The Book Bureau Literary Agency (Geraldine Nichol)

TheRightEyedDeer · Mar 21, 2009

Has anyone had any dealings with The Book Bureau Literary Agency and/or Geraldine Nichol?

A new writer on our writing forum is asking about them/her and I can't find out much through Google searches.

BenPanced · Mar 21, 2009

Link?

TheRightEyedDeer · Mar 21, 2009

No web site. Lots of internet listings for her services. A few blog posts:
http://emergingwriter.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html
http://www.virtualwriter.net/getting_published.html
http://www.writersservices.com/agent/uk08/book_bureau_literary.htm

Geraldine seems to sell a lot of her authors' work to Poolbeg:
http://www.poolbeg.com/
(Poolbeg accepts unsolicited manuscripts btw)

waylander · Mar 22, 2009

Poolbeg is a well-respected publisher in Ireland. Does well with chick-lit.

Prog · Mar 22, 2009

Yes, Ger is an Irish agent. She's sent me submissions of books already accepted for publication in Ireland and England in the past (I'm in the States), all of which have been chick-litty. I don't know if she takes on other genres or clients from outside Ireland. While we haven't had a project together, I can tell you she's been absolutely lovely to deal with and seems very nice.

TheRightEyedDeer · Mar 22, 2009

Thanks, Waylander & Prog.

Prog, can you tell me who the book publishers are for the ones Geraldine has sent you? Are they all Poolbeg?

The work that our forum member is subbing at the moment is pure chick lit. Not too bad, either, IMO. It's her first venture into the world of agents & publishers and we're trying to give her as much support and good advice as possible.

Prog · Mar 22, 2009

Sorry, I can't remember the publishers offhand, but I do know they weren't all Poolbeg. There was at least one UK publisher.

ChrryBlssmGrrl · Aug 27, 2009

Just wanted to share my experience (so far!) with the Book Bureau for anyone thinking of querying...

I queried Geraldine back on May 6th. She responded almost immediately asking for me to send her ten chapters in hard copy and saying she was looking forward to reading it. I duly sent this to her and she emailed on May 11th to confirm receipt. So I started waiting. And waiting!

Eventually, on 16th July I sent a very polite status request email, in which I mentioned I had been doing some rewriting to the end of the novel and as such attaching a new plot synopsis which took this slightly rejigged ending into account. I still haven't received a reply to this...over a month later :Shrug:

Book Bureau were the first agency I queried because, like me, they are based in Ireland and Ger gets good reviews as a friendly and professional agent. I've heard from a lot of people who have had responses to their partials within a couple of days but I've been waiting 3 months now so I'm assuming at this stage it's an R.

But it would have been nice to have been told this instead of left to figure it out for myself. And it would have been nice to have even a one line reply to my status update query a month ago. So not a *very* positive experience for me at this point...

John Karr · Aug 27, 2009

I've had that happen with two other agents in the U.K. on full mss submissions, after they requested them. Just nothing ... even after follow-up emails.

Just tell me 'no' outright is all I ask. The withering-over-time, implicit rejection is frustrating.

ChrryBlssmGrrl · Aug 27, 2009

yep, I'm with you there John - rather just get shot down quickly than left out in the cold to ponder your fate for months on end lol

I decided to send another status update this afternoon just to see if it would be possible to get a bit of closure on this, seeing as it was the very first query I ever sent and all. Ger got back to me within the hour with a nice email apologising for taking so long to get back to me, especially as she was coming back to me with a rejection :'(

The reason? 'I'm afraid I didn't think it quite commercial enough for a very tough market.'

So there you have it - quite a sad end to my very hopeful first ever query but still got a few irons in the fire so will stay positive!

John Karr · Aug 27, 2009

Chrry, too bad it was an R but you're doing quite well to receive requests for more material off your very first round of queries. My stack of R's is miles deep, I'm afraid. I don't even recall the first ones.

ChrryBlssmGrrl · Aug 27, 2009

Thanks John - I'm sure I probably still have many Rs to get through before I get a yes but if that's what it takes to get the right agent and the right publisher for my book then it will be time and effort well spent.

Onwards and upwards for us all!!

Love Writing · Oct 15, 2012

Take Heart!

Don't let this deter you. When I started, I set about looking for an agent and contacted Ger Nicholls. She replied that she was not interested. I subsequently approached a well known publisher directly and was offered a 3 book contract!!

The book Ms Nicholls turned down reached No 4 in the Irish Times Bestselling List and my last three books were all bestsellers too. (I have signed a further 3 book contract)

As a result, I am not convinced that the Book Bureau know the difference between what's good or bad or what will sell. I have read two of their authors and was not impressed.

So don't give up, ChrryBlssmGirl - there are other fish in the sea, bigger and better, so keep trying. Yes, it is a tough market right now but there is always a demand for a well- written book.

ChrryBlssmGrrl said:
Just wanted to share my experience (so far!) with the Book Bureau for anyone thinking of querying...

I queried Geraldine back on May 6th. She responded almost immediately asking for me to send her ten chapters in hard copy and saying she was looking forward to reading it. I duly sent this to her and she emailed on May 11th to confirm receipt. So I started waiting. And waiting!

Eventually, on 16th July I sent a very polite status request email, in which I mentioned I had been doing some rewriting to the end of the novel and as such attaching a new plot synopsis which took this slightly rejigged ending into account. I still haven't received a reply to this...over a month later

Book Bureau were the first agency I queried because, like me, they are based in Ireland and Ger gets good reviews as a friendly and professional agent. I've heard from a lot of people who have had responses to their partials within a couple of days but I've been waiting 3 months now so I'm assuming at this stage it's an R.

But it would have been nice to have been told this instead of left to figure it out for myself. And it would have been nice to have even a one line reply to my status update query a month ago. So not a *very* positive experience for me at this point...

CaoPaux · Dec 29, 2012

Two sales this year to Penguin Ireland.

The Book Bureau Literary Agency (Geraldine Nichol)

TheRightEyedDeer

the land of black flies

BenPanced

THE BLUEBERRY QUEEN OF HADES (he/him)

TheRightEyedDeer

the land of black flies

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

Prog

TheRightEyedDeer

the land of black flies

Prog

ChrryBlssmGrrl

Paranormal Princess

John Karr

ChrryBlssmGrrl

Paranormal Princess

John Karr

ChrryBlssmGrrl

Paranormal Princess

Love Writing

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless