I mentioned offhandedly about a week ago that I’d been offered representation by an agent. Didn’t really go so well, and I’ve considered recapping the entire story here, in excruciating detail, but since I was somewhat wary from the beginning, and not too terribly shocked to discover the truth, it seems anticlimatic to write an expo-zay and then say that I figured as much all along.

Caught up with M. today, who has been speechless since December or so. She asked what was up, so I told her the story, briefly, and commented that the agent might as well have had the words CON ARTIST tattooed on her knuckles. She wrote back

…if she’d actually had CON ARTIST tattooed across her knuckles, I think I would’ve hired her on the spot.

I responded with

Yeah, I might have, too, now that I think about it. Except she’s in Michigan! And claimed to be new to the game but has been in operation five years and has never! sold! a! book! And offered me a bogus contract! And when I asked for recent sales, gave me the names of three clients who I researched and found had only ever published with Xlibris or Authorhouse or other POD outfits. And isn’t in the AAR! And … ack, I could really go on.

She wrote back a few minutes later:

I would ask “Who’s she trying to fool?” but I guess the answer is “Everyone.”

Now that I think about it, I’m still a little miffed by this. Not necessarily because it turned out to be a sham, because, like S. said when I was being all outraged, I was never really going to fall for it anyway; I was too suspicious/curious/something. But because a hell of a lot of don’t-know-any-better writers will be taken in by people like this before they learn their lesson, by which point it might sometimes be too late.

A very helpful writer named Victoria Strauss maintains a web site called Writer Beware, and is the source of pretty much every revealing fact I’ve just written. I encourage anybody considering an offer of representation, or considering targeting a particular agent for querying, to contact her first. She’s saved my ass a couple of times now. (She can be emailed at beware[at]sfwa.org.) The below facts are courtesy of her own stockpile of information.

So in the hope that the next writer she dangles a lure in front of will Google before (s)he bites:

The agent’s name is Michele Rooney.

Ms. Strauss writes: “Ms. Rooney appears to be in operation under several different names: Michele Rooney Literary Agency, Simply Nonfiction Literary Agency, and Creative Literary Agency (though I think that one may be defunct). I’ve gotten a number of complaints over the years that Ms. Rooney charges upfront administrative or marketing fees, and bills monthly for submission expenses. Upfront marketing fees are nonstandard: successful agents typically let these costs accrue and deduct them from a writer’s advance. Ditto for ongoing billings. According to the most recent reports I’ve received (for Simply Nonfiction), she asks for $100-150 upfront, with monthly expenses of anywhere between $40 and $50.”

Her contracts are deceptively simple and to the point, and are more notable for what they’re missing than what they contain. (What they’re missing includes everything from co-agents and split commissions to a termination clause and repercussions regarding unsold rights and commissions on brokered deals; they’re also missing a pretty significant clause regarding how and when the author would be paid when a book is sold. Ms. Strauss had some specific comments about these things, but in the interest of preventing Ms. Rooney from modifying her contracts to appear more professional, and therefore less suspicious, I’m going to refrain from posting the comments here.)

Included in the contract is a chunk of text that mentions that the author is responsible for expenses incurred while marketing the book — this is standard, and most agents let the fees accrue until the author is paid, and then reimburse themselves from their author’s advance. But Ms. Rooney essentially tells you she’s going to bill you for up to but never more than $50/month for her expenses. (Ms. Strauss writes, “My past documentation on Ms. Rooney suggests that she treats the monthly $50 cap like a blank check, billing at or close to that amount every single month.”)

The contract also includes a clause stating that the author agrees to acknowledge the agent/agency in their book’s acknowledgments section. Ms. Strauss writes, “This is bizarre and unprofessional. Some writers do choose to acknowledge their agents, but many don’t, and it certainly shouldn’t be something included in an author-agent contract! I’ve never seen a clause like this in a reputable agent’s contract.”

The contract notes that Ms. Rooney only charges a 10% commission. Ms. Strauss writes, “Because of various regulations, script agents charge 10%, but 15% is the standard among literary agents. I don’t know of a single reputable agency that charges 10% (or 12% for that matter) for book manuscripts. A low commission is usually a fee-charging agent’s attempt to make writers believe they’re getting bargain rates (as in her offer letter to you, where she touts her “phenomenal” commission rate).”

Ms. Rooney also appears to be completely unqualified for the job. In an email to me, she wrote:

“I have fifteen years experience as a freelance reader and editor for book publishing companies and literary agencies. I have also worked as a newspaper reporter for the Detroit Free Press and The Oakland Press. I have a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from Michigan State University. I have used my journalism skills to carefully research the book publishing industry. I know who the key decision makers are and what the current market trends are.”

Ms. Strauss’s response to this: “I doubt it, or she’d have made a sale by now. Remember, she has been working as a literary agent, in one form or another, at least since 2000. Claiming to have worked for ‘publishing companies and literary agencies’ is meaningless unless you say which ones. Beware of agents who provide vague credentials of this sort–a good agent will be specific. Also, Ms. Rooney may well be an accomplished journalist, but journalism and selling book manuscripts to publishers have nothing in common, and skill in one doesn’t fit you for doing the other.”

The final fact, and the one that should drive the nail into the coffin, also comes from Ms. Strauss, who writes: “I first began getting reports about Ms. Rooney in 2000. From then till now, I’m not aware that she has ever sold a book to a commercial publisher.”

Now, for your own research homework, check the following for a little more about Ms. Rooney: this thread and this thread and this thread and this thread in the AbsoluteWrite forums; read this thread at Writers.net; scroll to the ‘Simply Nonfiction’ listing on this page at Preditors & Editors; scroll to the ‘Michele Glance Rooney’ listing on this page at Preditors & Editors. You can go here to read one of the overzealous letters that Ms. Rooney sent to another author. Also, another writer’s experience with (wink, wink) an unidentified, strangely familiar-sounding agent can be found here. (Note: Forum links often end up dead, so my apologies if any of the above thread links don’t work.)

DVD bonus feature: the rejection letter (PDF) I wrote to Ms. Rooney. (Director’s commentary: Sure, it’s pretty melodramatic in places, but I have to admit, since I didn’t have a huge emotional investment in the success of this query to begin with, I had a hell of a lot of fun writing this letter. And enjoy the kick-ass postscript. It’s my favorite part.)

Update (9.13.05)
A number of authors have written me to say that they fell for the scam, and signed a contract with Ms. Rooney. I have referred them to Victoria Strauss for advice. In the interest of saving a step, Ms. Strauss has given me a few tips to share here. (Disclaimer: The following is a general recommendation based on Ms. Strauss’s experience and research, and should not be considered legal advice.)

If you want to break a contract with a literary agent, there are two things you can do. First, check the contract to see if there’s a termination clause. If so, invoke it per the instructions in the contract. Note that many agents claim various rights after termination, such as the right to a commission on any publishing deal they initiated or were negotiating at the time of termination, even if the contract is signed after termination. And any agent will continue to receive commissions on a contract s/he brokered, for as long as the contract is in force.

If there is no termination clause (and for future reference, NEVER sign an author-agent agreement that doesn’t allow you to terminate at will with adequate notice), do the following:

Send a registered letter (return receipt requested) to the agent’s last known snail mail address (if the agent has an e-mail address, send an e-mail as well). State that you’re terminating the contract as of 30 days from the date of the letter, and instruct the agent to immediately cease all efforts on your behalf, including but not limited to publisher submissions. Even if you don’t get a response, this should be sufficient in most cases, especially if the agent is dishonest (in which case the contract arguably wasn’t binding anyway, since it was offered under false pretenses — i.e., that the agent was competent to sell your manuscript).

Update (11.10.05)
Robert Billard, a Canadian author, has been in touch with me through the comments form of this site and via email. At the time of this update, he is considering signing with Ms. Rooney. In the comments below you’ll see a few posts from him. After reading his comments, I asked if he had received a contract from Ms. Rooney, and if so, asked if he would share it; based on his comments, it sounded as if the contract he had been offered was noticeably different from the one I and other writers were offered. Mr. Billard shared his contract with me.

