PB Pitch Success Stories
Twitter Pitch parties can be a bit crazy and a lot of fun. Congrats to everyone who puts themselves out there and gets a "heart." Sometimes, those "hearts" can lead to writers landing an agent or editor. . . and sometimes those favorites can lead to book deals.
Please let us know if you've had a success - we'd love to celebrate it!
Please let us know if you've had a success - we'd love to celebrate it!
Book Deals from Matches Made at #PBPitch:
October 24th, 2019 #PBPitch:
Breanna Carzoo had not participated in pitch events before, but she jumped in the October 24, 2019 #PBPitch with this tweet: "Lou doesn't know he's a fire hydrant. He thinks all he is, and ever will be, is a toilet. Oblivious to the fire that breaks out behind him, Lou will need to listen to his gut, instead of his head, to find out what he's really made of. #PBPitch." And since Breanna is an author/illustrator, she attached a jpeg of Lou, the Fire Hydrant and a few dogs. The pitch received 9 "hearts" from agents and editors that day. Adria Goetz with Martin Literary was one of the first.
Breanna queried Adria and a few other agents and soon had a call set up with Adria. Breanna felt Adria was the perfect fit and signed with her. Four months later, Breanna and Adria announced a 2-book deal with Harper Collins! LOU, Breanna's debut picture book, is scheduled for release in Summer 2022. Learn more about Breanna on her website www.breannacarzoo.com and on Twitter at @BCarzoo.
June 20th, 2019 #PBPitch:
Anna Lazowski decided to pitch T.REXES CAN'T TIE THEIR SHOES after scrolling through the #PBPitch tweets and seeing what was being liked. She posted “Bees can’t ride bicycles, penguins can’t pick up pennies, and zebras can’t go ziplining. T-rexes Can’t Tie Their Shoes proves that no one is good at everything, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying. #PBPitch #ABC.” An editor with Doubleday, Frances Gilbert, “hearted” it shortly after. Anna hit send at 10:21 am, and saw Frances’ confirmed receipt at 10:32. When another email from Frances popped up at 11:55, Anna assumed it would be a quick, polite rejection.
It wasn’t. Instead, it was an immediate offer. Things started to move very quickly. Anna had full requests out with several agents. She contacted them and scheduled some calls... but none of them had seen this manuscript. She had shelved it after receiving a pile of form rejections from about a dozen agents. Anna ended up signing with Moe Ferrara at BookEnds who negotiated the deal. T.REXES CAN'T TIE THEIR SHOES is being illustrated by Steph Laberis and is coming out with Doubleday Books for Young Readers/Random House Children’s Books in summer 2021. Check out Anna on Twitter at @anna_lazowski.
Nancy Poe Rimm tweeted this pitch on June 20th, 2019: Girl in a cockpit. Youngest ever to fly solo around the world. Born in an Afghan refugee camp. Born to do something great. Ambassador of Peace. #PBPitch #NF#Biography #STEM. Naomi Kreuger at Beaming Books "hearted" this tweet. Two months later an offer was made. Nancy signed the contract in September and in November 2019 the picture book deal for FLY GIRL FLY: SHAESTA WAIZ SOARS AROUND THE WORLD was announced and will be published in September 2020. Check out Nancy on Twitter at @Nancyroepimm and at her website: nancyroepimm.com.
February 21st, 2019 #PBPitch:
Rebecca Langston-George, a writer who had 12 work-for-hire books with Capstone Publishing under her belt, participated in #PBPitch on February 21st, 2019 hoping to catch an agent's eye for her trade PB. But she caught an editor's eye instead - her previous editor's eye! After a few weeks of revisions, she signed a contract with Capstone Publishing again, but this time for a trade PB - tentatively titled THE UNLIKELY ALLY OF ANNISTON ALABAMA - due out in Spring 2021 . Check out more details at Rebecca's website: http://www.rebeccalangston-george.com/events. Also check out Rebecca on Twitter at @RebeGeorge.
Judith Roth tweeted this pitch on February 21st: "#PBPitch When a baby needs a ride to fall asleep, but there are no cars--only canals. Surprise at the end about this lullaby's gondolier." It got only one like, but it was by editor Allison H. Hill at Page Street Kids. Allison asked for revisions and then offered on the story in May. The contract for Venetian Lullaby was signed in June and was announced in December 2019. VENETIAN LULLABY will be published in January 2021! Check out Judy at her website www.judithlroth.com and on Twitter at @JudithLRoth.
October 25th, 2018 #PBPitch:
Matt Forrest Esenwine and Charles Ghigna had submitted their picture book manuscript to 20+ editors for several years with no luck. On October 25, 2018 #PBPitch, they tweeted this pitch: "What was it like when the air was fresh and the rivers, clean? Before cities, technology, and our grand machines? Author/poet @FatherGooze and I present a lyrical look at Nature’s wonders, contrasting past w/present. #PBPitch #L" and received a "heart" from editor Naomi Kreuger at Beaming Books. In August 2019 their picture book deal was announced and ONCE UPON ANOTHER TIME will be published in early 2021. Check out Matt Esenwine on Twitter at @MattForrestVW and Charles Ghigna at @FatherGooze.
Carol Gordon Ekster participated in #PBPitch on October 25th, 2018 with this pitch: "SOME DADDIES-a 351-wd concept PB with heart. Some dads gro beards, some tuck u in with a song, some r called Baba, Tatti, etc. Every daddy is different.This is a repeated refrain.The bk opens possibility 4 illus 2 sho differences- looks, ethnicity, family structure, etc.#PBpitch."
She received a "heart" from editor Naomi Krueger of Beaming Books. In December, Naomi took it to an acquisitions meeting and Carol got an acceptance letter in January. Publication for SOME DADDIES is slated for 2022. Check out Carol on Twitter at @cekster.
Laura Sperry Gardner participated in #PBPitch on October 25th, 2018 and received a "heart" from editor Allison H. Hill of Page Street Kids. Allison took the manuscript to a colleague with a personal connection to the setting, and Laura signed with editor Charlotte Wenger in January of 2019. OVER IN THE BLUE RIDGE for publication in Winter 2021. Check out Laura on Twitter at @Laura_S_Gardner.
