Schiavone Literary Agency, Inc.

Francine Edelman Joins Schiavone Literary Agency

2011-07-15T18:22:00.003-04:00

Francine Edelman, former President of a very successful publicly held ad agency in NYC for over 10 years, has joined the growing Schiavone Literary Agency, Inc. Now in its 15th year of operation the agency continues its reputation as one of the nation's top, exclusive, highly selective literary agencies. Professor Schiavone, CEO, is excited about Ms. Edelman's valuable contributions to the agency. With her background and expertise in sales and advertising, she will focus on books of exceptional quality from established authors with impeccable credentials and outstanding platforms, in the areas of marketing and advertising.

With Francine Edelman on board, we encourage submissions of email queries relating to her area of expertise. Please note that we accept only email queries. Ms Edelman's email address is:
francineedelman@aol.com

Academy Award Winning Actor George Kennedy/Memoirs

2011-05-08T16:18:00.002-04:00

Releasing October 11, 2012, and available for pre-order from Amazon, B&N, Books-A-Million, and all major outlets, Trust Me: A Memoir, by George Kennedy, Academy Award winner for best supporting actor for his compelling performance in the classic Cool Hand Luke, with Paul Newman.

From the preface:

These are memoirs of a kid born in New York City in 1925. His dad, George Senior, was a pianist, composer and orchestra leader at Proctor's Vaudeville Theatre, and his mother, Helen, played in a classic dance troupe. Hanky-panky ensued. They married, and I soon was the result...

I write like I talk. A long time ago I tried making 'talking and telling the truth' one and the same. That isn't just difficult; it means painfully reviewing things you've been led to believe since you were a child. That's very hard to do. Like many, I have marched along adhering to conventions (sex, color, church, party, gang) without examination. There's a wonderful protective 'togetherness' in that anonymity. You obey or are damned, less joined together than stuck together. You become an echo rather than a voice.

This book is about what happens when you stop fearing and think.

I like writing, but warmed-over BS is not on the menu. You are the most important thing in life. Every phrase in the book - awkward or not - is how I think and question everything. I wrote every word as if we were sitting together. I want you to think, too"
George Kennedy

Back From Hiatus

2011-01-31T21:06:00.002-05:00

It has been a couple of months since my last post. This is primarily because I was unable to login to my account for whatever reason. Now that I'm back I wanted to bring my readers up to date on new releases that I have brokered. First, the debut, LEAVING JACK, will be released by St. Martin's Press on February 15th as previously announced. I'm excited about this potential best seller and I have noted that Amazon has what they call their VINE program. Vine sends out advance reading copies of a forthcoming work to selected customers giving them a jump on pre-publication reviews (step aside Publishers Weekly, here come real reviews from the ranks, or from people who buy and know great literature when they see it). While I have high hopes for JACK, I'm delighted to see the favorable reviews from real customers, most of whom were overwhelmed by the impact of this powerful story of a brave yellow Lab serving in the Vietnam War. The lucky prepublication reviewers give insights into a novel you will not want to miss. Advance orders are being taken by Amazon, B&N, etc., and will be shipped for receipt on the release date. When you get your copy let me know your thoughts as I would like to post a few on this blog. Of course your local book store will have plenty of copies on hand to fulfill the demand.

Nostalgia and movie buffs will be delighted to know that come the Fall, Academy Award winning actor George Kennedy (Cool Hand Luke with Paul Newman) will have his memoir released by Applause Books, entitled: TRUST ME: A MEMOIR. This is a must have book for Hollywood fans as George reveals behind the scenes action embellished by vignettes of such iconic figures as Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, and many others who came to know George Kennedy, who himself played more than 200 roles in movies and TV. More about this later.

Last year I was correct in my prognostications regarding the enormous escalation of ebook sales. Readers love their iPads, Sony's, Kindles, Nooks, you name it. Once purchased, readers have placed millions of orders indicating healthy gains for publishers and authors. The outlook for books is very promising in spite of the current economic crisis.

Books by my Authors

2010-09-17T13:08:00.006-04:00

Above is the jacket cover for FINDING JACK by Gareth Crocker. St. Martin's Press will release the book on February 15, 2011, and will be available through all outlets (bookstores and online in hardcover and ebook formats).

Books By My Authors

2010-08-14T18:44:00.010-04:00

Our agency looks forward with great anticipation for the release of the debut novel, FINDING JACK, by South African author Gareth Crocker, in February, 2011. When the war ends, how do you leave your best friend behind? This is the premise of FINDING JACK. After losing his young family in a tragic accident, Fletcher Carson joins the flagging war effort in Vietnam. Deeply depressed, he plans to die in the war. But during one of his early missions, Fletcher rescues a critically wounded yellow Lab whom he nurses back to health and names Jack. As Fletcher and Jack patrol and survive the forests of Vietnam, Fletcher slowly regains the will to live.

At the end of the war, The U.S. Government announces that due to the cost of withdrawal, all U.S. dogs serving in the war have been declared "surplus military equipment" and will not be transported home. For the hundreds of dog handlers throughout Vietnam, whose dogs have saved countless lives, the news is greeted with shock and disbelief. For Fletcher, he knows that if he abandons Jack, then he too will be lost. Ordered to leave Jack behind, he refuses - and so begins their journey.

Based on the actual existence and abandonment of canine units in Vietnam, Gareth Crocker's FINDING JACK is a novel of friendship and love under desperate circumstances that will grab your heart and won't let go.

Advance Praise:

"Gareth Crocker writes vividly and from the heart.... Crocker has avoided all temptations of sentimentality on the one hand and political pontification on the other."
The Star (South Africa)

"Rarely have I read so moving an account of the heroism of animals, the compassion of the humans who love them, and the transformational relation ships that can spring up between the two. This is a story that will continue to live with you long after you've turned the last page."
Gwen Cooper, Author of The New York Times Bestseller Homer's Odyssey

Gareth Crocker has worked as a journalist, copywriter, news editor, public relations manager, publishing editor and, most recently head of communications and spoksperson for a multinational corporation. Finding Jack, is his first novel.

Schiavone Literary Agency, Inc. promises more to come from this exceptionally talented author.

The Author and Book Publicity

2010-08-14T17:18:00.004-04:00

Reader G.M. McGowan said... "It's true to have something to sell. However, public relations, promotion, marketing and distribution are what make money for the publisher. And that's something the publisher has to do... not the new or established author."

G.M. is certainly correct when he/she avers that publicity is something the publisher has to do. His assertion that somehow the author is not responsible, in my opinion does not ring true. All of the large mainstream publishers indeed have publicity departments, and in most cases have several full time publicists within the department. These personnel work diligently to get the book noticed through national print publicity and advertising, sending ARC's (advanced reading copies) to booksellers, reviewers, TV producers, newspapers and magazines. They also schedule book signings and radio and TV interviews, as well as promotions on social networking sites, blog campaigns, and reading groups.

Through all of this the author is key in rounding out the efforts of the publicity department. Today's author needs to have or to establish a platform, which is evidenced by the fact that most authors, even those who remain unpublished, now have Web sites as well as blogs. Gone are the days when an author concentrates on writing with little or no concern given to publicizing his book. The author's input with regard to marketing is especially crucial when the small publisher has little or no capacity to do so.

I believe a large part of the excitement of being a published author is in the marketing of the book through signings, interviews, and appearances. Today's successful authors are multi-talented!

Historical Novels

2010-07-21T16:33:00.004-04:00

Hello again. I'm back in Florida after a month of vacationing in the Big Apple, the city of my birth. Blog reader Jim asks, "Is there a particular agent that handles certain genres such as historical fiction, or more rightly, fictionalized history? How does the market look to you in regards to new authors in today's stagnant to poor economy?"

Indeed there are literary agents who are open to historical novels. I believe the best resource in locating these agents is the Literary Market Place, followed by Publishers Market Place. You can Google both of these. Public libraries carry the Literary Market Place as well as the ever popular guide books for writers such as Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents. Agents are listed and identified according to their specialities.

My agency is fortunate in representing top writers in the genre. Our client list includes award winning novelist James Alexander Thom (Follow the River, Random House - also made into a major motion picture). We also represent award winning English historical novelist Erastes, whose works in erotica have enjoyed international acclaim. I would be remiss not to mention Tom Willard, a military history scholar whose Black Sabre Chronicles (Forge) represent a signal achievement in depicting the significant role of African Americans in the US military.

Debut authors always face enormous challenges. The current world economic crisis only exacerbates problems for them. My advice is to keep working at developing your skills as a novelist. Publishers can only remain in business when they have the best that writers can offer.

More on Query Responses

2010-05-02T16:10:00.002-04:00

The eponymous anonymous asks: Does your agency respond to all emailed queries even if it's a negative response?

My agency is listed in The Literary Marketplace as well as numerous published resources for writers all over the world, and is referenced throughout the internet. A simple Google search will turn up dozens of such references. Hence my business is global with author clients from Alaska to Zimbabwe. Given the aforementioned it is incumbent upon me to respond to all queries. We respond to all postal queries wherein a SASE is enclosed. No SASE, no response. We also respond to all email queries. Occasionally a query might get accidentally spammed or deleted, or somehow lost. I sometimes get a response bounced back to me because the sender has a spam blocker and my email is considered spam. Incredible as it may seem, I have had SASE's returned to me as undeliverable, and stamped by the post office, "address unknown, no such number, no such zone." Go figure: a writer who can't address an envelope to himself!

Basically, we respond to all queries. Although we get most of our authors through recommendations, networking and conferences, we do glean excellent new talent through the queries. We're prepared, so keep them coming. You will get a response!

Digital Submissions and the iPad

2010-04-29T15:06:00.003-04:00

Before we say goodbye to April I wanted to jot down a few ideas on my blog. On April 3rd I visited my local Best Buy and walked out with my newly purchased, untested Apple iPad. I already had the latest SONY personal reader, which has streamlined my office and helped to rid me of enormous piles of manuscripts.

I bought the iPad to be used primarily for the ebook function. Within just a few days I discovered the power and reach of this device. Now, I only accept electronic submissions of manuscripts which I choose from the hundreds of queries I receive each month. Both the iPad and the SONY have enabled me to completely avoid hard copy. Thankfully, even small presses accept agency submissions via email attachment.

I have a WiFi home and office through my high speed DSL internet service . This enables me to get maximum use of the iPad through the many Apps that are available. One App allows me to wirelessly download a PDF file from my computer directly to my iPad. How cool is that? And I can label each file so that there is no way that any could be unidentifiable. Although I am always a couple of months behind in reading submitted novels, the new technology provides a most efficient means of keeping up with the busy activities of an agent. Remember, we agents also like to read the newest published fiction and nonfiction. We therefore have to judiciously plan our work load.

For my part, I have to give the iPad an A for performance. This is a top grade from a professor emeritus.

Publishing and Technology

2010-03-23T13:31:00.004-04:00

In a Gally Cat interview with Schiavone. Jeff Rivera asks: "What do you think about all these technological changes happening? (Kindle, the iPad, ebooks) How have they changed the marketplace?

In the final analysis a book is a book. How that book is delivered and the preferences of consumers who buy them, dictates the direction of the industry. Technology marches on. Look at the film and music industries. Initially you had to go to a theater to watch a movie, then came television, then Beta and VHS, then DVD and Blue Ray. The presentation of films now gets to us in a variety of ways. This leaves the consumer with multiple choices. Ditto for music. From the recorded cylinder to flat vinyl records to tapes and CD's to iPods, etc., music is delivered in a variety of media. With all of this technology we can still enjoy going to a theater or a concert. Technology brings us virtually unlimited entertainment.

As a kid (many current readers weren't around then) I saw books change in shape and size. One could go to the five and dime store to buy a new book format then called "pocket books." And yes, they did fit into your pocket. Here was a previously published hard cover book now in a smaller paperback pocket version for just 25 cents! Today this format is known as the eponymous "mass market paperback" and retails at $7.99. Thanks to digital technology we now have choices in how we read content. No longer must a book be confined to ink and paper. Thanks to my SONY personal ebook reader, I can download dozens of books and take them with me on board public conveyances, the beach, etc. And as a literary agent I have eliminated tons of paper coming into my office, piling up and getting messed up and misplaced. For the past couple of years I now only accept electronic file email attachments - and publishers accept agency submissions via email. With the new ebook readers, one doesn't have to read from a computer screen. The reader fits comfortably in your hands like a traditional book. The growing demand for ebooks has enormous implications for the publishing industry. Just think: no ink, no paper, no warehousing, no shipping, no shelf space, and NO RETURNS! What a boon to publishers, authors, agents, and the book buying public. Technology continues to brighten our future. Indeed, the marketplace for publishing has changed and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