Mr. Billard’s contract is substantially different from my own — certain holes that Ms. Strauss identified early in this post have been plugged. I shared this new contract with Ms. Strauss, pointing out what changes I spotted: the contract now included terms about ’subagent’ commissions; Ms. Rooney’s monthly expense cap seemed to have been lowered from $50 to $25 (it isn’t actually a cap; anything over that figure must be approved by the author); the contract now asks for an up-front payment of $85. I also mentioned that I didn’t see the clause requiring that Ms. Rooney’s agency be mentioned in the author’s acknowledgments. Ms. Strauss responded:

It’s still there in Mr. Billard’s contract - Clause 3. However, it appears to have been removed from the most recent Rooney contract I’ve seen (dated October 31). This is a change just since September - I have a contract dated September 22 that still includes this wording.

What Mr. Billard has sent you is the meat of the contract - all that’s been left out is the title, the one-sentence preamble, and the signatures. Rooney has obviously gone to some effort to make the contract more professional than the one that was offered to you; I suspect that she has been monitoring what’s being said about her. It’s still not fully standard (for instance, the wording covering the agent’s payment of author income is too vague for my liking), but it’s much closer than it was.

This does not, however, mitigate the fact that she charges an upfront fee - which is not accepted professional practice among reputable literary agents - and that she does not appear ever to have made any book sales, either as this agency or the two others she has run.

The commentary above isn’t based on hearsay or supposition. I have three separate files on Ms. Rooney (as Creative Literary Agency, Simply Nonfiction Literary Agency, and Michele Rooney Literary Agency). Between them, they contain reports from several dozen writers, dating from early 2000 to a couple of weeks ago. The reports are supported by documentation (contracts, correspondence). I’ve also heard from five Rooney clients (two with Creative Literary, one with Simply Nonfiction, and two with Rooney Literary), who all report more or less the same experience: they paid whatever upfront fee was required, and then never heard from Ms. Rooney again.

Update (11.19.05)
Ms. Strauss writes:

FYI, Michele Rooney is now soliciting people as “Shelley Rooney” with the Rooney Literary Agency. She’s using a different email address, but I know it’s her because the street address is the same.

At some point, don’t you begin to wonder if maybe all the effort that’s being put into misleading authors wouldn’t be better spent on something else? I mean, there have got to be a million easier — not to mention more honest — ways to make a living.

Update (5.21.06)
Michele Rooney now has an agency web site. She’s also been identified as one of the twenty worst agents by Writer Beware.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005   

1. Katie wrote:
   May 1st, 2005 at 1:19 pm

   I’ve just been approached by Ms. Rooney and would like more information if you would care to contact me privately, I’d appreciate what information you have. I keep seeing good/bad things about her. Thanks!

2. Jg wrote:
   May 1st, 2005 at 3:14 pm

   Pretty much all the information that I have is contained in this post. I would recommend contacting Victoria Strauss at beware[at]sfwa.org if you’re interested in more specifics.

3. Karen wrote:
   May 3rd, 2005 at 12:58 am

   Thank goodness I found your website before I sent my manuscript to Ms. Rooney! I queried her recently, and she commented on my “enthralling regency romance” and said it was a book she’d be “very interested” in representing. I was excited… and almost fooled.

   An hour later, having read all that I’ve read, I’m completely horrified. This “rogue agent” should be arrested! You’ve saved another Googling author!

   Well, it’s back to the drawing board for me…

4. not amy padrewski wrote:
   May 5th, 2005 at 11:50 am

   I sent, under my own name, a query to MR. She responded with a very encouraging letter, please send your manuscript, etc. Then I Googled her and found some red flags. I invented Amy Padrewski and sent the following query:
   Hello,My name is Amy Padrewski and I have a novel that I hope you will consider for representation. It’s about a young girl who loses everything, her dog, her
   parents, her house, even her left leg. When she discovers macrame, she finds solace. When she writes a book about it, she becomes an instant success. How
   does she handle her new-found popularity? The new men in her life (she’s nineteen)?

   I have studied writing and written poetry since I was eitght years old. I am a housewife in Southern California and have participated in a read/critique group for the last eleven years.
   Thanks
   Amy Padrewski

   Anyway, today I got back “Dear Amy, your novel sounds very original…please send me the manuscript”

   Oh Please!

5. carol roach wrote:
   May 15th, 2005 at 10:21 am

   Thank you very much for this information, I am very new at this and I was almost dubbed. Ms Rooney is my first experience with contacting an agent.

6. Marcos Miguel Abreu wrote:
   August 14th, 2005 at 5:58 am

   Thank you for your information, she is still doing her best to get people to represent. Your information saved me from this bad experience.

7. Brad Andrews wrote:
   August 26th, 2005 at 7:37 pm

   I found this site while doing “due diligence” after getting a author-agency contract from MR. Maybe I’d better think twice before sending it back (along with that $85 fee). This is all too similar to the Nigerian email “419″ scams, in which the promise of great riches seems to be just one more “fee” away … and another … and another.

8. Jolyn wrote:
   September 6th, 2005 at 7:46 pm

   I just fell for it! Ms. Rooney says she looks forward to a long and productive relationship! Now, she doesn’t even answer my emails. My last email was to ask her why she had “Loan Officer” under her name and if she is is a full -time agent or not. Let’s get this woman off the agent lists!

9. B.J James wrote:
   September 7th, 2005 at 5:54 am

   I feel a part of a dysfunctional family. I have also suffered under this scam. I tried to email her many times to talk over some points but since that i have no luck. Well back to looking again.

10. T. Athaide wrote:
    September 11th, 2005 at 3:19 pm

    I recently submitted a query to Ms. Rooney based on a lead in CBI magazine. Apparently I received the standard response and I happily sent off my manuscript with a check for $10 to cover expenses. Hopefully the manuscript will be returned and I can submit to another agent. Thanks for the update!

11. Kerry Tilgarden wrote:
    September 12th, 2005 at 1:04 pm

    Just had my romance novel published through Ms. Rooney’s agency and am a first-time author. Was shocked to see so many have been unhappy…but let’s remember this is a tough business guys. I feel fortunate I found an agent who was willing to take on a new author and helped me find success.

12. Jg wrote:
    September 12th, 2005 at 1:15 pm

    Kerry, do you mind a couple of questions? What publisher acquired your novel? Did Ms. Rooney charge you any up-front fees?

13. Indignant wrote:
    September 13th, 2005 at 6:49 am

    Hey look it must be Ms. Rooney herself who left this little: “just had my romance novel published through Ms. Rooney..” I checked and there are no books published under the name of the above!!

14. Jg wrote:
    September 13th, 2005 at 12:40 pm

    Indignant: It’s certainly possible, though I would hope that if Ms. Rooney had anything to say she would do so without commenting incognito. It is also possible, however, that Kerry Tilgarden is an actual client of Ms. Rooney, and has had her book “published” by a print-on-demand outfit like PublishAmerica. The clients that Ms. Rooney gave to me as references had all been “published” in this way. This could potentially explain why you found nothing when searching for books under that name.

15. Frank White wrote:
    September 15th, 2005 at 12:57 pm

    I received this prompt reply below from Rooney within a day of sending the e-mail. I thought firstly that her reply was a bit too over the top and secondly, that she had not had enough time to read the 3 sample chapters I sent her, let alone deal with all the other submissions agents receive daily. I am also suspicious when people are over friendly or over complimentary.

    As it happens I conduct due diligence/corporate investigations for a living as well as attempting to write fiction and will see what my federal contacts in the U.S. have to say about her status, criminal or otherwise.

    As a preliminary I did a quick web-search and came up with various comments of others plus warnings that suggested avoiding her on one particualr site.

    The only arse-ache was getting my hopes up when it is all a con. Fortunately I work on the assumption that if something appears too good to be true it probably is till proven otherwise, but I hope others just as enthusiastic as I but more trusting don’t fall for her line.

    Dear Frank,
    You have one of the most interesting author bios I have ever read. I would be delighted to read “Swordfish One.” It sounds like an engrossing action-adventure novel.
    Please send your manuscript to me via Federal Express, United Parcel Service or Express Mail. Please include $10 for the return of your work. The address to send it to is:
    Michele Rooney, Director
    Michele Rooney Literary Agency
    32667 West Haverford Road
    Franklin Village, Michigan 48025

    I am sincerely looking forward to reading your book.
    I wish you great success in your writing career and all your endeavors.
    I hope this marks the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial working relationship.

