09 Wednesday Jul 2025
Dive into visual storytelling for the modern picture book market with agent Kait Feldmann!
Kait Feldmann is an agent with KT Literary and was previously an editor with HarperCollins and Scholastic, overseeing an award-winning editorial list. Join us as she brings more than decade of experience and her unique perspective on kidlit art to SCBWI-L.A.’s Illustrators Day at the Holy Spirit Retreat Center in Encino, CA, on July 13, 2025, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Continue reading27 Friday Dec 2024
Tags
#AskanEditor, Alexis O'Neill, Andy Greene, April Halprin Wayland, authors, Cara J. Stevens, Christine Van Zandt, craft, illustrators, inspiration, Jaime Zollars, Joy Peskin, Julia Edwards, Kelly Pellico, Kim Wildman, Liz Garton Scanlon, Nell Cross Beckerman, Paige Vinten Taylor, Philana Marie Boles, publishing, publishing tips, quotes, Roya Asgari, SCBWI community, writing tips
It’s been a roller coaster of a year. But that means there’ve been ups as well as downs. Joy, growth, progress, breakthroughs, satisfaction. So, take a moment to peruse our traditional year-end inspirational quotes column, which this year includes a baker’s dozen. We need ’em! And we have them, thanks to all of you who have been kind enough to share your time, expertise, images, thoughts, words—and reasons for huzzahs—with all of us through Kite Tales. Now, let’s hop in the time machine together and take a look back at some of the highlights.
Continue reading27 Wednesday Dec 2023
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authors, Benson Shum, Brady Smith, Cara J. Stevens, Christine Van Zandt, Courtney Stevenson, craft, illustrators, Imelda Hinojosa, inspiration, Jackie Huang, Karol Ruth Silverstein, Kitty Felde, Laura Hunt, Laura Taylor Namey, Lucy Hamilburg, Molly Ruttan, Philana Marie Boles, publishing, publishing tips, quotes, Savannah Brooks, SCBWI community, Vincent X. Kirsch, writing tips
Editing Kite Tales has its perks. One is being among the first to see, hear, and be able to use the many uplifting ideas expressed by the blog’s kidlit guests during the year. Another is being one of the first to look back at year’s end and take inspiration anew. Here are some of my favorite 2023 moments gathered up in KT’s traditional list of 10 inspiring quotes. (Plus some extra inspo via the images.) Scroll through. Click through. Catch a thermal current and be uplifted. Thank you to everyone who brought words, pictures, and stories to the blog this year. Thank you to our readers! May you continue to soar in 2024.
Continue reading13 Wednesday Sep 2023
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agents, authors, editors, Kokila, publishing, Sera Rivers, Speilburg Literary Agency, Sydnee Monday, writers
Welcome back to Meet the Faculty! In anticipation of the SCBWI-L.A. Working Writers Retreat on September 29–October 1, we’re getting to know the agents and editors who will be sharing their time and expertise at the event. This week we spoke with agent Sera Rivers and editor Sydnee Monday. Read on to discover what they look for in books and tips for making the most of the retreat!
(And if you’re inspired and would like to hear more from Sera and Sydnee, you can register for the retreat here! Registration will close at 11:59pm on Thursday, September 14.)
Continue reading06 Wednesday Sep 2023
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agents, authors, Lucy Hamilburg, MG, PB, publishing, publishing tips, The Hamilburg Agency, Working Writer's Retreat, writing, YA
The SCBWI-LA Working Writers Retreat returns on September 29-October 1. There are still some seats left for this popular in-person gathering that puts you in the company of kidlit agents or editors and writing colleagues with a serious commitment to their craft. Our fabulous faculty members are looking forward to it, and they’ve been kind enough to field some mix-and-match interview questions about themselves to help break the ice. Whether you’re attending this year or just curious, there’s plenty to discover in their words.
First up: Lucy Hamilburg, who is a literary agent based in Los Angeles. A former teacher with a goal of motivating young people to love books, she’s now an agent who works to create long-lasting relationships with her clients, editors, and publishers, to amplify diverse voices, and to inspire and sustain life-long readers. Heading the kidlit side of her agency, Lucy represents picture books, middle grade, and young adult fiction. Read on to get acquainted.
Continue reading24 Wednesday Jul 2019
Posted in Agent's Perspective, Writers' Retreat
Tags
agent, business, Dogs, Doug Cenko, Laurel Symonds, productivity, Shelly Vaughan James, submissions
Agent Laurel Symonds began her publishing career in the editorial department of HarperCollins Children’s Books/Katherine Tegen Books in New York City and joined the Bent Agency in 2018. She’s also had positions in the marketing department at a small publishing house, in a library, and as a bookseller at one of the nation’s best independent bookstores. She’s looking for authors and illustrators from across the picture book-YA spectrum, especially underrepresented stories and voices. And! …She’s here to share some of all this kid lit wisdom she’s gathered before she sits on faculty for this year’s Working Writers Retreat.
