Apply for The Verge
Industry Engagement Day
Publishing industry professionals will respond in real-time to pitches for picture books, novels, and long-form nonfiction, giving writers valuable insight into what's working and how they can sharpen their pitch.
Online event - July
Writers submit a book pitch and get live feedback from top literary agents and editors.
cost
$185 for CTC Members (opens May 22nd)
$250 for Non-Members (opens May 29th)
Faculty
Picture Book Palooza I Faculty
Sam Farkas grew up in South Jersey and attended the College of William & Mary, where she received her B.A. in History and English. She worked in the rights division at Penguin where she was involved in major international publishing events for authors such as John Green, Anna Dewdney, and more before she joined the JGLM team in 2018. She represents a wide variety of children’s and adult fiction with an emphasis on genre fiction. When not reading, she enjoys cooking comfort meals, dabbling in artsy hobbies, and snuggling with her two cats. She lives in New York City.
Sam Farkas
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
In Young Adult and Middle Grade, I am open to all genres, but I have a special fondness for voice-driven contemporary, often with a speculative twist; historical with modern sensibilities; fantasy that pays homage to tropes while still feeling fresh; tightly plotted thrillers, mysteries, and horror; the very strange, and the very funny.
In picture books, I'm seeking stories that kids want to read again and again. I'm seeking books with BIG characters who have the potential to carry a series; that play with perspective; and/or that make me laugh or cry (bonus points if they can do both).
Literary Agent, Jill Grinberg Literary Management
Interested in: PB/MG/YA
Bonnie Swanson (the agent not the cartoon character!) is a retired elementary school teacher who lives in Southern Illinois. A Member of AALA and the SFWA, she represents authors who cover all the age groups from picture books through adult manuscripts. She has a husband, three grown children, two bonus daughters, one granddaughter (who she doesn’t spoil AT ALL!) and three fur-babies who think they need to eat all the cat food all the time.
Bonnie Swanson
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
Always on the hunt for underrepresented authors. (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, etc) I have very eclectic tastes and sometimes don’t know what I’m looking for until I read it. However, there are a few consistencies in what I like/don’t like.
Adult/YA Likes: I’m dying for a good speculative psychological horror mystery! (Think a gender-bent/gay Sherlock Holmes, set in Middle Earth or outer space, with all the creepy feels of Silence of the Lambs!) Normalized queerness where it isn’t the focus of the plot or subplot. I’m a sucker for a good romantasy (HEA required). Issue-driven stories that address timeless social issues and the people who fight to change them, stories where the underdog wins, non-traditional characters who feel real (even if they are in outer space or an anthropomorphic animal), accessible literary prose.
I am being highly selective for PB right now, but I would love multigenerational/found family stories. No rhyming please.
DISLIKES: stories with violence against women/children/animals, erotica, misogyny, alpha males.
Agent, FinePrint Literary Management
Interested in:
PB/YA
Jin Soo Chun (first name “Jin Soo”) joined Atheneum in 2024 and assists Reka Simonsen. Previously, she worked in book marketing at Ecco and in the fashion and restaurant industries. Jin Soo enjoys working on middle grade, YA, graphic novels/nonfiction, and picture books across all genres.
In her free time, you can catch her watching Korean variety programs, reading manga/manhwa, or nerding out on Succession, Severance, Beef, Insecure, Bob’s Burgers, Schitt’s Creek, Ponyo, the Spider-Verse movies, Hunter x Hunter, Blue Eye Samurai, and When Harry Met Sally.
Jin Soo Chun
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
For picture books, she is drawn to books that celebrate the complex interior worlds of children and mischievous stories that make readers feel like they’re a partner in crime as they tag along with the protagonist on misadventures. In MG and YA (graphic and prose), she loves vividly imagined stories full of heart and humor and is especially partial to narratives propelled by an unforgettable, diverse cast of characters ranging from the spunky and spirited to the devious and terrible.
Jin Soo delights in dynamic, cinematic storytelling that balances lively dialogue and emotionally stirring prose, and overall, she’s a big fan of books that humanize characters through their flaws and mistakes and allow for growth without compromising the essence of who the characters are.
