Part One
Dinner is over, the dishwasher is loaded, and dusk is falling. I sit in my armchair reading. My phone rings and I answer even though I don’t recognize the number. I usually let these calls go to voicemail. But alas, I didn’t tonight. A woman asks to speak to me and hesitates as I ask who’s calling. I get ready to do my usual “No thank you” speech I reserve for telemarketers.
Quickly, the woman gives me her name and begins asking about my book, A Crazy Quilt Life, her praise is effusive. “You tell your story so well and you speak to those who might be in similar situations.” She pauses and sighs before continuing. “Ah, it’s so wonderful that you share your wisdom with others.” She then tells me she’s a literary agent, Trixie Summers, and she has taken my book to evaluators at Simon and Schuster. I don’t have much knowledge of the workings of literary agents and publishers, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work like this. They work on commission, and I’ve not signed a contract.
I begin taking notes to keep me focused as she rattles on. I know this isn’t the “real deal--but I want to know what the catch is. It’s hard not to be excited. I mean what indie author doesn’t want to catch the eye of someone like Simon and Schuster?
Trixie continues her spiel, and I keep making notes. So far, she has asked nothing from me, but goes on to quote exorbitant bonuses upon signing ($25,000), acceptance ($200,000) and publication ($100,000). The red flags are snapping in hurricane force winds. She goes on to tell me the things she needs from me: my CV, my raw manuscript as a Word document, a book license and a high-resolution photograph. When I question the book license, Trixie says it’s necessary for movie rights and translations. She suggests I speak with a lawyer about the license, but offers her team’s legal department who might be able to help if I have difficulty. She continues to praise my book effervescently, but the way she inserts my name
into her monologue makes me think of a script.
Anyway, she asks for my email, and I give her the one that’s everywhere on my social media accounts. I get a word in edgewise and ask for her contact information. More words of praise flow and she ends the call without giving me her contact information.
Part Two
Since I’ve taken this call on speaker. My husband has heard almost everything. He’s over the moon, excited that this “opportunity” might be real. He is indeed my biggest fan. I give us a few minutes to bask in the possibilities before I release the helium from the balloon.
I tell him something is “off” about this, that this is not how agents work. Authors seek agents not the other way around. I’ll have to look into this, I tell him. Okay, he says. Good, he’s beginning to hear what I’m saying.
Googling “Trixie Summers” leads to a website belonging to “The Literary Firm”. It lists a physical address located in New York, but no phone number or email. There is a place to enter information if you wish an agent to contact you. Nowhere on the site is there a list of clients represented or books the firm has helped publish. Seems odd. Even my website lists my published work.
I go back to Google and find a website called Writer Beware - Writer Beware. It’s sponsored by the Science Fiction Writers Association. Trixie shows up in a recent article. I’m not surprised. The article reports she has superimposed her photograph on that of another woman. I go back to the website and verify this fact. Forget the flags. Now the alarm bells are ringing. The sub’s captain is yelling “Dive! Dive!” over the ship’s com system.
I’m a bit angry to say the least. Reading a few more blogs on the Writer Beware - Writer Beware website, I find that scammers like this generally do a “bait and switch” which leaves the author paying for additional services while nothing happens with their book.
Back on the patio with my husband, I let him know this was another one of those situations where “If it’s too good to be true, it usually is”. We’ve come across these things before. We’re both thankful she doesn’t have information for our bank accounts. For a few minutes, I speculate calling Trixie Summers in the morning, just to tell her how I feel about this. Eventually we agree it’s better to just leave this alone. I’m still angry that someone would prey on another’s dreams.
Part Three
Sipping my coffee the next morning, I realize I’m still angry at such callousness. I peruse the Writer Beware - Writer Beware blog trying to educate myself. Nothing has been taken from me so I don’t really have any legal recourse. I have to do something! I decide to write this story and use the names she gave me. I feel a little better as I start writing.
Around noon, Trixie’s email finds my inbox. It’s basically a repeat of last night’s phone call and tells me where to send the information she requested. I take a screenshot and resolve to comment on the Writers Beware blog. I move her email to the spam folder. After dinner, Trixie calls. I let it go to voicemail.
It’s now three days since the first call. My phone rings. Ah, that’s Trixie’s number. I let it go to voicemail. Soon I’ll have to block it but for now, I’m chuckling as she keeps trying to land her fish. How long will she keep trying? I’m not sure I have enough patience if it lasts more than a day or two. Anyway, here’s to validation of the old saying “If seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.”
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