I couldn't find a topic on this agency, so I figured I'd start one. Does anyone have any experience with Ms. Epstein? She requested a full from me on my YA Fantasy this morning.
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The Epstein Literary Agency (Kate Epstein)
- Thread starter Kilawher
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You mean this agency?
Most of the sales seem to be for self-help type books rather than in the YA market, the most recent sale being in December last year. With the exception of Berkley I haven't heard of any of the publishers (but I am clueless about the US self-help market).
I'd want to know who Kate plans to submit the manuscript to and which YA editors she knows. While she looks experienced in non-fiction, I wouldn't want to be her learning curve to get into YA unless she's got a proven track record of sales there. There's simple too many other agents with connections who can get their manuscripts seen first.
MM
Most of the sales seem to be for self-help type books rather than in the YA market, the most recent sale being in December last year. With the exception of Berkley I haven't heard of any of the publishers (but I am clueless about the US self-help market).
I'd want to know who Kate plans to submit the manuscript to and which YA editors she knows. While she looks experienced in non-fiction, I wouldn't want to be her learning curve to get into YA unless she's got a proven track record of sales there. There's simple too many other agents with connections who can get their manuscripts seen first.
MM
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If it's this Kate Epstein, she's got a long track record of sales in non-fiction titles. I saw 39 titles sold over at Publishers Marketplace in the last three years.
Seems from her main website page she's now accepting YA. I presume if she is, she's got the contacts to sell it. I say go for it and good luck!
Seems from her main website page she's now accepting YA. I presume if she is, she's got the contacts to sell it. I say go for it and good luck!
Seems from her main website page she's now accepting YA. I presume if she is, she's got the contacts to sell it. I say go for it and good luck!
Yeah, that's what I figured too. She seems to have a lot of experience, so I didn't think she'd start accepting YA if she didn't have the right contacts. And thanks! I'm crossing my fingers
Kate replied today with a lengthy critique of my submission, and advice on how she thought it could be a better book if I chose to make the revisions she suggested. She's also still willing to look at it if I address those issues.
Regardless of whther or not we are able to work together, Kate Epstein is a class act. I wish more agents were willing to take the time she did with my novel.
Regardless of whther or not we are able to work together, Kate Epstein is a class act. I wish more agents were willing to take the time she did with my novel.
Six day turnaround with notes! Wow I wish I could get an agent like that to request my MS.
On the bright side, I guess if it takes them months to respond it means they're busy/successful right?
On the bright side, I guess if it takes them months to respond it means they're busy/successful right?
Frandavea, how long did it take Ms. Epstein to respond to your inital query?
Thanks!
I don't have my submission records in front of me, but I think it may have been about a month.
I e-mailed her my query on 5/3, Aubie, and I still haven't heard from her, so I think you've got a little while to wait yet!
05/12 here, no word.
Query Tracker has her at 20-30 days for normal response times though she's been as quick as 2 and as slow as 44.
Query Tracker has her at 20-30 days for normal response times though she's been as quick as 2 and as slow as 44.
Eek, totally forgot I started this thread. Guess a late update is better than none, right?
Anyway, I queried Kate on 3/9, got my full request on 4/13, and then a very kind, complimentary, and personal rejection three days later. No complaints here, especially with that kind of response time on a full!
Anyway, I queried Kate on 3/9, got my full request on 4/13, and then a very kind, complimentary, and personal rejection three days later. No complaints here, especially with that kind of response time on a full!
What's really cool is, while showing a new intern my initial query, Kate thought of a few other issues I needed to address in my revisions, over a month after she first critiqued it. We corresponded back and forth a few times, and she gave me some tips and ideas which allowed me to hammer out some details in the revision. Kate hasn't even offered me a contract, so I thought it was great she took so much additional time to discuss the revisions anyway.
Aww, sorry Beckstah. I was rooting for you!
so if you queried on 5/3 and I queried on 5/24, maybe I'll hear in like two weeks??
I so hate waiting.
Good Luck on any other queries/submissions you have out there!
so if you queried on 5/3 and I queried on 5/24, maybe I'll hear in like two weeks??
I so hate waiting.
Good Luck on any other queries/submissions you have out there!
5/13/10 Equery with first 3 pages
6/29/10 Request for the full!
For any of you that are waiting, she seems to be behind about 6 weeks on queries.
On her website she emphasizes how important it is to paste 1-3 pages, and she said my pages were the reason she asked for a full.
Good luck to anyone else still waiting.
6/29/10 Request for the full!
For any of you that are waiting, she seems to be behind about 6 weeks on queries.
On her website she emphasizes how important it is to paste 1-3 pages, and she said my pages were the reason she asked for a full.
Good luck to anyone else still waiting.
Good luck to you too. I just resubmitted mine after making revisions she suggested.
Congrats to both of you and good luck! I still haven't heard back from Ms. Epstein. I did paste my pages in with my query so hopefully that will work in my favor.
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She requested my full based on a query I sent out in May, saying she "really enjoyed my sample material." I almost squealed. In a public library. I'm a guy btw (are guys aloud to squeal?)
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Well, that was short lived. On the bright side, I heard back in near-record time and with a personalized note. On the negative side, from the note it seems the agent only read the first 10 pgs (5 of which were in the original query email), then looked at the word count (around 40k), and decided to pass, because it was too short. Perhaps she doesn't have the experience yet in YA to make a play with a shorter work. Perhaps she fell out of love with my work as quickly as she fell into it. Whatever the case, she seems like a nice lady and I'm sure she'd do well by any writer who signed with her.
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Kate rejected my full today with a half-page of helpful notes as to what pulled her out. She also told me to keep her in mind for future work.
Very classy agent.
Very classy agent.