Mansion Street Literary Management

bumping this to see if anyone has news about this agency ...

JulianaHaygert said:

bumping this to see if anyone has news about this agency ...

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I noticed on Publishers Lunch this morning that they just added a new agent, Michelle Witte (shellwitte here at AW?). She was an editor at Gibbs Smith and is now looking for YA and MG fiction.

Hope that helps!

Interesting! Michelle Witte is also a writer with a fun nonfiction coming out from Running Press -- The Craptastic Guide to Pseudo-Swearing.

This is good news. I absolutely adore the owner and I've always wanted to submit to this agency. Now... do they take sample pages, I wonder? Says nothing in the guidelines. Off to Agentquery I go!

ETA: No record on Agent Query. But I found more detailed guidelines on her site.

Krista G. said:

I noticed on Publishers Lunch this morning that they just added a new agent, Michelle Witte (shellwitte here at AW?). She was an editor at Gibbs Smith and is now looking for YA and MG fiction.

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Yep! That's me.

I won't snoop around too much, so feel free to say whatever you like, but I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

shellwitte said:

Yep! That's me.

I won't snoop around too much, so feel free to say whatever you like, but I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

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I always feel sorry for new agents. Not because of the agent grind you're stepping into, but because your email is going to crash under the weight of the million queries you're about to get. Didn't Denise Little get something like 1600 queries A DAY when she announced? And I think that number lasted months.

Good luck, Shellwrite. Good luck.

shellwitte said:

Yep! That's me.

I won't snoop around too much, so feel free to say whatever you like, but I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

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Welcome, welcome! Nice to see an agent stop by even to say hi and offer to answer questions. Wish you all the best.

shellwitte said:

Yep! That's me.

I won't snoop around too much, so feel free to say whatever you like, but I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

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Hi, Michelle! Now that I've had a peek at your preferences, I'm not sure if you would like my contemporary YA. It might be a BIT angsty but hopefully the setting will balance it out.

I'll take the risk.

Mustafa said:

I always feel sorry for new agents. Not because of the agent grind you're stepping into, but because your email is going to crash under the weight of the million queries you're about to get. Didn't Denise Little get something like 1600 queries A DAY when she announced? And I think that number lasted months.

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O.O I'll count myself lucky that I only got around 50. I probably shouldn't say that. The karma gods might be watching.

shellwitte said:

O.O I'll count myself lucky that I only got around 50. I probably shouldn't say that. The karma gods might be watching.

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I think it's because you haven't gotten added to QueryTracker yet. With the number of people that watch it, especially for the new agent alerts, I'm sure your numbers will go up!

And here's hoping they're all amazing and wonderful pitches in those emails!! :^)

Okay, sent. Except I sent it from my regular account instead of my writer account. Hopefully, it gets there... somehow. I haven't had much luck lately with emails getting to their destinations.

Chumplet: I did get it, so your email cooperated at least once.

@Shellwitte

Are there any particular genres within YA and MG that you're specifically looking for?

FoamyRules said:

@Shellwrite

Are there any particular genres within YA and MG that you're specifically looking for?

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Since you're the second one I've seen do it, I'll bring it up.

Her username is "Shellwitte," using her last name. It's not "Shellwrite."

FalconMage said:

Since you're the second one I've seen do it, I'll bring it up.

Her username is "Shellwitte," using her last name. It's not "Shellwrite."

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Yes, I am aware of that. It was late and I just got off work and was tired but couldn't go to sleep. So thank you

ETA: I intended on fixing that but fell asleep, so now I just did

Welcome Shellwitte!

I'm sad, my last book, A Stiff Kiss would have been a perfect, fairytale re-telling, that's "obscure"

And now I see that you are weary of Paranormal Romance... I might just have to take my chances

Sent my query off yesterday as I'm in the retelling camp. Though, my internet has been spotty lately so am now worried it didn't go through. ><

I just fired a query off your way. You said you would love to find West/Southwest flavored Steampunk, so I'm hoping that includes fantasy versions of Central American/Mexican culture.

Good luck with the new gig. :]

I just sent a query too. It's good to see you hear Michelle, active and responsive. Those are wonderful qualites to have. You sound lovely. Good Luck on your agenting and take care!

EQ - 5/1 (MG Fantasy)
ER - 5/3
Good luck to everyone.

I think it says anywhere from a few days to six weeks, so I'll be curious about the turn-around on the queries sent out shortly after she announced. Good luck everyone.

Eek! Sorry I missed this earlier. I'v been at a conference all weekend. You can find specifics of what I'd like to find on my personal website under submission guidelines: http://michellewittebooks.com/agent/submission-guidelines

Sent a query along with ten pages yesterday. Ms. Witte seems fantastic. (As a fellow Utahan, she must be!)

MorganS said:

Ms. Witte seems fantastic. (As a fellow Utahan, she must be!)

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Well of course! Utahn (writers) are the best. But thank you for the compliment.

E-query May 2, 2012
E-reject May 7, 2012

quick reply, form rejection.

She's said she was weary of paranormal, but I took a shot anyways. Not surprised at all. She's seems very nice And if I have something more up her alley, I'll try again later.