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The Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency

flotsamarama

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I know he joined the Jennifer DeChiara Agency not too long ago after working as executive editor at HarperCollins Children's Books, but he's not listed in Preditors & Editors (although the Jennifer DeChiara Agency is listed as "recommended" there). Anyone know if he's made any sales?
 

AnneMarble

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flotsamarama said:
hmmmm. if no one knows anything about him, I guess that's not a good sign, is it?
Not necessarily. It might just mean no one knows anything. If he's with an agency that's recommended, that's a good start at least. Also, if he worked as an editor with Harpers, I think that's supposed to be a good sign as manyh (most?) legit editors start out as editors.

BTW I think only agencies are listed in P&E, not individual agents.
 

Kasey Mackenzie

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If he works at a reputable agency with a verifiable list of recent sales, and he started out as an editor HarperCollins, I would definitely take those as good signs. This would be one type of new agent that an author could feel comfortable taking a chance on since he should have the industry contacts it takes to start making sales. Just my own opinion, of course.
 

CaoPaux

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FWIW, individual agents are listed at P&E by first name.

At this time, Stephen's listing has no info beyond what agency he belongs to (but it is a good agency).
 

flotsamarama

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I see he's now been added to P&E. I have a good gut feeling about him... I just hope his response to my manuscript will justify it!
 

RoccoMom

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Jennifer DiChiara Agency

Just a tip that might prove helpful:
In January I sent a snaill mail query to the above agency, as per the guidelines on their website. About a month ago, I queried them by email and received a form rejection.

Yesterday in the mail I received my snail mail query back with a request for the full manuscript.

so, possibly, agents pay more credence to snail mail queries than email? I dunno, but if anyone is thinking of querying the above agency my advice would be to send a snail mail query. :)
 

triceretops

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Very peculiar. That happened to me too. The only query that I sent by snail mail was the agent that took me on. WTF? I've raised this question several times on other boards and threads. Roughly 50% of all my email queries have gone unanswered. Alas, when I send a snail mail query on nice bond paper, I always get an anwere back either way. Can't figure it. I guess cyberslush is easy to make go "poof."

Tri
 

CaoPaux

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Toni, there are two problems here:

1) The agent's stated policy is to submit by mail, yet you queried by email. You likely received an automated rejection, and are fortunate they didn't make note of your name as "someone who doesn't follow directions".

2) You submitted a query while they were already considering your previous one. True, they don't state "no multiple queries/submissions", but it is not a wise practice. Again, you are fortunate they didn't match your name to the query already in the queue and reject them both for bombardment.
 

RoccoMom

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I think the problem there was that her name was not on my spreadsheet - I was probably multitasking and forgot to place her name on it. Hence the two queries.


I shall be more careful in the future. Thanks.
 

UrsusMinor

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E-mail queries

There has been considerable discussion of e-queries vs. snail at Miss Snark and other locales. The general consensus is that, with the exception of those few who really adore electronic communication, e-queries make it easier for the agent to reject you. Scan briefly and send an automated bug off. Many of the agents who wieghed in on the subject admitted they spent far less time on an e-query than on a written letter.

Back when I was agent-hunting (thank god those days are over), I relied on snail mail except for those few agents who insisted on e-queries. I also tended to enclose sample pages--which is hard to do in e-mail (most agents won't take attachments, and pasting sample pages in the body of the e-mail
can result in
things
that read
like this at the other end and make you look like you're
an idiot or bad
poet).

Agents are book people, and book people are influenced by format.

IMHO, e-queries are easier for everyone: Easier to send, and easier for the agents to reject.
 

RainbowDragon

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Toni, there are two problems here:

1) The agent's stated policy is to submit by mail, yet you queried by email. You likely received an automated rejection, and are fortunate they didn't make note of your name as "someone who doesn't follow directions".

2) You submitted a query while they were already considering your previous one. True, they don't state "no multiple queries/submissions", but it is not a wise practice. Again, you are fortunate they didn't match your name to the query already in the queue and reject them both for bombardment.

1) Could also be an assistant's response, in which case lucky for you the snail mail sub landed in different hands.

2) Not necessarily - if an e-query is unanswered in the normal response time it's perfectly fine to follow up by sending a snail mail sub of the same work. I have done this and mentioned that the e-query received no response, then received a nice handwritten rejection. Best not to submit a query for your next work though until the first has been answered.
 

Jenisis

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The Jennifer Dichiara Agency

Has anyone had any dealing with them?


Thank you in advance for your replys.


I hope this is OK, this is my forst time posting :)
 

spike

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Has anyone had any dealing with them?


Thank you in advance for your replys.


I hope this is OK, this is my forst time posting :)

I meet her at the Montgomery County Writer's conference. She has since rejected everything I sent her.

I also met with an author Jennifer represents. The author is more than thrilled with the service she recieved.
 

ixchel

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She only accepts snail mail queries. I sent something off to her but haven't heard back. Another YA writer friend received a request for a partial. So you never know. She's an awesome agent.
 

Jenisis

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Thank you guys. Another guy who works there, Stephen Fraser, asked to see my MS in October 2007. I haven't heard from until I wrote him 2 weeks ago to see if he even got it. He told me he misplaced my MS because he got swamped with work. I couldn't believe it. He constantly wrote me, and wanted every detail of my work...and then he misplaced my MS w/o reading it! I was peeved. I'm thinking of e-mailing him and asking if he'd like me to send another...do you think that's a good idea?
 

waylander

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Absolutely ask him if he wants another copy.
 

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:e2cat:
 
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gettingby

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According to querytracker, she does take email queries.
 

RLB

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Anyone queried here lately?

Okay, this one has me a bit stumped. First off agentquery and querytracker say she takes email submissions, but there is no mention of that on her website. So to be safe, I'm going snail mail. Now, however, I'm confused. I think it's saying to just send only a query at first, right? But then under Fiction, it says to include the first fifty pages and synopsis. Is that only after they've expressed interest or should that section be before the "Next Step" section and pertain to the query stage?

How To Submit

The First Step

If you have a book that you would like to submit, first send us a query letter. It should consist of a one-paragraph synopsis of your book and a one-paragraph biography of yourself listing any credentials or previously published work. Be sure to enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope for our response.
We will respond to your query in three to six months. Please do not call the agency to inquire whether or not we received your query letter. To answer your question would mean going through piles of letters to look for yours. If you need to know whether or not we received your query, consider sending it "return receipt requested."

The Next Step

If we have contacted you and asked you to send your work, we suggest the following guidelines.

In General

Manuscripts occasionally get lost or damaged, so always keep a copy of your submission for yourself. Never send an original. Make sure that your work has a title page with your name, address, and telephone number. The pages of your manuscript should be numbered and have your name and/or the name of your work on every page.

Your manuscript should be unbound, double-spaced, and with a ragged right margin. There should be a one-inch margin on all sides of every page.

Make sure to enclose a biography of yourself listing your credentials, any previously published work, sales numbers, etc. Be sure to enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of your manuscript. Without this, we wll not be able to return your work. Please allow at least three months for our response.

For a Work of Fiction

Follow all of the above guidelines, but make sure to enclose a one-page synopsis of your manuscript and the first fifty pages.

For a Work of Non-Fiction

Follow the general guidelines, but include a half-page overview of the book; a table of contents listing each chapter and chapter title; an expanded table of contents detailing the contents of each chapter; and a couple of sample chapters.
 

JenWriter

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RLB - I email queried them and received a partial request the next day to be emailed as an attachment.