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Welcome to THE STORY SO FAR. These are true tales written by AR&E clients. (So obviously, they are printed here with the full permission of the authors!)
You'll find all sorts below. The latest is the briefest. It's a follow up to an article Marni wrote in the magazine of the ASJA about finding us and hoping she would find an agent. See below for a short and sweet exposition of the result. An entry from the celebrated author, Apostolos Doxiadis, whose new book, a graphic novel, has just been announced. Then there's a professor with a published oeuvre in academia who has written his first novel. Also a has-to-be anonymous tale (you'll see why) from a writer who looks to be on the fast track for bestsellerdom. And an update from Janie Chang, and a new entry from a wonderful guy, an inner-city principal, who uses chess to make kids want to learn. Two books and a movie deal, and came to us to help him take the next step. Salome's story is below. There's also a heartening tale from a writer who has sold his book after three years of trying,and an entry from a man who has an extraordinary 9/11 story. ******************************************************** Marni's story: Oh, thank you, Beverly. Must say the folks at Da Capo (EDITOR'S NOTE: WHO JUST PUBLISHED THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS) are treating me very well, and Faye (EDITOR'S NOTE: THAT'S THE AGENT WE HELPED HER FIND, FAYE BENDER) has been a dream. I’ll be starting my five-city tour in four weeks, starting in my hometown at The Tattered Cover, in downtown Denver. Thank you so much for all your great advice and support. Best money I ever spent. All best, Marni Jameson Author, The House Always Wins (Da Capo) www.marnijameson.com ********************************************************** Apostolos Doxiadis writes: Living, as I do, far from the centres of publishing and so being totally innocent of the latest, or the not-so-latest, literary and paraliterary buzz, when the issue of finding a new agent came up, I didn't know where to look. I live in a country where writers sell directly to publishers, and I had only acquired an agent when my work started being translated, about seven years ago. That relationship eventually had to end. I had to move on. But where was I to look for likely candidates, to start a new one? The web was obviously the first place I turned to, but what I found there was - as is increasingly the case with any web search for information that really matters - undigested pieces of fact (or was it opinion?), random comments from writers' blogs and chat rooms, bits of this and snippets of that, gossip, hearsay, an ocean of information in which it is much easier to drown than navigate. Then, quite by chance, I hit upon the Agent Research website. My first reaction, as I started to explore it, was that it was too good to be true. But little by little I realized that it was exactly what it said, and what I had hoped for, a digital place created by professionals, for professionals. In fact, their "Customized Fingerprint" service was like an answer to a prayer, exactly the kind of thing that any writer dreams of: I'll tell you who I am, what I've written, what I'm writing and what I want to achieve with it, and you'll tell me who are the best possible agents for me - that good! I spent an eminently interesting hour chatting long-distance with Beverly, an hour that really changed my perception of what an agent is and what he or she can do for a writer. When I received Beverly's suggestions, a week later, as a short list of six candidates, I was even more impressed by the detail and depth of her knowledge. Though I must confess that for a moment I thought she might have gone too far, by suggesting people who were probably too big or too powerful for me. (You know, writers tend to be insecure creatures, spending a lot of their time underestimating themselves.) I joked with Beverly: "I feel like I've told a friend in the film business, 'I'm making this film, see, and I want to ask you if you know any actresses'. And the friend says, 'well, there is this girl called Julia Roberts'." But Beverly insisted: "No, judging from who you are, these are the people that will be good for you." As it turned out, she was right. I asked for additional material for two of the agents I was most interested in, promptly received a lot of in-depth additional information, plus an intelligent overall assessment, and went ahead to meet them. I am very happy to say that my new, wonderful agent, was an Agent Research suggestion. And she is absolutely what they said she would be. Thanks ever so much! ********************************************************** David's Story: I first learned of Agent Research & Evaluation last February, when I came across an ad in "Writers' Digest" and checked out their website. I had written a novel, The October Man, based on my experiences in Israel during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. After long struggles, I'd found an agent for the novel in 2004. The agent sent the manuscript to a few publishers without success; after a year and a half of working together, she and I parted amicably. I was looking for a new agent when I saw Bill and Beverly's ad. The website impressed me immediately as the work of people who knew what they were doing and could be trusted to do it well. An email exchange with one of Beverly and Bill's former clients confirmed this; I signed up for the "Customized Fingerprint." A month later I had detailed reports on agents who, in Beverly's judgment, were suitable for the book. I studied the reports carefully, researched the books the agents had represented, and submitted my query letter and synopsis to Beverly for her critique. We followed this up with a telephone consultation, in which I asked Beverly about a fair number of those "things you’ve always wanted to know about agents but were afraid to ask" - and got from her clear and straightforward answers. Soon I was off to the post office to mail my queries. In less than a week, the form rejections began coming in. My heart sank. But I did get a nice "no thanks" letter from one of the agencies. I also received an email from a young agent in a very distinguished agency, telling me that the senior agent I'd queried was no longer taking on new clients, but that he (the young agent) would like to see my manuscript. I sent it. A few weeks later, I received the telephone call from New York that we all dream of getting. He liked the book; he wanted to represent it. So once more I was on the phone to Beverly, to brainstorm my strategies for interviewing the agent. A week later, equipped with her advice, I was on the plane to New York. The agent and I had lunch, hit it off, and signed up to work together. That's the story so far. No bites yet from the publishers to whom he's sent the book. But I am entirely delighted with my good fortune in finding this agent, and I feel very comfortable with him. Could I have done this well, without help from AR&E? I suppose it's possible. All I know is that, with Beverly's help, I’ve found a fine agent who I'm confident will help me launch my career as a novelist. I consider the several hundred dollars I spent - on the Customized Fingerprint, the critique of my query package, the telephone conversations - to have been among the smartest investments I've ever made. Thank you, Beverly and Bill! The next time I need some help or some counseling, I will be back. *********************************************************** Primary Agent Hunting by Anonymous Dear fellow scribes, I write to tell of my terrific experience with AR&E's Dead Reckoning reports. I wrote my first novel 18 months ago. Then went searching for an agent. I paid for three individual reports from the service on agents I was considering. It helped me select a very good agent -- a highly accomplished veteran focused on thrillers (which is what I wrote). Alas, said agent wound up with some serious