursued a manuscript I wasn't enthusiastic about when I first encountered it. Because your feelings only become more mixed as time goes on. That way lies madness.

 

Q: You are looking for YA and teen novels. Any particulars you can give? (i.e. Harry Potter, Diary of Wimpy Kid, Hunger Games?)

 

A: I'd love to have represented all three of those series. Then maybe I wouldn't have to take the bus! Right now I'm looking for contemporary or science fiction YA. I see a lot of paranormal or dystopian in my inbox already, which is not to say I wouldn't be interested in a good one of those--just that the bar is set higher. A lot of agents and editors I know are looking for books with strong voices, I think that is because a lot of stories have already been told, but if you get a unique perspective it still feels fresh.

 

Q: What are you reading now?

 

A: I'm always reading submissions. For published book I am reading "Going Clear" by Laurence Wright at the moment. I just finished "The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight" by Jennifer E. Smith.

 

Q: Pitch Session Scenario. Writer comes to meet with you at the 2013 GLVWG Write Stuff Conference: "Hi Emily, I'm working on my YA novel called Huffaby Hall, it's a first person mystery about a lonely girl who befriends a rich boy with cerebral palsy. They begin searching for his missing mother..." What's the next thing you need to hear from this writer?

 

A: I'd have lots of questions. Is the book completed? How long is the manuscript? Is it more mystery genre or more "issues"? Is it anything like "A Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-time"? What made the author decide to write about cerebral palsy? Where is the boy's father? Why is the girl lonely? I'm very curious.

 

Interview with Sara D'Emic

by Daisy Willis

 

Sara D'Emic is an Associate Agent with Talcott Notch Literary and is actively extending her client base. She will be taking pitches at this year'sWrite Stuff conference and is interested in adult or YA mainstream fiction, fantasy, horror, sci-fi, mystery, and any and all sub genres of those categories.

 

GLVWG member Daisy Willis got in touch with Sara to ask her some questions.

 

Have you always wanted to be an agent? Have you ever been a writer?

 

It's the other way around: I've always wanted to be a writer, and I didn't seek out agenting specifically. I always wanted to work with authors and their books, so when the opportunity to become an agent came I took it. I still write in my spare time.

 

How have your internships prepared you for your career as a literary agent?

 

My first internship was reading the slush pile for a literary magazine, at my second I edited a manuscript. Both helped me develop a critical eye and a business sense.

 

As a relatively new agent, how do you build a great client base?

 

With less clients I have more time to spend on reading submissions and editing, and so I can find authors who might otherwise get skipped over. Plus I mostly attract authors who are just starting their careers, who have a lot of books in them.

 

What have you sold recently that you're excited about?

 

To sort of twist the question, there is a sequel in the works for R.F. Sharp's No Regrets, No Remorse which I'm very excited about. Because I love working with series. You connected with certain characters and their world and it's so fun to revisit them. I didn't sell the original but came on to negotiate Sharp's contract which I'm glad for since I love his work. He always has a classic hard-boiled tone with an unorthodox cast.

 

What do you wish you would find right now in your submissions?

 

An awesome fantasy, adult or YA. I also want, and this is a little abstract, stories with morally ambiguous, conflicted, or anti-heroic characters.

 

What really catches your attention in a query letter (good or bad)?

 

In a good query it's something that makes me really want to read the book. It's the same feeling you get when you start a good mystery: you know enough to be intrigued and are curious enough to continue. On the other end of the scale, usually when someone is trying to get my attention it ends up being bad. Just because I remember it doesn't mean I'll represent it. The worst are queries with that informercial feel: "this book will sell a centillion copies, but wait there's more, my mom said she loved it."

 

What are the benefits for writers going to a boutique agency like Talcott Notch Literary?

 

We give the same level of service as the big agencies! I'd say we're more willing to work with new writers; a lot of what we do is going through the slush pile. We also work as more of a team, so you're not just getting one individual's expertise.

 

Best piece of advice for writers?