Assistant Editor, Atheneum Books
Interested in: PB/MG/YA
Picture Book Palooza II Faculty
Shulokhana Khan is on the 0-8 team at Scholastic with a primary focus on picture books and board books. She is particularly interested in books with strong voices that are funny, empowering, dark, or touching, with special interest in the variety of BIPOC experiences.
Shulokhana Khan
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
Laugh-out-loud books with strong series potential
Picture books with BIPOC characters that aren't solely about the experience of being ''other''.
Books that riff off familiar stories but with a twist.
More independent kid MCs that drive the plot and fewer well-meaning adults doling out lessons, please!
Quirky and funny author-illustrated picture books that unveil new depths on each reread
Assistant Editor, Scholastic Inc.
Interested in:
PB
Analía is an Associate Agent at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She has been with ABLA since 2021, assisting Kelly Sonnack in championing a diverse list of authors and illustrators. Before that, she was an editorial assistant at Candlewick Press and interned at several literary agencies. Authors and illustrators were her childhood celebrities; now, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to cheer them on and support them in a professional capacity.
Submission Instructions
Analia Cabello
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
Check it out here 👇
https://www.andreabrownlit.com/Team/analia-cabello
Assoc. Literary Agent, Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Interested in:
PB/mG/YA
Erica Finkel (she/her) is an Executive Editor. Before starting at Abrams in 2010, she was, among other things, an English teacher in France, a theater-camp counselor, and an ice-cream scooper. Erica focuses primarily on middle grade novels, graphic novels, and the Questioneers series, and she is honored to work with many bestselling and award-winning authors and illustrators, including Andrea Beaty, David Roberts, Tom Angleberger, and Saadia Faruqi. Some books she’s edited that are particularly dear to her include Dear Mothman by Robin Gow (Lambda Literary Award winner), Game Changer by Tommy Greenwald, The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz, Once Upon an Eid edited by S. K. Ali and Aisha Saeed, Alfie by Thyra Heder, and a picture-book biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (her hero) by Jonah Winter. Her favorite genres are contemporary realistic, fantasy, and magical realism, and she is not the best fit for thrillers or nonfiction. She lives in Port Washington, New York, with her husband and two sons. You can see more of her work here: https://www.pinterest.com/ericafinkel/books-ive-edited/
Erica Finkel
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
Picture books, graphic novels (early and MG), and middle-grade fiction. My preferred genres are contemporary realistic, light fantasy, and magical realism. I'm not the best fit for non-fiction, thrillers/horror, or YA.
Executive Editor, Abrams
Interested in:
PB/MG
Novels & Longform Faculty
Carina Licon is an Associate Editor at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers (Macmillan Children’s). She is actively seeking compelling middle-grade and young adult fiction across genres with complex characters who sit at the heart of a story and leap off the page. She lives in Austin, TX with her 8-pound guard dog Dempsey.
Carina Licon
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
Carina is interested in compelling, commercial middle-grade and young adult fiction with complex characters who sit at the heart of a story and leap off the page. She is looking for contemporary YA and MG; thrillers that make you bite your nails in anticipation; spooky, atmospheric MG; gothic YA horror or fantasy; stories about mental health; intergenerational BIPOC stories; stories of everyday life in a BIPOC household (especially Latinx); romance with lots! of! angst!; grounded stories with light sci-fi or spec-fic elements; and grounded YA fantasy. She is not looking for sci-fi or in-verse novels.
If your book has big feelings, chances are she’ll love it!
Associate Editor, Macmillan
Interested in:
MG/YA
Jenna Satterthwaite is a literary agent with Storm Literary, as well as the author of four thrillers with HarperCollins, Sourcebooks and PRH UK. She lives in Chicago with her husband and three kids, and writes a weekly Substack about all things publishing with thousands of subscribers.
Jenna Satterthwaite
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
In Young Adult, I’m looking for Fantasy, cozy or epic, contemporary or infused with sci-fi, sci-fi that makes me feel as much as it makes me think; bonus if you can make me cry, Thriller/suspense and mystery, Speculative, and Atmospheric horror or extravagantly satirical horror
In Middle Grade, graphic novels - author-illustrators (or author/illustrator collabs–this can be 2 different people!); fantasy or contemporary, serious or humorous. If my ten-year-old would love it, we’re on to something! Also, fantasy with series potential, contemporary stories that explore the multicultural/multilingual experience, and Horror
In Adult Fiction, I’m especially looking for upmarket and book club fiction - this is a huge focus for me right now! If you have a commercial plot + literary writing, PLEASE consider hitting send! I’d love to see books in this space that hit on current issues–the kind that book clubs would just HAVE to discuss. Also, genre blends, horror, and romantasy with something new.
