ELIZA SWIFTSenior Editor, Sourcebooks Fire & Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR
In picture books, I’m always looking for projects that are sneakily educational, subversively funny, and that feature memorable (or adorable) characters. My taste in all age categories is commercial, and I’m particularly looking for laugh-out-loud commercial middle grade. In YA, I love high-stakes, tight-plotted adventures in any genre; twisty thrillers; genre-bending settings/worlds; heart-pounding romance; and diverse takes on evergreen stories. If it could comp to a K-drama or anime, I want to see it. |
RIGHT NOW DON'T SEND ME... In picture books, no nonfiction or meta storytelling. In middle grade and YA, I’m not interested in novels in verse, horror of the blood and gore variety (psychological horror appeals!), space-set sci-fi, time travel stories, horse stories, or fame storylines.
HOW I GOT INTO BOOKS... I’ve always wanted to work in some aspect of story development and studied film in college, followed by a few years working in the TV/film industry in LA. After I moved to New York, I started working at Alloy Entertainment, a content development company that spans books and television/film, and have been working in publishing ever since!
JUST A FEW OF THE BOOKS AND AUTHORS I'VE ACQUIRED AND EDITED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS... The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park, Little Creeping Things by Chelsea Ichaso, Fussy Flamingo by Shelly Vaughan James and Matthew Rivera, Ten on a Twig by Lo Cole, Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp, We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu, and many more.
SOME FAVORITE BOOKS AND AUTHORS I DIDN'T PUBLISH... Every single Elephant & Piggie by Mo Willems but especially Waiting Is Not Easy, Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers, Anna K by Jenny Lee, The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black, Normal People by Sally Rooney, and throwback but Louise Rennison is an all-time fave.
JUST A FEW OF THE BOOKS AND AUTHORS I'VE ACQUIRED AND EDITED IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS... The Perfect Escape by Suzanne Park, Little Creeping Things by Chelsea Ichaso, Fussy Flamingo by Shelly Vaughan James and Matthew Rivera, Ten on a Twig by Lo Cole, Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp, We Were Restless Things by Cole Nagamatsu, and many more.
SOME FAVORITE BOOKS AND AUTHORS I DIDN'T PUBLISH... Every single Elephant & Piggie by Mo Willems but especially Waiting Is Not Easy, Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers, Anna K by Jenny Lee, The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black, Normal People by Sally Rooney, and throwback but Louise Rennison is an all-time fave.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS AN EDITOR DOES FOR AN AUTHOR IS... Advocate tirelessly—both in-house, and sometimes to the authors themselves. We are authors’ biggest cheerleaders.
I LOVE MY JOB BECAUSE... It entertains, educates, and inspires children and teens, and in that way helps shape the future.
I KEEP MY READING PILE... Overflowing and everywhere.
BOOKSTORES YOU SHOULD VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE... Always giving a shout-out to the indie that my sister-in-law works at, the phenomenal Left Bank Books in St. Louis.
WHEN I'M NOT READING, I'LL BE... Binge-watching Korean dramas, enjoying “band practice” with my musical toddler, butchering NYT Cooking recipes, doting on my houseplants.
I FOLLOW READING, WRITING, AND PUBLISHING NEWS AT... Pub Lunch, Shelf Awareness, PW Daily, Deadline.
I LOVE MY JOB BECAUSE... It entertains, educates, and inspires children and teens, and in that way helps shape the future.
I KEEP MY READING PILE... Overflowing and everywhere.
BOOKSTORES YOU SHOULD VISIT BEFORE YOU DIE... Always giving a shout-out to the indie that my sister-in-law works at, the phenomenal Left Bank Books in St. Louis.
WHEN I'M NOT READING, I'LL BE... Binge-watching Korean dramas, enjoying “band practice” with my musical toddler, butchering NYT Cooking recipes, doting on my houseplants.
I FOLLOW READING, WRITING, AND PUBLISHING NEWS AT... Pub Lunch, Shelf Awareness, PW Daily, Deadline.
AGENTS CAN CONTACT ME AT eliza.swift@sourcebooks.com, direct line (212) 414-1701 ext. 2229