health problems in his family and, after we worked together for six months, we were forced to part ways. I was freaked out, capital "F." And an exclamation point. I had been six months into preparing my book for sale and then, rug pulled. Next I worked with Dead Reckoning to find a replacement, in this case, an A-list agent who, while not an expert in thrillers, was ideally suited for my personality and approach. Punchline: she devoted herself wholly to the project and we sold it. And for not an inconsiderable sum (though, as is obvious to most of you, this part is gravy). Having someone who believes in you enough to invest the time, call you late at night with "I've got a killer idea" (even if it's not) is most of the battle. I got lucky in that I sold my first one. A big dose of luck helps. But so does the right agent. Dead Reckoning reports helped make that happen. Another thing...I strongly recommend you pick out a handful of agents, talk to them, send them your work, get a vibe of their commitment to YOU and your work. This is business but it's a relationship one. And even if your work doesn't sell, it helps to be aligned with someone you feel has your interests in mind. PS - Dear reader, if you're wondering why I've written this endorsement anonymously, it's because I am a journalist and my publication doesn't allow me to write endorsements (even when they're utterly worthy). Good luck. *********************************************************** Salome's Story: Dear Beverly and Bill, I am writing to thank you for all your help. I have officially signed a contract with Vigliano and Associates and could not be happier. As you know, I parted company with my former agent after two successful book contracts, "I Choose to Stay" and "The Immortality of Influence" (at least my wife thinks they were good), and a movie deal with Walt Disney. I was looking for a major agent in New York City and a friend suggested I contact you guys. After a customized fingerprint and many emails/consults, I was in New York meeting with agents. I have never felt so supported in my life. Although I was not comfortable fielding calls and emails from some of the top agents in the industry, YOU never let them see me sweat! After many conversations and emails, I decided that David Vigliano would be the perfect agent to represent my future work. I am sure you get letters like this all the time but I did not want to move on without thanking you. Changing agents is not an easy move (even for a chess player) but you made it much smoother than I ever imagined it would be. I will be recommending your service to all of my colleagues who are seeking effective representation. All the best, Salome Thomas-EL ************************************************************ Richard's Story: I have just deposited the first of two advance checks into my bank account, so now I think I can say, without any fear of jinxing, that I have finally sold my novel, "GOD DOESN’T SHOOT CRAPS: A Divine Comedy of Dice, Deception, and Deliverance." The publisher is Sourcebooks, probably best known for their college guides ("The Fiske Guide to Colleges" and "The U.S. News & World Report Guide to Colleges"), who have a small and prestigious fiction list under the imprint of "Landmark." The advance may be described as mid six-figures – but only if you count the two figures to the right of the decimal point! That’s okay, though. I intend to make my money the old-fashioned way, i.e. by actually selling copies of the book. And since I am a direct-mail copywriter who specializes in the marketing of books and newsletters, I might actually prove to be pretty good at it. At any rate, I wanted to take this occasion to thank AR&E for all the help you've given me since I first got in touch with you nearly three years ago. I have used virtually every service you provide: the Customized Fingerprint, the individual agent reports at Dead Reckoning, the New Agents list, the query consultation, and I intend to continue subscribing to your newsletter Talking Agents for life! You helped me acquire not one, but two literary agents for this project. The first, quite frankly, gave up too easily. The second, Kim Goldstein of the Susan "The Corrections" Golomb Agency, put her heart and soul into it and fought like hell for it. But even she was ready to give up after twelve rejections. But I begged her to send it to three more publishers, and... To any writer thinking they already know it all when it comes to finding agents and selling a novel, let me assure you that I thought I knew it all, too. I’ve had two non-fiction books published by William Morrow & Company, and been a client of one of the top agents in the business (who refused to return my phone calls about this project). My wife has had two books published and has had two agents. And yet I did NOT know it all. The business is too complicated and too fast-moving for an author to stay on top of it. Beverly and Bill have made it their life's work to do so, and I, for one, am enormously glad they have. Richard Armstrong ******************************************************** Shelly's Story: Dear Beverly and Bill, THANK YOU for all of your excellent work. Your information helped me to identify literary agents who might be interested in my first novel, Joshua's Bible, which is about an American missionary who serves in South Africa. I landed my first agent within days of writing to her. As a result, Joshua's Bible was published in hardback in 2003 with Warner Books. It also met with other success: it was subsequently released as a Books on Tape, it sold to various online book clubs, its Dutch publication rights were sold, and it was issued in paperback with Warner Books in 2004. In addition, Joshua's Bible garnered a starred review from Booklist, won the 2004 Fiction Honor Book Award, and became a Black Expressions "Members' Favorites" book. Thank you for a job excellently done! I have recommended your company to many others. Shelly Leanne (For more information: www.joshuasbible.com) ********************************************************* Jerry Jenkins's Story So Far Well, we spent a gloriously awful week in NY, and it's all Bill and Beverly's fault. Five agencies (Editor's Note: Jerry had us do a Customized Fingerprint for him and five's the magic number) rolled out the red carpet for us, and we loved them all so much we signed on with each. I hope they don't find out about each other. We're really going to have to juggle our projects. Of course I'm kidding, but this was the hardest decision of our lives. As we feared given the caliber of the agents and agencies, it was impossible to even put anyone in second place. It was as if 1B was as far as we could go. It came down to intuition, because as Beverly mentioned, I could pick any one of the crop AR&E recommended and hardly be wrong. Thanks for making our lives so miserable, briefly. It was more than worth every penny. You provide a great service. EDITOR'S NOTE: JERRY WENT WITH DAVID VIGLIANO AND SOON AFTER THEY MET AT A MANHATTAN HOTEL WITH A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL PUBLISHERS TO SET UP A DEAL FOR JERRY'S NEW SERIES TO BE CALLED ZEALOT UNDERGROUND. TYNEDALE, THE ORIGINAL PUBLISHER OF THE LEFT BEHIND SERIES, OUTBID TWO PROMINENT NY HOUSES AND JERRY AND DAVID DID A MANY-ZEROS DEAL THAT IS RUMORED TO HAVE APPROACHED AN ASTRONOMIC NUMBER OF MILLIONS. CONGRATS TO BOTH. ********************************************************** Ron B's Story: After twenty years as a working screenwriter in Los Angeles with good representation for my scripts, I found myself at a loss when it came to finding a good literary agent for a book. Each is a specialized field and rarely the Twain meets. So, after I worked three years on my first manuscript, I wasn't sure what to do next. Divine Destiny of a Common Man is the true story of my escape from the WTC on 9/11, my subsequent days participating in search and rescue, my return to Los Angeles only to suffer from PTSD, and ultimately how that experience helped solve a 25 year old mystery buried deep in my psyche. My story was featured on the front page of several newspapers around the country and I had many offers to write my story as an article, but I decided to do it my way, worked with a top notch editor, and finally completed the first draft in September of 2004. With my manuscript in hand I began the hard part - securing a top notch agent. My contacts and research made it clear that it had to be an agent in New York. Maybe there are a number of good reputable agents in other parts of the country, but when you feel you have a "best seller" (I guess we all do), only a top, well connected uber agent will do! EDITOR'S NOTE: NO, AS A MATTER OF FACT THERE ARE VERY FEW 'GOOD REPUTABLE' AGENTS NOT IN NYC OR MAYBE LOS ANGELES. Destiny took a hand! A friend told me about Bill and Beverly's service, which I found suspect at first. I mean the idea of paying to find an agent was not something I ever considered. However, once I looked on their web site and checked their references ....I was hooked! Considering the thousands of dollars I had spent on travel, research and editing on the manuscript, the fee paid to AR&E was minimal. I asked for expedited service. A week later, I received reports on six agents with Beverly's well written memo of what to do next. And she mentioned that the sixth agent, David Vigliano was an afterthought, but someone she had a hunch might be right for me. It turned out that David jumped on my query letter the fastest, calling me personally three days after I mailed it! And my industry contacts here in L.A thought very highly of him. But the most incredible thing was that my current free lance editor had worked with him before... So again destiny was in play. At D.V.'s request, I submitted the first three chapters, which I hand delivered! I just thought it was a good idea to meet him face to face, to take his measure so to speak, and we had a great chat... (And as I knew, one of the things agents and publishers want to see is an author who can promote his work.) Well, David loved the opening chapters and requested the complete manuscript. I am elated to say he offered to represent me and expects to be taking the book to auction and is confident it will sell! David Vigliano is also representing my second book, The Ties That Bind, as a proposal. The bottom line is - I owe this all to Bill and Beverly. Particularly Beverly's guidance on the query and the intuitiveness that motivated her to include David Vigliano at the last minute. As the saying goes... That's the story so far. I shall keep you informed! *********************************************************** Dan's Story: EDITOR'S UPDATE TO WHAT FOLLOWS: DAN'S ORIGINAL AGENT SOLD HIS FIRST BOOK AS PART OF A TWO BOOK CONTRACT. WHEN DAN TURNED IN THE SECOND BOOK - BEFORE THE FIRST WAS PUBLISHED -THE PEOPLE AT TOR LIKED IT SO MUCH THEY DECIDED IT SHOULD BE HIS DEBUT BOOK. PANDEMIC CAME OUT IN SPRING 2005 AND PROMPTLY MADE A NUMBER OF BESTSELLER LISTS. AND JUST THIS PAST JUNE DAN WAS AT BOOK EXPO PROMOTING HIS TITLE AND GIVING A SUPER LAUNCH TO HIS WRITING CAREER. On Friday at 5:30 p.m.-the time, when nothing ever happens in the publishing world, right?-I got the call from my agent. A New York publisher had just offered a two-book deal on a finished novel and the manuscript I'm currently working on (of which they had seen the outline and the first three chapters). The moment I had dreamed of, and one that I’d begun to suspect would never happen, happened. And you know what? It felt every bit as good as I imagined. After a few days, the reality and shortcomings of the offer—the modest advance and far-off publishing date—brought me back down to earth… a bit. But that moment was incredible. The pinnacle of my professional life. Three years before "that moment" I met Bill and Beverly Martin. Technically, I have never met them except through electronic correspondences, but they feel very much like old friends to me. They have guided me through three agents, several near misses, and the usual array of rejections and heartaches that come, for me at least, with the territory. My career is in medicine. A field with its share of highs and lows, but very little of the anticipation and dreaming I associate with writing. Five years ago, when I decided to pour my soul onto paper, people warned me of the rejection and humility awaiting me. I didn’t believe them. I was going to be different. I had a unique story to tell. Guess what? I was no different. And when I ran into wall after wall trying to find an agent just willing to read my query letters, thankfully, I found the Martins. Believe me, I was skeptical. Paying people over the Internet to find an agent? Fortunately, I had few other options. So I turned to AR&E. Bill helped me vet the first agent who showed interest in my first manuscript (I’m on my third agent and fourth manuscript now). He warned me that the agent was reputable, but had no proven clout within the industry. The agent tried (and truth was that manuscript probably wasn’t sellable), but Bill's words proved fateful. My second agent, working with my more marketable second manuscript, was a NYC player, worthy of a spot on AR&E's "C" group. However, Bill warned me not expect handholding or career guidance from the agent. After three months, and three rejections, the agent summarily dumped me from his list, citing a personal crisis. (If you’re thinking I was a difficult client, I will say that we only ever shared two phone conversations and fewer than ten emails, none of which were adversarial.) On my third manuscript, I turned back to AR&E. Beverly walked me through the perfect query and found me a list of agents right for the material. It took a long while, but I settled on an agent who fell somewhere between being a player and a no-name. She sold my books, for which I'm eternally grateful, but I soon learned the reality that AR&E preaches. Any agent just won't do. When mine began doing things that led me to believe she was not acting entirely in my best interests I decided to make a change. Back to AR&E, of course. And BINGO! this time a player. I realize AR&E is a business, but from my perspective, the Martins run it with the personal touch of a family-operated neighborhood store. They keep their clients' hopes and aspirations foremost in mind. I have always received more than what I paid for. (How rare is that?) And I know that long after the accounts were settled, Beverly and Bill were still pulling for me to find success. And who knows, maybe I have? If so, I'm not sure I could have done it without Bill and Beverly. *********************************************************** Janie's Story: My father's family has a recorded genealogy of thirty-eight generations. My best childhood best memories were times when my father told me stories about my ancestors in China. The ancestor who saw a dragon and who became immortal. The bride who received ghostly assistance to escape from an unhappy marriage. The ancestor who built his own mountain. Stories about his own childhood in the small town of Still Waters, living in a house that had belonged to the family for three hundred years. A few years ago I began writing down this oral legacy, and after about twenty stories, decided that they could be woven into a memoir, a work of historical fiction. Did they have merit for publication? Well, it was worth a try. I have a good day job and nothing to lose. The problem I ran into was that the stories were not conventional short stories, nor did they fit into any other convenient genre. Or so the rejection letters said. By now after a few attempts to interest agents, the math was depressingly obvious. If you send manuscripts sequentially to agents, if turnaround time per agent response is 6 weeks (usually more), you can hope to contact roughly eight or nine agents per year, max. No wonder it could take years. There had to be some other way. There were lots of websites with advice such as "go to your local