    Sincerely,

    Michele Rooney
    Agency Director

16. Jax wrote:
    September 23rd, 2005 at 11:44 am

    I very much appreciate this site. I was nearly Rooneyed.

17. Geoff Boxer wrote:
    September 28th, 2005 at 5:47 am

    Had the same experience. The worse thing is she gets your hopes up and, for a while, you think you’ve really cracked it. I was about to to send a bulky manuscript of 500 pages from Australia when I saw your website. Ifeel sick inside butinside I knew it was too good to be true.

18. Alisha Kennisport wrote:
    September 29th, 2005 at 6:26 pm

    Has anyone sought legal recourse for her actions? I am thinking about it.

19. Jg wrote:
    September 29th, 2005 at 6:31 pm

    Alisha, since I didn’t sign a contract, I haven’t. But if you did sign a contract and are thinking about pursuing legal action against her, I highly recommend speaking to Victoria Strauss (beware [at] sfwa dot org) first — she’s an excellent (non-legal) resource when it comes to bogus agents, and can probably share some ideas with you about your chances for success — and then to a lawyer about the legitimacy of the contract you signed.

    I’d appreciate it if you’d come back and share what you find out. It would probably be very helpful to the authors who have also signed contracts with her and are looking for recourse or a way out.

20. Roger Dowling wrote:
    October 13th, 2005 at 12:09 pm

    If enough of us complain about Michele Rooney, we will be heard. Let the following agencies know about your complaint:

    FBI - Michigan - P: 313-965-2323 or detroit.fbi.gov

    Michigan Attorney General - P: 517-373-1110 or http://www.ag.state.mi.us

    BBB for Franklin, MI - info@easternmichiganbbb.org or
    P: 248-644-9100

    Internet Fraud Complaint Form - Fill out online at
    www1.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp

    National Fraud Complaint Forms - Fill out online at
    http://www.fraud.org/

    Leave info at:www.crimes-of-persuasion.com

    Michele’s address is: 32667 Haverford Rd, Franklin, MI 48025
    Email: MichelRoon@aol.com

21. Jg wrote:
    October 13th, 2005 at 12:14 pm

    Roger, just to let you know, I edited your post to remove Ms. Rooney’s phone number. She’s posted her mailing address and email address all over the web, so I don’t have any qualms about sharing that. But the phone number you posted appears to be registered to somebody else altogether, so to err on the side of caution, I’ve removed it.

22. Roger Dowling wrote:
    October 14th, 2005 at 11:05 am

    Hi Jason. That’s interesting about her phone # - I’ve called that number many times but her voice mail has always been full except for one time, when I left a message. Who diid you find it was registered to?

    The attorney general’s office website needs to be changed to — http://www.michigan.gov/ag. Also, phone # is 517-373-1140. I called today, they have only one complaint against Michele.

23. Jg wrote:
    October 14th, 2005 at 11:19 am

    Roger, if you’ll Google the number, you’ll see that Google pulls up a directory result for a different name. It could still be Ms. Rooney’s number in some shape or form, but because it’s registered to another person, I opted to remove it from your comment.

24. Randall wrote:
    October 16th, 2005 at 4:21 pm

    I write to Michelle Rooney on 10-13-05

    Michelle Rooney responds on 10-16-05:

    Dear Randall,
    Your middle-grade fantasy novel sounds spellbinding. You have done a wonderful job of depicting Sabrina Hunter as a memorable heroine. “Sabrina Hunter and the Guardians of the Locket” sounds like a mesmerizing novel. I would be delighted to read your complete manuscript. “Sabrina Hunter and the Guardians of the Locket” sounds like a book project I would be very interested in representing.
    Please send your manuscript to me via Express Mail. Please include a 500-word book summary, a 250-word writer’s bio and $10 for the return of your work. The address to send it to is:
    Michele Rooney, Agency Director
    Michele Rooney Literary Agency
    32667 West Haverford Road
    Franklin, Michigan 48025

    I am sincerely looking forward to reading “Sabrina Hunter and the Guardians of the Locket.” I wish you great success with your writing career and all your endeavors.
    I hope this marks the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial working relationship.

    Sincerely,

    Michele Rooney
    Agency Director

    Seems like if you change a few words around here, evryone would be able to see their own response from her. Thank you for saving me from this nightmare. I queried countless agents and never received a response like this. I almost had to change my underwear after reading these posts. Not only did I save the money she requested, but I saved the integrity of the manuscript.

25. Robert Billard wrote:
    November 8th, 2005 at 11:58 am

    This all sounds interesting and complete… on the surface… however,… I see nothing in the above that actually proves Michele Rooney is running a scam.

    I see no posts from anyone who has proceeded further than reading her acceptance letter. I see no one that has proceeded with becoming a client and had an adverse reaction to it.

    There is one post from someone that said they had a book contract signed, and yes, there is no record of this person having been published as yet… but the key is here ” as yet”. The post was submitted on September 12 and that is too soon to have it actually logged in a publisher’s website and certainly on the shelves.

    As far as the person who tried to “scam” rooney by sending a bogus query… we all know the weired and strange and silly books out there and it makes sense that an agent actively seeking clients would at least be interested in seeing the manuscript… it was a soooo over the top query that it may be interesting and funny.

    So… therefor, this thread of posts appears to be more slander than anything else in the absense of any proof. Just a bunch of struggling and highly impressionable authors that have swallowed a lot of supposition.

    If you have anything concrete, please let me know.

    Thanks.

26. Jg wrote:
    November 8th, 2005 at 11:36 pm

    Robert: The person who wrote that they had just had their book published said that their book had just been published — not accepted — so there’s no reason to assume that it wouldn’t be easily found. Two months is more than enough time for a newly published book to be listed with online booksellers.

    You’re certainly welcome to voice your opinion, but none of the above was written without plenty of research. Miss Rooney’s author contract is full of holes and misleading information, for one; for another, she has verifiably charged author fees for years, and hasn’t reported a single sale. (”Sales” to publish-on-demand outfits do not qualify as sales.)

    I’m not sure what “concrete” means on your planet, but on mine, that’s more than enough to raise warning flags, and certainly more than enough to constitute “supposition”.

27. Robert Billard wrote:
    November 9th, 2005 at 9:58 am

    Thank you for your reply.

    The issue here is that there is no communication with people who have been clients with Michele Rooney. There is no evidence that she is running a scam.

    The theory seems to be based on the fact that she charges a singular up front start-up fee of $85.00 for secretarial issues such as copying and shipping and that she keeps a tally on the expenses incurred on behalf of the author. Her contract clearly states that these expenses will be billed to the client either on a monthly basis or kept on an account. This, even as you say, is standard. The fact that a number of other agents simply wait for a publishing contract is up to them. In addition, her contract states that any cost over $25.00 will be approved by the client.

    The issue of charging a 10% commission is again an issue of competition. As she freely admits, she is relatively new to the business and wants to attract new clients. Research into commissions shows that the range is, in fact, between 10% and 20% so she does fall within that framework.

    In addition, there is an opt-out clause.

    The fact, well, possible fact, that she has not had luck with getting things published may be due to the type of books she is representing, or, and probably more likely, the huge amount of bad press that websites like your create. She has this stain on her reputation based on weak inuendo by struggling writers. I understand that you have had nothing published either in hard copy.

    Warning flags are appropriate and being an author means watching out for the wolves as best you can, however this threat of posts is doing much more that throwing up flags. There is talk of the FBI, for example!!!

    The extent of this kind of rumour mill is innapropriate and damaging.

    However, thank you for the discussion on the subject.

28. Jg wrote:
    November 9th, 2005 at 12:26 pm

    Robert, do you have a copy of her contract? If so, the one you’re describing sounds very different from the one that I’ve seen. I’d like to compare them.

29. Robert Billard wrote:
    November 9th, 2005 at 4:55 pm

    Jason,

    I have emailed the relevant excerpts to you. As explained, you may comment on it on this website however please do not post it here.

    Thanks.

30. gooner wrote:
    November 9th, 2005 at 4:57 pm

    I sent her a ms and within 24 hours she had replied and fallen in love with it!