SARAH PARKER-LEE: Your decades’ worth of experience with marketing, editing, bookselling, and publishing gives you a lot of insight into both the creative and business sides of kid lit. We can’t wait to learn from you at the retreat! What is one thing from each side you think authors and illustrators should know but often don’t? Continue reading
14 Friday Sep 2018
Posted in Agent's Perspective, Author's Perspective, Central Coast, Writers Days
By Ann Rousseau Smith, SCBWI CenCal News Liaison
Lorin Oberweger, agent with Adams Literary, is on faculty for this year’s SCBWI CenCal Writers’ Day, Discovering Your Path to Publication, on October 13, 2018. As an agent with Adams Literary, Lorin is actively acquiring authors for her list. She has also served as a highly sought-after independent book editor, helping to shepherd hundreds of books — including many bestsellers — to publishing success. Lorin’s ghostwritten books have received glowing notices from the New York Times and Kirkus Reviews. And she is co-author of Boomerang, Rebound, and Bounce (Harper Collins) under the pen name Noelle August. She is a popular speaker at conferences around the country, including many appearances at SCBWI events. Teaching writing craft rates right up there in her list of favorite things to do. She’s agreed to answer some questions.
ANN ROUSSEAU SMITH: We’re very excited you’re joining us for Writers’ Day in October. How did you become an agent?
LORIN OBERWEGER: Becoming an agent was a natural offshoot of my years and years (and years) of experience as an independent editor, writing workshop director, instructor and traditionally published author. I was attracted to the new role because of the new challenges it represents, but much more so because it allowed me another avenue for helping writers succeed. I know that sometimes all it takes is that one person who really believes in you and can lift you up, and becoming an agent helps me to become that person for deserving writers.
08 Wednesday Aug 2018
Posted in Agent's Perspective, Writers' Retreat
Tags
Candice Ransom, critiques, E.D. Baker, first lines, Han Nolan, Katherine Hannigan, Marcella Pixley, Nikki Grimes, Shannon Hale, Susan L. Roth, Susan Middleton Elya, Victoria Wells Arms, Working Writer's Retreat
Before founding Wells Arms Literary Agency in 2013, Victoria Wells Arms spent 20 years in the publishing industry, working as an editor at Penguin and Bloomsbury, where she was the founding editorial director for their U.S. children’s list. She brings her expertise to this year’s Working Writer’s Retreat (WWR) as faculty.
She’s worked with bestselling and award-winning authors, including: E. D. Baker, Susan Middleton Elya, Nikki Grimes, Shannon Hale, Katherine Hannigan, Han Nolan, Marcella Pixley, Candice Ransom, Susan L. Roth and Renee Watson. She is an MFA candidate at the Vermont College of Fine Arts’s Writing for Children and Young Adults program.
Victoria took time away from her studies to answer our questions and share her insight.
ERLINA VASCONCELLOS: The retreat will feature a panel on first pages. How do first pages make readers eager for more? What are the elements commonly overlooked by unpublished writers? Continue reading
01 Wednesday Aug 2018
Posted in Agent's Perspective, Writers' Retreat
Nephele Tempest is on faculty for this year’s SCBWI-L.A. Working Writers Retreat (WWR). She joined The Knight Agency in January, 2005, opening the Los Angeles-area office. As an agent, she works with a number of talented writers, assisting them to hone their skills and build their careers. Nephele comes from a diverse publishing and finance background, having previously worked on the editorial side of the business, as well as for several major New York investment firms as a financial advisor and later a financial marketing and communications writer. Her previous experience provides her with insight into multiple aspects of the publishing industry and today she’s going to share some of it with us!
SARAH PARKER LEE: You’ve been involved with SCBWI events in the past. Are you there just to give back or are you actively looking for clients? If the latter, what makes someone stand out from the crowd at these fast-paced events? Continue reading
06 Friday Apr 2018
Posted in Agent's Perspective, Writers Days
Tags
agents, Eve Porinchak, Karen Grencik, Kari Sutherland, pitching, query letters, SCBWI events, Seth Fishman
By Sarah Parker-Lee and Erlina Vasconcellos
Last month brought us the annual SCBWI-LA Writers Day. Quite a few attendees took advantage of assigned one-on-one pitch sessions with the awesome literary agents on faculty. Some pitchers used the opportunity to work on their query letter or aspects of their pitch with the agent in an advisory role while others went all-in with hopes the agent would request their full manuscript – AKA be interested in representing them professionally. Several folks did get a partial or full request and everyone walked away with some great feedback.
After the pitch sessions were over, we asked our agents how things went, what they liked, and what they recommend so you can put their answers in your toolbox for your next pitch! Continue reading
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