library, find a book by someone whose work is similar to yours and see if they thank their agent in their acknowledgements and write down that agent’s name". Do this enough times and if the same agent crops up a lot, then you've found someone whose interests and track record map to your writing project. Again, there had to be some other way. There were also lots websites with warnings about people who take money to be your agent. So at first I was cautious when I found AR&E. But by cross-referencing them with other websites for writers and writer associations, I decided that they were a legitimate matchmaking service for writers and agents, and sent in my order for a Customized Fingerprint. Incidentally, I'm a consultant in software technology, and always advise clients to pay money to someone who already has the knowledge instead of wasting time and opportunity learning how to do it themselves. It seemed like a good idea to take my own advice. AR&E had the database of agents, I did not. Besides, the fee was reasonable compared to the time I would save. Bill and Beverly immediately dispelled the myth of sequential exclusive submissions. They provided a list of six contacts and advised simultaneous submission (do the math -- how many months are we saving here?). The recommended agents all had represented writers of ethnic fiction by women authors, or had done quirky unconventional books that did not conveniently fit into a genre. Beverly really went above and beyond my expectations for the service. Her first letter accompanying the CFP explained her choice of agents and was loaded with practical advice on how to write a query letter, full of encouragement (which we can all use at this stage of the game) and provided insights on the publishing business. From this I learned that while the writer is a supplicant, the writer is also the client and that the "any agent will do" attitude will only get you poor representation. It's a business partnership and the agents job is to promote your work with energy, creativity and sincerity. It really had to be the right match. She also made it very clear that should any agents phone with a positive reply, not to scream or faint or make rash commitments while incoherent, but to very nicely stall by asking if I could set up a phone call in 1 - 2 days time when I had gathered my questions and thoughts. And then to immediately phone her for counselling. Now this is wonderful because (a) she is behaving as though there WILL be a positive phone call and (b) the umbilical support cord is still there back to AR&E although she's already delivered everything promised in the CFP service and more. She also advised me against sending to an agent that a friend passed on to me, because "I would hate to see you become involved in such a way that it would obligate you to a lesser agent which means a lesser publishing opportunity". So now I've done a marathon of printing, packaged up letters, pages of manuscript and SASEs and will head for the post office tomorrow. And that's the story so far. AND HERE'S JANIE'S APRIL 2006 UPDATE: After eight or nine submissions and rejections, we decided to approach our top choice on the list of agents. Beverly helped me craft a new query package and this time, a bite! The agent, from a top firm with a track record of success with female Asian writers, made suggestions on how the stories could be more cohesively pulled together. I spent a few months overhauling the structure of the work, and finally emailed her back to say that the book was now 3/4 complete, how much would she like to see? The answer -- the entire manuscript. So now the manuscript is in review with the firm, it's risen above the slush pile, and this may be as far as my writing career goes, but it wouldn't have gotten this far without Beverly and Bill. ************************************************************ Yvonne's Story: I wrote my first book and didn't know what to do next. There are so many literary agents out there I had no idea where to begin. Then, standing on line at Lowe's, I met a man who had published five books and was working on number six. Luckily for me, he was kind enough to spend some time with me and the first thing he told me was to get in touch with Bill and Beverly Martin at Agent Research and Evaluation. I looked at their website and chose their Customized Fingerprint. They were able to provide me with a group of agents they felt would be most likely to take on a new author, most of them they explained - more important, would be interested in the kind of book I wrote. I also chose their Query Letter Edit service. During the process so far, I have had the pleasure of speaking with Bill anytime I had a question, and Beverly responds to my emails almost immediately. In a business that has become so large, it was nice to get the kind of personalized service AR&E provided. ********************************************************* Ron M.'s Story: In 1984 I had an idea for a book on science and religion. The project became an obsession: fifty hours a week of research on average, leading to serial neglect of whatever job was paying the rent at any given time and a house full of books and notes, literally hundreds of draft chapters, but no completed chapters. In 1996 I realized I would never finish the book unless I was free to write full time - really full time, sixteen hours a day with no distractions - so I began to save. I planned two years without a paycheck, just to be on the safe side. After that I expected a gravy train. I had notes for a dozen other books after science and religion. In early 2002 I figured I was ready. I still didn't have a satisfactory sample chapter, but I had a catchy title, EINSTEIN'S LAST FOLLY, and a promising new approach to writing a sample chapter. I felt close–once I quit my job, ending the distractions, well then … things would work out, somehow. At the time I had enough money to buy a small cabin in the country with room for my six basset hounds to roam and keep us in beans and Alpo for eighteen months, if not the two years I had planned. What I no longer had was patience for the day job, and as far as my long-suffering boss (to this day a beloved friend) the feeling was becoming mutual. So one day I dashed off a query to Peter Matson at Lord Literistic. He called two days later, opened with, "That's a very interesting letter I got from you," gushed a bit about how much he loved the idea, and then asked, "What else can you show me right now?" I should have considered the implications of the honest answer to that question, "not much," but Peter's gushing had washed away all common sense and prudence, so the moment I hung up the phone I leaped out of my chair shouting, "Yes!" startling the entire office despite their long-suffering familiarity with my eccentricities. I promptly typed and turned in my resignation and called the real estate agent and made an offer on that cabin in the woods. I had not yet settled on the house when Peter wrote and said his workload was piling up and he no longer had the time to properly represent Einstein’s Last Folly, meaning, of course, "You have no idea what you're doing and have blown a promising idea as far as I am concerned." Reality settled in. I went to Borders and purchased two or three books-for-dummies on becoming an author. All of the books mentioned Agent Research, and after checking out the Web site, I knew I had found what I needed, and at a very reasonable price, even considering my once twenty-four month, then eighteen month piggy bank was now looking more like ten or eleven months, tops. (The fleas, ear mites and my bassets' encounters with the wildlife in the Pennsylvania countryside having reduced my margin of error another month or two.) I got a Customized Fingerprint and all the supplements with it that Agent Research offers. Money was never better spent, at least not by me. Beverly loved my idea, told me what I needed before I contacted an agent, helped me sharpen my proposal and even gave me a few