 

Do research, use social media for it, google everything. A lot of people shoot themselves in the foot at the query stage because they don't know what to do or who to query or even what an agent does. There are ins and outs and facets of publishing in general that authors should know about to make the best career decision. For example, most people realize self-publishing is an option but don't know how to be successful at it, or if their work is better suited for a traditional deal or not. A novella about a talking cuttlefish told partially in iambic pentameter won't sell to the Big Six, but that doesn't mean it won't do well on the kindle store. There's no shortage of information about publishing, and you'll only help yourself by seeking it out.

 

 

Interview with Jon Gibbs

by Phyllis Palamaro

Our first interview for the 2013 conference is with GLVWG member and YA author, Jon Gibbs. Not only does Jon write fun characters and exciting adventures, he is a skilled and humorous presenter.

 

Phyllis Palamaro contacted Jon and asked him these questions.

 

How did you become involved in writing?

 

I started in 2003, about a year before I moved here from England. I used to make up stories for my son as we walked to school. One day, I decided to have a bash at writing a novel. I have no idea why, because up until then, I hadn’t written a word of fiction since leaving school in the 1970s…unless you count tax returns.

 

What age group are you targeting with your book, Fur-Face and its sequel, Barnum’s Revenge?

 

Officially, they’re aimed at boys aged 10-13, but I wrote them for anyone with a slightly twisted sense of humor.

 

Why Middle Grade?

 

I like to write about quirky, unusual characters in strange situations. The older Middle Grade genre (often referred to as the Tween market), seems like the perfect fit.

 

What caused you to found the New Jersey Author’s Network (NJAN)?

 

I got the idea back in 2008. A writing group I joined had just put out an anthology. I wanted to help them sell more copies. When a writing group hosts a guest presenter, I often buy his/her book afterward – especially if I enjoyed the talk. I thought, why not put on meetings ourselves, only hold them at other venues?

 

I’d seen the panel/Q&A format at the Write Stuff conference earlier that year. It seemed a perfect approach, since it puts less pressure on the speakers and makes the events themselves more appealing to potential attendees (and hosts). From there, it was a small leap to the idea of making the system open to any published writer. As for venues, libraries have proved to be great partners. We put on dozens of events each year, as well as providing speakers for book clubs and even literary luncheons.

 

You are a delightful and interesting speaker. Does public speaking come easily to you?

 

Thank you. These days, I love giving presentations and workshops, but when I started, the thought of public speaking terrified me. I remember my first ever presentation (a talk on blogging at a GLVWG meeting, back in November, 2010). I spent the 80-minute drive there imaging every possible thing which might go wrong. By the time I arrived I was a mess.

 

I sat in the parking lot outside Palmer Library, trying to think of a good excuse to back out. Then I imagined my old gran, talking to me from the back seat. ‘Fine, go home if you want, but if you quit, know your ancestors will be ashamed of you…again.’

 

It gave me the motivation I needed. As it turned out, once the initial panic died down, I was fine. The talk itself went well – leastways, nobody threw anything, which is usually a good sign.

 

How did you get involved in school visits?

 

After Fur-Face came out, I knew I needed something to help me reach my target audience, so I developed Fun with Fiction (a series of classroom sessions for kids in grades 3 and up). I’ve been very lucky so far, because schools contact me, rather than the other way around, either because someone involved has been to one of my other writing workshops, or the person responsible for organizing visits found me online somehow.

 

What do you tell the kids about writing when you visit them at their schools?

 

When I give my school assembly talks, I show them my ‘I are a writer!’ mug. I tell them it reminds me to get the story done first, then fix the grammar and other stuff.

 

What advise do you have for beginning writers?

 

Figure out what works best for you, then do that…a lot.

 

 

Born in England, Jon Gibbs now lives in New Jersey, where he gives writing presentations and workshops in schools and libraries around the Garden State (one of his talks, GETTING PUBLISHED: 10 Things Every Writer Should Know, was broadcast on local television in 2012).

 

The founder of The New Jersey Authors’ Network (www.njauthorsnetwork.com)and FindAWritingGroup.com, Jon’s middle grade fantasy, Fur-Face(Echelon Press), was nominated for a Crystal Kite Award. The sequel, Barnum’s Revenge, is scheduled for release in February, 2013.

 

Jon has a website:www.acatofninetales.comand a blog: http://jongibbs.livejournal.com. When he's not chasing around after his three children, he can usually be found hunched over the computer in his basement office. One day he hopes to figure out how to switch it on.

 

Thanks, Phyllis 



CARRIE PESTRITTO: An Eye for the Fantastic Non-Fiction

by Bernadette Sukley

Carrie is a history buff, but doesn't mind the occasional departure into a different world. She assures us that agents are really nice people with absolutely no control over what people are reading, just an ability to spot trends. Carrie loves the unique (ask her about P.T. Barnum) and wants to be drawn into a fantastic story, but not fantasy. She's willing to give all she's got for a really great manuscript--for better or for worse.

Bernadette Sukley: You are a history and mythology buff & intrigued by books that introduce you to another culture or time period, but NOT interested in science fiction/fantasy—how do you differentiate?

Carrie Pestritto: You're right, with science fiction/fantasy you are introduced to new worlds and cultures as you are with historical fiction and non-fiction.  The difference for me pretty much just has to do with personal taste.  While I do love certain science fiction/fantasy novels, like Dianna Wynne Jones' HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE or Ann McCaffrey's DRAGONRIDER series, as a whole, the genre is not one I am particularly interested in.

CONFERENCE ATTENDEE ALERT: I am actively looking for non-fiction, particularly narrative non-fiction, YA non-fiction, mainstream prescriptive non-fiction, and some biography and memoir.

B: You are looking for literary fiction, historical fiction, and mature YA--why these genres? Can you give examples of successful mature YA?

C: These are my main areas of interest, along with the non-fiction categories I mentioned before.  Growing up, they were the kinds of books I devoured. I used to get so excited for the Scholastic book ordering catalogs we received in grade school and remember combing all the Barnes & Noble's in my area when I was in fifth grade, looking for the exact edition of LITTLE WOMEN that I had read in the library.

But besides feeling an affinity for genres, I do think that literary fiction, historical fiction, and mature YA books do well, and as far as successful mature YA is concerned, there are a slew of bestselling titles: GOSSIP GIRL by Cecily von Ziegesar, ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis, THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins, WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON by John Green and David Levithan...I could go on and on!

Interestingly, I also think there is amazing opportunity in the non-fiction YA realm. Really great non-fiction is often just as exciting and fantastic as fiction (and sometimes can pack more of a punch because of the fact that everything in it is true!) and I have read several non-fiction YA books that I have absolutely loved.  For instance, THE GREAT AND ONLY BARNUM: THE TREMENDOUS, STUPENDOUS LIFE OF SHOWMAN P.T. BARNUM by Candace Fleming and SUGAR CHANGED THE WORLD: A STORY OF MAGIC, SPICE, SLAVERY, FREEDOM, AND SCIENCE by Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos are both captivating reads that I would recommend.

B: Biggest mistake writers make when submitting a manuscript to you?

C: Prospect Agency has a submission form that we require all authors to fill

out when querying us. The biggest mistake I think that people make is not
filling out everything, especially the "log line" and "favorite manuscript
sentence" sections.  The answers people provide are the first thing I see
when looking at the entire query, so this is the perfect place to hook me
and make me eager to read more.  When it's left blank, you miss an
opportunity to draw me in.

B: How do writers determine what’s selling—when it’s really the agents that have the edge on what’s being developed or dropped.

C: I think that you have to be a vociferous reader and have a good handle on

the genre you are writing in.  The other thing is to be confident in the
strength of your manuscript--in its writing, storyline, et cetera--because
more than riding the current trend, what you want to do is be is AHEAD of
the curve.

As an agent, you don't really control what people are buying.  You are
aware of what is popular in the market and know what appeals to you as a
reader, but you can't predetermine what editors are going to be interested
in.  However, I truly believe that if the writing is outstanding, the book
will sell no matter what the topic.  For instance, what with the TWILIGHT
craze, most people think that vampire books are "done," but if someone were
to send me exceptionally written prose about vampires, I wouldn't be able
to resist taking it on and I don't think an editor would be able to either.

B:  How do you plan your year? What goals do you as an agent set?

