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May 11, 2008

My poor stupid Oprah book isn't ever gonna get done. The latest thing I'm calling it is Oprah's Dead Son. Maybe I'll make it a pome, instead. All advertising is spam. Here's Ginny Good in its entirety:

http://everyonewhosanyone.com/ggsyn1.html

Here are some sample chapters from The Audio Book of Ginny Good.

Chapter 7: North Beach, New Year's Eve, 1962
http://everyonewhosanyone.com/audio/GGch07m.mp3

Chapter 13: San Francisco, Tijuana, Mississippi, New York, Summer, 1964
http://everyonewhosanyone.com/audio/GGch13m.mp3

Chapter 19: La Honda, May, 1965
http://everyonewhosanyone.com/audio/GGch19m.mp3

Chapter 23: Haight-Ashbury, Fall, 1967, Part 1
http://everyonewhosanyone.com/audio/GGch23m.mp3

Chapter 24: Haight-Ashbury, Fall, 1967, Part 2
http://everyonewhosanyone.com/audio/GGch24m.mp3

Chapter 32: Hillsborough, CA, Summer, 1982
http://everyonewhosanyone.com/audio/GGch32m.mp3

Chapter 35: Ashland, OR, February, 2003
http://everyonewhosanyone.com/audio/GGch35m.mp3

Here's the index to the audio book:

http://everyonewhosanyone.com/ggsyn.html

If you want a copy of the whole huge fifteen-hour extravaganza on .mp3 CDs for free, give me an address and I'll send you a copy. There's a bunch of other stuff on my little website, too. Click some links and see. Thanks. G.

Gerard Jones
everyone@everyonewhosanyone.com
http://www.everyonewhosanyone.com

"...they'll have me whipped for speaking true, thou'lt
have me whipped for lying; and sometimes I am
whipped for holding my peace. I had rather be any
kind o' thing than a fool: and yet I would not be
thee, nuncle..."

Strachan Literary Agency
PO Box 2091
Annapolis, MD 21404

http://www.strachanlit.com

The Strachan Literary Agency is committed to strong, quality narrative writing, whether literary fiction or narrative non-fiction. New, fresh voices are especially encouraged. The Strachan Literary Agency does not charge fees for reading or editing manuscripts. Query with brief synopsis and biographical statement, preferably by email. Laura

Perfection itself. Thanks. Brevity is the soul of wit. (Oh, ps, by the way, Laura Strachan is the agent for GINNY GOOD.) See how that all happened here:

GG Synopsis

Update: GG got sold but a bunch of subsidiary rights are still available through the publisher, however. If you want to buy any, let me know. The audio rights are still available through Laura, as well.

Update May, 2003: Since Gerry and I first had this e-mail conversation we've sold GINNY GOOD to a wonderful new publisher, Monkfish Publishing Company, for publication in Spring 2004, and we're working on the sale of audio and other rights. The agency is on a roll with recent sales of a novel, a collection of short stories, and a middle-grade reader with more on the horizon. Laura

Philip G. Spitzer Literary Agency
50 Talmage Farm Lane
East Hampton, NY 11937

Dear Gerard, I was surprised to get your e-mail. I really don't wish my correspondence to be made public. It was a private response to your query. I try to respond to every query I get, even though it takes up an enormous amount of time--time that might otherwise be spent on the writers I already represent. If my replies to queries are to be made public, I'd prefer not to reply at all; but I would hate to doing that. That notwithstanding, I would not mind making a statement about what I look for and/or how I work. Sincerely, Philip

Dear Phillip: I'm a little unclear about my free speech rights to publish responses to my work vis-a-vis the responders rights to privacy and copyrights. I'm winging this thing. I work as hard as you do and am just as conscientious. This Internet stuff has a lot of gray areas. I'm sure it'll sort itself out. Poke around in the site when (if ever) you have time. It might be a new art form. I'm sure I'll get in a little trouble along the way, but I'd really prefer not to. I think it's a useful tool and a candid overview of what it's like to be a writer, an agent, an editor and a publisher all at the same time. I no doubt have my biases, but I have ethical standards, as well. So do agents, editors and publishers on an individual basis. Yours seem pretty high. So, I think, are mine. Say anything you want. How THIS all came about is explained here in the About this Directory section. G.

