Lennie Literary Agency

[Provrb1810meggy]

Does anybody know anything about Alana Lennie of Lennie Literary Agency and Author's Attorneys? They requested a partial of my manuscript. According to Publishers Marketplace, "Michael Lennie has successfully negotiated hundreds of major contracts for both established and first-time authors, in all areas of work." However, the page only mentions two authors who I could hardly find anything out about. If anybody has experience or info, it's appreciated!

 

[JerseyGirl1962]

Website is here:

http://www.lennieliterary.com/

Hmm...Have you asked them about what authors they rep and the books they've sold? I don't see anything on their site about that.

Hopefully someone else will chime in on them, but those would be the questions I'd ask before sending them anything.

Good luck!

~Nancy

 

[davidhburton]

I see no sales listed on Publishers Marketplace.

P&E has a listing, but with no indication of whether they are recommended or not. There is no $ next to their listing either.

Their PM listing shows the following:

LEADING CLIENTS

Terry Wesner; Paul Anderson; many of the major textbook authors across the country


BEST-KNOWN PROJECTS

Buffington v. Macmillan Publishing; Michael Lennie is the National Advisor for the Text and Academic Authors Association. He speaks around the nation on the topics of author/publisher contracts, and the protection of authors' works.

Maybe Victoria has more info on them....

 

[triceretops]

I'm just hoping that the other services they list are not of the fee variety as it pertains to anything that might be obscure, but still hinge on literary law. No addmission of starting date...no sales or author's list...and no promotion of any books or publishing houses. Maybe they're new. I would write directly to them and ask these questions.

Tri

 

[Branwyn]

All I know is they promptly rejected me.

 

[victoriastrauss]

Here's what I know about the Lennie Agency.

- Michael Lennie is an established and respected IP attorney. It's my impression that agenting was something of a sideline for him. When I first encountered this agency, around 2001, there were some sales credits but not many, and the agency's focus was on nonfiction, including textbook authors (a very specialized field). I also got some reports of upfront money requirements--variously, $250 on contract signing and $40 per month.

- For a while there were several agents at the agency. Sometime in 2004, Lilly Ghahremani and Stefanie Von Borstel left to form Full Circle Literary. At that point, Alana Lennie, who was previously the office manager, seems to have taken over as an agent. It's my impression that Alana and Michael are currently the agency's only staff.

- I get questions from time to time about the agency. In contrast to the questions I was getting through 2004, it's always Alana who's mentioned as the agent, never Michael.

- Two writers who queried the agency within the past year and a half and got requests to submit have told me that their questions about track record were dodged. Lennie's old website mentioned some nonfiction sales credits, but there's no mention of sales on the current website, or on the agency's Publishers Marketplace page.

- Here's a recent bio of Alana Lennie. No mention of sales here either.

Summary: some questions about upfront money, and no findable recent track record of sales.

- Victoria

 

[Provrb1810meggy]

Thank you! I was suspicious when hardly any specific sales were noted, and the agency isn't new at all. Also, it seemed like they only sold textbooks and nonfictions, yet they were interested in my YA novel.

 

[twesner]

Michael Lennie was my attorney

Hi to all,

Since I run Google alerts on my name, your chat came up this morning. My name is Terry Wesner and I am one of the authors mentioned by davidburton.

Michael Lennie was my attorney for a very successful lawsuit against McGraw Hill and Times Mirror. The result of the successful suit has allowed me to have my own publishing company http://www.getmath.com/ and do lots of charitable projects. http://totallyfreemath.com/ I am also supporting research on autoimmune diseases with the money. http://ihavems.com/

If you want to search my name, I would suggest using my middle initial -- "Terry H Wesner" If you use "Terry Wesner" you will get a lot of sites about some about some rifle carrying person in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. You will need to refine the search to -- http://www.google.com/search?ie=utf8&oe=utf8&num=10&q=%22terry+wesner%22+-Oshkosh+-jr.+-rifle+-Pitcher+-weapons+-shooting+-swat+-Classmates+-Bellevue+-Christmas+-cheerleader+-Burpo+-Morrisonville+-Released&lr=lang_en

In order to retain profession service, it is reasonable and customary to pay a fee up front. I do not recall the retainer I paid when I started the lawsuit, but I believe it was $5,000. That was the best return that I have ever had on an investment. Whatever you are charged for their services, it will be a reasonable fee and you will get your money's worth.