C: I don't necessarily have goals in mind as far as how many books I want to

sell or how many new clients I want to acquire.  My goals, as far as
selling books, grow out of the projects I work on with my clients and how
they develop during the course of the year.  My main ambition is to do the
best I can for my clients and to help as many of their wonderful books get
published as possible!  The most rewarding part of my job is feeling as
though I have contributed, in part, to bringing a book to life and letting
a new voice be heard.

B: Ever fall in love with a manuscript and then want to divorce it?

C: It can take a lot of time to get a manuscript "just right."  I am definitely a perfectionist, so I believe in making sure that the most minute details of a plotline or characterization are polished and correct. I never want to divorce a manuscript, but after multiple readings it can be difficult to remain objective, so at that point, I usually either take a mini-break or ask my colleagues to give the manuscript a read through and offer their opinions.

B: What about the dreaded “resubmission” can writers polish a manuscript and send it again? Has it ever happened to you?

C: I never mind looking at resubmissions, especially if I email the author with revision suggestions after reading the first query. There are plenty of times when I get excited about the potential of a manuscript, but want to see it developed a little bit further before I am willing to take it on.

B: What are you reading now?

C: Bill Bryson's AT HOME: A SHORT HISTORY OF PRIVATE LIFE and

Adrian Tinniswood's PIRATES OF BARBARY: CORSAIRS, CONQUESTS AND CAPTIVITY IN THE SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY MEDITERREANEAN.

Joyce McDonald On Teaching and Writing

by Donna Galanti

 Joyce McDonald is the author of several critically acclaimed books for teens and young readers, among them Swallowing Stones, Shadow People, Shades of Simon Gray, Comfort Creek, Homebody and Mail-Order Kid. Honors and awards include ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults, Booklist’s Best of the Best 100, New York Public Library’s Book for the Teen Age, VOYA’s “Books in the Middle” Outstanding Title of the Year, ALA/YALSA Popular Paperback for Young Adults, and an Edgar Award nomination. Her latest novel is Devil on My Heels (Delacorte). Her books have been nominated for numerous state awards and are on several state reading lists. She has taught literature and creative writing at Drew University and East Stroudsburg University, and currently teaches in the Brief-residency MFA in Writing Program at Spalding University. Visit Joyce at www.joycemcdonald.net

Donna Galanti: You conduct speaking engagements, writing workshops, author visits, writer-in-residence programs, and after-school-book-club discussions. How do you also fit writing into this schedule?

Joyce McDonald: It isn’t easy. During most of my writing career I’ve continued to teach. Currently I’m on the faculty of Spalding University’s Brief-residency MFA in Writing Program. When I wrote Swallowing Stones I was teaching four classes at East Stroudsburg University and a class in creative writing at Drew University. My weekends were consumed with grading composition papers. That left one day a week when I wasn’t in the classroom—a Thursday. I worked on my novel in my head while commuting to ESU and Drew, and on Thursdays I sequestered myself in my office and wrote for the entire day. It took a year and a half—Thursday by Thursday—but I finally completed the novel. Ever since then, I’ve learned to write, as Maxine Kumin has said, “in the interstices.”

D: Today authors need to self-promote more than ever. What promotional areas do you find you have the best success and how much of your time do you dedicate towards promotion?

J: I’m horrible about self-promotion. It’s embarrassing how little I do. The only blogging I can manage is for Spalding’s blog. But I do have plans to do my own eventually. Tweeting is another area I’ve sorely neglected. But I am on Facebook. I’m in awe of authors who find time to blog, tweet, and update their Facebook pages. I want to know their secret!

D: You write YA, Middle Grade, and have even done a picture book. How do you keep yourself knowledgeable to write for a younger audience as the times change?

J: Over the years I’ve read a tremendous number of MG and YA novels. But while I’m aware of trends, I tend to stay away from what’s currently hot. It’s a given that agents and editors will be swamped with derivative works. For me, it’s always best to write what fully engages my imagination, especially since writing a novel is a major commitment. You’re in it for the long haul, so you’d better love the story and your characters.

D: Do you have any advice for writers with a beginning interest in writing YA or MG?

