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The Booker Albert Agency

Mossy9

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any new updates on Booker Albert literary agency?
 

Roxxsmom

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Only two sales total on Publishers Marketplace so far, both with Maria Corvisiero, so I assume it was before they split.

May be they're not reporting sales. Is there another way to find out if they're selling books to big 5/SFWA-approved markets?
 
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writerworking

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Steve Mancino requested a partial last November and I have heard nothing since.
 

Christine N.

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so nudge him. Steve is cool. Unless it says he's only responding to queries he's interested in. Jordy is currently only replying if she's interested.

Jordy sold my book to a great publisher -- and then the imprint closed. Then she re-sold it to Curiosity Quills.
 

Roxxsmom

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He seems to have fallen off the map. I was considering querying him, but as per QT, he hasn't responded to a query (one way or the other) since November. According to Twitter, he was closed to queries from 12/15-2/1, but he hasn't posted anything there since Jan 30 either.

He's still on the agency site and it doesn't say he's closed, so I dunno. Maybe he's just really busy with other things, but he's open just in case the next George RR Martin queries him or something. Seems like that's the case with a lot of agents I've queried or have been researching :(
 
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Undercover

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Some of their books are from Crushing Hearts Black Butterfly. I had an offer from them and the contract was horrible. I'm concerned that this agency is sending there. Some are great sales, others you can submit to directly on your own. You wouldn't even need an agent.
 

Christine N.

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I don't know that they are doing that anymore. And a good agent will ask you if there is anywhere you DON'T want to send your work. When we were first sending out my book, Jordy sent me a spreadsheet with the names of every editor, their publishing house, AND their email address that she wanted to send it to, and I had to approve it. She also sent a copy of the pitch she was sending for approval.

When Strange Chemistry closed, we discussed the best action. CQP had made a previous offer so we sent it back there. But there was a game plan in place in case they didn't make an offer.

Just FYI and my experience with the agency. Steve comes from JABberwocky and was previously Jim Hines' agent. So there IS experience there, and I know his plan is to build the agency, even if it takes time. FWIW.

I think I remember some of their sales being with CHBB early on, but I am not sure if they are still sending there. As I said, as the client you have the right to veto any suggestion.
 

writerworking

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Nudged in April. No response. I really am curious if he's still agenting. He has had a partial since November 2014.
 
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Channy

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Any update on this agency? I got a favourite from a twitter pitch from Jordy and was checking out their website from my phone. Compared to what others have said previously in the thread to now, doesn't seem they've grown much. With exception to Christine's book, which looks like their biggest sale/most impressive cover.
 

Silverrosess

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Congrats Christine! But as far as me querying them... Nope. They've sold books to Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly, which is a massive bad idea. CHBB has screwed me over, plus others, as I read on their thread here. They released my book totally unedited a few years back, and outright bullied me out of the company. I steer clear from anyone who's connected to that publisher.
 

Filigree

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I was considering querying Jordy on a fantasy, then I noticed they'd not only sold to CHBB, but to Limitless. Er, that has me worried enough to do some more research. Has anyone at this agency made a lucrative deal with a print-first publisher?
 

Pisco Sour

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I signed with Jordy in August 2016 and so far my experience has been very positive, as well.

Can you elaborate a little on what you mean by 'very positive'? Only if you're comfortable, of course. I've had several likes from this agency during the last two Twitter pitch contests, but I'm on the fence about sending them my query. Thanks!
 

SaraC

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I got a like from one of their newer agents, but this thread is making me think submitting might be a bad idea. Does anyone know if they have had any better sales? I have a book out with a small press, and half the point of getting an agent is for the chance to get into publishers I couldn't submit to on my own.
 

MarlynnOfMany

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Any updates in the last... *checks watch* ...four years? They've been at this long enough to have found their footing, but does anyone have insights as to whether they did? Steve doesn't seem to be part of things anymore, since he's not listed on their site. AgentQuery says he's retired.

Helen Lane, their newest agent (less than a month since she graduated from intern status) liked my Twitter pitch. What are my odds?
 

averyames

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Any updates in the last... *checks watch* ...four years? They've been at this long enough to have found their footing, but does anyone have insights as to whether they did? Steve doesn't seem to be part of things anymore, since he's not listed on their site. AgentQuery says he's retired.

Helen Lane, their newest agent (less than a month since she graduated from intern status) liked my Twitter pitch. What are my odds?
Doing some Publishers Marketplace snooping, they've only sold 1-2 books per year (as a whole agency) every year since 2016 onward. Genres are mostly kidlit and romance. So they are making sales, but pretty few, mostly from agents Booker or Albert themselves.

I know not all deals are posted on PM so there might be some that aren't listed, but it seems it might be a small list of sales.
 

LONobi

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According to Querytracker two of the agents the agency added to their ranks quickly left. They recently added a new agent and in a very short time she’s signed over 5 clients and is still taking on more— which would be great for the clients if there was any guarantee that a green agent at a really small agency will sell their books or has grown the necessary connections.
 

aceafer

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Any new info on this agency? I know they just added a new junior agent who my friend is interested in querying but last I heard about this agency, they weren't making many sales. Interested in whether that's changed over the last year, especially as some of the agents seem to have a LOT of clients.