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Key Literary Agency / Royal Trinity Press (Kimberly Key)

pjlove51

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I just got an e-mail from Key literary agency, they'd like to represent my book. They are a new company and do have a website. All P&E says is they're a new agency (There's another Key Lit. That they don't recommend, but this isn't that one)Anyone heard of them?
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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If it's these guys: http://keyliteraryagency.web.officelive.com/default.aspx I have one word - PASS.

Their website doesn't detail anything about who's behind the show, and this:

We also offer Editing Services which can be combined with representation by our agency, or can be purchased seperately. Other products offered are Analysis Services which is offered seperately from representation. If you are interested in editing services, or analysis services please contact us for pricing.

This is never good, and quite possibly a sign that the agency doesn't provide enough income as an agency alone. Not what you want to see in an agency.

If this isn't the one you're talking about, could you post a web address so folks can look? :)
 

CaoPaux

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If the books on their Featured Author page actually exist...their covers alone don't bode well.
 

KellyDexter

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I just happened to stumbble upon to the site unexpectedly but I see that you got an offer from Key Literary Agency. You either did not want to accept thier offer or you got really bad advice. From my understanding: they are indeed a new agency but one author has already been published. Another has just signed a contract with Random House and as for myself: I'm a signed author with the agency and I'm in talks with Simon & Schuester.
 

ChrryBlssmGrrl

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If the books on their Featured Author page actually exist...their covers alone don't bode well.

Agreed. Nor do the grammatical errors or the lack of transparency as to who is running the show. I would definitely echo the above sentiments - PASS!
 

waylander

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I just happened to stumbble upon to the site unexpectedly but I see that you got an offer from Key Literary Agency. You either did not want to accept thier offer or you got really bad advice. From my understanding: they are indeed a new agency but one author has already been published. Another has just signed a contract with Random House and as for myself: I'm a signed author with the agency and I'm in talks with Simon & Schuester.

The name of the published author and the title of their book would go a long way to supporting the credibility of this agency
 

Momento Mori

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KellyDexter:
I just happened to stumbble upon to the site unexpectedly but I see that you gave very bad advice. From my understanding: they are indeed a new agency but one author has already been published. Another has just signed a contract with Random House and as for myself: I'm a signed author with the agency and I'm in talks with Simon & Schuester.

Hi, Kelly and welcome to AW. Can you tell us the name of the agent who runs the Key Agency and who they were previously with? For example, was it another agency or were they with a publisher? If the latter, then what was their role?

In terms of the Featured Authors on the Key Agency's website, are you able to tell us why the Key Agency is advertising Donna's World by Frances Mills Walker? Was this a sale that the Agency made? I ask because having looked it up on Amazon, it was published by Publish America, a company that no legitimate agent would bother dealing with given that their "advance" is only a dollar.

I note that none of the other authors featured on the Agency's website have been published and indeed, you do not appear on that page as an author signed with the agency. Do you know when they will be correcting this?

Congratulations on being in talks with Simon & Schuster. Which acquiring editor are you dealing with and what's the name of the project that they're looking to buy?

MM
 

CaoPaux

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Meet Kimberly Key, three-time Publish America author and F.M. Walker's daughter.
 

charlys

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Meet Kimberly Key, three-time Publish America author and F.M. Walker's daughter.

I'm confused. One of the threads says there are 2 Key Agencies. The only one I found was with Kimberly Key who has an e-mail fill-out form on her website. I filled it out and attached the first 10 pages of my ms on 9/6/09 but never got a response. Is she the good agent or the bad one? Who is the other one or did I read that wrong. I certainly don't want to deal with anyone involved with PublishAmerica. I'm definitely getting paranoid some dishonest agent passes on my synopsis to a disreputable publisher and they pass that idea on to someone else to write a similar story. Do all writers get this paranoid?
 

Richard White

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Book theft is the least of your worries.

Bad agents don't want to steal your book. They wouldn't know how to sell it even if they did. Bad publishers don't want to steal your work, they want you to buy it from them.

Worry more about losing time and money with these people.
 

CaoPaux

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I'm confused. One of the threads says there are 2 Key Agencies. The only one I found was with Kimberly Key who has an e-mail fill-out form on her website. I filled it out and attached the first 10 pages of my ms on 9/6/09 but never got a response. Is she the good agent or the bad one? Who is the other one or did I read that wrong. I certainly don't want to deal with anyone involved with PublishAmerica. I'm definitely getting paranoid some dishonest agent passes on my synopsis to a disreputable publisher and they pass that idea on to someone else to write a similar story. Do all writers get this paranoid?
Yes, there are two Key Literary Agencies. This new one, out of Oklahoma and run by Kimberly Key, and the older one, out of Florida with Ann Gallagher, Bernie Kaplan, and Patrick Lennon.

This new one is to be avoided for glaring lack of experience, etc.

The other is/was a fee charger, at the least. There's more info on them here.
 

CaoPaux

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Apparently Ms. Key has joined us. Although she has not activated her account to the point of being able to post, she left me the following Visitor Messages (viewable on my Profile page, for those inclined to click through):

Kimberly Key
Today 01:52 AM
Kimberly Key
Do more homework before you bash someone publically.
Kimberly Key
Today 02:02 AM
Kimberly Key
The reason this person would not have recieved a response is because they did not follow the submission guidelines. Take time and review the website; It clearly says not to attach or send chapters. This is all a matter of paying proper attension. If a person can not care enough to follow the submission guideline to the letter; it's assumed they did not care enough to properly format thier document or have it professionally edited. If an author does not care enough or take the time to follow submission guidelines, then why should an agent care enough or take the time to respond to that person? They are just wasting our time due to thier lack of care or attension to detail.

