Today I’m thrilled to have agent Hillary Fazzari here. She’s a literary agent at Bradford Literary Agency. Status: Hillary anticipates opening to YA and adult queries on May 1st. Please check the agency website to find out when she reopens to these submissions. Hi­ Hillary! Thanks so much for joining us. About Hillary: 1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent. Hi Natalie, thank you so much for having me! I started agenting in fall of 2023 but have been in the publishing world for a lot longer than that.  I actually started out w ..read more

Happy Tuesday Everyone! Today I'm excited to participate in the Rain Drop on Roses Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox. I hope you're having a good spring. Did you see the eclipse? I live near the path where you could see the eclipse at 100%. It was about 96% here and still amazing. Plus I got to see it from the comfort of my home instead of battling all the traffic coming home like I did during the last full eclipse. Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card  I am offering a book of your choice that is $20 or less on Amazon. I’m looking forward to seeing what books everyone is lo ..read more

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m thrilled to share a review of Kelly Yang’s MG contemporary Finally Heard. I’m a huge fan of Kelly Yang’s Front Desk series and her Finally Seen series, which this is a sequel to. Kelly has been an amazing writer since she was a kid and immigrated to the U.S. from China as a middle grader. If you read her author notes at the end of her novels, you’ll learn what an incredible life Kelly has had. I had hoped to have Kelly here for an interview, but she couldn’t do one given her busy schedule. However, she helped me obtain a book for a giveaway from her publisher ..read more

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Paula Weiman here. They’re a literary agent at ASH Literary. Hi­ Paula! Thanks so much for joining us. About Paula: 1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent. My first experiences in the publishing industry were literary agency internships. After building my career as a bookseller, an editor in educational publishing, and a literary scout, I decided that I wanted to return to a more creative role where I could work directly with authors and really fight for the stories I’m passionate about. I’ve been a ..read more

Happy Wednesday Everyone! Today I’m thrilled to have debut author Trish Lundy here to share her advice on writing a thriller and about her YA thriller The One That Got Away. I’m interested in writing a mystery/thriller someday, but I haven’t found much advice on how to write one. So I’m excited to hear Trish’s advice. And her book sounds like a total page-turner that I’m going to love. Here's a blurb from Goodreads:   Be careful who you fall for... Robbie and Trevor Cresmont have a body count—the killer kind. Handsome and privileged, the Crestmont brothers' have enough wealth to ensure ..read more

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I'm excited to participate in the Honey Bunny Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox. I hope you're having a great start to spring. Here in Michigan, it started way early this year--late February. Much of March has been lovely. I've been taking my dog for more walks, starting to work on my garden clean-up, and dreaming of planting my vegetable garden. I know we could still get some cold weather, so I'll resist the urge to start planting. Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card Giveaway I’ve got a lot of exciting newly released MG and YA book choices this month t ..read more

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m thrilled to have author Cathy Carr and her agent Rachel Orr here to share their tips for debut authors to celebrate the release of Cathy’s new MG contemporary Lost Kites and Other Treasures. It sounds like a fantastic story that really nails the complexities of family dynamics and is a real page-turner. I’m looking forward to reading it. Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:  Cathy Carr’s Lost Kites and Other Treasures is a moving and heartfelt middle-grade novel about mental illness, the transformative power of art, and the ever-changing complications and joys ..read more

Today I’m thrilled to have agent Stuti Telidevara here. She is an associate literary agent at Park & Fine Literary and Media. Hi­ Stuti! Thanks so much for joining us. About Stuti: 1. Tell us how you became an agent, how long you’ve been one, and what you’ve been doing as an agent. When I signed up to be an English major, publishing was an industry that immediately jumped out to me. As a teen I always read the acknowledgments at the end of my favorite books to prolong the experience, and so I was aware of the role of a literary agent earlier than I might otherwise have been—and when I was ..read more

Happy Monday Everyone! Today I’m excited to have debut author Anne Rellihan here to share about her debut MG contemporary mystery Not the Worst Friend in the World. I’m excited to read it after reading the blurb that describes the main character as a modern-day Harriet the Spy. Here’s a blurb from Goodreads:   Can Lou Bennett keep a secret? She’ll do just about anything to prove herself to her new friend—and the best friend she betrayed—in this debut novel that is a modern-day Harriet the Spy with high emotional stakes. It’s the thirty-fourth day of sixth grade at Our Lady of Perpetual ..read more

  Happy Saturday Everyone! Today I'm excited to participate in the Chasing Rainbows Giveaway Hop hosted by MamatheFox. I hope you're enjoying a warmer and earlier start to spring. We are here in Michigan, and I'm loving being able to get outside and walk and work in my yard earlier than normal. Book of Your Choice or Amazon Gift Card I am offering a book of your choice that is $20 or less on Amazon. I’m looking forward to seeing what books everyone is looking forward to reading. If you don’t have a book you want, you can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Giveaway Details To enter, all ..read more