Lit Tea Podcast
Hosted by Sabrina Lotfi
Hi friends! Welcome to the LitTea podcast, coming fall 2022 with a focus on querying agents and publishing transparency through agent and author interviews.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that querying is hard af—the process, researching agents, emotionally—and while I can’t take any of the stress away from putting your book babies out there, I can try to help make your querying process a little easier.
In my agent interviews, we’ll discuss everything from common pitfalls and red flags, what to expect from an author-agent relationship, to agency staff and subrights, how editorial they are, and what they’re excited to see in their inboxes.
With authors, we’ll discuss their querying journeys, their favorite writing tips and tricks, and what they wish they’d known before they started querying. And all about their incredible books, of course!
To summarize: I’m here to spill all the LitTea.
If you’d like to request a guest, have a question you’d like featured, or just want to say hi, I’d love to hear from you!
For a full transcript of the LitTea Podcast Trailer, please CLICK HERE.
Episode 9: Michaela Whatnall
CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of PART 1 of this episode
CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of PART 2 of this episode
Michaela Whatnall joined Dystel, Goderich & Bourret in 2019 as the assistant to Michael Bourret in the West Coast office. After graduating from Emory University with a degree in English and linguistics, Michaela completed the Columbia Publishing Course. Their background in school and library marketing accounts for their strong interest in children’s literature, from picture books up through middle grade and young adult novels and graphic novels. In the adult fiction space, they are particularly seeking character-driven speculative fiction, sci-fi/fantasy, and other genre fiction that features historically underrepresented characters. They are also interested in nonfiction for both children and adults, especially narrative nonfiction in the areas of history, the creative arts, and lifestyle.
In this episode:
Absolutely Normal Chaos by Sharon Creech
The Odyssey by Homer
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Kaz and Wylan (from Six of Crows and Michaela’s cats)
ALA, the American Library Association
Our Flag Means Death (with a special Lucius shoutout)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (and Katniss waking up)
Out of Character by Jenna Miller (coming February 2023, Quill Tree)
Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou (coming June 2023)
Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan (coming 2024)
Episode 8: Dahlia Adler
CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of PART 1 of this episode
CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of PART 2 of this episode
©Maggie Hall
Dahlia Adler (she/her) is an editor by day, a freelance writer by night, and an author and anthologist at every spare moment in between. She is the founder of LGBTQReads.com, her novels include Kids' Indie Next picks Cool for the Summer and Home Field Advantage, and she is the editor of the anthologies His Hideous Heart, That Way Madness Lies, At Midnight, and, with Jennifer Iacopelli, Out of Our League (forthcoming from Feiwel & Friends). Dahlia lives in New York with her family and an obscene number of books, and can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @MissDahlELama.
In this episode:
The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin
Sweet Valley High series by Francine Pascal
Beverly Cleary (with a special shoutout to Ramona and Ellen Tebbits)
Parker Fadley from Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers
This Adventure Ends by Emma Mills
Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills
Lada and Radu from The Conqueror’s Saga by Kiersten White
Bright We Burn by Kiersten White
And I Darken by Kiersten White
Kestrel from The Winner’s Curse (The Winner’s Trilogy) by Marie Rutkoski
Pointe by Brandy Colbert
Tasia from Home and Away by Candice Montgomery
Throw Like a Girl by Sarah Henning
Like Other Girls by Britta Lundin
Sarah Barley - editorial director, young adult - at Flatiron
Cinderella
Jack and the Beanstalk
Snow White
Rumplestiltskin
Cask of Amontillado
Tell-Tale Heart
Frau Trude
Hans Christian Anderson
Grimm fairytales
Patricia Nelson at Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
Ligia
Merchants of Venice
Disney Channel
Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
Flat book swag ideas: bookmarks; bookplates (matte stickers); art cards; character cards; tattoos; stickers
Gossip Girl (the show)
The Nutcracker
Fitcher’s Bird
Sleeping Beauty
Little Red Riding Hood
The Robber Bridegroom
Little Matchstick Girl
The Little Mermaid
The Nightingale
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
Tales From the Hinterland by Melissa Albert
Natalia, Ellie, and Adam from Going Bicoastal
Laura and Jasmine from Cool for the Summer
Beach Read by Emily Henry
Everett (Evie), Salem, and Sabrina from My Name is Everett
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Lizzie and Connor from Last Will and Testament
Amber and Jack from Home Field Advantage
Reagan from Just Visiting
Ally from Behind the Scenes
Barnes&Noble Teen Blog
At Midnight: 15 Beloved Fairy tales reimagined
November 22, 2022
Art: Jon Contino
Design: Keith Hayes
Fairy tales have been spun for thousands of years and remain among our most treasured stories. Weaving fresh tales with unexpected reimaginings, At Midnight brings together a diverse group of acclaimed YA writers to breathe new life into a storied tradition.
