Sheila Fernley
Storm Literary Agency
My Manuscript Wish List®
My Manuscript Wish List® Items
Sheila Fernley is passionate about writing and supporting KidLit writers. She is a former special education teacher and editor. Today Sheila writes picture books and is an Associate Literary Agent with Storm Literary Agency. She represents published and debut authors and author/illustrators.
At this time, Sheila is seeking picture book and MG projects and would love to another author/illustrator to her list of clients. She loves to represent traditionally underrepresented voices, but the story is always first and foremost. Stories with openings that make the reader wonder and compels them to read on. Stories that you can’t put down and want to read again and again.
Fun facts about me:
Proud Mexican American.
Native Texan.
Now live in Florida and must have warm weather.
Picture book writer – Sheila Herrera (pen name).
Former special education teacher.
Love great coffee shops, and amazing hot coffee.
Enjoy making crafts and sewing (always give away what I make).
Never met a dog I didn’t like.
Submission Guidelines
Sheila is seeking authors and author/illustrators.
- Board books
- Picture books (fiction and nonfiction)
- MG (especially contemporary fiction, adventures, humor, fantasy – no dragons please)
- Diversity and inclusion
- Humor or heartfelt with humor
- Male protagonists
- No rhyming picture books, please
- No YA at this time
Sheila is not a good fit for adult fiction and nonfiction, horror, dark themes, violent content, dragons, science fiction.
She requests that authors and author/illustrators ONLY submit ONE project at a time. Please allow approximately two months for a query response and four months for a response for a full manuscript request. Queries are only accepted through QueryManager at https://querymanager.com/Sheila_Fernley. PLEASE NOTE that snail mail and emailed submissions will NOT be considered.
Vital Info
Favorite sub-genres:
#ownvoices, Action-Adventure, Author-Illustrators, BIPOC, Children's, Children's Nonfiction, Clever picture book, Contemporary Culture, Contemporary Fantasy, Educational, Fairytale Retellings, Fiction Picture Books, Folklore, Funny MG, Humor, Illustrators and Author/Illustrators, Immigrant Experiences, Immigrant Voices, Latinx stories, MG, MG Action Adventure, MG Fantasy, MG Nonfiction, MG adventure, MG contemporary, MG mystery, Middle Grade, Middle Grade Adventure, Middle Grade Contemporary, Middle Grade Fantasy, Retellings, SEL, STEAM, STEM, award-winners!, board books, celebrity, chapter books, character-focused stories, children's diversity, classic retellings, commerical, contemporary, contemporary MG, contemporary middle grade, diverse and own voices, family stories, found family, friendship, interactive, read-alouds
I’d like the next…
- The Remember Balloons
- Ricky, The Rock That Couldn’t Roll
- Surprise me! Some of my favorite stories are the ones I didn’t know I wanted.
My favorites include…
Some of my favorite books include:
- Big
- Swashby by the Sea
- The Remember Balloons
- The Thing About Jellyfish
- Doll Bones
Some of her classic favorite reads include:
- Charlotte’s Web
- The Giving Tree
- Corduroy
- Where the Red Fern GrowsÂ
