Eastern PA Online Critique Intensive: Submission Shine 2026

Bridgette Kam is a literary agent at Westwood Creative Artists, where she represents a broad list of clients who are writers for kids and adults. She's looking for stories from writers and illustrators that center around a child’s point of view, evoke and inspire wonder, empathy, and celebration, and have guaranteed re-read quality, whether that be in picture books, middle grade, YA, and graphic novels. Before becoming an agent, she worked for WCA's rights department and also interned at McClelland & Stewart/Penguin Random House Canada. She studied English literature at the University of Hong Kong and UCLA, and got her M.A. at Durham University (UK), and lives in Toronto with her book-loving husband and spunky poodle Lupin.

Carter Hasegawa has been in the children’s book world for nearly 20 years—as a book seller for various indies across the US, as an editor at Candlewick Press, and now, as an Associate Agent at Tugeau 2 Art & Literary Agency. Some of his favorite books include Watercress, My Papi Has a Motorcycle, Big, Tar Beach, Wednesday Wars, Ender’s Game, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Notorious Benedict Arnold, and SO MANY others. Originally from Seattle, he now lives in Boston with his librarian wife and their two young sons.

Jennie Kendrick has been reading since she was three, is a former criminal defense attorney, and will forever be a history nerd. She has worked in the publishing industry since 2013, including reviewing for publications such as Kirkus, and part-time bookselling at a local independent bookstore. Jennie’s passions include gardening, law, politics, the criminal justice system, art, tarot, rock music, San Francisco history, and cooking. She loves well-researched character-driven fiction, narrative non-fiction, and is particularly looking for works from marginalized creators. You can find more about her taste at jenniekendrick.com.

With a background in education and theology, Kristen served as a children's ministry director and women’s leader for many years before returning to her first love—writing the stories playing out in her head. After managing an international blog and a publishing house’s social media feed, she found herself as an intern at the esteemed literary agency, Writers House, in the summer of 2022. This landed her a job with Martin Literary Management where she now takes on author clients of her own. Stories are her thing and authors are her people. She’s had five novels published in both the romance and young adult genres with more on the way and has clients across many genres (she has a hard time staying in one lane). When not on her computer editing, pitching books, or with her nose in one, you can find her getting a little too loud on the sidelines of a kids’ basketball game. Check her out at: www.kristenterrette.com

Monica Rodriguez is a literary agent and the Director of Brand Management at Context Literary Agency. Her mission as an agent is to help uplift underrepresented voices in publishing, specifically within the Latinx community. She’s mentored authors at The Writing Barn and is a faculty member at The Manuscript Academy. In children’s literature, she is actively looking for MG, YA & Graphic Novels. She also represents illustrators and comic artists. In adult fiction, she’s looking for contemporary romance, speculative, sci-fi, and book club fiction. Monica is also a first-gen, Mexican-American author. Her love for books can be traced back to elementary school, where the best days were spent attending book fairs and author readings. She enjoys writing about self-love and identity, family dynamics, and red flags in attempted relationships. Her writing online covers similar themes in movies & tv shows and her words have been published in HipLatina and LatinaMediaCo. She runs a self-love journey podcast called Find A Lovely Life.

Vicky Weber is a former elementary school teacher turned bestselling children’s book author and literary agent at Creative Media Agency. She represents commercial fiction – board books through adult – but specializes in children’s literature. In all manuscripts, she want intensity in the writing—to be dropped into the moment and experience the story alongside the characters. If a book is high-concept, commercial fiction with beautiful, literary-leaning prose, it’s probably up her alley.