Monday, October 11, 2021

Two agents at Howland Literary seek new authors

Howland Literary

https://howlandliterary.com/

Don't ever miss what’s happening with Quick Brown Fox. If you’re not yet on my newsletter, send me an email, including your locale to: brianhenry@sympatico.ca
  ~Brian

Howland Literary is a small American agency with just three agents, two of whom are currently looking for new authors {the third agent, Cassie Mannes Murray, will reopen to submissions December 1, 2021}:

Carrie Howland founded Howland Literary in 2018, after thirteen years as an agent, most recently at Empire Literary in New York City.

Carrie holds a B.A. in English and Creative Writing from Albion College, where she was the Poetry Editor of The Albion Review. Her poetry has appeared in various literary journals and magazines.

She attends several conferences, both nationally and internationally, throughout the year. Her talk, Beyond the Query Letter,” tells all about Twitter pitches here.

In her spare time, Carrie volunteers as a foster for a local dog rescue and is an active member of the Junior League. Her passions include music, pop culture, and the Midwest.  

She has been featured in several publications discussing her work as an agent including Poets & Writers, SCWBI insight, Akashic Books, and Slice Magazine.

Carrie is accepting submissions for adult literary, upmarket, and commercial fiction

In nonfiction, she’s looking for memoir, narrative and prescriptive nonfiction.

Query Carrie at: submissions@howlandliterary.com

For preference, paste the first 20 pages of your manuscript into the email. Attachments also accepted.

Mariah Stovall got her start as a publicity intern at Simon & Schuster. She was also an intern at Folio Literary Management before her first job in the Publisher’s Office at Gallery/Scout Books, where she developed a holistic understanding of how a publishing company operates. She then worked in publicity at Farrar, Straus and Giroux before transitioning to agenting. She spent three years at Writers House before joining Howland Literary.

She is a graduate of Pitzer College, of the Claremont Colleges, where she studied English and World Literature with a minor in Linguistics. She is also writing her first novel and has published fiction and nonfiction with Poets & WritersThe Paris ReviewLiterary HubJoylandHobart and more. In her free time, she volunteers as the BIPOC Survey Coordinator for VIDA: Women in the Literary Arts.

As an agent, she responds to a writer’s voice first and foremost, and is always looking for intersectionality and interdisciplinary perspectives, especially from people with marginalized identities. 

Great writing can get her interested in any topic but her evergreens are: music, mental health/illness, Black America, linguistics, history of objects and ideas, pop science, and deep dives into subcultures and social movements. 

She wants to learn something from everything she reads, whether that’s a new way to structure a novel or a piece of history she wasn’t taught in school. She gravitates toward dark, challenging stories, black comedy and unlikable characters.

Mariah is accepting submissions of adult fiction and nonfiction. For fiction, she is seeking literary fiction, upmarket commercial fiction and short story collections.

For nonfiction, she is seeking narrative nonfiction, essay collections and memoir.

She would like to work with writers for their entire careers and loves if someone can write both fiction and nonfiction.

For more details about her taste in books, and for her full writing portfolio, visit her website

Query Mariah at: submissions@howlandliterary.com

For preference, paste the first 20 pages of your manuscript into the email. Attachments also accepted.

Full submission guidelines here.

Literary agent Paige Sisley en route to
our workshop in Collingwood, in the before times

If you’re interested in meeting an agent and in getting published, don’t miss our online How to Get Published, Saturday, Nov 27, with guest, literary agent Paige Sisley. Details here.

Beyond that, Brian Henry’s schedule continues to take shape...

October

Online: How to Write Great CharactersSaturday, Oct 16. Details here.

November

Online: Writing for Children and for Young Adults, Sunday, Nov 14, with guests Katie Hearn, editorial director, Annick Press, and picture book author Lana Button. Details here.

Weekly classes:

In-person: Exploring Creative Writing class, 10 weeks of discovering your creative side, Thursday evenings, Jan 20 – March 31, in Burlington, Ontario. Details here

Details of online classes offered in the new year to come.

Writing Retreats:

Lake Joseph in Muskoka: Writing Retreat at Sherwood Inn Resort. Friday, Oct 23 – Monday, Oct 25. Details hereNote: This retreat is now full. But we have space in our other upcoming retreats:

Jackson's Point on Lake Simcoe: Writing Retreat at The Briars Resort and Spa. Get away to this modern lakeside resort built around a historic country estate.  Friday, March 4 – Monday, March 7, 2022. Details to come, but to reserve your spot, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca 

Algonquin Park: Writing Retreat at Arowhon Pines Resort, Friday, June 3 – Monday, June 6. Details here.

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Navigation tips: Always check out the Labels underneath a post; they’ll lead you to various distinct collections of postings. If you're searching for more interviews with literary agents or a literary agent who represents a particular type of book, check out this post.

