A Few Questions for Amara Hoshijo

Tags

Crime Fiction, Literary Agent, Soho Press, Writing, Writing Conferences, Young Adult

We introduced Amara Hoshijo, an agent of  Soho Press, with “Meet Amara” on January 31st. Amara will make a return visit to the GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™ on March 24, 2018, where she will be taking pitches (advanced registration is required).

GLVWG had a few questions for Amara about what she’ll be looking for, with some advice for writers.

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GLVWG: How many authors do you sign in a one-year period?

Amara:  A rough average for me is 6-8 titles per year for the crime list and 1-2 for the literary list. As a company, Soho takes on around 30 crime titles, 10 literary titles, and 10 YA titles annually.

GLVWG:  What are you currently looking for?

Amara:  The Soho Crime mandate is focused on both international and heavily regional US crime fiction. I’m looking for atmospheric, literary mysteries and thrillers with an unusual twist, whether that be in terms of plot or character.

GLVWG:  What is the latest trend in teen books?

Amara:  I don’t edit YA, but I occasionally discuss this with our Soho Teen editorial director, Dan Ehrenhaft. I’ve noticed that realistic, issue-focused teen fiction has made a huge comeback, from work by Jay Asher to Angie Thomas. #OwnVoices writing has also taken strong roots in the genre, although I hope that’s much more than just a trend.

GLVWG:  Do you write?

Amara:  It’s funny—I’m asked this almost every time I tell someone what I do. To be honest, I don’t write much. I really prefer to edit, working with an author on how to refine what’s there in order to best express their ideas. When I do write, it’s more of an exercise just for me.

GLVWG:  Tell us about your life outside the office: family, activities, causes you support.

Amara:  I’m very active in the Japanese American Citizens League, the oldest Asian American social justice nonprofit in the country. As Vice President of the New York chapter, my goal is to bring more young people into the organization. My family is back in Hawaii, where I was born and raised, so I go back to visit every year or two!

GLVWG:  Favorite Manhattan spots?

Amara:  This is a tough one, since there’s so much here! I suppose it depends on my mood. I enjoy a good burger at The Spotted Pig every now and then, and have always found it worth the wait. I also have a borderline-problematic sweet tooth. When I want dessert for breakfast, I stop at my neighborhood Doughnut Plant. For after-dinner dessert (or dessert for dinner), Chikalicious in the East Village is really special.

GLVWG:  Advice to crime writers:

Amara:  Don’t fall into formula! This can be so, so difficult, especially for genre buffs who worship specific crime fiction authors and schools. But it’s not about reinventing the wheel, it’s about taking that literary foundation and going a step further to differentiate your story.

GLVWG:  Advice to YA writers:

Amara:  Write from the heart instead of following trends. YA readers can tell when you’re faking it! Imaginative, thorough world-building is also a thread I’ve noticed in successful YA. This is such a fun, rich genre that seems to always be changing.

You can find Amara at Soho Press, contact her at ahoshijo@sohopress.com, and follow her on Twitter.

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Meet Amara Hoshijo

Tags

Literary Agent, Soho Press, Writing Conferences, Young Adult

Amara Hoshijo of Soho Press, an independent book publisher based in Manhattan’s Union Square, will make a return visit to the GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™ on March 24, 2018, where she will be taking pitches (advanced registration is required).

Founded in 1986, Soho publishes 90 books a year across its Soho Press, Soho Crime and Soho Teen lists, and is known for introducing bold new literary voices, award-winning international crime fiction, and compelling young adult mystery and thrillers.

Amara took the time to tell us about herself.

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I was first drawn to New York at the age of five, based on little more than that it was the biggest city I knew. (I’ve always preferred big cities—more specifically regarding the above, I’ve lived in Honolulu, Paris, and LA.) Hawaii remains a special place for me, but growing up, I didn’t see any industries there that I wanted to be a part of. I came to New York the summer after college with no prospects and the sole objective of breaking into publishing. It is certainly a literary epicenter, which was the deciding factor in my cross-country move, but I was lucky in that my personality meshed well with the city itself. New York has the diversity and integration I’ve craved my entire life; I’d say the people there have been brought together by a similar drive.

As an editor at a traditional publisher, I do believe that authors benefit greatly from having an editor and publicist, but I do not consider the self-publishing movement counter to what I do; rather, I feel it’s complementary to it, and has a rightful place in the industry. (The closest comparison I can think of is crowdfunding’s role in general commerce.)

What we read shapes our perspective. This means that agents and editors act not only as “gatekeepers” of their own industry, but of a piece of broader culture. While I initially became an editor simply because I loved to help others express their ideas in a clear, engaging way, I’ve discovered that I also have a penchant for diverse literature. I would love to bring more work by writers of color, women writers, and writers in translation out into the world.

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Amara is a graduate of University of Southern California and has been with Soho Press since August of 2012, first as an intern, then as an editorial assistant, and since May of 2015 as assistant editor.

You can find Amara at Soho Press, contact her at ahoshijo@sohopress.com, and follow her on Twitter.