> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Kid agents looking for a contract - URL: https://www.smdp.com/kid-agents-looking-for-a-contract/ - Published: 2007-06-01T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T00:54:11.000Z - Author: Melody Hanatani - Tags: Education, Montana, #archive-import *Student agents seek publisher* MONTANA AVENUE Watching cartoons are so last year. While most kids are preoccupied watching “Jimmy Neutron” or playing video games, Roosevelt Elementary fourth graders Samantha Hsieh and Natalie D’Amico have taken a different approach to playtime. While attending a school whose motto is “to open a book is to open a mind,” the two close friends aren’t just engrossed in reading their favorite book, they’re in the midst of getting it published. The young entrepreneurs have formed Sam & Nan Literary Agency in an attempt to secure a publisher for one of their favorite children’s books — “Chase Against Time,” written by the school’s third grade teacher, Steve Reifman. To celebrate the launch of the new venture, the two girls threw a party and meet-and-greet with Reifman at D’Amico’s home on Wednesday, presenting a DVD they created about “Chase Against Time” and distributing a synopsis of the story. A fan of FOX Broadcasting Company’s hit show “24,” Reifman decided to write a short children’s novel adapting similar concepts as the drama — a thriller in which an entire season takes place over a 24 hour period. “Chase Against Time” tells the story of Chase Matthews, a fourth grader at Apple Valley Elementary School who investigates the mysterious disappearance of a cello that was to be sold at an auction to save the school’s music program. The story takes place during a typical school day — 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. — and Roosevelt Elementary School serves as the layout of the Apple Valley campus, Reifman said. Before “Chase Against Time” came along, the only other book that had really captured D’Amico’s interest was “The Report Card” by Andrew Clements, a real page turner. “I never thought I would read another (page turner) until I read “Chase Against Time,” she said. For many kids, Harry Potter is a favorite book, but these girls claim that “Chase It took Reifman about three weeks to draft the notes for the book,another three weeks for a chapter by chapter outline and an extra three weeks to write the actual novel. The book underwent minor revisions for roughly a year. Reifman read the book to his class for the first time three years ago after telling his students that he had written it. The reception was positive but Reifman wasn’t sure if the identity of the author had influenced the students’ reaction. Last year, when Hsieh and D’Amico were among his students, Reifman read the novel again, this time withholding the name of the author until the very end. The students were equally enthusiastic about the book as the previous class had been. “It showed me the book had potential,” Reifman said. It was then that Reifman pondered hiring an agent to find a publisher for the book, but later gave up, unsuccessful in his attempts. Reifman learned from friends that for first-time writers, it’s actually easier to find a publisher than an agent. The idea was shelved until fall 2006 when Hsieh and D’Amico visited their old teacher, asking if he had extra copies of “Chase Against Time” because of a class assignment requiring them to bring in a favorite book. With two of his best former students standing before him, an idea appeared in Reifman’s head — why not enlist Hsieh and D’Amico to represent him as his agents? From then on, Reifman and the girls met every Friday morning, identifying possible publishers, writing cover letters and collaborating in creating a promotional DVD. Several Roosevelt students are featured giving rave reviews for “Chase Against Time” in the five-minute DVD, commenting on how it’s the best book they’ve ever read. “It’ll make your head spin,” one student says as she slides down a pole. At least one other aspiring author has expressed interest in signing with Sam & Nan Literary Agency. A friend of a friend of the family submitted a picture book about pirates recently but the girls “politely refused,” saying it didn’t fit in with the agency’s focus on children’s thrillers. “It wasn’t what we were looking for,” Hsieh said. Do the girls have aspirations of making book publishing their careers? Hsieh aspires to become a journalist one day, naming former NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw as her favorite journalist, and D’Amico aspires to become an actress, saying that Julie Andrews is one of the best around. For now, the founders of Sam & Nan Literary Agency are focusing on finding a publisher for “Chase Against Time,” trying to gain more national exposure for the book. The agents are in the midst of contacting networks to try to book an appearance on talks shows such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show. “I like mystery stories and this book had me on the edge of my seat,” Hsieh said. “I couldn’t put it down.” *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 1, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060107.pdf?ref=smdp.com)