-
Guest please check The Index before starting a thread.
True, Old Hack.
I would amend the advice to say that a speedy response does not indicate a scammer, but if they start asking for money or referring you to specific editing services, then it's probably best to move along with your search for an agent.
I would amend the advice to say that a speedy response does not indicate a scammer, but if they start asking for money or referring you to specific editing services, then it's probably best to move along with your search for an agent.
Yes, I'm in the UK and my agents have all been in London. I've never been charged any mailing fees unless the agent has sold my work--then they take reasonable amounts from the advance, etc.
Ok...... i have my own input on this. I queried this agent today... got a response quickly asking for the first 100 pages. Her response within the next hourish still has me completely amazed.
In a nutshell she declined (no biggie there) but her thougths are what has me wondering. My MS is a Paranormal Romance. It isn't catagory by any means. Ie.. single title. Her words to me... You can't start the novel with the hero's POV. <head does double take to re-read> I responded to her (very nicely i might add) indicating that the PoV shifts in the story to the heroine/hero depending on the scene. I mentioned other well known authors who began stories in the hero's pov.
Her reply? If you want to reposition the work as straight horror versus romance then that could be an option, but opening with a man's point of view is not right for the romance category.
Ok.. first off.. no way she read any of what i wrote as there is NOTHING that would be considered horror in it. Secondly, she never even addressed the fact that this isn't a catagory romance. <boggle>
Sorry but I had my doubts on this one just by the questionable answers/emails I received back.
In a nutshell she declined (no biggie there) but her thougths are what has me wondering. My MS is a Paranormal Romance. It isn't catagory by any means. Ie.. single title. Her words to me... You can't start the novel with the hero's POV. <head does double take to re-read> I responded to her (very nicely i might add) indicating that the PoV shifts in the story to the heroine/hero depending on the scene. I mentioned other well known authors who began stories in the hero's pov.
Her reply? If you want to reposition the work as straight horror versus romance then that could be an option, but opening with a man's point of view is not right for the romance category.
Ok.. first off.. no way she read any of what i wrote as there is NOTHING that would be considered horror in it. Secondly, she never even addressed the fact that this isn't a catagory romance. <boggle>
Sorry but I had my doubts on this one just by the questionable answers/emails I received back.
Someone should let Lorraine Heath know. Her romance novel Always to Remember is a favorite of mine, and it starts with the hero's POV. And poor Pamela Morsi, both the prologue and the first chapter of her novel The Love Charm begin with the hero's POV. Not right for the romance category, Ms. Morsi. What was Avon thinking?
I queried her before I found this thread (months ago) and...uh-uh. She wanted to see the full but she had a bunch of suggestions that were out of left field that NO ONE else (and the ms had gone through the IWW Lovestory-L list for peer review, not to mention numerous test reads by fellow writers) mentioned.
Now that same ms is being published elsewhere. Without her "suggested changes."
And one of the writers on a list I'm on just queried her and got the "can't start in male POV" spiel too. (The funny thing is, as soon as she mentioned what happened, I thought about this agent and sure enough when we compared notes, it's her. *LOL*) So this agent is still SSDD. (And, oh yeah, my book - "Love & Brimstone" - starts in the male POV! *LOL*)
Now that same ms is being published elsewhere. Without her "suggested changes."
And one of the writers on a list I'm on just queried her and got the "can't start in male POV" spiel too. (The funny thing is, as soon as she mentioned what happened, I thought about this agent and sure enough when we compared notes, it's her. *LOL*) So this agent is still SSDD. (And, oh yeah, my book - "Love & Brimstone" - starts in the male POV! *LOL*)
Adele may be a person that just wants to mess with your head
I was very excited when she responded to my query letter and synopsis and wanted to see ten pages in the body of an email. I was even more excited when she wanted me to send her 100 pages that I in ebullient bliss mailed to her. After a week she said that for a romance, the story had to begin with the heroine, not the hero as mine did.
Easy enough to change, since I had that version available. I changed it so it would be a little different than the norm. What do I know, I'm still trying to find an agent let alone have been published. I sent her the revision of the first couple of chapters.
