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Hill and Hill Literary Agency (Christopher Hill)

Olderbutwiser

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I seem to have posted twice too. Glitch on the system, methinks. The curse of H&H? Claire Ashton said they have memories.
 

molly99

Hi all, I am another mug who took Hill and Hill at face value, although I have suspected for some time that they were not for real. For one thing I have never had a communication from them that was written in good English, and I have only ever had e mails - no phone calls or meetings.

Whilst it would be gratifying to see them get their come-uppance, I intend to chalk this up to experience and use more common sense in future. I have to admit that despite my fears I was flattered by the "news" that 9 chief editors were looking at my work favourably! Total hubris, and I will be more realistic next time.

Good luck to those of you who intend to take the matter further.

Moll
 
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privateeye

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Older.

I agree with what you say, the figure is not impressive and would not get much attention, however if you add this to the figure of the previous agency and perhaps even more it becomes interesting.

I know that tying these links is difficult and to date all legal advice is to fold. Like others here, if I can't get legal satisfaction I would sleep with a smile on my face knowing that future adventures are curtailed.

If I could just get admittance to who is behind all this it would help, for too long I have trailed these b*******. Finally I seem to have some backing from others, at least I know I am not going mad!
 

Olderbutwiser

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another conspiracy theory?

A strange thought has just occurred. Let's just say H&H actually wanted rid of their client base - an entirely feasible idea - let's face it, with all these "publishing deals" pending, the crap was about to hit the fan bigtime. (I had just been told I had been shortlisted by a US publisher, and received the "questionnaire" from another, so a bit further back in the chain than some of you)

Question. What better way to make a "forced exit" than to create the reason for it yourself? At least you maintain some form of control, and can get your assets as well as your arses out of the country. (quite important, all things considered)

This whole forore seems to have blown up immediately after it was revealed that H&H had relocated to Spain. But how many clients actually knew of the move? A round number, I suspect. The news was only revealed on this thread on 09/09 by Mystery Shopper, who has not posted since. A few replies - then came Ashton's blanket email directing everyone here. Since then the thread has received well over 100 postings and gone from page 2 to page 7!.

Not making any accusation here Mystery, but it would be very interesting to have the details on how you found out H&H had taken to wearing sombreros. Please tell - a lot of people need to know.
 

privateeye

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I think the message by MShopper was seen and clients started contacting them, they then had no choice. They may have been intending to drop a few bombs later in the year and just disappear.
 

Judicial

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Hey there

I have received 3 emails from Claire Ashton today. She says that we are in the wrong for sharing information with eachother, re: the disclaimer received at the bottom of all Hill&Hill email. Is she trying to scare others with that information? She also threatened me not to share those mails on this board.

I am thinking that the disclaimer was the key to their companies survival. Cause they knew that if we shared anything with anyone the fraud would come out. She told me Thanks for writing my name on this site. I told her thanks for giving me all the information necessary to nail her.....

The more help we can get on this the better. Send me private messages.
 

Judicial

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For any that are confused, I mean this disclaimer or warning or whatever you want to call it.

The content of this email, including its attachments, is confidential and intended for the addressees only.
If you have received in error, please contact the sender by return email as soon as possible.
The contents of this e-mail are protected and no authorised mention or copy is permitted without prior consent
 

privateeye

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Sorry that was meant to be private message! I have been on here too long.

Judicial private message me please!!
 

xhouseboy

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Olderbutwiser said:
A strange thought has just occurred. Let's just say H&H actually wanted rid of their client base - an entirely feasible idea - let's face it, with all these "publishing deals" pending, the crap was about to hit the fan bigtime. (I had just been told I had been shortlisted by a US publisher, and received the "questionnaire" from another, so a bit further back in the chain than some of you)

A similar thought also occurred to me. What better way to get out of these false promises than turn around and say - well, we did have all those deal in the pipeline, but now the company's gone under and our contacts won't deal with us because of all the negative publicity. In effect, shift the blame.

Just thought I'd get that one in before they try it on.
 

molly99

For what it's worth, I also work in the law, and I wouldn't worry one bit about legal threats from anyone on behalf of Hill and Hill. They are hardly likely to put their heads above the parapet now, having taken such steps to hide away up to now. You have to come to the law with clean hands, and its hard to sue someone when you dont want to be seen.

Lets just picture the scene. They sue someone for sharing an e mail. All we have to do at any court proceedings would be to require them to come up with examples of the "work" they have been doing for us, which we could then verify. Somehow, I dont think this would take very long.

The best thing they could do for us now would be to sue. But something tells me it's the last thing they will do.
 

privateeye

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I quite agree, drawing attention to their working practice is hardly going to work in their favour. It would draw the rats from the nest.
 

GeoffNelder

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italianjob said:
There was an article in the Times recently about dodgy British agents
Ironically, I was quoted in that Times article because I had been approached by a dodgy agent.

I told Christopher Hill all about it.