Jenna is also interested in many other adult genres and categories.
Literary Agent, Storm Literary Agency
Interested in:
MG/YA
Jessica joined InkWell Management in 2017 and primarily focuses on children’s books, children’s graphic novels, women’s fiction, rom-coms, commercial/book club fiction, and select prescriptive and narrative nonfiction. The projects she works with are high concept, commercial, and have a juicy hook. She is always looking for books that are from points of view of underrepresented folks in books and media, such as BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+. Her clients include New York Times Bestselling authors, Allison Saft and Rory Power, USA Today Bestselling author KC Davis, Mazey Eddings, and Rachel Runya Katz.
Jessica Mileo
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
I love stories with humor, a message, unique twists, and diverse perspectives. My taste leans commercial and hopeful (the world is dark enough). I'm looking for genre-blending novels, whether romance, mystery, thriller, fantasy, or speculative in my YA and MG. This applies for graphic novels as well. I want fresh and unexpected takes, especially in fantasy and mystery.
Literary Agent, InkWell Management
Interested in:
MG/YA
Market Insights Faculty
Kelly is a literary agent at the Serendipity Literary Agency, a published poet, and a certified copy editor with a bachelor’s degree in English from Pace University. She is a member of New York Women in Film & Television (NYWFT), Women in Film (WIF), the Editorial Freelance Association (EFA), and the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA), where she sits on the Copyright Committee. Kelly is also a ghostwriter and developmental editor, as well as a screenwriter with a feature-length film in development. Prior to joining Serendipity Literary Agency, Kelly provided manuscript analysis for the D4EO Literary Agency. She has served as an editor for the literary arts magazine Pen & Brush and as a writing coach for the academic consulting company Brattlestreet.
Kelly Thomas
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
In picture books, Kelly is looking for authentic stories with heart and humor. It’s important
that the story explores a meaningful theme or takeaway without becoming didactic or preachy. She has a soft spot for picture books centered around animals.
In MG and YA, Kelly is looking for contemporary fiction and nonfiction with realistic
settings and dynamic characters. She is open to magical realism with clearly defined magic, but
dense world-building, overly intricate lore, high fantasy, and overly complex magic systems are not the right fit for Kelly.
She is on the lookout for chilling, edgy YA horror, particularly stories involving serial killers, vigilantes, or twisted moral dilemmas. Kelly would also love a manuscript
centered around fierce female archetypes.
Literary Agent, Serendipity Literary Agency
Interested in:
PB/MG/YA
Alex Land is a queer biracial (Filipino/white) writer and agent who loves rooting for the Final Girl—especially if she's a monster. Alex loves collaboration and is excited about working with her clients to form sustainable, long-term careers in publishing. Alex has worked with New York Times Bestselling authors, Stonewall Honors recipients, and many other critically acclaimed authors on various projects. She’s always ready to root for and brag about all of her clients.
Alex Land
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
In Adult, YA, and MG, I'm looking for:
Final Girls who are also monsters, diaspora stories, horror of any kind, stories that will make her laugh/cry/wonder if something is lurking in the darkness, anything that hints at what might be hiding in the ocean, witches, rom coms, witchy rom coms, women/enby/POC-lead thrillers that leave her on the edge of her seat, queer horror, queer rom coms, queer anything, stories written by and for folks from underrepresented/marginalized identities, ghost stories, weird stories, weird ghost stories, time loops, heists, the sensibilities of Grady Hendrix, and anything speculative/fabulist.
Associate Agent, Mad Woman Literary
Interested in:
MG/YA
Lindsey is a Junior Literary Manager with Martin Literary Management. She graduated with a B.A. in English from the University of Connecticut where she developed a love for books that inspire empathy and foster a deeper understanding of the world in which we live. As an agented kidlit writer herself, she is familiar with the ups and downs of the query trenches and submission process. She is a member of SCBWI, four critique groups, and was a member of Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge for many years before interning with Kristen Terrette at Martin Literary Management. She is open to picture books, middle grade, and young adult with a soft spot for humor with big heart and dark, spooky stories.
