Meet the Agent: Kathleen Ortiz, Lowenstein Associates

"Which agents and editors are going to be there?"  I've probably been asked this questiion 500 times already, and the MWG Conference is still more than six months away!  It never hurts to get your homework done early, particularly when pitches are first-come, first-served and we have NINE agents and editors scheduled to hear five-minute pitches, so we'd thought we'd help you out a little if you're planning to pitch in April.  Over the next few weeks, we'll post information about each of the editors and agents who will be attending the 2011 MWG "Just Write!" Conference to help you prepare your strongest and best pitch presentation.

We'll get things started with Kathleen Ortiz, Associate Agent and Foreign Rights Manager for Lowenstein Associates in New York. Kathleen began her career in publishing at Ballinger Publishing as an editorial assistant, writing and editing for their young adult section, and as an interactive media designer, working to boost the magazine’s online presence through social networking. She then moved on to UWire as an online editor for the features, art & entertainment sections. She has also taught high school classes as a visual media instructor.

With the continued demand for online marketing in publishing, a strong online platform is essential for today's authors. Kathleen uses her background in interactive media design to assist Lowenstein Associates’ clients with branding themselves. 

Here's what Agent Kathleen Ortiz has to say about what kind of writing catches her attention.

I'm currently looking for children's books, specifically young adult, middle grade and chapter books. I'm open to both fiction and non-fiction. While I enjoy a variety of genres, I'd especially love for one of the following to cross my desk:

• Young adult: I tend to skew toward darker/edgy YA. I'd love to see a romance from a male POV. I'm all about voice and an authentic teen voice. I'd pretty much do a happy dance if an awesome thriller were to come by - especially if it's creepy enough to keep me up at night, afraid to turn out the lights. 
• Middle grade / Chapter books: I'm a sucker for light-hearted, funny or adventure. Family/sibling relationships (think RAMONA) or slightly serious (think MANIAC MAGEE).
• Non-fiction: Something different than what's already out there. I'm not really into "how to find the perfect guy" or "how to apply makeup" or "100 awesome things of being a teen." Anything with technology thrown in is a bonus. You must have a strong platform or be considered an expert in your field for me to consider a non-fiction project.

In addition to hearing pitches on Saturday at the conference, Kathleen will be leading a Master's Class on Sunday morning.  Who's Listening to You?  Effective Online Marketing will cover a variety of online marketing topics so writers can analyze their current online presence, uncover who their current audience is, who their target audience should be, and what things will help to make their presence more effective.  Please note, however, that this workshop is geared for the experienced or advanced online user.

You can find out more about the agency at The Lowenstein Associates.  To read a fantastic interview with Kathleen Ortiz, visit Ya Highway.  You can also follow Kathleen on her blog Neverending Page Turner to read pointers, keep up with the latest YA releases and enter contests.  Or you can just wait until April and meet her in person in St. Louis!