Fifteen celebrated authors reclaim classic fairy tales for a new generation:
Dahlia Adler, “Rumplestiltskin”
Tracy Deonn, “The Nightingale”
H.E. Edgmon, “Snow White”
Hafsah Faizal, “Little Red Riding Hood”
Stacey Lee, “The Little Matchstick Girl”
Roselle Lim, “Hansel and Gretel”
Darcie Little Badger, “Puss in Boots”
Malinda Lo, “Frau Trude”
Alex London, “Cinderella”
Anna-Marie McLemore, “The Nutcracker”
Rebecca Podos, “The Robber Bridegroom”
Rory Power, “Sleeping Beauty”
Meredith Russo, “The Little Mermaid”
Gita Trelease, “Fitcher’s Bird”
and an all-new fairy tale by Melissa Albert
Once upon a time . . .
-Flatiron Books/orangesky audio-
Young Adult
Daylight Falls Duology
Behind the Scenes
Under the Lights
Just Visiting
Cool for the Summer
Home Field Advantage
Going Bicoastal (coming June 13, 2023)
My Name is Everett (coming 2024)
New Adult
The Radleigh University Trilogy
Last Will and Testament
Right of First Refusal
Out on Good Behavior
Anthologies EDITED BY DAHLIA
His Hideous Heart: 13 of Edgar Allan Poe's Most Unsettling Tales Reimagined - “Lygia”
That Way Madness Lies: 15 of William Shakespeare's Most Notable Works Reimagined - “I Bleed”
Out of Our League, co-edited with Jennifer Iacopelli (coming winter 2024)
Anthology Stories
All Out: The No Longer Secret Stories of Queer Teens Throughout the Ages, edited by Saundra Mitchell - “Molly’s Lips”
The Radical Element: 12 Stories of Daredevils, Debutantes & Other Dauntless Girls, edited by Jessica Spotswood - “Daughter of the Book”
It's a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories, edited by Katherine Locke and Laura Silverman - “Two Truths and an Oy”
Episode 7: co-authors Carrie McCrossen & Ian McWethy
Or CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of this episode
Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy met at Fordham University (which Carrie attended on a full scholarship and which Ian paid full price for.) Their debut YA novel, Margot Mertz Takes It Down was released in 2021 by Viking/Penguin Random House. (Amazon Editor's Pick, Apple Book of the Month, Buzzfeed Book of the Month, YALSA shortlist.) It was published internationally in Australia, South Korea, France, and Brazil. The sequel, Margot Mertz For the Win, will be released in the fall 0f 2022. They are also the uncredited authors of several Lifetime features, which are either “trashy fun” or “just trash,” depending on your mood. Carrie and Ian live in Highland Park with their adorable son and his many, many dinosaur books.
Carrie’s Links:
Ian’s Links:
In this episode:
Angels in America by Tony Kushner
Candide by Voltaire
Saturday Night Live
Temple Hill Entertainment
The Twilight Saga movies
The Maze Runner movies
John Green movies
Love, Simon
Booktok
HarperCollins
Alli Dyer
Penguin Random House
Philomel Books
Viking Books for Young Readers
Kelsey, Margot’s editor at Penguin
Lifetime Network
IMDB
Killing Your Daughter aka Adopted in Danger
23andMe
Fatal Fitbit
A Deadly Bridenapping
TikTok
Sandra Bullock - The Net
Consent: A Memoir by Vanessa Springora (Le Consentement)
The Third Person by Emma Grove
Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing by Lauren Hough
Does My Body Offend You? by Mayra Cuevas and Marie Marquardt
Margot Mertz For the Win
November 15, 2022
Veronica Mars meets Moxie in the hilarious and thought-provoking sequel to Margot Mertz Takes it Down.
Margot faces senior year working on a campaign for local election while helping a fellow student run for class president—but when a mysterious blackmail plot emerges, and a loathesome opponent rises in the class race, Margot might have to return to the cleanup job she thought she’d left behind.
It’s senior year. And Margot’s on a mission to be a better Margot. Which means saying goodbye to her old cleanup ways— and their inherent moral ambiguities— and saying hello to… more yoga maybe? (Probably not, Margot hates exercise.)
To fill her time and round out her college application, Margot volunteers for Shep Green’s state senate campaign and in a twist, finds she actually enjoys being part of a team. She loves her new boss/mentor Priya. And of course it doesn’t hurt that the candidate is Avery Green’s dad. Yes, Avery and Margot are just friends, but it’s still nice to see his too perfect face from time to time.
Meanwhile at Roosevelt High, Margot finds herself roped into a second election, this one for school president. Melanie Jenkins is running against one of the monsters who created the revenge porn site Margot took down last year. Needless to say, Margot is #teamMelanie.
