Leila Sales's Blog

I love books about kids having adult careers (especially if they’re doing them secretly). Give me a book about a kid lawyer or a kid detective or a kid politician or a kids interior designer and I am all in. That’s why The Campaign is about a kid political operative and The Museum of Lost and Found is about a kid curator. Shepherd invited me to share a list of some of my favorite books in this category, so I wanted to share it with you! Have you read any of the books on my list?

Three and a half years ago, I left my full-time job at Penguin and moved to Austin. And then, three years ago, I launched my book development business, the Book Engineer.

The Book Engineer isn’t a single publishing thing—it’s not a publisher or an agency or another type of business that’s a common part of the industry. It’s a consultancy, I guess, but I am always reluctant to use that word because it’s so non-specific. (Like, if you meet someone and they tell you they’re a “consultant,” you are 0% closer to understanding what they actually do.) Really, the Book Engineer is just a catch-all for everything that I can do with books—which is a lot, as it turns out.

I never aspired to run my own business. I loved having colleagues and working in an office and collaborating (not to mention free printing, a mail room, and office snacks). I left Penguin not because I was tired of it, but because I was moving 1,800 miles away and remote work wasn’t an option. (Ironically, had I waited a few years to move away from NYC, my employer probably wouldn’t have batted an eye at this.)

So running my own business wasn’t my goal, but I am running my own business, and most of the time I feel like I’m doing it well. And while I would certainly, for the right opportunity, work for another company again, it’s pretty amazing and liberating to know that I don’t have to.

Three years in seemed like a good moment for me to enumerate some of what I’ve done as a self-employed publishing professional. Some of this enumeration, though, is pretty unspecific. This is because, even when a client doesn’t have an official NDA in place, I don’t feel right about broadcasting exactly what I’ve done for whom. I am always honored to be credited by creators, but the truth is that every book is the product of so many people’s contributions that it’s absurd for me to try to claim ownership. These projects all exist in their current states partially because of my work on them, and partially because of tons and tons of things that have nothing to do with me.

Still, there is something really cool about seeing a book I consulted on having success, and I want to honor that for myself a little (even if it is without naming names!).

In the past three years of the Book Engineer, I have…

Developed book proposals for and with big-name and up-and-coming influencers and brands.Ghostwritten installments in bestselling series.Edited lots of nonfiction children’s books for various independent publishers.Edited a number of successful kids’ books on various Big Five publishers’ lists.Managed the U.S. editorial process for a number of books in translation.Adapted adult nonfiction books for young readers.Worked with a number of authors on manuscript drafts for which they have since secured publishers.Worked with a number of authors to improve manuscripts which have not found publishers.Advised on marketing campaigns.Created an interactive storytelling game, using social media to bridge the gap between readers and creators.Consulted for a startup that’s building a kids’ storytelling app.Started a listserv for other publishing consultants to share opportunities with one another.Taught courses on the craft and business of children’s books for a number of different organizations.Spoken to young readers and young writers at a variety of book festivals, schools, and camps.

…while also publishing two new books of my own (We Made Uranium! and The Campaign) and writing articles for Publishers Weekly, Supermajority, Points in Case, Brooklyn Based, Lifehacker, Mashable, etc. And editing a weekly events listing newsletter and running a weekly dance party, neither of which are technically related to books and make me no money, so I guess those count as “hobbies”?

I always feel like I can be achieving more. (For example, right now I could be achieving editing the bibliography for a nonfiction book, sending my intern notes on the flap copy that she’s been working on, or drafting my own next book, rather than writing this long post talking about myself.) But if you are a person who is usually focused on all the infinite things that you haven’t done (which I definitely am), it can be good to sometimes take a moment to celebrate those finite but beautiful things that you have done.

My dad just reminded me that we’re in the thick of Girl Scout cookie season, which means that I should a) order a box of Thin Mints, and b) re-share this interview that I did with the Girl Scouts a couple years ago!

The impetus for this interview was that I’d just created and edited The Little Book of Little Activists, an adorable and empowering photo-illustrated book about real kids speaking up for their beliefs. This was a really exciting book to do, and a massive undertaking, especially because it had to move so fast. Books usually take two, three, or more years to go from concept to publication. This one took seven months.

The Girl Scouts invited me into their main offices to speak about the ideas in The Little Book of Little Activists. Now that I’ve written The Campaign, which is a novel about civic action, I feel like this interview is all the more relevant. Give it a watch here.

