Ricia Mainhardt Agency

dragonjax · Aug 15, 2006

rugcat said:
Whatever the reason, she is clearly not soliciting new submissions nor corresponding with aspiring writers, so it would seem a waste of time submitting to her.

Actually, she did just take on a new client a few weeks ago (I read this on another forum), and that author's website indicates that Ricia is her new agent. Ricia's website still isn't updated, though. ((shrug))

Inky · Aug 16, 2006

inquiring minds wanna know...

Do you happen to have/know that author's website? Perhaps Ms. Ricia, if still not up to par, is only taking on clients that come highly recommended from agent friends with too full a list. My uncle (non-fiction author--yuck) said this is quite common. Too many projects at one time, an agent will recommend another that is close friend/fellow associate. Now, remember, this is coming from an author of non-fiction. It may be a totally different ball game for fiction writers. In THAT genre, agents may be more prone to keep clients to themselves. Seagulls from Nemo come to mind: mine. Mine-mine. Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine.... :e2stooges

James D. Macdonald · Aug 16, 2006

I too have recently heard that Ricia was severely injured in an automobile accident, and has had a long course of physical therapy. Reliable sources.

dragonjax · Aug 16, 2006

Inked, as far as I know, the author just queried her. Here's the author's blog, which has more information.

Inky · Aug 16, 2006

Sweeeet. Thanks Dragon. I'll blog surf, dig up a lil' sand and let everyone here know if I unearth anything....

dragonjax · Aug 16, 2006

Yer welcome, Inked!

Inky · Aug 18, 2006

A blogging we will go...

:flag:

NOW I remember why I hate blogs. You very gently click into 'em, read one or two and WHAM! You're sucked into a vortex that takes red shoes, clicking heels, a broom stick, and lots of screaming to find your way back.
Or you can just hit the off switch to your computer and screw the boot-up nightmare consequence of not shutting down all windows beforehand. Sometimes...I prefer the final destination way. Instant results.

Didn't find anything on that blog...except agent worshipping. As for mention of the agent herself, it's simply a click that leads to Ms. Ricia's website--which as stated in earlier threads, has not changed in years.

Think next time I go into one of those things, I'm gonna have ta' tie a rope around myself....and bring tequilla!

K

Bayou Bill · Aug 20, 2006

Several months ago, I got a call from Ricia saying she was interested in representing my mainstream, romantic novel, We Danced To Ray Charles. I agreed. We spent a long time talking about the book, publishing, and our pasts.

When I didn't hear from her for several weeks, I called using the cell phone number she'd given me. Turns out she'd just gotten out of the hospital that morning. We had another long discussion, primarily about possible changes to my book in light of the sequel I'm working on.

I haven't heard from her since, nor have I gotten a contract. I'll try to get in touch with her this week and will pass along any news.

Bayou Bill

WestofMars · Oct 15, 2006

I met Ricia at a conference ... whew. Probably ten years or more now. She was very no-nonsense and tough.

Sad to hear she's not doing well. I hope she recovers quickly and well, and returns to successful agenting.

AC Crispin · Oct 16, 2006

A Word of Caution

Even before Ricia Mainhardt was injured, I kept hearing of problems with her representation of clients. These included extremely late payments of monies owed for advances and royalties.

I know one client that dumped her because she had a terrible time getting money due her out of Ricia. And the buzz was that this was NOT an isolated case.

Take everything I have to say with a grain of salt, because, except for this one author, whom I know well, the rest is hearsay. But I'd proceed with caution.

-Ann C. Crispin

waylander · Feb 4, 2008

Her website has been updated and says 'she's back'
On another board a writer reports querying her recently and getting a fast request for more pages

BarbJ · Feb 4, 2008

AC Crispin said:
I know one client that dumped her because she had a terrible time getting money due her out of Ricia. And the buzz was that this was NOT an isolated case.

Take everything I have to say with a grain of salt, because, except for this one author, whom I know well, the rest is hearsay. But I'd proceed with caution.

-Ann C. Crispin

Ann: Any update?

Hopcus · Feb 6, 2008

I sent Ricia a full and haven't heard back yet---anyone have more recent dealings with her?

Hermshark · Feb 17, 2008

query response

Hey guys,
For what it's worth, I queried her and received a request for sample pages within the week, PLUS a phone call on my answering machine asking me to call her back. I had promised my manuscript as an exclusive to another agent, so I politely told her that if the other agent wasn't interested I'd get back to her.

Hopcus, any response to that full? How long has she had it?

Later,
Seth

victoriastrauss · Feb 17, 2008

I just paid a visit to Ricia Mainhardt's website. I have to say that I find it a bit deceptive, in that it lists as clients Jim Butcher, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Michael Stackpole, who got their start with Ricia but some time ago moved on to other agents.

