You and Dutton: how did that ''happen''?

Agent Kristin's Pub Rants blog offered this insight into Dutton's tastes in teen fiction (for girls, it seems to go without saying):

Chatted with the publisher of Dutton Children’s--Stephanie Lurie Owens--and I think we might have coined a new YA phrase for what Dutton is looking for:

The 80s John Cusack Syndrome

I just have to smile. You know how an 80s John Cusack film just has a certain heart-warming level of honesty, sentiment, and reality? There is such an emotional connectivity to his character despite foibles and mistakes. Well, that’s what they like for their list.

Gossip Girls--not for them. Too mean.

Not that edgy won’t work it just needs that certain level of compassion.

So should this be our model for querying Ms. Owens?

Tell you a couple things about myself. I'm 37, stopped writing for a few years, now I'm back. I'm a children's writer, so I rarely drink. Steampunk, you ever heard of steampunk? Science fiction of the past? China Miéville? Michael Moorcock? City of Lost Children? I can see by your face, no.

My point is, you can relax because your sales will be safe with me for the next seven to eight years, ma'am.