Networking Dinners/Updates & Girl Parts

We had two wonderful Networking Dinners this week.  I managed to reserve a private dining room at A.J. Maxwell’s Steakhouse on Tuesday night and Cafe Centro on Wednesday night.   

On Tuesday night, we enjoyed the company of Holly McGhee – President, Agent of Pippin Properties, Tamra Tuller – Editor, at Philomel,
Lisa Yoskowitz – Assistant Editor at Dutton, and
Eve Adler – Associate Editor from Henry Holt.   

This was the first time I met Holly.  She gave me a bubblehead Pippin Properties Pig.  I have it sitting on my desk and now when I need an answer I can ask the Pippin Pig and see if he shakes his head, yes or no.  I’ll have to take a picture of it to show all of you.   

Did you know that  Holly McGhee writes under the name of Hallie Durand?  She is the author of Dessert First, the first book in her chapter book series starring a girl named Dessert, which came out last year.  Emily Van Beek is her agent.

Eve, Lisa and Tamra are always a delight to be around and were very generous with their time.  The nice thing about them is you know they truly care about children’s books and make you feel like they want you to succeed. 

On Wednesday evening, we had time to rub elbows with seven editors and agents.  First I want to thank Marietta Zacker from Nancy Gallt Agency and Rebecca (Uma) Frazer, Acquistions Editor at Jabberwocky/Source Books for stepping in when Agent Edward Necarsumler and Assistant Agent Christa Heschke from McIntosh & Otis were unable to make the dinner at the last minute.  I love them both.  Thanks Rebecca and Marrietta!  

Kelly Smith, Editor from Sterling Publishing talked to all the picture book people about their projects, Agent Emily Van Beek, who recently left Pippin Properties to help build a children’s division at Folio Literary Management filled us in on the exciting things happening at FLM, Associate Pub/ Exe. Managing Editor at Dial, Dutton, & Celebra, Steve Meltzer listened to everyone talk about their personal projects, as did  Sarah Barley, Associate Editor at HarperCollins.  This was the first time we met Sarah and everyone liked her.  She just left Henry Holt for the new position at HarperCollins.  I know she will do a good job, but she does have some big shoes to fill (Not that Catherine Onder has big feet).  It also was the first time we had John Cusick, Agent at Scott Treimel NY Literary Agency out to a NJSCBWI event.  He was great and I even got him to talk about his book, Girl Parts, which is hitting the book shelves on August 10th.  I don’t usually recommend new books, but I have to with this one.  It is dark, funny, sexy, very clever and well written.  I don’t think you will be disappointed in anyway. 

I think all of you like to hear the names of editors, authors and agents as they sign up for next years June’s conference, so I am happy to announce that Grace Lin, Newbery Honor winner for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon will be giving our keynote and her editor Alvina Ling from Little, Brown & Co. has agreed to come,too. 

I have not met Grace, but everyone who has, says she is a delight.  I am looking forward to having Alvina come out to the conference.  What is it about the people at Little, Brown & Co?  They all are so nice.  Alvina is Senior Editor. 

Here are the previously announced faculty: 

Holly McGhee – Owner and Agent of Pippin Properties 

Emily Van Beek – Agent, Folio Literary Management 

Edward Neclarsumer – Agent, McIntosh & Otis 

Marrietta Zacker – Agent, Nancy Gallt Agency 

Krista Marino – Executive Editor, Random House 

Erica Sussman – Editor, HarperCollins 

Harold Underdown – Author and owner of the Purple Crayon Website and Blog 

Stay tuned.  Exciting stuff is being discussed.  Oh, if you ever want to stay overnight in NYC, check out The French Quarter Apartments on West 46th St.  Laurie and I stayed there and it was lovely (Roomy, clean, nicely decorated and the staff was great!), much nicer than most hotels and only a few blocks from Times Square.

Talk tomorrow, 

Kathy