Three cheers for Kristi Mahoney! We love that she took time off from querying to truly focus on her craft—including attending all 12 x 12 webinars! In fact, Kristi put all our 12 x 12 resources to work for her as you’ll see in this post. All that work paid off, when we recently signed with Elisa Houot of The Seymour Agency.

Congrats, Kristi!  

How long had you been writing before seeking an agent, and what made you decide it was time to look for one?

I’ve loved writing all my life, but it wasn’t until 2016 that I started writing more seriously. I joined SCBWI and over the next two years wrote a YA and a MG novel. In 2018, I joined 12 x 12 and discovered my true passion of writing picture books. I’ve been doing that ever since. Once I thought I had a few good stories, I dove into the query trenches, but I realize now that was way too early. I stopped to focus on learning craft, finding some great critique partners, writing, and revising. The next few years I started to have a bit more success so I knew I was on the right path. In 2020, one of my manuscripts was selected for a PBChat mentorship. In 2021, another manuscript was selected by PBParty. In 2022, I signed a contract for my first picture book with Gnome Road Publishing. In 2023, I started querying again and very shortly after that I accepted an offer of representation from Elisa.

What kind of research did you do before submitting?

I’m a planner by nature so I did A LOT of research. I looked on MSWL, combed over the Publishers Weekly Rights Reports, and studied which agents were active on pitch parties. I also found a ton of great agent information right here on 12 x 12 —from the Featured Agent descriptions, to comments on the Facebook page, to these How-I-Got-My-Agent stories.

The dreaded questions: How many queries?  How many rejections?

I queried 45 agents (over several years), received 10 requests for additional manuscripts, and 2 offers of representation. Although I know I probably queried 40 of those agents too early, every “pass” brought me to where I am today—and for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

Was it difficult to find an agent who wanted to represent an author focusing on picture books?

In the past several years, I’ve noticed that more agents are moving to representing author/illustrators only, but I tried to focus on the fact that there were still some fantastic agents open to author-only picture books.

Who is your new agent? Tell us about getting the news.

My agent is Elisa Houot from The Seymour Agency. Elisa was one of the first agents I queried after taking over a year off to build my strongest manuscript submission package to date. Elisa had posted a MSWL that she was looking for funny picture books, smart humor, puns, and books full of heart—and those are exactly the type of books I write. I queried her that same month and received a nice note back a few days later requesting additional manuscripts. After reviewing them, she emailed to say she would love to schedule a call. I was bursting with happiness and excitement all wrapped up into one.

How did you know your agent was “the one”?

Elisa and I met over zoom and by the end of our meeting, I knew we’d make a great team. Not only did I find her incredibly kind and genuine, but I was blown away by her amazing organization/process, her passion for her job, and her enthusiasm for my manuscripts! Getting the opportunity to work with Elisa is a dream come true.

If 12 x 12 helped you in any way during your agent search/development of craft, can you tell us how? (P.S. It is TOTALLY okay if the answer is no. I am not trying to “lead” you 🙂 )

12 x 12 has been a HUGE part of my writing journey! It’s the first thing I joined when I decided to get serious about writing picture books. I’ve been a SILVER member for the past seven years and have watched every single webinar since joining. I find them incredibly inspiring and they always help remind me of my love of writing. 12 x 12 is also where I found my first critique group—four amazingly talented women (Gabriele, Cedar, Mia, and Abi) that have helped me beyond words. And we’re still together today! I’ve also found the Facebook page and the forum to be super helpful in terms of resources. 12 x 12 feels like one big pb family and I’m proud to be a part of it.

Has your writing process changed at all since signing with an agent?

I’ve had more time to focus on writing since signing with Elisa. But as far as process, once drafted, my stories still go through the same critique and revision steps I’ve always used. After that, the biggest change is that I now have an additional resource because Elisa provides excellent editorial feedback. We work together to get my manuscripts as polished as possible before going out on submission.

What advice would you give to picture book writers looking for agents today?

My biggest piece of advice would be to not query too soon. Even if you have one really strong pb manuscript, it may not be enough to get a career agent. Spend time determining your strongest manuscript to lead with as well as three additional polished manuscripts to follow up with (if an agent requests more work). Using your critique partners to help rank your manuscripts is also super helpful.

The other thing I would say is to try to surround yourself with positive and supportive people. There is a lot of rejection in this industry and it’s near impossible to do alone. When others get good news, celebrate with them! Your good news is coming. In the words of Ted Lasso, “Believe!”

Do you think your platform (blog, social media) helped you find your agent?

I’m not sure it helped me to find an agent, but it definitely helped me find a community of wonderful kidlit people. And those people inspired me to become a better writer. Also, having a social media presence (and perhaps a website) is one way to show any potential agents your strong devotion to your craft.

Tell us something that is on your “bucket list.” Something you’ve dreamed of doing all your life but have yet to accomplish (besides publishing a book, which is inevitable at this point 🙂 )

Helping animals is a passion of mine so it’s definitely something I’m looking to do more of in the future. I currently have six fur-family members that we’ve rescued and would open my home (and yard) to more if I could. Also, if there’s a way to combine my love of animals, books, and coffee shops, I’m going to find it!   

What’s up next/what are you working on now?

My debut picture book, Alpacas Make Terrible Librarians, illustrated by Chantelle and Burgen Thorne, will debut in September 2024 with Gnome Road Publishing, and I have another (unannounced) book launching in 2026.

I’m also very excited to be working with Elisa to get some more picture books out on submission. And, I’m writing!

Thanks so much for having me on your blog!