Being an Agent, Mental Health in the Querying Trenches, and Ghost Scouts Honour with Carey Blankenship-Kramer

I got to spend a sunny afternoon chatting with agent and writer, Carey Blankenship-Kramer! She had a wealth of insight and advice regarding the publishing industry, querying, and how to handle rejection. She also shared an excerpt from her upcoming middle grade horror, Ghost Scouts Honour, which already has me hooked! This is a great episode for anyone querying, wanting to submit to an agent (Carey is open for subs! Go read her MSWL), and learning how to handle rejection, all from a queer ND agent and writer with a huge amount of experience in both roles. Carey also answers that most vital of questions: how many queries should you send before you give up?

 

Be sure to buy her book when it comes out! Keep up to date with all her news:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/careyfblankensh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/careyblankenshipkramer/

Website: http://www.careyblankenshipkramer.com/

 

After growing up surrounded by books and people who loved to read them, Carey’s debut novel, GHOST SCOUTS HONOR, is being published by Scholastic January 2025. And yes, she does have experience with how ghosts have zero respect for personal space. She is currently repped by Sheyla Knigge at High Line Literary Collective.
Carey graduated from Berry College with a dual degree in English and Creative Writing. She later received her master’s in Writing and Digital Communications from Agnes Scott College. She has experience working with both publishing houses and literary agencies and loves her role as Junior Agent at Belcastro Agency. 
Outside of work and writing, you can usually find Carey spending time with her small zoo and husband, getting way too competitive on the tennis court, gardening, playing video games, or eating candy. 

 

Summary (auto generated by Otter AI)

• Writing, publishing, and querying with a rejection backstory.0:00
  • Speaker 1 shares their experience with querying agents, including rejections and epiphanies, while Speaker 2 offers support and advice.
  • Both speakers discuss their writing journeys, with Speaker 1 on their first book and Speaker 2 sharing their six-book journey to getting an agent.
  • Carrie Blankenship Kramer discusses her debut novel and writing experience with host.
• Writing, agents, and personalized queries.5:06
  • Speaker 1 is excited to have an agent on the podcast and asks about their love for animals, including a dog named Bob and three cats.
  • Speaker 2 shares their experience with animals and mentions their stream on Twitch, while acknowledging the potential for stalking or oversharing personal information.
  • Speaker 2 shares their experience of receiving unsolicited food packages from fans, leading to concerns about online privacy and security.
  • Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 discuss the importance of personalizing queries for agents, including matching manuscript wish lists and providing clear information about the story.
• Being a neurodivergent, queer literary agent.10:49
  • Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 discuss their experiences as literary agents and writers, with Speaker 2 highlighting their own experiences in the "gray trenches" of publishing.
  • Speaker 2 emphasizes the importance of understanding the mental health of authors and being able to relate to them, citing their own experiences as a writer and agent.
  • Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 discuss the importance of demystifying the publishing industry, particularly for neurodivergent and queer authors.
  • Speaker 2 shares their personal experience with mental health during the querying process, including using a jar to reward themselves with nice memories after each rejection.
• Querying and rejection in the writing industry.16:41
  • Speaker 2 shares advice for neurodivergent writers querying agents, including turning off notifications and focusing on next book.
  • Speaker 2 and Speaker 1 discuss the changing query process, including form rejections and lack of feedback, with Speaker 2 noting it's important to protect mental health.
  • Speaker 2 believes agents may clear their inboxes by sending non-personalized rejections, while Speaker 1 appreciates personalized rejections with feedback.
• Publishing trends and querying tips.22:17
  • Writer shares insider secrets on publishing trends and querying tips.
  • Industry trends: Middle grade horror is popular, but horror in general faces challenges, and shorter books are preferred.
• A ghost story set in Savannah, Georgia.26:17
  • Author shares details about upcoming book, "Ghost Scouts," set in Savannah, Georgia, with a unique blend of ghost lore and Girl Scouts inspiration.
  • Speaker 2 describes a ghost in a school auditorium, finding it eerie and unsettling.