A client starting on a fantastic writing career, an editor with a picture book idea, a manuscript that comes together beautifully and gets signed up, an illustrator who brings it all to the table—this is the story of IT’S PRIDE, BABY!

It all started with the divine Grace Kendall at FSG, who had an idea to do a picture book celebrating queer parents, perhaps centered on baby’s first Pride Parade. Grace had had some previous interactions with Allen R. Wells (whose first picture book, DANTE PLAYS HIS BLUES, had just sold to HarperCollins, and is due out in summer 2024), and he was absolutely perfect to take on this project, so I put them together.

Several conversations, a draft, and a few revisions later, we had an offer! And soon Grace approached India Valle to illustrate. And India knocked it out of the park with a sample illustration:

I am so pleased to announce that the book will be released in spring 2023—so soon—in plenty of time for Pride.

Congratulations, Allen!
—Erin