Desperately Seeking the Ari Gold of Literary Agents
My writing partners and I just finished a series of children’s books. Seven, to be exact. It is a brilliant series that chronicles the week of a wonderfully charismatic little girl that just so happens to have two moms. Close your mouths people, you heard me correctly. Two moms. It’s crazy, I know. What’s crazier is the gaping hole that exists in the children’s book market when it comes to books that represent a child with same sex parents. There are a few out there. But most of them are about the fact that the parents are gay. Few are about anything else.
Here’s my personal side of the story. When my daughter was born, within a week I received Heather Has Two Mommies from my mother. She told me that she was surprised that at such a large bookstore (I don’t want to name names, but it rhymes with Shmarnes and Shmobles) she was only able to find the one book. I immediately felt my stomach sink. Would I always have to explain why all the parents in the books I read my daughter are a mommy and a daddy? Would she be confused? Feel inferior? I couldn’t sleep at night. She was only a few weeks old and already I was terrified that she would feel alone in the world and not be able to relate to something as simple and fundamental as the books we read her before bed every night. Even as an infant, we read to her every night. And with each passing night, I grew increasingly sad about the fact that there weren’t really any books out there that mirrored her life. There wasn’t a book out there about a little girl that was beautiful and bright and happy and silly and oh yeah, just happened to have two moms. I had only been a mother for a few weeks and for the first time, as a parent, I felt defeated.
After about a week of sulking I realized that instead of whining about the lack of books that represented my daughter’s life at home, I would simply create them myself. I spoke with my very close friend about the idea of writing a book and she immediately had ideas and story lines and before I knew it, there were three of us working on this incredible project. It had taken on a life of its own. It was no longer mine, but all of ours. These books represent all different types of families. These books are multi-cultural, silly, inspiring and most of all about a little girl and her adventures. And oh yeah, she just so happens to have two moms. These are books about a little girl with two moms, not books about two moms who have a little girl. Finally, these are books that my daughter will be able to read and say, “Hey! That looks just like my family!” Even now, the thought of experiencing that moment with her brings tears to my eyes.
So, now we are at the point of seeking out a publisher, an agent, any advice at all. I am calling out to anyone out there that may be able to help us get these books published or at least point us in the right direction. It’s simple really… Gandhi said to be the change you want to see in the world. These books represent that change. My daughter deserves to see that change. All of our children do. We just want to be a small little piece of it, if possible.
Care to help?
Update: I have been receiving fantastic feedback, thank you all for taking the time to pass this along. Just to clarify, because it seems to be a common misconception, we are not looking to necessarily market these books as GLBT only. That is actually the complete opposite of what we want. These books are for all children and represent all different types of families. The main character just happens to have two moms. Also, while we have written 7 books and view them as a series, each book stands on its own. Thanks again to everyone that has taken the time to read this and forward along. It is appreciated in a way you will never know.
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So awesome…can’t wait to read it! After it’s published…which I know it will be…lets talk about a TV show!
That is so awesome!!! Unfortunately, I have no leads for you, but I hope you succeed in getting them published!
Jack that was awesome! I wish I could help you out to get the genius books published but I got nothing =(..Im positive that someone will come around for you ! You should hit up newspapers as well. Let them do an article on your story =)
Thanks you guys! Brooke – that’s a great idea, I’m going to stalk every newspaper starting now.
my brother-in-law works for a publishing firm and said he’d pass it on. let me know when it needs to be translated into French :)
Thanks Tara! You can translate AND voice the french audio book.
jax, you’re brills! i had a mommy and a daddy and look how i turned out. blech! power to you.
Congratulations!!! What a fantastic idea for a book series. I will pass it to everyone I know and hopefully have some feedback for you on what to do next.
Carol Ann
Hi – a FABULOUS idea. I can’t wait to read the series… I’m sure you’ve already googled children’s books publishers… in case you haven’t, there’s a book that shmarnes and shmobles may have… here’s the site: http://www.amazon.com/dp/158297148X/?tag=wfthecoliseum-20
If the link doesn’t work, the name of the book is 2003 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market. It’s a great place to start when looking for a publisher.
Check out publishingcentral.com also, they might have some more ideas for you.
Good luck and congratulations!
i wish you the best of luck with your books, they sound wonderful! it really seems you hit on an untapped market. Having a daughter the same age i can see how fustrating it must be to not be able to find books that relate to your family. I admire your determination to do something about it! your daughter will be very proud of her Mommy when she is old enogh to undestand. My advice to you is to go straight Oprah!!!!!!!
Good Luck,
Hope Lott (Lori’s friend)
Carol Ann – thanks for the forwards, we need them!!!
Marisa – Thanks for the info, that’s incredibly helpful! Sometimes Shmarnes and Shmobles DOES come through!
Hope – I plan on making Oprah my biggest fan. I mean, come on, what’s not to love here!
Thanks girls! Your feedback is exactly the kind of encouragement we need!
Hey Jackie:
This sounds fantastic! The usual best advice is to look around the bookstore/library, see who’s publishing books of the type you’re interested in writing, and pitching to those houses. F’rinstance, Stephen King could walk up to me with his next novel, and no matter how good and marketable it was, I couldn’t publish it because that’s not the kind of books my house pubs. I found this in a quick search:
http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/educator/library/record/27.html
It’s a bit outdated but could send you down some interesting research paths. I recall in the 70s when publishers were looking for real representative stories that each editor tended to follow a particular stream and publish a handful of books on variations on a theme (ethnic backgrounds from many lands; big/small families; kids with glasses/braces/freckles…etc.).
As a mother of a one year old son, you made me cry reading your blog! What a great idea! I can’t wait to buy your books and read them to my son (with my husband!) Please tell Jami to keep us updated on FB! :) Good luck!
P.S…Your daughter is very lucky to have 2 intelligent and loving mommies…and from the pictures and updates Jami posts, your daughter seems to be doing very well!