    At first I thought yipee but as I deleted the rejections I went back and re read her e mail. Apart from spelling my name wrong it came over as too flowery, too insincere. I’m English, such an e mail puts me off. My gut was telling me something.

    Anyway did a search and found other people saying the same as my stomach…

31. Jg wrote:
    November 9th, 2005 at 5:05 pm

    Thanks, Robert. At first glance this appears to be a significantly revised version of the contract Ms. Rooney sent to me. I’ll comment further when I’ve reviewed it a little more carefully.

32. Jg wrote:
    November 10th, 2005 at 1:08 pm

    My comments on the contract that Robert sent have been appended to the post above. I’ve also shared Victoria Strauss’s comments (which are, of course, much more insightful). But in short, the verdict is that Ms. Rooney’s contract appears to be more standard than before, but still contains some trouble spots for authors.

33. Rod Williams wrote:
    November 11th, 2005 at 7:33 am

    Michelle must have read my manuscript because she said it was fantastic! This mirrored what my screenplay agent said. I signed a contract with a major film director and discarded Rooney’s letter and contract as soon as she wanted money for what she called a “marketing fee.”
    I’ll mention her at the academy awards ceremony while holding my oscar.

34. Bill Howsley wrote:
    November 12th, 2005 at 1:30 pm

    I got the same response letter to my query letter congratulating me on a very fine novel. It also asked for shipping and handling fee of $10 if she had to return the requested manuscript, synopsis, and author’s background. I suggested that I send everything on CD and that I didn’t want anything back. I don’t know if I’ll hear back from her.

35. Bert Carson wrote:
    November 13th, 2005 at 1:56 am

    Michele has been a busy little “agent.” Monday I’ll stop payment on my $10.00 manuscript return check and figure I learned a valuable lesson for a minimum investment (254 sheets of paper and $7.50 postage). Jason, Bill, Rod, and all the rest who took time to share your experience - thanks…

36. Robert Billard wrote:
    November 13th, 2005 at 8:31 pm

    Thank you Jason and Victoria for your comments. AGain, I must reitterate that my experiences with Michele Rooney have been, well, quite to the contrary so far.

    First of all, I did not send the $10 USD with my manuscript once she agreed to read it following her actually suggesting that I don’t and concentrate on Canadian agents. I am confident about the book, (unlike the first two…) and if it didn’t come back, it was just paper. (albeit, 554 pages of paper…), not the only digital version. In addition, this was also meant to see if all that was of interest to Michele was a check for $10.00 (as unlikely as that sounds.)

    Of course it wasn’t. She responded about two weeks later with realistic and positive comments, (nothing like the correspondence some of you have received.

    Since then I have had several email conversations and upon signing the contract I have continued to receive them. In fact, I am getting information back from her on the “plan of attack” for reaching our goal.

    Again, so far, I have seen nothing that indicates a scam. And, … if things do not work out, I can use the opt-out clause. So far, the $85.00 USD has not seemed like a waste.

    I am sorry that so many people are impressed by the snowballing fears and soft inuendo and supposition. I hope that you all have luck and things work out for you. If things don’t and they do for me, well, perhaps there is a lesson in there… And… if things don’t work out for me, then I guess the same applies in reverse.

    We’ll see.

37. Jg wrote:
    November 13th, 2005 at 9:44 pm

    If you’re dead-set on signing with her, Robert, then I wish you the best and hope that your experience indeed is better than all that I’ve learned about Ms. Rooney has indicated. I hope you’ll keep me posted on the results.

38. Roger Dowling wrote:
    November 16th, 2005 at 2:43 pm

    Michele Rooney cashed our check but never returned our manuscript….if that isn’t a scam, what is? Our cover letter and her email clearly stated the check was for the return postage of our manuscript. The canceled check has Michele’s signature on the back. She has never answered our emails or voice mail since May.

39. Raani York wrote:
    November 20th, 2005 at 12:34 am

    Thank you very much for this Page! And God Bless Michael N. Cohen, Attorney in California. He saved me from getting into a big desaster.
    Michele Rooney sent me the Agreement by e-mail but after I answered her, that I would let this Agreement being checked by a lawyer I didn’t hear from her anymore. I finally tried to get my Manuscript back but had to find out she apparently changed her e-mail Address. I would seriously like to know her current e-mail Address. I need to find out how cold her feet are…

    Thanks Again
    And thank you, Michael N. Cohen

40. Robert Billard wrote:
    December 5th, 2005 at 12:52 pm

    Well, so far so good.

    Contract signed with Michele, $85.00 dolllars sent and cashed for administrative disbursements and I am still getting weekly emails and updates on the progress.

    So far it is a very amicable relationship.

41. Jg wrote:
    December 5th, 2005 at 12:55 pm

    Hi, Robert. I appreciate you checking in. I sincerely hope that your experience with Ms. Rooney is productive and successful, unlike the other experiences I’ve read about. Please keep me informed.

42. Jude wrote:
    December 8th, 2005 at 1:01 pm

    Well, I found your site because I–you guessed it–received a contract from the infamous Ms Rooney. At the beginning of the year, she contacted a friend whose name is out there as an editor and asked her to refer clients whose books were in need of an agent. The friend passed it on to me and I popped off an email, and then the ms (2 of them) when requested. That seemed reasonable enough. I thought nothing ever came of it, but out of the blue here is a contract. It looks like a form email, doesn’t even give the title of the book(s). I would never sign something like that. I guess I’m most curious after reading this blog about the one person who had a good experience. For real??
    Anyway, this seems to be such a recent conversation that I thought I’d add my 2 cents.

43. AS wrote:
    December 12th, 2005 at 1:32 pm

    I am a law student in Michigan. Ironically, I happened upon your site while doing research for a business plan to start my own literary agency. I am sorry that so many authors have had such a bad experience with this particular firm. Although someone has already mentioned the possibility of contacting the Attorney General to file a complaint, I just wanted to add that the appropriate branch of the AG’s office to contact would be “Consumer Fraud.” Also, very specific laws apply to agency relationships, and for individuals who sent in money, signed a contract, and then never received any further communication from the agency, causes of action *may* lie for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. (Obligatory disclaimer: This is not legal advice. I have not passed the Bar Exam and am not licensed to practice law. You should contact a licensed attorney in your state to obtain professional guidance.) Sorry again, and I wish you all the best of luck with your future writing careers.

44. Bonnie's Best in Michigan wrote:
    December 12th, 2005 at 9:53 pm

    I too was offered a contract by M. Rooney. My attorney thought it was a joke. I did a due diligence on her and found that she is either very talented or still searching for her talent. Ex: seems that she is a life coach expert helping people with ADD, (lifecoachexpert@aol.com) Director of Simply Non-Fiction in California (formerlyCreative Lit. Agency) and is also a lit. agent for her own M. G. Rooney Lit. Agency in Franklin, Mi.. And according to Literary License, she claims 14 yers as a literary agent who wants to expand her agency (I bet she does) I too wish you all the best Michele…oops..I mean Robert. It seems like you are the only happy camper amongst us. Thanks everyone. You saved my from getting Rooneyed. Way too many warning flags for me. Hey, you can’t blame her. Who wouldn’t want approximately 100 desperate authors sending in $85 (initial fee) and $25 per month (ofice expenses) per month. Sounds like a good deal to me (snicker) If you believe this, I have some property on the coast of Louisianna I want to sell.

45. Robert Billard wrote:
    January 4th, 2006 at 4:55 pm

    Hello,

    Just another update. I am still getting almost weekly updates from Michele and things seem to be running rather professionally. I have not received any bills from her either for expenses.

46. A.J. Mathew wrote:
    January 4th, 2006 at 11:30 pm

    I got an email from MR, which was very, very encouraging after so many rejections. But I have learnt not to trust any literary agent unless after a thorough search on the internet. And I think I hit a goldmine at your site. Thanks a lot for all the warnings. I think the problem is that she has been listed in many respectable sites as an agent. And writers beware still doesn’t have much details about her.

47. J. Payre wrote:
    March 4th, 2006 at 8:16 pm

    A friend of mine just sent me a copy of Ms. Rooney’s offer to represent her. She asked for a one time upfront fee of $295 for marketing expenses and wrote her that the offer of representation stands until March 16 at which time the offer closes because she only has room for x number of clients.

