GOLD members! June submissions are nigh! Our 2021 Little GOLDen Book members will be able to choose one of these two agents to submit their manuscript to in June. (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.)
Alyssa Eisner Henkin of Birch Path Literary will be accepting picture book submissions from 12 x 12 GOLD members June 1-15. Melissa Nasson of Rubin Pfeffer Content will be accepting picture book submissions from 12 x 12 GOLD members June 16-30. Alyssa’s profile appears first, followed by Melissa’s. Please read BOTH and then decide who would be the best fit for your work.
Alyssa Eisner Henkin of Birch Path Literary
A little bit about Alyssa:
Alyssa Eisner Henkin founded Birch Path Literary in 2021, following over 20 years in the publishing industry including 14 years as an agent at Trident Media Group and 7 years in editorial at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Alyssa is dedicated to strategic and impassioned representation carefully honed to suit each client’s career path. Ensuring each book’s longevity is her primary goal from selecting the perfect editor, title, and jacket to overseeing successful subsidiary rights deals including foreign, merchandising, audio, film, and theatrical. Birch Path’s emphasis is on children’s and young adult literature and illustration, but Alyssa does represent a select number of fiction and narrative nonfiction projects for adult readers.
Here is what Alyssa had to say when asked what she is looking for in picture books today:
“I am looking specifically for author-illustrators, diverse creators, feminist themes, precocious characters, humor, fresh takes on mindfulness, seasons, whimsy, and school stories.”
- Check out the Birch Path Literary website
- Alyssa’s Manuscript Wishlist (#MSWL)
- Follow Alyssa on Twitter
- Alyssa was interviewed by Only Picture Books
Melissa Nasson of Rubin Pfeffer Content
A little bit about Melissa:
Melissa Nasson has spent her life living in and around Boston, attending college at Boston University (Go Terriers!). While studying at Boston University School of Law, she realized that becoming a literary agent would combine her passion for books with her legal background, and she began interning at Zachary Shuster Harmsworth, and later at East-West Literary Agency and Rubin Pfeffer Content. After taking the bar exam in 2012, Melissa worked as a foreign rights intern at Perseus Books Group before starting as contracts director at Beacon Press. Now, she continues her work at Beacon Press while actively building her list as an associate agent at Rubin Pfeffer Content. Melissa loves dogs, craft beer, making pickles, tending to her tiny vegetable garden, and her pet tortoise, Norton.
When asked what she’s looking for in picture book submissions, Melissa replied:
“I’m very interested in picture books by underrepresented creators, and author-illustrated projects. I enjoy humor, misfits, quirkiness, subversive themes, and unexpected twists. I’d be excited to see nonfiction picture books with a creative angle. I’m not a good fit for bathroom humor, rhyming texts, didactic themes, or series.”
Melissa has been a Featured Agent previously. You can see our past profiles here and here. Here are some new resources for Melissa:
- Follow Melisssa on Twitter
- Writer Maria Linn shares how Melissa became her agent after participating in Pitch Wars
- 12 x 12 member Jenny Turnbull’s agent story with Melissa can be found at The Writing Barn
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 Alyssa Eisner Henkin from June 1st at 8am ET/5am PT through June 15th at 6pm EASTERN/3pm PACIFIC.
Submissions will only be accepted for Melissa Nasson from June 16th at 8am ET/5am PT through June 30th 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!
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