My experience with Talbot Fortune so far...
Is anyone out there a client of John Talbot's? I'd love to hear about your experience working with him. Thanks in advance!
So, I posted a lengthy reply, tried to edit, and then thought it was *still* a bit much, and am now reposting again. Apologies everyone.
John Talbot has been my agent for almost a year now, and have nothing to say but positive things. I was very lucky to get multiple offers on my MS during the querying process. John was one of the first agents I queried, was in my "A" list so to speak, but after several months of not hearing back, I assumed it was a rejection from him.
NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING IN THIS BUSINESS.
When I finally got "the call" from another wonderful agent, I asked for 7-10 days to alert others who had my MS. A published author friend of mine suggested that I also send emails to EVERYONE I'D QUERIED. I'd never heard of doing that before, but it seemed polite, so I sent a personal email out to each one. John contacted me quickly and apologized for being behind of his emails. He remembered, my query, requested the MS, and called two days later to offer rep.
Now that I've been in the trenches for both querying and the submission process, I can say that the submission process is WAY slower though perhaps not as nerve-racking. All that patience you've stored up while waiting for agents to contact while querying you won't be wasted, that's for sure.
John has great contacts in the industry and a good reputation. My MS was submitted to the Big Five at least twice that I know of and then to smaller, but also well-established, publishers. Still no takers, but that's the reality in this business.
One thing I can say is that you should find an agent that fits what you need in a client-agent relationship. While I wish there was more communication between John and I, I'm also a realist. Agents are busy people, and most won't contact their clients to tell them about rejections; they call when they have good news. John is one of those agents. Whoever you get "the call" from, make sure that you are on the same page in regards to communication (how, when, for what).
Anyway, hope that helped. Good luck!!
