A quick note to say CONGRATULATIONS to Laura Arnold! She's been promoted to Editor at HarperCollins Children's Books. I'm jazzed for her, and for all the authors who'll get to work with her, because she is unfailingly gracious and kind and whip-smart.*
I asked her what kind of manuscripts she hoped to acquire in her new job, and she wrote to say:
"Right now I'm primarily looking for middle-grade and really strong YA. I also work on chapter books, but we find that is a crowded market. Still, if there is something stand-out in either chapter book or picture book, I wouldn't rule it out."
Laura also mentioned that "In September I'll be a moderator for a teen fantasy panel at the Brooklyn Book Festival, with Gail Carson Levine, Holly Black, and Justin Kirk." Oooh! Doesn't that sound like some serious fairy dust is going to get thrown around? (And I should have asked, but didn't: I found Googlezilch about Justin Kirk as a writer, so is that Justin Kirk, the actor?? And if so, is he being cast in a teen fantasy movie? Or am I wildly speculating?)
OH. Turns out it's Daniel Kirk, picture book author/illustrator making the crossover into teen fantasy with the forthcoming Elf Realm: The Low Road. That makes more sense. And how interesting...
As always, you should research any editor before sending out a manuscript. HarperCollins is closed to unsolicited general submissions, but I wouldn't dismiss the possibility of a specifically targeted, superb manuscript being read.
*Laura, as you might remember, was on the Mid-Atlantic SCBWI panel with me last fall. She looks after Letters From Rapunzel for me now that Lauren Velevis is off getting her MFA.
Oh, I liked her a lot when she spoke at Mid-Atlantic. She seemed sweet but also sharp and insightful. Congrats to Laura!
ReplyDeleteUPDATE TO POST: OH. Turns out it's Daniel Kirk, picture book author/illustrator making the crossover into teen fantasy with the forthcoming Elf Realm: The Low Road. That makes more sense. And how interesting...
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