For the record, my reply:

CaoPaux
Today 08:21 AM
CaoPaux
Welcome, Ms. Key. I presume you're referring to the B&BC thread regarding your agency, here: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143141

When you have properly activated your account and are able to post, I'll be happy to discuss whatever you consider "bashing" -- in the agency thread.

And if I may make a friendly suggestion? Please use spell check. Taking someone to task for not paying attention to detail loses much of its impact when you misspell "their" and "attention". Twice.
 

MacAllister

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And if I may make a friendly suggestion? Please use spell check. Taking someone to task for not paying attention to detail loses much of its impact when you misspell "their" and "attention". Twice.

It's a kind response, CaoPaux. Even spellcheck isn't going to prevent such unfortunate semicolon abuse, I'm afraid.
 

MelMel

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I like how they put "No Vampires!" in red and bold like right away that makes a book bad. How closed minded.
 

inkspatters

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Ms Key, I feel that the majority of posts on this thread has been about your lack of experience. Would you care to clarify your experience in the publishing industry for us? Or talk about any of your authors whose books you've sold?
 

Eirin

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I'll give you that I might have mis-spelled attention but that is one of the most commonly mis-spelled words in the English language. That would be one of the reasons that I employ a prof. editor. One that costs money out of MY pocket, not my authors.

While I certainly agree that a writer should never submit anything less than a polished manuscript, there's a teensy bit of difference between a ms and the webpage that is, for all practical purposes, your business-face to the world.


I challenge you or anyone else to send me a complete manuscript and not have a single mis-spelled word. Mostly when spell check is not available- especially as in this format.
Then perhaps you shouldn't throw stones. Glasshouse, and all that.


You seem to have taken to task to bash me.
"Taken to task" means reprimanded. Possibly the phrase you're looking for is "taken up the task". There's that thing about presentation again.


I think one of the things people don't seem to understand is that I get upwards of 20 submissions a day. You have not a clue as to the incompetence that I see. People who don't care enough to even research the proper format or even do a spell check on the manuscript- much less have it edited.
If you think the people here don't know from slush, you are very much mistaken.


Anyone, including you, who wants to question my ethics or my submission guidelines should refer to the 'conglomerate' guidelines. Or simply pick up Jeff Herman's book in which he clearly states numerous times that when you query an agency you should make sure your manuscript is properly formatted and professionally edited.
We're mostly questioning your credentials and experience.


The entire idea behind submission guidelines is this; If you do not care enough to follow the submission guidelines then you probably didn't care enough to properly configure your manuscript.
Very true. On the other hand, PublishAmerica will take anything, formatting be damned.


Although the novel industry is not as cut throat as the music industry; let me explain something the music industry does. When an A/R Rep. requests a Cd from an artist they require that the artist place about 10 different random things on the envelope. If the artist deviates from that or leaves out even ONE thing on the mailing envelope- it goes into the trash.
This is completely irrelevant.


I actually tried my own version of this technique for about a month. I put on my submission guidelines that authors had to put a random note in the subject line of their e-mail query. Out of the estimated 20 queries a week I get- over that period of time I only got 2 people who paid enough attention to put that random note in the subject line.
Again, how does this relate to your ability to sell your clients' manuscripts?


You can continue to bash my agency but you need to check your facts first. I'm not here to screw anyone. I'm here to help people. I know the evil's of the publishing industry and those who set out to cheat people. I've witnessed it first hand.
Checking our facts. Right. Tell us about the sales you've made to legitimate, advance-paying, commercial publishers. That way we can get our facts straight from the source.


But if I refuse to reply to someone who does not properly submit their query then I guess I'm evil. You and everyone else should review the 'submission guidelines' page on my site. You'll see that it states to keep your query to no more than 275 words. Yet; I get 19 out of 20 queries that go well over that. My contact page does not allow more than 275 word count. But, they drown on about their personal lives before getting to the heart of their novel. More times than not; I get a few sentences of their novel query.
How writers submit to you isn't of interest here. Whether or not you can sell their manuscripts is.


And then there are those who drone on and on about how if they don't get a book deal their life is going to come to an end. I'm a business woman. Period. I'm sorry if you feel like your life is going to be destroyed or you are threatening to end you life if I don't represent you book- you need professional help I can't give you.
My goodness, woman. One would think you've never seen slush before. That doesn't speak well of your experience.


So in closing, I can't stop what you seem to have taken up as a personal vendetta to bash me; but you should stop and consider all the facts before you do so. If you or anyone else is an editor from RH, S&S or such, then go right ahead, I guess you have earned the right. But so far, none of my contacts at any of the big publishing houses is complaining as to my business ethics.
There is no personal vendetta against you. Gormless agents and publishers are a dime a dozen. We're simply trying to find out if you have what it takes to competently represent authors.

What are your credentials?

Do you have experience in reading, understanding and negotiating publishing contracts?

What books have you placed?


Wishing you all the best,

KK
And to you as well.
 
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Saskatoonistan

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There is no personal vendetta against you. Gormless agents and publishers are a dime a dozen. We're simply trying to find out if you have what it takes to competently represent authors.


Fear the gorn Key Literary - FEAR HIM!! If you have legit sales to report then the gorn will happily bid you a pleasant day.

STArena.jpg


(Sorry Eirin - I just had to. The gorn takes issue with gormless agents and publishers. ;) )
 
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