Agency Management of Query Letters

2010-02-16T18:08:00.004-05:00

Reader Mark has noted the large number of query letters received by my agency annually and raises some questions. Actually, the 7,500 figure reflects queries addressed directly to me. Agents Jennifer DuVall and Kevin McAdams of Schiavone Literary also receive additional queries addressed to each of them respectively. This means that overall we get some 10,000 query letters each year. Mark asks, "How do you review the details of so many inputs?" Obviously, this is not an easy task. On our Web site we indicate that we give preference to authors published by major houses. We also state the we have a 99% rejection of all queries. We believe it is important to be upfront with our prospective clients. In point of fact we are scouting for exceptional new talent. However, our candid approach has not stemmed the flow of queries to us. Obviously we would be lost without the queries we depend on to discover new talent and to serve established authors who wish to join our ever expanding enterprise.

I consider many factors in handling the details of the queries. For example, vampire stories have proven to be very popular with contemporary readers so I would expect substantial input from authors who have chosen to write for this genre. However, I never dreamed that I would receive hundreds upon hundreds of queries for books about vampires, as well as werewolves.
Again, during the Harry Potter craze I was inundated with children's books about witches and goblins, and that is far from over. Many letters suggested that Harry Potter move over and make room for a girl, say Harriet, to capture center stage. I'm not certain that jumping on a band wagon will lead to success.

Other considerations particularly with nonfiction books involve the author's qualifications and platform which I have discussed in other sections on query letters. By and large each agent at Schiavone Literary makes his/her own decisions regarding the offer of representation. On occasion I have consulted with some of my colleagues in academia before making an offer of representation.

We take pride in representing some of the finest authors in the world.

Books By My Clients: The Scorsese Psyche on Screen: Roots of Themes and Characters in the Films, by Maria T. Miliora

2010-01-01T13:38:00.005-05:00

This critical study examines the interconnections between the life and work of acclaimed film director Martin Scorsese, showing that his films reflect his experiences growing up in a Sicilian-American-Catholic family in the tough neighborhood of New York's Little Italy and express much about his ethical and religious attitudes.

After providing a concise biography, the text individually describes Scorsese's films from 1963 to 2002, commenting on themes and characters with emphasis on male sexuality, narcissism, violence, and the place of women in the director's personal and cinematic world. Psychological analyses of focal characters provide a basis for understanding the dialogue and actions of the characters in the context of their respective film stories. Special attention is given to two films known to have particular meaning for Scorsese: The Last Temptation of Christ and Gangs of New York.

Maria T. Miliora is a professor of Chemistry at Suffolk University in Boston and maintains a private practice in psychoanalysis. She has published books on psychology, film, and literature, as well as clinical articles.

More on the Query Letter

2010-01-01T12:57:00.004-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A reader asks: Could you give an example or guidelines for a good query letter? I have seen many different "correct" ways and was wondering what an actual agent thought.

Basically a good query letter consists of one page. It tells the agent about the premise of the book followed by a brief description. It gives the author's qualifications to write the book, especially if the work is non fiction. The letter should be triple checked for spelling and grammar. I'm turned off by any careless mistakes. If you are going to write to any agent it behooves you to take the time to avoid mistakes and even minor typos. Also, if you are a published writer include titles, publishers, and dates of publication.

Often a very well composed query is rejected for a multiplicity of reasons depending upon the agent and his needs at any particular time. While one agent may pass, another may be most enthusiastic. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula. Good luck! Do check out my other posts regarding the query letter.

Schiavone Responds to Frequently Asked Questions

2009-12-26T12:59:00.003-05:00

In his resource guide on publishers, editors, and agents, Jeff Herman asks agents to describe their concept of the "dream client." I envision the dream client as one who has done his homework. This author has researched agencies that handle his genre, knows about query letters and how to write them, and has read sufficiently to determine which agents are best suited to handle his representation needs.

