Abigail Samoun

The Darer: Abigail Samoun is a project editor with Tricycle Press in Berkeley, California.  Abigail has edited board books, picture books, and middle-grade fiction. These include the 2003 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Golden Kite winner for best picture book text, George Hogglesberry: Grade School Alien by Sarah Wilson with illustrations by Chad Cameron and the 2004 New York Public Library Ezra Jack Keats award-winner, Yesterday I Had the Blues by Jeron Frame with illustrations by R. Gregory Christie. Abigail also edits the middle grade series Edgar & Ellen published by Simon & Schuster. Some other books Abigail has edited:King & King by Stern Nijland and Linda de Haan, Ten Little Elvi by Duffy Grooms and Laura Henson, illustrated by Dean Gorissen, Finklehopper Frog by Irene Livingston, illustrated by Brian Lies. The “Busy” board book series: Busy Monkeys, Busy Doggies, Busy Kitties, Busy Piggies, Busy Barnyard, and Busy Horsies; Urban Babies Wear Black (board book series).

Favorite recent children’s books: A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson (published by Houghton-Mifflin)DeShawn Days by Tony Medina, illustrated by Greg Christie (Lee and Low Books)Mountain Dance by Thomas Locket (Harcourt)Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by Stephane Jorisch (Kids Can Press)Invisible Enemies: Stories of Infectious Disease by Jeanete Farrell (FSG)Guinea Pig Scientists: Bold Self-Experimenters in Science and Medicine by Leslie Dendy and Mel Boring, with illustrations by C.B. Mordan  (Henry Holt)Freaky Green Eyes, by Joyce Carol Oates (Harper Collins)

“I had a chance to hear Abigail speak at an SCBWI conference this past spring. She is as witty, insightful and a caring cultivator of wonderful books for children.  Seriously, you should hear her stories of looking for the right lines for a picture book text. She’s pitch-perfect and I have no doubt she’ll be able to see right into the heart of your ms!”

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Jennifer Laughran

The Prize: One critique of the first five-pages of your double-spaced manuscript for a middle grade or young adult novel. Please note: Jennifer will request to see the first 20 pages of your manuscript to see if the story engages her further. HOWEVER, your critique will be limited to the first five pages of your manuscript.

The Darer: Jennifer Laughran is an associate agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She represents authors of Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction. Her favorite writers are offbeat and funny and straddle the line between literary writing and a commercial hook. She’s always on the lookout for great new talent!

Jenn likes funny, sharp, voice-driven YA as well as lush romantic stories that the reader can get lost in (fantasy or realistic), and she loves awesome female heroines!

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The Darer: Margaret O’Hair is the author of four rhyming picture books, so rhymers get on this one quick! She is the author of STAR BABY (Clarion), TWIN TO TWIN (McElderry/S&S), MY PUP (Cavendish), and MY KITTEN.

“Meg is a good writer friend of mine, and I love her fabulous ability to communicate so much with such little text. Meg knows how to use language and rhyme in a playful way to get those young children bouncing when reading the text! Baby Liu is one of her #1 customers. If you are writing a rhyming picture book, get Meg to help you whip your rhyme into shape. You won’t regret it.” – Cynthea Liu

My Pup

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Jen Rofe

The Prize: One critique of a fiction picture book (1000 words max, double-spaced) or the first five pages of your fiction middle grade or young adult novel (double-spaced).

The Darer: Jennifer handles children’s fiction projects only, from picture books through young adult, and is particularly interested in literary, multicultural, offbeat, paranormal, and commercial-with-heart material. She enjoys magical-realism and reality-based fantasy; ghost stories (though not gore); stubborn characters who learn lessons the hard way; and unassuming heroes and underdogs.

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The Prize: One critique of the first five double-spaced pages of your fiction middle grade or young adult novel.

Jill Corcoran

The Darer: Jill Corcoran is an Associate Agent at Herman Agency representing Chapter Book, Middle Grade and Young Adult authors. Jill is a huge fan of humor. If you can make her laugh or crack a smile, you are her kind of writer. Even in a serious literary book, there is room for humor. Jill prefers realistic and paranormal to high fantasy. A commercial hook with a literary bent. Some of her favorite books are Frindle, Stargirl, Speak, Stuck in Neutral, How I Live Now, Millicent Min, Good Enough, Seeing Emily, Things Left Unsaid, Flipped and Because of Winn Dixie.

For more about Jill Corcoran please see the Herman Agency website and Jill’s blog.

