Hema Penmetsa: Signing with an Agent and Selling a Picture Book
A Milestones Met Interview
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
I recently signed with my incredible agent Elizabeth Rudnick from Gillian Mackenzie Agency and sold my first picture book—which is going to be published in fall 2026—to Abrams Children’s!
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I have been writing—in various genres and across age groups—for just over a decade. I was agented previously, but we parted ways due to differences in vision for my work. This time around, I queried for 15 months before I got a book deal and signed with my agent.
CTC’s positive programming that uplifts writers at every stage of their journey has helped me shore up my strength to get back into querying trenches. In particular, the various opportunities at CTC (such as Editor Insights, Ask an Agent sessions, and The Writing Barn’s online Confabs) have been great tools in understanding current market trends and how to approach querying this second time around.
I also finished a mentorship with Bethany—her support and the resources she provided were instrumental in honing my craft of writing picture books. Equally significantly, my continual interactions with Bethany helped reaffirm my joy in writing, which was invaluable.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
I’m new to the soon-to-be-published milestone, and I consciously acknowledge and enjoy the joy and gratitude that come with it. As for next steps, I expect to keep on keeping on with what I have been doing. Additionally, I’ll dig into CTC sessions related to school visits, speaking engagements, how to prepare for a debut book release, etc. to prepare for the next leg of my journey.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
As a BIPOC creator, I want both children and adults of diverse and marginalized backgrounds to know that their stories matter. That they matter.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
I experimented with writing picture books in various genres and styles—through my mentorship with Bethany—and read voraciously to understand what works and what doesn’t work (at least for me) in a PB.
I also kept submitting to agents and editors through the CTC opportunities and making connections via online conferences and Confabs. It was my entry in #PBParty2024 that eventually got me my first book sale. So, it has been a multi-prong approach that I kept adding to with each no, not yet, or near miss.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
Keep persevering and persisting but also learn when and how to pivot!
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
We BELIEVE our books and careers into BEING.
Hema writes for all ages except YA—well, at least for now. She draws inspiration for her writing from her diverse cultural heritage as well as her day-to-day experiences of bringing up her two children. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering and a Master’s in computer science.
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