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A publisher or agency using Google ads to solicit your novel probably isn't anyone you want to write for.
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#126 | |
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Your Genial Uncle
Absolute Sage
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 21,884
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Quote:
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A collection of fantasy stories by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald Multiple electronic formats |
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#127 |
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Guest
Posts: n/a
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I'm trying to get more information on why agent Cris Robin is considered a scam artist. I just got off the phone with her. She wants to represent me -- she was one of a group of agents I solicited -- but now I am aware of many complaints against her, beginning with her practice of charging a $3,250 retainer.
I have a bad feeling about her agency. Michael Gray |
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#128 |
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5 W's & an H
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Southern Calif.
Posts: 2,200
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I'd say the information about the $3,250 is all you need to know.
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I feel God in this Chili's.
-Pam Beesley |
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#129 |
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PBS Mind/MTV World
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PSU
Posts: 8,866
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Hi Michael.
![]() Here's a whole thread about the Robins Agency. Is this the same company? http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/...8&page=1&pp=25 |
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#130 |
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I Heart Mac
Absolute Sage
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,037
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No legitimate agent charges a retainer. They get paid when you get paid. Do not pay anyone to represent you, or publish you. It's bad business.
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#131 |
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Mostly Harmless
SuperModerator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Coastal Desert
Posts: 10,614
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FYI: This agency has been named one of Writer Beware's 20 Worst Agents/Agencies.
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ICAO ![]() --------- Achievers strive for excellence. Perfectionists drive themselves to extinction. -- A Grapple A Day I've never known any trouble that an hour's reading didn't assuage. -- Charles DeSecondat 2012: |
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#132 |
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Lives Under a Rock
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: The DED Zone
Posts: 24
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I sent a query letter and 3 chapters to Cris Robins via the form on the "agency's" website. Yes, I'm a newbie hunting for an agent.I should've taken a clue from the "clients" page as they were all books that were being shopped around and not actually sold. <sigh> Well, now I know what to say if she calls.
And in the meantime, I've got to scour this list for the other agents I was thinking about submitting to. \_/ DED |
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#133 |
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Mostly Harmless
SuperModerator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Coastal Desert
Posts: 10,614
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Better a close shave than to be scalped.
If you haven't already, check out the rest of your agent list with P&E http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/ before querying.
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ICAO ![]() --------- Achievers strive for excellence. Perfectionists drive themselves to extinction. -- A Grapple A Day I've never known any trouble that an hour's reading didn't assuage. -- Charles DeSecondat 2012: |
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#134 |
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Guest
Posts: n/a
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I'll not being quiet any longer.
Cris Robins here.
For years I’ve sat back, quietly, and listened to Ann Crispin and Victoria Straus and even the Preditors & Editors page say how they’ve had all these complaints about us; how we are not recommended; how we do this wrong and that wrong. So, I’m wondering why is it then, when presented with a sterling opportunity to bring all these so-called complaints to light, when the rubber hits the road and the chance to really put a sword in our hearts and potentially prove all their claims, do they back down? When they are in a position of having nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain, do they do nothing? When their claims finally have a chance of being brought into the light of justice, do they stand back and let them die? In their own words, go here to see just how well their allegations hold water or don’t as the case is. www.robins-agency.com/ann.htm. |
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#136 |
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Your Genial Uncle
Absolute Sage
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 21,884
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Hi, Cris!
Do you have a list (title, author, publisher) of books you've sold over the last three or four years?
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A collection of fantasy stories by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald Multiple electronic formats |
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#137 | |
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Crossbows and Handgonnes
SuperModerator
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fort Lauderdale
Posts: 3,824
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Quote:
BRB |
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#138 |
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Fish Whisperer
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Gone around that next bend.
Posts: 6,780
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That "refutation" of Victoria's, Ann's and Dave's charges is as breathtaking in its chutzpah as it is lacking in substance.
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Recently Thunk Thoughts www.frankbaron.com My book makes a great gift! He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty. - Lao Tzu |
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#139 | |
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come in, all you jesters
SuperModerator
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: enter, all you fools
Posts: 19,906
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Quote:
Whoa! Mother lode!
