The Thing I'm Most Afraid Of by Kristin Levine

Every time I start a submission I’ve requested, I’m excited to read it. I am a definite Anglophile, so I will always be drawn to books set in Great Britain, and if they suss that out, that’s great.Ĥ) What are the three most overused opening scenes that you encounter in submissions? I also don’t mind if they connect somehow to things in my bio like my college or former jobs or places I’ve lived. I think it is nice when an author takes the time to see how their book may fit into your roster, in a thoughtful way. So a novel with obvious holes in the narrative or, in the case of non-fiction, a proposal that is too short or missing essential elements like a promotion or marketing plan is a red flag.ģ) How do you feel about personalization in query letters? Can you give an example of effective personalization? I like to help authors get their work ready for submission, but anything that is sent to an agent should be far beyond the first-draft stage. Also if they can express why they want to tell this particular story and how it will serve the reader-that is extremely helpful.Ģ) What's a typical warning sign that a manuscript isn't ready for representation?

She has a BA in journalism from the George Washington University and is a member of the School of Media and Public Affairs National Council.Ī query letter that draws you in and gives you a sense of the writer as well as the story they want to tell. Her small agency takes a hands-on approach to every author. What matters most is what you do when faced with them.Preferred genres: Upmarket fiction, cozy mysteries, young adult and middle grade fiction, non-fiction (the quirkier, the better), and true crime.īio: Kathy Green worked as a magazine and book editor for over twenty years before becoming an agent. As Becca explores Vienna and becomes close to her new friends, she soon learns she is not alone in her fears.

Or Sara, the 19-year-old Bosnian refugee tasked with watching the two of them for the summer. Like Felix, the short and bookish son of Becca's dad's new girlfriend.

Routines and plans help Becca cope, but living in a new country is full of the unexpected - including Becca's companions for the summer. By writing down her fears and what to do if the worst happens, Becca can get by without (many) panic attacks. Luckily, she's packed her Doomsday Journal, the one thing that always seems to help. Suffering from severe anxiety, she fears that the metal detectors at the airport will give her cancer and the long international flight will leave her with blood clots. Most 12-year-olds would be excited to fly to Austria to see their dad for the summer, but Becca is not most 12-year-olds. A new middle-grade tale from critically acclaimed, award-winning author Kristin Levine about facing your fears, set in Vienna during the Bosnian genocide.

The Thing I'm Most Afraid Of by Kristin Levine