New Literary Agent Alert: Melissa Richeson of the Apokedak Literary Agency

Melissa Richeson recently moved into the role of associate agent at Apokedak Literary Agency, where she is building her list of children's book authors. Melissa joined ALA in the spring of 2018 as an intern, which allowed her to learn the nuances of children's book publishing firsthand before being promoted into her current role. With a unique background in both marketing and elementary literature education, she's able to serve clients well while also keeping readers in mind. Melissa has also been working as a writer for years, in both the content and creative realms. She had a children's fiction serial run in an online magazine for over a year, is a current staff columnist, and is a represented young adult and picture book author.

Currently Seeking

In picture books, Melissa appreciates stories with funny characters or heartfelt themes, ones that make her laugh or cry. Well-done rhymes will always catch her eye, and she finds nonfiction stories about little-known subjects fascinating.

In middle grade, she loves to see magic, humor, and a sense of imagination. A great hook and quick pacing are keys to her heart.

In young adult, she's typically drawn to contemporary and historical, but fantasy intrigues her sometimes as well. Subtle wit and intelligent wordplay make for a fabulous read, in Melissa's opinion, but she's not a fit for horror, paranormal, or graphic violence.

How to Submit

Queries can be sent to melissa.richeson (at) apokedakliterary (dot) com.

For YA and MG, please send a query letter with the first ten pages of the manuscript pasted below and include the full manuscript and synopsis as attachments.

For PB, please send a query letter with the full manuscript pasted below and include links to any portfolio art or dummies.

Click to continue.