Agents Andrea Brown President andrea@andreabrownlit.com Andrea Brown is the President of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc. Founded in New York City in 1981, it was the first literary agency to represent both children's book authors and illustrators. Prior to opening her own firm, Andrea was an editor at Alfred A. Knopf, and worked in the editorial departments of Random House and Dell. In 1990, she moved her literary agency to Northern California. Her literary agency has sold approximately 1,500 books to publishers, from toddler board books to serious, award-winning young adult and adult fiction. Andrea has published articles and published a chapter about the children's book field in THE PORTABLE WRITER'S CONFERENCE, published by Quill Driver Books. She has been quoted in the NEW YORK POST, CNN.com, Yahoo News, FORBES, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING and REUTERS NEWS SERVICE. President of the San Francisco chapter of the Women's National Book Association for four years, she was the National Pannell Award Chair that gives awards to booksellers at the Book Expo Association. She is also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Andrea has had her own cable television show in New York City, "An Afternoon with Children's Books," and has appeared on C-SPAN'S "Book Notes", and public television's "Authors and Critics." She is the Executive Director of the Big Sur Writing Workshops, one for children's books and one for adult fiction. Andrea speaks at many writer's conferences including the Singapore Book Council, Maui Writers Conference, Asilomar, San Diego State University, UCLA, Palm Springs Writers Conference, Southwest Writers Conference, Pikes Peak Writers Conference, Pacific Northwest Writer's Conference, Texas Writer's League, The Society of Children's Book Writers conferences, and more. Some of Andrea's sales include bestselling titles such as MAMA DO YOU LOVE ME with Chronicle Books, THE BEANIE BABY HANDBOOK and TEACHER FROM THE BLACK LAGOON series with Scholastic, the BEVERLY HILLS 90210 series with HarperCollins, the SUNSET ISLAND series with Berkley Books, Olympic Silver medalist, Sasha Cohen's autobiography, FIRE ON ICE (HarperCollins), six-figure deals for Neal Shusterman (DARK FUSION series with Dutton, EVERLOST and UNWIND (Simon & Schuster) and a forthcoming series with HarperCollins. Andrea is also the author of WRITERS' AND ARTISTS' HIDEOUTS: Great Getaways for Seducing the Muse, the only travel/writer's guide available. Laura Rennert Senior Agent laura@andreabrownlit.com Laura Rennert is a Senior Agent with Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She's been with the agency for almost ten years, and specializes in all categories of children's books, from picture books to young adult, graphic novels, fiction and nonfiction. She also specializes in literary fiction, crossover fiction (works that come out in the YA market and cross into the adult market, or vice versa), mysteries and thrillers, and narrative nonfiction. She represents award winning and bestselling authors, as well as brand new first-time authors. Her recent and major deals include a middle-grade/YA series she sold to Random House for over half a million dollars; two six-figure deals for works of literary fiction to Doubleday; six-figure YA deals to Razorbill, Knopf, Feiwel & Friends, and Simon & Schuster; and a film deal to Nickelodeon/Paramount. Laura speaks at many writer's conferences, including the Virginia Festival of the Book, San Diego State University Writers Conference, UCLA, San Francisco State University, Pikes Peak Writers Conference, Book Passage Children's Writing Conference, the San Francisco Writers Conference, the Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop and Fiction Workshop, the Backspace Writer's Conference, the Texas Writer's League, The Society of Children's Book Writers conferences, the Central Coast Writers Conference, the Willamette Writers Conference, the Surrey International Writers Conference, and more. The common thread in the diverse range of projects Laura takes on is a strong voice - one that is not just in service of the story but becomes itself a source of pleasure. She is interested in works of fiction and non-fiction with a fresh, original perspective; complex characters, a strong narrative structure; and real emotional power. She is also drawn to works that grapple with big ideas and create a fully realized, richly detailed imaginative world. Although she considers herself a literary omnivore, some of her special interests are middle-grade, young adult, and crossover books; graphic novels, multi-cultural