The story of Red Fox Literary began nine years ago when a young, novice editor named Abigail Samoun acquired her very first picture book from a talented agent named Karen Grencik. That book, author Sarah Wilson’s George Hogglesberry, Grade School Alien, went on to win the coveted SCBWI Golden Kite Award. Not bad for a first collaboration.
In 2006, Karen left agenting to pursue adventures in the tropical forests of Costa Rica. Abigail and Karen’s paths didn’t cross again until the Los Angeles 2010 SCBWI National Conference, where Abigail was delighted to discover that Karen had returned to the States and was plunging back into the world of children’s books. Karen and Abigail decided in March 2011 to form Red Fox Literary, a boutique agency specializing in picture books, middle-grade, and young-adult titles.
Red Fox Literary is pleased to announce its partnership with Hen & Ink, which will act as its foreign rights representative. Visit http://henandink.com/.
Abigail Samoun
uring her ten years as a children’s book editor, ABIGAIL SAMOUN has edited board books, picture books, middle-grade novels, and young-adult novels for Tricycle Press, Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Little Brown. Her books have received numerous honors including a CCBC Charlotte Zolotow award, an SCBWI Golden Kite Award, a Pura Belpre Honor, a Smithsonian Notable, and a New York Public Library Ezra Jack Keats Award. Abigail also edited the middle-grade series Edgar & Ellen, which has sold over a half-a-million copies worldwide and has inspired a cartoon series on Nickelodeon.
Abigail loves books so much that she organizes her library according to which authors would get along well together (the Brontes next to George Elliot, Lois Lowry next to Margaret Atwood).
When she’s not reading, Abigail likes to garden, play the piano, visit her apiary, and eat lots of chocolate.
Karen Grencik
alifornia native KAREN GRENCIK makes her home in Shell Beach, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. A court reporter by training, Karen initially launched her own literary agency in 1999 to champion writers and manuscripts she discovered on the Central Coast of California.
The opening chapter of The Karen Grencik Literary Agency was an astounding success, propelled largely by Karen’s major sale of the middle grade memoir Double Luck: Memoirs of a Chinese Orphan by Lu Chi Fa with Becky White. Karen quickly found herself on the New York publishing circuit and in regular contact with editors and publishers, while also finding time to be a favorite presenter at several West Coast writers’ conferences.
Karen signed new clients and sold award-winning titles. Among the awards garnered by her authors are the Parents' Choice Gold Award for Best Nonfiction, the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Best Picture Book, and the Benjamin Franklin Award for Best New Fiction.
Karen regularly consults with Emma D. Dryden, former children’s book publisher and founder of the children’s editorial consultancy company, drydenbks. Karen’s mentor, San Francisco agent Linda Allen, will partner on special projects with Red Fox Literary as needed.
Karen’s philosophy is simple: “When you choose to write children’s books, it’s just that—it’s a choice. You do it because you love it. You do it because it fills you with passion. You do it because it brings you joy. You are among the lucky ones who live life with purpose. But you also must do everything you can possibly think of to achieve your goals.
“And you must be nice.”