[Agency] Dee Mura Literary / Dee Mura Enterprises Inc.

[Jonathan Dalar]

New post on Writers Digest regarding Kaylee Davis. Wonder if anyone has any further (positive?) information on this agency.

 

[NicoleJLeBoeuf]

Again, I wasn't mentioning them as red-flags. All I meant that the fact that she has zero track record whatsoever seems to point strongly to the fact that she provides no positive value. There seems to be a remote-but-non-zero chance that there is some kind of negative value.

I'm actually with you in wondering this. It's not that (with all due respect to Terie) anyone's surprised that agents don't take on relatively few clients a year; it's that apparently the Dee Mura agency's modus operandi has been 1) request the full 2) then disappear off the face of the earth 3) while no one can find any evidence they've ever sold anything.

And yet they've been around for... what was it? 23 years?

How do they stay in business?

 

[KeatsLove]

I got a revise/resubmit request from Kaylee. It took about two months (December request for material - February revision request). The letter sounded like a form R till I read the last couple lines and saw it was a R/R. I don't know anything about their sales (or lack thereof) but I thought I'd chime in and say they do more than reject manuscripts.

 

[Treehouseman]

Form rejection for me a couple of weeks ago, so they're still active I suppose?

 

[penguin girl]

I saw a recent adition to the agency, Kimiko Nakamura. Does anyone have experience with her? Any updates on the agency?

I'm hesitant to submit, given lack of postitive info all around. Thanks.

 

[wombat]

I got a revise/resubmit request from Kaylee. It took about two months (December request for material - February revision request). The letter sounded like a form R till I read the last couple lines and saw it was a R/R. I don't know anything about their sales (or lack thereof) but I thought I'd chime in and say they do more than reject manuscripts.

Somewhat similar experience here. Got a request for the full at the end of March, with a request for an eight week exclusive and a rejection with encouragement to resumbit in early July. It took some nudging but she was fairly communicative in the process. And I also can't comment on whether they have any sales since I never got to the point of asking.

In contrast though her email did not sound like a form R at all. She gave a fair amount of detail about why she said no, so it seemed like a thoughtful read.

Despite the fact that she was encouraging and enthusiastic about the ms's potential, I am not planning to follow up. I've got something else I'm going to start querying now and my experience with agents who ask for revisions before committing to representation has been that it never went anywhere, so it doesn't seem like the best place to focus my efforts. I'd be interested to hear what happens if you resubmit.

 

[RMG]

I queried Kaylee Davis on Jun, 14
She came back to me on Jul, 16 requesting a full with exclusivity, which I couldn't grant since my full was already out with other agents.
Same day, she waved the exclusivity and still wanted to see my full.
Sent full on Jul, 16

Received offer of rep from another agent who had my full on Jul, 26 and emailed Kaylee to let her know.

Will update when/if she gets back to me.

 

[Tromboli]

I'm pretty sure I know an author who walked away from an offer from this agency (with a heavy heart, but level head on his shoulders). I won't say which author, because there's a reason he didn't mention exactly who the agent was but if you're wondering PM me and I'll send you the link to his blog post about it. I'm only speculating about which agent it was, but all flags match up to this agency. I'm sure he'd be willing to share if you asked him privately. I've suggested he contact WB and Preditors and Editors because he's seen the contract etc.

I'm not sure what to make of this agency because one of their newer agents seems so nice and enthusiastic, but why wouldn't they share their sales or even their clients? I'd love to think the best of people, but why make it so hard?

 

[KeatsLove]

I've been meaning to update...

I finished my R/R in mid April and sent it. Kaylee confirmed receipt and said it would be 6-8 weeks reading time. That came and went. I inquired at week 12 if it was still under consideration. I never got a reply and have since signed with another agent. The manuscript under consideration sold. I'm more confused by the lack of communication after I sent my revision than upset. It just seemed strange when Kaylee was so quick to answer through the rest of the process.

 

[Tromboli]

Hard to be real upset when you have another agent and a sold manuscript. Congratulations.

Maybe your emails we're just lost or something?

 

[KeatsLove]

Hard to be real upset when you have another agent and a sold manuscript. Congratulations.

Maybe your emails we're just lost or something?

I wish I knew, even though it doesn't really matter now. I'd rather have closure than not knowing. On the up side, her revision suggestions helped strengthen the manuscript.

