I’m thrilled to feature Becca McMurdie today to share an amazing PBParty Success Story–one of the fastest we’ve had!
My story begins in the exact same place that you are in right now: reading past PBParty success stories. In the fall of 2021, learned about PBParty through Twitter. What an amazing opportunity! Flocks of top picture book agents and editors visit a public online showcase of writing samples and queries to request submissions. Reading through the success stories was thrilling. Many aspiring writers, just like me, who had been deep in the query trenches and racked up many rejections, had become PBParty finalists, had their work featured in the showcase, and then signed with agents and got book deals! I immediately wanted to know more.
I spent days carefully reading through the writing samples and query letters of past finalists. I noted common approaches in the entries that got the most requests, and the ones that didn’t get any. I also noticed the genres that agents seemed to request the most, and the least. Honestly, the entire event is a public case study in what makes a successful query and story opening. Even if you don’t become a finalist, you will learn so much by reading showcase entries!
I knew I needed to choose the manuscript I would submit to PBParty carefully. After taking a deep dive in past finalists’ entries, I saw that nonfiction and STEM topics seemed to be in high demand. This led me to polish up a story I researched and wrote about an injured toucan in Costa Rica who received a 3-D printed prosthetic beak. I revised profusely. I went through rounds of edits with critique partners. I revised again. I especially focused on tightening those first 70 words. I wanted to make sure the tension of the story really came through before the cutoff.
My hustle paid off. As a PBParty finalist, I received six requests from agents, and three from editors. I submitted my story to all the agents who requested it. I decided to hold off on the editors. Within a few days, Joyce Sweeney from The Seymour Agency asked for more work, and then a week later for a CALL! It was really happening.
During my call with Joyce, I was on cloud nine. They offered me representation within the first two minutes, explained why they loved my story, and then invited me to ask questions. (Luckily, as soon as Joyce wrote back inviting me to talk on Zoom, I read every blog post on the internet about what to ask during ‘the call’ with an agent, so I had my questions ready!)
After that, I nudged the other five agents who had requested my work during the showcase. Three of them “stepped aside” at that point, and two requested more work, which I immediately sent. However, as days went by, I just couldn’t imagine connecting with someone else the way I had connected with Joyce. I didn’t want to wait any longer. I respectfully withdrew my queries from the two agents who were still considering my work, and signed with JOYCE!
A week after that, I was out on submission with SAVING GRECIA: THE TOUCAN WHO INSPIRED THE WORLD. We included two of the three editors who had also requested my story during the showcase in my first submission round with publishers. Both of those editors responded in a few weeks asking for an R&R (a request for me to “Revise and Resubmit” the manuscript as per their specific feedback). I completed revisions for each editor. Ultimately, I signed with Kayla Tostevin at Page Street Kids. My debut book, now titled BUILDING A BEAK: HOW AN INJURED TOUCAN INSPIRED THE WORLD, releases in 2024! My story is truly a double PBParty success story, as both my agent and editor originally requested my manuscript through the showcase.
My penultimate piece of good news is that my second picture book, CONGA, WILD AND FREE: A HOWLER MONKEY’S TRIUMPHANT RESUCE, which follows the true story of a rescued baby monkey by a biologist in Costa Rica and successfully released back into the wild, releases with Page Street Kids in 2025!
If this wasn’t enough, there is one last amazing success that came out of PBParty. A new amazing critique group! When you become a finalist, Mindy invites you to a “PBParty Finalist” Facebook group. From there, she facilitated us forming critique groups with other finalists. Initially, the purpose of this group was to have folks who could urgently read manuscripts and pitches when agents begin sending requests during the showcase. The group became so much more than that. Four out of the five of us signed with agents and then publishers within a few months of PBParty, as a direct result of the showcase. Having a support group of women going through the same stages of their writing career as me was invaluable. We continue to be an active support group and critique group for each other today. We cheer for each other, give each other positive and tough feedback, and share industry knowledge as we get it from our respective agents and editors, and more. Of all the good news I have to share in this post, finding this group was the best thing that came from PBParty! Never underestimate the value of an amazing critique group (I am blessed to have a few!), no matter where you are in your writing career!
Below, I share my two upcoming book announcements, and my original PBParty query letter. You can also learn more on my website and connect with me on Twitter or IG.
Thank you PBParty!
PB Party 2022 Query:
Dear Agents and Editors,
I am pleased to submit a sample of my 800 word nonfiction picture book SAVING GRECIA: THE TOUCAN WHO INSPIRED THE WORLD.
In the rainforest of Costa Rica, a toucan cannot eat, bathe or sing without its beak. When ‘Grecia’ lost her top beak after being attacked by humans, scientists wondered if they could make her a prosthesis. Not only were they successful, but it sparked a movement that led to the first wildlife protection laws in Latin America’s rainforests.
I learned about Grecia while on sabbatical in Costa Rica. Grecia’s recovery required innovation and collaboration from local and international veterinarians, dentists, and engineers, who all volunteered their expertise and resources to help. Ultimately, the team created her new beak using 3D printing technology. Grecia’s story has been widely covered by international media, including in the 2016 Discovery Channel documentary, Toucan Nation. This would be the first traditionally published picture book on the topic. In my research for this story, I visited the rescue center that cared for Grecia and interviewed the director. Grecia’s experience shows children that all beings, no matter how small, can leave a big impact. Her story also reminds us that while humans can cause harm and destruction, we are even more capable of collaboration, compassion and love.
During the day, I am an elementary school principal. At night, I research and write stories for children. I am an active member of SCBWI, 12×12 and several critique groups. Thank you for your time and consideration.
I’m still happy dancing for Becca and can’t wait for her incredible books to be out in the world. I’ve read both manuscripts and they’re beyond amazing…fascinating and full of heart.
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