I used Michael's services recently on a publishing merger I was working on. http://www.FreeLoadPress.com/ I will continue to use his services whenever the need arises. I can recommend Michael Lennie without reservation. I hope that clears up any reservations you may have in retaining his firm for any publishing matter, whether it is a lawsuit, negotiating a contract, or finding a publisher.

Best regards, Terry Wesner

 

[Provrb1810meggy]

Fee for lawyer services may be appropriate, but they aren't for agenting.

 

[Pepper653]

http://www.lennieliterary.com/bio.htm

Interesting...I wonder if she's still part of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference?

 

[noirnick]

Any new info on Alana Lennie?

 

[CaoPaux]

Attends high-end conferences and is active in the Text and Academic Author Association, but there's still no sign of sales.

 

[noirnick]

Alana Lennie

Thanks. She wants my manuscript when it's completed-another couple months. Met her at 2007 SCWC in San Diego, but I'll first try the other agent-who's sold some fiction- who was interested. Appreciated the help. Glad I found this site. It's great.

 

[CaoPaux]

Since this is on her homepage, one would assume it's claims of sales:

Lennie Literary Agency congratulates Mary and David Scarborough on the sale of their book, THE PROCRASTINATOR'S GUIDE TO MARKETING, to Entrepreneur Press. In recognition of this sale Lennie Literary has made donations to two organizations that are important to Mary and David: Infidelis Productions (www.infidelisproductons.com) and 4 The Future (www.4thefuture.net).

Congratulations, Mary and David!


CONGRATULATIONS TO NAOMI BENARON!

Naomi's collection of short stories is due to come out this fall, published by BkMk Press.

 

[victoriastrauss]

Entrepreneur Press looks like a solid indie specializing in business books, but you don't need an agent to submit to it.

BkMk Press is a partially grants-supported publisher of poetry, essay, and short fiction collections that's housed at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Again, it looks very reputable, but you don't need an agent to submit there either.

- Victoria

 

[Gardenia31]

She rejected my partial and after reading this, now I'm glad!

 

[JAG4584]

Stick to agents with experience or go it alone...

She rejected my partial and after reading this, now I'm glad!

Same here! This is a great site and the truth is an author needs all the help they can get from their agent and the agent has to perform and have experience or the author should go it alone and self-publish as their is no point in wasting valuable time and effort.

 

[billyf027]

Anything new

Is there anything new about this agency?

 

[kipkayak]

Any updates on Alana Lennie? I just sent the first 20 pages at her request...

 

[M.R.J. Le Blanc]

just one sale so far coming out this year, not exactly a good track record. You might want to look elsewhere unless someone can find evidence of a track record.

 

[HumbleScribe]

She requested a full of my novel. I'm seeing that sale mentioned in the last post is also a novel, now on the shelves by an indie publisher. Not seeing anything more in the way of fiction .mss published with them for this year on their site / the PM profile, but I didn't check all the sites (recommendations on best sites to further check for agency sales?). Seems a pretty difficult time right now with my latest batch of submittals to get agents to even accept submissions from potential new clients... think I should hang it out till finding an agent with more sales of fiction to the major houses?

 

[victoriastrauss]

You want an agent who is actively selling books in your genre or subject to the kinds of publishers you'd like to be published by. If that kind of track record isn't present for the agent's other clients, the odds the agent will be able to accomplish it for you are probably equally slim.

Signing up with an agent whose skills or experience don't match your goals is a recipe for frustration and wasted time.

- Victoria

 

[Aldrey]

Lennie Lit. Agency & Ann Elphick Lit. Agency

The Lennie Literary agency has asked for the first 20 pages of my manuscript the Elphick Literary Agency has requested my complete manuscript. Does anyone have current info on either? I can't find info on sales and there is absolutely no info on Elphick. I am leary about sending my full manuscript without having any info on the agent.

 

[Momento Mori]

There's a thread on the Lennie Literary Agency here: <snipped>

There's a thread on the Ann Elphick Literary Agency here:
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163905

It's usually better to research an agent before your submit a query to them. In this case, there's no harm in asking them for details of recent sales.

MM

 

[Aldrey]

Momento Mori-thank you but....

There is no info on the Elphick thread and as you can see no current info on the Lennie thread. Trying to get feedback from writers who have had recent contact with these agencies. Thank you so much.