key insights into how to get that balky sample chapter right. When everything was ready to go, I crafted a query to Al Zuckerman of Writers House, with close attention to the profile I had received from AR&E. (It was because he'd represented Stephen Hawking's A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME that he was among the agents chosen for me.) I opened with my writing history - one previous book written nearly two decades earlier and represented by a good agent - and talked about my journalism experience since. Then I added the paragraph about the new book that AR&E says is called an abstract: My current project, Einstein's Last Folly, will explain Einstein's ideas on the relationship between science and other areas of knowledge - ideas that were almost unanimously rejected by his colleagues at the time - and show how Einstein hoped to close the gap between science and the humanities. One of my major goals is to make the topic accessible to a less sophisticated audience, down to an intelligent eighth-grader, without lessening the appeal to expert readers. A tall order but I think I'm up to it. A number of prominent scientists and mathematicians are assisting me. As instructed, I closed with an explanation of why I was approaching him, and included a few pages from the proposal I'd been developing. Much to my surprise, Mr. Zuckerman called the same day he received the query. This time I was ready with something to show him. Fame and fortune here I come! Except Zuckerman didn't like the sample chapter. In fact he hated it, his e-mail said in so many words. But he did offer me the opportunity to "try again" with an entirely different approach. I was more inclined to try another agent, but Beverly convinced me no one would do a better job than Zuckerman, so I went back to work on the sample chapter, trying to resuscitate one of my many unsuccessful efforts of years past. At times I felt like giving up and begging for my old job, but I also had a feeling. The chapter Zuckerman rejected wasn't entirely a wasted effort. There were ideas there that could breathe life into the older start. Two months later I sent the new effort to Beverly, and then with her approval, to Zuckerman. This time he loved it! and agreed to represent me. Frankly, I found my good fortune so hard to believe I insisted on meeting Zuckerman face-to-face. He was happy to do so, of course, and proved to be a wonderful and modest person, putting me much at ease. Recently in compliance with a request from Zuckerman I sent my biography and some other marketing material. So he’ll soon be contacting publishers and the story will continue … *********************************************************** Marcy's Story: We writers are a funny lot: We are just fine parting with 15% of our income (forever!) but resist laying out a modest fee for intelligent guidance in finding the person who will represent our work and affect our earnings. Finding an agent is something we think we can do independently – and some of us can. But like love at first sight, it is rare. Representing yourself is also possible, but again, doing it well – equally rare. Before I came across Beverly and Bill of Agent Research, I had three agents and three cookbooks (2 published, one shelved). Agent number one was ok until a new editor disinherited me, mid-book, which seemed to be the exit cue for the agent as well. Agent two was someone a colleague recommended as writer's champion, a pit bull when it came to negotiating. Unfortunately, her pit bull tactics alienated potential new editors as much as they alienated me. Conversely, agent three was soft spoken and refined, but so laid back that after some 8 months of re-writing a proposal I was still in limbo and no closer to a deal. I also did try representing myself. Publishers in my field knew me (after two books) and were receptive, but uncomfortable about speaking directly to the author about advances and terms. There was a sense that if I was established, why was I out there on my own? I eventually realized that I was failing to hone in on the 'right' one. To do this better I was going to have to make a serious assault on the problem. Admittedly, my criteria were sketchy. I narrowed it down to agents that I could get through to on the phone, who called back, who were polite, zealous, and attentive and had some track record. Many agents fit that bill. The fact is, agents are in sales and all hungry for the next, great super author. If you can leave a decent message or manage the 7-second phone spiel, most will call back and will be attentive and polite. Like men, while they are on the hunt, they are all zealous, attentive, and call back. All this took months of follow-up, research, and proposal packets mailings and still I was nowhere closer to finding representation. Most of the time I felt "I" was being interviewed by them, instead of me considering their suitability to represent me. I also felt sheepish about not having had a great agent yet, nor a great rapport with one (I was thinking Jerry McGuire), and embarrassed that I had had three agents. I was getting tired and discouraged, Then one day, totally by accident, I came across the AR&E web site. What I liked about Beverly right away is that she addressed some of the in-between-the-lines stuff that showed me she was as much about being a mensch as she was about doing a good job for you. This alone lifts your spirits and re-spins your sense of the big picture. A few emails and I suddenly saw the publishing world in a totally different vein – one that had little to do with me personally but everything to do with 'this is just what it is about'. This is totally re-centering advice. It also repositions you to anticipate and expect a better class of agents. Besides which, with AR&E, you approach the agent hunt with a mentor and coach by your side. You 'look' like you are out there alone, but you actually have support from the trenches. Beverly is also a much-published author. This means she 'gets it'. She knows what it is about because she is in that life herself. So, you are in fact, coming into contact with a pal who is informed, wise, has business smarts, a broad view of publishing, and is 'on your side' without any agenda other than seeing you find the 'right fit' for your work. And 15% never comes into it. AR&E isn't looking for a piece of your action, only a modest fee for a service rendered. In this business of numbers and sharks, finding real people, with real expertise who stay the course is a gift. The profiles of agents AR&E supplied listed clients, deals made, history of the agent, etc. but also, solid advice with a context – advice that pulled it together, i.e. given this author, this project, this much track record, this sort of personality – which agent might be best for the task. This blew me away. In one wonderful, concise but substantial documents (pages!) I had a map, with pertinent sidebars, on how to get there from here. Even a thumbnail sketch and objective, fair evaluations of some of the agents I had contacted on my own who had wowed me on the phone, but whom Beverly and Bill suggested were also-rans. Seeing the bottom line facts on my candidates and theirs was an eye opener. I realized in a twink – that I was gravitating towards 'nice' instead of capable, and had erroneously believed some of these agents were major players. They were not, but without AR&E, how was I to know? I never would have known or found these people! (These were far bigger agents.) So, I began the process again but Beverly and Bill improved my batting average and reception - because either the agents knew of AR&E, or my bringing it up spoke volumes about my own sense of self as a writer. I was willing to invest to find the best agent and that meant I must believe in myself. I was infinitely more confident and felt so, as well as more professional. As we all know, urgency lowers the bar and casualness insures luck. And where is the story so far? I tried for 4-5 months to get an agent