48. Jg wrote:
    March 4th, 2006 at 8:23 pm

    That’s a new one — I hadn’t heard about the limited representation clause. I’m guessing your friend didn’t sign…

49. Amanda wrote:
    April 8th, 2006 at 6:25 am

    Thank you for the information. I knew it was to good to be true. I have a profile on Writesight.com. Ms Rooney contacted me through the site and said that my love of children and passion for writing were readily apparent. She asked for a description of my finished projects and when I sent her a summary she took over a month to respond. I thought she wasn’t interested until she finally got back to me yesterday. Because of her delayed response I was leery of the proposal she offered, and even more so when she asked for $7 to read my manuscripts. Thankfully I decided to do a little homework before blindly accepting her as a legitimate agent. I see many of the lines she used on me described in the other letters posted here. Do you have any advice for a writer trying to get noticed in the literary world? Do you think I would have more credibility if I were published in a magazine prior to submitting other manuscripts to book publishers?

50. Amanda wrote:
    April 8th, 2006 at 6:42 am

    This is the most recent e-mail I recieved from her. As I mentioned previously, it took her over a month to respond to me after I sent her a summary of my stories upon HER REQUEST.

    Hi Amanda,
    Sorry for the delay in response, I have been out of town at a seminar. I certainly appreciate the opportunity to review your writing projects. Your passion for writing is readily apparent. You seem like a writer who “writes from the heart.” My experience in the business has taught me that is the most important ingredient for success.
    I would be delighted to read complete manuscripts of your projects. Please send your manuscripts to me via Priority Mail. Please be sure to include a 500-word book summary, a 400-word writer’s bio and $7 for handling. The address is:
    Michele Rooney, Agency Director
    Simply Nonfiction Literary Agency
    32667 Haverford Road
    Franklin, Michigan 48025

    I am sincerely looking forward to reading your work. I’m proud to say that 90 percent of my clients are generated from referrals from satisfied clients. I have a passion and enthusiasm for agenting that comes shining through in the top-notch service I give my clients. I love being a literary agent and it shows in everything I do. Once I become your literary agent, my goal is to become your literary agent for life.
    I wish you great success with your writing career and all your endeavors. I feel confident this marks the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial working relationship. Have a wonderful day!

    Warmest regards,

    Michele Rooney
    Agency Director

51. Zabietta wrote:
    April 24th, 2006 at 1:14 am

    I am only seventeen but I would really love to write books when I am older. When I learned that you need an agent, “rogue agents” flashed through my mind. I convinced myself that people were too kind to take advantage like that and that it was just me being paranoid.

    Thank you for not suffering in silence and alerting others so less people end up being truly disappointed in the long run. I will remember this advice for the future.

52. Carl wrote:
    May 3rd, 2006 at 7:55 pm

    I too have had a less-than-fulfilling experience with Michele Rooney. Although I paid no upfront fees (so I’m not out anything monetarily), I’m pretty sure she has done absolutely nothing to assist me in getting my book published. Now, she will not even respond to my emails. i am wondering what legal avenues are open to me, since I’ve wasted a year believing I had an agent when I could have better spent that time searching for a real one. Has anyone taken her to court?

53. Betti wrote:
    May 8th, 2006 at 7:05 pm

    I, too, was duped by Miss Michelle–when she was the Creative Literary Agency. Fortunately, I sent her no money. I reported her to the BBB in her area. Another person had done the same. Suddenly, there was no more Creative Literary Agency. Evidently, she moved on… Surely, with such grand and eloquent satisfaction from her clients, one might think she would go into another business!

54. Monica wrote:
    July 14th, 2006 at 2:31 pm

    I heard about MR from an editor. She had been approached by MR looking for clients. MR was so convincing she fooled this editor into recommending her! She took my query and sample via email and sent me a glowing response the very next day. I signed a contract and everything. I first noticed something was up when she would never give me her phone number. What kind of agent won’t talk to you on the phone-EVER? I also began pressing her about how long it would take to sell my book, and she was very vague. Thankfully I never paid her a cent, and thanks to my awesome husband, who is a lawyer, we got out of it. We sent her a letter on his letterhead, asking for a list of references with addresses and phone numbers, a list of her last ten commercial sales, a date by which we would be released from the contract if the book had not sold, and a phone number where she could be reached,with the understanding that I would speak with her in the next 48 hours. We told her that if she was unable or unwilling to provide these things, our contract would be null and void in 48 hours. She replied that my letter was terse and rude and we could consider her representation of me terminated. I laughed and thought, “You think I’m terse and rude now, be glad you never met me face to face, you phony, dream-stealing witch!” Lesson learned the hard way.

55. UMESH wrote:
    August 30th, 2006 at 7:38 am

    i WAS CONTACTED BY ROONEY BUT I WENT TO HER WEBPAGE AND IT LOOKS BOGUS. ITS NOT EVEN A PROPER WEBSITE, BUT A WEBPAGE. WHAT A CROCK. AND I KNEW SHE WOULD CHARGE ME IF CONTACTED HER, THATS WHY I GOOGLED HER NAME AND STUMBLED UPON THIS PAGE AND READ THE COMMENTS PEOPLE LEFT. U MUST MAKE GOOD MONEY SCAMMING PEOPLE, JUST IMAGINE 150 DOLLARS PER PERSON CONNED PLUS MONTLY FEES. DAMN
    GOOD THING I’M NOT NAIVE

56. Nic wrote:
    August 30th, 2006 at 9:36 pm

    Hi
    Michelle has hit New Zealand! I got an email really singing my praises and offering to be my literary agent. Ever the sceptic, I googled and surprise surprise, it smelt fishy and it was fishy. Thanks for having all this useful info here. I really think this woman is low.

57. Claudia wrote:
    September 3rd, 2006 at 8:33 am

    Contacted me out of the blue today by email when all my info states very clearly indeed that I have not one but TWO literary agents, one of whom just happens to be one of the very best anywhere. She must think we’re all daft!

58. Floyd wrote:
    September 3rd, 2006 at 10:08 am

    I, like Claudia, was contacted out of the blue today by Ms. Rooney. While that was very flattering, I knew better than to respond right away. In addition to my writing, I do a lot of freelance book editing, and I *always* warn my clients about the sharks. I’ve learned a lot from reading what A.C. Crispin, Victoria Strauss, and others have written in the past about people like Ms. Rooney. In the course of my due diligence audience, I found this site.

    Incidentally, regarding Mr. Billard: apparently, he really does exist, and has recently published his book. Need I point out that it was published by a print-on-demand company? A politely savage review can be found online at http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/60804_09.html. Enjoy.

    Furthermore, the only Google mention I can find for “Kerry Tilgarten” leads me right back to this site. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

59. Jg wrote:
    September 3rd, 2006 at 2:09 pm

    Floyd, thank you for the link to that review. It is the most awesome review I’ve ever read.

60. K. wrote:
    September 5th, 2006 at 12:19 am

    Thanks everyone, I just received a letter by email from M.G.R. and having read what’s been posted I’ll maintain the Trojan wall but I would like to share my experience with another agent, Mark Sullivan. This took place several years ago when I received a letter from him. I am based in a little island in Southeast Asia and not familiar with who’s legit at that time, I received a letter from Sullivan telling me that my manuscript was out of this world. He asked for US$100.00 (money-order) from me as a reading fee, which I gladly sent. (Mind you, that’s a lot of money for a young man back then from a small island). Several months later, I received a letter from Mark Sullivan informing me my work was crap.
    Here’s the thing - and you would think I would have learnt my lesson by now — I sent him another US$100.00 after making the necessary re-writes. He took the money (money-order) but never even bothered to reply.
    Never again! Always check who’s who in this field…

61. robert Billard wrote:
    September 6th, 2006 at 1:28 pm

    Well,

    I guess it is time to eat some Crow…

    Okay, I sent her $25.00 and gave her the benefit of a doubt and got NOTHNING in return. She is a fraud. I am sorry for giving her the benefit of a doubt and not giving in to the insubstantiated and surcomstantial evidence presented here. I guess sometimes a hunch is a good thing.

