The Bent Agency (Jenny Bent)

I honestly don't know, Traven, as I've never queried Jenny, and don't know what her normal process is wrt confirmations (though a confirmation to an e-query sounds like a GREAT idea) - I was just assuming that since in this case, the person knew their query had been received, theirs wasn't a question of wondering if the query had made it through, but when they'd hear back further.

Traven said:

Do I take this to mean one always gets a confirmation from Bent that the query was received? I'm pretty sure I never got one. So, you know, maybe I should re-query...

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I didn't get one either. I'm waiting on a requery from 9/12 (original query sent 4/4 with no response).

I'm glad I'm not alone--I didn't receive a confirmation of receipt when I queried either. I'm also still waiting to hear back (I requeried 9/14 when I didn't hear back from an April query). Judging from Jenny's blog, it sounded like they would try to respond to every query, and if we didn't hear back after a couple months, we should requery.

Karen, thanks for the info about Jenny and queries.

I'll join in: Re-queried 8/7 after hearing nothing from an April query. Never a confirmation...

Jenny Bent here. I thought maybe I could chime in and answer some of the questions that were being raised.

I should say to preface this that since opening my doors I have signed up three authors out of the query pile, all of them completely unsolicited. I have submitted one of them, and sold her novel for six figures at auction. The other two I will submit soon. I also posted on my blog a few months ago about all of the authors that I signed and sold out of the so-called "slush" over my career. http://jennybent.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html Which is to say that I treat my queries with deadly seriousness.

So first, I want to apologize about the length of time it is taking to answer queries. Essentially, I was completely unprepared for the amount of queries that started coming in the day I opened my doors. We are now getting 100 queries a day and struggling mightily to keep up.

Secondly, one of the reasons it takes so long to answer queries is that as opposed to some agents who only answer queries they are interested in, I do endeavor to respond to each one and give each one a considered read. That sounds a little defensive, I know. But it's important to me.

Thirdly, due to the overwhelming and unexpected amount of queries that have come in, I have been having terrible problems with my server. We have lost queries completely several times. I've posted on my blog and on twitter that if you haven't received a response to your query, to please send another one. I am switching over servers this week or next.

I really do apologize to everyone! I have only the best of intentions and want the query-answering process to run like a smoothly-oiled machine.

Oh, and p.s., I'm going to have my IT guy set up an automatic response confirming we got the query.

Well, thank you, Jenny! Couldn't have cleared things up much better than that...

Thanks very much for your post and update on queries, Jenny! It's nice to know we should expect a response if we query you.

I'm trying not to drool all over my keyboard at the thought of that six-figure deal at auction. Lucky author to be repped by you!

Wow, very cool of Jenny to post and clear stuff up

I queried 7 weeks ago so I guess I'll wait another couple of weeks before re-submitting

Jenny Bent said:

Secondly, one of the reasons it takes so long to answer queries is that as opposed to some agents who only answer queries they are interested in, I do endeavor to respond to each one and give each one a considered read. That sounds a little defensive, I know. But it's important to me.

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It's important to us too, so thank you for the extra mile you go to respond! It's appreciated and worth the wait!!

I agree with JamieB, Jenny!!!

Thanks for taking the time to care enough to email everyone back and to care enough to come on here and give us an update!

I knew you were cream of the crop when I queried!! And I'm thrilled you have a full of mine!

I'll just second what everyone has said -- so nice for you to give an explanation, and fantastic that you endeavor to respond to everyone.

Jenny, you are a rock star, thanks for taking the time to not only explain, but to respond to your queries regardless of interest.

OK, I have to ask because now I'm getting paranoid. It could just be my browser being funky, but when I look back at a sent e-mail, the formatting (mainly font and size) jumps all over the place. One paragraph will be Times New Roman 12, the next Arial 10 . . . not sure if it actually gets received this way (as it did not look like that when I sent it) but would an agent assume the writer is just a wacko with formatting, or that the browser had issues during the send?

BTW, Welcome Jenny and it was a pleasure meeting you at the Maryland Writer's Conference earlier this year.

Jenny Bent said:

Secondly, one of the reasons it takes so long to answer queries is that as opposed to some agents who only answer queries they are interested in, I do endeavor to respond to each one and give each one a considered read. That sounds a little defensive, I know. But it's important to me.

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Thank you, Jenny! As I just queried in early October I'm not expecting a response anytime soon but this is amazing (and doesn't sound defensive at all - it's fantastic).

Cheers!

different fonts

Sunshine13 said:

OK, I have to ask because now I'm getting paranoid. It could just be my browser being funky, but when I look back at a sent e-mail, the formatting (mainly font and size) jumps all over the place. One paragraph will be Times New Roman 12, the next Arial 10 . . . not sure if it actually gets received this way (as it did not look like that when I sent it) but would an agent assume the writer is just a wacko with formatting, or that the browser had issues during the send?

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I do see queries like this sometimes but I assume it's just a computer glitch so no worries.

Hmm I queried twice in the last few months with no response, maybe I'll try again when the new server goes up. I don't like to pester agents with repeated queries, but it seems like this may be a technical issue.

From yesterday's Publisher's Lunch:

Susan Hawk has joined The Bent Agency, focusing on authors of young adult and middle grade fiction, but also representing fantasy, science-fiction, historical fiction and mystery. For the past 15 years, she worked in children's book marketing, most recently as the marketing director at Holt Children's.

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Does anyone know if she's looking for regular fantasy or urban fantasy? Can't find much info on her.

Thanks for the info, brimfire--I'm sorry I don't know the answer to your question, though. If I were you, I might just query her anyway. Good luck!

BTW, does anyone know if all queries sent to the Bent Agency get a confirmation of receipt now? I tried querying recently, but I didn't get a confirmation of receipt.

Thanks!

I didn't get a confirmation either budgie_brain, but I wasn't expecting one because I didn't see it stated on the website.

bclement412 said:

I didn't get a confirmation either budgie_brain, but I wasn't expecting one because I didn't see it stated on the website.

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Thanks for your thoughts, bclement412!

Brimfire, Jenny Bent clarified on her blog that the fantasy and sci fi is all within the MG/YA age range. I don't see anything limiting the kind of fantasy (urban or whatever). I'd guess the only way to find out would be to query. Good luck!

So what, then, is her average response time? I e-queried on Nov. 7 (almost 4 weeks ago). Should I assume I've been lost in cyberspace and retry, or is it possible I'm still in the "queries needing to be read" queue? The worst would be to saturate poor Ms. Bent with "Didyougetit? Didyougetit? Huh? Didja?" (Like a four year-old on a road trip: "Arewethereyet?")

Then again, I've never received an automated response, either. Hmmmm....

my request came after about eight weeks dawnny, and i didn't receive an automated response even though they got it, so I wouldn't worry about it being lost just yet...

curlbe said:

my request came after about eight weeks dawnny, and i didn't receive an automated response even though they got it, so I wouldn't worry about it being lost just yet...

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This request was from Ms. Hawk? First I ever saw that she joined the Bent Agency was late November. Did you have a secret source of info?

I hope she gets through the erroneous adult queries and can get to we MG/YA queries. Well, we did send them to the kids email addy, so it ought to be easy to separate them from the adult stuff.