BOOTCAMP: Kill your darlings! Self-editing & critiquing others - for novel, PB, and illustration

Stefanie Molina-Santos is an agent at Looking Glass Literary Agency. She is primarily looking for BIPOC stories across all age groups, especially contemporary and urban fantasy, romcom, mysteries, and thrillers. She loves stories that incorporate food, animals/the outdoors, and intergenerational relationships. Outside of agenting, she enjoys hiking, swimming, baking, and playing the piano. Her favorite place in the world is Yosemite National Park!

Kat Brzozowski is a senior editor at Feiwel & Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, where she has worked since 2016 after seven years at St. Martin's Press. She has edited a wide range of titles, including the New York Times-bestselling That's My Truck! by Dr. Becky, with art by Joanie Stone; the New York Times-bestselling I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know by Leslie Odom, Jr and Nicolette Robinson, illustrated by Joy Hwang Ruiz; Anna-Marie McLemore’s When the Moon was Ours and The Mirror Season, both longlisted for the National Book Award; and new Fear Street books in R.L. Stine’s best-selling series, which has sold over eighty million copies worldwide. Kat is looking to acquire young adult fiction, especially high concept contemporary, realistic YA; mysteries, suspense and thrillers; and stories set in our world with a speculative twist (think “Minority Report,” not “Star Wars”). In the picture book and middle grade space, she is drawn to stories she's never seen before that feel both timeless and timely. Across the board, she's drawn to authors who bring a new perspective to their readers.

Anitra Rowe Schulte is the author of DANCING WITH DADDY, illustrated by Ziyue Chen (Two Lions), and WILLOW AND BUNNY, illustrated by Christopher Denise (Two Lions). Her chapter book series STARLIN, illustrated by Katie Crumpton (Beaming Books), releases in 2026. Anitra's picture books have been recognized with Christopher Awards, a Dolly Gray Award, and a Crystal Kite Award, and both have been honored as a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year. She is represented by Stephanie Hansen of Metamorphosis Literary Agency.

Allegra Martschenko is a literary agent at BookEnds Literary, and is all about magic, all the time. From bestsellers to best-of lists, and from award winners to book box placements and national coverage—their client list represents a dynamic range of thoughtful, ambitious, and propulsive reads. They started agenting at Ladderbird Literary Agency with a focus on science fiction & fantasy novels, following up a career in scholarly publishing that took them to Princeton University Press, the University Press of Colorado, and Cornell University Press, among others. They're also a cofounder of Paths in Publishing, an artist, and a writer (under a pen name). Between the many hats they wear, they bring a well-rounded perspective to author-agent relationships and work expertly with various parties across the publishing industry.

Aurora Parlagreco (she/her) is an Art Director at Macmillan Children’s Book Group, previously at HarperCollins Children's Books and Quirk Books. Her designs have been featured on New York Times best sellers, as well as in the New York Book Show and by Spine Magazine, Paste Magazine, and The Casual Optimist. She can usually be found hanging out in bookstores, watching baseball, and/or drinking vanilla milkshakes. She also acts as an event ambassador for the Brooklyn Book Bodega, a non-profit with a focus on literacy, access, and community.

Zoie Konneker (she/her) is an Assistant Editor at Peachtree Publishing in Atlanta, Georgia. She acquires books for children across all age ranges and genres. She has assisted on projects from award-winning nonfiction picture books by Sibert-award winning authors to New York Times bestselling young adult novels, including a Printz Honor book. In her free time, she can be found bottle feeding foster kittens at 3 a.m. or listening to MUNA.