Falkin Literary (Mark Falkin)

Hey Feaky! (love your username, btw).

I'm in the same boat--have a full out with him since last Wednesday. I haven't found out much online, but there's an interview with him at www.sharonbayliss.blogspot.com (his tastes, what he's looking for, etc.).

Hope it helps, and best of luck!

From his blog:

I’ve written 3 novels (and a chapbook of poems); one, literary, is self-published and well-reviewed; another, an upmarket supernatural thriller, garnered a NYC agent; another, dystopian suspense, will hopefully be published in 2012. And then there’s What I’m Working On Now.

Call it an unfair bias, but an agent/writer who can't even get their own work published with a major house is... not someone I'd be beating down doors to snag.

These things take time, obviously, but by the looks of it he's an IP lawyer (which is good) and aspiring author (neutral) who decided to get into agenting on a whim, which makes me doubt his contacts with editors at major houses, knowledge of the marketplace, and ability to sell work - including his own.

RKLipman said:

Call it an unfair bias, but an agent/writer who can't even get their own work published with a major house is... not someone I'd be beating down doors to snag.

These things take time, obviously, but by the looks of it he's an IP lawyer (which is good) and aspiring author (neutral) who decided to get into agenting on a whim, which makes me doubt his contacts with editors at major houses, knowledge of the marketplace, and ability to sell work - including his own.

Click to expand...

Seconding this.
I would want to know which publishing houses he has strong connections into.

A clueless agent is worse than no agent

Well, he is an entertainment and IP lawyer, which can be a good background for an agent--but not necessarily if they've specialized in areas of entertainment and IP other than book publishing.

Might want to adopt a wait-and-see approach to this one. As well intentioned as an inexperienced new agent may be, you don't really want to be the guinea pig as he's trying to get his business up to speed.

- Victoria

Queried on 5/31
Request for full on 6/1

The main reason I sent him a query was because I enjoyed the wit and candor on his site. I realize that really isn't a reason to query an agent, but I go with my gut, and my gut said, "QUERY!"

Any of you who posted previously have any more experience to share?

Well, I didn't post previously, but here's a tidbit:

On Publisher's Marketplace, the only sale associated with his name happened in April of this year. However, it's his own book and it is to Bancroft Press, which looks to be a small press you can submit to without an agent.

While you should always feel excited about a full request, I'm seconding everyone else here in saying that it doesn't seem as though he's proven himself as an agent yet. If you get to the offer stage, then you can ask him what he plans to do with your novel (and all the other questions an author should ask a prospective agent).

Thanks for the info, Thedrellum!

Query Tracker lists 3 clients for Mr. Falkin:

Curt Finch - Goodreads page lists Mr. Finch has having 3 books - one published 2007 by Lulu, one published by Amazon for Kindle in 2010 (which may not belong to the same Curt Finch as the Lulu book. A question about that is raised on the book's Goodreads page) and one published in 2011 by Carrier Pigeon Press. I can only find one website for CPP here - http://www.perefound.org/cp.html I don't believe it's the correct publisher, but it's the only match I could find.

Susanne Greenberg - I couldn't find any books listed. I found a Suzanne Greenberg listed as co-author on a couple of books, but I don't know if it's the same person or not.

Ted Landon - The only book I was able to find by a Ted Landon was published by LIVINGArts, who I'm unable to find on the Internet.

All three could be debut authors with unsold books/books still in negotiation, of course.

I've learned enough on here to know the billions of questions I'd have to ask him should he offer representation. However, I'm not holding my breath.

Disappearing act

Very sorry to report that this agent, who made me an offer of representation via e-mail back in June, simply fell off the map when I wanted to set up an initial phone call to talk about contract, conditions, etc.

I'd have thought it was something I said or did, but all I did was ask for a couple of days to consider, then write back to say I was very happy to accept and would like to set up a phone call.

He seemed like a genuinely good guy (from an old online interview I read with him, and from his blog page), and I really liked what he had to say about my novel and the possible publication options - and then poof! a vanishing act. I thought maybe something dire had happened until I saw a commenter on QueryTracker say that Mark was requesting MSs again.

Very odd. Just thought people should know so they don't get their hopes up here. Maybe he's totally legit and something came up, but after several follow-up emails from me and not so much as 'leave me alone' response, I gave up.

I looked over his website/blogsite? and as I was reading the page one thought kept repeating in my head:

OH HELL NO!!!!!!

Needless to say, I won't be submitting anything to this, *ahem*, agent.

Boy, I got nervous reading all the above entries about this agent.

I was looking over his website.

Anyone have any more updates on him?