fiction, especially Asian, South Asian, African American, and Jewish voices; literary mysteries or thrillers; and story-based narrative nonfiction that uses the strategies of fiction. Laura's sweet spot is books with "literary voice and commercial conception." Some of her representative and forthcoming titles are THE FIVE ANCESTORS series (Random House); GLASS (Margaret McElderry/Simon & Schuster); THE DAY I KILLED JAMES (Knopf); THIRTEEN REASONS WHY (Razorbill/Penguin Group); REVOLUTION IS NOT A DINNER PARTY (Holt); EVOLUTION, ME, AND OTHER FREAKS OF NATURE (Knopf); BECOMING CHLOE (Knopf); GHOST MEDICINE (Feiwel & Friends/Holtzbrinck); STORKY: HOW I WON THE GIRL AND LOST MY NICKNAME (Putnam); THE SQUISHINESS OF THINGS (Knopf); TRUE BLUE, PROTECT AND SERVE (St. Martins); LOVE IN THE PRESENT TENSE (Doubleday); and MADAPPLE (Knopf). Laura has a Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Virginia. She has worked as a freelance editor in the United States and Japan, and has nine years of experience teaching as a faculty member in the English Departments of the University of Virginia, Osaka University of Foreign Studies, and Santa Clara University. Laura is the author of a picture book, BUYING, TRAINING, AND CARING FOR YOUR DINOSAUR, forthcoming with Knopf in Spring 09 and is also the author of two highly illustrated books for young readers, EMMA, THE EXTRA-ORDINARY PRINCESS, forthcoming with Dutton. Caryn Wiseman Agent caryn@andreabrownlit.com Caryn has been an Agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc. since early 2003. She handles children's books only: young adult and middle-grade fiction and non-fiction, chapter books, and picture books. Caryn holds an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA, and a BS from the University of Virginia. Caryn's fifteen years of business experience prior to joining the Agency emphasized editing and writing as well as sales, negotiation and client management. Caryn's particular interests include: sports; humorous chapter books and middle-grade fiction; "boy" books; YA that falls at the intersection of commercial and literary; YA that is edgy without being gratuitous; magical realism and reality-based fantasy; biography for kids of all ages; unique nonfiction; and African-American and Latino-themed literature in all age groups. She is always open to terrific children's work that doesn't fit these categories, however. For fiction, a fresh, unique voice is paramount, but the story must have great characterization and plot as well. She loves nonfiction that reads like fiction; that has a great "story behind the story". She does not represent adult projects. Please do not query her regarding adult work. Caryn's recent deals include middle-grade fiction to Dial (2-book deal), middle-grade fiction to HarperCollins (4-book deal), YA fiction to Clarion, Dutton, Delacorte and Atheneum, chapter book series to Hyperion (6-book deal) and Sourcebooks/ Jabberwocky (3-book deal), picture books to Abrams, Clarion and HarperCollins, and non-fiction to Chronicle, Charlesbridge, FSG, Millbrook, Walker and Houghton Mifflin. Some recent and forthcoming titles include: THE QWIKPICK ADVENTURE SOCIETY (Dial), BENEATH MY MOTHER'S FEET (McElderry), FLYING BENEATH THE RADAR (Delacorte), BEANBALL (Clarion), THE GREAT WALLOPER series (HarperCollins), LIFE IN THE WILD: THE GEORGE SCHALLER STORY (FSG), SUGAR PLUM BALLERINAS (Hyperion), THE JELLYBEANS (Abrams), and THE MAN WHO FLIES WITH BIRDS (Millbrook). Caryn is a member of SCBWI and WNBA, and a frequent speaker at writer's conferences. Jennifer Rofe (Jaeger) Associate Agent jennifer@andreabrownlit.com jenrofe@gmail.com Jennifer handles children's fiction projects only, from picture books through young adult, and is particularly interested in literary, multicultural, offbeat, paranormal, and commercial-with-heart material. She enjoys magical-realism and reality-based fantasy; ghost stories (though not gore); stubborn characters who learn lessons the hard way; and unassuming heroes and underdogs. She is currently interested in acquiring commercial, boy-friendly adventures and is always looking for projects that simultaneously tug at her heartstrings and make her laugh out loud. Jennifer considers herself an editorial agent in that she works with her clients to strengthen their manuscripts before presenting them to editors. Some of her sales include THE DOWN TO EARTH GUIDE TO GLOBAL WARMING by Laurie David and Cambria Gordon, Scholastic's lead title for Fall 2007; MILAGROS, THE GIRL FROM AWAY, a magical-realism middle grade by Meg Medina (Christy Ottaviano Books/Holt); FARWALKER, a middle-grade fantasy