Get to Know Literary Agent John Cusick, Who Just Moved to Folio Literary Management
John Cusick, who formerly worked for Greenhouse Literary, just became part of Folio Literary Management/Folio Jr. With that in mind, please get to know a little more about John and see if he's a good fit for your query. (Find him on Twitter.)
John M. Cusick is the author of GIRL PARTS and CHERRY MONEY BABY (2010 and 2013, Candlewick Press), as well as a regular speaker at writers conferences. His clients include New York Times bestselling author Tommy Wallach (WE ALL LOOKED UP, March 2015, Simon & Schuster), Courtney Alameda (SHUTTER, February 2015, Feiwel & Friends) and Hannah Moskowitz (A HISTORY OF GLITTER AND BLOOD, August 2015, Chronicle Books) You can find him online and on Twitter, @johnmcusick.
How did you become an agent?
Craigslist! I answered an ad for an agent’s assistant/dog walker and began my career at Scott Treimel NY. To begin with, I focused on selling foreign and sub-rights and negotiating contracts, and soon began representing my own clients. In 2013, I had a small stable of excellent writers, including Ryan Gebhart (THERE WILL BE BEARS, Candlewick Press), Sharon Biggs Waller (A MAD, WICKED FOLLY, Viking) and Hannah Moskowitz (NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, Simon Pulse). I moved over to Greenhouse Literary, where I became a full-time agent, focusing on middle-grade and young adult with a few picture books thrown in. This July, I started at Folio Jr. with the same focus, and am eagerly looking forward to bringing on new talent as I continue to work with my phenomenal crew of authors and illustrators.
(Can you query an agent for a short story collection?)
Tell us about something you’ve sold that was released recently.
This spring, Tommy Wallach’s gorgeous debut WE ALL LOOKED UP was published by Simon & Schuster, and since its release, it’s become a New York Times bestseller, sold in thirteen countries, and been optioned for film by Paramount Pictures. Tommy’s follow-up, THANKS FOR THE TROUBLE, is coming out next year and I cannot wait. I’m also excited for Hannah Moskowitz’s new book, A HISTORY OF GLITTER AND BLOOD, which is coming from Chronicle Books in August. It’s a gritty fantasy that follows a group of fairies in a war-torn city, and is truly unlike anything I’ve ever read. Chronicle’s done a beautiful job with the cover and internal artwork; I can’t wait to hear what readers think.
You just made above to Folio Literary Management/Folio Jr. Tell us about the move.
I’m delighted to be working alongside Folio’s team of top-tier agents. This is my first time working at a larger agency, and the energy in the office is infectious. It’s also great to bounce ideas around with my fellow-agents, all of whom have such excellent taste and insight. Above my desk are shelves upon shelves of books by Folio clients, so many bestsellers and award winners; just seeing them all up there gives me a little thrill.
Help writers understand what kind of fiction and nonfiction projects you take queries for. Any open to subs right now?
I am currently open to subs. I’m particularly focused on finding great fiction for middle-grade and teen audiences. I love contemporary realism, fantasy, realistic stories with a fantastical twist, and really anything with imagination and heart. I work with first-time authors as well as veteran writers, and am always on the prowl for fresh voices. I’m seeking for author/illustrators and artists as well.
My full submission guidelines can be found at http://www.foliojr.com/john-cusick.
Will you be at any upcoming writers conferences where writers can meet/pitch you?
I’ll be at the SCBWI Inland Northwest conference in Spokane on September 18th, the SCBWI Central-Coastal California conference on October 17th, and with SCBWI Kansas City on November 6th. I also post my conference schedule on a Where to Find Me page on my blog.
Any final pieces of advice for writers seeking an agent?
Finding an agent is a bit like dating—it’s all about the right match. Find the agents who represent the books you love (the author’s Acknowledgements section is a good place to start), and find out whether that agent is accepting queries, and what his or her submission guidelines are. It’s a very competitive market, but targeting agents who represent your brand of writing, and following their query directions, will help separate you from the pack.
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