So I call 5/13/2011 the completion date for "Mississippi Sizzling." Somehow my browser takes me to this site http://www.ebookcrossroads.com/agents.html I whittle the prospects down to 25, disqualifying only those agents who clearly are not interested in marketing grown up (as opposed to 'adult' and its racy connotation) fiction. I discarded those agents who want to write authors of children's books, encyclopedias, cook books and 12 step pamphlets. But I had a list of 25 and I was going to get published.
I first wrote to the agents located in Alaska and Canada, thinking they would not get as many queries. I think it is difficult for anyone from another country to represent Americans so I wasn't expecting a swift reply from the Canadians. When I went down this road before the Canadian agents sought Canadian writers. I have to get a response from any Canadian.
The email to the Alaskan agent was apparently invalid and it bounced back.
Next on the list was Doriss Michaels. They mentioned in their propaganda that they sought material that had "strong screen potential." I emphasized that "Mississippi Sizzling" was to be the first in a series and TV and movie producers seek a built-in audience above all else. Series of any kind are better than stand alones of any kind. They wrote me a prompt email that was not a formal rejection. They wanted to review andif they were interested they would contact me...I was hopeful.
I sent an email query to Jane Cheliut Literary Agency. Yes it said explicitly no science fiction. I made the point that this is near future sf and as such was not really sf. They wrote a polite reply that they don't handle science fiction.
Let's review the math...A list of 55 agents is initially trimmed to 25. Two are Canadian and do don respond. 23. The Alaskan is an invalid email. 22. Eight of those listed are "snail mail" only. I will address these in a minute. 15. Fourteen.
On May 29, June 5 and June 6 I send out eleven queries. Not sure how I got from fourteen to eleven. But that is how many I sent out. Eleven queries reaped eight rejections, one "we will review..." and two non-responses. Still batting zero, am I.
Showing posts with label rejection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rejection. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
At Least He Addressed Me By Name
I actually spent some time researching agents' interest and backgrounds. It didn't do any good. I deleted the phone number from the reply. Seems odd that someone would include their # if they don't want to hear from you. But I am happy that this gentleman has phone service.
Dear Mr. Rio :
Thanks for telling me a bit about MISSISSIPPI SIZZLING, but I don't think I'm the right agent for your project.
I wish good fortune.
Havis Dawson
Liza Dawson Associates
direct tel
On Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 10:19 PM, wrote:
Dear Mr. Dawson:
Having researched your background, I believe we might share some literary interests. I am seeking representation for “Mississippi Sizzling,” a crime/dark humor/near future science fiction extravaganza of roughly 139,000 words.
Set in the near future, “Mississippi Sizzling” explores a world where organized crime has discovered the wonders of biological weaponry. Jim Garfield is a criminal prodigy who had been ushered in to a prison elite called The Scholars. Upon his release, Jim Garfield had been unwittingly herded to a parole officer who worked for a major league criminal enterprise.
“Mississippi Sizzling” opens with a chemical attack on the law enforcement bodies of Waller County, Texas orchestrated by Jim Garfield, his former lover and Federal parole officer, Mary Elizabeth Jones and a hostile genius named Joe Fungo. The scheme goes horribly wrong and two children are killed. The killing of children, even as collateral damage, is a violation of the criminal code by which Jim Garfield so righteously lives.
Jim Garfield blames Joe Fungo for the deaths of the two kids and he plots to put a bullet in Fungo's head. As he rides through the streets of Joe Fungo's neighborhood with a silencer-equipped pistol under his jacket, he receives a frantic call from his colleague, David Hunter Duncan. David Hunter Duncan's son, Delbert Wayne, has been arrested on drug charges in Memphis, Tennessee.
Meanwhile, Jim Garfield's bipolar-diagnosed former parole officer escapes from his family's enforced treatment and tries to procure funds from his old client. Their situation is complicated by federal parole agent, Mary Elizabeth Jones, a partner in crime with Jim Garfield and the mother of both men's sons. As Jim Garfield negotiates the delicate slalom, he is shocked to learn that David Hunter Duncan has launched a chemical attack on downtown Memphis in hopes of knocking out the offices of federal prosecution.
Fearing that David Hunter Duncan will launch further sloppy attacks and lead investigators back to his own doorstep, Jim Garfield decides to temporarily spare Joe Fungo's life and introduce him to his associate. Fungo might be vicious but he is also clever and regardless of what scheme he might hatch, he would certainly try to cover his tracks.
David Hunter Duncan and Joe Fungo become instant comrades. They first launch a biological attack and then a chemical attack on downtown Memphis. Despite the wayward assaults, Delbert Wayne Duncan's predicament does not improve. He is moved to a private jail and his high-priced attorney is the only fatality in the biological foray.
