Showcase: Ask Anything with Literary Agent Andrea Cascardi

Questions or thoughts? Leave a comment below!

This event originally aired on January 29, 2019 at 10:00am EST.

Andrea Cascardi has held senior editorial positions at Random House and Disney Publishing, and was an agent with Transatlantic for ten years before returning to the Publisher role at Egmont USA. As an editor she acquired and edited Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King winner Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold, the Raffi Songs to Read series, and Pura Belpre winner Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez among many other award-winning books. As an agent she represented many bestselling and award-winning titles including Clare Vanderpool’s Newbery winner Moon Over Manifest and Printz Honor winner Navigating Early, E.E. Charlton-Truillo’s Stonewall winner Fat Angie, New York Times Bestseller Nubs: A Mutt, a Marine, and a Miracle, and Texas Bluebonnet winner Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break if You want to Survive the Schoolbus by John Grandits.

More About Andrea Cascardi

Andrea Kamenca

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January 28, 2019 at 1:16 PM

I am a self-published author with 14 books, including three best sellers. Would a traditional publisher be willing to accept a query?

Debbie Vilardi

January 28, 2019 at 2:13 PM

Where is the line between historical and contemporary fiction? What year does history start in from this perspective?

Dave

January 28, 2019 at 6:18 PM

I have a story with two (equal and opposite) MCs. It’s was suggested by a critiquer that I focus on only one in the query, but then I feel half the story is missing.

Currently my first paragraph introduces MC1 and the second paragraph introduces MC2 (the same order as the book). Although I like the way it reads, I know it’s very odd.

Do you have suggestions for the query of a two (or multicharacter) character story when one isn’t really dominant?

Thanks.

Heather

January 29, 2019 at 6:13 AM

I have a book proposal for a non-fiction book about endangered Disney characters. Agents I’ve pitched it to were concerned thinking Disney was unlikely to accept it. I’ve been told they do most of their work in house. Can you comment on Disney accepting non-fiction book proposals from agents? Do you have any suggestions for how to get this kind of book published?

Karen

January 29, 2019 at 8:44 AM

I read on your Manuscript Wishlist page that one of your favorite sub-genres is historical fantasy. Are there any specific time periods that interest you?

Caroline

January 29, 2019 at 8:51 AM

Submission process questions: What percentage of agented YA and MG manuscripts end up with book contracts? Do the numbers vary between genres (i.e. historical, fantasy, realistic)? Can you provide an average/typical time to expect a manuscript to be on submission? How often do editors request revise and resubmits?

Joni Nemeth

January 29, 2019 at 9:39 AM

Are you only open to non-fiction picture books? For a non-fiction picture book, do you want to see the whole manuscript, or do you want to see initially a proposal only?

Katie

January 29, 2019 at 9:53 AM

2 parts:
Is the category ‘graphic novel for young readers’ a recognized option today? I mean something that is not a PB with graphic elements and not a YA-ish graphic novel in terms of length and/or themes; and maybe shelved in a manner akin to Chapter Books (vs. MG).

Who would accept a query for such a thing? And would the manuscript format (barring individual submission instructions) follow comix/script formatting (i.e. with dialogue marked by speaker name and separate lines for SFX, OP, etc.)?

Kirk

January 29, 2019 at 9:55 AM

I’m hearing that breaking in to the middle grade market is extremely competitive. Is there any hope for a first-time novelist? What do you think is required to gain entry to this market?

Talynn Lynn

January 29, 2019 at 10:15 AM

How long is to long to send requested material to an agent? I was wondering about a previous request. Over a year ago you’d requested a full manuscript from a query contest, but the request came about six months after the entry (it went to my spam and I recently found it.) Should I go ahead and send it?

Cindy

January 29, 2019 at 10:21 AM

Do you know the next big topic or genre for YA? For instance, vampires were big, then zombies, etc.

January 29, 2019 at 10:25 AM

The graphic novel for young readers question specifically was NOT about PB or MG to YA and up. It specifically was for those books that would equate to engaging the Chapter Book crowd. Does this slice of the genre exist in today’s market at any notable level?

The who would you submit queries to part of the question was asked in hopes of learning about specific publishing houses or agents know for acquiring this specific type of graphic novel.

January 29, 2019 at 10:35 AM

It is okay to query two separate manuscripts at one time, to different agents? Or is it better to query only one?

Talynn

January 29, 2019 at 10:43 AM

What is magical realism compared to fantasy?

January 29, 2019 at 10:44 AM

Can you give examples of magical realism stories?

January 29, 2019 at 10:45 AM

So would Men in Black is considered Magical Realism – even thought it’s Sci-fi?

Magic realism — The Hazel Wood?

Ronald Sobel

January 29, 2019 at 2:21 PM

I have self-published three Young Reader books, and they are being distributed through Amazon and B&N as POD. How can I get any of them featured on online websites, such as Goodreads or others? Also, how can I get a literary agent to consier them by a commercial publishing house? Thank you;

Megan C

January 29, 2019 at 4:17 PM

It seems as though there is cross-over between chapter books (aimed at ages 6-8 or 7-10) and lower middle grade books (aimed at ages 8-10). If pitching a book in this cross-over range, what would be the best strategy, as it seems that chapter books are more difficult to sell.