on my own. Just six weeks after I contacted AR&E and received my agent 'map and road guide', I wound up with one of the top agents on her list. (By the way, having AR&E on your side does not automatically guarantee an agent will take you on – you have to do the courting and earn that part of the gig yourself). The agent and I discussed all my ideas and came up with one we were both passionate about, and that she feels the market is ready to consider. She is a former editor with a top publisher and has taken considerable time with my proposal. When she’s done I will look over her suggestions, do what I think needs to be done, then bat it back to her court and it will go off to publishers to consider. Or, as I like to envision it, it is off and away with my delicious dreams tucked inside an envelope wrapped in delectable hopes. Warm wishes and best of luck to all. Marcy Goldman editors@betterbaking.com *********************************************************** ANNA'S STORY: Agent Research & Evaluation should be your first stop if you’re looking for a literary agent. My story so far? I want to write an insider's guide to law school admissions. That’s my background: I used to be Dean of Admissions at a top ten law school, and I now counsel applicants on how to get into the top graduate schools. I decided that I needed to take my own advice: when the stakes are high, you need an expert to give you the inside scoop. Those agent directories are cheap, but, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for. The information you find in agent directories is entirely self-reported – they are basically marketing opportunities for agents, and it turns out that any shyster can hang out a shingle, call himself an agent, and submit phony info. I found Bill and Beverly on the Internet. Beverly served up a helping of brutal honesty, whipped my query letter into shape, and found the top five agents for me to query. Interesting results: As some other AR&E alums telling their Stories So Far have demonstrated, we don’t necessarily hit pay dirt with all five that B&B recommend – that just goes to show how subjective this business is – but we only need one to reach our goals. And I got my top choice: David Vigliano (who, incidentally, hadn't submitted any information to the agent directory I had on my shelf; he doesn't need to). EDITOR'S NOTE: ONCE THEY MADE THEIR DEAL D.V. HAD ANNA COME TO NYC AND MAKE THE ROUNDS OF THE SEVEN PUBLISHERS WHO WERE LIKELY BUYERS. THE AUCTION WAS HELD A FEW DAYS LATER AND THE BOOK WENT TO HARCOURT FOR MID FIVE FIGURES! WELL DONE TO BOTH AUTHOR AND AGENT. *********************************************************** Tom's Story: I had been writing for newspapers and magazines for awhile. I've stayed away from a novel because of the uncertainty of it. I like writing and getting paid, and the thought of a lot of work without financial reward seemed frightening. The magazine work started to bore me a bit so I went after the novel. I loved writing it and tolerated editing but absolutely hated the business end of it. I decided that if i was going to give this a go I was going to do it right. I hired a private editor which helped, and then I paid for a Custom Fingerprint from AR&E. Friends who are novelists told me to blanket agents from the big fat guide books and just get the queries out there. That didn't seem professional to me. I got my CFP and followed Beverley's advice exactly. Seven days from mailing my first packet I got my first response from a very big deal agent who requested my entire manuscript. Right away I knew I had done the right thing. I felt like a professional and my work was received like a professional's. I'm not sure that would've been the case without AR&E. Looks like I have some revising to do but I'm still in the game and I still haven't heard from a couple of the agents that AR&E recommended. Tom Schreck, author of Duffy's Nuts *********************************************************** YAACOV'S STORY: In October 2000 the Israeli-Palestinian peace process collapsed. Most of my adult life I had looked forward to its success, and in the 1990s I had fervently believed that we were finally on the right track. Unlike myself, my children wouldn’t have to go to war, and could live normal lives in a normal country with civil neighbors. Suddenly I was confronted with the possibility - soon, the certainty - that we of the Israeli peace camp had been deluding ourselves, and that thousands of people were going to die as a result. Struggling to make sense of the shambles of my convictions, I turned to writing. The discipline of marshaling my facts and thoughts into clear and precise words and sentences helped my keep my cool in unusually trying times. Throughout the bloody year of 2001 I stuck to my project, reading, thinking - reconstructing a framework with which to evaluate the surrounding events and my role as a participant in them. By early 2002 I had a completed manuscript: and now what? For two or three months nothing happened, and I told myself that what had started as a personal project would also end that way. One agent told me nobody was interested in books on Israel; another curtly informed me he had other plans. And then one afternoon I stumbled across agentresearch.com. Since I work with databases, I was intrigued by their system: what a brilliant idea, to follow every movement of a professional field so as to know all its players, their strengths, weaknesses and foibles! An intelligence system! I dashed off a brief description of my MS with a note asking what they'd recommend. Thus began a totally unexpected adventure. Beverly responded immediately, encouraging me to choose the Customized Fingerprint. Within 10 days of this first encounter I was in contact with Danny Baror of Baror International, and 48 hours later I had a contract with Danny and with Jimmy Vines of the Vines Agency - Jimmy to deal with the US market, and Danny, further down the road, with Europe. Forty-eight hours later we had our fist bid, and within a week we knew where we wanted to go. We signed with Doubleday less than a month after that first chance encounter, Beverly encouraging me as we went that while things were happening at the speed of lightening, the decisions being made were indeed the best ones possible. If you have a high-flying agent you'll get to an up-market publisher, who will put a top-notch editor on your MS. Adam Bellow, in my case. Adam went off for the summer with my treatise, and came back with far-reaching suggestions. Basically, he said, you don't want to publish a book about your intellectual grappling with the issues, you want a report on the results of the grappling. It should be a fighting book, not a deliberating one. This meant tearing apart the MS and practically starting anew, under his eagle eye and flashing editorial scissors. The next six months were amongst the most exciting intellectual exercises it has ever been my good fortune to participate in, as Adam taught me how to go about the task he had devised, and I grew into it. Even the title was changed, and became "Right to Exist. A Moral Defense of Israel’s Wars". It (was) published in September 2003; if not for Bill and Beverly, it would at best have appeared in 2000 copies in some third-rate mom-and-pop place, and an obscure librarian would have catalogued it as a personal memoir. Yaacov Lozowick *********************************************************** Jodi's Story So Far: When I first got my five agent recommendations from Agent Research and Evaluation I thought, 'Hey, I just paid for five rejection letters.' I hadn't expected to use AR&E. It seemed lazy to pay someone to do your research. Getting six or seven rejection letters changed my mind, so I sent Bill and Beverly the money and the vital stats on BLUE EARTH, my crime novel. They sent back the names of five agents so apparently good that several of them, including the Karpfinger Agency, only had the brief name-and-address listing in the Guide to Literary Agents. I'd