The Krista Goering Literary Agency LLC

hmm, thanks guys.
i got a request for my synopsis recently, but now will not send it...

She took her client list off her Pub Marketplace page, which is good, because people were getting it confused with books sold and, from what I can tell, she has not sold any yet.

mf3201d said:

... but now I'm really quite concerned that I've been duped, and feel even dumber for not having done better due diligence on her earlier in the process.

Click to expand...

mf3201d - Don't feel dumb. I did not even know the beware resources existed until about three weeks ago. . . and I spent a whole lotta money being duped worse than you.

It sounds like this lady is just enthusiastic but inexperienced.

Good luck.

It looks to me that she has removed all references to past sales/clients from her website.

I sent her an author's inquiry, she requested the Proposal, I sent the Proposal, she asked me questions about why I don't already have an agent, I told her that an agent who was interested balked when I requested that the contract say that the publisher would pay him and me with two separate checks (85% to me and 15% to the agent) instead of paying 100% to the agent who would then pay me. Goering now balked as well, and asked why I preferred to be paid directly by a publisher, instead of indirectly through the agent. I told her that a friend had been stiffed when that person's agent went bankrupt, and that I saw no reason why my future financial security should depend upon not only the publisher (typically a large and stable company) but also upon the agent (which is typically neither), thus making me subject to the financial stability of an unnecessarily large number of entities (namely two), including of one entity (Goering herself) who is just a one-person operation. She responded acknowledging that what I said was true, and she also acknowledged that no sane author would prefer such an arrangement. That was her last communication to me. Evidently, she wants that 100%, and she won't even consider doing business with a sane author.

Cettel's post stimulated a conversation about the pros and cons of splitting agent and author income. This has been moved to the Ask the Agent forum, since it's general discussion not specifically involving the Krista Goering Literary Agency.

- Victoria

Victoria Strauss just now removed a string of comments which would be very informative and helpful for authors to be able to read. I request her to place them back up, or else to explain to everyone why she removed them.

Thanks for explaining that, Victoria. When I wrote the last comment, there wasn't as of yet any explanation here regarding why the posts were gone or where they'd been transferred.

I just recently sent her a query. After reading this I'm not sure what to think.

Publisher's Marketplace just listed her sale of a horror novel to a small press ebook publisher called Dailey Swan Publishing in California. Writers can submit to this publisher directly.

Just checked Ms. Goering's PM page, and it lists a "sale" to SterlingHouse Publisher, which offers contracts requiring authors to buy 550 copies of their own books. That's back-end vanity publishing. No experienced agent would consider sticking a client with that kind of deal.

- Victoria

I'd like to know just how is Ms. Goering making anything off the SterlingHouse deal?

Good question, Dave. I've never heard anything about SterlingHouse paying agent kickbacks, though.

The appeal of Sterlinghouse, I think, is that it looks like a real small press to people who don't know differently (and who don't look closely). Placing books there provides a marginal agent with what looks like a real sale.

- Victoria

Are there any updates on Krista Goering in 2009?

She lists a sale to Morgan James Publishing, a very high priced vanity press.

She does seem to be building a track record. But while she has some solid sales--Red Wheel/Weiser (all for the same author), Countryman Press--other sales are to smaller publishers that I suspect wouldn't be on a successful agent's A-list--O Books, Bull Publishing. And those placements with SterlingHouse and Morgan James--both vanity publishers--are disturbing.

- Victoria

Well, she’s been courteous and professional in all of our (e-mail) interactions, but I know that this is a business where writers can never be too careful. I guess I will just stay on alert for now, and keep my eyes and ears open for any further developments or information.

I can give some personal feedback...

I'm a consulting editor who has, in a previous life )), worked for MacMillan Publishing, and in recent years have been much more involved in self-publishing. I am not a fan of today's traditional publishing; I very much prefer working outside the box and being as creative as possible within the marketing realm. A hybrid of the two is what I prefer.

That said, one author with whom I have worked has been determined to go the traditional route: find an agent and submit to traditional publishing houses.

Krista Goering is her agent, and it has been a pleasure working with her over the last year. Honestly, I was skeptical myself at first, but her contacts have grown, as have her sales (albeit with small, independent publishers, but that doesn't concern me; again, I'm not a fan of the biggies...lol). A recent PW article discussed how the small presses are flourishing against all odds; I think this is the way to go, even though we'd all like to be able say Random House has published SOMETHING of ours.

I have found her to be very responsive, conscientious, and straightforward. She responds to email reliably.

While she may not have any sales listed as yet with large publishing houses like Random House (though WW Norton, as someone mentioned upthread, is an established, respected house), she has indeed succeeded in submitting to large publishing houses which require an agented submission.

The author I work with is very happy with Krista, and the NF book has recently been placed with a small publisher (not a vanity press). The fiction title is more challenging, obviously, but it is in the hands of acquiring editors who, as much as I hate to admit it, I couldn't have gotten to on my own.

Another thing I really appreciate about Krista is her patience. It's not easy working with an author AND consulting editor/co-author. She has managed that beautifully, I must say, and now that all of our roles are clear, it's smooth sailing.

AW is great for authors and editors to be able to get as much information as possible. It's a brutal industry and more volatile than ever. I appreciate this forum, and am glad I can provide some personal feedback to help the process.

That's my two cents.

Thank you so much for sharing your insights, Nccreative! That makes me feel a lot better. As I said, she has come across as very receptive and professional in our correspondence, so I guess I will cross my fingers that she likes my manuscript!

Just a note from a publisher that has so far excepted two titles from Krsta.
Dailey Swan Publishing is not a POD,. We Have National distribution through MidPoint Trade, Baker and Taylor, Ingram, as well as many regional distributors ans Gazelle in England.

The first title we took from her, Widdershins, is running in the tofive sellers is its genre at Towere among others. Our next book of her is a Politacal thriller based in Berekley, do out this summer.

Our dealing with here have been wonderful.. An agent should ask hard questions. We except about 1 in 4 from agents vs 1 in 100 blind submissions.

I hate to be crude, but an agents job is to cull the good from the bad before the publisher sees it. An author may not always like what they hear from the agent.

Well, I must say what great confidence it gives me to read the previous posting from "a publisher" who "excepts" vs. "accepts" titles and has a "National" vs. "national" distribution and is next to put out a "Politacal" vs. "political" thriller set in "Berekley" vs. "Berkeley" that is "do" vs. "due" out this summer...

Do (due) I (eye) have (half) to (too) go (goe) on (awn)? (!)

As I posted on anouther thread about Krista, and pardon my typing, we have so far accpted two titles form Krista.

Dailey Swan Publishing is not POD nor solely e-book (though by the end of the year all of our titles will be in all 6 formats we have found so far, here and in europe)

We are dtributed by MidPoint Tarde, Baker and Taylor, Gazelle in England, as well as many fine regional distributors.

We currently use 3 agents primarily and Krsita is one. So far we have found 2 quality manuscripts through her and expect many more in the years to come. She is new to the field, but having met her in person, we find her a breath of fresh air in an industry right now confused, and unsure of its direction.