I’ve been writing books for over a decade now, and I’ve never used an agent. I have a successful children’s series (over 250,000 copies sold), and my publisher is not interested in working outside the United States. I’ve received their permission to take the series on my own and go to other countries.
Now, I think I need an agent. I’ll need to find publishers in Mexico and Canada, translators for French and Spanish editions, and possibly (given what I know of Canadian laws) find a Canadian artist to work with. I don’t have any publishing contacts in those countries, and I think a specialty agent would be the way to go.
A quick Google search yielded Johanna M. Bates, in Calgary. I have no idea whether this firm is any good or not (you’d likely be a better judge than I), but a phone call couldn’t hurt. At any rate, it seems to me that it has a few things going for it:
– A knowledge of Canadian publishing law, including whether you’d need a Canadian artist;
– Contacts with Canadian publishers;
– Children’s books seem to be part of what they do; and
– Local (well, sort of) to you, if in-person meetings are necessary.
Besides, on your way to and from in-person meetings, you could stop on your way through and we’ll have a beer.
You may wish to go straight to publishers, seeing as you are already published. Canadian publishers who specialize in children’s books include
Annick Press
Benjamin Brown Books
Chestnut Publishing Group
Crabtree Publishing Co (“Publishes children’s illustrated non-fiction series written at a specific reading level to meet educational demands for the children’s library market. Main subjects are social studies and science. Does not accept unsolicited manuscripts.” - is that a good fit with your work?)
Kids Can Press.
Literary agents-
Anne McDermid and Associates Ltd.
Pamela Paul Agency Ltd.
P. Stathonikos Agency
have all specifically mentioned children’s literature, though there are ten pages of literary agents listed.
All the above taken from the 18th edition of the Canadian Writers Market.
Do you want any recommendations as to Canadian artists for children’s books?
Work backwards and ask the publisher you are with for the names of agents they deal with. You might not need country specific agents, you may be able to find one in the US who handles international contracts.
The publisher I’m with doesn’t deal internationally, and isn’t interested in doing so. That’s what started this whole situation.
And a US agent that handles international contracts is exactly what I’m after. I would like to have an agent who, for example, speaks Spanish and already knows Mexican publishers and translators.