by Joni Sensel (Bloomsbury); PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE, a commercial middle-grade by Cynthea Liu (in a two-book deal to Putnam/Puffin); BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, a bilingual picture book by Samantha Vamos (Viking); and THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY, a literary middle-grade by Kathryn Fitzmaurice (in a two-book deal to The Bowen Press/HarperCollins). Jennifer earned a BA in English with a minor in Social and Ethnic Relations from UC Davis and has a background in secondary education. Jennifer has been on faculty for the Big Sur Writer's Workshop, the San Francisco Writer's Workshop, and WNBA, PCCWW and SCBWI conferences. Michelle Andelman Associate Agent michelle@andreabrownlit.com michelle.literary@gmail.com Michelle Andelman works across both the children's and adult markets as the agency's East Coast representative in New York City. She holds a BFA in Dramatic Writing and an MA in English Literature from NYU. Her publishing and film background allows her to offer clients guidance at every stage of story development. Michelle specializes in all children's categories, from picture and chapter books to middle-grade and YA fiction, with an interest in fantasy, sci-fi, thriller, adventure, romance, graphic novel, and serious literary projects. She's drawn to high-concept, commercial tween and teen lit if it's edgy, gritty, and daring or all sweetness and light. Stylized but authentic voices, magical realism, Jewish themes, interesting story structure, freak and geek protagonists, identifiable quests, and fully realized storyworlds always catch her eye. Her adult categories are literary and women's fiction, narrative non-fiction, and memoir. Michelle is a member of SCBWI and enjoys serving on faculty at its regional conferences, and speaking at others nation-wide. Recent deals for debut authors include chapter book and YA fiction to FSG, and middle-grade fiction to Hyperion. Jamie Weiss Chilton Associate Agent jamie@andreabrownlit.com Jamie Weiss Chilton represents children's books exclusively: teen novels, middle grade fiction, chapter books, picture books, and narrative nonfiction. Her specific interests include literary fiction with intense emotional content (character-driven, not issue-driven plots); smart thrillers and mysteries; science fiction; surreal stories and magical realism; sweet, funny, quirky chapter books and picture books. Jamie's career in children's books began in 1998, with an editorial internship at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, followed by positions as an Editorial Assistant and Assistant Editor at Bantam Delacorte Dell, Wendy Lamb Books, and Knopf & Crown Books for Young Readers, all divisions of Random House Children's Books. After returning to her hometown of Los Angeles, Jamie pursued her love of children's books in a new arena, as Conference Manager and Golden Kite Award Director at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Jamie believes that one great way to get to know someone is through their taste in books. Favorites that she worked on in an editorial capacity while at Random House include ACCELERATION and SPARKS by Graham McNamee, TROUBLE DON'T LAST and CROOKED RIVER by Shelley Pearsall, ZIPPED by Laura and Tom McNeal, DAUGHTER OF VENICE by Donna Jo Nappoli, and THE GIANT HUG by Sandra Horning, Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev. Jamie holds a BA in English from Columbia University, and has completed a series of editorial workshops at the Center for Children's Books. Jennifer Laughran Associate Agent JennL@andreabrownlit.com Jennifer is looking for YA and middle grade realistic fiction, science fiction, mystery, adventure and humor. She adores simplicity, but she is not interested in the conventional, predictable, mechanical, gimmicky or ordinary. She seeks books that have not only voice, but blood, temperature and a pulse--they can be messy and idiosyncratic, but never weak. If you need to be reassured that your writing is vital, you are probably not an author to interest her. At this time Jennifer is NOT looking for picture books, early readers, non-fiction, adult fiction, high fantasy, religious stories, or stories about talking animals. Jennifer is new to the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, but not to the world of children's books. She's been a children's bookseller for more than a decade, and is the founder of the extremely popular YA event series "Not Your Mother's Book Club". Her knowledge of the market and extensive experience working with publishers will be a definite asset for her clients.