June 21st, 2018 #PBPitch
Valerie Bolling participated in #PBPitch on June 21st, 2018 with this pitch: "A girl dances the cha-cha-cha; a boy zig-zag-zigs in his wheelchair. Dancing is a universal language, even though we all have different "accents." This is a story that leaves no doubt that dancing is for everyone! #PBPitch #POC #OWN #DIS"
She received a "heart" from Jes Negro´n at Kane Press/StarBerry Books. They signed a book contract a few weeks later. Valerie's book, LET'S DANCE, was published in March 2020. Check out Valerie on Twitter at @valerie_bolling.
February 22, 2018 #PBPitch:
Norene Paulson participated in #PBPitch on February 22, 2018 with this pitch: "In NOT A BAT, a story about gender transitioning, Bennie risks everything for the chance to become his authentic self…a butterfly. #pbpitch #LGBTQ"
She received a “heart” from Naomi Davis at BookEnds Literary Agency. Within a week, Norene signed with Naomi and their book deal for “Bennie’s True Colors” was announced in October 2018. BENNIE'S TRUE COLORS will be published by Imprint in fall 2020. Check out Norene on her website at www.norenepaulson.com or on Twitter at @NorenePaulson.
February 23rd, 2017 #PBPitch:
Annie Cronin Romano participated in #PBPtich on February 23rd, 2017 and received a "heart" from Kristen Nobles at Page Street Kids. A few weeks later, in April 2017, they signed a contract for her first picture book. BEFORE YOU SLEEP, A BEDTIME BOOK OF GRATITUDE was published in October 2018! Check out Annie on Twitter at @AnnieCRomano or at her website at www.anniecroninromano.com.
June 16th, 2016 #PBPitch:
Kristen Spina Foote participated in #PBPitch on June 16th, 2016 and received a "heart" from The Innovation Press. They signed a contract for a two-book deal a few weeks later. In August 2017 both HOW TO SURVIVE AS A FIREFLY and HOW TO SURVIVE AS A SHARK were released! Check out Kristen on Twitter at @LittleFoote4 and her books at howtosurvivebooks.com.
Ashley Franklin participated in #PBPitch on June 16th, 2016 and received a "heart" from Jen Corkill Hunt at Booker Albert Literary. Ashley signed with Jen a few weeks later and in July 2017 her book deal was announced: NOT QUITE SNOW WHITE was published with Harper Children's in 2019. Check out Ashley on Twitter at @DifferentAshley or her website at www.ashleyfranklinwrites.com.
February 11th, 2016 #PBPItch:
Sheri Dillard participated in #PBPitch on February 11th, 2016 and received a "heart" from Liza Fleissig of Liza Royce Agency. Sheri signed with Liza in October of 2016 and their book deal for COWHIDE AND SEEK was announced in February 2018! It was published by Running Press Kids in Spring of 2019. Check out Sheri on Twitter at @sheridillard.
October 15th, 2015 #PBPItch:
Shanda McCloskey participated in #PBPitch on October 15th, 2015 and received several "hearts" from agents. Shanda signed with Erica Rand Silverman with Stimola Literary and in February her book deal was announced. DOLL-E 1.0 was published with Little, Brown Children's in Spring 2018! Check out Shanda on Twitter at @ShandaMcCloskey or her website at www.shandamc.com.
October 24th, 2019 #PBPitch:
Breanna Carzoo had not participated in pitch events before, but she jumped in the October 24, 2019 #PBPitch with this tweet: "Lou doesn't know he's a fire hydrant. He thinks all he is, and ever will be, is a toilet. Oblivious to the fire that breaks out behind him, Lou will need to listen to his gut, instead of his head, to find out what he's really made of. #PBPitch." And since Breanna is an author/illustrator, she attached a jpeg of Lou, the Fire Hydrant and a few dogs. The pitch received 9 "hearts" from agents and editors that day. Adria Goetz with Martin Literary was one of the first.
Breanna queried Adria and a few other agents and soon had a call set up with Adria. Breanna felt Adria was the perfect fit and signed with her. Four months later, Breanna and Adria announced a 2-book deal with Harper Collins! LOU, Breanna's debut picture book, is scheduled for release in Summer 2022. Learn more about Breanna on her website www.breannacarzoo.com and on Twitter at @BCarzoo.
June 20th, 2019 #PBPitch:
Anna Lazowski decided to pitch T.REXES CAN'T TIE THEIR SHOES after scrolling through the #PBPitch tweets and seeing what was being liked. She posted “Bees can’t ride bicycles, penguins can’t pick up pennies, and zebras can’t go ziplining. T-rexes Can’t Tie Their Shoes proves that no one is good at everything, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying. #PBPitch #ABC.” An editor with Doubleday, Frances Gilbert, “hearted” it shortly after. Anna hit send at 10:21 am, and saw Frances’ confirmed receipt at 10:32. When another email from Frances popped up at 11:55, Anna assumed it would be a quick, polite rejection.
It wasn’t. Instead, it was an immediate offer. Things started to move very quickly. Anna had full requests out with several agents. She contacted them and scheduled some calls... but none of them had seen this manuscript. She had shelved it after receiving a pile of form rejections from about a dozen agents. Anna ended up signing with Moe Ferrara at BookEnds who negotiated the deal. T.REXES CAN'T TIE THEIR SHOES is being illustrated by Steph Laberis and is coming out with Doubleday Books for Young Readers/Random House Children’s Books in summer 2021. Check out Anna on Twitter at @anna_lazowski.
