TAILOR-MADE FACULTY
Industry professionals provide tailor-made advice and fashion-forward feedback to get you on the runway to publication! Confirmed faculty include
D. Ann Williams, Associate Agent, Emerald City Literary Agency
D. Ann Williams (she/her) is an Associate Agent at Emerald City Literary Agency, a writer, a freelance editor with 10+ years of experience, and a writing coach for WNDB, Black Creatives Revision Workshop. She has worked with all big 5 publishers, medium-sized and indiepublishers, and self-published authors on a variety of adult and kidlit. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, SCBWI, and Crime Writers of Color. Winner of the 2021 Sisters in Crime Eleanor Taylor Bland Award and a 2021 Voodoonauts Fellow, she loves all things mystery and spec.Seeking:D. Ann represents MG, YA, and select PB. In the PB space, she is drawn to STEM-based, books that break down gender stereotypes, and a variety of family structures. She is not the right person for anthropomorphism (talking animals/objects). In the MG/YA space she loves horror,mystery/thrillers, rom-coms with a hook, speculative fiction (especially afro-futurism & magical-realism variety), historicals with a twist (spec, mystery, etc.), and found families. She’s always looking for books that reflect the diverse world we live in including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, ND,disability, and religions and spiritual beliefs that are underrepresented in publishing.Some of her favorite recent reads include FIREKEEPER’S DAUGHTER by Angeline Boulley,EYES THAT KISS IN THE CORNERS BY Joanna Ho, FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON by Janae Marks, RAY BEARER by Jordan Ifueko, and HANI AND ISHU’S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING by Adiba Jaigirdar.
Jon Westmark, Executive Editor, Albert Whitman & Co,
Jon Westmark is Executive Editor at Albert Whitman & Company, where he acquires, edits and develops everything from board books to YA. He’s always looking for books that affirm and expand readers’ understanding of themselves and the ways in which they can fit into the world. Some of his recent acquisitions include SUMMER OF BRAVE of Amy Noelle Parks, QUACK bu Anna Humphrey, SONG IN A RAINSTORM by Glenda Armand and THE WISH LIBRARY chapter book series by Christine Evans.
Aneeka Kalia, Associate Editor, Viking Children’s Books
Aneeka Kalia is an Associate Editor at Viking Children’s Books. She acquires and edits picture books, middle grade, and YA, along with graphic novels for all ages and select nonfiction. She enjoys contemporary/realistic, character driven, humorous stories across all ages and formats. When she’s not editing, Aneeka loves to play soccer and tennis, hike, try out all of Brooklyn’s coffee shops, and try her hand at cooking.
Saritza Hernandez, Agent, Andrea Brown Literary Agency
A Literary Agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Saritza is a self-professed geek who loves escaping into worlds and stories from all walks of life. A passionate advocate of the BIPOC & LGBTQ+ communities,she enjoys fresh voices in Middle Grade and Young Adult genre fiction, and select non-fiction. Her client titles include:Does My Body Offend You by Mayra Cuevas (2022),Unexpecting byJen Bailey (2022), and Lambda Literary Finalist and 201 7NYPL Book of the Year,Dreadnought by April Daniels
Samantha Fabien, Agent, Root Lterary
Samantha Fabien (she/her) is a literary agent at Root Literary.Before joining the Root team, Samantha worked at Laura Dail Literary Agency as a literary agent and International Rights Manager. Her background includes a Bachelor’s in PR and Journalism, a certificate from the Columbia Publishing Course, and internships/part-time work at Ayesha Pande Literary,Writers House, and Chalberg & Sussman. From these experiences, Samantha has fostered her love for sharing diverse, lasting, and inclusive stories with the world–both in the U.S. and abroad.Samantha can also be found working with events and organizations likeDVcon,#Edits4BlackSFF,Gotham Writers,SCBWI,and the New York Writing Room among others.You can find her@samanthashnhon Instagram and Twitter.
With Anna Parsons, Associate Editor, Aladdin (Simon & Schuster)
Anna is an assistant editor at Aladdin, where she is building a list of middle grade, chapter books, and picture books. Before joining Aladdin in 2018, she completed a Master’s in Publishing at New York University as well as publishing internship with The Overlook Press, Tor,Open Road Integrated Media, and Holloway Literary Agency. She is looking for high-concept fiction and commercial nonfiction, and has a passion for SFF, mysteries, and stories featuring underrepresented voices. Find her on Twitter @annaparsona.
Anna’s Wish List