Swagger Literary Agency (formerly Flaming Star Literary Enterprises) (Joseph Vallely)

sb2brown · Oct 27, 2011

Hi all. I've searched through BR&BC but I can't find another thread about this agent. If there is, I apologize. Janis Vallely is listed in the latest Guide to Lit Agents.

Her website is here:http://janisvallely.com/

P&E reports:

Janis Vallely: $ A literary agent with Flaming Star Literary Enterprises. 8/19/04: A writer reports this agent not interested in children's stories.

The link she gives to Flaming Star's website is broken. A quick Internet search turns up their listing on Author Advance and a Facebook page.

Her own website states

Because Janis maintains a full range of publishing services for existing clients, she is unable to review unsolicited manuscripts and book proposals. Potential clients may contact her by email query only.

Anyone have personal experience with her or more info? I guess if she only reviews solicited manuscripts then I'll pass on submitting, but info would still be nice in case anyone else is looking based on the latest GLA. Thanks.

CaoPaux · Oct 31, 2011

Her PM page: http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/flamingstarlit/

CaoPaux · Mar 28, 2015

Flaming Star (old site) is now Swagger Literary Agency, with Joseph Vallely only: http://www.swaggerliterary.com/

Janis (still at janisvallely.com) is now Janis Vallely Literary Agency.

alaktas · Aug 6, 2015

I'm interested in submitting a query to this agency, as they appear to accept work in the military genre. However, I have been able to find very, very little, if any, information about them.
I'm very skeptical about sending my query/manuscript to an agency or publisher that I was only able to find a modicum of information on.
Does anyone have any personal experience dealing with this agency that they can share here?
It would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Thedrellum · Aug 7, 2015

They're not on QueryTracker, which I would take as a bad sign--though what it really means is that there probably aren't a whole lot of people submitting to him.

The agency has one agent who started agenting in 1985, which might be why there's not a whole lot on-line about him. In the agency's list of published books, there are a number sold to the Big 5, so that's good. But also not much in the way of fiction.

CaoPaux · Feb 14, 2017

Swagger supposedly launched an ebook arm in '14 (Swagger Press), but there's no sign of the scheduled book(s).

CaoPaux · Sep 7, 2019

Mr. Vallely passed away Aug '18. (PW obit)

Swagger Literary Agency (formerly Flaming Star Literary Enterprises) (Joseph Vallely)

sb2brown

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

alaktas

Thedrellum

Grr. Argh.

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless