EQ: 2021/4/21
PR: 2021/4/21
ER: 2021/4/27 (incredibly fast turnaround!)

LF, 81k

I received a request for a partial and a summary. I told her I wasn't comfortable sending a synopsis but I attached the pages. She told me that she wouldn't look without the synopsis. I'm so glad I didn't send it! Another agent who doesn't read the work and only reads the synopsis.

Query, 2/19/21, 135k true crime/me too memoir

Two hours later, got "doesn't sound right for me" rejection. (This no still makes me sad. She looks amazing. But the response time was nice.)

Almost immediate response asking to see more of my memoir.

3/9/21 EQ Adult mystery fiction
3/10/21 Email rejection - no waiting on this agent! Her straightforward approach probably makes her a good agent/ally.

3/10/21 EQ upmarket
3/10/21 Email rejection (10 minutes later -- new personal record! At least we know this agent is on top of her email.)

3/7/21 query for 83k memoir
3/8/21 sent first 50 and proposal by request

fingers crossed!!!

2/23/21 query lit/women's fiction
2/24/21 sent first 50 by request
2/26/21 "Thank you so much for sending me the material for XXXX. The work is nicely done, but I don't have the passion that you need in an agent for their work to be done well. Fortunately, this is a subjective business and I expect that you'll find an agent who has no reservations.

I wish you the best,

Alice Martell"

EQ: 2/12
PR: 2/12 (ten minutes later)
ER: Very nice, personalized: "Richard, there's so much I like about these pages, but in the end I felt there wasn't enough balance in terms of your childhood in some ways that of a typical little kid and your experiences as an outsider.

Then very personally responded to a couple of follow up emails with kindly notes:
- "You read my email correctly. When you're asking adults to read about a book focused in large part on someone's childhood, though you have to set up the story, you need to get to the core issues relatively quickly ( the very reason they're reading, otherwise it would be a Young Adult book) . Again, this is solely my take. And I think the writing is very, very good."
- "Richard, this is painful. I know I would love working with you, you're charming, smart and talented and aren't ego driven ( not a small point). But I don't think this is going to be right for me. It may be that having the book focus so much on childhood is a stumbling block for me. Again, this is such a subjective business and you will find the right match. Hang in."

So extremely warm and encouraging literary agent, one that is refreshingly humane and thoughtful. I hope to submit to her again when I might have something more suitable for what she might be seeking at the time.

Quick "No thank you, doesn't sound right for me." (same day), unfortunately.

Also rejected in two minutes with the "No thank you, doesn't sound right for me."

Rejected in 2 minutes??? She said "No thank you, doesn't sound right for me." :(

EQ: 12/3/2020
ER: 12/3/2020
"Thank you, but this doesn't sound right for."
68K Memoir

EQ: 12/01/2020
ER: 12/02/2020
Literary Fiction, 176k

Just a one line email from Alice.

Form rejection same day, "Thank you, but this doesn't sound right for me."