Middle Grade Ninja Episode 184: Literary Agent Stephanie Fretwell-Hill

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Stephanie Fretwell-Hill and I discuss her career in publishing from working in foreign rights with Walker Books to becoming an editor with Peachtree Publishers up to her current role as a literary agent with Red Fox Literary. We talk about making a living as an agent solely on commissions, submission follow-up practices for her with editors and for querying writers, the importance of industry relationships, the importance of maintaining an attitude of gratitude, the difference in editorial feedback from an editor vs an agent, increasing diversity in traditional publishing, and so much more.

See Stephanie Fretwell-Hill face the 7 Questions.

STEPHANIE FRETWELL-HILL started her publishing career in 2004 at Walker Books Ltd. in London, where she sold foreign language rights. Working in a design-led company with legendary artists such as Helen Oxenbury and Lucy Cousins sparked her love of illustration, while her sales role gave her an international perspective on children’s publishing.

In 2011, Stephanie moved back home to Atlanta, where she spent four years at Peachtree Publishers as an editor. During her four years there, her acquisitions received such honors as YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year, Parents’ Choice Awards, and starred reviews from major trade magazines.

Stephanie joined Red Fox Literary in 2016. She represents authors and illustrators of literary fiction and narrative nonfiction picture books, middle grade, and young adult. Her clients include two-time Newbery Honoree Christina Soontornvat, Beth Anderson, Carolyn Crimi, R. W. Alley, and Archana Sreenivasan. The books she represents have won numerous awards, including Newbery Honor, Sibert Honor, the Jane Addams Book Award, the Youth Book Prize for Social Justice, YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, and many, many starred reviews. Stephanie’s tastes are eclectic, but across all genres, she looks for compelling, diverse voices and strong hooks combined with literary merit and classroom value. Most of all, she loves stories and art with the perfect mix of humor and heart.

Stephanie lives in Asheville, NC with her English husband, two feisty little girls, a border collie, and 4…3…6 chickens. When she isn’t working, she can often be found hiking, sewing, playing the ukulele, or hanging out at the playground.

RedFoxLiterary.com

7 Questions For: Literary Agent Stephanie Fretwell-Hill

Stephanie Fretwell-Hill started her publishing career in 2004 at Walker Books Ltd. in London, where she sold foreign language rights. Working in a design-led company with legendary artists such as Helen Oxenbury and Lucy Cousins sparked her love of illustration, while her sales role gave her an international perspective on children’s publishing.

In 2011, Stephanie moved back home to the United States, where she joined Peachtree Publishers as an editor. During her four years there, she acquired fiction and non fiction picture books, middle grade, and young adult titles. Her acquisitions received such honors as YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year, Parents’ Choice Awards, and numerous starred reviews from major trade magazines.

As the newest agent to join Red Fox Literary, Stephanie represents both authors and illustrators of board books, picture books, middle grade, and young adult. She will consider stories in any genre, but looks for a strong voice, rich and multi-layered plots, and stylish, classic, or quirky illustrations. Most of all, she loves anything that really makes her laugh.

Stephanie lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her English husband, brand new baby girl, and a border collie named Rooney. When her nose isn’t in a book, she can often be found changing diapers, renovating a house, traveling someplace new, or cooking dinner.

And now Stephanie Fretwell-Hill faces the 7 Questions:

Question Seven: What are your top three favorite books?

That’s an ever-changing list! But I’ll go with one classic and two recents: 

To Kill a Mockingbird 
Doll Bones
Eleanor and Park  

Question Six: What are your top three favorite movies and television shows?

Breaking Bad, Fargo, anything by Hitchcock

Question Five: What are the qualities of your ideal client?

Positive attitude, excellent writer or illustrator, fun to work with

Question Four: What sort of project(s) would you most like to receive a query for?

Literary and commercial picture books, middle grade, and YA. Can be fiction or non-fiction, but I’m looking for a strong voice, excellent writing, memorable characters. I don’t tend to love fantasy or sci-fi, or anything saccharine sweet (but I could be persuaded to by the right project).

Question Three: What is your favorite thing about being an agent? What is your least favorite thing?

My favorite thing is working with talented and wonderful people. 

My least favorite thing (so far— I’ve only been an agent for about two months now!) is my query inbox, which has 2000 manuscripts waiting for me as we speak.