Nancy Poe Rimm tweeted this pitch on June 20th, 2019: Girl in a cockpit. Youngest ever to fly solo around the world. Born in an Afghan refugee camp. Born to do something great. Ambassador of Peace. #PBPitch #NF#Biography #STEM. Naomi Kreuger at Beaming Books "hearted" this tweet. Two months later an offer was made. Nancy signed the contract in September and in November 2019 the picture book deal for FLY GIRL FLY: SHAESTA WAIZ SOARS AROUND THE WORLD was announced and will be published in September 2020. Check out Nancy on Twitter at @Nancyroepimm and at her website: nancyroepimm.com.
February 21st, 2019 #PBPitch:
Rebecca Langston-George, a writer who had 12 work-for-hire books with Capstone Publishing under her belt, participated in #PBPitch on February 21st, 2019 hoping to catch an agent's eye for her trade PB. But she caught an editor's eye instead - her previous editor's eye! After a few weeks of revisions, she signed a contract with Capstone Publishing again, but this time for a trade PB - tentatively titled THE UNLIKELY ALLY OF ANNISTON ALABAMA - due out in Spring 2021 . Check out more details at Rebecca's website: http://www.rebeccalangston-george.com/events. Also check out Rebecca on Twitter at @RebeGeorge.
Judith Roth tweeted this pitch on February 21st: "#PBPitch When a baby needs a ride to fall asleep, but there are no cars--only canals. Surprise at the end about this lullaby's gondolier." It got only one like, but it was by editor Allison H. Hill at Page Street Kids. Allison asked for revisions and then offered on the story in May. The contract for Venetian Lullaby was signed in June and was announced in December 2019. VENETIAN LULLABY will be published in January 2021! Check out Judy at her website www.judithlroth.com and on Twitter at @JudithLRoth.
October 25th, 2018 #PBPitch:
Matt Forrest Esenwine and Charles Ghigna had submitted their picture book manuscript to 20+ editors for several years with no luck. On October 25, 2018 #PBPitch, they tweeted this pitch: "What was it like when the air was fresh and the rivers, clean? Before cities, technology, and our grand machines? Author/poet @FatherGooze and I present a lyrical look at Nature’s wonders, contrasting past w/present. #PBPitch #L" and received a "heart" from editor Naomi Kreuger at Beaming Books. In August 2019 their picture book deal was announced and ONCE UPON ANOTHER TIME will be published in early 2021. Check out Matt Esenwine on Twitter at @MattForrestVW and Charles Ghigna at @FatherGooze.
Carol Gordon Ekster participated in #PBPitch on October 25th, 2018 with this pitch: "SOME DADDIES-a 351-wd concept PB with heart. Some dads gro beards, some tuck u in with a song, some r called Baba, Tatti, etc. Every daddy is different.This is a repeated refrain.The bk opens possibility 4 illus 2 sho differences- looks, ethnicity, family structure, etc.#PBpitch."
She received a "heart" from editor Naomi Krueger of Beaming Books. In December, Naomi took it to an acquisitions meeting and Carol got an acceptance letter in January. Publication for SOME DADDIES is slated for 2022. Check out Carol on Twitter at @cekster.
Laura Sperry Gardner participated in #PBPitch on October 25th, 2018 and received a "heart" from editor Allison H. Hill of Page Street Kids. Allison took the manuscript to a colleague with a personal connection to the setting, and Laura signed with editor Charlotte Wenger in January of 2019. OVER IN THE BLUE RIDGE for publication in Winter 2021. Check out Laura on Twitter at @Laura_S_Gardner.
June 21st, 2018 #PBPitch
Valerie Bolling participated in #PBPitch on June 21st, 2018 with this pitch: "A girl dances the cha-cha-cha; a boy zig-zag-zigs in his wheelchair. Dancing is a universal language, even though we all have different "accents." This is a story that leaves no doubt that dancing is for everyone! #PBPitch #POC #OWN #DIS"
She received a "heart" from Jes Negro´n at Kane Press/StarBerry Books. They signed a book contract a few weeks later. Valerie's book, LET'S DANCE, was published in March 2020. Check out Valerie on Twitter at @valerie_bolling.
February 22, 2018 #PBPitch:
Norene Paulson participated in #PBPitch on February 22, 2018 with this pitch: "In NOT A BAT, a story about gender transitioning, Bennie risks everything for the chance to become his authentic self…a butterfly. #pbpitch #LGBTQ"
She received a “heart” from Naomi Davis at BookEnds Literary Agency. Within a week, Norene signed with Naomi and their book deal for “Bennie’s True Colors” was announced in October 2018. BENNIE'S TRUE COLORS will be published by Imprint in fall 2020. Check out Norene on her website at www.norenepaulson.com or on Twitter at @NorenePaulson.
February 23rd, 2017 #PBPitch:
Annie Cronin Romano participated in #PBPtich on February 23rd, 2017 and received a "heart" from Kristen Nobles at Page Street Kids. A few weeks later, in April 2017, they signed a contract for her first picture book. BEFORE YOU SLEEP, A BEDTIME BOOK OF GRATITUDE was published in October 2018! Check out Annie on Twitter at @AnnieCRomano or at her website at www.anniecroninromano.com.
June 16th, 2016 #PBPitch:
Kristen Spina Foote participated in #PBPitch on June 16th, 2016 and received a "heart" from The Innovation Press. They signed a contract for a two-book deal a few weeks later. In August 2017 both HOW TO SURVIVE AS A FIREFLY and HOW TO SURVIVE AS A SHARK were released! Check out Kristen on Twitter at @LittleFoote4 and her books at howtosurvivebooks.com.
Ashley Franklin participated in #PBPitch on June 16th, 2016 and received a "heart" from Jen Corkill Hunt at Booker Albert Literary. Ashley signed with Jen a few weeks later and in July 2017 her book deal was announced: NOT QUITE SNOW WHITE was published with Harper Children's in 2019. Check out Ashley on Twitter at @DifferentAshley or her website at www.ashleyfranklinwrites.com.
February 11th, 2016 #PBPItch:
Sheri Dillard participated in #PBPitch on February 11th, 2016 and received a "heart" from Liza Fleissig of Liza Royce Agency. Sheri signed with Liza in October of 2016 and their book deal for COWHIDE AND SEEK was announced in February 2018! It was published by Running Press Kids in Spring of 2019. Check out Sheri on Twitter at @sheridillard.
