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[Agency] Ryan Communications (Jack Ryan)

governor_corleone

Anyone ever hear of an agent by the name of Jack Ryan? Head of an agency called Ryan Communications (out of Niantic, CT). He may be new but I can't find any information on him (via Google search).

Or anyone know of a comprehensive website (outside of P&E) that may list names?
 

CaoPaux

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Yet again, the only mention is on Writer’s Net.

http://www.writers.net/agents/44494

As far as I can tell, this is NOT the same guy as…:

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2001/11/12/newscolumn2.html?page=1

Get Published. Jack Ryan, an Atlanta literary agent, is creating a division of Ryan Communications Inc. to promote books written by top executives.

"A lot of executives have a book in them but don't know what to do with it," Ryan said.

The division, called Books At Work, is scheduled to be launched Nov. 15. The division will work with authors who write about the theory and practice of marketing, including branding, advertising, e-commerce, public relations, direct marketing and sales promotion, Ryan said.

His wife, Joan Aho Ryan, an author who has published three books, will head the new division.

Ryan said he plans to look for corporate executives who have written or are thinking about writing a book. His company will help the executives plan the book, develop the manuscript and find a publisher, he said.
Regardless, there doesn't seem to be any current info on either entity. Keep on truckin’.
 

HapiSofi

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I've heard of him submitting fiction to conventional publishers. I have no idea whether he's made any sales, though I have to think he'd mention them if he had.
 

T-bone

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He has represented Adrian Fogelin (Peachtree Publishers), who has written numerous books, and at least one other title, "A passion for Winning: Fifty Years of Promoting Legendary People and Products" by Aaron D. Cushman. If there are other sales, I don't know of them.
 

Popeyesays

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Gillhoughly said:
The only Jack Ryan I ever heard of was in those Tom Clancy books.

If he looks like Alec Baldwin, sign me UP!


(Couldn't resist--it's been a hard day and I needed this.) ;)

Well, I have a Y chromosome, so Alec Baldwin lacks the same degree of charm, but I actually thought Han Solo made a better Jack Ryan. Too bad he got too long in the tooth to keep doing the character.

When they tried to set back the clock on the story line to let Ben Afleck do the part, it was a dismal failure, from my point of view-heck, shoot the later books with Harrison Ford. Jack Ryan DOES get older in the books.

Regards,
Scott
 

Soccer Mom

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Yeah, I'm partial to Hans Solo as Jack Ryan. Sigh. Ben Affleck is cute, but he makes me feel like Mrs. Robinson when I ogle him.
 
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Ryan Communications

I had a very bad experience with this agency. At first, Jack Ryan was quite pleasant and helpful, but then he turned, like a viscious dog. He sent me a contract to represent me on all my fiction, but then, after he read my finished novel, he pulled out, denouncing both the characterization and plot that he had previously approved. His behavior was extraordinary. I would ask all writers to beware of this agency.
 
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CaoPaux

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Sorry to hear that. Is this the Ryan out of CT, right? Had he offered you representation without reading your whole book, or did he request changes and then reject them?
 
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Ryan Communications

Ryan Communications accepted my novel based on the first one hundred pages. When I sent in the final version, Jack Ryan attacked me, saying the main character was "abhorrent," and that he could not subit the manuscript to any publisher. He also said that some of the actions that the protagonist took showed him to be a "total loser." He had read all of these actions when he accepted the manuscript and gave me a contract. I have no idea why this happened. I am not a novice. I am the author of "The Pied Piper," a best-seller for Grove and am a member of PEN and the Authors Guild. My old fiction agent retired and I was looking for a new one and decided to take a shot at Ryan Communications. Big mistake. BEWARE!
 

Arthur_O_Books

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Ryan Communications

Performed a search on these folks and the last comments are a year old. Anyone have any updated information? The only place I found anything was on WritersNet.

They have responded positively to my query letter and requested the first 50.
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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Just a note, starting new threads for a publisher or agent who already has one isn't encouraged. Even if the thread is old.

That being said, still not a whole lot out there. If they've made any sales recently, I can't seem to dig them up anywhere. Someone else might have better luck.
 

Arthur_O_Books

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Thank you for the heads up. I don't know why it didn't dawn on me to just add to the old thread.
 

triceretops

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(This letter from RC)

"Dear Chris:

So, where's Chet? (He's asking about a character that disapeared in the pages, to later reappear). I'm intrigued, after having read about 79 pages of your manuscript. Diane, BiBi, the massage therapist, the suit, the characters are vivid, the story moves at a good pace and the writing is highly skillful.

That said, I'm not going to read any more of this ms. on the screen. It's damn inconvenient and uncomfortable. And, I'm not going to use my printer to print out over 300 pages. As you know, our policy, and that of most agents I know, is to ask for hard copy for both reading and marking up.

If you'd like us to proceed, we're willing to e- mail the manuscript to our local Staples, as an attachment. They will print it out, we'll pick up the hard copy, and it will cost you $32.00. It's, again, an accommodation, but given your current circumstances, we're willing to do it.

We're also willing to do this because the work seems to have real potential. We've already identified a few people we think would be responsive. BUT -- and this is important -- I would like you to tell me who is reading it now or who, in the past, has seen it and passed. It would seem, given your writing credentials, and the quality of this work, that there's a history here.

