BookStop Literary Agency

auntybug · Jun 19, 2007

Anyone have any feedback on them? P & E has a not recommended but then says only accepts childrens books. I'm wondering if that is the warning or if there were other problems - it is a chilrens book I want to submit. My query's don't seem to be doing the trick - I was hopeful since their submissions want to whole MS. Everyone I have had read my book loves it & can't put it down - I think that would be the key. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

James D. Macdonald · Jun 19, 2007

You could write to Dave directly and ask him what exactly the problem is with them.

Meanwhile you might hook up with SCBWI.

auntybug · Jun 19, 2007

Thanks! I haven't gone to that site yet. I did e-mail P & E - just haven't heard back yet. I wasn't sure they'd reply. Thank again!

James D. Macdonald · Jun 19, 2007

I'm looking at Bookstop's page of their books: http://www.bookstopliterary.com/author.html

Here's where they were published (per Amazon):

Sally Alexander Taking Hold: My Journey Into Blindness Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Katherine Ayres North by Night: A Story of the Underground Railroad Yearling

Marsha Chall Up North at the Cabin HarperCollins

Madeline Dunphy Here is the Wetland Hyperion

And so on.

seaaircarol · Jun 19, 2007

I submitted to them a couple of years ago and received a pleasant rejection letter. I don't know why P&E doesn't recommend them, though.

herdon · Jun 19, 2007

auntybug said:
Anyone have any feedback on them? P & E has a not recommended but then says only accepts childrens books. I'm wondering if that is the warning or if there were other problems

They wouldn't be "not recommended" just for only accepting children's books. Most imprints have a specific genre.

Let us know how it turns out.

auntybug · Jun 20, 2007

Here's what I got:

We don't recommend that agency because they have recommended book doctors to writers who didn't ask for such when they submitted work to that agency.
--
Cordially,
Dave Kuzminski, Editor
Preditors & Editors

Thanks everyone!

seaaircarol · Jun 20, 2007

Hmm...that's somewhat true, now that I think about it. They *did* list some editors in my rejection letter. I didn't think too much about it at the time. It's not as if they said we'll look at the manuscript again if you have it worked on by one of the recommended editors.

herdon · Jun 20, 2007

I think its a better sign that they recomended a list of editors as opposed to a single editor. It's when they recommend a specific editor that the idea of kickback and scam comes to mind.

Do you remember what editors they recommended?

I'd say submit to them and see what happens. If you have further questions you can always post here and get some more thoughts on it -- but it sounds like they are legit by the looks of the books James listed.

auntybug · Jun 20, 2007

I haven't submitted yet so I don't have a list of editors they recommended. Thats just what I got back from my e-mail to P & E. I was bummed to see they were not recommended since I was impressed with the list of books on their site. I have only found one other agent that will take a partial MS (50 pages) so I may go that route 1st .... I am having a friend that is a college english teacher edit so I would be wary if someone says I need to have it edited. I will understand some re-writes or omissions etc..... Thanks for everyones help. I am as new as they come to this. I will be 'lurking' here a lot - it's an awesome forum!

seaaircarol · Jun 20, 2007

I thought I might still have the rejection letter, but I can't find it. I don't remember the specific editors. But I'm certain there was more than one.

herdon · Jun 20, 2007

auntybug said:
I am having a friend that is a college english teacher edit so I would be wary if someone says I need to have it edited. I will understand some re-writes or omissions etc..... Thanks for everyones help. I am as new as they come to this. I will be 'lurking' here a lot - it's an awesome forum!

If you are having someone edit it you shouldn't be sending it to agents. Wait until it is edited.

chibeth · Jun 20, 2007

This is one time when I disagree with P&E: Kendra Marcus is a good agent and represents some extremely successful children's authors.

auntybug · Jun 20, 2007

I am waiting till its done being edited

. It'll be done this week so I was doing the homework of where to send it off once it's ready. I found Bookstop so I thought I'd check here 1st. You guys really know your stuff.

seaaircarol · Jun 20, 2007

I thought I would mention one more thing, which may tie into P&E's "not recommended" rating.

They never actually said in the letter that they were rejecting me! There was nothing along the lines of "the manuscript doesn't fit our needs at this time." I know there was a comment by the reader saying she remembered visiting the place which inspired my setting. And I think she said nice things about the manuscript, but maybe I am just imagining that! Then at the end was this list of editors. I'm sure they didn't offer to reread if I had the manuscript edited, but do you think this was a backhand way of saying that? Not actually rejecting me, but suggesting these editors?

Sorry I can't be more certain of what the letter said. I wish I still had it.

DaveKuzminski · Jun 20, 2007

chibeth said:
This is one time when I disagree with P&E: Kendra Marcus is a good agent and represents some extremely successful children's authors.

P&E isn't stating that the agent isn't any good. What we're stating is P&E won't recommend any agent whose operations lists editors and book doctors in their responses to writers who didn't ask for such information.

herdon · Jun 20, 2007

seaaircarol said:
I thought I would mention one more thing, which may tie into P&E's "not recommended" rating.

They never actually said in the letter that they were rejecting me! There was nothing along the lines of "the manuscript doesn't fit our needs at this time." I know there was a comment by the reader saying she remembered visiting the place which inspired my setting. And I think she said nice things about the manuscript, but maybe I am just imagining that! Then at the end was this list of editors. I'm sure they didn't offer to reread if I had the manuscript edited, but do you think this was a backhand way of saying that? Not actually rejecting me, but suggesting these editors?

Sorry I can't be more certain of what the letter said. I wish I still had it.

"the manuscript doesn't fit our needs at this time" is a very standard rejection.

herdon · Jun 20, 2007

I think what might be relevent is that just because an agent might be 'not recommended' by P&E doesn't mean they aren't a good agent. I give my thumbs up to putting that on any agent that recommends an editor or has a list of editors they recommend, but I don't think that every agent that has a list of editors they recommend is a bad agent. It's a warning sign, but if they are recommending reputable editors not affiliated with them then there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

It comes down to a judgement call. In this case, I don't really see anything that would put me off the agency.

seaaircarol · Jun 20, 2007

Havlen said:
"the manuscript doesn't fit our needs at this time" is a very standard rejection.

Right. What I'm saying is that the letter said nothing like this. The letter never actually said they were rejecting me.

herdon · Jun 20, 2007

seaaircarol said:
Right. What I'm saying is that the letter said nothing like this. The letter never actually said they were rejecting me.

Sorry, must have misread that one. Thought you were quoting the letter there

That's what I get for skimming.

seaaircarol · Jun 20, 2007

That's OK.

I do the same thing.

xiaotien · Feb 24, 2008

i'd query except the full ms request is a bit
extreme. at least let us send a one page to see
if you'd even be remotely interested?

Turtle's_Daddy · Oct 6, 2009

P&E no longer says "Not recommended."

auntybug · Oct 6, 2009

Holy crap! This was like my 4th post! I still haven't submitted that book! :roll:

It is now a series of 8 - & I'm working on 9

WonderBoy82 · Nov 18, 2009

I had a phone conference with Kendra and Minju today offering me representation on my book. Both of them seemed very professional, knowledgeable, and kind. I haven't been able to find anything about them that would suggest they are anything but legit. I think I'm gonna sign with them!

BookStop Literary Agency

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