Oh my goodness,

Sub It Club is one year old!

Way back when I came up with this idea to start a club for writers and illustrators so we would have a place to talk about submitting our work (it took me a couple of years to actually work up the nerve to get the club going. I’m sort of a chicken.) I never imagined it would grow so fast! I am thankful for each and every one of you who has taken part in the club in some way. And I’d like to give a very special thanks to Dana Carey and Lisha Cauthen for putting up with me and my shenanigans for over a year now!

We’ve tried quite a few different things over this past year. Thanks to those of you who have stuck with us through the changes. Our private Facebook group has definitely proven to be the best place to get together and talk subbing. Another big thank you to all of you who participate! You make it a fabulous place to be! And when you round up the private Facebook group, the public Facebook page, Twitter, Pinterest, and the blog here, there are a whole lot of us working on making our submissions the best they can be and sending them out for consideration. Great job everyone! We want to celebrate you. So let’s party!

Thanks to the generosity of some super-amazing people in the writing community, we have some really great prizes:

Submissions!

These agents are closed to submissions and have each generously offered a submission opportunity to one lucky winner! Woohoo!

Ammi-Joan Paquette of Erin Murphy Literary Agency – If you haven’t heard, not only is Ammi-Joan a fabulous agent, she’s also an author! As an agent Ammi-Joan represents great children’s book authors such as Pat Zeitlow Miller, Tara Lazar, and Mike Jung.  She represents books for the very young

all the way through young adult. She is, “most excited by a strong lyrical voice, tight plotting with surprising twists and turns, and stories told with heart and resonance that will stand the test of time.”

You can read more about Ammi-Joan’s agenting at the Erin Murphy Literary Agency website.

Ammi-Joan is the author of a number of books for children including the picture books PETEY AND PRU AND THE HULABALOO and GHOST IN THE HOUSE, as well as novels PARADOX and RULES FOR GHOSTING. She has a wonderful author website at ajpaquette.com.

Winner will receive the opportunity to submit a query letter plus their first five pages!

Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary – In 2010 Karen Grencik founded Red Fox Literary along with Abigail Samoun. Karen represents picture book through young adult manuscripts and is keen to find those that touch her heart. Some of Karen’s clients

include Marsha Diane Arnold, Sarah Wilson, Nancy Viau, and Natasha Yim. You can read more about Karen in her Query. Sign. Submit. interview at I Write For Apples and check out the Red Fox Literary website at www.redfoxliterary.com.

Winner will receive the opportunity to submit a query letter plus their first five pages!

Mira Reisberg of Hummingbird Literary – Over 25 years, Dr. Mira Reisberg has worn just about every hat in the children’s book industry. Following the success of many of her Children’s Book Academy students she was encouraged to found

  Hummingbird Literary. Mira is phasing out of teaching to focus on agenting but is excited about live teaching one of her remaining Craft and Business of Writing Children’s Picture Books e-Courses starting February 10th here: http://www.childrensbookacademy.com/writing-childrens-picture-books.html 

You can read the Hummingbird Literary submission policy here.

Winner will receive the opportunity to submit a cover letter with  less than 600 word picture book manuscript or cover letter with summary and first 5 pages of MG or YA.

Critiques!

Sean McCarthy of Sean McCarthy Literary Agency –  Sean McCarthy began his agenting career at Sheldon Fogelman Agency where he wore many hats, including submissions coordinator and permissions manager, before becoming a full-time literary agent. In 2013, Sean started Sean McCarthy Literary Agency where works on children’s books for all ages. Good news writers and illustrators, he is actively looking to build his client list! His clients include Zachariah OHora, Hyewon Yum, Mark Fearing, Jamie Swenson, Judith Robbins Rose, and, um, me.

Sean is offering a critique (either PB or first 15 pages of MG/YA), along with a query/synopsis critique. And I can tell you, Sean gives excellent feedback!

Kristine Carlson Asselin started querying in 2010. After more than 150 query letters and three agents, she’s now happily signed with Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Agency. She has recently signed with Bloomsbury Spark for her debut young adult novel, ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT.

Kristine is the Co-Director for the SCBWI New England Regional Conference coming up May 2-4, 2014 in Springfield, Massachusetts. You can find out more about Kristine at her website www.kristineasselin.com You can also connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Kristine is offering a Query Package Critique which includes the critique of your query letter, synopsis, and first ten pages of the same Middle Grade or Young Adult manuscript.

Veronica Bartles  – You may recognize Veronica as a former moderator and current Club member! She writes everything picture books to young adult novels. Veronica used to be afraid to query,

but not anymore! It was great to watch Veronica bloom in 2013 as she obtained representation by Jessica Sinsheimer of Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency, LLC and sold her debut novel to Swoon Romance!

Veronica’s Young Adult Contemporary Romance, TWELVE STEPS, comes out March 25, 2014! You can find out more about Veronica at her website, as well as connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Veronica is offering a First Five Pages Critique to one lucky winner!

Books & Such!

Lisha Cauthen’s Writer Extravaganza – Our marvelous Sub It Club partner Lisha Cauthen who takes care of our Pinterest and helps with the Sub It Club Twitter account has put together an excellent prize package that any writer is sure to love! It includes a signed copy of Mustache Baby by her adorable friend Bridget Heos who recently signed for a sequel, Mustache Baby vs. Beard Baby (yay!) , The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, an Olivia (by Ian Falconer) personal notebook with pen, The Magnetic Poet’s Collection that includes word magnets, a board, book, and journal and is sure to be inspirational, and bookmarks galore! (U.S. Residents only.)

You ready to enter? CLICK HERE!

The link will take you to our Sub It Club public Facebook page where we post submission news and opportunities. We’ve embedded a Rafflecopter giveaway widget there. (Sorry we couldn’t do it here, WordPress wouldn’t let us.) To enter you do have to like our page. We’re sorry if it’s an inconvenience but you have to agree, the prizes are pretty great!

There are a lot of different ways to get entries. One is to add the new Sub It Club badge to your blog or website. You can grab it below. And if you want to read a little more about it you can go here. Please link the badge back to us here at http://www.subitclub.wordpress.com