More About Joëlle Retener (they/them)

Joëlle Retener (they/them) is a Haitian American children’s author from the DC metro area. Once upon a time, they traveled the world hobnobbing with foreign dignitaries and senior government officials. They now spend their time writing stories and connecting with the Earth.

As a queer, first-generation, chronically ill creative Joëlle sees writing as a form of social activism. It's an opportunity to challenge the status quo and reclaim the narrative about Black lives, through multifaceted characters that celebrate Black pride and queer joy, while providing authentic disability representation.

Their debut picture book MARLEY'S PRIDE (Barefoot Books) will be released in April 2024. They have an unannounced 2 book deal slated for release in 2025/2026.

When they’re not chasing after their 3 homeschooled kids, you can find Joëlle cooking up herbal formulations, turning compost, or dreaming of off-grid living. Joëlle has a BA in Spanish from Spelman College and an MA in International Studies from American University. They are represented by James McGowan at Bookends Literary.

You can find them online at:

https://www.joelleretener.com/

Bluesky | Instagram

Joëlle’s strengths are:

Enticing beginnings and satisfying endings, big picture changes, line edits, streamlining text, improving pacing, strengthening internal arcs, pagination, navigating author-agent relationship, preparing for the call.

What Joëlle is looking for…

Joëlle is looking for a mentee from a traditionally marginalized community. They are eager to work on manuscripts that go beyond stereotypes and outdated tropes. They would like to work with someone passionate about writing fresh, inspiring stories for audiences who have been historically ignored by the publishing industry. If you have stories with gender bending, disabled characters hell bent on changing the world then Joëlle is the right mentor for you.

The ideal mentee would be someone who is committed to their craft, and has put in the time and effort to develop the foundational knowledge needed to understand the picture book genre. They should have a basic understanding of how to write for this unique audience.

Joëlle’s feedback is honest, yet gentle. They are keen on honoring the writer’s vision for their work and voice throughout the critique process. With that said, they are looking for a mentee that is open to constructive criticism, and is willing to be flexible and pivot-- even if that means starting over from scratch.

Joëlle would love a mentee that’s an avid picture book reader. Someone who is connected to their inner child and understands how children think and act.

Joëlle is looking to build a lasting relationship that goes beyond the writing world.

A Note from Joëlle:

“I strongly believe that writing is a collaborative process but it only really works if there’s mutual respect and trust. That’s why fit is so crucial to the mentor-mentee relationship. I want to get to know YOU through this application process. What are your likes, dislikes, quirks, goals? Let me see the real YOU shine through. Along that same vein, why do you think I would be a good fit for you? Why are you interested in working with me? Most of all, I encourage you to have fun with your application, be honest and authentic, dig deep, and dare to be vulnerable and weird—weird is good.”

Joëlle’s Upcoming Picture Books

If Joëlle created a Visual Wish List, it would be made up of…

*Unless otherwise stated, the below serves as a wish list only. Each mentor is excited about the opportunity to find a manuscript they can’t stop thinking about. Please apply if you think you’d be a good fit.

Characters who are unapologetically Black, like:

Witchy stories or stories rooted in ancestral traditions like:

Fat Fabulous Fierce Main Characters like:

Characters oozing with Big Queer Energy like:

Stories that are poignant, powerful, and inspiring like:

Joëlle is a good fit for…

• LGBTQIA+

• Intergenerational

• Humor with heart

• Social emotional

• Slice of life

• Cultural/cultural adjacent

• Lyrical

• Science+ environment when woven into narrative fiction

• Disability representation (own voice only)

Joëlle is not a good fit for…

• Rhyme

• Non-fiction

• Concept books

• Religious stories/stories about religious doctrine

• Stories centering marginalized voices that are not written by marginalized creators

• Potty humor

• Overly didactic stories

• Math

Do NOT send stories about homophobia/transphobia.

Who can apply to Joëlle? *BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+ authors ONLY.

*You will need a gmail account to access the google form. After clicking the button above, you will be able to sign in or create a new account.