PandaErica Newsletter 03
BIG NEWS: PandaErica is now represented by Marietta Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency! 🎉
This feels like a dream come true. 💫 Growing up, I was obsessed with Sailor Moon and spent my childhood in Walt Disney World’s orbit, convinced I’d become a Disney artist someday. That was the story I told my family when I went to Ringling College of Art and Design for Illustration—but secretly, I dreamed of becoming a mangaka like Naoko Takeuchi. My bedroom walls were covered in fan art of original Sailor Soldiers inspired by me and my best friend’s grade school imaginations.
In college, a children’s book history elective reignited my love for picture books and comics. Mentors like Doug Chayka, George Pratt, Paula Jawitz, and Tom Casmer helped guide me toward children’s publishing.
After graduating, I moved to New York City and was lucky to work under legendary art director Martha Rago. I immersed myself in the kidlit world—joining the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, attending conferences, and finding an incredible creative community. I’ve spoken on panels, reviewed portfolios, and led workshops at industry events as a book designer, and along the way, I’ve been lucky to meet mentors, friends, and fellow creatives who’ve inspired me. Thank you, Books of Wonder, for hosting the best kidlit author & illustrator panels, allowing me to meet my hi sci-fi idol, Brandon Sanderson, and his kind editor at Tor when they released his book The Rithmatist. Thanks also to the Met Museum for hosting a book release event with Oliver Jeffers, where I took a cool pic with him and got a couple of books autographed. I once wrote an email to him asking if I could be his Brooklyn studio assistant and if he had any advice for an aspiring author-illustrator like me when I was still a struggling, jobless grad. He took the time to write the kindest reply and gave such poignant advice:
Experiment and practice. Be disciplined and determined. Work hard and be prepared to hear "no" a lot.
I printed this email out and framed it. I’m always in awe of the limitless kindness, hope, and pay-it-forward spirit that can be found within the kidlit community.
I’ve always known PandaErica was a name I wanted to grow into as an aspiring author-illustrator. Back then, the dream felt distant, but I leaned into it anyway, willing it forward.
This small collection of signed books from childhood heroes and generous mentors is proof—I’ve been “faking it ‘til I make it” since day one. Part of me believed that if the writers I admired saw my intent, it might help make it real.
I still believe in that momentum. Keep showing up for myself every day, keep creating art that brings me joy, keep going & never stop. Art is cumulative; if I keep striving to improve, I’ll reach all my creative goals in due time. It’s something I know in my heart—I’m exactly where I am supposed to be.
Through a collection of uncanny coincidences, I landed my first indie-published book project with Electric Eggplant after tweeting some art with the SCBWI winter conference hashtag and following through with a direct email query to the publishers. This led to The Girls’ Q&A Book on Friendship by Ann Fox. In my role as a book designer, I hired the talented Violet Lemay on a couple of nonfiction picture books, and she, in return, hired me for my first published sticker book, The Future Is Ours: Feminist Stickers to Express Yourself by DuoPress Labs. And it was through my SCBWI Illustrator portfolio page that the authors of Mighty May Won’t Cry Today found my art and decided to hire me for my self-published picture book debut.
Marietta is one of the many kind souls I’ve met on my journey. She had offered to review any of my stories whenever I felt ready to send them to her earlier in my career—maybe too early? I didn’t feel ready at the time, and after many years had passed, she bravely asked me again: “Was I represented, and if not, would I like to talk about it?” In 2024, I did feel more confident and had a picture book dummy about a dog and his boy ready to share. That same dummy is now on submission. It’s been a whirlwind getting to today, but I’m so excited for this opportunity. I’m excited to work hard to get my stories and books out into the world. Thanks for sticking around to see where this winding path takes me next, Panda folks!
P.S. Quick shout-out to all the folks who’ve supported me, critiqued, and guided me on my journey. Thanks, y’all! I wouldn’t be here without my creative community.
PandaErica 🐼💜🌟☮️