Question Two: What one bit of wisdom would you impart to an aspiring writer? (feel free to include as many other bits of wisdom as you like)

Read, read, read. In whatever genre you are writing in, read everything you can get your hands on. And then think about what you’ve read. Why does it work? Why doesn’t it? 

Question One: If you could have lunch with any writer, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

Hmm…I’m going to go back to my first answer, and say Harper Lee. Because not only did she write fascinating characters, I think she must have been one herself.

redfoxliterary.com

7 Questions For: Literary Agent Danielle Smith

For more than six years Danielle Smith has been the well-known blogger behind the online review site There’s a Book, voted the BBAW’s Best Kidlit Book Review Blog and host to over two-hundred thousand page views per month. Her children’s book reviews have also appeared in top online and print publications such as Parenting Magazine and Women’s World.

Smith’s expertise in children’s literature led her to serve as a judge for The Cybils Awards from 2010 to 2012, and as a board member of The Central Coast Writer’s Conference and the BEA Book Bloggers Advisory.

Danielle comes to Red Fox Literary after a successful stint at Foreword Literary where she sold Julie Falatko’s highly anticipated picture book Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) in a pre-empt to Viking Children’s Books.

As the latest addition to Red Fox Literary, Smith will be looking to further expand on the sterling reputation she's built within the children’s trade publishing world. Her client list includes both authors and illustrators working in genres from board books to picture books to young adult novels.“There is something magical about working with children’s books,” says Smith who still cherishes the time she’s able to read with her own two children each day.

I still believe this interview has value, so I'm leaving it up. But here's a rare update as of 7/25/18

And now Danielle Smith faces the 7 Questions:

Question Seven: What are your top three favorite books?

Only three?! Wow. Well, here goes! Three of my current favorites:

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander, Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington and Socks by Beverly Cleary (the first book I ever loved).

Question Six: What are your top three favorite movies and television shows?

You really know how to make a person think, don’t you? Three is so tough! Here goes, my top three current favorites:

BBC’s Sherlock, HBO’s True Detective and The Lord of the Rings movies.

Question Five: What are the qualities of your ideal client?

The qualities I look for most, but aren’t a “requirement” by any means are passion for their own work and children’s literature, patience, persistence, talent, trust, savviness and knowledge about the industry and perhaps most important of all, humility.

Question Four: What sort of project(s) would you most like to receive a query for?

If I could get a manuscript that featured diverse characters the way that Kim Baker’s Pickle does with the magical realism of Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me in a well written middle grade novel I’d be delighted.

Question Three: What is your favorite thing about being an agent? What is your least favorite thing?

My favorite thing would have to be working with my clients and watching them grow through the process. More specifically being a part of their success. I’ve always been the type of person that enjoys giving others the tools to shine in the spotlight and that makes this one of the very best jobs for me personally.

Getting rejections for books I love would have to be my least favorite thing. We all get rejections, at every stage in this process. For me, I only take on projects and clients I truly love and am passionate about. So receiving a rejection hurts almost as much as if it were my own writing. 

That said, one or even a dozen rejections on one piece doesn’t mean the end. There’s always more and it only takes one editor to love a piece to make things happen.

Question Two: What one bit of wisdom would you impart to an aspiring writer? (feel free to include as many other bits of wisdom as you like)

My biggest piece of advice would be to be patient and don’t rush things. I get a number of submissions that, for a number of reasons, aren’t ready and it’s clear the writer was too excited to get the manuscript sent off that they neglected important details. Sometimes we get second chances to try again, but not always. Be sure to put your very best foot forward by paying attention to details and researching prior to submitting. 

And then, be comfortable with patiently waiting. During those waiting times keep writing and improving because your career will be filled with them, even after signing an agent and especially while waiting for books to be published. Stay busy and keep improving your craft!

Question One: If you could have lunch with any writer, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

Another tough question! I feel very fortunate that in the past few years I’ve had lunch with a number of the authors I love and admire, but at this moment I’d have to say Patrick Ness. I’ve met him before and we know each other, but since the time we last saw each other he’s published a couple of books that I have big questions about, tough questions. He’s someone I really respect and I’d love to pick his brain and get to know a little more about his writing process and journey in general.

If I could pick another, someone that’s no longer living, I’d pick Homer. I studied Classical Literature in school, and loved studying The Iliad and The Odyssey. What would it be like to sit with someone from that time? I can only imagine. 

www.redfoxliterary.com