Author Hour: Publishing Talk with Tracy Marchini, Eric Smith & Lauren Spieller

Join us on Facebook Live for a new segment of Author Hour (on the 3rd Saturday each month!) Today's special program is Publishing Talk with authors who are also agents, so don't miss this inside scoop into all things publishing-related from experts who do it all. We are joined today by author/agents Tracy Marchini (CHICKEN WANTS A NAP) and agent at BookEnds Literary, Eric Smith (DON’T READ THE COMMENTS) and agent at P.S. Literary, and Lauren Spieller (SHE’S THE WORST) and agent at Triada US.
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About the Authors:
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Tracy Marchini joined BookEnds in June 2016 as their first picture book and illustration literary agent. Prior to building a list at BookEnds, she had over ten years of experience in children’s literature, either at an agency or as a freelance editor and children’s book reviewer. She is thrilled to represent a list of debut and award-winning creators of fiction, non-fiction and illustration for children and teens.

As a children’s author, her picture book debut Chicken Wants A Nap (Creative Editions) was called “A surprising gem” in a starred Kirkus review and was nominated for the 2019 Bridge to Reading Picture Book Awards. Her sophomore picture book, Princesses Can Fix It! is forthcoming (Page Street Kids, May 2021). She holds an MFA in Writing for Children from Simmons College and a BA in English, concentration in Rhetoric from Binghamton University, and as an author has won grants from the Highlights Foundation, the Puffin Foundation and La Muse Writer’s Retreat in Southern France.
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Eric Smith is a literary agent at P.S. Literary, with a love for young adult books, literary fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, and non-fiction. He’s worked on award-winning and New York Times bestselling titles, and began his publishing career at Quirk Books. A frequent blogger, his ramblings about books and the publishing industry regularly appear on Book Riot, Paste Magazine, and Publishing Crawl. He also occasionally writes books when he finds the time, like his latest, Don’t Read the Comments, which was a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee.

His upcoming books include You Can Go Your Own Way (Summer 2021), and the anthology Battle of the Bands co-edited with Lauren Gibaldi (September 2021). He has short stories in the anthologies Color Outside the Lines by Sangu Mandanna, Body Talk by Kelly Jensen, and All Signs Point to Yes by Candice Montgomery, cara davis-araux, and Adrianne Russell. His other books include the IndieBound bestseller The Geek’s Guide to Dating (Quirk), Inked (Bloomsbury), the adoption-themed anthology Welcome Home, and The Girl and the Grove (Flux).
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Lauren Spieller is an author and literary agent at TriadaUS with a background in literary scouting and editorial consulting. She has a sharp editorial eye, and is passionate about author advocacy. Whatever the age category or genre, Lauren is passionate about finding diverse and underrepresented voices. When she isn’t working, she can be found drinking lattes, pining for every dog she sees, or visiting her native California. She is the author of Your Destination is on the Left and She’s the Worst. Follow her on Twitter @laurenspieller and Instagram @laurenspieller. You can also visit her website at www.laurenspieller.com