Well, some very exciting news, folks: industry pro Molly Ker Hawn has joined the Bent Agency to open a London office and I am thrilled to bits. She'll be repping exclusively children's books. Her bio and submission guidelines can be found at http://www.thebentagency.com/submissions.html:
"My time in the children's publishing industry has included editorial roles at Chronicle Books and Dial Books for Young Readers, early social media development for a major teen magazine, and serving as National Programs Director at the Children's Book Council, the trade association of American children's book publishers. I've also been a bookseller, and I'm a past board member of the United States Board on Books for Young People.
I live in London and I work with authors and publishers both in the U.K. and the U.S. I've bounced back and forth from America to England since I was a teenager: I grew up in Northern California, lived for a time in the West Country, read English at Cambridge University, spent many years in New York City, and now live a stone's throw from the River Thames."
I live in London and I work with authors and publishers both in the U.K. and the U.S. I've bounced back and forth from America to England since I was a teenager: I grew up in Northern California, lived for a time in the West Country, read English at Cambridge University, spent many years in New York City, and now live a stone's throw from the River Thames."
You can query Molly at hawnqueries@thebentagency.com. I asked her to say a few words, and so, now, OVER TO MOLLY:
Hi everyone --
The agency website's been updated and PW's been alerted, so now it's officially official and I can tell the world: I've joined the Bent Agency! And I'm so excited I almost can't stand it. I'm thrilled to be joining such a terrific team and I can't wait to see what the slush pile brings. I've already found a manuscript that's absolutely gorgeous, and if it's any sign of what's to come, then 2012 is going to be a corker of a year. On my wish list:
• Contemporary romance
• Historical fiction
• Thrillers (a fabulous historical thriller would really make my day)
• Something fun about time travel
• Science fiction, particularly for the middlegrade audience -- I love a good spaceship
• Anything at all with a great sibling relationship
• Nothing with zombies, werewolves, vampires, fairies, or monsters made of spare parts
In the meantime, I'm in the middle of Jason Wallace's extraordinary OUT OF SHADOWS, trying not to watch the HUNGER GAMES trailer more than three times a day, and waiting to hear my local council's announcement about cuts to our public library services. The nights are getting colder here in London, perfect for holing up with a book -- what will you be reading?
Molly
Molly, Fantastic! As you already know, you couldn't have joined a better agency. Best of luck to you and your authors.
ReplyDeleteHi Molly! Could you please clarify - Jenny said you'd be repping children's books exclusively, but you've list several other genres. Will you be restricted yourself to YA, and treating those as sub-genres?
ReplyDeleteHi Molly! Just read about you and your career move. Well,you don't know me, hey Ms. Bent doesn't really know me either, but do believe me when I say that I'm really happy for you. The best of luck to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words! Charlotte, I meant those all as subgenres within YA/MG. Thanks for clarifying.
ReplyDeleteYou say you work with authors from both the US and UK. Now that you're working with Bent, are you planning on working only with UK/"International" (that is, non-US) authors? Or are you planning on working with US authors looking to start first in the UK. Just generally curious how that works.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Jenny, Molly, and Susan for the agency's growth! I see good things ahead for 2012. :) We're gonna prove those Myan's wrong yet!
ReplyDeleteLove it. Can't think of a better person to be working with than Jenny Bent. Perhaps she and I need to take a trip to London together! :)
ReplyDeleteKyle: I'll be working with authors in both the U.S. and the U.K., selling into both markets. Hope that clear things up.
ReplyDeleteHooray! Congratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Molly! You're with the best agency around. And, Jenny, it's great to see the agency growing by leaps and bounds!
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Molly! Jenny, congrats on the fantastic growth!
ReplyDeleteMolly, congratulations on joining The Bent Agency! And Jenny - I'm so happy at how well everything is going for you! I'm breaking open some Skittles to celebrate!
ReplyDelete