S.T. Literary Agency / Stylus Literary Agency

Richard said:

Let's not forget Adolf Hitler.

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Or Mao.

The whole thing reminds me of one writer's account of interviewing an Arab who was ranting about how the Jews controlled the media. Only his office was lined with memorabilia from all sorts of news and publishing companies that this Arab personally owned a substantial stake in.

This is getting seriously off-topic.

I'm very sorry Francesca's been banned -- I did want to ask her for the London agent's name (I have my suspiscions -- hint: It's somone else who refuses to reveal his sales). And I did want to hear, a year from now, how things had worked out for her.

Oh, well. I look forward to seeing what sales Francesca racks up over the next two or three years.

Gravity said:

Uhh..Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins?

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Beat me to it, Grav... Much as I hate to hold up L&J's opus as an example of anything other than really bad writing and excreble theology.

I'd been wondering for three pages of catch-up now why Fransesca got banned. I was not expecting the reason to be Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion fan-fic.

Anyway. The point she made about agents not having to reveal particulars of their business practices made me think, "Sure, and I don't have to hand a prospective new employer my resume. Sure. But should I expect to get hired if I don't?" The only reasons an agent would refuse to reveal his/her previous sales and successes: A) There are none to reveal, or B) for some perverse reason that agent actually doesn't want to get hired. Regardless of which is the case, no author should feel comfortable signing on with an agent who won't answer questions about sales and successes.

Oh, and that stuff about "if you let it get out it'll lose its explosive power"? Scare talk. St.L is trying to scare the author away from talking to anyone else (read: legit publishers and agents) about her novel.

For everyone's amusement, and not making any accusations at all, check this out:

http://www.immigration-world.com/index.html

Particularly, check out "Secret Address" here: http://www.immigration-world.com/interest/secret-eng.shtml

There you'll read:

Private, residential, secure address.

The addresses you will be given will be suitable either for business or personal mail. Actual mailing addresses are not included in here for security reasons. We do not use PO Box numbers.

We can also offer you mailing addresses abroad, prestigious for your business or where you can simply "virtually" relocate. The advantages of a foreign address are numerous.

Our Services Must NOT Be Used For Any Illegal Purposes!!!
​

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...

• United States of America (New York) • Not available now!
Basic service covers:

• you can choose from three prestigious New York locations
  
  1001 Avenue of the Americas
  
  1040 Avenue of the Americas or
  
  275 Madison Avenue
• Mail forwarding service
• Office services

Basic cost: EUR 450/quarterly
Minimum deposit: (EUR 50 extra)
Mail forwarding, usually weekly, charged at postage costs.

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Wow. 275 Madison Avenue, New York, NY.

Where have I seen that address before?

What an amazing coincidence!

Do you think we should let them know their mail drop is being used for illegal purposes?

Does anyone even think they actually care?

A couple of articles for you to read:

ST Literary Agency -- writers' break, or just crooked?

Please pay special attention to the information on ST Literary's advertising.

It’s also rather strange that an agency with such limited openings should spend months on end paying thousands of dollars to advertise to writers on the world’s largest search engine. Not only that, but they were willing to violate Google’s own rules in order to increase their exposure. By setting up a second site which automatically redirected to their first they were able to elude Google’s checks and get a second advert for the same search term, this time calling themselves “sydra-techniques”. Despite the fact that the second ad was taken down as a result of complaints, ST tried to get away with sneaking it back on a second time.

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Now go over to an interview with Robert Fletcher at Quietpoly Writer's Magazine. Interestingly enough, Fletcher wasn't answering an interviewer's questions: [font=helvetica,arial,sans-serif]" Note: Questions are not standard interview question but provided by S.T. Literary Agency."

[/font][font=helvetica,arial,sans-serif]Pay close attention as Robert says, "[/font][font=helvetica,arial,sans-serif]We receive about 300 inquiries per month and we don't even advertise."

[/font][font=helvetica,arial,sans-serif]Today, if you Google on literary agency the very first Google Ad that comes up is: [/font][size=-1]

Christian Literary Agency
Seeking fresh talent. Christian
only. No fees. Rapid Decisions
www.christianliterary.com

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That's an ST clone/partner/daughter/spin-off agency, owned and operated by Robert Fletcher. Nice job of "don't even advertise," Bobby.

I wonder if another reason for spinning off all the New York Literary Agency/Christian Literary Agency/Stylus Literary Agency/Children's Literary Agency/The Literary Agency Group clones was to create more possible ads, to blanket sites that use Google Ads?


[/size]

I've been having a great deal of fun Googling on "represented by" and "ST Literary Agency." I've already found a couple of those famous "on-line pitch pages" that Bobby was so proud of a year ago, the ones that his writers were bragging on.

Those pitch pages seem to have been dropped from the latest incarnation of Stylus Literary and its clones ... or at least they aren't bragging on them so hard. Perhaps because the word was getting out that they're totally useless?

Ah, well. But I haven't even gotten off Page Two at Google and I here I find that Bobby's been holding out on us! He has another sale that he didn't even mention!

