[Agency] Winters & King, Inc. (formerly Winters, King & Beirute, Inc.)

DerekJager · Sep 2, 2008

Formerly Winters,King & Associates.

http://www.wintersking.com/index.cfm?id=43&theparentid=40

Although they represent bestselling Christian writers such as Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen's first book, they may sign you but they don't do much of anything.

They don't report on any editors they send your manuscript to, repeated phone calls go to voice mail, they don't respond to written or e-mailed letters, and then when they return your manuscript, they bill you for shipping!

Again, they DO represent some big time Christian writers and they are basically a successful law firm, but I do NOT recommend them under any circumstances due to their disregard of their clients and zero communication skills.

DaveKuzminski · Sep 2, 2008

It's considered the author's responsibility to provide postage for the return of manuscripts regardless of whether it's a literary agency or a law firm that also represents books.

DerekJager · Sep 4, 2008

Really, Dave?

When you sign with an agency and they ask you to print out and send them three (3) copies of your book and they NEVER return your phone calls and NEVER respond to your e-mails when you ask them for status?

Then you receive your manuscript back from a publisher--no note inside at all, just the return address on the box. Shouldn't it have been returned to the agency?

Then you receive two of your three copies back by Fed Ex from the agency. And there's a letter enclosed saying, "We tried to sell your manuscript to several publishers but were unable to" but NEVER tells you where they sent it? More voice mails left, letters sent and e-mails that are never acknowledged.

And THEN a month later, you receive an invoice for $12 for the Fed Ex package.

And I'm expected to pay them $12?

CaoPaux · Sep 15, 2008

I expect Dave missed you were a client and not in the query process.

Although it's not unusual for agents to back-charge clients for extraordinary submission costs (e.g. overseas mailing, copying ms in quantity for an auction), such are generally deducted from the advance when the book is sold. I take it there wasn't anything in your contract re: charging you for normal submission expenses if the book didn't sell?

But even if there were, not communicating with a signed client is enough reason to give them a wide berth. Sorry you had such a bad experience.

CaoPaux · Feb 11, 2011

Is now merely Winters & King, Inc.

CaoPaux · Feb 24, 2013

Updating link: http://www.wintersking.com/practice-areas/publishing-agent-services/

Shayk1951 · Apr 3, 2013

I queried them. Got a contract. Was fine with it until I read what they want. They're asking me for $5900 for them to look at my manuscript. Sorry! But I cannot afford that kind of money. My husband are living on $2500 a month and if it wasn't for our daughter, her husband and children living with us, we wouldn't be able to eat during the month.

shelleyo · Apr 3, 2013

Shayk1951 said:
I queried them. Got a contract. Was fine with it until I read what they want. They're asking me for $5900 for them to look at my manuscript. Sorry! But I cannot afford that kind of money. My husband are living on $2500 a month and if it wasn't for our daughter, her husband and children living with us, we wouldn't be able to eat during the month.

You should send this information with documentation to Writer Beware and Preditors and Editors so they can steer people away from this place.

Agents don't charge money to look at manuscripts, so clearly this "agency," if this is all true, is one to stay the hell away from.

Filigree · Apr 3, 2013

Especially since they say their principles guide every aspect of their practice. Beyond noting that, I am invoking Filigree's Rule and walking away. A $6000 bill for looking at a mms speaks for itself.

Ayles · Apr 11, 2013

I recently submitted a query to this agency by mail. Within two days I received an email from Mr. Winters informing me that in order to assist even more authors, he created "Winter's Publishing Group." The email was vague and I thought it was a strange response to a query, so I was guarded when another individual from the agency emailed me a few days later wanting me to send my entire manuscript. I immediately emailed back, stating that the original email sounded more like a veiled pitch to self-publish, which I wasn't interested in at this time. The man emailed again, and said if that was the case, he would "close my file," which I instructed him to do. While they were cordial and friendly, even after my frankness, I felt that to call this a traditional literary agency was deceptive, especially considering their website explicitly states that they are a "principle-based" firm. I can only imagine what they would have charged me to read my entire novel! Yikes!

CaoPaux · Apr 5, 2015

Is also Winters Publishing Group: http://www.winterspublishinggroup.com/

[Agency] Winters & King, Inc. (formerly Winters, King & Beirute, Inc.)

DerekJager

DaveKuzminski

Preditors & Editors

DerekJager

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

Shayk1951

shelleyo

Just another face in a red jumpsuit

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing

Ayles

Still Learning the Ropes.

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless