Rita Henuber
Rita Henuber, Romantic Suspense Author, tells us how she signed with Jessica Faust of BookEnds Literary Agency, LLC. Thank you for sharing your story with us, Rita!
Lis’Anne:
What was your first step after completing your manuscript?
Rita:
1. Made a plan to get an agent.
2. RESEARCHED, RESEARCHED, RESEARCHED agents.
3. Developed an excellent log line, query, and synopsis.
Lis’Anne:
How did you choose which agents to query?
Rita:
I began with Query Tracker. There you can input the genre you write and it displays agents who rep it. Query Tracker offers cross checks with Agent Query, PublishersMarketplace and Predators & Editors. In many cases it gives the agent’s web page. I also like 1000 Literary Agents.
Next, I spent many hours every week reading agent blogs. This industry can change daily. Agent blogs tell you what is going on, what agents are looking for in a query letter and story. My favorites are Jessica Faust, Nathan Bransford, Kristin Nelson and Query Shark. The last is, IMHO, a must if you are struggling with a query letter. It may not tell you how to write yours, but it sure as heck tells you what not to do. Searching is hard, but well worth the effort if you want that perfect agent.
Lis’Anne:
Why query agents rather than going straight to editors with your manuscript?
Rita:
I don’t know enough about negotiating, contracts, or the inner workings of publishing to represent myself. This is an agent’s job.
Lis’Anne:
How did you handle rejections?
Rita:
Rejections? No–those are not rejections. Those are no thank you notes. Those are RSVP regrets to come to my party. That will be the party I have when my book is published.
Okay, I sent out 43 query letters. I was frustrated when each no thank you came because it meant I had to keep looking. I wanted it right then. I would have really liked to have an agent knock on my door and ask if I had anything I wanted published. That was soooooo not happening.
I made a rule. When a ‘no thank you’ came I sent out 2 more party invitations. A couple of times I sent out 5. Geesh! I was becoming a query junkie. It got to the point if I wasn’t sending out queries I had the shakes.
Lis’Anne:
What did you do when you received your offer(s) of representation?
Rita:
Wowzer! What a day. The agent was really great and enthusiastic. I would have probably told her yes on the spot, but I had 3 full and 3 partial manuscripts out with other agents. I knew each was in the process of reading. I thanked the agent profusely, explained the situation and immediately sent out emails. In a couple of days I had offers of representation from three other agents.
Lis’Anne:
You had several agents vying to represent you! How on earth did you make your choice?
Rita:
One of the most difficult decisions I’ve had to make. Every one of the agents is great, fantastic, and I mean that. I have no doubt each would do a spectacular job. How did I choose? How do you choose anything? You make a choice. It killed me to call the agents and say no thanks, I’ve chosen someone else. And, no, the irony of turning an agent down is not lost on me. I do have to tell you the whole time I was speaking with them there was a voice screaming in my head. “What are you doing? You’re turning down an agent, you ninny.”
Lis’Anne:
Now that you have an agent, what’s the next step?
Rita:
My agent will review the MS again and make suggestions. When we think the manuscript is as strong as it can be, she will submit to several publishers. One will offer me a million gazillion dollars. 
I will accept. About a year after I sign a contract with the publisher my book will be on the store shelves.
Thank you for having me here, Lis’Anne!
Lis’Anne:
Thank you so much for taking the time to come by and give us these great tips!
If anyone has any questions for Miss Rita, please ask. She’ll be with us until 5p.m. today.