 

[MeganJoWrites]

I'm pretty sure I know an author who walked away from an offer from this agency (with a heavy heart, but level head on his shoulders). I won't say which author, because there's a reason he didn't mention exactly who the agent was but if you're wondering PM me and I'll send you the link to his blog post about it. I'm only speculating about which agent it was, but all flags match up to this agency. I'm sure he'd be willing to share if you asked him privately. I've suggested he contact WB and Preditors and Editors because he's seen the contract etc.

I'm not sure what to make of this agency because one of their newer agents seems so nice and enthusiastic, but why wouldn't they share their sales or even their clients? I'd love to think the best of people, but why make it so hard?

I know the blog post you are talking about. At least, I'm pretty sure. And if it is the one, I asked the author privately and he confirmed it was Ms. Davis.

 

[noneofusis]

Kaylee Davis

Hey! Kaylee Davis requested my novel from #PitchMas on Twitter, and I was wondering if anyone had any dealings with her or the Dee Mura literary agency--all the info I could find was from five years ago.

 

[Treehouseman]

Hi, I think there is a fairly recent Dee Mura thread in here, i remember looking at it earlier this year and it was getting updated.

Well, I have had a rejection from her, that's the extent of my dealings, If I can remember the bulk of the comments about Dee Mura agency was that they repped a lot of people but didn't seem to have sold anything?

Here's the most recent info from October this year: <snipped>

It looks like a proceed with caution. Best of luck.

 

[Kerosene]

Yep. Outlook does not look good for them.

I'd pass.

 

[noneofusis]

Okay, thanks. This was my first Twitter pitch party, and I was curious if it looked bad to agents or if they notice if you don't send the favorited/requested materials. If so, I'll send; if not, oh well.

 

[Treehouseman]

Okay, thanks. This was my first Twitter pitch party, and I was curious if it looked bad to agents or if they notice if you don't send the favorited/requested materials. If so, I'll send; if not, oh well.

I'd say send if you want to, but be really explicit in the agent/writer contract that if they don't maintain (fair) contact with you, or you don't sell in 12 months, the agreement can lapse. This way you can back out if it looks like it's going nowhere.

 

[Tromboli]

Who would it look bad to? An agent you've decided not to consider anyway? No one else will know unless you shout it out which you should never do. You most definitely do not have to send to every agent who requests.

 

[Treehouseman]

There are a lot of reasons why people might not send to an agent after the first instance of requesting. perhaps they looked over their work with a more critical eye and realised it needed rewrites, or that they didn't feel confident yet, or if somebody else asked for an exclusive.

At this stage of the game I don't feel you owe much from a tweet pitch. It might be different if the agent had your full and had spent a day reading it, then pulling out of a deal without reason might be wasting their time.

 

[TCRyan]

Kaylee Davis

I also received a partial request from Kaylee during PitchMAS. They appear to be live and well. I submitted. When I hear something, I'll let you know.

It's all conjecture, but of course my evil twin has come up with a diabolic plot where agencies like this one with ties to Hollywood collect manuscripts for the sole purpose of farming ideas that could turn into good movie scripts they might try to sell.

 

[victoriastrauss]

Well, they sure don't seem to be selling any book manuscripts.

- Victoria

 

[hikarinotsubasa]

Full request from Kaylee Davis via a contest... she seems genuinely enthusiastic both about my novel and her career. Her query tips on Twitter are helpful, friendly, and sincere. I wonder if she is the one being scammed, and not the scammer here.

As an individual, I think she'd be an asset (with a little more experience... but everyone has to start somewhere). But based on what I've heard of the agency, and the fact that the only clients I've been able to find have published with... Smashwords?, I think I am going to decline the opportunity to submit.

If she were to end up at another, more well-established agency in the future I may be interested in querying her again, but this agency, I think, is going to be a no go.

....and now I know how the agents feel having to send rejections on close calls.

 

[Tromboli]

I agree. I think Kaylee seems nice, intelligent and enthusiastic but her agency doesn't bode well for her. I don't know that I'd call this agency a scammer but I've seen nothing to recommend them either.

 

[frimble3]

Having read this whole thread, (I am actively avoiding something else that I should be doing) I wonder if the whole 'literary agency' side of her business is a place-holder?
Maybe there are vague thoughts of being 'full service', so the literary agency is set up, just in case something brilliant, or useful for the 'real' business turns up?

 

[Tempa234]

Well, they sure don't seem to be selling any book manuscripts.

- Victoria

That's what really boggles my mind. They certainly seem to be getting more press these days but how is it that still, after all this time, no one can find evidence of their sales? As I saw someone once ask, if that's the case how do they stay in business???