Then she replied by saying that the writing wasn't strong enough. She made a suggestion as to where I should start the story. At this point, she still had not offered to represent me. Anxious to please, I googled to try and find out what strong writing actually meant. I found some suggestions and made changes that did improve the beginning of the story, but I was unwilling to cut out some of the story that I thought was important so I just let it go and didn't reply.
It seems to me that when she read the first 10 pages she should have said then that the writing wasn't strong enough and that the romance had to start with the heroine?????
The saga continues. After another month of sending query letters to other agents, without success, I sent Adele the query for my second book of the series. After all, she did say she liked the idea. Adele responded immediately wanting the first ten pages. Happily, I complied because this book had the elements that she said were needed.
The story is based on a sexy Special Forces Elite team. Five men and a sexy female sniper (CIA) but someone else does the dirty work because they all have integrity and valor. It's fiction after all, LOL. The story takes place in Houston and in the Gulf of Mexico. It's about terrorists trying to destroy our oil supply. I thought with Adele being a Texan and the climate is ripe with the gas prices so high it might be easy to sell.
She replied with, "It didn't get my interest as I hoped it might, sorry. Best of luck elsewhere."
I thought that was an insensitive, actually mean reply.
Next I tried to find her website which I should have done first and came up with this website instead. I think Adele may have some personal issues and just wants to mess with writer's heads. She doesn't seem to have a legitimate website of her own, and because others have had her ask for the entire manuscript without representation, I'm sure I'm right.
I was very excited when she responded to my query letter and synopsis and wanted to see ten pages in the body of an email. I was even more excited when she wanted me to send her 100 pages that I in ebullient bliss mailed to her. After a week she said that for a romance, the story had to begin with the heroine, not the hero as mine did.
Easy enough to change, since I had that version available. I changed it so it would be a little different than the norm. What do I know, I'm still trying to find an agent let alone have been published. I sent her the revision of the first couple of chapters.
Then she replied by saying that the writing wasn't strong enough. She made a suggestion as to where I should start the story. At this point, she still had not offered to represent me. Anxious to please, I googled to try and find out what strong writing actually meant. I found some suggestions and made changes that did improve the beginning of the story, but I was unwilling to cut out some of the story that I thought was important so I just let it go and didn't reply.
It seems to me that when she read the first 10 pages she should have said then that the writing wasn't strong enough and that the romance had to start with the heroine?????
The saga continues. After another month of sending query letters to other agents, without success, I sent Adele the query for my second book of the series. After all, she did say she liked the idea. Adele responded immediately wanting the first ten pages. Happily, I complied because this book had the elements that she said were needed.
The story is based on a sexy Special Forces Elite team. Five men and a sexy female sniper (CIA) but someone else does the dirty work because they all have integrity and valor. It's fiction after all, LOL. The story takes place in Houston and in the Gulf of Mexico. It's about terrorists trying to destroy our oil supply. I thought with Adele being a Texan and the climate is ripe with the gas prices so high it might be easy to sell.
She replied with, "It didn't get my interest as I hoped it might, sorry. Best of luck elsewhere."
I thought that was an insensitive, actually mean reply.
Next I tried to find her website which I should have done first and came up with this website instead. I think Adele may have some personal issues and just wants to mess with writer's heads. She doesn't seem to have a legitimate website of her own, and because others have had her ask for the entire manuscript without representation, I'm sure I'm right.