October 15th, 2015 #PBPItch:
Shanda McCloskey participated in #PBPitch on October 15th, 2015 and received several "hearts" from agents. Shanda signed with Erica Rand Silverman with Stimola Literary and in February her book deal was announced. DOLL-E 1.0 was published with Little, Brown Children's in Spring 2018! Check out Shanda on Twitter at @ShandaMcCloskey or her website at www.shandamc.com.
Agent Matches Made:
#PBPitch, June 18th, 2020
Ebony Lynn Mudd
@ebonylynnmudd
As the "new girl" in this kid lit world, I had no idea that pitch contests existed. And I had no idea how agents/querying/ the whole publishing process worked. So I dove heart first into research. In the Kidlit 411 Facebook group, I heard people talking about #pbpitch. Wow, so now I have to figure out how to be engaging with only 280 characters. THAT IS NOT A THING. I already had trouble being extra wordy in my picture book manuscripts, so I didn't love my odds.
After researching, swapping manuscripts with my CPS, revising, paginating, reading my work out loud, watching many SCBWI digital webinars, and getting A LOT of feedback on my pitches...it was time for #pbpitch.
I pitched four picture book manuscripts that day. I felt so overwhelmed in the most beautiful way that day and connected with different writers worldwide. But nothing will prepare you for the feeling that comes from getting agent and editor likes. Lori Steel from Raven Quill Literary Agency was one of those agents, and she liked TWO of my pitches. That showed me that she connected with my body of work.
I queried Lori, and less than one month later, I was on THE CALL, and she offered representation!!! << I'm giving you all the exclamation points because a "professional" period isn't enough! The reason why she loved my work was the reason why I was inspired to write my work. Our passion for wanting my work out in the world lined up so perfectly, and I knew almost instantly on our call that it would be a fantastic career-long partnership. I'm happy to say that pitch contests led me to my perfect agent match. And gosh, so many new writer friends to support and that support me.
I forever want to be the #pbpitch mascot, and I encourage anyone thinking about it to prepare well, tweet your heart out, and get your agent!
Here are the two pitches that ultimately led to signing with Lori:
Arlo is a paintbrush who can't paint even though his great-great grandbrush was a famous artist. On Arlo's journey to follow in his brushstrokes, he learns there's more than one pathway to success. THE ART OF BEING ARLO: desperate to continue a family legacy. #PBPitch.
First position. Tendu. Second position. Plie. And back to first. Today is CARLOS' AUDITION. He hopes to shine on stage, but his lightning bolt nerves tell him otherwise. Carlos must dig deep to find what makes him special before he quits Ballet altogether. #PBPitch.
@ebonylynnmudd
As the "new girl" in this kid lit world, I had no idea that pitch contests existed. And I had no idea how agents/querying/ the whole publishing process worked. So I dove heart first into research. In the Kidlit 411 Facebook group, I heard people talking about #pbpitch. Wow, so now I have to figure out how to be engaging with only 280 characters. THAT IS NOT A THING. I already had trouble being extra wordy in my picture book manuscripts, so I didn't love my odds.
After researching, swapping manuscripts with my CPS, revising, paginating, reading my work out loud, watching many SCBWI digital webinars, and getting A LOT of feedback on my pitches...it was time for #pbpitch.
I pitched four picture book manuscripts that day. I felt so overwhelmed in the most beautiful way that day and connected with different writers worldwide. But nothing will prepare you for the feeling that comes from getting agent and editor likes. Lori Steel from Raven Quill Literary Agency was one of those agents, and she liked TWO of my pitches. That showed me that she connected with my body of work.
I queried Lori, and less than one month later, I was on THE CALL, and she offered representation!!! << I'm giving you all the exclamation points because a "professional" period isn't enough! The reason why she loved my work was the reason why I was inspired to write my work. Our passion for wanting my work out in the world lined up so perfectly, and I knew almost instantly on our call that it would be a fantastic career-long partnership. I'm happy to say that pitch contests led me to my perfect agent match. And gosh, so many new writer friends to support and that support me.
I forever want to be the #pbpitch mascot, and I encourage anyone thinking about it to prepare well, tweet your heart out, and get your agent!
Here are the two pitches that ultimately led to signing with Lori:
Arlo is a paintbrush who can't paint even though his great-great grandbrush was a famous artist. On Arlo's journey to follow in his brushstrokes, he learns there's more than one pathway to success. THE ART OF BEING ARLO: desperate to continue a family legacy. #PBPitch.
First position. Tendu. Second position. Plie. And back to first. Today is CARLOS' AUDITION. He hopes to shine on stage, but his lightning bolt nerves tell him otherwise. Carlos must dig deep to find what makes him special before he quits Ballet altogether. #PBPitch.
#PBPitch, February 20th, 2020
Mackinzie Rekers
@mackinzierekers
The February PB Pitch Party wasn't really on my radar until several people in the 12x12 Picture Book Group on Facebook were talking about it and wishing everyone luck. So I looked up exactly what the Pitch Party was all about. I didn't think I was quite ready so I packed it away in the back of my brain for the next time it came around. Then at the last minute I thought, "If not now, when?". (And maybe a supportive husband telling me to just go for it.) I wasn't even on Twitter yet so I signed up, summoned up a pitch, and hit the "tweet" button: "Singed eyebrows and ear hairs are just some of the bumps in the road as Basil tries to find his bright, the thing that makes him feel special and shine." I'm an illustrator so I attached my sample illustration and hoped for the best. I tried to stay cautiously optimistic - it was my first pitch party after all.
