Dear friends, it's been quite a week. On Tuesday I received a blanket email from my literary agent saying she was closing the agency and releasing all her clients from their contracts. She also stated she was regretful of her actions and didn't go into details about why she was doing this. The next day, the news was out and the kidlit community was in shock to discover one of their Publishers Weekly’s rising stars had committed fraud, lied to her clients, and left a path of betrayal and mistrust behind her. She was a successful agent who sold books, gave talks, and had an eye for talent. She was deeply admired and respected for her skills and abilities. I was proud to be represented by her despite how things were going. I felt lucky to have representation and didn’t know her behavior was abnormal...This week her former clients and the kidlit community have come together to support one another and compare notes, revealing that this has been going on for years. I'm still processing things but my heart is pained over the years I wasted with her. I watched so many of my peers get book deals while I was waiting to hear back from Danielle. She made me question my ability and my future. But like getting out of any bad relationship, the hardest part is behind me and now it’s time to move on and heal. Thank you to the agents who have reached out with sympathy and support, and to my fellow colleagues and community for banding together to share your resources and making sure people know about this. I’m proud to be part of such a caring and inclusive community. #daniellesmith #lupinegrove