Last edited:
What gets me is how prominent best-selling annual guides listing agencies seemingly can't be bothered to hire even a college kid at minimum wage to run Google on these agents (and easily find the ones they shouldn't list in their guides). Case in point: Writer's Digest Novel & Short Story Writer's Market. Yep, she's in there. Then again, said guide's listings don't list a peep about agency sales, which really levels the playing field (misleadingly, IMO). And although I could start a whole separate thread about Jeff Herman's guide listing scores of the worst-of-the-worst agents within his list, it's n/a in this particular agency not being listed there. I'm serious: it would take no longer than... say, two, maybe three hours for a minimalist scan of these agencies in said guides to do a coarse listing of which have scores of bad reviews, and then have that "internet clerk" forward the list to a more qualified reviewer to verify there's enough question marks to refrain from listing them in their guide. Yet clearly, it's simply not done, as evidenced by a surprising number listed in Herman's and WD's guides every year gone unpurged. Rather than extending to conspiracy theories of guidebook author-agent collusion, I bet it's nutt'n more than final editing laziness and (in my view) a lack of pride in one's guide. That's my take. A little final-pass homework on their part would save us some of the heavy weeding. Am I right?
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2009
- Messages
- 901
- Reaction score
- 85
Adele Brooks - Barrons Literary Agency
Has anyone dealt with this agent or agency on a professional basis? What can you tell me? Should her critique be valued or avoided?
Has anyone dealt with this agent or agency on a professional basis? What can you tell me? Should her critique be valued or avoided?
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2009
- Messages
- 901
- Reaction score
- 85
She doesn't offer contracts. Is that a good or bad thing? Maybe that's why she doesn't have any sales.
Ideally? They should have a contract available, which they offer as an option. But I've read comments within threads on AW that many say they have a working unwritten agreement with their agent, and are happy (understanding what agency costs are involved if there's any office printing/shipping/faxing/telephone fees, 15%/20% commission percentage domestic/international, etc.).
If they're not pleased how their agent is doing submitting their mss. to publishers, they stop dealing with them, period, and don't even have to deal with a contract's possible advance notification requirements.
The real contract of interest is the publisher's contract.
That all said, if given a choice, I'd like to see a contract, just because it would be a first time for me with any agent. But that's me. Especially if it's with a less well-known agent/agency.
Documented sales (and not just to publishers who don't even require an agent), preferably within one's genre, seems the most important criteria though.
If they're not pleased how their agent is doing submitting their mss. to publishers, they stop dealing with them, period, and don't even have to deal with a contract's possible advance notification requirements.
The real contract of interest is the publisher's contract.
That all said, if given a choice, I'd like to see a contract, just because it would be a first time for me with any agent. But that's me. Especially if it's with a less well-known agent/agency.
Documented sales (and not just to publishers who don't even require an agent), preferably within one's genre, seems the most important criteria though.
Not offering a contract is a bad thing.
I can't stress that enough.
No real, legitimate agent would take a writer on without a legally binding contract. Why do all the agenting work, then risk the author cutting the agent off from the deal?
Publishing is a business. As in all business deals, you want to ensure that particulars can be legally enforced, should it become necessary. You don't want to work with someone who doesn't offer a contract as a matter of course. He or she is not a professional.
I can't stress that enough.
No real, legitimate agent would take a writer on without a legally binding contract. Why do all the agenting work, then risk the author cutting the agent off from the deal?
Publishing is a business. As in all business deals, you want to ensure that particulars can be legally enforced, should it become necessary. You don't want to work with someone who doesn't offer a contract as a matter of course. He or she is not a professional.
This agent cannot and will not sell your mss. You are just as well off contacting the publishing house yourself.
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 6,704
- Reaction score
- 1,315
- Location
- Far from the madding crowd
- Website
- www.victoriastrauss.com
This is not true. Some very eminent agents work on a handshake basis. The handshake agreement was the norm up until a couple of decades ago, with the financial arrangements formalized in the agent-of-record clause in the publishing contract.
I'd agree, though, that a contract is desirable these days. As Erin points out, it protects both the agent and the author. If the agent wants to have a handshake relationship, it's a good idea to send him or her an email spelling out whatever arrangements (royalties, termination provisions, etc.) you've agreed to over the phone.
Track record really is the bottom line. If an agent has been in business for a number of years and can still show no sales, s/he's not an agent you want to take a chance on, contract or no contract.
- Victoria
Surely not with people they've never heard of, or know in some way? That sounds downright reckless.
Edited to clarify:
I don't doubt what you say, Victoria. I'm just surprised.