J: I know you’ve heard this many times, but it’s the only way to truly learn to write: Read. Read first for entertainment. Read second to learn elements of craft from the author. There are also several good books on craft worth perusing. Janet Burroway’s On Writing (any edition) is especially helpful.

D: How does presenting a workshop for children differ from one for adults?

J: It depends on the age of the children. For elementary and middle school children, I usually do a group workshop on characterization. With teens and adults, I focus on several aspects of craft—characterization, setting, plot, pacing, and so on, depending on the length of the workshop.

D: You teach creative writing at the college level as well. What area do you find that you need to help your students with the most in their writing?

J: Every student has different strengths and weaknesses. I focus on what they’re doing well and point out where they need to improve. I find that by asking questions—many many questions—I can help them better understand what they’re attempting to do and how to make it work.

D: You also wrote a book for scholars, The Stuff of Our Forebears: Willa Cather's Southern Heritage. How did this book come about and what kind of research did you conduct for it?

J: What became The Stuff of Our Forebears was originally my doctoral dissertation when I was at Drew University. I had the privilege of taking a course with renowned Cather scholar, Merrill Skaggs, who later became the chair of my dissertation committee. The research was extensive. I made trips to Red Cloud, NE (Cather’s home for several years) and Winchester, VA (where Cather was born and raised until she was almost ten). I also read everything that Cather ever wrote, which was a daunting task. She was very prolific. When I wrote my dissertation in 1993 - 94, we didn’t have Internet access. I spent many long hours in libraries and loved every minute.

D: What are you currently reading?

J: I just finished reading Francine Prose’s Goldengrove. The protagonist is thirteen, but Prose uses an adult reminiscent narrator who looks back on a family tragedy. It has appeal for both the teen and adult audience, making it a cross-over novel. A few days ago I began reading The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I also loved his book The Shadow in the Wind. Both books are set in his home city of Barcelona, one of my favorite places.

Interview with Literary Agent Marie Lamba

By Tori Bond

Marie Lamba is an assistant agent with the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. She is currently looking for young adult and middle grade fiction, along with general and women’s fiction and some memoir. In addition to being an agent, she is the author of the young adult novels What I Meant… (Random House), Over My Head and Drawn. Tori Bond caught up with Marie and asked her to share her insights from the other-side-of-the-fence as an author turned agent. Find Marie’s full bio here.

Tori Bond: What made you to decide to become an agent?

Marie Lamba: I always wondered what it would be like to be on the other side…to see queries and proposed manuscripts as they came in from writers. When my own agent Jennifer DeChiara approached me, asking if I wanted to agent for her firm, I knew it was too good an opportunity to pass up. I’m so glad I jumped at the chance. This has been an enriching experience for me, and every time I open up my inbox, I feel like I’m on a treasure hunt.

T: As an author turned agent, what do you know now about the publishing industry that you didn’t know prior to becoming an agent? What secrets can you bestow on writers about the agent/writer relationship now that you’ve experienced both sided of this fence?

M: One thing I’ve realized is that agents don’t sit here eager to reject, they open each query eager to accept. One of my greatest joys is offering representation to a talented writer. I remember how thrilled I was when Jennifer first called me with her offer to rep me, and now I get to be the one making the call.

As a writer, I know just how much weight we give our agent in our minds. But you should really think of your agent as your partner, not your boss. So don’t be afraid to communicate with him or her about questions or concerns.

No huge secrets, but a bit of advice… From the zillions of queries I’ve now read, I can tell you that writers often shoot themselves in the foot long before I even have a chance to look at their actual piece. In the query, if you don’t include my name, if you address the query To Whom It May Concern, or you misspell my name, things start off on a bad foot right away. If your letter is riddled with misspellings and grammatical errors, I’m going to be really turned off (if you can’t pull off one page, how are you going to write an entire book?). And if you show off a bad attitude in your query, saying things like “I know you agents don’t really care and I’m pretty sick of trying to get your attention,” or “If you know what’s good for you, then you’d better write back to me right away,” then there is no way I’m going to want to work with you.

T: Many writers get very nervous about pitching to agents. What advice do you have for writers to help calm their nerves while pitching their projects at the conference? What is the biggest mistake writers should avoid when pitching their projects?