    Anyway, I also guess that because I opened my mouth here, I deserve the inclusion of the ONE negative and highly lazy review I have received from my novel. The reporter only read 88 pages and took everything out of context. I have never been liked by that paper as the editor and I don’t see eye to eye on a number of things. The thing he failed to mention was that the book he had was a Galley that was still under edit.

    James Rollins, New York Times best selling author has provided me with a blurb for the still to be released (and edited further) book:

    “Billard’s FROM WITHIN reminds me of the power of great fiction: to challenge, to question, to exhilarate. Here is a gripping debut that takes Tom Clancy’s intrigue into the heart of Canadian politics and history. A story to push boundaries and conceits. Not to be missed.”
    –JAMES ROLLINS, New York Times bestselling author of Black Order and Ice Hunt ”

    I have another from Don Atkinson and there is another review that was released by the newspaper: News North and it is below.

    Again, sorry for being a bit nieve when it came to MGR, but I guess I will deal with it. The book is selling well and is also sitting with a movie producer here in Vancouver.

    Thanks again,

    Here is the article:

    Northern News Services Limited
    News/North

    Author creates a chilling ‘what if’ in new novel

    Adam Johnson
    Northern News Services
    Iqaluit (Aug 07/06) - A one-time Northerner is making waves with his first novel, a political thriller that explores the idea of armed rebellion in the North.

    Robert Billard’s book, “From Within,” follows the Canadian Revolutionary Army, a fictional group of 130 loosely marxist rebels that take over Alert, under the guise of a world-record attempt on the North Pole.

    Robert Billard signs copies of his book “From Within” at a book launch at Arctic Ventures. The author has penned a novel that asks, what if an armed rebellion took over the North. - Derek Neary/NNSL photo

    Recently, the author and architect was in Iqaluit to promote the book, which is set, in part, in the territory’s capital.

    “It went really well. I brought 50 books up with me and they all sold,” he said.”Not bad for a book signing.”

    Billard said he can trace the book’s birthplace to a discussion in Halifax in the early 90s with his band. There they discussed the history of armed rebellion in Canada (or perhaps the lack thereof), raising the “what if” question that drives the book.

    “Then the idea started in my head: what would happen if Canada had an armed revolution?” he said.

    Billard lived and worked in Iqaluit for six years as an architect, a time he said encouraged him to write.

    “It’s an inspiring place,” he said.”I thought, ‘this is an amazing setting for a book about Canada.’”

    Aside from personal experience in the North, Billard drew on lengthy research into Canada’s military presence in the North, which he said was shockingly easy to find.

    “It’s kind of surprising that you’re able to get that sort of information,” he said of the detail available to the public. “It’s a little scary how much is out there.”

    This pops up in the story, the revolutionaries comment on how easy it was to scout out their targets, using the Internet.

    Billard said his book, while focusing on the revolutionaries as main characters, doesn’t judge their aims, or their attempts to recruit the Inuit to their cause — a more “democratic” Canada.

    “In the end, they’re relatively flimsy ideas. (The revolutionaries) don’t really have a solid plan. That’s the downfall of most armed rebellion.”

    The book has caught the attention of fellow authors, including New York Times bestseller James Rollins (Black Order, the Ice Hunt), who wrote a praising blurb for the book’s cover -no small feat for a first book from a Canadian author.

    “I had to run out and celebrate,” Billard said.

    The book signing in Iqaluit was brisk, drawing out a number of interested Nunavummiut.

    Kenn Harper, an author himself, was on hand for the event. He mused about his inauspicious debut in the literary world and described a book launch as a “nerve-wracking experience.”

    “It’s a brave thing to do to publish a book for the first time,” Harper said.

    - with files from Derek Neary

62. Therese wrote:
    October 23rd, 2006 at 3:01 pm

    THANK YOU SO MUCH for this info! I was contacted by this agent and I’m glad I’m a thorough researcher. I will NOT be interacting or sending her my manuscript–no thank you!! Thanks for saving me a lot of heartache and drama!

    -A fellow writer, Sacramento CA, Therese

63. Irv Thomas wrote:
    October 29th, 2006 at 11:36 pm

    Ahh, well…..

    Chalk me up as another, saved from ignominy by a last-minute web search. Michele contacted me from an age-old listing I’d had on WritersNet, and I immediately wrote back to her “I hope you’re not too good to be true!”

    Well, it looks like she was. I was just about to send a long self-bio, and two of my self-published books to her for her appraisal (she requested them, on my offer). She hadn’t asked any money yet, but I expect that would have come next. I was sort of cheering for Robert Billard, but alas… even he finally joined the crowd.

    Thanks, one and all, for being there to catch me before I fell.

    Irv

64. Ann McClung wrote:
    May 11th, 2007 at 3:01 am

    There are so many SCAM artists out there, how do I find one, that is legitimate?
    As soon as she wrote me about my work, all kinds of red flags went off in my head.
    If you can help me to find an agent that is honest, I would be very grateful.
    Thank you, Ann

65. Jg wrote:
    May 12th, 2007 at 9:25 am

    Start with Writer’s Market, if you haven’t already. There are other books that can help you locate reputable agents as well. I’m sure others can chime in here, too.

66. Bill Spencer wrote:
    May 18th, 2007 at 9:12 am

    She’s still at work. I got an email from her last week saying she saw my profile on Writers.Net. I went to her “website” and noticed how amateurish it was, poorly written, etc. But I did love, absolutely love, her number one piece of advice: put the title of your book in your query letter. This is something that simply had never occurred to me! I felt like such a dunce!

    I had visited WritersNet so long ago I had completely forgotten what I had put there for a profile, so eventually I got around to going back to the site and figuring out what I had used for a password, etc. and found the profile. I could tell I had been in a not-so-forgiving mood when filling out the form.

    Under agent I had written None at present.
    For interests my entry was: Various
    And under Bio I put: Too much to go into.

    (Well, I was just interested in geting to the discussion forum, with not a care whether or not anyone looked at my profile.)

    So when I got this email from MGR and it said: I hope you’re having a wonderful day! I saw your writing profile on Writer’s Net. You impress me as a very ambitious and talented author.

    When I considered that compared with what my profile actually said, I thought to myself, what a phony.

    Her overall impression is of an agent who set herself up in business about two weeks ago, and who has yet to have a conversation with a publisher. So I had no hopes and few illusions, but I did email her a chapter, one that has been rejected by plenty of well-qualified people. She wrote back and said she really enjoyed it, so naturally this raised a red flag with me, and that’s when I Googled her name and arrived here.

    And that’s the end of my MGR adventure.

    In reading the entries, I had figured right away that Robert Billiard was an assumed identity, and I still wouldn’t bet either way on that one. Years and years and years ago, when this whole internet thing started to get big and you had to be on AOL, I had about seven different aol “screennames”, and decided to spice things up on the Writers Group where I chatted by being able to log-in as Stephen King. A couple weeks later I signed-on as Stephen King, and was deeply chagrined to find about 185 emails, all telling my how loved and admired I was. Well, that was the end of that little experiment in social engineering.

    Anyway, my point is, like the famous New Yorker cartoon, on the internet no one knows you’re a dog.

67. Joseph Sutton wrote:
    June 1st, 2007 at 5:46 pm

    Thank you, everyone, for the info on Michele Glance Rooney. She said she found my name on Writers.net and e-mailed me, saying that I was an “ambitious writer.” She’s probably said that to thousands of writers over the years. I sent her a small non-fiction ms. and this was her quick response to it: “I loved your book and have a publisher in mind for it.” Well, that was nice feedback—feedback all writers like to hear (from reputable agents). But, dear writers, beware of sharks in the writing business. Thanks to this website, I came across one.

    When I get Ms. Rooney’s contract in the mail, I won’t respond to it at all. I’ll keep her hanging, something she’s done to so many writers over the years.

68. Margo Ficaj wrote:
    June 15th, 2007 at 8:49 am

    thank you for all your comments. I almost submitted my manuscript to Ms. Rooney. My husband who doesn’t write but knows how hard I have worked just encouraged me to do a little research before I sent my work to anyone. I googled Ms. Rooney’s name and WOW the bad press that came up on her! I was so excited to have an agent respond interest and now I am sad. But I will keep trying. I would rather just self-publish if it ends out that I have to then get involved in a scam.

