Michelle Witte
@michellewitte.bsky.social
Children’s literary agent with Mansion Street Literary (open to queries first 10 days each month, starting in June) and mental health advocate. I also write craptastic books. She/her.
www.michellewitteliterary.com
www.michellewitteliterary.com
Pinned
My Bluesky philosophy: I’m here to build community, esp with book lovers, particularly kidlit. I block liberally anyone who is being a jerk, whether to myself or others. I want an uplifting space filled with books, cute animals, and random nerdery. Anyone who doesn’t like that, feel free to block.
Reposted by Michelle Witte
NEWS: The Institute of Museum & Library Services has restored ALL previously canceled federal grants to libraries, following a ruling by a federal judge in Rhode Island last month.
This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!
Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!
Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
December 3, 2025 at 10:18 PM
NEWS: The Institute of Museum & Library Services has restored ALL previously canceled federal grants to libraries, following a ruling by a federal judge in Rhode Island last month.
This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!
Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory!
Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...
Last week it felt like time slowed down for the holiday, but this the week is when time speeds up again and goes extra fast to get us back to the present, resulting in whiplash. Good thing we get to redo this process again in a few weeks. *stocks up on painkillers for the inevitable headache*
December 3, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Last week it felt like time slowed down for the holiday, but this the week is when time speeds up again and goes extra fast to get us back to the present, resulting in whiplash. Good thing we get to redo this process again in a few weeks. *stocks up on painkillers for the inevitable headache*
Reposted by Michelle Witte
For people who think book banning isn't a big deal because even if they're not available in libraries and schools, you can still buy them--this is an elitist argument. Most kids ONLY have access to books from their library. Libraries ensure info access for all. Libraries are vital in democracies.
It's not a badge of honor when books get banned. It stinks for everyone. For the book creators, who worked hard to create something special that now won't be shared. The kids who miss out. The librarians and teachers who are treated like criminals. And taxpayers who have to pay for this nonsense.
December 3, 2025 at 5:44 PM
For people who think book banning isn't a big deal because even if they're not available in libraries and schools, you can still buy them--this is an elitist argument. Most kids ONLY have access to books from their library. Libraries ensure info access for all. Libraries are vital in democracies.
Would watch.
“Have Yourself A Merriam Little Christmas”
Merriam, a career-oriented lexicographer from the city, returns to her small town for the holidays and meets Webster, a ruggedly handsome librarian, who shows her the true DEFINITION of Christmas.
Merriam, a career-oriented lexicographer from the city, returns to her small town for the holidays and meets Webster, a ruggedly handsome librarian, who shows her the true DEFINITION of Christmas.
December 3, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Would watch.
SEND HELP. A monster is holding me hostage for cuddles.
December 2, 2025 at 2:11 AM
SEND HELP. A monster is holding me hostage for cuddles.
Reposted by Michelle Witte
Psst! Registration ends in a few days!
I'll be doing an online workshop on character creation and development for Blue Stoop on December 7th! Interested? Register and pay here: www.bluestoop.org/classes/p/nk...
Finding the Heart of Your Story, a masterclass with N.K. Jemisin — Blue Stoop
Building a character is building a world of one; defining them, shaping them, and changing them is what a story is for. In this craft-first virtual masterclass, award winning author N. K. Jemisin will...
www.bluestoop.org
December 2, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Psst! Registration ends in a few days!
Because U.S. copyright laws are so convoluted, especially with different changes over the years, it’s tricky to know when certain works enter public domain, but here’s a list of some well-known titles that will lose copyright protection as of Jan 1.
Entering the US public domain in 2026: William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying.
More info behind window 1 of our advent-style countdown calendar for works entering the #publicdomain on Jan 1st: https://publicdomainreview.org/features/entering-the-public-domain/2026/ #PDin2026
More info behind window 1 of our advent-style countdown calendar for works entering the #publicdomain on Jan 1st: https://publicdomainreview.org/features/entering-the-public-domain/2026/ #PDin2026
December 1, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Because U.S. copyright laws are so convoluted, especially with different changes over the years, it’s tricky to know when certain works enter public domain, but here’s a list of some well-known titles that will lose copyright protection as of Jan 1.
Whenever I’m lying on the floor doing exercises for my back, my cat thinks, “That human must be lonely and in want of a cat to lay on her. I shall help her out, like the selfless creature I am. And I will be sure to use my claws while doing so. I am a good cat.”
November 29, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Whenever I’m lying on the floor doing exercises for my back, my cat thinks, “That human must be lonely and in want of a cat to lay on her. I shall help her out, like the selfless creature I am. And I will be sure to use my claws while doing so. I am a good cat.”
Remember when people on the board of OpenAI staged a coup to oust Altman because they said he couldn’t be trusted with this technology? Maybe, just maybe, everyone should have listened to them.
I deeply despise these people, need for this buble to burst ASAP, and want this man underneath a whole entire jail. This entire country is ghouls akimbo
OpenAI says teen's 'misuse' of ChatGPT is to blame for his suicide, because he broke the TOU: 'Users must comply with OpenAI's Usage Policies, which prohibit the use of ChatGPT for suicide or self-har...
The lawyer presenting Adam Raine's family calls the response "disturbing" and I have to agree.
www.pcgamer.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Remember when people on the board of OpenAI staged a coup to oust Altman because they said he couldn’t be trusted with this technology? Maybe, just maybe, everyone should have listened to them.
Well, Thanksgiving dinner this year went swimmingly. The turkey looked perfectly cooked and read 180F on the meat thermometer (a bit overdone but not bad). But then as we started carving we realized the rest of the bird was still bloody. So back in the oven it went for a few more rounds.