Lindsey Aduskevich
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
In all genres I am looking for diverse, marginalized, and/or underrepresented voices.
Picture books:
I am open to authors and author/illustrators. I will look at rhyme only if you absolutely know how to do it (because I do not, and I cannot help you in that area). I love humor, but I want plenty of hooks and big heart. I also love dark humor, so don’t be afraid to send me those! I also love lyrical stories that give me goosebumps or make me want to cry. Send me stories that leave me with questions or inspire me to be a better person.
Middle Grade:
I am wide open here. Send me your contemporary, fantasy, spooky, witchy, mystery…anything really.
Young Adult:
I’m looking for fresh topics with high stakes and a strong voice. Send me romcom, contemporary romance, horror, mystery, paranormal, historical, literary, and fantasy.
Literary Manager, Martin-Newens Literary
Interested in:
PB/MG/YA
Kayla is an agent with Upstart Crow Literary. She is open to picture books through YA and illustrators, and select adult manuscripts in the upmarket, thriller, and contemporary romance categories. She is searching for those voices that make her laugh and keep the page turning. Some of her clients include author/illustrator Kirbi Fagan, illustrator of the New York Times Bestselling A HORSE NAMED SKY (Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2023) and author/illustrator of THE BIG EMPTY (Lerner, 2025) as well as Pura Belpre Award-winning author Lupe Ruiz-Flores (THE PECAN SHELLER, Lerner 2025). Kayla is also expanding into the adult market with the upcoming thriller PEOPLE I'D LIKE TO KILL from author Robin Davies (Park Row, Summer 2027).
Kayla Cichello
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
I'm looking primarily for MG and YA, contemporary, magical realism, thrillers, rom-coms, and mysteries. I prefer fantasy that is grounded in reality. Would love to find something that makes me laugh out loud. Awkward and adorable moments.
What's NOT for me:
sci-fi
novels in verse
high fantasy
Agent, Upstart Crow Literary
Interested in:
MG/YA
Critique-Only Guests
Katie Hopkins fell in love with reading in her childhood, where she could often be found raiding her dad’s treasure trove of science fiction paperbacks. She then continued to cultivate her love of storytelling at Missouri State University, where she earned her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. Upon moving to NYC, she wore many hats (from Cruise Ship Singer to Axe Throwing Instructor), before finally pivoting from performing to publishing with an internship at DeFiore & Company. Now at Pippin, Katie is thrilled to champion works that offer fresh perspectives and bring people together.
Katie also manages the licensing of foreign and translation rights for Pippin titles, and assists Pippin's Creative Director, Holly McGhee.
Katie Hopkins
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
Holly's particular taste tends toward powerful & deep graphic novels, poignant middle-grade and YA that speaks to the human spirit, and picture books in which she can immediately understand the characters from looking at their faces, picture books that she feels will make a difference in the world.
Katie's taste lends itself to sharp and funny picture books, voice-driven middle grade and YA coming-of-age tales, and anything that dabbles with the speculative or spooky. She has a special place in her heart for queer stories.
Agency Assistant to Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties
Interested in:
PB/MG/YA
Anna Luketic is an editor of nonfiction and fiction children’s books at Sourcebooks. She has a degree in PreK-8 education from California State University, Long Beach, with a concentration in mathematics.
Anna has worked as a teacher, tutor, curriculum developer, children’s minister, and freelance writer. As an elementary school teacher, Anna fell in love with children’s literature and later studied writing for children under Liz Garton Scanlon (All the World). Anna has taught writing through SCBWI, Inked Voices, the Verge, and the Writing Barn.
Her favorite food is tacos; her favorite pastime is photography; and her favorite place in the world is anywhere near water. She currently resides in Minneapolis.
Anna Luketic
Manuscript Wishlist ✨
Animals, STEM, history, biography, nature, sports, and anything inspiring. I love stories about first-time experiences that include mishaps and humor, and when nonfiction tackles a familiar subject in a strange way. Looking for: Humor. Inspirational. Heartwarming. Exciting. Clever. Wacky.
Editor at Sourcebooks eXplore
Interested in:
PB
No open submissions, but requests from critiques possible.