Here is the link http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,923-2307171.html

Ironically again, the Google Ad at the bottom links to the New York Literacy Agency - probably the biggest scam agency on the planet - as Victoria will verify

Geoff
 

Dollywagon

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...er, so you guys have got the name of a Times journalist, who has already done research into this type of thing...!

The disclaimer on emails, just stops you reproducing the content to other people and the press, it doesn't stop you speaking about the content.
 

GeoffNelder

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Dollywagon said:
...er, so you guys have got the name of a Times journalist, who has already done research into this type of thing...!
</p>There's only one of me, Dolly! Yes, I have the ear and e-mail of a couple of Times journalists, but Im waiting to gather verifiable evidence, and for reports (genuine) from publishers my work was allegedly sent to.Geoff
 

Dollywagon

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Well, what I actually meant, Geoff, was that this journalist is already up and running on the subject and has been published for all the world to see.
She only needs a couple of prods from a few of you to start hunting out the details for herself. Backed up of course by all the evidence you can accumulate as individuals.

You never know, she may have already heard of this company and be compiling research already.

The subject seems currently to be a hot topic and if I were doing work in this area, I would certainly want to know about any other possibilities before it went off the boil.
 

Onceburned

Answers please, Mr. "Motter"

"Tom Motter", or whomever you may be:

How about answers instead of hysterical accusations:

If Hill & Hill was/is legitimate, why is it that a direct inquiry to the legal department of a major, well-known publishing house, and their investigation, yielded an answer of "never heard of him" re Mr. Hill, and "never heard of it" about my manuscript, for which they were supposedly to make an offer that same day?

How is it that the mysterious "Karen" works for multiple different houses in which she allegedly has a lot of influence?

How is it that multiple publishing houses all of a sudden use the identical questionnaire?

How is it that so many of us have received identically-worded "Bulletins" about our various projects?

And, how is it that your hysterical rantings are so very similar to those of "Chris Hill" when he has been questioned about proof for his own alleged credentials?

Finally, Mr. Motter, I am proceeding as if my contract with Hill & Hill never existed, because it is void ab initio due to the clearly fraudulent nature of the Hill & Hill enterprise. If you disagree, I would welcome the opportunity to square off with you and yours in a court in which you can obtain jurisdiction over me. But, I rather suspect you will retreat to your hidey-hole in Spain or wherever you are, as do most cowardly thieves.

And no, I am not cursed with an over-abundance of testosterone which would make me be stupid enough to reveal personal information in a public forum. As I have named myself, Onceburned, .....
 

Dollywagon

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Hang on, how did this other literary agency get hold of your details, Geoff??

Anybody else dealing with H&H have other agencies offer to represent them?
 

Chief Hopping Mad

I want scalp!

Big Chief Hopping Mad is mighty angry! Big Chief want scalp of pale face who speak with forked tongue, Christopher Manure-Hill. I want pow-wow, not to smoke peace pipe but to show him convenient uncomfortable place where wigwam pole can be stored!
 

MildlyMiffed

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To be honest, I think the most effective way to 'get back' at Mr Hill et al would be to ensure that as many people as possible know about his operating methods and perhaps be on the look out for a resurgence of such business activities in Spain...
 

Mac H.

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Err, this may be a stupid question, but ...

Why does everyone here seem to assume that Mr Hill has gone to Spain?

It is agreed that the guy is a liar. So why would you believe him ?

Mac
 

privateeye

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Well we have certain proofs that may be best left for private viewing. But there is another thought that they were never in Scotland to begin with, well in the manner we all thought anyway.
 

xhouseboy

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Mac H. said:
Err, this may be a stupid question, but ...

Why does everyone here seem to assume that Mr Hill has gone to Spain?

It is agreed that the guy is a liar. So why would you believe him ?

Mac

'Gone Fishing' is a favourite ploy of these types when the going gets rough - I'm not here anymore, so don't come looking for me. Until it can be proven that's he's not lurking behind his curtains dreading that knock on the door, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that he's still frequenting his old patch.
 

FergieC

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But there is another thought that they were never in Scotland to begin with, well in the manner we all thought anyway

I've been following this with a bit of interest, just because I'm from Edinburgh, and the whole thing seems very strange to me. Edinbrugh is a very small city, the kind of place where everyone in a certain field knows everyone else. Scotland as a whole is a bit like that, actually.

The Scottish Arts Council only list 7 literary agents in the whole of Scotland, most of whom are either high profile - ie you see them around the Edinburgh Book Festival, and in the papers - or they're very specialist (Hill & Hill isn't on their list, I might add). But the idea that someone could get away with operating as a dodgy agent in Edinburgh for so long (he was around when I finished my first novel and that was 5 or 6 years ago) seems kind of bizarre.

He actually listed his address as Tranent, which is a small place just outside Edinburgh. The postcode and telephone code on the address is correct for Tranent too, although there may have been forwarding going on.

One thing to try, if no one already has, might be to contact the Scottish Arts Council - http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/ and see if they have any info. They might not have any of course, or only be able to suggest avoiding them if there were doubts, but it could be worth a shot.

Best of luck with it anyway.