- Joined
- Sep 25, 2012
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 2
I have long relied on Absolute Write and the generous souls on here willing to provide guidance to fellow writers. It's a competitive field and those who help instead of hinder are really, truly exceptional people.
You guys helped me get a query written.
You guys helped me get an agent.
You guys were there to celebrate with me when I did.
You guys helped me wait out the long submission process to publishers.
You guys were there when my book series inked its deal.
But now I am in a terrible position, and I have tried to do my own research elsewhere online so as not to bug you guys (and avoid typing out a huge explanation for what's going on without, I don't know, pointing fingers at anyone or slandering anyone or causing even more of an issue) but I couldn't find anything online and I knew that you guys would be the only ones who could help.
For legal reasons I certainly can't disclose, but that I am not culpable for, there is reason to believe my book might face litigation from an outside party. It's a groundless lawsuit. But it has shown me, clearly, how very willing my publisher is to throw me under the bus to save money. And, you know what? That, I expect. They're a corporation, they have hundreds of authors and franchises they have to manage. Expedient solutions that cost them the least money possible are how they keep the publishing house going. No hard feelings there.
But my agent -- I expect my agent to give me the time of day. To hear me out. To give me patient, if stern or firm, advice. And today I received a phone call from her where she was literally shouting at me into the phone, not listening to me at all as I tried to reason with her. It wasn't flat-out abusive (no profanity), but from prior email correspondence she is aware that I am in a delicate emotional condition (recovering from a protracted illness and a family tragedy) and I frankly don't ever want to speak to this woman again. I see no future working with her. She was unfeeling and unreasonable and the definition of unprofessional and I ended up having to rush her off the phone and hang up.
She got the deal for the book series. The installments in the series are scheduled for release over several years. I am bound to her, I think, for the duration of the series.
But my fear is that my current agent will not truly attempt to sell the other projects I have in the pipeline. Projects I need to sell in order to pay my mortgage, clothe my body, feed my family. My fear is that, now that she has crossed the line and behaved so unprofessionally, I will not be able to manage simple, professional conversations with her for these future projects.
What are my options in a situation like this? I want an agent who has the clarity of mind to listen to me, even in worst-case-scenario situations. She doesn't have to listen and agree. She just has to NOT scream senselessly at me on the phone and accuse me of things I have not done.
(I might add that this is the second phone call of this nature I received this week. The first, less intense encounter occurred when I was unable to answer her while driving. She was incensed that I did not pick up the phone.)
This is a stressful situation and those always bring out the worst in people, but I thought an agent, being, you know, someone who takes a cut of your paycheck, is someone working for you, and not trying to impose their will upon you.
Am I wrong?
You guys helped me get a query written.
You guys helped me get an agent.
You guys were there to celebrate with me when I did.
You guys helped me wait out the long submission process to publishers.
You guys were there when my book series inked its deal.
But now I am in a terrible position, and I have tried to do my own research elsewhere online so as not to bug you guys (and avoid typing out a huge explanation for what's going on without, I don't know, pointing fingers at anyone or slandering anyone or causing even more of an issue) but I couldn't find anything online and I knew that you guys would be the only ones who could help.
For legal reasons I certainly can't disclose, but that I am not culpable for, there is reason to believe my book might face litigation from an outside party. It's a groundless lawsuit. But it has shown me, clearly, how very willing my publisher is to throw me under the bus to save money. And, you know what? That, I expect. They're a corporation, they have hundreds of authors and franchises they have to manage. Expedient solutions that cost them the least money possible are how they keep the publishing house going. No hard feelings there.
But my agent -- I expect my agent to give me the time of day. To hear me out. To give me patient, if stern or firm, advice. And today I received a phone call from her where she was literally shouting at me into the phone, not listening to me at all as I tried to reason with her. It wasn't flat-out abusive (no profanity), but from prior email correspondence she is aware that I am in a delicate emotional condition (recovering from a protracted illness and a family tragedy) and I frankly don't ever want to speak to this woman again. I see no future working with her. She was unfeeling and unreasonable and the definition of unprofessional and I ended up having to rush her off the phone and hang up.
She got the deal for the book series. The installments in the series are scheduled for release over several years. I am bound to her, I think, for the duration of the series.
But my fear is that my current agent will not truly attempt to sell the other projects I have in the pipeline. Projects I need to sell in order to pay my mortgage, clothe my body, feed my family. My fear is that, now that she has crossed the line and behaved so unprofessionally, I will not be able to manage simple, professional conversations with her for these future projects.
What are my options in a situation like this? I want an agent who has the clarity of mind to listen to me, even in worst-case-scenario situations. She doesn't have to listen and agree. She just has to NOT scream senselessly at me on the phone and accuse me of things I have not done.
(I might add that this is the second phone call of this nature I received this week. The first, less intense encounter occurred when I was unable to answer her while driving. She was incensed that I did not pick up the phone.)
This is a stressful situation and those always bring out the worst in people, but I thought an agent, being, you know, someone who takes a cut of your paycheck, is someone working for you, and not trying to impose their will upon you.
Am I wrong?