taken this to be a polite way of saying "not taking new clients" and hadn't approached any of them. I was disappointed that AR&E hadn't taken into account Three days later I got an email from someone named Laurie, with BLUE EARTH in the subject line. I thought two things: That one of the agents I'd just queried had taken the novel step of rejecting the manuscript via email, and that they'd done it damned fast. Then I opened up the email, just to glance at it quickly before deleting it. The lines were broken up in the body of the message, the way they do when someone else's email system doesn't jibe with yours, and one phrase - "Barney and I would like" - sort of jumped out, and suddenly I realized that was not the kind of thing people said in rejection letters. Laurie worked for Barney Karpfinger, one of the agents AR&E recommended to me, and they wanted to read my book. It's hard to put into words how good I felt at that moment; it was just a really, really lovely feeling. Nothing else since has matched it. I spent a happy evening printing the novel to send to Barney. Later, I ran his name through a search engine or two to see if anything came up. A few things did; every mention of him from authors he'd worked with seemed to end with some variant of the phrase "... and a really great guy, too." Everything in my experience has led me to think the same. Speaking of nice people, Bill answered a question for me via email as I was putting together my query packages; more recently, Beverly did a little handholding with me over the phone. Neither of them were required to provide these extras; and they did so really generously. When Beverly asked if I'd do a Story So Far, I was nervous. The book hasn't been sold yet... EDITOR'S NOTE: YES! IT HAS. SOME NINE MONTHS AFTER BARNEY KARPFINGER TOOK JODI ON SHE SIGNED A THREE BOOK DEAL WITH BANTAM. HERE'S WHAT JODI HAD TO SAY ABOUT THAT OUTCOME. From the very early days I had a really good feeling about BLUE EARTH. I had only been writing seriously for two years: a few short stories, a novella, a script for a comic-book series. I didn't really expect any of those things to sell, and they didn't. But during all that time I'd been entertaining myself with ideas about a risk-taking, emotionally insecure rookie cop and her prickly, enigmatic lover, a preacher's son turned homicide investigator. Their story, BLUE EARTH, was surprisingly easy to write compared to things I'd done in the past, and I knew right away it was head-and-shoulders above anything else I'd done. That was confirmed when Barney called me in December, after I'd sent him the novel. He had some ideas for strengthening the book; in April he agreed to represent me, and in June, Bantam agreed to buy BLUE EARTH and two more books about Sarah Pribek. It's nice to finally be a writer without a night job, but I'm happiest with how much I've enjoyed everyone involved. Both Barney and Jackie, my editor at Bantam, are extremely nice people and fun to work with. As for AR&E, I got services above and beyond what I'd paid for. They are much appreciated. *********************************************************** Mike's Story So Far: I'm just like you, another writer out there in the night, tapping away, creating worlds and reigning Godlike over my self-created universe, trying to coax one more perfect sentence out of the waning moon shining through my window, knowing that come daylight I will have to go back into the mortal world unpublished, diminished when compared to my nighttime divinity. And, like me, and all the other creative people I know, you might also share a common trait, a state of being almost absolutely clueless as to an effective way to market your work. We may be able to recreate the cosmos, but when confronted with such things as fashioning a viable marketing plan, we go numb and retreat back to the safety of our imaginations, where, as anyone with good sense will tell you, the real world exists. This is my third novel. The first, written on a pawn shop typewriter, allowed me to get a lot of bad writing out of my system and remains in a locked drawer where no one will ever see it. The second was good, but I got stymied by the marketing process and put it aside in order to keep writing. After I completed the third, I had to face the real fact that it was highly unlikely someone was going to break into my house and publish my novels. So I bought the books--you know the ones (a costly proposition, that) and obsessively poured over them, underlining, dog-earing the pages, trying to decipher the secret language that would open the door to publishing success, and an occasional dinner served by someone other than me--one that didn't begin by boiling water or opening up a can. Fill in your own dreams. I wrote at least ten different query letters, agonizing over every word, settled on one, created a full color letterhead--with color coordinated envelopes, selected stamps honoring Alfred Hitchcock for postage and sent them out. Twenty-six of them, in two batches. Some disappeared into the land of agent arrogance. Some came back with a stamped rejection message affixed to my cover letter. One came back--Dear Ms. Firment, though my masculine name of Mike appeared at least three times on the above stated letter. One brave and battered letter returned, bearing the words--Please send the book. I danced, I cheered, I bored my friends. I sent out the book, and if it were a child, it would now be appearing on the sides of milk cartons. Which leads me to Agent Research and Evaluation. Finally I was determined to be smarter. After all, if I needed surgery, I wouldn't read a book about it and try to perform the operation on myself. Ever wary of the schemes, I researched and heard good things about Beverly and Bill. I ponyed up and ordered a custom fingerprint and an online query edit. Interesting things began to happen. My battered sense of hope was undergoing restoration, and by the time I received Beverly's amazing report, my well-earned skepticism had been miraculously transformed into an unfamiliar can-do attitude. (People who know me still chuckle in amazement at this.) After Beverly edited my ragged queries, I performed a voodoo ritual in the nude and sent them out. That was on a Monday. By Friday an agent was on the phone from New York, requesting an exclusive. I was delirious and giddy, loved all of mankind and celebrated with the only thing I had in the house--Cheetos and a can of cheap beer. Throughout it all, in my dealings with AR&E, I felt as if I was dealing with real, caring people out there in the wilderness of cyberspace. They remove the mystery, superstition and ignorance inherent in this process, and arm you with hard data, bolstering this with their vast knowledge of the publishing industry. I always had the sense that they really enjoy what they do. They broker our dreams. Trust them. If your work is ready--beg, cajole, borrow the money from relatives, but get Beverly and Bill involved in your writing life. They are a shining light in a world of low-rent hustlers preying on earnest, but gullible writers. And remember, agents may seem as unapproachable as emperors, but they need us and the curious magic only we, as word sorcerers, can conjure up. May the late night moon shine brightly on your own sentences. Thanks for listening, Mike Firment. *********************************************************** Marcus Wynne's Story So Far: I'm a long time user of Agent Research. My first encounter with them was two years ago, when I was shopping the manuscript that became my first published novel. I found myself in the fortunate position of having several agents competing for my book, and I took advantage of AR&E's database to research those agents, and to get Bill's recommendations on others. I still use their services. As recently as a month ago I purchased a report on the LA agent that represents me for books into movies. Bill and Beverly provide a service you can’t get anywhere else. They comb through the massive amounts of