GOLD members! Say hello to our August agents. Read the following profiles carefully, click the links for more info on each agent, and decide who is the best fit for you and your work. Then read the guidelines on the forum as you prepare your submission. Be sure to double check everything before you hit the send button.

Little GOLDen Book members can choose one of these two agents to submit their manuscript to in August. (If you are a SILVER member, you may use this info for research. Check out our How to Use 12 x 12 Featured Agent Posts article here.)

Andrea Morrison of Writers House will be accepting picture book submissions from 12 x 12 GOLD members from August 1-15. Alyssa Eisner Henkin will be accepting picture book submissions from 12 x 12 GOLD members from August 16-31. Andrea’s profile appears first, followed by Alyssa’s. 

Let’s make those submissions shine!

Andrea Morrison of Writers House 

A little bit about Andrea:

Andrea Morrison started at Writers House as an intern and worked her way up to Agent. She’s had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of bestselling and award-winning authors and illustrators in genres ranging from picture books to middle grade and YA to adult literary fiction and nonfiction. Having studied Literature/Writing at University of California, San Diego and having earned her MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, Andrea is hands-on editorially.

She’s particularly excited about author/illustrator picture books, and in terms of picture book manuscripts she loves either incredibly heartfelt and lyrical texts…and fall-off-your-chair hilarious texts! Most importantly, she’s looking for unforgettable characters that need to be heard—for stories that grab your heart and don’t let it go, even after they’re finished. 

When asked what she’s looking for in submissions, Andrea replied:

“I love a wide range of picture books! Happy to see laugh-out-loud hilarious stories, heartfelt stories, and everything in between! Truly, I think the biggest thing I’m looking for is something that feels outside the box and fresh – different than what’s already on shelves. It’s such a tough market that projects really need to feel like they’re saying something new. I’d love a wonderfully memorable character-driven project that feels like it stands alone, but could bridge into a series also. Thank you so much for sharing work with me!”

Andrea has been a Featured Agent in previous years. You can find her previous profile posts here and here.  Additional resources are below:

• Find Andrea on Twitter
• Andrea on Publisher’s Marketplace
• Andrea’s Manuscript Wishlist (#MSWL)
• Check out the Writers House website

Alyssa Eisner Henkin of Birch Path Literary

A little bit about Alyssa:

After earning her Bachelors from the University of Pennsylvania, Alyssa Eisner Henkin fulfilled a childhood dream that she professed on a home video at the age of six: move to New York and work with books. Alyssa founded Birch Path Literary in 2021, following over 20 years in the publishing industry including 14 years as an agent at Trident Media Group and 7 years in editorial at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Alyssa is dedicated to strategic and impassioned representation carefully honed to suit each client’s career path. Ensuring each book’s longevity is her primary goal from selecting the perfect editor, title, and jacket to overseeing successful subsidiary rights deals including foreign, merchandising, audio, film, and theatrical.  Birch Path’s emphasis is on children’s and young adult literature and illustration, but Alyssa does represent a select number of fiction and narrative nonfiction projects for adult readers.

Alyssa is especially drawn to lyrical prose, tight plotting, school stories, period pieces, diverse regional and ethnic flavors, themes of social justice, intergenerational family sagas, incorrigible underdogs, and lots of humor and authenticity buoyed by a big heart. “I am also eager to find authors and author-illustrators who specialize in inventive nonfiction, especially for middle grade. And highly original picture books are always intriguing. It was Madeline and Frances, after all, who kindled my passion in the first place!”

When asked what she’s looking for in submissions, Alyssa replied:

“I enjoy humor, fresh and seldom-seen scenarios, and communal tales about folks working together for the greater good.”

Alyssa was a Featured Agent previously. Read her past profiles here, here, here, here, and here. Please note: Some of these past profiles reflect her previous time at Trident Media. Here are a couple of additional resources:

Remember: Little GOLDen Book Members may only submit to ONE of these agents. Please choose the agent who is the best fit for you and your manuscript. Look for submission guidelines in the Submission Station on the 12 x 12 forum.

• Submissions will only be accepted for Andrea Morrison from August 1st at 8am ET/5am PT through August 15th at 6pm EASTERN/3pm PACIFIC.
• Submissions will only be accepted for Alyssa Eisner Henkin from August 16th at 8am ET/5am PT through August 31st at 6pm EASTERN/3pm PACIFIC.

Please double check the times for your time zone on your submissions. Anything received before or after the submissions window is open will be disqualified and you will not be able to submit again this month.

Remember, it is NEVER okay to submit your manuscript twice. Contact Kelli if there is a problem with your submission.

Good luck!

Not a 12 x 12 member yet? Join our notification for free events and be among the first to hear when registration opens for next year’s picture book writing challenge. Click here.