Storm Literary Agency

Boutique literary agency representing quality literature from exceptional authors and illustrators

First, there was a  teacher who loved books almost as much as she loved little children. Then, there was an artist who loved pirates, almost as much as he loved cats. As it turns out, that artist could also write, and that teacher loved the pirate stories he wrote. And she shared those stories with the children she taught. The children loved the pirate stories; they also loved the cats. They wanted more stories with pirates and cats. They also wanted an adventure. And the stories gave them so many adventures. And that is that: Storm Literary Agency came about because it needed to. The children requested it. And so did the cats. 

Storm Literary Agency welcomes submissions from unique and talented authors and illustrators, those who are not afraid to embrace their capacity to teach, to entertain, to engage and to honor people, young and old, who hopefully, will be changed by the work represented here.

Carren Jao

Carren Jao is an award-winning Chinese Filipina storyteller and arts journalist based in Los Angeles. Her stories are like blankets that provide warmth and comfort for one, but can also be shared with many. She is deeply interested in finding the common threads between people of different cultures and amplifying the representation of Filipino and Chinese culture in children’s books.

Born and raised in the Philippines, she grew up straddling different worlds and cultures as she celebrates Lunar New Year festivals with red envelopes, but also fiestas with lechon. She is an avid traveler and has been lucky enough to trade stories with people all over the globe.

She is the 2022 New Voices Award winner selected by Lee & Low for publication of her debut picture book, “The Shape of Love,” about a Filipino family’s enduring relationship even after many years oceans apart.  She is the co-lead for the AA & NHPI Affinity Group for Julie Hedlund's 12x12 community and was a 2023 PB Rising Stars mentee. She is also the Senior Editor for Culture at a newswire, wife to a rockstar husband, and mother of two ninjas who continually open her eyes to adventure.