Skylark Literary Launches with New Competition for Children's Writers

W&P is very pleased to promote this free competition:

To celebrate its launch, Skylark Literary is delighted to announce an exciting free competition for new children’s authors, full of fun and sparkle to brighten these dark winter days.

The company prides itself on seeking and supporting the best new voices in children’s fiction and with this in mind has enlisted the support of top editors and publishers as guest judges.


Fiona Kennedy, MD and Publisher of Orion Children’s Books, Ben Horslen, Editorial Director, Puffin Fiction and Venetia Gosling, Publisher Over 6s at Macmillan Children’s Books will help to choose the competition winner.

The competition is especially for new, un-agented and unpublished authors who are writing for middle-grade readers. The prize will be a one-to-one editorial critique of the winner’s finished manuscript with Skylark Literary (www.skylark-literary.com). Competition closes Christmas Eve, December 24th 2014 with the winner to be announced in the new year.

Amber Caravéo and Joanna Moult of Skylark Literary say: ‘It is very exciting to be launching Skylark Literary with this competition for new authors. We are honoured to have the support and enthusiasm of guest judges from some of the UK’s top Children’s Publishers, who are also staunch supporters of great new writing for children!’

Ben Horslen of Puffin Fiction says: 'I'm delighted to be collaborating with Skylark as the agency begins its search for wonderful new voices in children's writing and I can't wait to read the entries – with perhaps one of tomorrow's bestselling authors among them!'

For further information, please contact Amber and Joanna on info@skylark-literary.com

Amber Caraveo & Joanna Moult to Set Up New Children's Literary Agency

We're delighted to share this exciting news with Words & Pictures readers. 

Amber Caravéo (currently Editorial Director at Orion Children’s Books and Indigo) is joining forces with Joanna Moult (formerly of Hodder Children’s Books and Simon & Schuster) to set up a bright new literary agency and creative consultancy, Skylark Literary – www.skylark-literary.com

Skylark Literary will specialise in representing the very best children’s and young adult fiction, seeking talented voices in stories for young people and working with publishers to create bespoke children’s books and series.

Amber Caravéo has been passionate about children’s books ever since she learned to read and has spent the last eighteen years in children’s editorial – working closely with her authors to get their books ready for publication and also creating and developing children’s and YA projects. She has worked internationally, with bestselling authors and publishing houses in the UK and the US, and on a wide range of projects from Rainbow Magic to Adventure Island.

Amber says,

‘I have been privileged to work with the wonderful Orion team and fabulous authors. I am very sad to say goodbye, but the time felt right to make the leap and embark on this exciting new adventure – seeking and supporting new talent in children’s publishing.’

Lisa Milton, Managing Director, General Division, Orion, and Fiona Kennedy, MD and Publisher, Orion Children's Books and Indigo, say,

‘Whilst working at Orion Amber has developed, created and commissioned a wide range of excellent books. Her attention to detail, passion and most importantly vision for her books and her authors has delivered a number of significant successes. To be able to find new and fresh ideas for series for middle-grade children is a particularly challenging job. Amber has consistently delivered above our expectations. We'll miss Amber and wish her well in her exciting new adventure.’

Joanna Moult began her career with Hodder Children’s Books, editing a range of talented authors as well as creating content for brands such as Felicity Wishes. She moved in order to cover maternity leave, running the children’s editorial department at Simon & Schuster. More recently she has been working with literary agents, helping them to find new talent and editing manuscripts prior to submission to publishers.

 Joanna says, 

‘Author care is one of the most rewarding and fascinating elements of being an editor for me and this feels like a very natural progression for both of us. With Skylark Literary I'm delighted to begin our search for new and exciting voices, as well as creating some really fresh and fun projects for publishers.’

Skylark Literary launches in November and will welcome submissions from authors. The company also looks forward to working with talented writers to create fun and fabulous children’s projects, specifically tailored to individual publishers.

For further information, please contact Amber Caravéo: amber@skylark-literary.com

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