Dear Gerard, Here is an elaboration of my situation: I'm trying to not take on new projects. I'm a one-man office with a disproportionately long list of clients. And I am usually months behind in my reading. I do read and respond to queries, however, and I am always tempted to ask to see a proposal or manuscript that intrigues me. But it's rare that I have the proper amount of time to devote to a new project, and I am constantly disappointed that I can't be of help. Agents really do get over-committed and not asking to see a writer's manuscript/proposal is not a reflection on the writer's work...not a rejection. Most writers (to my mind) can't conceive of the fact that any given agent can't take on one more exciting book. But when taking the time to consider a new book project takes time away from something I should be doing for a client, then I am not doing my job properly. Best, Philip Spitzer

Dear Philip: Personally, I do understand that, but I think it will be helpful to others to hear it from a guy with your integrity and obvious affection for the work you do and the writers you represent. Thanks again. G.

Judith Ehrlich Literary Management
880 Third Avenue, 8th floor
New York, NY 10022
(646) 505-1570

http://www.judithehrlichliterary.com

Frederick Hill Bonnie Nadell, Inc.
1842 Union Street
San Francisco CA 94123
(415) 921-2910

8899
Beverly Blvd., Ste. 805
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Ashley Grayson Literary Agency
1342 18th Street
San Pedro, CA 90732

Sarah Lazin Books
126 Fifth Ave., Ste. 300
New York, NY 10011

Watkins/Loomis Agency
133 E. 35th St., Ste. 1
New York, NY 10016
(212) 889-0506

http://www.watkinsloomis.com

Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency
1155 Camino Del Mar, PMB 515
Del Mar, CA 92014
(858) 755-3115

Hey, here's a slick little story about growing up in Del Mar. G.

http://everyonewhosanyone.com/audio/GGch02m.mp3

Anderson Literary Management
12 West 19th Street
New York, NY 10011
(212) 645-6045

Jill Grinberg Literary Management
244 5th Avenue, 11th Flr.
New York, NY 10001

Diana Finch Literary Agency
116 W. 23rd Street, Ste. 500
New York, NY 10011

Susan Gurman Agency
865 West End Ave. #15A
New York, NY 10025
(212) 749-4618

http://www.gurmanagency.com

Norwick & Schad
110 East 59th St., 29th Flr.
New York, NY 10022
(212) 751-4440

Denise Shannon Literary Agency
20 West 22nd Street, Ste. 1603
New York, NY 10010

http://deniseshannonagency.com

Menza-Barron Literary Agency
1170 Broadway, Suite 807
New York, New York 10001
(212) 889-6850

The Creative Culture, Inc.
72 Spring Street, Suite 304
New York, NY 10012

http://www.thecreativeculture.com

Maria Carvainis Agency, Inc.
1350 Ave. of Americas, Suite 2905
New York, NY 10019

Dear Mr. Jones, Thank you for writing - I would love to see your work, but must admit, I'm terrible with the email query. Might you be able to send something in to me? Best, Donna Bagdasarian.

Dear Donna: In an email, you said you'd "love" to see some of my work. Here's some. I'm in the middle of doing another version with the new title, but you should be able to get a pretty good idea from this whether you want to pursue it or not. Thanks again. Gerard Jones

Dear Mr. Jones, Enclosed please find your manuscript for Astral Weekend (or, Oprah Wimsfree and the Mayonnaise Man). We understand that you are sending manuscripts to agencies to garner their responses, and we wish you well in your efforts. Understandably, we need to focus out time and attention reading and representing manuscripts for clients whose primary interest is in getting their works published. Please accept our best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season. Best regards, Donna Baddasarian

Dear Donna: Do you really think I'd spend a million years writing a 450 page novel and shell out fifty bucks to have it copied and mailed simply to "garner" a response from an agent? I wouldn't. I've garnered plenty of responses from plenty of agents, some more thoughtful than others. I've also recently sold the memoir I mentioned. Thanks for returning my manuscript unread after four months. I guess that's better than not returning it at all. Happy holidays to you, as well, and I wish you and your clients nothing but the best in the coming year. G.

