Here are my kids reading in the library. One day my kids might be reading MY BOOKS in the library!
I am so, so excited to announce that I am now represented by the amazing Danielle Smith at Foreword Literary! Do you know Danielle? She’s runs a book review site called There’s a Book, where I saw that she has essentially the exact same taste in children’s literature that I do. And so when she became an agent, I had to send her a query.
Let me back up a moment and talk about my querying process. I spent 2012 with a severe case of submit-o-phobia. Last summer I started cautiously sending out my one polished story (and by “cautiously” I mean I sent it out twice). Then someone in my critique group got an agent, and she stressed how her agent stressed that it was really important to have more than one story. Preferably three.
So my submit-o-phobia said, “Ha! Told you so!” and I stepped back and wrote a lot more. I needed more than one story. And thank goodness for Julie Hedlund and her 12×12, because that pushed me to keep writing, and keep writing more, and pretty soon I had three polished stories and three more almost-theres.
But my submit-o-phobia still made me cautious, so I only queried agents that I could tell liked the same kinds of stories that I do. Because, this may shock you but: I tend to write kind of wacky offbeat stories. So what would be the point in submitting to someone who showed a preference for stories about fluffy bears who cuddle with their mommies? I needed an agent who might appreciate a story about a fluffy bear who finds out that his mommy put an exploding sandwich in his lunchbox by mistake.
So this is to say that I am OVER THE MOON EXCITED that Danielle likes my stories and asked to represent me, because she is completely awesome, and knows everything about children’s books, and and and. I might be a little too giddy. I’m having trouble formulating grammatically correct thoughts.
I am being totally insufferable to Dave. He’ll say, “Do you think we bought enough mortar?” and I’ll say, “Maybe I should ask MY AGENT.” Or he’ll say, “What’s for dinner?” and I’ll say, “I don’t know. Do you think MY AGENT has any ideas about dinner?”
For right now this means lots of fun work getting my stories in tiptop shape! HURRAY! Have I told you I’m excited?
Wonderful news, Julie! Congratulations! Sounds as though you went about the agent-search in exactly the right way, because it WORKED!
Woot! Woot! Great match – super happy for you both. I have been following Danielle’s blog for a couple of years!
YEAH!!!!!
I am so OVER THE MOON AND SUN AND GALAXY happy for you!!!
I love your wacky stories, my dream is to be able to think/write like that. Funny I love quirky stories but can’t write them.
Enjoy, celebrate and then get cracking on any revisions. Sorry I am just impatient to see your books at the store.
I’m so excited for you, Julie – congrats!! This is only the beginning 🙂
HA! And WOW! HA to the last bits about “I don’t know, should I ask MY AGENT?” I would totally pull that business! And WOW for the obvious! Congratulations! I cannot wait to see these stories of yours! And in case I didn’t use enough: !!!!!!
Wow! Fantastic news! Soo happy for you!
Thanks, everyone. DARSHANA! That is the nicest thing ever. (You think YOU’RE impatient? I’m totally impatient. Though that says nothing about how impatient my kids are.)
Congratulations, Julie!
This is fantastic! Congratulations to you!
Yay! Julie, I’m so excited for you and to have the opportunity to work with you.
Now, I should state that you may not want to come to me for dinner ideas. In fact, my husband and Dave seem to have similar question patters. LOL Books on the other hand…ask away! 😉
That’s great news, Julie! Gives all of us hope. If I ever get an agent, I’ll e-mail you that your agent should call my agent and we’ll do lunch!
Congratulations Julie! Just to show you how happy I am for your good news, I’m doing the HAPPY DANCE in your honor!!! ;~)
Donna L Martin
~Snoopy Dance~
Wooohooo! Congrats. :0)
Yaaaaaaay! I’m so excited for you! You deserve it. You rock!
I love that one day those holes where your burrowing children are might hold YOUR BOOKS.
Congratulations Julie – I look forward to seeing the photo of your kids reading your own books in the library too!
Julie, this is SUCH inspiring news!! I am so happy for you — it really couldn’t happen to a wackier person! And I feel better knowing that I am currently exactly where you were not that long ago, struggling to get those three necessary stories written and polished before I can even think of submitting — and that it CAN be done. You are proof! I wish you many many many years full of exploding sandwiches. GO GO GO!!!
Thanks, everyone! And yes, Renee, I think it’s the way to go. Stop submitting and assemble a pile of stories! Then you’ll be able to: a) choose the story that most seems to fit the agent your submitting and b) have more stories to give them when they ask.
And Danielle, see, you gave me my answer! Now I can say, “MY AGENT says we should order takeout.”
Congratulations! wonderful news. I can’t wait to read your books too!
Congratulations, Julie! That is so awesome! 🙂 🙂
Congrats Julie! I had no idea that Danielle was an agent now. I followed her blog religiously a few years ago and always loved her posts! I am so excited for you and good luck!
Foreword Literary started a little over a month ago, and she started with them. I’m so glad she did!
Thanks for sharing wonderful news. Bit of sunshine.
Another big CONGRATULATIONS Julie. I can’t wait for you to announce it to Sub Six. So exciting and encouraging.Best of Luck!
Congratulations!
Such happy news, Julie!! I’m thrilled for you and doing the snoopy happy dance for you! It’s so great to have some good news for a change!
Julie – I am so happy for you and thrilled that I get to say “I knew her when, and always knew that she would be successful.” Love being a part of my students successes. Wahoo! Super proud of you and can’t wait to celebrate 🙂
Thanks so much, Mira!!
I am beyond happy for you! Congratulations! This is so exciting!
This is so exciting! The best part is knowing your agent loves not just one of your stories, but the KIND of stories you like to write. It sounds like a great match.
Wonderful news! Very excited for you!
Ju! Oh my goodness! Drop off the radar for a bit and look what I miss! I’m SO DANG COMPLETELY OVER THE MOON EXCITED FOR YOU. I am dancing in slippery socks. It’s dangerous, but unavoidable. I’m too happy to stop.
A bit slow on the uptake here, but…this is wonderful and well-deserved. It’s not easy getting any kind of a break as a writer, so this is a great testament to your talent AND perseverance. I promise to write a column on you when your first book is published! Soon, please?! 🙂