How long have you worked at Disney-Hyperion?
I started as an editorial assistant with Disney-Hyperion in August 2005, which means I’m approaching eight years.
What was your first job in children’s publishing? How did you come to editorial?
The job mentioned above! I was very lucky to be hired by Brenda Bowen (now a super fancy agent at Sanford Greenburger and Associates). My entire publishing career has been at Disney-Hyperion.
I took a non-traditional route to publishing. Right out of college, I moved to Los Angeles, where I worked part-time managing a Beverly Hills hair salon and part-time assisting a photographer who was hoping to break into movies. A portion of my job with the aspiring producer was to do script coverage, which was my introduction to editing. When I moved to New York, I first worked for Disney Theatrical Group (the Broadway division of the Company), where I assisted the president. He was (and is) an amazing storyteller, and I got to witness the development of a number of stage shows. A couple of years into that job, I was approached by a recruiter for Disney Publishing Worldwide, who thought I’d be a good fit as Brenda’s assistant. Luckily, she and I hit it off. I had long had dreams of producing, and I saw a switch to publishing as a brilliant opportunity to do just that.
What was the first manuscript you worked on?
A lot of job bags crossed Brenda’s desk. I remember going through passes of Houdini: The Handcuff King by Jason Lutes and Nick Bertozzi. The very first editorial letter I ever wrote (under Brenda’s careful guidance) was for J. M. Steele’s The Market. I think the first book I edited was a paperback edition of Rosemary Wells’ My Kindergarten. And the very first book I ever acquired was Brent Crawford’s Carter Finally Gets It in a two-book deal. Good times.
How did you make the transition from the assistant level to the level of senior editor? Can you share a piece of knowledge you wished you had known while making that transition?
I secretly convinced all of my bosses to take other jobs so that I could edit their books and rise up the ranks.
I’m kidding.
For sure, the departure of a few bosses allowed me to take on additional responsibilities maybe sooner than would have happened if they hadn’t left. But I think it was my willingness to say “yes” that fueled my growth at Disney-Hyperion. I embraced the challenges that were placed before me, and I actively pursued the knowledge that would make me successful in these tasks. I was not afraid to look stupid (still the case!) as I asked for advice from co-workers and colleagues. Equally important, I learned to say “no” at the right time.
And now for the immodest portion of my response! I know how to work a room (which comes in handy at conferences and in sales presentations). I’m not intimidated by executives and am always more than willing to chat them up. I’m good at developing and maintaining relationships, a KEY skill in our wonderful but small industry.
Of course, there have been some bumps along the way. In the early days, I didn’t take enough time to understand the industry, socialize with peers, or network with agents.
Can you describe your typical day?
One of the great things about being an editor is that there is no typical day. The only constants are the coffee I have in the morning, the fantastic people sitting around me at the office, and the onslaught of emails.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Say “yes”! I received that nugget of advice from Thomas Schumacher, my boss at Disney Theatrical Group and the producer of The Lion King and Mary Poppins on Broadway and a ton of your favorite Disney animated films. If you want to grow with a company, if you want to develop new skills, if you want to test your limits, you must be willing to accept new challenges.
Professionally speaking. Say “no” to candy from strangers and to drugs.
What skills do you think are indispensable to working in editorial?
The two traits that pop to mind are detail-oriented and organized. Shepherding a book to market is a big responsibility. You have to be market savvy, analytical, and forward-thinking when you acquire a book. You must tap into your creativity when editing the project. You call on your charisma when presenting your titles to booksellers. But I have found that the best editors are the ones who always have a sense of the bigger picture, who can keep all of the details of their numerous projects in order (or who are smart enough to hire a strong assistant capable of doing so).
What is one of the worst (it doesn’t have to be the worst) mistake you’ve made? How did you get beyond it?
I passed on a project in 2006 that published shortly thereafter that is STILL on the New York Times best sellers list.
Ugh.
I don’t like to think of it as a mistake, though. In my hands, the book might not have achieved the success it has. Still, every week when I get the list and I see the book on it…ugh.
Any funny, interesting, surprising anecdotes (about your own experience or publishing in general) you want to share?
A bit of advice: attend the Texas Library Association Conference. The librarians at that event are savvy and warm, and they’ll teach you a thing or two about manners. Plus, line dancing is almost always part of the equation.
What is your favorite word?
Now that you’ve asked the question, I can’t think of any words! The same thing happens when someone asks me to pick a restaurant — suddenly, all of the names of my favorites slip from my mind.
Fandango?
What is your favorite industry-related website or blog?
Through Teddy Steinkellner, the author of the forthcoming Trash Can Days: A Middle School Saga (whose blog is hilarious: www.teddysteinkellner.com), I discovered Books Are My Boyfriends. The blogger writes hilarious and insightful reviews.
What are you reading now? Or what was the last book you really enjoyed?
I’m about to begin Volume 3 of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman series. IT’S UNBELIEVABLE. I recently finished Black Swan Green by David Mitchell (which I read because I loved Cloud Atlas), as well as The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker. I very much enjoyed both, and it was good for me to read adult novels written from kids’ perspectives.
Recent years have seen a rise in picture-book biographies. Were your life ever to be chronicled in such a way, and don’t be modest now, who would you choose to illustrate it?
A picture book?! I’m going to need a 600-page tome! I love Dan Santat’s work, and John Hendrix, who is illustrating Rutherford B., Who Was He? by Marilyn Singer for us, is A GENIUS.
