GOLD members! It’s time to read up on our July Featured Agents. Our 2021 Little GOLDen Book members will be able to choose one of these two agents to submit their manuscript to in July. (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.)
Kaitlyn Sanchez of Context Literary Agency will be accepting picture book submissions from 12 x 12 GOLD members July 1-15. Sean McCarthy of McCarthy Literary will be accepting picture book submissions from 12 x 12 GOLD members July 16-31. Kaitlyn’s profile appears first, followed by Sean’s. Please read BOTH and then decide who would be the best fit for your work.
Kaitlyn Sanchez of Context Literary Agency
A little bit about Kaitlyn:
Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez is an agent with Context Literary Agency. She’s also a mom, wife, junior high school math teacher, and picture book author of humorous stories. She’s the proud co-creator and co-host of the Spring Fling Kidlit Contest, creator of the Kidlit Fall Writing Frenzy Contest, and co-creator of Kidlit Zombie Week.
In her free time, Kaitlyn loves to play soccer, binge-watch shows on Hulu, and, of course, read. Her favorites are historical fiction, short stories, dramas, fantasies, mysteries, and of course picture books! She especially loves it when her husband, daughter, and her all cozy up and read together.”
When asked what she’s looking for in picture books, Kaitlyn said:
“I love beautiful, emotional stories that don’t follow a traditional format. I love diversity in all forms. I love learning in non-didactic ways and exploring things I’ve never thought of in fiction or nonfiction. I love great humor and also rhyme, but please only send me rhyme if you’ve studied rhythm and meter.
For art, I like to feel something special coming through from the characters and even the scene, generally an emotion. Check out my current illustrator and author-illustrator clients for reference: Maryam Khalifah, DK Ryland, and Heather Bell.
I’m not usually compelled by fractured fairy tales, dragons, fairies, or anthropomorphic animal characters (though I do love inanimate objects as talking characters). However, sometimes these things surprise me, so you never know.”
- Find Kaitlyn on Twitter
- Check out Kaitlyn’s Manuscript Wishlist (#MSWL)
- Kaitlyn was featured in Cardinal Rule Press’ Literary Agent Interview Series
- Look through the Context Literary Agency website
- Get to Know an Agent on the 2021 Florida Writing Workshop
- Interview with Ellen Leventhal
- Tuesday from the Trenches about Kaitlyn’s own journey to find an agent
Sean McCarthy of McCarthy Literary
A little bit about Sean:
Sean McCarthy began his publishing career as an editorial intern at Overlook Press and then moved over to the Sheldon Fogelman Agency. He worked as the submissions coordinator and permissions manager before becoming a full-time literary agent. Sean graduated from Macalester College with a degree in English-Creative Writing, and is grateful that he no longer has to spend his winters in Minnesota.
In 2013, Sean McCarthy established Sean McCarthy Literary which emphasizes a comprehensive approach in assisting clients with their literary careers. The agency guides authors and illustrators through all phases of the publishing process, from developing manuscripts to negotiating contracts to managing foreign and subsidiary rights and everything in between.
He is drawn to flawed, multifaceted characters with devastatingly concise writing in YA, and smartly paced mysteries or adventures in MG. In picture books, he looks more for unforgettable characters, off-beat humor, and especially clever endings. He is not currently interested in issue-driven stories or query letters that pose too many questions.
Sean has been a 12 x 12 Featured Agent previously. You can find our previous posts here, here, here, here, and here. Here are some new resources for Sean:
- Follow Sean on Twitter
- Agent Spotlight on Literary Rambles
- Check out the McCarthy Lit website including Sean’s client list
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 Kaitlyn Sanchez from July 1st at 8am ET/5am PT through July 15th at 6pm EASTERN/3pm PACIFIC.
Submissions will only be accepted for Sean McCarthy from July 16th at 8am ET/5am PT through July 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!