Within a few hours I had 3 hearts and I was ecstatic. I was getting ready for bed when I checked my email. I had an email from Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency! My jaw hit the floor because the Bright Agency was on the top of my list of dream agencies. She was reaching out to see my dummy for BASIL'S BRIGHT and was wondering if I was at a place in my career that I was interested in representation. With shaking hands I typed my reply, trying to play it as cool as I could, attached my dummy, and hoped for the best. I left for a weekend getaway with my sisters and tried not to check my email constantly. I enjoyed my relaxing vacation from my three kiddos and got back hoping to hear something soon while being as patient as possible because I know these things take time. Then the pandemic hit. And along with everything and everyone else in the world, publishing had to flip the script and come up with a new normal. Anne and I touched base in April so I knew I was still on her radar. In May she reached out and asked if I wanted to get together for a zoom call.
I was nervous but excited. I did my research and came up with a list of questions. I knew what I was looking for in an agent and what answers I needed to hear but I also knew I had to trust my gut and how it "felt". I was so pleased to have an instant good feeling, our conversation flowed well and she answered all the questions I had. I loved the enthusiasm she had for my art and her honesty in telling me that she loved the premise of my BASIL'S BRIGHT manuscript but that it needed some developing and that she wanted to work with me to make it the best it can be. So here I am, starting this next step in my dream career and it would not be happening if it wasn't for the PB Pitch Party and for that little voice in my head telling me to be brave and go for it.
@mackinzierekers
The February PB Pitch Party wasn't really on my radar until several people in the 12x12 Picture Book Group on Facebook were talking about it and wishing everyone luck. So I looked up exactly what the Pitch Party was all about. I didn't think I was quite ready so I packed it away in the back of my brain for the next time it came around. Then at the last minute I thought, "If not now, when?". (And maybe a supportive husband telling me to just go for it.) I wasn't even on Twitter yet so I signed up, summoned up a pitch, and hit the "tweet" button: "Singed eyebrows and ear hairs are just some of the bumps in the road as Basil tries to find his bright, the thing that makes him feel special and shine." I'm an illustrator so I attached my sample illustration and hoped for the best. I tried to stay cautiously optimistic - it was my first pitch party after all.
Within a few hours I had 3 hearts and I was ecstatic. I was getting ready for bed when I checked my email. I had an email from Anne Moore Armstrong at the Bright Agency! My jaw hit the floor because the Bright Agency was on the top of my list of dream agencies. She was reaching out to see my dummy for BASIL'S BRIGHT and was wondering if I was at a place in my career that I was interested in representation. With shaking hands I typed my reply, trying to play it as cool as I could, attached my dummy, and hoped for the best. I left for a weekend getaway with my sisters and tried not to check my email constantly. I enjoyed my relaxing vacation from my three kiddos and got back hoping to hear something soon while being as patient as possible because I know these things take time. Then the pandemic hit. And along with everything and everyone else in the world, publishing had to flip the script and come up with a new normal. Anne and I touched base in April so I knew I was still on her radar. In May she reached out and asked if I wanted to get together for a zoom call.
I was nervous but excited. I did my research and came up with a list of questions. I knew what I was looking for in an agent and what answers I needed to hear but I also knew I had to trust my gut and how it "felt". I was so pleased to have an instant good feeling, our conversation flowed well and she answered all the questions I had. I loved the enthusiasm she had for my art and her honesty in telling me that she loved the premise of my BASIL'S BRIGHT manuscript but that it needed some developing and that she wanted to work with me to make it the best it can be. So here I am, starting this next step in my dream career and it would not be happening if it wasn't for the PB Pitch Party and for that little voice in my head telling me to be brave and go for it.
#PBPitch, October 24th, 2019
Traci Van Wagoner
@TraciVanWagoner
It all started back on October 24, 2019 #PBPitch day. I scheduled my pitches for the day, including this one:
Boredom in the boonies is turned on its head when Fred visits Gram and Gramps and gets wrapped up in one of Gram’s wild yarns that strands them in space. It’s up to Fred’s rusty imagination to bring them home. Uh-oh! Topsy turvy fun in the vein of Are We There Yet. #PBPitch. And since I'm an author/illustrator, I attached a sample of art.
I went out to meet with a critique partner to enjoy NYC for a nice sunny day. I checked occasionally, not worrying too much if I didn’t get any hearts as that happens with so many pitches out there. But I got a couple likes from an agent on a couple of my pitches. Yay! I subbed both dummy books shortly after and didn't hear back for a long time. Holiday chaos ensued, and I didn't think about it until the new year when I started sending out queries again.
By February I was figuring it was a "no" since I hadn't heard anything. I was about to send a nudge email when, lo and behold, I saw her name flash in my emails. I thought, Okay, here we go, another rejection with a thanks for but not for me, others might think different, etc. and all that, but... gasp! I threw my hands over my mouth and squealed, and my husband asked, "Good news or bad news?" Good news for sure! The agent wanted to set up a phone call, which turned out to be The Call! I asked a ton of questions, which she answered just how I wanted. And bing, bang, boom, two weeks later the deal was final, and I now have an agent: Samantha Wekstein at Thompson Literary Agency!
@TraciVanWagoner
It all started back on October 24, 2019 #PBPitch day. I scheduled my pitches for the day, including this one:
Boredom in the boonies is turned on its head when Fred visits Gram and Gramps and gets wrapped up in one of Gram’s wild yarns that strands them in space. It’s up to Fred’s rusty imagination to bring them home. Uh-oh! Topsy turvy fun in the vein of Are We There Yet. #PBPitch. And since I'm an author/illustrator, I attached a sample of art.
I went out to meet with a critique partner to enjoy NYC for a nice sunny day. I checked occasionally, not worrying too much if I didn’t get any hearts as that happens with so many pitches out there. But I got a couple likes from an agent on a couple of my pitches. Yay! I subbed both dummy books shortly after and didn't hear back for a long time. Holiday chaos ensued, and I didn't think about it until the new year when I started sending out queries again.
By February I was figuring it was a "no" since I hadn't heard anything. I was about to send a nudge email when, lo and behold, I saw her name flash in my emails. I thought, Okay, here we go, another rejection with a thanks for but not for me, others might think different, etc. and all that, but... gasp! I threw my hands over my mouth and squealed, and my husband asked, "Good news or bad news?" Good news for sure! The agent wanted to set up a phone call, which turned out to be The Call! I asked a ton of questions, which she answered just how I wanted. And bing, bang, boom, two weeks later the deal was final, and I now have an agent: Samantha Wekstein at Thompson Literary Agency!
