Alexandra Cooper

Phone: 973-387-0121

E-mail: sudipta@sudipta.com

Alexandra Cooper is an associate editor at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, where she works on hardcover trade picture books, middle-grade fiction, and young adult novels.  In her position with David Gale, she is privileged to work with such YA authors as Rachel Cohn, Ellen Wittlinger, Sonya Sones, Pete Hautman, and Alex Sanchez.  Her taste is primarily contemporary, but she also likes historical fiction, particularly manuscripts with strong female protagonists.  She looks for real voices and flawed characters whom readers can relate to even if the situations are foreign, and she is also interested in books with Jewish themes.  Among her current projects are Escaping into the Night by D. Dina Friedman, which is a middle-grade Holocaust novel, and A Pair of Polar Bears by Joanne Ryder, a picture book, both of which will be published next spring.

 

How would you describe S&S's publishing focus these days?

We publish between 100-110 books a year, and that's a combination of picture books and novels (both middle-grade and young adult).  Because of feedback we've been getting from bookstores and the market itself, we have been leaning more toward publishing novels in the past few years.  But it's always a cycle, and I think within the next few years, the pendulum is going to start to swing back toward picture books.  Right now, though, it's fair to say that we are more focused on novels than picture books.  We are always looking for books that have a "hook," which basically means a built-in marketing tool that our sales reps can use to pitch the book.  For instance, celebrity books gained so much traction in the marketplace because the "hook" was the celebrity--they're practically guaranteed to get publicity for any book they write.  But other hooks could include holidays (especially if a book would work for more than one holiday, like both Easter and Mother's Day) or a curriculum tie-in--if we know that a certain subject is required to be covered, we are that much more certain to have a school library sale.

How do you feel the children's book market as a whole is doing?

For a while, children's books were the lone growth area in publishing as a whole.  Now the industry is doing better, but children's books--because of Harry Potter--have proved that we can be just as lucrative as trade publishing.  However, we do face a challenge that adult books don't, and that's the backlist.  The majority of children's books sold by bookstores are backlist books, which appeal to adults because those are the classics they remember from their own childhoods.  So it's always going to be a shrinking market, unfortunately.  As more books are published every year, it's getting harder and harder for us to find something new and fresh that hasn't been done before, and also to get a piece of the pie in the marketplace (and by that, I don't just mean consumer dollars--I mean shelf space!). 

 What kinds of books do you love working on?

Novels and pictures books represent different challenges. For novels, I love being in the trenches of writing--figuring out how to solve problems on the sentence and paragraph level. I am a stickler for le mot juste!  That's also essential in picture books, where the challenge is to find the right balance of text so that the illustrator can expand on the story. One of the most fun parts of the job is finding new illustrators! In both genres, I am interested in books with strong, spunky female protagonists with real voices that readers can relate to, even if the situations are foreign.  I also like books that ask questions and challenge assumptions. 

Which of S&S's upcoming books are you most excited about?

My own, of course!  Seriously, I am working on a wonderful middle-grade novel about the Holocaust by a debut author that will be published next year.  It's called ESCAPING INTO THE NIGHT.  One of the most rewarding things about being an editor is being able to bring an important story to the public, and to publish a new and talented writer.  The Holocaust is also a subject I feel strongly about on a personal level, so it's a really special book to me.  I'm also excited about a picture book that will be on the market in Spring 2007 (can you believe how far in advance we work?!).  It's a sweet, young book with an illustrator named Margie Moore, who is really starting to make a name for herself.  I'd been wanting to work with her for a while, and finally found the perfect project. 

What would you like to see more of in submissions?  What would you like to see less of?

Well, the easy answer is that I'd love to see more wonderful manuscripts and fewer terrible ones!  It would be great if people did even a little research about the type of manuscript they're writing.  There are so many manuscripts that have basically the same plot--I'm mainly talking about picture books here--and if people just went to the library or their local bookstore, they would find that a great number of books already exist that deal with the same subject in the same way.  There are hundreds of thousands of hopeful writers out there--how are you going to persuade me that it's YOUR manuscript we should be publishing?  Before you put the stamp on the envelope, really contemplate what sets your manuscript apart that merits its being published.  

What is your biggest pet peeve about submissions?

When people point out in their cover or query letters that their manuscript is absolutely like nothing else on the market.  Most times, they just haven't done enough research to find the book that's already been published and is very similar to their own.  And sometimes, what people don't realize is that there might be a very good reason there aren't any books like theirs on the market.    

Concerning the slush: what helps a manuscript rise above the general slush and stand out?

Good writing speaks for itself. I think every editor is looking for relatable characters, a riveting plot, and an original voice. As I said, really think about what's going to set your manuscript apart.  If you can't come up with several good, compelling answers to that question, then chances are, it's not going to stand out.   

What is a trend/gimmick gaining popularity?  What is a trend/gimmick you wish would just go away forever?

Celebrity books are obviously popular, but I think that's a trend that is losing ground.  Although some books authored by celebrities have been incredibly successful, others have flopped, which makes us more cautious about taking on any and all books simply because they might have a celebrity attached.  To a certain extent, blockbuster books are a necessary evil, because they allow us to finance books we personally love that might not be as commercial.  I can't think of a trend that I'd want to go away forever, but I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of fantasy, so I'm ready to see that genre die down a bit in favor of other kinds of books!  We are expecting to see a resurgence in suspense and mystery in the coming years--for instance, we are publishing a new series by R.L. Stine and have high expectations for that. 

 What is your favorite book (in each genre would be helpful) published in the last few years?

I'm lucky in that I get to work with some of my favorite authors - Rachel Cohn, Ellen Wittlinger, and Sonya Sones, to name a few. There are a couple of new novels I read in bound galley form that I'd recommend highly - CONFESSIONS OF A CLOSET CATHOLIC by Sarah Darer Littman, and LIGHT YEARS by Tammar Stein. In terms of picture books, I love anything illustrated by Ana Juan, especially her book on Frida Kahlo (written by Jonah Winter).  There is a very sweet book that came out recently called PHOTOGRAPHER MOLE by Dennis Haseley, illustrated by Juli Kangas.  And there's a book I had a (small) hand in called SWEET TOOTH, by Margie Palatini and illustrated by Jack E. Davis, that I think is hilarious.  

 What advice would you offer an aspiring picture book author?  An aspiring novelist?

For writers in both genres, I cannot overemphasize the importance of keeping up with the market--reading everything you can in your chosen field.  This is invaluable because not only will you be taking in lots of good writing, you will see what publishers are looking for and what works for us and doesn't work.  Keep in mind that the end goal isn't to have a book published, it's to hone your craft and make your writing the best it can be.  Statistically, not everyone who submits a manuscript will get published--far from it.  So rather than making that a focus and refusing to settle for anything less, work on your writing, and read as much as you can.  Those are the two best ways I know of to improve anyone's writing, and the stronger your writing is, the better chance you'll have to catch the attention of an editor.  Good luck!

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