SCBWI Exclusive with... Irene Vázquez
Irene Vázquez is an Editor at Levine Querido, a children's book publisher dedicated to amplifying diverse voices. With a Bachelor's degree in Ethnicity, Race, and Migration and English from Yale University, Irene brings a unique perspective to their editorial work. Their passion for children's literature is evident in their diverse portfolio of projects. They have worked on critically acclaimed titles such as Victoria Zeller's One of the Boys (a New York Times best-seller) and Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice by Anna Lapera. Irene also champions works by debut authors, including Night: A Children's Fable by Katherine Jumbe and Shana Dixon. Originally from Texas, they play a pivotal role in Levine Querido's Spanish language imprint, Ediciones LQ. Beyond their editorial work, Irene is a poet, journalist, and translator. Their debut poetry chapbook, Take Me to the Water, was recently published by Bloof Books. They live in New York City.
What was your path to becoming an editor?
I've loved books for as long as I can remember. In the early spring of 2020 (my junior year of college), a friend connected me to Levine Querido Executive Editor Nick Thomas, who had just returned from the Angoulême Comics Festival and was looking for someone to read French graphic novels for him. Later that year when I was looking for my first internship, I thought I wanted to work in adult literary fiction, but the pandemic made for slim pickings. I applied to LQ's virtual internship, and landed a spot as Nick's intern and fell in love with children's books (it ended up being a very eventful summer, and I cut my teeth learning to write editorial letters alongside Nick on Donna Barba Higuera's The Last Cuentista). I got extremely lucky, and right as I was graduating college, LQ was looking to expand and hire two editorial assistants. The rest, as they say, is history!
When you read a submission, what makes you offer to buy it?
It feels like a cliche at this point, but it's all in the voice. In almost every submission I've offered on, I know it's a good fit for me by the end of the first chapter.
When an author does have a book with you, what can they expect with their editorial process?
I try to tailor the process to each author's individual style. I love to talk with my authors on the phone or on Zoom to brainstorm ideas after I've sent an editorial letter. My goal is always to identify what the heart of the story is and help an author get as close to it as possible.
What's on your manuscript wish list?
With back-to-school season underway, I've been fiending for a YA marching band story, ideally one set at an HBCU! I love stories set in the American South (and generally ones with a strong sense of place), novels with a climate or environmental hook, ghost stories where the ghost is secretly (or not so secretly) trauma, and grounded fantasy with a social justice hook.
If SCBWI members have a manuscript that might be a match for Irene, you can query them at [email protected] with "SCBWI newsletter" in the subject line.