The best approach to my agency is through the query letter, preferably via email. The telephone call is the least effective method. A call to my office will only elicit my suggestion to write a query letter. I am sometimes surprised when an author making a cold call asks, "What's a query letter?" I can only suggest that he visit a library or book store to find the info he is seeking. Bottom line: forget about cold calls to agents.

On the other hand I find the telephone the most effective form of communication with my author/clients. Once representation is established I maintain close contact with each of my authors through telephone conversations. I work out of my home office in Florida and in NY and I'm generally available after normal office hours and on weekends. My authors are free to call at any time to discuss their concerns and questions. I will also call my authors when I have important news to share with them.
Close communication between author/agent is of paramount importance to the business relationship.

My authors ask: "How do you keep your clients informed of your activities on their behalf?" This is a legitimate and important question. To enter an agreement with an agent and then to be left in limbo is unfair. The author needs to be kept informed as to each and every submission. He needs to know which editor and publishing house has received his proposal and or manuscript. With today's technology many of the larger publishers accept electronic submissions from agents. I always copy my authors on these submissions and when a response is received, I forward the response to my author.

"Do you consult with your clients on any and all offers?"

Absolutely. When an offer is made I inform my client to let him know that I will negotiate a publishing contract on his behalf. Initially, the publisher's boilerplate is sent to me. From that I begin my negotiations to insure that each and every paragraph is in the best interests of the author. We discuss the advance, the time for final submission of an acceptable draft, the escalation scale for royalties, and all of the essential elements posed by the contract.

When I'm certain that the terms and conditions of the contract are in the best interests of the author, I advise that it be signed. Of course the author may consult with an attorney. The author is the bottom line and he makes the final decision to sign on with the publisher. Ordinarily the agent is not a signatory to the publishing agreement but the agreement will contain an agency clause which authorizes the publisher to conduct all business relating to the book, including the payment of royalties, directly to the agency.

The Rejection Letter

2009-12-19T13:21:00.004-05:00

Rejection letters are not unknown to authors. Even the top best selling authors have had their share of rejections. And having a best selling title is no indication that others will follow. While published authors stand a better chance of getting new books published, there is no guarantee that this will happen. It is not surprising that a published author may not get published again. This means that successful authors are not immune to future rejections. Obviously form letters cannot possibly have any degree of redeeming value. For the most part established agents receive an inordinate amount of queries, many of which describe projects that they can't sell. Since rejections are of no benefit to the agent, any attempt to respond with specifics is not practical and results in a loss of valuable time. In short, agent rejections are for the most part handled with the short, polite rejection slip. Often the rejection is a result of a poor match. Perhaps the author did not do an adequate research of agents handling the genre in question. There are times when an agent is overloaded with incoming queries while working on current projects for submission, or negotiating several book deals and publishing contracts. These conditions often prevent the agent from considering less profitable projects.

It is generally accepted that agents will send out form rejection "slips," rather than a more formal 8 1/2 x 11 letterhead. Hence the established practice of including an SASE with the query. Nowadays, with the convenience of email, most agents accept this mode of communication and have a prepared "form" rejection delivered with the click of a mouse.

On the other hand, rejection letters from editors may have in some instances occasional redeeming value. Seasoned, highly successful editors do not send form letters - certainly not to an agent. On rare occasions I have received such a response. I then notify the editor that this is unacceptable and that I am removing his name from my submissions data base. Authors need agents, and agents and editors need each other as well as authors to keep the industry functioning. Protocol dictates that an editor needs to respond to an agent in the form of a letter, however brief. With a hard copy submission most editors who reject a work respond with a letter and a return of the material. With an email submission via attachment, it is appropriate for the editor to respond via email.

Essentially then, a rejection letter from an editor is more apt to have important clues for an author, than one from an agent. The editor sends the letter to the submitting agent who then shares it with his author/client.

Sometimes the editor rejects the work because it would compete with a forthcoming or published title and will state this. Or, there are currently several competing titles already out there. At times an editor will remark about plot, pacing, characterization, mood, etc. My advice to authors is that if they take every remark as gospel they will surely go bonkers. If the same clue appears from two or more editors, then there may be something to consider. On the other hand five different objections from five editors may not amount to a hill of beans.