Last edited:
Newbie here. Am in process of sending out query ltrs and just heard from Ms. Adele Brooks. Thanks for cluing me in...she now wants me to snail mail manuscript for her review. Needless to say, after reading (and joining your group), I won't be doing that.
As Mad-eye Moody would say, "Constant vigilence!"
But TG for groups like this and the internet in general, because basically if you do any kind of checking at all, you can find out very quickly if someone is reputable or not.
As Mad-eye Moody would say, "Constant vigilence!"
But TG for groups like this and the internet in general, because basically if you do any kind of checking at all, you can find out very quickly if someone is reputable or not.
She has a lot of free time
I sent Adele Brooks at Barron a query a few weeks ago and she was very prompt to get back to me and ask for additional pages. But, I think that is because she doesn't have any clients, and just likes to read potential novels. Does anyone know if she has any clients?
I am not sure what her reading comprehension skills are like, because she seemed to have trouble with the simple fact that there was more than one main character in the plot and she couldn't follow all four of them. Maybe she doesn't like that style of narrative, but it seems like she can only follow "see spot run" material. A friend submitted a query and went through the same process and critique. She wanted to change the characters, settings, plot, etc. I fear she may be a failed novelist herself and simply looking for a way to dull that pain by criticizing others.
I may be wrong, but I doubt it. I would suggest avoiding her unless you have been rejected by every real agent in the western world.
I sent Adele Brooks at Barron a query a few weeks ago and she was very prompt to get back to me and ask for additional pages. But, I think that is because she doesn't have any clients, and just likes to read potential novels. Does anyone know if she has any clients?
I am not sure what her reading comprehension skills are like, because she seemed to have trouble with the simple fact that there was more than one main character in the plot and she couldn't follow all four of them. Maybe she doesn't like that style of narrative, but it seems like she can only follow "see spot run" material. A friend submitted a query and went through the same process and critique. She wanted to change the characters, settings, plot, etc. I fear she may be a failed novelist herself and simply looking for a way to dull that pain by criticizing others.
I may be wrong, but I doubt it. I would suggest avoiding her unless you have been rejected by every real agent in the western world.
Last edited:
Last edited:
She pulls the same crap on everyone. Better just to move on. I doubt she is a real agent, anyway.
Adele Brooks
She's interested in my work but I read a very long negative thread about her on here. However the thread was started in 2005.
Has she improved at all? Is anyone out there represented by her? She has no client list or list of books published on Publisher's Marketplace.
I'm wondering if I should just pass and tell her no thank you instead of wasting the time and money to send my manuscript to her.
I guess I could ask her to send me her client list and books published.
Newbie here. What should I do?
She's interested in my work but I read a very long negative thread about her on here. However the thread was started in 2005.
Has she improved at all? Is anyone out there represented by her? She has no client list or list of books published on Publisher's Marketplace.
I'm wondering if I should just pass and tell her no thank you instead of wasting the time and money to send my manuscript to her.
I guess I could ask her to send me her client list and books published.
Newbie here. What should I do?
The last comment on the Barron's Literary Management Thread is from July 2010, at which point Adele (surprise surprise) still didn't have any sales.
Original thread is here: <snipped>
A mod will port your comment into it.
Essentially, if an agent doesn't have a published client list, doesn't have a list of books on Publisher's Marketplace then why are you bothering to query her? There's no such thing as a stealth agent and every agent worth their salt will have details of their sales available (even if it's just on a Google search).
Her responses on the thread were (IMO) less than professional.
Personally, I'd recommend you move on to someone more deserving of your time and effort.
MM
Original thread is here: <snipped>
A mod will port your comment into it.
Essentially, if an agent doesn't have a published client list, doesn't have a list of books on Publisher's Marketplace then why are you bothering to query her? There's no such thing as a stealth agent and every agent worth their salt will have details of their sales available (even if it's just on a Google search).
Her responses on the thread were (IMO) less than professional.
Personally, I'd recommend you move on to someone more deserving of your time and effort.
MM
Last edited by a moderator: