Emily Keyes

Hi, new followers. I am Emily, a lone wolf literary agent wandering the streets of Brooklyn. Originally from New Haven, CT. Invisible disability, mental health, ace. I have an identical twin (and another sister). Looking for a Coven. Here are some books I have worked on recently.

Authors are booking fewer school visits this year as school districts across the country face budget cuts and a climate of book banning buff.ly/CfXyLum

Ugh, here we go again: the UK proposed (but thankfully did not implement) a similar "exception" to copyright law last year. You can add your name to this public statement from @authorsguild.org and other organizationsin the creative industries. I did. authorsguild.org/news/austral...

My messages app is very confused as to why I am suddenly getting so many texts. Do you have friends now, Emily? No, it's just election spam.

Alert from @authorsguild.org - please sign: authorsguild.org/news/austral... #amwriting (fyi, agent friends @casahasegawa.bsky.social @karlydizon.bsky.social @esckeyes.bsky.social @literarylesliez.bsky.social @mirandapaul.bsky.social )

Library asst fired for #BannedBookWeek display. Sigh. It's just a list of the top.ten banned books! share.google/i0GdGpgE3E7K...

I feel old. This gem is a decade old. youtu.be/TzJp43NOzXc?...

The news keeps talking about the 2 plague cases in Russia which is weird because a much more deadly disease is killing record numbers of people in another part of the world. Let's think. What's different between Russia and Congo... Hmm 🤔 www.democracynow.org/2026/10/6/dr...

Exciting book news!

Heads up unpublished Latinx kidlit writers! Con Todo Press and Free Spirit Publishing "Latino Voices in Children’s Literature Writing Contest! The contest is open September 14-October 14. go.teachercreatedmaterials.com/free-spirit/...

With Election Day coming up (& a video mocking AI historical slop in my feed), I started trying to imagine what the NYC electoral map would look like if only property owners could vote. I believe about 2/3rds of NYers rent. Has anyone seen any maps based on "what the founders wanted"?

Pretty excited to announce @dsallenauthor.bsky.social has signed ANOTHER middle grade horror deal, this time with Scholastic. She's on a roll. @pwkidsbookshelf.bsky.social

One of the myths we are fighting this #bannnedbookweek is that banning provides free publicity & helps the book. That may have been true when actual parents complained about a singular title. But now AI generates lists of anything that might be offensive & the headlines only mention the most famous.

"In 2025, 92% of all book challenges were initiated by pressure groups, government officials and decision makers, up from 72% in 2024. Less than 3% of challenges originated from individual parents." - American Library Association Data.

Business idea: flannel pajama pants cut to look like work pants.

Tomorrow, October 1st, is KidLitArtPostcard day! Please try to only use that hashtag ON the event. For more info: www.ginaperry.com/postcard #kidlit #kidlitart

Sourcebooks' CEO said there is a cannibal trend going on. I have not seen this in my QueryManager and I open again on Monday. #mswl

I kind of want to do a fundraiser for Dolly's Imagination Library this Fall/Winter. Any ideas or interest?

Second conference in a row where I forgot hand sanitizer. Not like I have a million sprays or anything. 🤦 #peopleofpublishing #aala

I got 1984 by George Orwell. Which banned book are you? www.bklynlibrary.org/which-banned... I love a random quiz.

Going to the @aalitagents.bsky.social People of Publishing Conference tomorrow and I have forgotten how to dress myself. I was good until it rained this weekend and now I'm cold all the time.

Be careful, friends—this scam is everywhere writerbeware.blog/2026/03/27/w...

Don your raincoats and umbrellas, our authors would love to see you! Due to the predicted high winds and rain from the Nor’easter, all Brooklyn Book Festival author programs will be moved indoors.

Reminder to all NYC people, it's UN Generaly Assembly this week. Don't try to go anywhere near Midtown.

A DoorDash driver did not pose a threat when we was shot in the back by ICE goons. They then refused to render aid and so a local police officer had to intervene and find the bullet hole. The bullet is still in his back after a day & they didn't give him medication for the pain. Sadistic monsters.

Getting my COVID shot today. Cases are rising in NYC. Stay safe! coronavirus.health.ny.gov/positive-tes...

Guidance from the Anthropic settlement administrator for non-US authors on what tax documentation to provide

More Anthropic settlement stuff: Writers are reporting that the settlement is sending emails to authors with wrongful 100% publisher claims, indicating that they are correcting these where the pub intended to claim the default, and advising authors to log in next week to confirm the update.

9/11 stories always make me cry. They always air documentaries around this time. And I'd become depressed until one day my therapist was like, "You know you don't HAVE to watch them, right?" It's important to honor those who were lost, but it's okay to protect your own mental health.

General question for the group mind on the Anthropic settlement: Audiobooks aren't part of the settlement, but I've gotten a few reports of audiobook publishers making claims. No one, including the people answering helpline phones, seems to know if that's kosher. Any opinions or guidance? Thanks.

To (belatedly) honor Labor Day, I have donated "To Fight Amazon; Fight Oligarchs" which supports Amazon Unions. www.fightamazon.org/take-action

I find the calls for Mayor Mamdani to not go to the 9/11 anniversary ceremony offensive. Obviously it's racist and Islamophobic (others speak more eloquently on that). But also the people of this city chose him to represent us, so you're saying NYC's representative doesn't belong at this event?

Ever wondered what a literary agent actually does? 📚 Literary agents are so much more than the person who sends a manuscript to a publisher. They discover talent, champion authors, navigate the publishing industry, negotiate deals, and help build careers.

There is something about a three-day weekend that makes me slow and dumb when I come back. I think our bodies are conditioned to two days and three tricks us into thinking we're on vacation. Then Tuesday hits us like a brick wall.

Also, I want to say this: just because the settlement administration THINKS something should be a certain way doesn't mean it HAS TO BE that way. You can always ask the special master for a ruling. The settlement administrator HAS to allow you to do that.

IMPT. UPDATE on Anthropic settlement claims mess re: rights-reverted books. 🧵 Just heard from a writer who called the settlement info line & was told that reversion would have had to happen "in 2022 or earlier" for authors to claim 100%. 1/3

I am going to open to Queries on QueryManager on Monday, FYI. It's the first Monday of the month, which is when I usually do it. But it's Labor Day as well so we'll see how it works out, I guess. 🤷

Just in the few minutes since I posted this, I've gotten enough responses to indicate that these mistaken claims aren't uncommon or isolated. Please keep passing them on beware@sfwa.org

They say this like it's a bad thing. share.google/Y3MAXG7cPDNE...

As a tribute to Dolly, why not donate a book? Leave one is a free library. Give one to a friend or neighbor or child. Buy one for a teacher’s wishlist. If you have book donation ideas, add them to this thread. Dolly would love to see people getting books!