It's Shifting Sands: Life of a Saudi Arabian Princess by T. L. McCown. T. L. is represented by ST Literary and by Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists.

So, who did Bobby line up as a publisher for T.L.'s book? Leathers Publishing is the answer. And what is Leathers Publishing?

Leathers Publishing offers the complete package from start to finish - like no one else can, plus we do it at a reasonable price.

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That's right, a pay-to-play vanity press.

James D. Macdonald said:

Deepak Chopra? Salman Rushdie? Stephen King? Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.? Andrew Greeley?

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James D. Macdonald?

Well, yeah, and Orson Scott Card, as long as we're on the subject. I was thinking of writers that a Brit living in Spain would have heard of.

Meanwhiile:

More first-person accounts of being represented by ST Literary Agency.

Jim,

And the sad part is, those two people you referenced above seem like really sincere people who might have a good story to tell.

Trouble is, I doubt we'll ever know.

James D. Macdonald said:

Well, yeah, and Orson Scott Card, as long as we're on the subject. I was thinking of writers that a Brit living in Spain would have heard of.

Meanwhiile:

More first-person accounts of being represented by ST Literary Agency.

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There are hundreds of famous British Authors she would have heard of - very few British authors are Jewish, so she is bullshitting on purpose.

As for British agents: I could reel off at least twenty reputable ones right now. They all have websites with lists of their household-name authors, and are proud to do so; if her book is so hot why didn't she go after them? The Brits are renouned for their love of scandal and mayhem. Harly a day goes by without some red-hot story hitting the newstands.

I tend to believe that Francesca is really a troll - probably Fletcher or his sister or wife in disguise.

That man has the gall to have a wife or sister? The mind reels...

John

Richard said:

http://www.writersservices.com/for/sc1/ss1_francesca_tucker.htm

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OK, she's legit. I take it back.

I'm going through this thread looking for names of clients and titles of books that ST/Stylus/The Literary Agency Group claims to have sold.

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Denise Becker Shades of Brown Genesis Press

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The author sold this book herself.

William Powell The Road to Hebron The Lighthouse Press

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Not listed at Amazon.com, not listed at bn.com, no used copies at bookfinder.com, only Google hits are to this thread. No evidence this book was ever printed.

Paul Anderson The future of Customer Service Doyle Printing & Press

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Self-published before Fletcher took over ST.

Pastor Billy Crone A Marriage Built to Last Mapletree

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A startup LDS publisher, may not pay an advance. I don't know if Pastor Billy sold the book himself or not.

Victor Stenger Where Do the Laws of Physics Come From Prometheus Books

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Stenger has been selling physics books to Prometheus on a regular basis since 1988. I don't know how ST was involved in this sale.

Dario Castagno Too Much Tuscan Sun Globe Pequot

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The author sold the book himself.

Clients who gave testimonials (4/7/04):

Michael Sears

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As of April a year ago, Mr. Sears claimed he hadn't sold anything (though he did give ST a testimonial). As of today, no one named Michael Sears appears to have a book published or scheduled since then.

Rev. Amy Snow, MA

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Rev. Snow vanity-published a book with Trafford in 2002. Nothing since.

Carl Bell

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Carl Bell is a common name. As of April '04 (according to Fletcher's letter) Bell hadn't yet sold a book. I am unable to find any books by a Carl Bell published after April '04 except where the auhor had previously published. The only Carl Bell whose works didn't include some that predate ST's foundation brought out his works through 1st Books Library (a vanity POD) in 2003.

Gary Dover (screenplays)

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No one named Gary Dover is listed as a screenwriter at imdb.com.

Clients listed at ST's website:

Michele Campanelli

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Short stories to the Chicken Soup books (no agent needed). All her other works are vanity POD or non-advance-paying e-books, or predate ST's founding.


Appeared at Writers.net and Speculations.com to defend ST, and claimed to be clients:

Jackson Compton (5/18/04)
Melvin Wilson
Stratton Jones

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No apparent sales.


Identified at "leading clients":

Paul Anderson, Denise Becker, Michele Campanelli...

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See above.


=============

Georgina Orr claims that The Literary Agency Group has four "deals," of which the authors sold two.

The only four that could fit are:

Denise Becker
Dario Castagno
Pastor Billy Crone
Victor Stenger

We know that Denise Becker and Dario Castagno sold their own books. Therefore, Pastor Billy Crone's book and Victor Stenger's book must be the ones that LAG's claiming for their own.

A sale to a startup that doesn't pay an advance and doesn't require an agent, and a sale in a continuing series that predates ST's creation by a decade. I find both of those very hard to believe.

So, how about it, Robert Fletcher, Georgina Orr, or anyone else from ST/Stylus/Literary Agency Group? Are those the books you're claiming you sold?

========================

In other news, on the mail-forwarding front:

Virtual Office Solutions:

Virtual Office Solutions
Corporate Suites offers Virtual Office Solutions for businesses that require all services of our full time office clients but do not require a full time office space. We offer a selection a prestigious business addresses, phone service with live reception answering in your business name or voicemail service, handling and forwarding your mail anywhere in the world so that your clients may use one central address as well as offering you all of our business services when you are in New York including access to our fully equipped conference facilities, lounge and common areas as well as support from our staff.