Saturday, October 9, 2021

“Breast is Best” by Gisele Winton Sarvis


 

Breast is Best

Ah, the breast

It’s almost all I know

It keeps me alive

It’s where I thrive

It’s my best friend

I pat it hello

and pat it goodnight

It’s my pillow

It’s my lovey

When I’m scared, it protects me

When I’m cold, it warms me

I talk to the breast

Cuddle with the breast

I get angry at the breast

Yell and cry and fight at the breast

And what’s most fun of all?

When I’m done,

I roll over and there’s the other one.

 

Gisele Winton Sarvis started writing stories while attending what was once a one-room school house. It’s now a museum. Boy does she feel old. She grew up and worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. Now she is returning to her rubber boots and writing for young people.

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.


Thursday, October 7, 2021

Hallloween Stories please ~ for QBF and CommuterLit

 


I’ve got nothing in the line-up yet to post on Quick Brown Fox for Halloween, so if you have a short piece – fiction, essay, poem, or whatever that’s appropriate to the season, I’d like to see it. Preferably under 1,000 words.

Please send it as an attached Word document with a short bio and also attach a photo of yourself if you have an okay one, and I always appreciate appropriate images (or links to them) that might be used to illustrate your piece, but it’s certainly not necessary. ~Brian

Submit to: brain.henry123@gmail.com  

*** 

Also, CommuterLit is looking for scary stories. Deadline is Monday, Oct 18. And of course after Oct 18. CommuterLit will continue to want you short stories of all kinds. Guidelines here

*** 

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Remembering Shanghai: A Memoir of Socialites, Scholars and Scoundrels by Isabel Sun Chao and Claire Chao, reviewed by Karen Ervin

Remembering Shanghai is written by a mother/daughter team who take turns telling this story, which is a memoir of (mother) Isabel Sun Chao’s childhood in Shanghai in pre-Communist China. The book is beautifully told through childhood memories and could serve as a crash-course in Chinese history from the Japanese occupation of Shanghai to the Communist uprising of Moa Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, centring on the Sun family over a period of several generations.

 It’s also an introduction to certain some Mandarin words, Confucian principles, cooking techniques, and family life of an upper-class family in Shanghai.

In the book, the mother relates memories of her family, such as her father’s prized collection of Chinese paintings and sculptures, and the daughter follows with explanations to the reader of what became of such treasures after the Communist takeover. I could see similarities between the senseless destruction of art and literature at the hands of Communists and with what happened in Nazi Germany to the many works of art and books that were burned during their reign of terror.

Through tireless research, the daughter was able to track down some pieces of her grandfather’s collection; although no longer in good condition. More importantly, through their research, mother and daughter received validation of the grandfather’s expertise as an art collector and scholar of Chinese art and traditions. 

Because Isabel was educated in English, she was able to immigrate to Hong Kong before the full force of Communism was enacted in 1949. Her father and his art collection remained in Shanghai. The anecdote I found most striking, was of a murder Isabel saw take place outside on a rainy street, while she and her older sister, along with others in a crowded train looked on. She says what struck her most about the incident was witnessing for the first time the cruelty of the city she loved. The cruelty of one man to another becomes that of the entire city of Shanghai.

Isabel was able to leave her beloved city at the age of eighteen. This book traces many of her memories leading up to that point, along with her attempts to return and how much Shanghai had changed when she finally did return many years later. It is full of beautiful photos and illustrations representing a life in retrospect. It is a book where the innocence of childhood gives way to loss, change, and growing understanding, seemingly without regret. A very interesting read!

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Karen Ervin has a B.A. degree in English and a Master of Library Science. She taught university students as an adjunct online instructor while working full time as a mental health librarian at a Pennsylvania State Psychiatric Hospital. She has a chapter published in “Cases on Electronic Records and Resource Management...” (IGI Global, 2014) and has served as a judge for the Independent Book Publishers Association Benjamin Franklin Awards.

She retired in 2019, married a Canadian, and currently lives in St. Catharines. Her hobbies include reading and writing poetry, stories, and book reviews.

Note: Quick Brown Fox welcomes your book reviews – or any kind of review of anything, of anywhere or of anybody. If you want to review your favourite coffee shops or libraries, babysitters or lovers (no real names please), go for it. See examples of book reviews here (and scroll down); other reviews here (and scroll down). Read about how to write a book review here.

QBF also welcomes essays about a favourite book or about your experience of reading or writing. To get a taste of what other writers have done, see here and scroll down).

Submit to: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Include a short bio at the end of your piece and attach a photo of yourself if you have one that’s okay.

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

Monday, October 4, 2021

Online Writing Kid Lit workshop with Katie Hearn, editorial director, Annick Press, & author Lana Button, Sunday, Nov 14

Wolf's Curse a YA novel by Kelley Armstrong,
a NYT #1 bestselling author
and one of Brian's students

Writing for Children and for Young Adults

  with Annick Press editorial director

     ~ Katie Hearn

  and picture book author

     ~ Lana Button

Sunday, November 14, 2021
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Online via Zoom and accessible wherever there’s Internet

If you want to write the next best-selling children’s books or just want to create stories for your own kids, this workshop is for you. Learn how to write stories kids and young adults will love and find out what you need to know to sell your book. Be sure to bring all your questions – we'll have lots of time for interaction.