69. Bonnie L wrote:
    September 28th, 2007 at 10:51 am

    This agent is still active. She contacted me again today.

    If any of y’all have a little time to help a fellow writer, please check out http://www.YourGiftToMe.net for details on a contest I am in that could lead to a contract with Simon and Schuster. All the details are at our website.

    Thanks…beware of the above named agent!

    Bon

70. Jude wrote:
    September 29th, 2007 at 9:44 pm

    Here I am again.

    Got another MGR email today, out of the blue. It’s been about 2 years since the last one (and my last posting here). To be honest, I didn’t expect to see such recent posts here.

    Did anyone notice this funny on MGR’s webpage? A google banner that reads “Publish Without An Agent…” posted by
    http://www.AuthorHouse.com”

    Now that’s karmic justice!

71. John Fuhrman wrote:
    October 8th, 2007 at 1:57 pm

    Your site not only saved some novice writers but an experienced one as well. I’ve had eight books published and each has done very well. Only one was done with an agent and published by Wiley in NY.

    I get an email from out of no where stating she found me on the Internet and wanted to see about representation. I had been toying with a fiction book ( I usually do non-fiction) and she expressed interest.

    FYI, here is a current address and name:

    Michele Glance Rooney, Literary Agent
    Michele Glance Rooney Literary Agent
    P.O. Box 2533
    Birmingham, Michigan 48012

    She moves a lot I guess.

    Her web site is a free site available when you let ads run on top. That made me suspicious but this and other sites confirmed my feelings.

    Over 750,000 copies sold and I’m still learning.

72. LD wrote:
    October 13th, 2007 at 4:06 pm

    Two years ago I queried MR and another agent from the Jennifer DeChiara Agency with a tantalizing paragraph from my novel after reading that they were both seeking new clients. Imagine my delight when both agents asked to see the entire manuscript. I sent them out asap (only MR asked for 10 dollars for a mailing fee). Later, I researched both agents thoroughly, and realized MR had a history of scamming. I wrote her, and asked for my manuscript back, but the only thing I got back was my canceled check. Meanwhile, the other agent rejected my full manuscript, but agreed to give it a second look if I rewrote it. He gave me many helpful suggestions for the revision. One year and a major rewrite later, he rejected me a second time. After that, my writing instructor at a workshop liked my writing and offered to refer me to his agent at Inkwell. I’m still waiting to hear from them. And now, more than two years after my original query, MR emailed me a contract! I hoped she’d changed her ways, but it looks like the same old same old. I still don’t have an agent, but I’m thankful to have avoided the heartbreak of signing with an agent who doesn’t provide a service to her clients. My advice—hold out for someone who has actually sold books to a publisher…and in the mean time keep writing.

73. Mari wrote:
    October 14th, 2007 at 10:54 am

    I received a mail from Michele Rooney this morning and immediately ran a Google search, because that’s just how I am - especially after reading her mail a second time. First of all, she sent it to my usual, every day address, which isn’t associated with any of my writing - my website, or my work/magazine website.

    This is the letter she sent me:

    Hi Mari,
    How’s your writing going? I just wanted to send you an e-mail and let you know you that I’m very interested in reading your writing projects with an eye toward becoming your literary agent. If your writing project is still a work in progress, please feel free to send me a synopsis and sample chapters. My submission address is:

    Michele Glance Rooney, Literary Agent
    P.O. Box 2533
    Birmingham, Michigan 48012-2533

    You can check out my website at http://superliteraryagent.tripod.com
    I’m looking forward to reading your work. I wish you great success with your writing career and with all of your endeavors.
    Have a stupendous day!

    Warm Regards,
    Michele Glance Rooney

74. Valentain / Russia wrote:
    October 16th, 2007 at 4:35 am

    From Russia
    My name is Valentain

    I very long time look for a good desent Publisher or Agensy.
    Dear publisher /agensy .

    I am going to send you 2 chapters of my novel.

    I am sure it took your breath away what you know. If you take in plan my book, its plot will develop more and higher.
    You will be surprised that such things describing in my book can happen at all.
    I am sure that before you the most unusual and gripping novel of our time. You’ll see the readers appreciate it the same manner.
    I hope to publish my book in your publishing house.
    To the novel, I add my card. There are 8 chapters in my novel.
    I will wait your answer if you are going to read the rest 6 chapters and if you will publish my book.

    My work is non-fiction,but it reading fiction as. My book alike on the big Whale,among them class books and other.

    ANNOTATION
    Ten years my invisible war

    The book gives us a true story about a man, the writer, who carries on a
    fierce ten-year struggle against aliens that do their best to remove an
    undesirable witness of their activity. The scene of the story is laid in a
    small city in central Russia. The hero opposes his skills and sagacity to the
    aliens’ methods of penetrating into human society. He turns down repeated
    proposals of the aliens to leave the Earth and takes sequential actions to
    disclose their presence thereby accomplishing his human, scientific and moral
    feat. The reader is offered factual evidence and a moral concept of the modern
    world. The hero asks nobody for help, since people take him for a madman. The
    story represents true diary notes about the courage and the inflexible human
    will. The book is written in an exciting detective form. It may be very
    helpful to people from different countries who are engaged in national
    security problems, as well as to anyone who is anxious about his own and his
    family’s safety.

    Author was a witness of events described. Many facts of arbitrariness aliens
    .Will be readers amazed? Yes
    The book needs to be translated from Russian into your language. It is
    problem. How taking down it?

    2nd part of the annotation
    We are sure that this book will become for many people a guide for journeys in
    new real outer space. For the first time in the history the human Spirit has
    risen so incredibly high. And such a full-scale extrasensory novel unraveling
    so many mysteries and giving such a detailed description of the aliens has
    never before appeared in literature. It answers the questions of the aliens
    aim and actions in different countries.
    There is a lot of scientific ideas and hypotheses in the novel, it novel shows
    previously hidden mechanism of the Universe; things that humanity has never
    known before. The events of the book unfold not only on Earth, but on the
    scene of our Galaxy, from which the author has more than 20 times received
    invitation to leave the Earth. Psychological base of the novel consists in
    attempts of the grown-up man who was raised in communist regime of the USSR to
    change his consciousness and turn to genuine human values: love, family, human
    rights, and how difficult it is to take such a turn.
    In the second part of the book the readers will get an even more huge and
    shocking sensation. We surprisingly find out that so-called Global warming was
    not a result of factors commonly discussed in world of science, it was invoked
    by just one man - our hero. For a usual Mind, at first, this is hard to
    believe in, but portrayed facts state things are indeed this way…

    Letter for you if you will be agent
    Please, try to regard my book as a new word in the world of Literature and
    Science. This will give you an added bonus while working with the publishers.
    The book has every chance to be published in all the English-speaking and
    developed countries. Materials of the book include lots of facts about aliens.
    That’s what young and just curious people always like. If you don’t have
    enough knowledge of aliens, you really should get to know this information or
    reread my 2 annotations. If you are a global thinker, you can plan various
    serious actions in order to make the book more popular: use services of
    information agencies, advertise and so on. Be sure of success, and it will
    come. The book contains most wanted information, and it can be used to
    advantage, - French government has declassified materials on aliens. There is
    no getting rid of curious people. Do reflect on that.

    Reply me

    My basis question is about of set up fee

    And I need help ,if you would^t to work whis my novel

    Sancerrly

    Valentain

    P,S, The book have a map.
    Please, remember that if you are going to work with my book, I apply to it my map.
    It is impossible to publish this without my map.
    That’s why I want to receive from you such letter (through making):
    «Yes, we are ready to work with your book and we expect the file with your map».

    May be a bigger earns, and need your thinking for topic

    Whale,among them class books and other,
    You have a rare case. And my story (in the midle of novel) is unigue case, and need anderstand it. Therefore you must to knaw topic and my book (manuscript).
    I would like to knaw you s possibility.

    Sanserely

75. Leila wrote:
    October 30th, 2007 at 5:10 pm

    Here’s one I just received today. So glad I Google’d and found this site.