So, until we hear back from you, "Diane Nine" will remain in the desktop file here"

I'm really not to worried about his offer to make a copy on his end, since this would save me about 12 bucks on a hardcopy send. This was a special circumstance deal that we talked about. Then again, he could actually accept and cash my check and still use his printer to print it out, without telling me. But I think he's on the up-and-up with this arrangement. Eh, I think.

What makes me a tad suspicious are his glowing comments on the first 79 pages, with a declaration that he knew a few sources that might bite on it. I would think he would want to get through the whole manuscript before making such claims. Kind of goes with that comment upstream that mentioned excitement over 100 pages.

On the one hand this letter is positive and certainly complimentary. It made me feel good. On the other hand, something is a tad off. BTW, this book is doing extremely well, with eight fulls and ten partials out, so I had to admit that, along with to whom they went. The other agents who've read partials and half the manuscript, do mirror his comments, so I know he's not blowing smoke up my keester.

I wish there was more on J*A*C*K out there. I'd love to know sales. He is right about one thing--many, many agents require hardcopy up front. My last agent did. I just balked and tried to get around it. I was going broke sending out hardcopy fulls and partials, only for them to end up in the dumpster. He did ask me to send the full via email (after my request), saying it was okay. Then he changed his mind, as witnessed by his frustration reading it on screen, with this third letter to me.

I've gotten over 760 rejections on 15 books in the last 23 years. But I haven't got one quite like this one.

What say the AW masses on this one? Is this a feel-good letter, or is something a bit wonky here.

Tri
 

Phantom Writer

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Wow Tri. I've never seen anything like this except the rejection/acceptance letter I got from Charolette Gusay agency in Los Angeles. Just my .02 but is it really $32 to print out 300 pages at staples???
 

triceretops

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Yeah, the book is 325 pages--kind of a small one. Heck, I don't know how much it costs (exactly), but I think it's close. Is it 5 cents a page now? I haven't used an outside printer for anything--ever, so I don't know. I've always done it myself on my LexMark, which put me in the poor house because of the cartridge cost. But I've heard that doing Staples or Kinkos can get you way up there in expense.

Tri
 

Phantom Writer

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Tri- just realized your in Hemet... I'm in Phelan. ;) Write in your "back yard". I haven't done any outside printing either. If he is so interested could you print it and mail it to him? Wouldn't that be... cheaper? ;)
 

Red-Green

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I can't see any real agent trying to bring a few extra bucks by making you pay for something he could print himself, but then honestly: I can't see any real agent making you pay for him to print the MS. I dunno...I've sent out a ton of queries in the last year (about 150). Only a handful of those insisted on seeing a hard copy of the MS when they requested pages. Most, including the agent who offered, were willing to take electronic files, whether they read on screen or printed on their own dime, I don't know.

My big question remains the same as earlier posters--does this guy have any sales?

ETA: Tri--if you feel like he's on the up and up, and that he's a good shot, I'll make you an offer. I'll steal some of the state's office supplies and print you up a copy. I know you're in awkward times, so I'll pay to ship it to him, since it won't cost me a dime to print. PM me if that appeals.
 

triceretops

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Actually, it would cost me more. Even if I went 4th Class Special Book rate, which writers are allowed to do. My printer is what sucks at mass producing pages. Besides that, the printer was sold at a garage sale a few days ago anyway. I think what I should have done was buy my cartridges online (in the first place) at those really low discounts--if, in fact, those products were any good to begin with.

Tri
 

Chuck Jones

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I was thinking the same thing. I would shrug off the 32 bucks, but the offer sounds a little off to me. I can't imagine any agent saying "Wow, I really like the sound of this but I'm not going to take it on unless I have it on paper." Now, the other questions about others who have seen it ,that I can understand.

Incidentally, we are one big inbred SoCal clan here. I'm also in Hemet, CA.
 

Phantom Writer

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Back to the drawing board then. I'm not sure that I'd be willing to pay for them to print out my work just for them to read and consider it. I second what Red said above...
 

Phantom Writer

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Hey Chuck- welcome and **woot woot** for So Cal. :))
 

triceretops

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I can't see any real agent trying to bring a few extra bucks by making you pay for something he could print himself, but then honestly: I can't see any real agent making you pay for him to print the MS. I dunno...I've sent out a ton of queries in the last year (about 150). Only a handful of those insisted on seeing a hard copy of the MS when they requested pages. Most, including the agent who offered, were willing to take electronic files, whether they read on screen or printed on their own dime, I don't know.

My big question remains the same as earlier posters--does this guy have any sales?

ETA: Tri--if you feel like he's on the up and up, and that he's a good shot, I'll make you an offer. I'll steal some of the state's office supplies and print you up a copy. I know you're in awkward times, so I'll pay to ship it to him, since it won't cost me a dime to print. PM me if that appeals.

Yeah, I hear you, Red. I've made over 380 agents subs in the past 28 days--all personalized. Nine agents asked for hardcopies, after I snuck in there with an email query, or it was by accident . Out of that, only two refused my email plea. One actually cussed me out. Now, big agencies can and do print out at their office if they think they really have something they want--heck, it happens all the time. But I can tell you right off, I ran into 95 additional agents that also took only hardcopy--I just left them off my list. There are many agents that even require hardmail queries and flatly refuse any type of electronic submission.

BTW, Red, I did PM you. Youze a peach.

Yes, there are a lot of Southern CA people here. Many from Diego. And from LA, where I was born and raised. But man, I didn't think for one minute there was another Hemet person here!

Tri