- Victoria

Hopcus · Feb 19, 2008

Response on the full

No response as of yet but it's only been about five weeks, which is not that long in agent time.

Moon Daughter · Feb 19, 2008

victoriastrauss said:
I just paid a visit to Ricia Mainhardt's website. I have to say that I find it a bit deceptive, in that it lists as clients Jim Butcher, Laurell K. Hamilton, and Michael Stackpole, who got their start with Ricia but some time ago moved on to other agents.

- Victoria

I'm fairly positive that Jim Butcher is a client of an agent at Donald Maass Agency now. Sounds like a red flag to me.

victoriastrauss · Feb 19, 2008

Moon Daughter said:
I'm fairly positive that Jim Butcher is a client of an agent at Donald Maass Agency now.

Yup--Jennifer Jackson. Laurell K. Hamilton is with Merilee Heifetz of Writer's House. And Michael Stackpole is with Howard Morhaim.

- Victoria

LianeW · Feb 19, 2008

The email address for queries ([email protected]) doesn't work. A commenter at QueryTracker got a "message undeliverable" error back in January, and I tried it myself this evening with the same result.

Just as an FYI that hopefully saves a few people a few minutes.

BADimich · Mar 30, 2008

Ricia Mainhardt

FYI, the e-mail on her website does work.

I know because I queried her last June 2007, received a request for a sample in one day, then received a request for the entire ms three days later. I sent off the ms immediately and to date still have not heard back from her.

tbrosz · Apr 7, 2008

I have a reprint of Butcher's first "Harry Dresden" novel. The acknowledgments include this:

"More thanks are due to Ricia Mainhardt and to A. J. Janschewitz, great agents and good people..."

While Butcher is with Donald Maass now, it doesn't necessarily mean his experience with Mainhardt was a bad one when he was a new writer. He details his first sale to her here:

http://www.jim-butcher.com/jim/

I do agree that the website should make clear when someone is a former client.

sarbonn · Nov 24, 2008

I'm not usually one to say anything negative, but I had a bad experience with this agent. She was my agent nearly a decade ago, and then she just stopped communicating with me. I never could find out why. So I moved on. Then she'd pop back up in the listings again, and I would try to contact her, phoning, letters and email, but she'd never return a communication.

I recently saw she popped up again, and again, I tried to get in contact with her, mainly because now I'm more curious as to what happened rather than wanting representation. Nothing. She's a very hard person to get a hold of, and I really wish it wasn't that way because she seemed like such a nice person when I got in touch with her the first time because of a recommendation from Ralph Vicinanza when I tried to get representation from him those years ago.

Rowan · Jul 17, 2009

sarbonn said:
I'm not usually one to say anything negative, but I had a bad experience with this agent. She was my agent nearly a decade ago, and then she just stopped communicating with me. I never could find out why. So I moved on. Then she'd pop back up in the listings again, and I would try to contact her, phoning, letters and email, but she'd never return a communication.

I recently saw she popped up again, and again, I tried to get in contact with her, mainly because now I'm more curious as to what happened rather than wanting representation. Nothing. She's a very hard person to get a hold of, and I really wish it wasn't that way because she seemed like such a nice person when I got in touch with her the first time because of a recommendation from Ralph Vicinanza when I tried to get representation from him those years ago.

I just found this thread.... :tongue

I queried Ms. Mainhardt in August 2008. She called me within an hour of receiving the query and asked for a partial (3 chapters). The next day she called and requested the full MS via e-mail (she said she was very excited about the book and loved the MC, etc. etc. etc.). I sent it out immediately and then nothing. Not a single word from her. I sent a very polite follow-up e-mail in November 2008 and never heard back from her. I know she was in a car accident and was off the radar prior to August 2008 when I queried her but I'm not sure what happened since. Has anyone heard anything about this agent???????

Angelchamomile · Jul 22, 2009

Her website says something about a lot of submissions being lost in a fire and you should resubmit if you haven't heard anything about your materials being received.

Rowan · Jul 22, 2009

Angelchamomile said:
Her website says something about a lot of submissions being lost in a fire and you should resubmit if you haven't heard anything about your materials being received.

Yeah, I submitted after that fire business... Hard to tell what is going on there... :Headbang:

Ricia Mainhardt Agency

dragonjax

I write stuff and break boards.

Inky

Eat, Sleep, Write...

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

dragonjax

I write stuff and break boards.

Inky

Eat, Sleep, Write...

dragonjax

I write stuff and break boards.

Inky

Eat, Sleep, Write...

Bayou Bill

AW Ne'er-Do-Well

WestofMars

ShapeShifter

AC Crispin

waylander

Who's going for a beer?

BarbJ

Hopcus

Hermshark

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

Hopcus

Moon Daughter

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

LianeW

BADimich

tbrosz

Got the hang of it, here

sarbonn

Rowan

Angelchamomile

I love AW!!!!

Rowan