Like our workshop, these faculty interviews focus on youth novels. To read all years’ faculty interviews, see our Directory. For additional information about Kari, see our home page.

KARI SUTHERLAND

Senior Agent

Bradford Literary

Here on the West Coast, we’re lucky to have several top-notch agents in our midst. Among them, Kari Sutherland brings a strong literary background to her role at the Bradford Literary Agency, which also has a New York office. The boutique agency offers a full range of representation services to authors who are both published and pre-published. Kari transitioned to agenting after a decade of experience as a senior editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books. She has also co-authored the popular Menagerie trilogy for young readers. Kari has worked with bestselling and critically-acclaimed authors on projects such as the #1 New York Times bestselling Pretty Little Liars series by Sara Shepard. With her editorial insight and experience with the entire publishing process, Kari is passionate about helping to polish each manuscript and equip her clients for success.

Like a strong fictional character, Kari comes alive on the pages of this engaging interview. Enjoy!

I. GENERAL TOPICS

Why did you become an agent; what do you enjoy most about the work? What’s your personal philosophy or mission?

I personally believe books open minds and hearts, build empathy, and take us on amazing adventures. No matter what you need—entertainment, practical information, distraction, a mood boost, or a thought-provoking challenge—there is a book for you. I love being a part of creating the books that can impact people in all these different ways.

My passion for stories started in my childhood (one of my most contentious battles with my mother was when she stole my copy of The Hero and the Crown before I’d finished reading it). I discovered editing as a career in high school—when I heard an editor from the adult fiction side talk. When I graduated college, I took a detour and got my masters in forensic psychology, but found I much preferred reading about cognitive processes/motivations and behaviors to actually working in that field, so I returned to my first love: books.

After years on the editorial side, my family moved to California and I freelance edited for a while, but found I really missed the long-term connection not just to a project (giving input on the cover, helping launch it into the world, etc.), but also the relationships with the authors (figuring out the next book, brainstorming when a plot snarls). Getting to be among the first to read a story is a huge perk of my job and I really love being a sounding board for authors and helping them shape and polish their ideas into a finished manuscript.

How many middle grade (MG) and young adult (YA) novels do you sell per year? What percentage are debut authors?

I aim to sell approximately 10-15 MG and YA novels per year, but it varies depending on what my authors are working on, what I’ve signed up recently, option titles, etc. The majority (80 to 90 percent) of the authors I’ve signed as clients are debuts.

Name at least one MG and one YA novel that you’ve sold. What aspects of each appealed to you from the query and/or manuscript’s first lines?

The first is A Thousand Questions by Saadia Faruqi (HarperCollins, Fall 2020). Set in Karachi, Pakistan, over the course of a summer, it follows Mimi, a Pakistani-American who is visiting her grandparents for the first time, and Sakina, the daughter of Mimi’s grandparents’ cook. Saadia was already a client of mine, but this is a book I want to talk about because when she sent this to me I was traveling and didn’t have my laptop. I thought I’d dip in and read it fully once I was home, but as soon as I opened it, I devoured all the pages she sent on my phone screen, reading late into the night. The voices of the characters were so strong—they each have a distinct cultural and socioeconomic perspective, but gain an appreciation for each other as their friendship develops—and there are equally compelling family stories for each heroine. I loved how the plot wove all these elements together and while there were big questions tackled in the story, the heart of it remains the start of a beautiful friendship between two compelling characters.

The second is a YA fantasy in a more high-octane action vein. Gravemaidens by Kelly Coon (Delacorte, October 2019) came to me on submission. The pitch was something that caught my eye as soon as it popped into my inbox. Kelly’s story centers on Kammani, who is focused on becoming a great healer. When the ruler of her city falls ill, she must employ all her skills to save him. If she fails, her sister and two other maidens will accompany him to the afterlife. I was drawn not only to the writing, which created a rich world, empathetic characters, and a catchy premise (I’m a sucker for a sister story), but I liked that it was a fantasy not about using skills and power to take down an empire/ruler, but rather using them to save someone.

What’s the outlook on MG and YA novel trends—or are there trends?

First of all, I always tell writers not to write to a trend they perceive because by the time a trend has become noticeable, publishers have often acquired several titles in that genre and aren’t looking for more, especially if the writer hasn’t finished the book yet. But what I think people are looking for right now falls into two themes—not trends, really. One is escapism—in YA this translates to romantic comedies (particularly those from an underrepresented voice or with an unexpected twist); in MG this is often manifested as high-action fantasy adventures, especially when they are set in non-Westernized worlds. But the particular genres may change soon, so don’t write run out to write one unless it’s what you already wanted to put down on paper.

The other theme is books that reflect readers’ world and experiences—but that emotional truth can be found in a speculative or fantasy novel as well as in realistic stories. Sometimes it can be easier for a reader to grapple with immigration or racism or injustice in a fictionalized space while other readers may prefer something closer to their reality. YA fantasy has enjoyed a boom and is slowing down even though there are still some great titles to come. But I think there is room for stories that weave in more elements of social justice or bring an unexplored myth or legend to life. People are eager for stories they haven’t heard before. For MG, I think realistic contemporary stories that tackle tough subjects and help kids relate to them while also centering on an engaging character are always desirable.

II. SUBMISSIONS

Queries, Craft and Critiques

a) Queries

Many agents and publishers are closed to unsolicited submissions. Do you consider unsolicited queries; i.e., those without a referral (not a workshop attendee, etc.)? What are your usual response times to queries and to requested manuscripts?

I close periodically to catch up on queries or over an extended holiday, but generally I remain open to submissions regardless of whether I’ve met the person or they attended a conference with me. I may close certain genres and only be open to others, depending on what I’m seeking, but MG and YA are always top of my list. Our agency always responds to queries and our goal is to do so within six weeks (longer if we request additional materials). I’ve moved to Query Manager as it helps keep me on track for that timeline!

Are query letters peripheral for you, or are they an important reflection on the author and manuscript? What makes a query irresistible to you—or not?

I scan the query to get a sense of genre and story and then dive into the sample pages. If I like the writing and characters, I’ll go back and re-read the query letter more carefully, so it’s still an important piece of the submission. I want to see that an author is aware of the genre in which they’re writing (so they may cite competitive titles or authors whose readers would also enjoy their work and will display a familiarity with what is appropriate content for the age group, etc.). But the more important part of the submission for me is the sample pages—that’s where I’ll get hooked. My advice is to keep your query letter professional, but it doesn’t have to be overly stiff or formal.

How many pages do you usually read in a manuscript before deciding to continue reading, or reject the manuscript?

How far I’ll read varies widely. If I find the characters intriguing and the writing is good or there’s a really compelling voice, I’ll usually request more. But I tend to request partials first (first 50 pages, etc.) rather than fulls, so writers don’t have expectations if I do pass that I’ve read the full. In terms of when I stop—I usually read the first few lines of every submission, but if the voice isn’t catching me and I don’t see a hook in the premise for me, then I’ll pass. Given the amount of submissions I receive, I need to prioritize the ones that spark for me. If I know from the query that it’s too close to something I already represent, then I’ll pass at that point as well.

Would you consider a manuscript that another agent had repped in the past few years—but has now been revised, and you love the current version?

Yes! I like to know whether the manuscript has been submitted, to whom and how widely, as well as how significant the changes have been, but I can speak to an example at this workshop of a manuscript I took on that had been previously shopped, revised once the author parted ways with the agent, and which the author and I then further developed before re-submitting and finding a home for it! Editors change houses and new editors start acquiring and the market can change, so if there’s a story that I fall in love with, I’ll want to be a part of bringing it to publication.

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