information the crazy publishing world puts out to find out who is selling what to whom and for how much. And then they put it together in one place and package it with great advice and informed opinion. Before I knew about Agent Research I found my first agent. He represented my first novel. I wasted a year with that hack. I shelved the manuscript he couldn’t sell and went to work on my second book. When that was completed, I started the agent search all over again - but this time I found Agent Research and their database. So with their report in hand, I chose an agent from among the ones competing for me. That agent sold my first novel, NO OTHER OPTION, to a good house that really got behind the book. They got this first time author on Oprah, Primetime Thursday, Fox Family and Friends, Good Morning America and the Crier Report, as well as on dozens of radio networks. I got ads in the NYT Book Review and great reviews. The book has done well in hardback, and is just out this month in paper. My agent sold the same house my second book for ten times what we got for the first book. That book, WARRIOR IN THE SHADOWS, is out this month. And we just closed a sweet deal for book number three. So do I recommend Agent Research? Absolutely. But remember this: it’s your career. Choosing an agent is a lot like choosing a spouse. You can pay to get informed opinions about what you should want and need in that relationship, but it comes down to your intuition and your own informed decision about what you can live with. It’s that kind of relationship. Choose wisely. Beverly and Bill can help you do that. ************************************************************ Stephen's Story: I am the author of the best selling self-published series of books called Loving Your Long Distance Relationship (see www.sblake.com) After eight years of successful sales & self-publishing, I felt it was time to sell the rights to my books to a major publisher. I knew I needed an agent, but I didn't know where to start. That's when I found Bill & Beverly Martin's site on the Internet. I immediately called and told them about my situation. Within ten days, using the Customized Fingerprint, Beverly identified six agents who would be interested in Loving Your Long Distance Relationship. Her reports and recommendations were very professional, thorough, and insightful. I immediately mailed all six agents. I received five declines ... and one acceptance! It has been about 12 weeks since I first called the AR&E office and I have a signed agency agreement in hand from a prominent New York literary agent. I could not have done this without Beverly's enthusiastic guidance & support. If you are looking for an agent, I highly recommend using Agent Research & Evaluation's Customized Fingerprint. Stephen Blake Author, Loving Your Long Distance Relationship www.sblake.com ********************************************************* Kevin's Story: (EDITOR'S NOTE: KEVIN'S NOVEL IS A YOUNG ADULT STORY WITH FLASHBACKS TO THE TIME OF WWII) Before encountering AR&E I had sent queries to numerous agents listed in the Writer's Digest as being receptive to the work of new writers. I was summarily rejected by every one. (One even sent me my query letter back with nothing but "No thanks" written on it). Next I fell under the influence of a sham agent who led me on with compliments, then offered me a contract that demanded money for "entering me into the database." The first AR&E service I used, Free Agent Verification, helped me to avoid that little trap. I then signed up for the Customized Fingerprint. The price seemed steep, but I was sure I'd written something that had merit if I could just get someone to read it, even one agent willing to give me a chance would be worth it. Well, it's only been a few weeks, and I'm certainly still a long way from becoming a published author, but the first three responses I've gotten from the agents listed in the Customized Fingerprint have ALL been requests to see the manuscript. Thanks to Beverly and Bill I have gotten over a hurdle I knew I couldn't get over on my own. Seldom today does a product or service exceed expectations. This one did. I was hoping for one interested agent. So far I have three. Kevin Reilly *********************************************************** Tripp's Story: (EDITOR'S NOTE: TRIPP IS A CLASSIC SOUTHERN NOVELIST WITH A TALE IN THE LONG TRADITION OF THAT IMPORTANT SUB-GENRE.) Enlisting the aid of Agent Research was the smartest and most productive move I've made in the agent search process. Although I read books on how to get an agent, and had done my fair share of web research, until I contacted the Martin's, I had nothing to show for my efforts. The expert advice I was given by Agent Research was worth much more than I paid. My Customized Fingerprint Report hat contained helpful tips and invaluable background and book deal information on agents I would have never found on my own. After studying the package and editing my synopsis and query letter according to Beverly's suggestions, I sent them off to the agents recommended by Agent Research. Two and a half days later I received an email from an agent requesting my manuscript! No matter what happens next, Agent Research has more than lived up to their end of the bargain. Tripp Wiles *********************************************************** Reverend Donna's Story: Unagented life has not been kind to me. I have published 18 books on my own, one with an agent, who then promptly abandoned me. Why? I'll never know. We were still on contract, but she no longer returned my phone calls. I took this neglect more than seriously. I moped it to a full scale writing depression. When her Christmas card comes with her in a kayak, accompanied by her golden retriever, whom I personally happen to like a lot, I remembered our jokes. "Your next book will build the guest bathroom." I can still weep. I really liked her. She clearly found a sink elsewhere. Twenty years ago I also worked with a woman who purported to be an agent. She got me one meeting at a fancy New York publisher during which I spilled my ginger ale. The reason? I was uptight being in a room with so many people so much younger than I who had literary power over me. This agent never submitted anything on my behalf: instead she complained that my envelopes were wrinkly. One of the books I sold without an agent went to a publisher whose idea of marketing was to not answer phone calls. That book, SPIRITUAL ORPHANS OR SPIRITUAL HEIRS: A GUIDE TO RAISING INTERFAITH CHILDREN, sold so few copies that the publisher recently invited me to buy the entire run back at a cost that was astronomical, given how many books were still on their shelf. During this period of agent neglect and bake sales to buy my old books back so I could sell them at bake sales, I sold two books in one year (MATURE GRIEF and SACRED SPEECH: SAYING HARD THINGS WELL) and decided I needed no agent. I was my own agent – as well as being my own lawyer, doctor, security service and priest – but that overwhelming and excessive agency is another matter entirely. Then a friend sent me the material on Agent R&E. I paid my money. I wrote my proposal. Five agents either rejected me or neglected to return my follow up phone calls after six weeks had passed. The sixth one, who is now representing my book SPIRITUAL RESOURCES FOR DEALING WITH CANCER, claimed not to have received the material the first time around. I sent it again. And guess what? The day before Christmas he called me, but we didn't connect! Then five days of telephone tag went by, during which time I kept saying he couldn’t have called to say he didn’t want to represent my book. Sure enough, we have a deal. And I finish the proposal for him in a week. I hope he needs a new bathroom If these stories inspire you to take action and further your own writing career, you are one click away from taking advantage of our services. Our secure order form awaits you.
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