#PBPitch, February 22nd, 2018
Norene Paulson
@NorenePaulson
I almost didn’t. I knew #PBPitch was on Thursday, February 22, 2018. I had the date circled on my calendar, but by the beginning of that week, I’d already decided to pass. I’d participated in three previous parties and hadn’t received even one heart, and I didn’t have any reason to believe it would be any different this time.
Not sure what made me change my mind, but early that afternoon, I found myself thinking it was silly not to at least try one more time. I reworded two pitches, hit “tweet” and walked away from the computer. When I eventually checked back, I was surprised to see one had been “hearted”. What surprised me even more was that it was from an actual agent at an agency whose name I recognized! I was excited and scared. This was new territory for me.
That night through Query Manager, I sent Naomi Davis at BookEnds my query and manuscript and went to bed. My excitement grew when first thing the next morning, I had a reply from Naomi saying she’d read the manuscript and asking me to contact her via the email address she provided.
That Friday was a whirlwind of emails - six to be exact including a request to see additional manuscripts. I was excited and scared. Which two manuscripts should I send? I analyzed and over-analyzed my choices. This was BIG and I knew it! I finally made a decision, and after some last minute tweaking, off they went. They were all I thought of for the next four days. My mood swung from hopeful to hopeless. Less than one week from the day I almost didn’t, Naomi emailed to ask if I had time for a phone call.
Was this “The Call”? I tried jotting down some questions, but when the phone rang almost immediately after I emailed I was available, I couldn’t remember where’d I’d put the paper. Luckily, it didn’t matter. The minute we started talking, I felt comfortable. Her enthusiasm for my writing amazed me, and it didn’t take long before she made the offer of representation. I don’t remember a lot of the rest of the conversation. She offered to send me a blank copy of the contract to look over and signed off hoping I’d chose to accept her offer.
One week from the day I “almost didn’t”, I accepted Naomi’s offer and signed with her and BookEnds Literary Agency. It continues to be a whirlwind, and I’m still excited and scared and it’s still all new territory for me, but I couldn’t be happier. I’m so glad something made me try one more time.
@NorenePaulson
I almost didn’t. I knew #PBPitch was on Thursday, February 22, 2018. I had the date circled on my calendar, but by the beginning of that week, I’d already decided to pass. I’d participated in three previous parties and hadn’t received even one heart, and I didn’t have any reason to believe it would be any different this time.
Not sure what made me change my mind, but early that afternoon, I found myself thinking it was silly not to at least try one more time. I reworded two pitches, hit “tweet” and walked away from the computer. When I eventually checked back, I was surprised to see one had been “hearted”. What surprised me even more was that it was from an actual agent at an agency whose name I recognized! I was excited and scared. This was new territory for me.
That night through Query Manager, I sent Naomi Davis at BookEnds my query and manuscript and went to bed. My excitement grew when first thing the next morning, I had a reply from Naomi saying she’d read the manuscript and asking me to contact her via the email address she provided.
That Friday was a whirlwind of emails - six to be exact including a request to see additional manuscripts. I was excited and scared. Which two manuscripts should I send? I analyzed and over-analyzed my choices. This was BIG and I knew it! I finally made a decision, and after some last minute tweaking, off they went. They were all I thought of for the next four days. My mood swung from hopeful to hopeless. Less than one week from the day I almost didn’t, Naomi emailed to ask if I had time for a phone call.
Was this “The Call”? I tried jotting down some questions, but when the phone rang almost immediately after I emailed I was available, I couldn’t remember where’d I’d put the paper. Luckily, it didn’t matter. The minute we started talking, I felt comfortable. Her enthusiasm for my writing amazed me, and it didn’t take long before she made the offer of representation. I don’t remember a lot of the rest of the conversation. She offered to send me a blank copy of the contract to look over and signed off hoping I’d chose to accept her offer.
One week from the day I “almost didn’t”, I accepted Naomi’s offer and signed with her and BookEnds Literary Agency. It continues to be a whirlwind, and I’m still excited and scared and it’s still all new territory for me, but I couldn’t be happier. I’m so glad something made me try one more time.
#PBPitch, February 23, 2017
Morgan Mudway
@Trinosaur
It was a pretty regular and uneventful Thursday. As usual, I was scrolling twitter and searching for work in my field; you know, that regular freelance illustrator stuff. I had never heard of PBpitch until I followed Tara Lazar and saw her tweet about it. It had been a couple of months since I had pitched my picture book idea so I thought: "Hey, this seems like a neat twitter event. What have I got to lose?" The event was already halfway over but that did not deter me! I made my one tweet and continued on with my ho-hum day. I had a slew of people liking my tweet but I kept a close eye on my notifications for actual literary agents 'hearting' it. Towards the end of the day, Lauren Spieller left me a heart. I was so excited and I made sure to reach out to her via email (note: always check how agents like to be contacted) to gave her the full manuscript. She was so in love with my work and the very next day we were on the phone and talking about representation! A few days later I made the decision to work with TriadaUS, signed and mailed the paperwork, and now Lauren is my first literary agent. Just like that! I wasn't expecting a miracle but here we are!
@Trinosaur
It was a pretty regular and uneventful Thursday. As usual, I was scrolling twitter and searching for work in my field; you know, that regular freelance illustrator stuff. I had never heard of PBpitch until I followed Tara Lazar and saw her tweet about it. It had been a couple of months since I had pitched my picture book idea so I thought: "Hey, this seems like a neat twitter event. What have I got to lose?" The event was already halfway over but that did not deter me! I made my one tweet and continued on with my ho-hum day. I had a slew of people liking my tweet but I kept a close eye on my notifications for actual literary agents 'hearting' it. Towards the end of the day, Lauren Spieller left me a heart. I was so excited and I made sure to reach out to her via email (note: always check how agents like to be contacted) to gave her the full manuscript. She was so in love with my work and the very next day we were on the phone and talking about representation! A few days later I made the decision to work with TriadaUS, signed and mailed the paperwork, and now Lauren is my first literary agent. Just like that! I wasn't expecting a miracle but here we are!
