I was talking with Agent Stephen Barbara at Foundry Literary + Media (Agent of New York Times and international bestseller Lauren Oliver – Before I Fall, Delirium, etc.). If you attended the NJSCBWI Conference, you met both of them. Anyway, he told me about Children’s Agent and Foreign Right’s Director, Rachel Hecht, at his company who is looking to build her client list. I thought I would share her information with all of you.
As a domestic agent, Rachel is seeking children’s projects of all stripes, from picture books through to young adult fiction, as well as select fiction and non-fiction projects for adults that are wonderfully written and completely absorbing. Drawing on her experience at the forefront of children’s scouting, she loves the thrill of the hunt for new talent and enjoys working closely with authors to develop and refine their projects for submission.
“In terms of adult fiction, the strength of the voice and quality of the writing is what is most important to me. I am seeking literary as well as upmarket/commercial projects, and would love to see projects with crossover potential as well as those that blur the boundaries between genres – especially in the thriller, fantasy, and historical categories (but a polite no thank you to straight genre writing). For nonfiction, I’m interested in memoirs, pop culture, and narrative nonfiction projects with a great hook – stories that I am unable to put down about topics I had no idea I was interested in.”
Before joining Foundry in 2011, Rachel served as the children’s book scout for Mary Anne Thompson Associates, where she provided exclusive insight into the US publishing world for a diverse roster of foreign publishers. A graduate of Kenyon College with a degree in English, she began her career in New York at Condé Nast before moving into book publishing.
Rachel Hecht accepts paper and email submissions. Please send all digital queries for Rachel [email protected]. For more information on submitting your project, please see the Foundry Submissions page.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Filed under: Agent, children writing, Editor & Agent Info, opportunity, Places to sumit, Publishers and Agencies, submissions Tagged: Foundry Literary + Media, Rachel Hecht, Stephen Barbara
Stephen Barbara, literary agent with Foundry Literary + Media in New York City has agreed to join us this year at the New Jersey SCBWI Conference being held in Princeton on June 3rd to 5th. He will be conducting the Writer’s Intensive on Friday afternoon, doing half hour consultative crititques and workshops. 
0 Comments on Announcement: Stephen Barbara – Writing Intensive as of 1/1/1900
Rachel sounds like she has a great background. (Our son went to Kenyon–great school!)
I am working on an exciting YA novel now that is just in the final stages of proofing The Quest and just starting a new ballet series for the YA . It is just in the Work in progress stage but will be heavily researched, as is all my work. I am full member of the SCBWI . I have previously published two articles in the non-fiction adult market and at the moment working on another that has a deadline in July. I am also doing free lance writing for the PKU Community . ( PKU is a rare genetic disorder in which the body is unable to break down protein . ) If you are interested in my material please contact at :
[email protected]
Hi there, I check your blog regularly. Your story-telling style is
awesome, keep up the good work!