November 28, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Well, Thanksgiving dinner this year went swimmingly. The turkey looked perfectly cooked and read 180F on the meat thermometer (a bit overdone but not bad). But then as we started carving we realized the rest of the bird was still bloody. So back in the oven it went for a few more rounds.
People keep posting this graphic and commenting on the textual aberrations, but I’m more concerned about the mother whose legs were amputated so she could sit with her child. The AI did place the feet below the random floating board, but it won’t help much as they’re no longer attached to her body.
Hey @nature.com, have you got an explanation for how the hell THIS happened? & especially why you accepted a paper with such a bizarre piece of genAI slop in it?!
& more to the point, why we should take you seriously at all going forward?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
& more to the point, why we should take you seriously at all going forward?
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 27, 2025 at 10:34 PM
People keep posting this graphic and commenting on the textual aberrations, but I’m more concerned about the mother whose legs were amputated so she could sit with her child. The AI did place the feet below the random floating board, but it won’t help much as they’re no longer attached to her body.
If you want a fairly easy recipe to really wow guests for your family celebration, this Stuffed Mushroom recipe is a winner: www.delish.com/cooking/reci...
These Stuffed Mushrooms Are The Poppable-App Your Holiday Guests Will Love
Save room for these shrooms.
www.delish.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:56 PM
If you want a fairly easy recipe to really wow guests for your family celebration, this Stuffed Mushroom recipe is a winner: www.delish.com/cooking/reci...
The fun thing about publishing is that you can have several very exciting things happening and not be able to publicly talk about any of them.
November 26, 2025 at 8:23 PM
The fun thing about publishing is that you can have several very exciting things happening and not be able to publicly talk about any of them.
Oh goodness. I thought to check a very old gmail account I haven't used for queries in more than 10 years and wow it's full. Thankfully the auto-responder still works, so people weren't sitting waiting for a response, but this is why you should always check an agent's current submission guidelines.
November 26, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Oh goodness. I thought to check a very old gmail account I haven't used for queries in more than 10 years and wow it's full. Thankfully the auto-responder still works, so people weren't sitting waiting for a response, but this is why you should always check an agent's current submission guidelines.
Me looking out the window at the dreary winter sky:
“I walked in the meadow. Soon I came to another corner. I went around the corner to see if spring was there. “
November 26, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Me looking out the window at the dreary winter sky:
All of the authors I’ve worked with, past and present, make the work I do worthwhile. They’re all amazing in vastly different ways. #kidlitchat
TOPIC: Join us for our annual ThankFest: your opportunity to share the people, institutions, incidents that you are most grateful for in your professional or personal life--now or in the past. #kidlitchat
November 26, 2025 at 2:48 AM
All of the authors I’ve worked with, past and present, make the work I do worthwhile. They’re all amazing in vastly different ways. #kidlitchat
Reposted by Michelle Witte
95% of authors are not making a living through book publishing. The public needs to understand this.
November 25, 2025 at 2:24 AM
95% of authors are not making a living through book publishing. The public needs to understand this.
To anyone who has experience working with fonts and typefaces, I sincerely apologize for the monstrosity I’m about to show you.
I’m very sorry to announce this to the rest of the country & the world, but a transitional logo has been chosen for the 2034 Salt Lake City Olympics & this is it. Why does it say Utah? We don’t know. Why is the font illegible? Yet another mystery. Did they go ugly on purpose? Again, no idea.
November 24, 2025 at 10:41 PM
To anyone who has experience working with fonts and typefaces, I sincerely apologize for the monstrosity I’m about to show you.
I feel like the current time period we’re in is developing the personality of a troll, so maybe?
can a period of time become sentient
November 22, 2025 at 10:36 PM
I feel like the current time period we’re in is developing the personality of a troll, so maybe?
Children 🤝 Pets
Commitment to never letting anyone use the bathroom alone.
Commitment to never letting anyone use the bathroom alone.
November 21, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Children 🤝 Pets
Commitment to never letting anyone use the bathroom alone.
Commitment to never letting anyone use the bathroom alone.
Reposted by Michelle Witte
They're also responsible for one of the best emails I've ever received, when the college office sent out a plea for sightings of Professor Biscuit while conveniently forgetting to mention that he was a cat...(I won't comment on how often a similar email might have gone out about human Professors...)
November 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
They're also responsible for one of the best emails I've ever received, when the college office sent out a plea for sightings of Professor Biscuit while conveniently forgetting to mention that he was a cat...(I won't comment on how often a similar email might have gone out about human Professors...)
Sometimes an Onion headline shows up in my email inbox and makes me audibly gasp at the audacity but also truthiness of it all. Holy crap.
November 20, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Sometimes an Onion headline shows up in my email inbox and makes me audibly gasp at the audacity but also truthiness of it all. Holy crap.
Reposted by Michelle Witte
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
Reposted by Michelle Witte
I'm editing an anthology about unlikable characters and seeking work from younger writers, 15-21. If you know of one such writer who might want to submit their work for consideration, please share this call for submissions: audacity.substack.com/p/acquired-t...
Acquired Tastes: A Call for Submissions
For younger writers, ages 15-21
audacity.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I'm editing an anthology about unlikable characters and seeking work from younger writers, 15-21. If you know of one such writer who might want to submit their work for consideration, please share this call for submissions: audacity.substack.com/p/acquired-t...
You need this in your life. I know you do.
November 19, 2025 at 12:49 AM
You need this in your life. I know you do.