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Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation

waylander

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She requested my full manuscript last year and then rejected it in about 3 weeks with a standard rejection letter, the only agent to do so out of a field of nine (so far). I felt like it had been turned around by an intern who did not realise it was a requested submission.
 

Manxom Vroom

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I sent her a query in November of last year, and only just now received a request for a full manuscript. The weird thing is, the request for the full MS is a form letter, starting with "Dear Author." What's more, I think this letter was signed by an assistant (it says "NC/rbj" under the signature).

Is she legit? Asking to see a full with a form letter screams out scam agent to me, and yet her listing on Agentquery seems to be good.

Has anyone out there worked with Nancy Coffey, and if so, what was your experience? Please let me know.
 

waylander

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My request for a full was a scruffy form too.
 

rwam

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According to agentquery, her last sale was in 2001. Of course, maybe she hasn't been updating her profile.
 

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Nancy is my agent and she is fabulous!

She has no website. She has no email. But she does have mega contacts via her years as Editor-in-Chief at Avon, St. Martins Ballantine etc.

She is very old school and does most of her communicating via phone. Nancy calls me at least once a week. She is a very hands on and involved agent.

She is credited with being the "godmother of the modern day romance novel" having found Katherrine Woodiwiss and Rosemary Rogers in the slush pile. As an agent she makes regular sales for her list of varied genre authors, and she told me she takes on one new client about every 2 years. I write historical fiction. I had absolutely no credentials, but she "loved" my story, signed me up and proceeded to get get me a two-book deal with Berkley/Penguin. My first book will be out next summer.

Here is a link to the article I read which caused me to query her:

http://www.romantictimes.com/authors_tip.php?tip=909
 

tbrosz

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Nancy is my agent and she is fabulous!

She has no website. She has no email. But she does have mega contacts via her years as Editor-in-Chief at Avon, St. Martins Ballantine etc.

She is very old school and does most of her communicating via phone. Nancy calls me at least once a week. She is a very hands on and involved agent.

She is credited with being the "godmother of the modern day romance novel" having found Katherrine Woodiwiss and Rosemary Rogers in the slush pile. As an agent she makes regular sales for her list of varied genre authors, and she told me she takes on one new client about every 2 years. I write historical fiction. I had absolutely no credentials, but she "loved" my story, signed me up and proceeded to get get me a two-book deal with Berkley/Penguin. My first book will be out next summer.

Here is a link to the article I read which caused me to query her:

http://www.romantictimes.com/authors_tip.php?tip=909

Since you've had some experience with her, do you have some idea about how long she takes to turn around a full manuscript? She's had mine since November, and I don't want to bug her too soon.

Just out of curiosity: If she's your agent, why did you ask about her in the first post?
 

williamfromkc

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Did you notice that the person who started the thread also gave her the glowing review a year later? Guess she answered her own question.
 
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IceCreamEmpress

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Just out of curiosity: If she's your agent, why did you ask about her in the first post?


She asked about Coffey in 2006, and then came back to the thread in 2007 after she had signed with her. The dates of posts are in the dark blue band above the post, on the far left.
 

williamfromkc

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ICE: I picked up on that. I just thought it was interesting that she ended up with the agent after asking about her AND was able to answer her own question. I'm not implying that she is a shill for the agent.
 

K-Mark

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She requested my full on November 12th, 2007. She replied earlier this month that it wasn't for her.
 

IceCreamEmpress

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ICE: I picked up on that. I just thought it was interesting that she ended up with the agent after asking about her AND was able to answer her own question. I'm not implying that she is a shill for the agent.

Sorry, didn't think you were--I answered the other question before realizing you had already answered it. I also wanted to point out where the dates lived in case tbrosz hadn't noticed.
 

funidream

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I ain't no shill!!

Since you've had some experience with her, do you have some idea about how long she takes to turn around a full manuscript? She's had mine since November, and I don't want to bug her too soon.

Just out of curiosity: If she's your agent, why did you ask about her in the first post?

I started this thread when I was in the middle of trying to decide between the three agents who had offered on my manuscript back in August of 2006 - you know - just trying to gather as much info as I could. I did decide to sign with Nancy, based mostly on several great phone conversations (we just clicked) plus the fact that she knew my story inside and out and had a definite vision for how she saw the fitting into the marketplace, and a plan to develop my writing career.

And she sure came through, got me a 2-book deal with a phenomenal editor at Berkley - Jackie Cantor - the second book sold based on a synopsis I cobbled together at the eleventh hour.

She is really dedicated to her clients, and as a result, kind of slow-pokey when it comes to response time on requested material. It took two months to hear back on my full.

I know right now she has been busy with income tax paperwork - 1099s and such, so maybe she's even more behind. I'd advise you sit tight. (hard, I know!)

Good Luck! :Sun:
 

tbrosz

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There's a year between those two posts?

Tri

Caught that when I went back and looked more carefully. Thanks!

I don't often see forums where there can be a year between two posts, and I guess I need to be more observant!
 

tbrosz

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I started this thread when I was in the middle of trying to decide between the three agents who had offered on my manuscript back in August of 2006 - you know - just trying to gather as much info as I could.

Three agents offering at the same time? Oh, Lord, throw me in THAT briar patch!

I did decide to sign with Nancy, based mostly on several great phone conversations (we just clicked) plus the fact that she knew my story inside and out and had a definite vision for how she saw the fitting into the marketplace, and a plan to develop my writing career.

And she sure came through, got me a 2-book deal with a phenomenal editor at Berkley - Jackie Cantor - the second book sold based on a synopsis I cobbled together at the eleventh hour.

She is really dedicated to her clients, and as a result, kind of slow-pokey when it comes to response time on requested material. It took two months to hear back on my full.

I know right now she has been busy with income tax paperwork - 1099s and such, so maybe she's even more behind. I'd advise you sit tight. (hard, I know!)

Good Luck! :Sun:
Thanks for your encouraging comments! She does sound like a good agent.
 

JRS

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Hi Hopcus,
I can't say whether she does a fair amount of YA, but I queried her based on her agentquery profile and past sales (which included an older YA novel). She requested the full of my YA manuscript. Now comes the wonderful wait....

Hope that helps.
 

JRS

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Good luck!! And please let me know if you learn/hear anything....I'll do the same.