Author Credentials for Works of Nonfiction

2009-12-05T17:18:00.002-05:00

Sheri Rosen raises a key question. She asks "how much of an 'expert' must a nonfiction writer be for agents to be interested in representing him?" While each agent spells out specific submission requirements (and writers will save valuable time and effort to check these out), most have the expectation that an author must be qualified in the subject matter of the book. It is therefore essential that one's qualifications and expertise be stated in the query letter. For example, an author who writes a memoir of personal child abuse, is not an expert in child psychology, and is no authority in that field. Likewise, an author who writes about conquering obesity, may offer a compelling memoir about his/her success with dieting, but is in no position to write an authoritative exposition on any aspects of nutrition.

While life experience is essential in writing both fiction and nonfiction, books on self-help, health and nutrition, medical procedures, investing and finance, politics and current events, etc., require expertise in the area as well as specialized formal training and often university degrees.

As I stated, agents have specific submission requirements. Some accept query letters accompanied by a formal proposal. Agents like myself accept query letters only, so it is imperative to state in one or two pages the concept of the book and indicate the qualifications of the author. I'm especially sensitive to highly qualified nonfiction writers, as my overall goal as an agent is to bring important works to press. It therefore behooves the writer to let me know why he/she is competent to write about the proposed subject.

Given the fact that my agency receives about 7,500 queries annually, and that we offer representation to only a few projects at a time, many well written letters are rejected due to a multiplicity of reasons. Therefore, the diligent writer needs to persist in searching out the right agent for representation.

In addition to the author's qualifications, is the all important platform. But that's another subject.

Significance of the Query Letter

2009-11-25T18:39:00.003-05:00

Among the hundreds of queries I receive each week, I must uncover those that are engaging and marketable. I receive queries from prison inmates on a regular basis but to date only one seemed viable. An initial query letter from Michael G. Santos, an inmate at a minimum security federal camp in Colorado, immediately piqued my interest, based on his continuous accomplishments under incarceration. He earned a bachelor's degree from Mercer and an M.A. degree from Hofstra. The college degrees, coupled with three books published by prestigious academic presses, deserved my attention. His publications were much too academic for the general interest reader. Given the the astounding and growing number of American prison inmates, I believed that I could sell a straightforward nonacademic account of living in prison that would inform the reading public about conditions in American prisons.

I am a firm believer in the importance of a well-executed, professional proposal for nonfiction works. The days of editors like Maxwell Perkins, who were able to publish their authors of choice, no longer exist. An editor, no matter how enamored he or she may be about an author's work can no longer make a unilateral decision to publish a book. Instead, he or she must face his or her associates in a "pub" meeting and convince them of the viability and marketability of the book. Often the sales department can put the kibosh on a project they do not believe they can sell. Therefore, the author must provide the editor with as much ammunition as possible. By presenting the concept, competition, marketing strategies, etc., along with at least two or three sample chapters, the author provides the impetus for agreement among the editorial staff.

I suggested to Michael that he check out books on publishing that guide writers in the preparation of a book proposal. Often, templates of solid outlines and ideas are suggested and when followed result in the development of a winning proposal. Michael did his homework and followed up with a dynamite proposal for his book, Inside: Life Behind Bars in America. Within ten days of making multiple submissions, I received a call from an editor at St. Martin's Press expressing interest in the work. A contract was negotiated and St. Martin's published the book in 2006.

My advice to authors is always query first. Then if you are asked to send a proposal, do your homework and get that winning proposal off to the agent.

Books by My Clients: Inside: Life Behind Bars in America, by Michael G. Santos

2009-11-22T11:52:00.008-05:00

From a federal inmate in his more than twenty years of continuous confinement comes a controversial expose of the shocking details of life in American prisons. American jails and prisons confine nearly 13.5 million people each year, and it is estimated that 6 to 7 percent of the U.S. population will be confined in their lifetimes. Despite these disturbing numbers, little is known about life inside beyond the mythology of popular culture.

Michael G. Santos, a federal prisoner having served two decades of continuous confinement, has dedicated the last eighteen years to shedding light on the lives of the men warehoused in the American prison system. Inside: Life Behind Bars in America, his first book for the general public, takes us behind those bars and into the chaos of the cellblock.