Cheryl Kim
@CherylTKim
I first heard about #PBPitch over a year go through KidLit411 and Sub It Club. I decided to try it out after my critique group encouraged me to go for it, reminding me I had nothing to lose. I joined Twitter a few days before the #PBPitch event and tweeted out one non-fiction and three fiction pitches.
I live in Thailand so #PBPitch started around 8pm my time. By midnight, I had received two agent likes for my non-fiction pitch. While I was super excited for the interest, neither agent liked my fiction pitch. When I woke up the next morning, I saw that Jennifer March Soloway from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency liked all four of my pitches and was now following me on Twitter! She tweeted out after the event that she didn’t have a deadline and wanted writers to submit their best work.
So after two weeks of polishing my manuscripts, I queried Jennifer with my fiction project. The same week, I received an offer of representation from an agent I queried before #PBPitch. I immediately emailed Jennifer to let her know. She remembered me from #PBPitch and set up a call for that same day. #PBPitch helped us to make the initial connection that led to an offer of representation.
#PBPitch inspired me to take the leap- it connected me with other writers and by the end, it led me to the right agent. For writers considering #PBPitch- this global event is worth being a part of!
@CherylTKim
I first heard about #PBPitch over a year go through KidLit411 and Sub It Club. I decided to try it out after my critique group encouraged me to go for it, reminding me I had nothing to lose. I joined Twitter a few days before the #PBPitch event and tweeted out one non-fiction and three fiction pitches.
I live in Thailand so #PBPitch started around 8pm my time. By midnight, I had received two agent likes for my non-fiction pitch. While I was super excited for the interest, neither agent liked my fiction pitch. When I woke up the next morning, I saw that Jennifer March Soloway from the Andrea Brown Literary Agency liked all four of my pitches and was now following me on Twitter! She tweeted out after the event that she didn’t have a deadline and wanted writers to submit their best work.
So after two weeks of polishing my manuscripts, I queried Jennifer with my fiction project. The same week, I received an offer of representation from an agent I queried before #PBPitch. I immediately emailed Jennifer to let her know. She remembered me from #PBPitch and set up a call for that same day. #PBPitch helped us to make the initial connection that led to an offer of representation.
#PBPitch inspired me to take the leap- it connected me with other writers and by the end, it led me to the right agent. For writers considering #PBPitch- this global event is worth being a part of!
#PB Pitch, October 27th, 2016
Dorina Lazo Gilmore
@DorinaGilmore
For the last decade, I’ve been having babies, teaching at the university and helping run a non-profit in Haiti. I would steal an hour or two here or there but I never had the concentrated time to really focus on writing children’s books as a career.
That all changed this fall when all three of my daughters started school.
For the first time, I had a large chunk of time to dive into writing and researching where I could send my completed manuscripts. Although I had been on Twitter for several years, I didn’t have much time to participate in contests and follow agents. I heard about PBPitch and decided to be brave and write a few pitches.
I pitched three manuscripts and heard from Victoria Selvaggio at Jennifer de Chiara Agency. I sent her the requested manuscript and meanwhile heard from another agent who offered representation. I sent emails to all the agents I had previously queried to let them know about the offer. Victoria responded quickly, requesting more of my writing and then scheduled a phone call so we could chat further. After we talked, I knew she was the right fit for me. She understood my work and career goals. We signed a contract on December 14.
#PBPitch provides an important door to connect with a diversity of agents and editors. #PBPitch proved to be the catalyst I needed to connect with just the right agent, and hopefully to get more books published in the future!
@DorinaGilmore
For the last decade, I’ve been having babies, teaching at the university and helping run a non-profit in Haiti. I would steal an hour or two here or there but I never had the concentrated time to really focus on writing children’s books as a career.
That all changed this fall when all three of my daughters started school.
For the first time, I had a large chunk of time to dive into writing and researching where I could send my completed manuscripts. Although I had been on Twitter for several years, I didn’t have much time to participate in contests and follow agents. I heard about PBPitch and decided to be brave and write a few pitches.
I pitched three manuscripts and heard from Victoria Selvaggio at Jennifer de Chiara Agency. I sent her the requested manuscript and meanwhile heard from another agent who offered representation. I sent emails to all the agents I had previously queried to let them know about the offer. Victoria responded quickly, requesting more of my writing and then scheduled a phone call so we could chat further. After we talked, I knew she was the right fit for me. She understood my work and career goals. We signed a contract on December 14.
#PBPitch provides an important door to connect with a diversity of agents and editors. #PBPitch proved to be the catalyst I needed to connect with just the right agent, and hopefully to get more books published in the future!
#PB Pitch, June 16th, 2016
Maureen Kauzlarich
@MS_KAUZ I found #PB Pitch a week before it started on June 16, 2016 and fell in love with the idea. Pitching picture books to multiple agents in only 140 characters? My creative gears went wild. The morning of the event, I wrote around ten pitches for different picture books I’ve written. I tweeted in both the morning and afternoon. My hope was to get at least one favorite from an agent and I did! I emailed Jen Hunt of the Booker Albert Literary Agency the full manuscript she liked and the rest is history! #PB Pitch is an awesome way to get your work noticed. There’s no having to wait months for a response. I highly recommend going for it even if you’re not a big fan of social media. Twitter, by the way, has a great community of writers. I had a lot of encouragement and love for my pitches from them, even though I had just joined Twitter the day before the event! So get to pitching! You never know who might notice your story. 