With Margot rocking both campaigns and maybe even making friends, it seems like she’s well on her way to being a better person. But when Priya asks her to look into an anonymous email threatening Shep Green, one that could potentially torpedo his entire election, Margot finds herself slipping back into her old habits.
She’s tried to keep her hands clean. But politics is a dirty job.
-Viking Books for Young Readers-
Previously Published
Margot Mertz Takes It Down
Episode 6: Jennifer March Soloway
Or CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of this episode
Jennifer joined the Andrea Brown Literary Agency in 2016, after a career in marketing and public relations. Agenting is her dream job. She loves working with writers and illustrators, and nothing gives her greater joy than to help an author elevate their story. She is most drawn to emotionally compelling voices and fresh perspectives underrepresented in literature.
In this episode:
Judy Blume (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret; Deenie; Forever…)
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Dragonwings by Lawrence Yep
The House with a Clock in Its Walls by John Bellairs
Private Lessons by Cynthia Salaysay
The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr
Even When You Lie to Me by Jessica Alcott
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Laura Rennert - Executive Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency
Waterball (a toy)
Smile (horror movie, 2022)
Random House
HarperCollins
If You Miss Me by Jocelyn Li Langrand
Year of the Cat by Richard Ho, illustrated by Jocelyn Li Langrand
Jennifer Laughran’s Wordcount Dracula blog post
The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas
The Quacken by Justin Colón, illustrated by Pablo Pino (coming 2024)
A Guide to the Dark by Meriam Metoui (coming 2023)
Jennifer’s interviews:
Middle Grade Ninja - Episode 12 - March 5, 2019
AgentChat Live with Sarah Nicolas - September 24, 2020
MG Book Party - November 16, 2021
The Visual Storytelling Podcast - 2 parts - June 27, 2022
Episode 5: Erica Waters
Or CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of this episode
Erica Waters grew up in the pine woods of rural Florida, though she now resides in Nashville, Tennessee. She has a Master’s degree in English and works as a university writing tutor. She writes dark fantasy and horror set in the South. Her most recent novel, The River Has Teeth, won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel and was also an Indie Next pick and a Kirkus Best Young Adult Book of 2021. Erica’s other works include Ghost Wood Song and her forthcoming novel, The Restless Dark. She is also a contributor to the bestselling folk horror anthology The Gathering Dark.
In this episode:
Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stein
John Saul
Shadows by John Saul
Shadow and Bone Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo
Daughter of Smoke and Bone Series by Laini Taylor
Emily Dickenson
Raymond Carver
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
Nutmeg & Luna - Erica’s dogs
Pitch Wars
The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle Series) by Maggie Stiefvater
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
Lauren Spieller - literary agent at TriadaUS Literary Agency
Alice Jerman (Erica’s editor at HarperTeen)
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody
Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel: The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Young Adult Bestseller by Jessica Brody (coming 2023)
The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror (with special shoutouts to: editor Tori Bovalino and contributors Aden Polydoros, Courtney Gould, Shakira Toussaint, and Hannah F. Whitten)
It Looks Like Us by Alison Ames
Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
The restless Dark
October 4, 2022
Enter Cloudkiss Canyon at your own risk.
Sadie meets Wilder Girls in this unnerving tale about the struggle for survival, the twisted satisfaction of revenge, and the darkness hiding in all of us.
The Cloudkiss Killer is dead. Now a true-crime podcast is hosting a contest to find his bones.
Lucy was almost the serial killer’s final victim. Carolina is a true-crime fan who fears her own rage. Maggie is a psychology student with a little too much to hide.
All of them are looking for answers, for a new identity, for a place to bury their secrets.
But there are more than bones hiding in the shadows…sometimes the darkness inside is more frightening than anything the dead leave behind.
-HarperTeen/HarperCollins-
Previously Published
Ghost Wood Song
The River Has Teeth
The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror
“Stay”
Episode 4: Aden Polydoros
Or CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of this episode
Aden Polydoros grew up in Illinois and Arizona, and has a bachelor's degree in English from Northern Arizona University. When he isn't writing, he enjoys going to antique fairs and flea markets.
In this episode:
Goosebumps Series by R.L. Stein
Nancy Drew Mystery Stories Series by Carolyn Keene
The Hardy Boys Series by Franklin W. Dixon
Blockbuster Videos
Stephen King
Dean Koontz
Sidney Sheldon
Entangled Teen
Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
Bone Weaver
September 20, 2022
Jacket Art & Title Design: Sultan Jumataev
3D Rendering: Stephen Niemeier
Art Direction: Gigi Lau
From the author of The City Beautiful comes a haunting fantasy following Toma, adopted daughter of the benevolent undead, as she crosses paths with the incognito Tsar in an empire on the verge of civil war between the lower class and the magical elite.
