Gary D. Schmidt is the author of middle grade and young adult novels, as well as several picture book biographies. The Wednesday Wars won a Newbery Honor, and Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy won both a Newbery Honor and Printz Honor. Okay for Now was a National Book Award finalist and a Children’s Choice winner. Orbiting Jupiter has garnered nominations in many state contests. His latest novel is Styx and Stones. He has taught writing, children’s literature, and medieval literature at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, and at Hamline University in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program.
Irene Vázquez is an Editor at Levine Querido, a children’s book publisher dedicated to amplifying diverse voices. They have worked on critically acclaimed titles such as Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice by Anna Lapera as well as national bestsellers like Victoria Zeller’s One of the Boys. Irene also champions debut authors, including D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T., a Sydney Taylor award winner. 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. They live in New York City. When not in the world of books, Irene likes drinking coffee and watching the WNBA.
Sheyla Knigge is an agent with High Line Literary Collective. She spent several years sleuthing through the submissions in Victoria Marini’s query inbox, and is now actively using the skills she sharpened in that capacity to build her own dynamic bookshelf filled with the talented authors she currently represents. A mentee of the Literary Agents of Change 24-25 cohort, Sheyla is an expert at discovering fresh voices and relentlessly advocating for the successful publication of the stories she loves. Her unwavering enthusiasm for her authors is contagious, and she possesses an unrivaled ability to match authors with ideal homes for their books. When she’s not working, you can find Sheyla tucked away writing, getting more tattoos, or spending time with her family in the Appalachian Mountains.
Hannah Teachout earned her MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and interned in the children’s department of Tobias Literary Agency. Currently, she works as a literary assistant at Folio Literary Management, supporting Senior Vice President John Cusick and Literary Agent Lauren Spieller. She loves a good adventure on and off the page but is especially drawn to the stories that dig into themes of identity and explore the metaphors of magic and monsters. She works on middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction across genres and loves a speculative or romantic bent and distinct voice.