A second lawyer reminds David Hunter Duncan that should a certain confidential informant suddenly die, the Feds would have no case against Delbert Wayne. The concerned father approaches Jim Garfield with a request to help him procure the services of a trigger man. With his old friend's behavior growing more erratic, Jim Garfield considers terminating David Hunter Duncan.
But the Scholars (an elite prison ward for serious criminals) are the brothers Jim Garfield never had and he ultimately agrees to assist his mentor in the fulfillment of his task. He persuades a not too bright convict named Billy Jake Carver to travel to Mississippi to make things right. Billy Jake Carver assembles a crew, some weapons and a GPS and they drive to the Magnolia state as they rehearse their mission using a computer game called Home Invader Deluxe.
Purina Pearce is the eleven year old daughter of confidential informant, James Charles Pearce, the team's intended target. When she is not tending to the family rottweilers or cleaning her .410 shotgun that she nicknamed Molly, the young Jodie Foster look alike plays Home Invader Deluxe. The appeal of the Deluxe version is the capability to plug in real world coordinates into the computer game. A large chunk of Purina Pearce's young life has been devoted to role playing home invasions conducted by faux police officers.
The Pearce family survive the onslaught but Mr. Pearce is a hunted man. David Hunter Duncan is able to send a second team after him and they catch up with the Pearces as they worship in church. Hell erupts and Mississippi is the site of the inferno climax.
Good does not necessarily triumph but then again, evil does not fare so well either. As “Mississippi Sizzling” is meant to be the first in a series, not much changes for Jim Garfield. Two people (Mary Elizabeth Jones and Joe Fungo) know his darkest secret. His mentor (David Hunter Duncan) remains desperate to spring his son from jail and as such, he is a bit of a loose cannon. And the alliance between Duncan and Fungo sparks Jim's ever-suspicious mind.
“Mississippi Sizzling” is the first in a series of perhaps a dozen novels. As such, not all loose ends are neatly tied and not every problem is resolved. The novel contains perhaps a dozen or so main characters (depending on how one defines main character), a couple of dozen supporting characters and a half dozen or so story lines. No, “Mississippi Sizzling” is not disjointed and yes, every story line weaves together like the yarn in that afghan your grandmother crocheted for you when you went off to college. No characters are stranded in orbit and none are left on a tangent to die from neglect.
Frank Lee Rio is the real life Kilgore Trout. He has worked dozens of strange jobs to support his writing habit including such illustrious gigs as plasma donor, human guinea pig, wart model, and exterminator. He is currently employed as a mental health counselor in Massachusetts. "Mississippi Sizzling" is his second first novel.
A more detailed biography is available at http://getyournovelpublished.blogspot.com/2011/06/introducing-frank-lee-rio.html
Sincerely,
Frank Lee Rio
--
Havis Dawson
Liza Dawson Associates
Dear Mr. Rio :
Thanks for telling me a bit about MISSISSIPPI SIZZLING, but I don't think I'm the right agent for your project.
I wish good fortune.
Havis Dawson
Liza Dawson Associates
direct tel
On Sun, Jun 19, 2011 at 10:19 PM,
Dear Mr. Dawson:
Having researched your background, I believe we might share some literary interests. I am seeking representation for “Mississippi Sizzling,” a crime/dark humor/near future science fiction extravaganza of roughly 139,000 words.
Set in the near future, “Mississippi Sizzling” explores a world where organized crime has discovered the wonders of biological weaponry. Jim Garfield is a criminal prodigy who had been ushered in to a prison elite called The Scholars. Upon his release, Jim Garfield had been unwittingly herded to a parole officer who worked for a major league criminal enterprise.
“Mississippi Sizzling” opens with a chemical attack on the law enforcement bodies of Waller County, Texas orchestrated by Jim Garfield, his former lover and Federal parole officer, Mary Elizabeth Jones and a hostile genius named Joe Fungo. The scheme goes horribly wrong and two children are killed. The killing of children, even as collateral damage, is a violation of the criminal code by which Jim Garfield so righteously lives.
Jim Garfield blames Joe Fungo for the deaths of the two kids and he plots to put a bullet in Fungo's head. As he rides through the streets of Joe Fungo's neighborhood with a silencer-equipped pistol under his jacket, he receives a frantic call from his colleague, David Hunter Duncan. David Hunter Duncan's son, Delbert Wayne, has been arrested on drug charges in Memphis, Tennessee.
Meanwhile, Jim Garfield's bipolar-diagnosed former parole officer escapes from his family's enforced treatment and tries to procure funds from his old client. Their situation is complicated by federal parole agent, Mary Elizabeth Jones, a partner in crime with Jim Garfield and the mother of both men's sons. As Jim Garfield negotiates the delicate slalom, he is shocked to learn that David Hunter Duncan has launched a chemical attack on downtown Memphis in hopes of knocking out the offices of federal prosecution.
