Meet the RMC-SCBWI 2008 editors and agents: John Rudolph, Melissa Manlove, Julie Strauss-Gabel, Barry Goldblatt

More from the 2008 RMC-SCBWI Fall Conference: Editor/Agent Panel

One of the conference's most valuable sessions (in my opinion) was an editor/agent panel addressing various questions about this crazy business of writing and publishing. Panel members included:

• John Rudolph*, Executive Editor at G.P.Putnam's Sons, an imprint of the Penguin Young Readers Group. "He edits picture books, middle-grade and young adult novels, and a small number of nonfiction titles. Among the authors and illustrators he's been lucky enough to work with are Pete Seeger, Tomie dePaola, Richard Michelson, Nathaniel Philbrick, Padma Venkatraman, Jack Higgins, Brenda Woods, Pete Hautman, R. Gregory Christie, Steve Schindler, Mary Azarian, and Wendy Anderson Halperin." Putnam publishes 55-60 books per year.
• Melissa Manlove*, Assistant Editor at Chronicle Books. Acquires picture books, chapter books, middle grade, and YA. She describes herself as "passionate about all genres and topics in children's books, with the exception of religious themes. When acquiring, she looks for fresh takes on familiar topics as well as the new and unusual. More important than topic, however, is an effective approach and strong, graceful writing."
• Julie Strauss-Gabel*, Associate Editorial Director at Dutton Children's Books. She edits "picture books and fiction for older readers (middle grade and young adult). Some of Julie's books include The Milkman and Market Day by Carol Cordsen,...; Easy Street, by Rita Gray...; Printz Medalist Looking for Alaska, and Printz Honor Book An Abundance of Katherines, both by John Green...; Edgar Award Winner Buried by Robin Merrow MacCready; Gods of Manhattan by Scott Mebus; Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen and The Fashion Disaster that Changed My Life, by Kauren Myracle; and Safe by Susan Shaw." More info about Dutton Children's Books can be found at www.duttonwritersroom.com .
• Barry Goldblatt has owned and operated his own literary agency since September 2000. He represents authors such as Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, and Libba Bray. He has about 45 current clients. Although he's gained a name as a "fantasy agent," he represents writers of many types. More info about Barry and his agency can be found at www.bgliterary.com

I'll cover the panel's response to a number of writing/publishing related questions tomorrow (such as: What are the most common writing mistakes you see? What problems might you see in a manuscript that merits a personal rejection? What advice can you give an author on the midlist?)

:) Cheryl

* Information obtained from speaker biographies, Letters & Lines RMC-SCBWI Fall Conference 2008 handout.