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You take a feather from every bird, yeah But you never fly -- Dave Graney Last edited by poetinahat; 03-23-2006 at 10:02 AM. Reason: Missed some... thanks Navigator! |
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#140 | |
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practical experience, FTW
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Basking in the sun.
Posts: 1,456
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#141 | |
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come in, all you jesters
SuperModerator
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: enter, all you fools
Posts: 19,906
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From the website cited above:
Quote:
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You take a feather from every bird, yeah But you never fly -- Dave Graney |
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#142 |
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practical experience, FTW
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Basking in the sun.
Posts: 1,456
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Jinx.
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#143 | |
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come in, all you jesters
SuperModerator
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: enter, all you fools
Posts: 19,906
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Quote:
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You take a feather from every bird, yeah But you never fly -- Dave Graney |
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#144 |
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Absolutely Fazed
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,536
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Good thing Ms. Robins came in here to post. I wouldn't have thought to look up the thread about her otherwise.
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/show...8&page=1&pp=25 |
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#145 | |
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Absolutely Fazed
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,536
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August client list
Quote:
On her news page, she lists only a single domestic sale: her own book. http://www.robins-agency.com/news.htm The other two sales are for Russian rights for two authors (Louise Fritz and Hawk/Homer? Kiefer) to Pavel Baskakov at Alpharet Publishing. ETA: Research shows that Walter Borotto and Michael Bronte are one and the same. Bronte's book, The Dealership, was published in 2002 by Mandrill Publishing. I can't find anything on this publisher, however. Dr. Connie Hiers shows up in Google as a plastic surgeon in Arkansas. Last edited by DeadlyAccurate; 03-23-2006 at 11:09 AM. Reason: Some clarifications |
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#146 |
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The late, the great XThe NavigatorX
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 2,375
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Using Archive.org, you can look even further back. This is from July of '04:
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#147 | |
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The late, the great XThe NavigatorX
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 2,375
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Quote:
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#148 | |
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Your Genial Uncle
Absolute Sage
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 21,884
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Quote:
Mandrill Publishing is Trident Media of Washington D.C., Washington House, New World Media, Inc., Capitol Literary Agency, American Courier, Inc., American Literary Agents of Washington, and possibly other names. They're all owned and operated by a guy named Sam Asinugo. The absolutely most charitable thing I can say about Mandrill is that it's a pay-to-play vanity press.
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A collection of fantasy stories by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald Multiple electronic formats |
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#149 |
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Your Genial Uncle
Absolute Sage
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 21,884
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Cris Robins herself in person showed up in the Twenty Worst Agents thread to point out that she hasn't been convicted of anything yet, so there!
In other news, Cris is claiming that she sold a book! Given what we know about Cris, that's a sort of creepy subject. What we know about Adams Media is that they're a small press located in Avon, MA, that says on their submission page, "We accept submissions directly from authors (including first time authors) and also from literary agents."Agency News So, after close to a decade of trying to be an agent, Cris has finally sold ... her own book. To a place that doesn't require an agent. (A "nice deal" is from $1.00 to $49,000. I'm just guessing, but I'm guessing that the actual number is more to the left on that scale.)
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A collection of fantasy stories by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald Multiple electronic formats Last edited by James D. Macdonald; 03-23-2006 at 06:03 PM. |
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#150 |
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Your Genial Uncle
Absolute Sage
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 21,884
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From Cris's "Ann" page:
So tell me, Cris: Did you ever call Ann like she offered?Ann Crispin was approached by someone filing a complaint against our agency with the Missouri Attorney General's office. She was asked for any and all complaints against us to put with this complaint. Her response: "If you'd like to talk with us about the info and documentation regarding her in our database, please call me." (I'll bet you a nickle that the "someone" who claimed to have filed a complaint was Cris under a pseudonym, on a fishing expedition to see what people had on her. How else would Cris have copies of the actual letters?)
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A collection of fantasy stories by Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald Multiple electronic formats |
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