Here's what I know about the Lennie Agency.
- Michael Lennie is an established and respected IP attorney. It's my impression that agenting was something of a sideline for him. When I first encountered this agency, around 2001, there were some sales credits but not many, and the agency's focus was on nonfiction, including textbook authors (a very specialized field). I also got some reports of upfront money requirements--variously, $250 on contract signing and $40 per month.
- For a while there were several agents at the agency. Sometime in 2004, Lilly Ghahremani and Stefanie Von Borstel left to form
Full Circle Literary. At that point, Alana Lennie, who was previously the office manager, seems to have taken over as an agent. It's my impression that Alana and Michael are currently the agency's only staff.
- I get questions from time to time about the agency. In contrast to the questions I was getting through 2004, it's always Alana who's mentioned as the agent, never Michael.
- Two writers who queried the agency within the past year and a half and got requests to submit have told me that their questions about track record were dodged. Lennie's old website mentioned some nonfiction sales credits, but there's no mention of sales on the
current website, or on the agency's
Publishers Marketplace page.
- Here's
a recent bio of Alana Lennie. No mention of sales here either.
Summary: some questions about upfront money, and no findable recent track record of sales.
- Victoria