Deborah Warren is a literary agent and founder of East/West Literary Agency. She founded E/W in 2000, after 17 years at Harcourt, and has a strong background in sales and marketing. SheÕs a strategist, incorporating long-term goals to help E/W clients not only grow a career, but to flourish within that career. With over 35 yearsÕ of experience in the publishing industry, and over 16 years at the helm of the Agency, Deborah not only represents authors and illustrators of picture books including Jim Averbeck (One Word for Sophia), Anna Dewdney (of the Llama Llama franchise), Kimberly and James Dean (of the Pete the Cat franchise), Gianna Marino (Night Animals) and Antoinette Portis (Best Frints in the Whole Universe), she represents authors and illustratorsÑboth debut and established–in the board book, concept, novelty, multicultural, non-fiction, middle-grade and young adult markets.

DeborahÕs looking to fall in love with character-driven stories with heart, enhanced by a hook, told in a unique, fresh or distinctive way. Her sweet spots: short, quirky picture books and smartly layered, memorable and insightful MG and YA fiction. And she LOVES finding debut talent Ð in fact, itÕs a bit of a specialty for the Agency.

As an example, we’re thrilled to have helped launch and nourish (among others) the careers of authors Kwame Alexander, whose debut MG, The Crossover (HMM) was awarded the 2015 Newbery Medal and the 2015 Coretta Scott King Honor; Dave Butler, whose debut MG, The Kidnap Plot, the first in a trilogy, has recently been released by Knopf/RH; NYT-bestselling Alethea Kontis, and her debut YA Fantasy novels launched by the YALSA nominated and Gelette Burgess Award winner Enchanted; and author/illustrator Sarah Aspinall, whose debut picture book, Penguins Love Colors, is slated for publication from Blue Sky Press/Scholastic, along with the companion volume, Penguins Love Their ABCÕs.