Capturing the voices of his fellow prisoners with perfect pitch, Santos makes the tragic - and at times inspiring - stories of men from the toughest gang leaders to the richest Wall Street criminals come alive. From drug schemes, murders for hire, and even a prostitution ring that trades on the flesh of female prison guards, this book contains the never-before-seen details that at last illuminate the varied ways in which men experience life behind bars in America.

Michael Santos was convicted in 1987, at the age of twenty-three, of crimes relating to his participation in a drug-trafficking scheme and sentenced to forty-five years in prison. He has earned a bachelor of arts and a master of arts, and was pursuing a Ph.D. until the Bureau of Prisons rules blocked his progress. He contributes to an extensive Web site at http://www.michaelsantos.net/ as a resource for families of people behind bars. Based on his impeccable disciplinary record, he looks forward to his release next year.

Books by My Clients: The Cul-lud Sch-oool Teach-ur, by Sandra E. Bowen

2009-11-09T18:50:00.012-05:00

Our Agency seeks out books of socially redeeming values. "The Cul-lud Sch-ool Teach-ur," (Seaburn,2006), describes a period in American history not fully understood by many young adult Americans. There was a time when colored teachers were revered by practically everybody in their communities, both white and colored. Being a colored teacher in the South was a kind of status. That day extended from its post-slavery beginning to World War I, for a period afterwards, certainly to World War II, and is said to exist in some remote places till today. These respected mentors were predominantly female and taught in public elementary schools where the bulk of southern school attendance was concentrated. Traditionally these women were CCC - the "cream of the colored community," their character without public flaws; dedication to the classroom their faith and religion. They were choice ladies sought after and targeted maritally by a coterie of colored men, many who had not completed the elementary grades, and were low wage earners, whose "thang" was to marry one of these women distinguished by their roll books and having principals as immediate bosses. Most of these men were decent, and some loved the women who would elevate them to statures they would never attain otherwise.

Bowen narrates a story of deep insight and understanding into some little known aspects of the culture of African America.

Our Agency and the SONY Personal E-book Reader

2009-11-08T12:40:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the Schiavone Literary Agency, Inc., blog. This is my first entry and I'm writing about a relatively new device which I have been using over the past two years. In 2007 I purchased the Sony portable reader system model PRS-505. As a literary agent I'm naturally an avid reader. Like most avid readers I purchase many books, read them, and then add them to my personal library. Alas, like most readers, one soon runs out of shelf space. Often friends drop by, "borrow" a book which is never returned, and subsequently frees up shelf space. Many books do not lend themselves to repeated reading, so the shelved books need periodic dusting, and remain in place for years. With ebooks there are no storage or dusting problems.

Reading ebooks resolves the space problem, and enables the reader to carry dozens of books on the airplane, to the doctor's office, etc. It has proven a boon to my office operations as a literary agent. Not only can I purchase and download the latest books, I can also invite prospective author/clients to email their work to me via attached files. In the past I have never been able to read full manuscripts from my computer screen because of eye and back strain and prolonged sitting in the office chair staring at a screen. The Sony device is particularly useful to the agent since the email files are swiftly downloaded to the personal reader, making it possible to carry around numerous manuscripts and proposals conveniently, while avoiding the problem of having tons of paper in piles around the office.

Having the capacity to accept email attachments saves my authors time and the expense of printing and shipping their work to me. Recently, most of the major publishing houses have purchased ebook readers for their editors. While one cannot edit with the device, it streamlines the overall reading process. This speeds up my ability to get my submissions to the editors who now often prefer electronic submissions.

Of course I comply with my editor's requirements for either electronic or hard copy submissions, so that I utilize both approaches. I have been pleased to learn that many of my editors at the larger houses prefer electronic files. When a book is sold, the author must eventually provide an e-file anyway, so it is convenient to have one prepared. I must caution my readers that I only accept query letters. If the query interests me I will invite the author to send more via email attachment. We do not open attachments unless specifically requested. Please do not send anything other than a query letter by email or post.

It appears to me that the future for e-book readers and e-books will be prosperous. I encourage my author/clients to avail themselves of this exciting technology.

James Schiavone, Ed.D.