Confab Editors and Agents
Charles Kim is Senior Editorial Agent at Serendipity Literary, where he focuses on moving forward the principles of diversity and inclusion, authentic representation, equity, and narrative change in publishing. His client list includes many thought leaders and change makers in the Asian American community, influential Gen Z voices in social media and digital communication, clinicians and therapists working to heal BIPOC and intergenerational traumas, activists bringing about change in cannabis and drug law reform, contemporary art curators and critics, writers of adult fiction and YA/children’s literature, and collectives of Black and Brown creators and speakers.
Alyssa Eisner Henkin founded Birch Path Literary, a full-service boutique literary agency in 2021. She began her publishing career in children’s editorial at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. She later joined Trident Media Group as a literary agent and was named Executive Vice President. She is proud to represent a stable of bestselling and multi-award authors including Ruth Behar, Julie Berry, Jen Bryant, Lisa Greenwald and R.J. Palacio, whose #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder was turned into a major motion picture and sparked a movement to #choosekind. Alyssa is passionate about heartfelt storytelling and innovative ideas that fill holes and/ or break new ground in the market. While kidlit will always comprise the bulk of her list, she is open to representing select projects for grownups.
Right now, Alyssa is on the hunt for the following:
- Character-driven YA romcoms that are heavy on the comedy and feature endearing and underrepresented voices in the vein of Never Have I Ever.
- Early graphic chapter books —a Dog Man format with a Madeline flair—would be a dream.
- Inventive nonfiction for board book through young adult created by changemakers and experts in their fields.
- Upmarket fiction – both historical and contemporary. Books about book lovers and book clubs are especially intriguing.
- Not A Fit: category romance, science fiction or high fantasy, horror, suspense or inspirational.
Hilary B. Van Dusen is a senior executive editor at Candlewick Press and the editorial lead on the MIT Kids Press and MITeen Press imprints focused on inspiring STEAM books for the next generation of designers, inventors, scientific thinkers, and leaders. She is the editor of many of the books on the MIT Kids list including, Alan Lightman’s picture book Ada and the Galaxies, illustrated by Susanna Chapman, Unseen Jungle: The Microbes That Secretly Control Our World by Eleanor Spicer Rice, illustrated by Rob
Wilson, and for young adults Tasting Light: Ten Science Fiction Stories to Rewire Your Perceptions. Currently her editorial focus is on the MIT Kids and MITeen lists, and she is currently not acquiring outside of those lists that focus on STEAM books.
Della Farrell is an associate editor at Holiday House Publishing. Before joining Holiday House in 2018, she assigned nonfiction reviews at School Library Journal. She is deeply passionate about nonfiction for young readers, especially projects on labor history and nature/ environmental topics. If there is almost as much back matter as there is main text, she wants to read it! Della also works on middle grade and YA fiction and graphic novels. She loves voice-driven stories that feature working-class characters. Some of her recent titles include Breaking the Mold by Dana Alison Levy, The Forest in the Sea by Anita Sanchez, and Constellations by Kate Glasheen.
Ariel Richardson, Editor at Chronicle Books, TBA
I am Terrance K. Phillips, a scriber of works from fiction, and thrillers, to self-help books. I was a columnist in several newspapers including the LA Times Newspapers. I have written, The DIvorce Disease – Option for a Cure, and more; Good Morning Nobody, King of Cons, Pondering on the Porcelain. I seek representation (agent) to assist in finding a traditional publisher and less interested in self-publishing. I would love to discuss the many works I have completed that are ready for publishing. I can be found on Amazon Books “The Divorce Disease – Options for a Cure.” I reside in Round Rock, Texas.
I echo all of Ellen’s accolades for the WB!!! This interview warmed my heart. Everything Ellen experienced is so meaningful to writers like me. It gives me hope and inspiration to keep submitting and believing in myself.