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Summer Dawn Laurie

The Darer: Summer began her story in the San Francisco Bay Area, graduating with an English degree from UC Berkeley. After an eye-opening stint as an account executive with an investor relations company, she set her sights on the world of book publishing. She began to gather steam down this path at Chronicle Books where she worked in both the marketing and editorial departments during her three-year tenure in the children’s division there. In 2000 she crossed the bay to join Tricycle Press, the children’s imprint of Ten Speed Press in Berkeley, California. As Senior Editor, Summer worked on over 50 books—picturebooks, board books, novels, activity books, fiction and non-fiction for young people up to age twelve. After seven years she has chosen yet another fork in the road and is now an independent editor, working to strengthen each and every word her clients write. Summer is also a children’s specialist at independent bookseller Books Inc. where she has started the “Wild Girls Mother-Daughter Book Club.” And just for the fun of it, Summer is a co-producer of Kidquake and a member of the board of the NCCBA (Northern California Children’s Booksellers’ Association).

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Andrew Karre

The Darer: Andrew Karre is the editorial director of Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group. Carolrhoda has published fiction and nonficiton for all ages since for four decades. Andrew acquires all types of kidlit, but he’s particularly interested in YA and single-title middle grade now. Before moving to Carolrhoda, Andrew Karre was the editor at the YA imprint Flux, where he edited Maggie Stiefvater, Laurie Faria Stolarz, Carrie Jones, Simone Elkeles, Emily Wing Smith, Micol and David Ostow, and A.S. King among many others. He is an admitted sucker for first-person YA.

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The Darer:

Stacy Whitman

Stacy Whitman specializes in fantasy and science fiction for children and young adults, and related genres. She spent more than three years as an editor for Mirrorstone, the children’s and young adult imprint of Wizards of the Coast in Seattle. She holds a master’s degree in children’s literature from Simmons College. Before that, she edited elementary school textbooks at Houghton Mifflin, interned at the Horn Book Magazine and Guide, and spent a brief stint working as a bookseller. Stacy edited such favorite fantasy titles for children and young adults as the highly acclaimed YA series Hallowmere, the middle grade fantasy adventure series that debuted with Red Dragon Codex, and The New York Times best-selling picture book A Practical Guide to Monsters.

Stacy provides all phases of editorial services to publishers, including developmental editing, line editing, copyediting, and proofreading. She also provides a critique service for writers and teaches occasional community seminars on writing science fiction and fantasy for children and young adults.

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $30 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless or $50 if you go to Stacy directly, but remember THE CAUSE! *All winners must take the solemn critiquee oath.*

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Ammi-Joan Paquette

The Prize: One double-spaced manuscript critique of any picture book (five pages max.)

The Darer:  Ammi-Joan Paquette is known as a bit of globe-trotter. She spent much of her early years in France, then traveled throughout Europe and to Japan before settling down with her family just outside of Boston. The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies was inspired by a real-life fairy hunt she took with her two daughters one spring day. Although they didn’t meet any fairies face to face, they saw signs of them everywhere. This is her first picture book. Ammi-Joan is also an associate agent with Erin Murphy Literary Agency.  Learn more about Ammi-Joan Paquette.

“Joan’s Tiptoe Guide is such a charming and delightful text for young children. I have no doubt that Joan can help you strengthen the whimsy and charm of your picture book text to up that kid appeal that every picture book needs.” – Cynthea Liu

The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies

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The Darer: As an agent, Kelly specializes in all types of children’s literature (picture books, middle grade, young adult, and graphic novels). In picture books and middle grade fiction, Kelly looks for a good sense of humor, stories that stretch a young reader’s imagination, and an authentic voice. In young adult, she appreciates literary voices and character-driven stories with heart. In non-fiction for children, she enjoys projects that inspire and stimulate the minds of our younger generations. At this time, Kelly is not accepting unsolicited submissions in adult fiction or adult non-fiction.

Some of the titles Kelly has represented include include: Steve Watkins’ DOWN SAND MOUNTAIN (Candlewick) and GOAT GIRL (Candlewick); Merrily Kutner’s ALPHABET MAGIC (Roaring Brook); Jin Pyn Lee’s THE ELEPHANT AND THE TREE (Running Press); Candace Ryan’s ANIMAL HOUSE (Walker); Heather Leigh’s HEY LITTLE BABY (S&S/Beach Lane Books); Neil Johnson & Joel Chin’s THE FALLING RAINDROP (Tricycle Press); and James Burks’ graphic novel GABBY AND GATOR (Yen Press)

The Dare: Place a minimum bid of $35 by leaving a comment, then outbid the highest bidder until you win!  Value: Priceless. *All winners must take the solemn critiquee oath.*

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