Introducing the Critique Carousel Agents and Editors: Chelsea Hensley, Chad Beckerman, Leah Moss

The Critique Carousel will be back this fall for another spin! To prepare our SCBWI-MI members for this fun, asynchronous, virtual event, we are giving a sneak-peek into the faculty for the event. These ten professionals will be profiled here on The Mitten for you to research, learn, and find out as much as possible before registration.

  

In previous posts, we introduced Sarah Proudman, agent at Galt & Zacker, Jennifer Thompson, Associate Editor at Scholastic, and Laura Gruszka, junior agent at Writers House, and Katie Heit, Senior Editor at Scholastic. We also announced the scholarship for a picture book creator from a demographic, experience, or community who has been historically mis- or under-represented in publishing. Recap details are at the bottom of this post.

Today, we introduce our FIFTH critique faculty member. . . Drumroll. . .

Chelsea Hensley!

Chelsea Hensley is an associate agent at kt literary where she represents a varied list of clients writing across ages and genres and a few who are also illustrating. She began her agenting career in 2020 at kt literary and continues to build a list that reflects her own diverse tastes, from the lushest of fantasies to the tensest thrillers, steamy, hilarious rom-coms to smart sci-fi, lyrical picture books to plucky middle grade, and imaginative, innovative horror to intelligent, deeply researched nonfiction. In all areas, Chelsea enjoys bold work from ambitious creators who share her unrelenting drive to succeed in a challenging industry. Chelsea is a Capricorn from St. Louis, where she lives with a pair of very cute, though very chaotic, dogs. She enjoys D&D, Golden Girls, women’s soccer, chocolate chip cookies, and Airtable. She is a member of the AALA and serves on the board of the 501©3 nonprofit, Literary Agents of Change, which is committed to the diversification of the publishing industry in general and the agenting profession in particular. She also serves as co-director of Communications and Fundraising Committees.

Chelsea’s client list can be found here and her Manuscript Wish List can be found here.

For the 2024 Critique Carousel, Chelsea will be critiquing: 

 

·        Picture book fiction

·        Picture book nonfiction

·        Middle grade fiction

·        Middle grade nonfiction

·        YA fiction

·        YA nonfiction

 

But wait! There’s more!

Cue drumroll. . . we have another agent to introduce. . . our SIXTH faculty member...

 

Chad Beckerman!

Chad Beckerman (he/him), Agent, brings over 20 years of illustration and design experience to the CAT Agency. After studying illustration as an undergrad at RISD, Chad went on to be a Designer at Scholastic, a Senior Designer at Greenwillow Books, and then became the Creative Director at ABRAMS Kids and Comic Arts, where he spent 13 years overseeing the design of 250 books a year – from picture books, to novels, to graphic novels, and art and entertainment books. Chad is behind the aesthetic for over forty New York Times bestselling and award-winning books including the blockbuster Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney, the Caldecott honor and Coretta Scott King Award winning Trombone Story, illustrated by Brian Collier, and the Newbery Medal honor books El Deafo, and Heart of the Samurai. He brings this unique view of children's books to his growing roster of illustrators.

For the 2024 Critique Carousel, Chad Beckerman will be critiquing:

• Picture book dummy 
• Graphic novels fiction or nonfiction 
• Portfolio review

And a special note, Chad will be giving recorded video critiques. Yes, you read that correctly! Chad will be responding not with a written critique, but with a zoom recording of his review of the materials. Again, this is in place of the  written reviews. This way, Chad can also look at your website and socials to see how you are communicating to art directors, editors, and agents with your work selections. 

 

And Surprise! We have a SEVENTH faculty member to introduce. Trumpet intro. . . (or no, harp music. . . )

 

Leah Moss!

Leah Nova Moss is an associate literary agent at Steven Literary who strives to bring beautiful and unique stories to market. When she isn't being a professional bookworm, Leah can probably be found playing her harp or tending to her Stardew Valley farm. She lives in the Chicagoland area of Illinois. 

Leah’s Manuscript Wish List can be found here.

 For the 2024 Critique Carousel, Leah will be critiquing:

·        Middle grade fiction 

·        YA fiction

·        Graphic novels fiction or nonfiction 

·        Novels-in-verse

  

There you are, lovely hard-working SCBWI-Michigan members: three agents ready to receive your work at the 2024 Critique Carousel. Stay tuned for the remaining three faculty members to be introduced in August!

 

******

 

For those that need a recap:

 

The Critique Carousel is a virtual SCBWI-MI event for members to receive a written* critique from an acquiring agent or editor.

 

*except for those who receive a video critique from Chad Beckerman J

 

Registration will open September 17, 2024, and will close October 1, 2024. Manuscripts and portfolios will be due at midnight on October 1, 2024.

 

 

Scholarship information:

 

Katie Heit, Senior Editor at Scholastic, has generously donated one critique to be offered to a picture book creator from a demographic, experience, or community who has been historically mis- or under-represented in publishing.*

 

This scholarship is open now, via this form!

 

The rules:

·       You must be a picture book creator with a work-in-progress, either a manuscript of fiction, nonfiction, or a picture book dummy

·       You must be a SCBWI-MI member. If you aren’t, now is a good time to join

·       You can enter only once

·       Entry ends on Thursday, September 12 at 7PM EDT

 

 

 

Wendy BooydeGraaff is the Critique Carousel Coordinator for 2024. She is the author of a  picture book, Salad Pie (Ripple Grove Press/Chicago Review Press), and the Michigan story contributor in the forthcoming SCBWI-edited Haunted States of America anthology, out NOW! (Godwin Books/Henry Holt, available here or wherever you buy books). She also writes poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction for adults. Read more at wendybooydegraaff.com