Julie Castiglia Literary Agency
1155 Camino del Mar, Suite 510
Del Mar, CA 92014

Dear Julie: In an email, you said you'd like to see some of my work. Here's some. I'm in the middle of doing another version with the new title, but you should be able to get a pretty good idea from this whether you want to pursue it or not. Thanks again. Gerard Jones

***Redacted***

Dear Julie: I don't want the ms. back, no. Sorry it wasn't your type of thing. Whose type of thing it might be, I have no idea, I just wrote it. I asked my daughter once when she was a kid, "Hey, what's that a picture of?" She shrugged. "I don't know, I just drawed it." I do have an imagination, yes. It gets me in a little trouble now and then. I'm glad you thought it was hilarious. Thanks for taking a look. G.

Susan Golomb Literary Agency
875 Avenue of the Americas, Ste. 2302
New York, NY 10001

Joni Evans, Ltd.
833 Madison Ave., Ste. 3-D
New York, NY 10021
(212) 570 4148

Kirsten Manges Literary Agency

Linda Chester and Associates
630 Fifth Ave., Ste. 2662
New York, NY 10011

West Coast
2342 Shattuck Avenue, Ste. 506
Berkeley, CA 94704

http://www.lindachester.com

Thank you for contacting me. I reviewed your material with interest, but it's not really right for me. Additionally, I'm restructuring the agency and signing only projects I'm head-over-heels in love with. I wish you the best of luck in placing it elsewhere. My warm regards, Linda Chester

Dear Gerard, To be honest, I don't really see any advantage in being included here. But, if you must, I'd ask that you refer people to our website. This is the best way for authors to know what we look for. My thanks, Linda Chester

Thanks, Gerard, you clever literary detective. And best of luck with your service! Please see our west coast address below. Warm regards, Laurie Fox, West Coast Associate

Wm. Clark Associates
154 Christopher Street, Ste. 3-C
New York, NY 10014

http://www.wmclark.com

Richard Curtis Associates Inc.
171 East 74th Street
New York, NY 10021

http://www.curtisagency.com

Lowenstein-Yost Associates
121 W. 27th Street, Suite 601
New York, NY 10001

1411 Gilman, Berkeley, CA 94706
(510) 306-6415

http://lowensteinyost.com

http://lowensteinmorel.com

http://2mcommunications.com

Dear Gerard (if I may), I'm delighted to be included, thank you. The most pertinent info about the agency is that it's been in business over 25 years. Starting this Oct., it will be Lowenstein-Yost Associates, Inc. I represent mostly fiction: crime, suspense, etc.and women's fiction. Of course we handle other types of books--multi-cultural, narrative nonfiction, history, women's issues--a pretty broad gamut. No sci-fi or horror. As to new projects, I'd like to have a bit more info before I encourage you to submit anything. We accept submissions by mail only. Best, Nancy Yost

Don Congdon Associates, Inc.
156 Fifth Ave., Suite 625
New York, NY 10010

Why not send me a synopsis, or the first 25 pages, which I'd prefer you copy and paste to your email, but will accept as an attachment as long as I can read it in Word.

Hey, Michael, here are the first three chapters, 26 ms. pages, as attachments in Rich Text Format, which you should be able to read in Word. Thanks. G.

AW Synopsis

Hey, Michael, I sent you the sample you asked for two months ago. Did you get it? Could you read it? Do you want to see more? Here's the first chapter again if you couldn't read it as an attachment. Thanks again. G.

Please include all four agents here; Don Congdon, Michael Congdon, Susan Ramer and Cristina Concepcion. Also, we do have a policy that authors contact us initially only via a query, either via email or snail mail (if the latter, a SASE must be included if a response is required). We don't charge reading fees, and all agents are members of the AAR. Best of luck with your book projects.

Frances Collin Literary Agency
PO Box 33
Wayne, PA 19087

http://www.francescollin.com

Laura Dail Literary Agency, Inc.
350 7th Ave., Ste. 2003
New York, NY 10001

http://www.ldlainc.com

Arcadia
31 Lake Place North
Danbury, CT 06810

Cynthia Cannell Literary Agency
833 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10021
(212) 396-9595

Wofford-Girand Literary Agency
80 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1101
New York, New York 10011

Zachary Shuster Harmsworth
1776 Broadway, Suite 1405
New York, New York 10019

http://www.zshliterary.com

Elaine Koster Literary Agency LLC
55 Central Park West Suite 6
New York, NY 10023

Frances Goldin Literary Agency
57 East 11th Street, Ste. 5-B
New York, NY 10003

http://www.goldinlit.com

I do not wish to be included in this publication. Frances Goldin

I include everyone who's anyone in adult trade publishing otherwise I couldn't call it Everyone Who's Anyone, etc. Thanks for understanding. G.

