ALM Tree Agency

[transom-jumper]

Dear Cooler Mates,

Has anyone heard of Alm Tree Agency? They claim to have offices in New York, Seattle and L.A. The two owners are Dallas Green and Amber Leone. They're primarily interested in scripts but also list mysteries as an interest. With three offices I'd think they must be fairly big. Is this all smoke and mirrors or is this legit?
Transom-Jumper

 

[James D. Macdonald]

These fellows? http://almtreeagency.com/

Established 2006. "We are here to help your dreams come true, one page at a time."

"We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. All work submitted should be registered with the WGA or copyrighted."

One client listed, Gary Solomon. His books:

The Motion Picture Prescription, Aslan Books, 1995
CinemaParenting, Aslan Books, 2005
Reel Therapy, Aslan Publishing, 2001
A Psychiatric Diagnosis Primer, Pearson Custom Publishing, 2006

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Y'all might also want to look at this: http://sopheajobs.com/job.php?id=4016071&PHPSESSID=e7b974e38d671b1454d183e24d65a972

 

[victoriastrauss]

I've seen that job listing before. I could swear that an AW'er had asked about this agency already, but I can't find anything.

Could this be the same Amber Leone? If so, the scope of her industry experience isn't exactly breathtaking.

From the "What We're Looking For" page of its (incredibly annoying) website: "We are a motorized agency driving towards established writers."

You can't make this stuff up.

- Victoria

 

[Berry]

All work submitted should be registered with the WGA or copyrighted.

Um, all work is copyrighted at the moment it's "first fixed in tangible form". An agent unclear on the difference between copyright and registration of copyright makes me uneasy.

On the other hand, an actual client with verfiable credits is a plus, even if they predate the agency. A branch of the Pearson group published my own technical non-fiction books.

 

[victoriastrauss]

On the other hand, an actual client with verfiable credits is a plus, even if they predate the agency.

An experienced writer can get caught by a questionable agency, especially if the writer is trying to change genres or sell into a new market (for instance, a previously unagented nonfiction writer who is trying to sell a novel). I hear from such people all the time.

- Victoria

 

[James D. Macdonald]

I'm not certain why they'd want works to have their copyrights registered.

My overall impression is that this is a gormless agent.

 

[transom-jumper]

Thanks to all.

Dear Watercoolers,

Thanks for the info on Alm Tree. Your links were very revealing. I'm knocking them off my favorites and can save a few bucks in postage querying them with chapters. Okay so they're a not a "real" agency, but at least they have a cool website. Will the real literary agent please stand up?

Over-the-transom and through-the-shredder,
Transom-Jumper

 

[Carmy]

To find a real agent, check out this site: http://www.agentquery.com/genre_descriptions.aspx

Good luck!

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Real agents represent books that you find on the shelves in bookstores.

A useful agent has sold books you've heard of.

Go to the bookstore, find books like yours, find out who represented them, query that agent.

 

[CaoPaux]

The website died July 2007. From her CVs here and here, I gather ALM Tree dissolved, she joined The Bohrman Agency briefly, then gave up agenting entirely.