    I think it’s terrific that you’re a successful busienss and technical writer who also has a love for creative writing.
    I think it’s very interesting that you’re working on a manuscript based on your class. …sounds very intriguing.
    I would be delighted to learn more about your current writing projects. Please reply to me at michelroon@aol.com
    I’m very interested in the possibility of becoming your literary agent.
    My website is http://superliteraryagent.tripod.com
    I’ve been a literary agent for 19 years representing both fiction and non-fiction. I have a bachelor’s degree in journalism and have worked as a newspaper reporter and copy editor for The (Myrtle Beach) Sun News, the Detroit Free Press (the nation’s tenth largest daily), The Oakland Press and the Observer and Eccentric Newspapers.
    In addition to my background in journalism, I have a natural flair for sales and have worked at several sales jobs. The sales training I received at one company in particular, Yes Network, gave me the opportunity to attend seminars presented by nationally known sales experts such as Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen, Zig Ziglar, Les Brown and many others. This world-class sales training has been a tremendous benefit to me in creating a successful literary agency.
    I launched my career as a literary agent by representing fellow journalists as a sideline to my newspaper career. I am now a full-time literary agent representing fiction and non-fiction. I love my career. I have a tremendous passion for seeing great manuscripts become great books. I get a real sense of satisfaction and excitement from working with talented writers and book publishing editors every day. My passion and enthusiasm for my work is a great benefit to my clients.
    I am truly looking forward to hearing from you amd learning more about you and your current writing projects.
    Have a wonderful day!

    Michele Glance Rooney
    Literary Agent
    Email: michelroon@aol.com
    Website: http://superliteraryagent.tripod.com

76. sevarion nadiradze wrote:
    December 19th, 2007 at 8:26 am

    Thank you for your answer, I am Writer Sevarion Nadirazde, rather successful in my country, I ma the author of several books, except poems I am the author of three poems, one novel, which is translated in English. Right this novel like Americans very much and they help me for translate it. At last time was published my new novel “Khaki yashmak ” in Georgian. I’d like to tell you with pride that this novel became very successful. I systematically publish my works in Georgian literature journals and newspapers. What about my novel. My novel “The way of flour” consist all that components, which will interest the publish house and cinema producers. I am sorry that I can’t sent you novel via post and prefer the E-mail, because it more quick mean. 1. I have great wish to heave my agent, which will seriously interest with my novel and will work on publish of the book, or will interest to cinema producers. 2. I will very pride and happy if anybody will interested in with my novel. More information about my novel is on Web-Site: http://www.sevarion.ge, ere is this novel too and you can read it free of charge. I’d like to find the way fro our long relations. Please, acquaint wit my novel and I am ready for serious relations. I can give you any add information about me. P.S. Novel author right are defines under Georgia legislation. With great respect Sevarion Nadiradze

77. Tom DiCola wrote:
    April 12th, 2008 at 1:14 pm

    I have a signed contract with Michele Glance-Rooney. I wish I would have know then what I know now. I should have done more homework. Obviously I am new to this business. I have worked hard to complete my work and have started a series of books. Michele is definately a con and I don’t see myself having a problem breaking my contract. I feel violated, we work hard an our work and put efort, heart and soul into what we are so proud of. And for a parasite like Michele to come along and hurt folks as she does is cruel and criminal. I plan to take my case to the attorney generals office and do what I can to stop thius parasite.
    Tom

78. Donna wrote:
    September 13th, 2008 at 8:40 am

    this is what makes it sooo hard for the new Authors.
    I have another skemmer for you” Mark Black’ he is from montana” the name of this agency is call sherwood broome’ please be awre of this guy.

79. Donna wrote:
    September 13th, 2008 at 8:42 am

    this is what makes it sooo hard for the new Authors.
    I have another skemmer for you” Mark Black’ he is from montana” the name of this agency is call sherwood broome’ please be awre of this guy. if you need more info” you can contact me at fayepresswood2@sbcglobal.net

80. Neo3 wrote:
    June 2nd, 2009 at 11:42 pm

    Find the files you are looking for at search-ebook.com the most comprehensive source for free-to-try files downloads on the Web

81. caithiseach wrote:
    July 12th, 2009 at 9:23 pm

    I’m late to the party here, but I’ll comment anyway. It just occurred to me to Google the name “Michele Glance Serwach,” which is what she called herself when I bumped into her. I have some perspective to add, if anyone is still reading.

    She must be the same person as Michele Glance Rooney, as was pointed out on the Victoria Strauss site. Someone said here that she was “new to the business,” and someone else said she claims 14 years’ experience. The latter is closer to true. Writer’s Market was suggested here as a good place to start a search for an agent, and I agree, but . . .

    Check it out: in *1991* I looked in Writer’s Market and found Creative Concepts Literary Agency, a PA-based agency run by Michele Glance Serwach. She was excited about my book, and she wanted to see the whole thing, accompanied by a $75 check for reading fees. Not even expenses. I guess that, once word got around that legit agents read for free, she came up with another term for the money. But $75 was more in 1991 than in 2005!

    I didn’t want to part with $75 then, so I didn’t follow through. I guess it’s a good thing. At one point around 2005, I looked for her in WM since she had been “interested” in my novel, and I didn’t find her there. I’m surprised to see she has continued to try her hand at this field, since she seems not to have sold many books over the course of 18 years.

    So, that’s what I can add, four years after your main discussion. I hope people are still being very careful about her.

82. AiSophie wrote:
    February 19th, 2010 at 3:14 am

    People think that the essay topic accomplishing supposes the really time consuming thing. But, we count on the custom writing service support anytime when that is demanded.

83. Photo gallery wrote:
    February 26th, 2010 at 1:31 am

    Good work i think your site is very nice and helpfull

84. Rover wrote:
    February 26th, 2010 at 1:31 am

    good site;))))

85. business loans wrote:
    March 27th, 2010 at 2:13 am

    That is good that people can take the loan and this opens new possibilities.

86. ClubPenguinCheats wrote:
    April 17th, 2010 at 4:06 pm

    Our cover letter and her email clearly stated the check was for the return postage of our manuscript. The canceled check has Michele’s signature on the back. She has never answered our emails or voice mail since May.

the blog and design portfolio of Jason Gurley. (Learn more.) This site has been around since 1998; me, since 1978. In 2005 I drove 3,000 miles to see a movie. 2009 is pretty aimless so far, but I'm sure I'll get around to something sooner or later.

Subscribe to RSS feed

My Flickr photostream

My Twitter feed

exit music
waiting, seeing
that faint sensation of loss
kninja
the boondock skeins
how to be better
the chime-maker’s nemesis
some things change, some don’t, etc.
ohh hahh ohh hahh
damn you, molly
View complete archive

Lust, Caution
Double Indemnity
Iron Man
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
There Will Be Blood
Gone, Baby, Gone
Live Free or Die Hard
The Indian Runner
The Iron Giant
Contact
An Inconvenient Truth
X-Men: The Last Stand
Superman Returns
Enigma
Nobody's Fool
Look, Up in the Sky
Numb3rs
Mission: Impossible III
Heaven
The Abyss
The Constant Gardener
The Mosquito Coast
The Hustler
Limbo
Grizzly Man
The Verdict
Superman Returns
Elizabethtown
Battlestar Galactica
You Can Count on Me
Rolling Roadshow 2005
The American President
My DVD collection

01. dreaming of falling
02. marvelous descent
03. a conversation
04. the colors
05. huffnagle island
06. a hundred million
07. sixty-six stories
08. anyone earthbound
09. a girl named eleanor
10. a route obscure and lonely
11. a certain stillness
12. this is jack
13. wide flat lands
14. going home
15. girl unscrewed
16. slow rehabilitation
17. twenty-three stories
18. a far-off point
19. fifteen years quiet
20. a one-beer fella
21. luminescence
22. one-sided conversation
23. hearts big and stupid
24. nineteen seventy-eight
25. first light
26. a hundred years
27. too long to stop now
28. plainswept
29. a widower in training
30. spies and assets
31. thirty years and then some
32. leaping over couches
33. cricket song
34. eleanor's first kiss
35. like so much ballast
36. too much
37. the longest wait
38. the second ice storm
39. rocket summer
40. waiting
41. wax wings
42. breakup
43. tough beans
43. the heavy gray sea