Level Five Media
130 W. 42nd St., Ste. 1901-02
New York, NY 10036
(212) 575-4600

http://www.l5m.net

Faye Bender Literary Agency
337 W. 76th St., Ste. E-1
New York NY 10023

http://www.fbliterary.com

Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency
59 West 71st St., Ste. 9-B
New York, NY 10023
(212) 362-9277

http://www.sarahjanefreymann.com

The Robbins Office
405 Park Avenue, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10022

http://robbinsoffice.com

Tessler Literary Agency

http://www.tessleragency.com

Artists Literary Group
27 West 20th St., 10th Flr.
New York, NY 10011
(212) 675-6400

http://www.algmedia.com

Alicka Pistek Literary Agency
302-A W. 12th Street, Ste. 124
New York, NY 10014

http://www.apliterary.com

Sheree Bykofsky Associates, Inc.
16 W. 36th Street, 13th Fl.
New York, NY 10018

http://users.rcn.com/sheree.interport

J de S Associates
9 Shagbark Road, Wilson Point
South Norwalk, CT
(203) 838-7571

Reece Halsey North
98 Main Street, #704
Tiburon, CA 94920

http://www.reecehalseynorth.com

DeFiore and Company
72 Spring Street, Suite 304
New York, NY 10012

(Randi Murray Literary)

http://www.defioreandco.com

Randi Murray Literary Agency
1325 Howard Avenue, PMB 619
Burlingame, CA 94010

http://www.murrayagency.com

The Evan Marshall Agency
6 Tristam Place
Pine Brook, NJ 07058

http://www.thenovelist.com

Collins Literary Agency
30 Bond Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 529-4909

http://www.collinsliterary.com

Judith Buckner Literary Agency
12721 Hart Street
North Hollywood, California 91605

Waxman Literary Agency
800 Fifth Avenue, Ste. 1101
New York, NY 10011
(212) 675-5556

http://www.waxmanagency.com

Lazarus & Harris, Literary Agents
561 Seventh Ave.
New York, NY 10036
(212) 302-5252

http://www.lazhar.com

The Ethan Ellenberg Agency
548 Broadway, #5E
New York, NY 10012

http://ethanellenberg.com

Nancy Love Literary Agency
250 East 65th Street
New York, NY 10021

Doris S. Michaels Literary Agency
1841 Broadway, Suite 903
New York, NY 10023

http://www.dsmagency.com

Blanche C. Gregory, Inc.
2 Tudor City Place
New York, NY 10017

http://www.bcgliteraryagency.com

Please delete our agency from your website. We are not currently considering new clients. Having our agency listed would possibly increase the number of unsolicted queries. Sincerely, Blanche C. Gregory Inc.

Please delete mention of me and our agency from you website. We are overwhelmed by unsolicited queries. Thank you, Merry K. Pantano

Dear Merry: I'm sorry. Everyone's overwhelmed by unsolicited queries, but that's your job isn't it? To separate what's good in your opinion from what's bad in your opinion and get the good stuff into the hands of an editor who might share your opinion? I'm overwhelmed by unsolicited advertising, but do you think that's gonna stop people who are trying to sell stuff from advertising their products? I don't think so. I've included the information that you would prefer not to be overwhelmed by unsolicited queries. That's the best I can do. Please refer to my inclusion/exclusion policy at the bottom of this page:

http://everyonewhosanyone.com/about.html

Thanks. G.