M: My best advice? Remember that an agent is just a person, and relax. Don’t tell yourself that pitching to this person is your one “big break.” A writer’s life is full of breaks, and this is just one pitch with one person. Truly. What is the worst that could happen if the pitch doesn’t go perfectly? The agent doesn’t ask to see your work? That’s not the end of the world, and this is not the only agent in existence. Simply learn from your pitch and the reaction that it got, and retool it for the future.

When you meet an agent or editor, think of her as someone who shares your interest in books. And when you pitch, get to the heart of your story. Think of what the back of your book jacket would say and phrase it that way. Back jacket copy is designed to entice, and that’s exactly what you want.

What should you avoid? Saying things like, “This is going to be a bestseller,” “This is the best novel you’ll ever see,” or “I’ve read this to my children’s friends and they all loved it.” Let the agent draw her own conclusions about the value of your work. Also, don’t put yourself down by saying things like, “I’ve never written before, so what do I know?” or, “You probably have heard this idea a hundred times before.” Be confident, smile and breathe! 

I won’t bite, I promise. And I’m pretty sure none of the other agents at the conference will, either.

T: Your bio states that you are interested in representing women’s fiction. This is such a broad category, is there something more specific that you are looking for? What is it about a novel that makes it hard for you to put down?

M: I don’t represent category romance, but I do like novels with romance in them. Women’s fiction is a broad term (ha ha) that encompasses chick lit as well as fiction with strong female characters in either a literary or commercial form. I’m open to them all.

What keeps me reading? Brilliant writing, an unforgettable character, a problem that makes me worry and wonder, a fresh voice that I can’t get enough of…

T: Are there any new trends to look for in YA and middle grade books? What type of story are you jonesing to represent but has not yet come across your desk?

M: I can tell you what I’m getting too much of… Too many middle grade novels about orphans in the 1920s. Too many YA novels about reapers, for some reason. Too many unremarkable memoirs about people with fairly normal life experiences.

And I can tell you about what attracted me to some of my clients… Carmella Van Vleet authored a mid-grade novel about a girl with ADHD who must prove to others (and herself) that she is no quitter. The book is smart and funny, and you just can’t help but fall in love with her heroine. Jon Price’s midgrade novel is simply hysterical. He writes in the tradition of Roald Dahl, skewering adults and highlighting the ridiculous. His book about Kevin, the fabulous fibber who mistakenly gets shipped off to a school for monsters, is fresh and has a strong commercial appeal. Stephanie Winkelhake’s voice grabbed me from the moment I began reading her gripping YA novel. It’s about a girl who is diagnosed with a fatal tumor who begins seeing her dead boyfriend… It’s inventive and fresh, with an engrossing romantic plot.

T: You also say in your bio that you love anything hilarious. What are some examples of what makes you laugh, particularly in the genres you represent?

M: Humor is definitely one of the toughest things to pull off. Too many people think that just by giving everyone goofy names or using crude words, that they’ve earned a laugh. Ho hum.

Understated wit, the improbable, ridiculous situations that work somehow…now these are funny.

Some laugh out loud books on my shelf include One for the Money by Janet Evanovich, Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green, The Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella and Matilda by Roald Dahl.

T: I find it fascinating that you are a literary agent, and an author who is both traditionally published and self-published. As an agent, how do you view self publishing?

M: Self-publishing offers writers even more opportunities to reach readers, and that’s all good. Writers, however, bear the responsibility of making sure that whatever they put out there is their very best. You want to be proud of what you produce, so be sure that it is strong and edited to perfection and that the book’s design is as good as anything you’ll find in bookstores.

I love that we writers now have options for our manuscripts. Things like short story collections, or short novellas, or poetry collections, or books for niche markets are a good fit for independent publishing. And many writers can now bring their out-of-print books back into print at a nominal cost, meaning that a work can live on forever. Also, it’s beyond wonderful to know that no matter what happens in the world of publishing, your book can be produced and read.

One word of warning though: I don’t recommend you self-publish a book if you plan to sell that same book to publishers through an agent. Choose your path with knowledge.