I answered 26 questions about myself for the Writers’ League of Texas. Topics covered include sleeping (obviously), the worst book review I ever got, and a cat museum in Amsterdam. Give it a watch if you’re curious for some random facts about me! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyk6c6qgRH0

The final chapter of Ada and the Lost Horizon is now up! I’ve posted it on Medium. Read it here.

Today I’m launching a collaborative, interactive, pick-your-own-path-style storytelling game on Instagram and Twitter. It’s a scavenger hunt within the confines of your own home; a real-world Ready Player One experience; and a community-oriented coronavirus quarantine activity that takes you on an imaginary journey to another world—while taking you on a physical journey away from your computer screen. Full instructions are here. I hope you’ll join me.

I have a new book coming out in August! The Campaign is my eighth book, my second middle grade, and my first book with interior illustrations. It’s available for pre-order now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indiebound.

A hilarious and timely political comedy—like Veep for tweens—about a twelve-year-old who runs her babysitter’s campaign for mayor

If you ask Maddie Polansky, the only good part of middle school is art class. It’s definitely not the other kids, who think she’s weird, or the teachers, who think she’s a troublemaker. And though she’s never paid much attention to politics, when she learns that the front-runner for city mayor plans to cut funding for the arts, she knows she has to do something to stop Lucinda Burghart, art-hating bad guy! She can’t run for mayor herself—she’s just a kid. But she can get her babysitter, Janet, to run against Lucinda.

Soon, Maddie is thrust into the role of Janet’s campaign manager, leading not only to humor and hijinks but to an inspiring story about activism and what it takes to become an engaged citizen. As she leads the campaign from rallies to debates to Election Day, Maddie discovers that she has more of a community than she’d ever imagined—and that sometimes a “troublemaker” is exactly what this world needs.

“The Campaign is exactly the story we need right now. A fun middle grade tale celebrating both why… and how… we should be involved in our government.”—Jon Scieszka, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

“A hilarious, inspiring story which proves that kids have the vision and the power to change the world.”—Max Brallier, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Kids on Earth series

I had a great conversation with my old Penguin colleague Giuseppe Castellano for his podcast, The Illustration Department. You can give it a listen here.

I talk about things like how amazing the other editors at Viking are, and what it was like for me to work on Viola Davis’s first picture book, and what editors actually do all day, and why authors need agents, and what I think about cancel culture, and why people (like, as a species) are so bad at apologizing.

Do I say the word “um” too much? YES! But do I also say some smart things about publishing and culture? YOU TELL ME!

Here’s that link again: https://illustrationdept.com/podcast/leilasales

If you’re looking for a holiday gift for a writer (or reader) in your life, try one of these ideas!

If you live near Austin, Texas…

Delight your favorite writer with a ticket to my class at the Writers’ League of Texas on What Writers Need to Know About the Publishing Business. Or give them a ticket to my workshop at the Writing Barn on the Logic of Storytelling. The first of these classes delves into the business side of being a writer: how to understand contracts and royalty statements, how to foster positive relationships with editors and agents, etc. The other class is craft-focused and gives writers a tool set to address common narrative problems in any project. Both are enlightening and educational opportunities for anyone who writes (or wants to write) books. You can purchase seats in either of these classes on the organizations’ websites. Note that there are caps on the number of students allowed in each class.

If you live anywhere in the United States…

Email me proof that you bought a copy of one of my books (a receipt or shipping confirmation), and I’ll mail you a personalized bookplate, signed and addressed to your recipient of choice. Getting one of these signed book plates is totally free. All you need to do is, at some point before December 31, email me at leila@leilasales.com with proof of purchase, mailing address, and name of the person you’re giving my book to.

If you live anywhere in the world…

I’m offering a limited number of manuscript critiques this holiday season, exclusively for writers of children’s and young adult manuscripts. If you want to give one of these critiques, contact me at editor@leilasales.com. Each critique is for up to 3,000 words (roughly 10 manuscript pages) and is priced at $80. If you purchase a manuscript critique, I’ll send you a printable gift certificate so that your loved one has something exciting to unwrap on the holiday! If you want any more information on my editorial work so you can decide whether this is a good gift for the writer in your life, check out my editorial website, the Book Engineer.

I hope these suggestions make your holiday gift giving a little bit easier, and I hope your writer friends and family members love receiving them!