Our Virtual Office Solutions are popular with home-based professionals who desire a professional address and corporate facilities to meet their clients, out-of-state or international businesses who require a meeting place and business address in New York and traveling professionals who are rarely in New York.

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Pay particular attention to the list of prestigious New York addresses available. Yep, it's our old friend 275 Madison Avenue.

And wow, look at that: the Fourth Floor.

Almost spooky, isn't it?

Bobby, did you think no one would notice?

Y'all remember this from 4/7/04?

robertfletcher said:

Publisher - Lighthouse Press
Ron Richard, President
Lighthouse Press, Inc.
www.TheLighthousePress.com
[email protected]

We are in the process of formalizing a relationship with ST Literary Agency but have not worked out all the details as of this writing. As to our publishing company, we are a four year old company with forty three titles currently in print. All of our titles are available through Ingram and Baker & Taylor, our wholesalers to the book trade. We are members of Publishers Marketing Association.
Please visit our web site linked below for more information about us.
Thanks for writing and perhaps we may communicate again in the near future.
Ron Richard, Publisher
Lighthouse Press, Inc.
www.TheLighthousePress.com
(ps. we don't accept unsolicited or unagented materials.)

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Well, it looks like we know what those talks were. The Lighthouse Press of Deerfield Beach, FL, is back with a very spiffy new website copyright 2005, and an unnamed "Owner" who has invested $120K in them. They sell their books on a non-returnable basis, take payment by PayPal, and are proud of the fact that they don't use distributors.

So what do they do? They're an "entertainment company" now, Lighthouse Entertainment, L.L.C., whose big deal is that they sell film options!Anyone want to guess who the new "owner" is?

Look at this on their "investors" page:The Wayfarers is a novel about Jewish emmigration in the early 20th century. They appear to have sold an option, and are looking for investors in the project. And I suppose that it's possible that the film might gross over $500 million. Of course, so far only one film in history -- Titanic -- has managed that trick. But hey! It could happen! The film, if it's ever made, could make more than The Empire Strikes Back and Gone With the Wind combined. What a happy day if that happens!"I don't know, kid. I can imagine quite a bit."

The discussion of other aspects of ST/Stylus/The Literary Agency Group continues here: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8286&page=3&pp=25

Here's zap-inc's boast about Sydra Techniques:

Commercialization of Writers' Leads



A large Agent firm in New York has thousands of authors' submissions every quarter. We were asked to commercialize these leads. A complete CRM system was put in place along with telemarketing sales. Estimated gross revenues are $4MM annually. Initial receipts were received in 45 days. (www.sydra-techniques.com)

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Among the many businesses of Robert Fletcher, one I'm interested in is World Wide Diversified Services, Inc.

"Commercialize these leads"--authors' submissions are telemarketing leads now, kids. IOW, submit here, get phone spam.

Aconite said:

"Commercialize these leads"--authors' submissions are telemarketing leads now, kids. IOW, submit here, get phone spam.

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Hey, a sucker's a sucker. They can be fleeced over and over again.

James D. Macdonald said:

Here's zap-inc's boast about Sydra Techniques:

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$4 million is over 31,000 of his $129 fees. That's a frightfully large number.

Not that I believe it, coming from this guy.

$129 was only the entry fee. Reports are that writers paid more ... much more ... over the course of their sojourn through Sydra Techniques.

If I recall correctly (help me out here, Robert, if you're reading this -- you never did answer my specific questions about how much more the typical ST client paid you), they'd claim to send out your manuscript to ten publishers per month at a charge of $14 per submission, for the two years the contract ran.

So ... $129 + $14 * 10 * 24 = $3,489 per writer over the length of the contract. Though I suppose most dropped out early.

$1,809 per writer in the first year. Four million bucks/year would be 2,212 writers, or 184/month. Not impossible, when you consider that PublishAmerica claims they get around that many submissions a day.

Let's say he has only half that ... 92 new writers per month. Given that -- having "68 open and active discussions with buyers" (or whatever their weasel-phrase was) is pretty darned pathetic. That sounds like most publishers discard his letters unopened, delete his email unread, and don't return his phone calls.

James D. Macdonald said:

That sounds like most publishers discard his letters unopened, delete his email unread, and don't return his phone calls.

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Yeah, but with his "feel good" letters to authors about the feedback he's getting all being the same, I doubt he's actually sending these manuscripts out, receipts or not.

Maybe he and Willem and Clopper can all share a cell in the big house, comes the day. Being top dogs in the publishing biz, I'm sure delegating their daily tasks would come easily to them.

Lessee...Willem can draw clumsy graffiti on the walls, while Clopper rattles his tin cup on the bars screaming "Guard! Guard!", both of them accompanied by Bouncin' Bobby playing mournful tunes on his mouth harp.

Picturesque, ain't it?

John