Thank you for your interest!
Due to volume, Cynthia’s assistant may not be able to respond to every author query.
Before writing, please note:
Book Blurbs
Cynthia is not currently open to requests for book blurbs.
Authenticity/Sensitivity Reads
Cynthia does not provide authenticity/sensitivity reads (for a fee or otherwise).
Book Rights Queries
ALL rights queries must be directed to:
Ginger Knowlton
Curtis Brown, Ltd.
228 East 45th Street, Suite 310
New York, NY 10017
Author-Event Queries
Invitations for Cynthia Leitich Smith to speak at events or serve as author-faculty at writing workshops should be directed to Carmen Oliver at The Booking Biz.
Or, if applicable, directed to the respective marketing teams at Candlewick Press (for HEARTS UNBROKEN, HARVEST HOUSE, and THE BLUE STARS series) and HarperChildren’s (children’s and tween books, published by the Heartdrum imprint).
Donations Queries
Cynthia encourages donations to:
- Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women
- Little Free Library Indigenous Library Program
- Moms Demand
- Native American Journalists Association
- National Indian Education Association
- NDN Girls Book Club
- We Need Diverse Books
Cynsations Team & Queries
Subscribe to Cynthia’s blog Cynsations. It’s a venue for reflective conversations, publishing information, writer insights and inspiration, bookseller-librarian-teacher appreciation, children’s-YA literature news and author outreach. Cynsations blog contributors and featured subjects must be members of the children’s-YA literary community (writers, illustrators, editors, agents, booksellers, teachers, librarians, publishing professionals, etc.).
For blog-related queries, do not use the form below. Use this address without spaces instead: CynsationsIntern @ gmail.com.
Support the Native Fund at WNDB
Visit the We Need Diverse Books donation page. From there, select “Honor” from “Honor or remember someone with your gift?” And write in “Native books / Native Fund” under the question “Whom do you want to recognize?”
The Native Fund makes possible the WNDB Native Children’s-YA Writing Intensive, the Indigenous Reads Rising website, mentorship programs that benefit Native people aspiring to various publishing roles, and much more. Leslie Stall Widener (Choctaw) is the program chair.
Heartdrum Queries
Cynthia is the author-curator of Heartdrum at HarperChildren’s, which is in partnership with We Need Diverse Books. Learn more about Heartdrum.
Indigenous writers and writer-illustrators from Nations within the U.S. and Canada are welcome to query her directly via the form below. Please consult standard industry manuscript format guidelines before sending.
We are centering contemporary stories and recent (20th century) historicals, including genre fiction and nonfiction, as well as Indigenous writers and illustrators. Our focus is fiction and (to a much lesser extent) nonfiction picture books as well as middle grade and YA novels. We are most interested in stories about young Indigenous heroes, not cultural concepts or animal characters. Any series or companion book proposals should wait until the first title has a proven audience. The writing should be for young readers as an audience, not writing for adults that is inclusive of a young characters and/or childhood reflections.
If your manuscript is a fit, please type “Heartdrum” at the beginning of the subject line below, followed by your title and byline.
For example: Heartdrum: Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith
In the body of the message, include your query for the manuscript (plot summary) along with a professional bio, any website or social media links, and, if you’re an illustrator or author-illustrator, a link to your portfolio.
Please also (a) indicate your specific tribal affiliation(s), listing the full official name of your tribal Nation, and (b) whether you are: (1) an enrolled citizen/member with registration number; (2) a recent descendant (and of whom; e.g., “my mother, NAME, was an enrolled member of XYZ with registration number”); (3) self-identified with context (e.g., adoption, Freedmen status, other federal records such as land, census etc.). Note: We understand not all of this framework applies to Native Hawaiians and will tailor that conversation.
Due to volume, queries or submissions of manuscripts and/or art that do not fall within the focus of the Heartdrum imprint will be deleted without a response. Do not send a manuscript unless specifically requested.
If you’re more generally seeking a children’s-YA publisher, consult the CHILDREN’S WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS MARKET 2020: THE MOST TRUSTED GUIDE TO GETTING PUBLISHED, edited by Amy Jones (Writer’s Digest Books) and consider joining the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. Also be sure to check out Writer Resources.