Ashley Franklin
@differentashley After having lost nearly everything in a flood a few months before, I felt like I had absolutely nothing to lose by participating in #PBPitch. Things have to start looking up sometime, right? My family and I were finally moving into a new place, slowly but surely, so time wasn't exactly on my side. I keep all of my past Twitter pitch related tweets in a Word document for referencing, so I quickly reworded one and tweeted it with less than 10 minutes before #PBPitch was scheduled to end. Imagine my surprise when I received two likes the following day. I figured both were from fellow writers simply offering some encouragement. I've found that the kidlit community is extremly supportive like that. My surprise turned into shock when I realized that one of the likes was actually from an agent--Jen Hunt of The Booker Albert Literary Agency. Things went pretty quickly. I emailed Jen my story the following Monday, June 20th, and got a response in less than a week. We had the call on July 1st. I can admit that I'd worked myself up into a pretty good panic about the call. I extensively Googled what could possibly happen during the call and sought the advice of my most trusted writer friend. Google had me prepared yet panicked. My friend pretty much told me to settle my inner spaz down. The call went well and I felt like Jen and I shared the same vision for my writing career. I signed the contract on July 12th, and I couldn't be happier. My advice to anyone considering participating in #PBPitch or any of the Twitter parties is to give it a shot. Yes, it's sometimes scary to put yourself out there, but the next step of your writer's journey could be 140 characters away. #PB Pitch, June 24th, 2015
Marcela Ferreira - @mlmfd
I stumbled upon #PB Pitch a couple of days before it went live. I loved the idea and was very excited about taking part. The character restrictions alone made me look at my manuscripts in a different light, and that is always a good thing. As soon as I submitted them, I was surprised to be contacted by other writers. People praising my ideas, encouraging me to carry on, write more. It was an extremely powerful experience. It felt great, and I immediately knew I had done the right thing. I was also thrilled to have one of my stories (I submitted 7) favourited by two different agents. After I sent them the full manuscript, I carried on writing, rewriting, submitting and researching. As all aspiring writers know it can take a bit of time to hear back from agents, so the best thing to do is carry on and try to write a better story than the last. On August 3rd, I was contacted by one of those agents - Jessica Sinsheimer from Sarah Jane Freymann Agency. She liked my story and wanted to represent me. I am intensely proud to say I am now represented by Jessica. We have spoken on the phone, emailed and tweeted regularly (she is in New York and I am in London). She is submitting my manuscript as I write this, so our journey together has just begun. I hope it turns out to be a long and successful one. I am under no illusions of how difficult the industry is, and how many amazingly talented writers there are out there. But I was surprised by how supportive the writing community is. How much time they give one another, and how much encouragement is shared amongst each other. The PB Pitch is a perfect example of this. I know there is another scheduled soon and my advice is to go for it. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. I am proof of that. |
Lisa Gerin @lisagerin1
After more than three years of traditionally querying many children’s publishers and a few agents, I decided it couldn’t hurt to try a Twitter contest for writers. Last December I pitched two of my PB manuscripts, one fiction and one nonfiction and received likes for each one from different agents. I sent out my manuscripts, received lovely feedback, but no representation yet. One of the benefits of #PBPITCH is the immediacy of response. I have worked with editors where there can be a six month or longer wait for revisions and then rejections. This June, during my second #PBPITCH try, I tweeted four pitches. Some love from fellow writers that evening, but no responses yet. On June 17, the morning after the contest, I noticed likes for three of my stories. All were from the same agent, Jen Corkill Hunt of Booker Albert Literary. I immediately tweeted her and she asked me to send out all three-two fiction and one nonfiction manuscript! I felt like she was looking at the whole picture of my writing journey, by not just requesting one manuscript, by looking at the different genres. Jen and I spoke over the phone and I felt confident she and I would work well together. On July 18, I signed my contract with her and we are actively working on sending out those manuscripts she requested. My advice to aspiring picture book writers is to never give up on your dream. Move out of your comfort zone and try new things. Look at all the support there is out there in the kid lit community; I have had so much encouragement from other writer friends along my path to publication. I only joined Twitter six months ago and it has been, by far, the best of the Social Media connections I’ve made. Pay it forward to other writers who are still in the querying trenches by recommending they submit to Twitter pitch parties, like #PBPITCH. 
Janine Annett @janineannett
I first heard about #PBpitch when doing research on agents and publishers for picture book manuscripts. I had been working on several manuscripts for awhile and had received positive feedback from writer friends who had seen drafts. I was just beginning my querying process and trying to figure out which of my ideas really had legs. I had been forewarned by a friend in the industry that the picture book market is especially tough to break into. I marked the #PBPitch day down on my calendar and waited until the scheduled day, then I tweeted pitches about several manuscript: Knittin' Kitten (a kitten learns to knit, over the objections of a doubtful vacuum cleaner); Carrot Party (a little bunny discovers each night, after he goes to sleep, his parents are having a secret carrot party); Steve the Dragon (a boy has a dragon named Steve, who is mostly useful, until he catches a cold. How to cure it?); The Day Daddy Danced (a man who would NOT dance under any circumstances. . .until the day he finally did! What made him do it?); and Party Pooper (based on an essay I recently had published - a toddler overcomes his reputation as a "party pooper" - in both the literal and figurative sense.) Jen Hunt from the Booker Albert Literary Agency liked 4 of those pitches (Knitten' Kitten, Carrot Party, Steve the Dragon, and The Day Daddy Danced.) I followed up my tweets with an email to the Booker Albert Agency with full manuscripts, as specified. Jen wrote back with enthusiasm for my manuscripts, and we then scheduled a phone call (I'm thrilled to say that we've now communicated by Twitter, email, phone and old fashioned postal mail!) Every step of the way I was cautiously optimistic. I had done my research on Jen and the agency, and even had my lawyer and writer friends weigh in. Of course, everyone gave me nothing but positive feedback. Jen has sent out one of my manuscripts to publishers, and there has been interest. . .I'm waiting to hear hopefully more good news soon. She's also sending out a second manuscript shortly. #PBPitch is a fantastic idea and was a great way for me to connect with so many people at once and receive immediate feedback on my work. It's been incredibly validating and has given me renewed vigor to push forward. I've been on a creative roll, with many more story ideas coming to me all the time. |
