I have a serious problem, and need some advice. In 1999, my novel was represented by an agent. She shopped it to some major houses, then her life fell apart and she abruptly quit the business. Despite my repeated requests and her protestations that she loved my book, she never provided me with a list of publishers to whom she had pitched the book, except for one, where an editor had tried to publish it but had been overruled by new corporate masters.
I let the book lay on the shelf for years. Then, in 2005, I contacted the editor above, who by then was a banker, and he referred me to two industry contacts, one a VP of a major house, the other an editor at the house that had originally considered my book. Both liked it, but didn't love it enough to take a chance with a new author.
Now it's 2009, and I've just been offered representation by a reputable agent. She has not yet asked me the history of the book.
THE DILEMMA: how honest do I dare be? I read a post by Victoria Strauss, who seems extremely knowledgeable, to the effect that no agent will re-submit a work to a house that has rejected it in the past. I read another blog that agreed, and read elsewhere that this is not an absolute rule. Further, there is reason to believe that few agents will take on books that have been shopped before.
I don't like the idea of lying to my prospective agent.
I don't like the idea of being rejected because of the above.
I don't know how extensively the book was shopped.
I could change the title and keep quiet.
I could not change the title and keep quiet, and risk that major houses might keep old databases of submissions by author or title. (DO THEY?)
I could tell the agent the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and probably watch her walk.
I could tell her the houses that I know have seen the book, and let it go at that.
Any help would be welcome. Thanks.
I let the book lay on the shelf for years. Then, in 2005, I contacted the editor above, who by then was a banker, and he referred me to two industry contacts, one a VP of a major house, the other an editor at the house that had originally considered my book. Both liked it, but didn't love it enough to take a chance with a new author.
Now it's 2009, and I've just been offered representation by a reputable agent. She has not yet asked me the history of the book.
THE DILEMMA: how honest do I dare be? I read a post by Victoria Strauss, who seems extremely knowledgeable, to the effect that no agent will re-submit a work to a house that has rejected it in the past. I read another blog that agreed, and read elsewhere that this is not an absolute rule. Further, there is reason to believe that few agents will take on books that have been shopped before.
I don't like the idea of lying to my prospective agent.
I don't like the idea of being rejected because of the above.
I don't know how extensively the book was shopped.
I could change the title and keep quiet.
I could not change the title and keep quiet, and risk that major houses might keep old databases of submissions by author or title. (DO THEY?)
I could tell the agent the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and probably watch her walk.
I could tell her the houses that I know have seen the book, and let it go at that.
Any help would be welcome. Thanks.