Special option: Participants are invited to submit the opening couple pages (first 500 words) of your children’s book or young adult novel (or up to 1,000 words if that gets you to the end of your picture book or to the end of your first chapter). Email your pages to me prior to our workshop. Katie and I will publicly critique half a dozen submissions so everyone can see what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve your story-telling. If you’re not currently working on a children’s story, don’t worry, we’ll get you started! ~Brian

Guest speaker Katie Hearn is the editorial director at Annick Press. Annick publishes fiction and nonfiction for children of all ages, including board books, picture books, early readers, middle grade, and young adult.

Annick is perhaps best known for classic picture books, including Robert Munsch's The Paper Bag Princess and Kathy Stinson’s Red is Best.

Annick’s middle grade nonfiction titles cover a wide range of topics, from personal stories such as Fatty Legs, by Margaret-Olemaun Pokiak-Fenton & Christy Jordan-Fenton, to fact-filled science books such as Why Does My Shadow Follow Me and Why Don’t Cars Run on Apple Juice by Kira Vermond.

Annick is also proud to publish award-winning young adult titles that speak to the complex issues young people deal with every day, including Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugess, #NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American WomenFire Song, and Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic: A Comedian’s Guide to Life on the Spectrum.

As editorial director, Katie’s responsibilities include overseeing the acquisition and development of Annick's publishing program, which consists of 20–25 new titles a year. She also acquires and edits select titles in a wide range of formatsPrior to her time at Annick, Katie worked in both educational and adult trade publishing. 

Guest speaker Lana Button grew up in the tiny border town of St. Stephen, New Brunswick. She has a background in acting and is an early childhood educator. Today Lana writes for young children and reads out loud to crowds of kids whenever she gets the chance. 

She has eight published picture books, with Kids Can Press, Owlkids, Tundra, and Pajama Press, including her latest The Cow Said Boo (see here), and Tough Like Mum (see here). And she has more books coming out – one in 2022 and another in 2024.

Lana’s picture books have been shortlisted for awards including The Blue SpruceThe Shining Willow, the Jean Throop IODE Award and the Rainforest of Reading, and have been recognized as Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Bets and the IBBY Outstanding Book for Young Children.

Find out more about Lana and her books at www.lanabutton.com and connect with her on social media on Twitter @LanaButton and Instagram lanabutton.

Workshop leader Brian Henry has been a book editor, author, and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada’s most popular blog for writers and is the author of a children’s version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Tribute Publishing Inc). But his proudest boast is that he’s has helped many of his students get published.

Read reviews of Brian’s classes and workshops here.

Fee: $43.36 + 13% hst = $49 paid in advance by mail or Interac

To reserve a spot now, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

Sunday, October 3, 2021

Congratulations to Connie, Johanna, Gail, and Ann!

If you’ve had a story (or a book!) published, if you’ve won or placed in a writing contest, if you’ve gotten yourself an agent, or if you have any other news, send me an email so I can share your success. And be sure to let know if you're looking for a writers' group or beta readers; a notice in Quick Brown Fox, will help you find them.         

Email me atbrianhenry@sympatico.ca


 

Hi, Brian.

I wanted to let you know that “Big Blue” – my picture book about a couch and a little girl, made it to the long list of the CANSCAIP contest.  It started as a short piece I presented in your class.  

Cheers,

Ann Gray

News flash: Ann Gray’s picture book manuscript “Big Blue” has now made it to the short list for the CANSCAIP contest. 

Go, Ann!

Note: At this point, my fall classes are all underway. But come the new year, I’ll be starting new ones, including a Kid Lit class – keep an eye on upcoming classes, workshops, and retreats here. ~Brian

 

Friendship, a recent anthology
from Pure Slush

Hi, Brian.

Just heard back! Two of my pieces will be published in Australian publisher Pure Slush anthologies.  “Boxing Day 2015” (a poem) will be in their Love anthology and “Evelyn the Good Mother” (a memoir piece) will be in Home.

Thanks for sharing the submission call information. 

Gail Murray

For information on submitting to Pure Slush {and several other places}, see here.

 

Hi Brian!

I hope you are doing great!

I just want to share some good news. My personal essay “The List Maker” (a piece that I started working for one of your weekly classes) is going to be published in the fall issue of Tint Journal, an online literary magazine!

All the best,
Johanna

You can read Johanna’s story here

For information on submitting to Tint Journal {and several other places}, see here.

 

Hi Brian,

Just got my promo copies from Chicken Soup for the Soul, for My Clever Curious, Caring Cat. Have attached a couple of pictures. (The 2nd one is of my cat.)

Chicken Soup is a great place to submit short stories and they have tons of topics. Pays $200 US per story and you get 10 free copies.

Hope all is well.

Cheers,

Connie Cook

For information on submitting to Chicken Soup {and several other places}, see here.  

My Clever Curious, Caring Cat is available from Chapters here or order it through your local bookstore, here.

And Connie Cook's novel, Follow the Money, is available from Chapters here

Connie's cat

See Brian Henry’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.