B.J. Robbins Literary Agency

She sat on a few agent panels at the Squaw Valley Writers Conference last year. She seemed to know her stuff. I queried her earlier this year and she requested a partial, but I didn't hear back in time and ended up going with another agent. She reps James D. Houston, among others and has quite a few deals listed on Publishers Marketplace.

I sent her an email broswer-butcheried query and she kindly replied to it. She seems okay. Most just wouldn't have to the drek I sent her. (accidentally)

I've just added her to my "to query" list...I'll let you know how it goes.

I've talked to her at conferences. Nice, smart. But doesn't like Ann Patchett's novel Bel Canto, which I find puzzling. But I find her very easy to talk with.

Here's her biographical notes from the upcoming SDSU conference (http://www.ces.sdsu.edu/writers/) :

B.J. Robbins is a literary agent who opened her Los Angeles-based agency in 1992 after a long career in book publishing in New York, both in publicity at Simon & Schuster and then as a senior editor at Harcourt. Her agency represents non-genre fiction, both literary and commercial, and general nonfiction, with a particular interest in memoir, biography, narrative history, pop culture, sports, travel/adventure, medicine, and health. Her clients include J. Maarten Troost (The Sex Lives of Cannibals and Getting Stoned with Savages), Craig Ferguson (Between the Bridge and the River), James D. Houston (Snow Mountain Passage and Bird of Another Heaven), Tim Madigan (I'm Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers), Eduardo Santiago (Tomorrow They Will Kiss), Los Angeles Times columnist Chris Erskine (Man of the House), and Wendy Werris (An Alphabetical Life: Living it Up in the Business of Books). A member of AAR and PEN USA West, she has taught publishing programs at UCLA, UC Irvine, and at the Squaw Valley Community of Writers Fiction Workshop. She will conduct consultation appointments.

Got a quick kind rejection from Lindsey Morrone of this agency.

I just got a request for a partial from her last night, so I'll see how it goes.

How long did it take you guys to hear back from a query? I sent one a while ago and haven't heard yet.

gettingby said:

How long did it take you guys to hear back from a query? I sent one a while ago and haven't heard yet.

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I submitted a query a year ago that I'm still waiting on. Others I've received responses within one-two months. I think the "average" is like six months.

Got the following rejection:

I'm sorry to say that Lindsey Morrone is no longer with the agency and we are not taking on any children's projects at this time. --BJ Robbins Literary Agency

Anyone know where she went? Thanks for any info!

Received a form rejection from BJ three weeks after sending a snail mail query.

I got a partial request from BJ within 24 hours of querying her via email. She seems very professional and friendly. I'll update the thread with the outcome and wait time.

I've got a full with BJ Robbins right now. She replied to my email query in less than 24 hours asking for the full MS.

As anyone worked with Amy Drake?

It has been a long time since anyone has posted here. Has anyone had any contact with Ms. Robbins lately? I am sending her an email query for my historical fiction. Will post back when/if I get a response, though it sounds like she is a no-response = no agent.
Bryan

Received an auto response within minutes:

Thank you for contacting us.

We have received your query and will consider it carefully, but please
know that we will only respond to those projects we wish to pursue.

Sincerely,
BJ Robbins Literary Agency

I queried her in September of last year, and received a very nice note back a day later, complimenting me on my "excellent query letter" and requesting a full. I sent it and we communicated again in December, after I attended a conference and had acquisition editors from two of the big publishing houses request pages. She responded to that email immediately as well, and asked for the names of the editors, which I provided. Then nothing. Nudged. Nothing. Nudged again. Still nothing. I am flummoxed. I was really impressed with her responsiveness and professionalism, and she seemed like a really nice person besides. Was very excited about the possibility of having her represent me and my work. The complete break in communication is mystifying.

I've had a full requested from BJ Robbins, a mere three hours after the one-page e-query. Fingers crossed that she's interested!

IsabellaCranford said:

I've had a full requested from BJ Robbins, a mere three hours after the one-page e-query. Fingers crossed that she's interested!

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Good luck, Isabella!

If you want to query Ms Robbins, check out this youtube interview she does on what she likes/dislikes in query letters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvqcE57tWdk

greg

Met Ms. Robbins at a conference over the weekend. To my surprise, she requested a full. I liked her energy. And that she's worked as a publicist. She was easy to talk to. Not holding my breath but glad to have a request...