2016 Year of Success!

Dorina Lazo Gilmore signed with agent Victoria Selvaggio of the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency for her picture book in December.

Steve Goble signed with The Evan Marshall Agency with his Historical Mystery in March then sold his book, THE BLOODY BLACK FLAG: A SPIDER JOHN MYSTERY to Seventh Street Books in a 2-book deal in August! In the book to be released Fall/Winter 2017, a reluctant pirate seeks the killer of his best friend aboard a pirate vessel. THE DEVIL’S WIND: A SPIDER JOHN MYSTERY is scheduled to release in Fall/Winter 2018.

Sam Hawke signed with agent Julie Crisp and sold his fantasy novel, CITY OF LIES, to Tor US to be released April 2018: After the Chancellor is poisoned and the city is besieged, a brother and sister charged with secretly protecting the ruling family must find the traitor before the city falls.

Lindsay Henry signed with Renee Nyen of KT Literary with her Young Adult Contemporary Fiction in June!

Hannah Holt sold her picture book DIAMOND/MAN, a double-biograph picture book, telling the story of natural diamond creation alongside the story of H. Tracy Hall, who invented a revolutionary diamond-making machine, to Balzer+Bray to be released Fall 2018. She was also the recipient of the SCBWI WIP Grant for picture book text for A FATHER’S LOVE, a colorful celebration of the best dads in the animal kingdom, from penguins to lions to seahorses.

Lauren Hough signed with Fletcher and Co. for her memoir. Her article, THE SHEPHERDS, a story of how Cult life is a little less lonely when you have a secret radio, was published in Granta in November.

Christina Hovland signed with Linda Camacho of Prospect Agency for her Romance in December!

Katey Howes signed with Essie White of Storm Literary and sold her picture book
MAGNOLIA MUDD AND THE SUPER JUMPTASTIC LAUNCHER DELUXE to Sterling Publishing to be released Fall 2017 in which nuts-and-bolts Magnolia must invent a Mudd-powered way to participate in her uncle’s wedding, or get stuck tossing petals in a frilly gown.

Gayle C. Krause sold her picture book, DADDY, CAN YOU SEE THE MOON? about a little boy and his soldier dad who share special moments together by looking at the moon though they are separated by duty to country to Clear Fork Publishing – Spork Imprint to be released Spring 2018.

Sylvia Liu‘s picture book, A MORNING WITH GRANDPA, in which Met Mei and her grandfather teach each other yoga and tai chi–while each struggle with the other’s activity, they enjoy each other’s company, was released by Lee & Low Books.

Amy Losak sold her mom, Sydell Rosenberg’s, haiku alphabet picture book, H IS FOR HAIKU to Penny Candy Books in October to be released late 2017 or 2018.

Tara Lubbe signed with Tracy Marchini at Bookends Literary in July and sold her picture book, SHARK-NATE-O about a kid who loves sharks but cannot swim, so he learns how to so he can feel like a real shark, to Little Bee to be released Spring 2018.

Renee Beauregard Lute signed with Cindy Uh of Thompson Literary Agency with a children’s chapter book in June and sold a 4-book series to Magic Wagon, an ABDO imprint. The Winicker Wallace chapter book series follows the charming misadventures of a spunky girl in Paris as she tries to make friends in a new city.

Lydia Lukidis signed with Jen Hunt from The Booker Albert Literary Agency for her picture and chapter books in September.

Author/illustrator Nilah Magruder‘s debut picture book, HOW TO FIND A FOX was published by Feiwel & Friends in November. In it, a little girl, Equipped with a camera and determination, sets out to track down an elusive red fox, but it proves more difficult than she thought.

Nilah also signed two deals! One for her graphic novel M.F.K., a fantastic adventure following the story of Abbie, a deaf girl with a mysterious power, who is traveling across a vast desert to scatter her mother’s ashes to be released by Insight Comics in September 2017.

Plus, Nilah is illustrating the upcoming middle grade graphic novel, CREAKY ACRES which sold in a 3-book deal at auction. Written by Calista Brill and scheduled to be published by Dial Books for Young Readers in Spring 2019, the story features a cast of characters at a run-down horse barn, including new girl Nora, who has to adjust to the change from fancy suburb to poor rural community, and from being one of the few black girls riding horses in her area to being the only black kid in the whole town.

Laura Noakes signed with agent Vanessa Eccles for her Middle Grade in May!

Rachel Noble signed with Essie White of Storm Literary Agency in July and sold her picture book FINN’S FEATHER to Enchanted Lion to be released in Fall 2017. In the book, Finn finds a feather and believes his brother in Heaven has sent it. He wants to protect it but his friend urges him to have fun with his precious gift.

Rosie J. Pova signed with agent Marisa Corvisiero  for her children’s writing in September plus she sold 3 books to Clear Fork Publishing. Rosie’s picture books include: IF YOU WEREN’T HERE in which,in a series of simple and direct questions, Willy, a bear cub, seeks and receives his mother’s reassurance of love and security as the two take a walk in the forest and SARAH’S SONG, the story of a granddaughter as she comes to terms with her grandmother’s failing health and how that affects the special bond the two share. Rosie’s Middle Grade Novel, HAILEY QUEEN AND THE ALIEN: PRANKING MAKES PERFECT is the story of nine-year old prankster Hailey  who feels like an alien in her own world until an alien comes into her life and shows her what it means to be human. All to be released in 2017!

Laura Renauld won the Sparkhouse Family Picture Book Contest (which she learned about in the Contest Roundup!) and her picture book, PORCUPINE’S PIE, in which Porcupine and her friends share ingredients and begin a new tradition for Fall Feast Day, will be released in Fall 2018. She also sold FIND THE FACE: Craft and Game where, using recycled materials, children create Cap Characters that act as the pieces in a guessing game, to Highlights!