James Fitzgerald Agency
136 E. 57th Street, 14th Flr.
New York, NY 10022

http://www.jfitzagency.com

Levine Plotkin & Menin, LLC
1740 Broadway
New York, NY 10019

http://www.lpmny.com

The Axelrod Agency
49 Main Street, P.O. Box 357
Chatham, NY 12037

Ted Weinstein Literary Management
35 Stillman Street, Suite 203
San Francisco, CA 94107

http://www.twliterary.com

Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises
2151 Kenilworth Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90039

Gerard McCauley Agency
PO Box 844
Katonah, NY 10536

DHS Literary, Inc.
2528 Elm Street, Suite 350
Dallas, TX 75226

http://www.dhsliterary.com

Wendy Schmalz Agency
PO Box 831
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 672-7697

The Beth Vesel Literary Agency
80 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1101
New York, NY 10011

http://www.bvlit.com

Ann Elmo Agency, Inc.
60 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10165

P.O.Box 7283
Berkeley, CA 94707
(510) 526-5099

Susan Bergholz Literary Services
17 West 10th Street, #5
New York, NY 10011

http://susanbergholz.com

Albert T. Longden Agency
18 Bellevue Terrace
Bloomfield, NJ 07003

Dominick Abel Literary Agency
146 West 82nd St., Ste. 1-B
New York, NY 10024

Barbara S. Kouts, Literary Agent
PO Box 558
Bellport, NY 11713

Carol Mann Agency
55 Fifth Ave.
New York, NY 10003

I will have a look. I am really excited about your history of the comic book industry. Since reading KAVALIER AND KLAY that world has been with me.

Hey, Carol, I'm not the comic book Gerard Jones. We get confused for one another. I knew Sonny Barger very slightly in San Francisco a long time ago, however, and think Jim Fitzgerald did good stuff. I'd love to send you as much of the book as you'd like to see. Thanks. G.

Dear Gerald: Thanks so much for sending OPHRA WIMSFREE....for our consideration. After careful review we've decided that's it's not quite right for us. I really liked the voice in OPHRA, but ultimately I'm afraid it was a little zanier that things we typically handle. Your novel has many strengths and I sincerely hope you are able to locate an agency better suited to handle your project. In all your efforts toward publication I wish you the best of luck. All best, David Harvey, Development Assistant

Felicia Eth
555 Bryant Street, Suite 350
Palo Alto, CA 94301

You know I haven't had a chance to download and read the material you sent me in its entirety, but I've read enough to know that you're a capable writer. What I'd like to ask is for you to send me the first 50 pages along with a synopsis, information about yourself and any publishing history you and this work have, please tell me whether others are reading the material as well. I will be out of town till January 7th., but I'd be happy to read this upon my return - thanks.

Okay. G.

Well I see what attracted Gordon Lish to your writing, you have a natural way with words. But still having said this I'm afraid these pages didn't strike me as absoltuely the novel to go to the mat for. Given how difficult it is to sell new fictiont these days I'm afraid that's what it takes. Sorry I can't break the 'no publishing' streak. Good luck.

Well, somebody either will or they won't. Good luck to you too. G.

Go ahead an include me in your book, though as I'm sure you know there are already lots of guides out there in the stores. AS for your two books, tell me a bit more about yourself, any publishing background, whether these books have been seen already (whether in this or earlier drafts)...Felicia Eth

Yeah, you saw part of the memoir--Gordon Lish was right to think I was cool, yadda, yadda, but didn't want to see the novel probably because it included Oprah Winfrey as a character in a fantasy the poor main character had as a result of an undiagnosed giant brain aneurysm. Anything you want me to say about you in the directory, let me know. Oh, and the slick thing about this little project I'm working on is that it's got way more stuff in it than anything you can get in a store and it'll be on a website I can update as often as I may need to do so. Thanks. G.

Mary Evans, Inc.
242 East Fifth Street
New York, NY 10003

Global Literary Management
37 West 20th St., Ste. 805
New York, NY 10011
(212) 929-3050

Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency
2112 Broadway, Suite 503-A
New York NY 10023

Roam Agency
130 West 25th St., Ste. 12-A
New York, NY 10001
(212) 366-9883

http://www.roamagency.com

(@) = Not a corporate fascist. (Feel free to apply for non-corporate fascist status...simply tell me in fifty words or fewer why you think you're not a corporate fascist.)

(*) = E-mail bounced. Correct information much appreciated. In fact, anyone who knows anything I don't know, let me know.

(!) = E-mail blocked (just mine, not yours), probably 'cause the intended recipient and/or the company by which he or she is owned and operated is an extra brainwashed, super chicken, corporate fascist goon.

(666) = Asked not to be contacted (by me, not by you), very likely because he or she is a happy little slave boy or a happy little slave girl and doesn't want it any other way, uh-huh, uh-huh.

Gerard Jones
everyone@everyonewhosanyone.com