The Kosa empire roils in tension, on the verge of being torn apart by a proletarian revolution between magic-endowed elites and the superstitious lower-class, but seventeen-year-old Toma lives blissfully disconnected from the conflict in the empire with her adoptive family of benevolent undead.When she crosses paths with Vanya, a charming commoner with awe-inspiring powers, and the usurped Tsar Mikhail himself, the unlikely trio bonds over trying to restore Mikhail’s magic and protect the empire from the revolutionary leader, Koschei, whose forces have stolen the castle. Vanya has his magic, and Mikhail has his title, but if Toma can’t dig deep and find her power in time, all of their lives will be at Koschei’s mercy.
-Inkyard Press-
Previously Published
Assassin Fall:
#1 Project Pandora
#2 Project Prometheus
#0.5 Hades Rising
The City Beautiful
The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror
Short: It Stays With You
Forthcoming
Ring of Solomon
Wrath Becomes Her
Episode 3: Amanda DeWitt
Or CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of this episode
© Miranda Duane Photography
Working in a public library by day and writing books at all hours, Amanda DeWitt is always surrounded by books. When she’s not writing, she enjoys drawing, Dungeons & Dragon-ing, and also writing, just not whatever it is she really should be writing. When she is writing, she’s always looking to try something new—but anything funny is a good bet. She holds a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida.
Amanda lives in Clearwater, Florida with her two dogs, two cats, and a handful of chickens. She’s represented by Cate Hart at Harvey Klinger Literary Agency.
Aces Wild: A Heist
Cover art by Víctor Bregante
Six of Crows goes to Las Vegas in debut author Amanda DeWitt’s suspenseful casino heist, starring an entire crew of asexual teens.
Some people join chess club, some people play football. Jack Shannon runs a secret blackjack ring in his private school’s basement. What else is the son of a Las Vegas casino mogul supposed to do?
Everything starts falling apart when Jack’s mom is arrested for their family’s ties to organized crime. His sister Beth thinks this is the Shannon family’s chance to finally go straight, but Jack knows that something’s not right. His mom was sold out, and he knows by who. Peter Carlevaro: rival casino owner and jilted lover. Gross.
Jack hatches a plan to find out what Carlevaro’s holding over his mom’s head, but he can’t do it alone. He recruits his closest friends—the asexual support group he met through fandom forums. Now all he has to do is infiltrate a high-stakes gambling club and dodge dark family secrets, while hopelessly navigating what it means to be in love while asexual. Easy, right?
-Peachtree Teen-
Episode 2: Lane Clarke
Or CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of this episode
© Nohelia Valentin
Lane Clarke grew up in Richmond, Virginia, where she hung out with her grandma at IHOP every Tuesday night and attended $3 movie nights at the Byrd Theater. Lane has been in love with books since the age of two. Her stories feature Black culture and big-hearted teenagers with self-doubts and big dreams, who—with a little laughter and good friends—can accomplish anything. She eats dessert before dinner and can usually be found rewatching her favorite teen soap operas. She currently lives in Northern Virginia with her cat, Pickles, and works as an attorney in Washington, D.C.
In this episode:
Holes by Louis Sachar
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer
Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead
#BVM - Black Voices Matter
#PitBLK - Twitter pitch event for Black authors - starts September 21, 2022
Real Housewives
Lord of the Rings
Jackal by Erin E. Adams
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds
The Two Lives of Sara by Catherine Adel West
Love Times Infinity:
Illustrator: Erick Dávila
High school junior Michie is struggling to define who she is for her scholarship essays, her big shot at making it into Brown as a first-generation college student. The prompts would be hard for anyone, but Michie's been estranged from her mother since she was seven and her concept of family has long felt murky.
Enter new kid and basketball superstar Derek de la Rosa. He is very cute, very talented, and very much has his eye on Michie, no matter how invisible she believes herself to be.
When Michie's mother unexpectedly reaches out to make amends, and with her scholarship deadlines looming, Michie must choose whether to reopen old wounds or close the door on her past. And as she spends more time with Derek, she'll have to decide how much of her heart she is willing to share. Because while Michie may not know who she is, she's starting to realize who she wants to become, if only she can take a chance on Derek, on herself, and on her future.
Episode 1: John Cusick
Or CLICK HERE for a downloadable PDF transcript of this episode
© Evan Simko-Bednarski
John Cusick is an agent and Senior Vice President at Folio Literary Management. He represents a diverse list of award winners and New York Times bestsellers, with a focus on middle grade and young adult novels, as well as genre fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, horror) in the YA-adult crossover space. His young adult novels, Girl Parts and Cherry Money Baby, were published by Candlewick Press. His middle-grade series, Dimension Why, was released by Harper Collins in 2020.
In this episode:
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Vladimir Nabokov
Robert Asprin
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian
John’s books:
Girl Parts
Cherry Money Baby
Dimension Why #1: How to Save the Universe Without Really Trying
Dimension Why #2: Revenge of the Sequel