Fearing that David Hunter Duncan will launch further sloppy attacks and lead investigators back to his own doorstep, Jim Garfield decides to temporarily spare Joe Fungo's life and introduce him to his associate. Fungo might be vicious but he is also clever and regardless of what scheme he might hatch, he would certainly try to cover his tracks.
David Hunter Duncan and Joe Fungo become instant comrades. They first launch a biological attack and then a chemical attack on downtown Memphis. Despite the wayward assaults, Delbert Wayne Duncan's predicament does not improve. He is moved to a private jail and his high-priced attorney is the only fatality in the biological foray.
A second lawyer reminds David Hunter Duncan that should a certain confidential informant suddenly die, the Feds would have no case against Delbert Wayne. The concerned father approaches Jim Garfield with a request to help him procure the services of a trigger man. With his old friend's behavior growing more erratic, Jim Garfield considers terminating David Hunter Duncan.
But the Scholars (an elite prison ward for serious criminals) are the brothers Jim Garfield never had and he ultimately agrees to assist his mentor in the fulfillment of his task. He persuades a not too bright convict named Billy Jake Carver to travel to Mississippi to make things right. Billy Jake Carver assembles a crew, some weapons and a GPS and they drive to the Magnolia state as they rehearse their mission using a computer game called Home Invader Deluxe.
Purina Pearce is the eleven year old daughter of confidential informant, James Charles Pearce, the team's intended target. When she is not tending to the family rottweilers or cleaning her .410 shotgun that she nicknamed Molly, the young Jodie Foster look alike plays Home Invader Deluxe. The appeal of the Deluxe version is the capability to plug in real world coordinates into the computer game. A large chunk of Purina Pearce's young life has been devoted to role playing home invasions conducted by faux police officers.
The Pearce family survive the onslaught but Mr. Pearce is a hunted man. David Hunter Duncan is able to send a second team after him and they catch up with the Pearces as they worship in church. Hell erupts and Mississippi is the site of the inferno climax.
Good does not necessarily triumph but then again, evil does not fare so well either. As “Mississippi Sizzling” is meant to be the first in a series, not much changes for Jim Garfield. Two people (Mary Elizabeth Jones and Joe Fungo) know his darkest secret. His mentor (David Hunter Duncan) remains desperate to spring his son from jail and as such, he is a bit of a loose cannon. And the alliance between Duncan and Fungo sparks Jim's ever-suspicious mind.
“Mississippi Sizzling” is the first in a series of perhaps a dozen novels. As such, not all loose ends are neatly tied and not every problem is resolved. The novel contains perhaps a dozen or so main characters (depending on how one defines main character), a couple of dozen supporting characters and a half dozen or so story lines. No, “Mississippi Sizzling” is not disjointed and yes, every story line weaves together like the yarn in that afghan your grandmother crocheted for you when you went off to college. No characters are stranded in orbit and none are left on a tangent to die from neglect.
Frank Lee Rio is the real life Kilgore Trout. He has worked dozens of strange jobs to support his writing habit including such illustrious gigs as plasma donor, human guinea pig, wart model, and exterminator. He is currently employed as a mental health counselor in Massachusetts. "Mississippi Sizzling" is his second first novel.
A more detailed biography is available at http://getyournovelpublished.blogspot.com/2011/06/introducing-frank-lee-rio.html
Sincerely,
Frank Lee Rio
--
Havis Dawson
Liza Dawson Associates
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Dear Author
This was dated June 9.
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission to the P.S. Literary Agency; unfortunately, we are unable to offer representation as it is not right for us at this time.
Our agency receives over 600 submissions per month and we only take on a few new clients per year. With the publishing industry being extremely competitive we need to feel a strong conviction when representing your work. While it is not for us another agent may well feel differently.
We apologize for responding with a form email, but doing so enables us to respond quickly so that you can continue querying without delay. We wish you luck elsewhere.
Best wishes,
Submissions Coordinator
P.S. Literary Agency
Dear Author,
Thank you for your submission to the P.S. Literary Agency; unfortunately, we are unable to offer representation as it is not right for us at this time.
Our agency receives over 600 submissions per month and we only take on a few new clients per year. With the publishing industry being extremely competitive we need to feel a strong conviction when representing your work. While it is not for us another agent may well feel differently.
We apologize for responding with a form email, but doing so enables us to respond quickly so that you can continue querying without delay. We wish you luck elsewhere.
Best wishes,
Submissions Coordinator
P.S. Literary Agency
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