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[Agency] Great Titles, Inc. (Tina Tsallas)

Writing Jedi

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Hi! Does anyone have any experience with this agent, good or bad? I have not had much luck finding solid information about her.

Any experiences or info would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry in advance if she is already mentioned somewhere, but unless I am doing the search feature wrong she doesn't seem to be.

Thank you.
 

Writing Jedi

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Hi, I read about her on a romance author's (I even forget the author) list of agents that are, I think, "approved" by Romance Writer's of America. There was quite a few and most of them I can find at least websites for, but not this one. I would like to get real feedback and I can't seem to find any information?!

The only thing I found was a client that said she wanted to fire this agent because she was pretty ineffectual, but then, that was some chat conversation from 2002 or something and I haven't been able to find out anything else!

So, I'm interested (because of the RWA endorsement) but leery (because of the dissatisfied client) and I don't want to write her off for no reason and I also don't want to chase after an agent who could be a dud.

:(
 

Aconite

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Writing Jedi said:
Hi, I read about her on a romance author's (I even forget the author) list of agents that are, I think, "approved" by Romance Writer's of America.
Any idea what it takes to be "approved" as an agent by RWA, according to that website? That may have some bearing on your decision. There's a big difference, for example, between submitting your name as an agent who handles romances, and having verified sales to royalty-paying publishers.
 

victoriastrauss

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I have some old reports on Tina Tsallas (dating back to 1999) that mention an upfront marketing fee. More recently, I've heard from an author whose representation offer was rescinded when the author asked for Ms. Tsallas's recent record of book sales, and also from an author who felt she wasn't given effective representation.

I can find only a couple of sales for the agency, both to a small Canadian publisher that accepts submissions direct from authors.

- Victoria
 

nicolesingslave

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Adding links & quotes:

"Guest speaker Tina Tsallas has been in the publishing business for 30 years. Among literary agents, she's a rare breed."
http://quick-brown-fox-workshops.blogspot.com/2009/05/get-published-sept-12-ingersoll.html

From P&E:
"12/4/03: "Great Titles does not charge upfront administrative fees or a marketing fee." - Tina Tsallas."
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/pealg.htm

The dynamic duo? (Brian Henry, book editor & literary agent Tina Tsallas)
http://www.oakvillebeaver.com/arts_and_entertainment/article/249816


"Tina Tsallas of Great Titles Inc out of Toronto, ex Harlequin employee of 20 years."
http://writerspace.com/chat/chat041802ww.html


Contact details:
http://www.karenafox.com/agentlist.htm
http://www.romantictimes.com/resources_research.php?article=168
 
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victoriastrauss

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"Tina Tsallas of Great Titles Inc out of Toronto, ex Harlequin employee of 20 years."
http://writerspace.com/chat/chat041802ww.html

It's worth reproducing the entire context of this quote:

[FONT=helvetica,arial]Darlin' - I fired my agent, two editors have had my book for a year, can I approach another agent to bug the editors[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]StellaC - Yes, Shey--if everyone who doesn't have an agent just gave up--there's be very little new stuff going to the houses.[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]Darlin' - because Dorchester said end of Jan they need another month and now it's mid-April[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]StellaC - May I ask who the agent was?[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]Darlin' - Tina Tsallas of Great Titles Inc out of Toronto, ex Harlequin employee of 20 years[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]StellaC - I'm trying to establish was his/her relationship might have been to houses.[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]Darlin' - Cindy Hwang at Berkley didn't asnwer her calls and Tina said Chris at Dorchester is veyr slow[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]shey - thanks Stella I'll remember that because I'm not agent hunting yet[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]StellaC - Hmm--Tina is a nice woman. Any particular reason forfiring her?[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]Darlin' - We hit it off great, but things deteriorated[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]StellaC - I understand. If you have another agent on the hook, ask her to follow up. If not, follow up yourself. Don't forget to commisserate over how busy everyone is and how well you understand this.[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]Darlin' - I did a lot of soul searching and discussed this with Judith Duncan who's been my mentor for years.[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]StellaC - Judith is a smarth and kind cookie.[/FONT]
[FONT=helvetica,arial]Darlin' - she never liked the original contract, she charged me fees, just a lot of stuff[/FONT]
This might help explain why there's still no sign of recent sales for Ms. Tsallas.

- Victoria
 

Alexandra Benedict

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Hi there,

I've been with Tina Tsallas of Great Titles Inc. since 2005, and she's a fabulous agent! I received a publishing contract with Avon/HarperCollins within eight weeks of signing with Ms. Tsallas. She has a sharp eye for contract clauses, is an aggressive negotiator, and is prompt with her responses to my questions. I can recommend her representation to anyone who writes romance or women’s fiction.

In general, if you’re wary about signing with a prospective agent, ask for references (which currently published authors does the agent represent?). Contact the authors and ask if they are happy with the agent’s representation. It will, hopefully, help you make a well informed decision.

Best wishes,
Alexandra Benedict
 

waylander

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Are you aware of any sales she has made in the last year?
 

CaoPaux

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From a more recent workshop bio: http://quick-brown-fox-canada.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-get-published-saturday-november.html

Guest speaker Tina Tsallas of Great Titles Inc. handles a variety of nonfiction and commercial fiction. Her clients include mystery writer Brent Pilkey author of Lethal Rage, historical romance author Alexandra Benedick who most recently published The Notorious Scoundrel, and chick lit author Jackie Pilossoph who most recently published Hook, Line and Sink Him.
Mr. Pilkey was to ECW Press and Ms. Benedict to Avon, but Ms. Pilossoph was to Blackhawk.
 

CaoPaux

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Not finding any activity after '13-ish. Anyone have recent contact?