Agency Contact Info:

For John Talbot:

The Talbot Fortune Agency, LLC

180 E. Prospect Ave. #188

Mamaroneck, NY 10543

queries@talbotfortuneagency.com

www.talbotfortuneagency.com

FAQ for John Talbot, as excerpted from Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents:

Education:

B.A., DePauw University

Career History:

John Talbot is a literary agent and former book editor with twenty-four years of publishing experience. Prior to becoming an agent he spent seven years with Putnam Berkley (now part of Penguin USA), where he rose to the rank of Senior Editor and worked with such major bestselling authors as Tom Clancy, W.E.B. Griffin, and Jack Higgins, as well as rising literary stars such as Tom Perrotta. He published national bestsellers in hardcover, trade paperback, and mass market paperback, along with five New York Times Notable Books. He began his editorial career at Simon & Schuster.

Personal Interests: 

Reading and writing, history – especially American and Russian -- and travel. I’m a hockey dad, and do a lot of regional traveling for that. Skiing. Muscle cars. Baseball. Swimming. Cats. Discovering great bookshops and coffee houses. Long walks with my family along the beach and in local parks.

Categories I'm most interested in representing:

I am most enthusiastic about representing narrative nonfiction of all types, but especially history, immersive journalism, current events, sports, pop culture and business. In fiction I am particularly keen for thrillers and mysteries, commercial and upmarket women’s fiction, and literary fiction.

For nonfiction, newspaper, magazine and Web experience can be helpful; many books are generated from concepts first tried out in articles and Blogs. A marketing platform, i.e. a Web site or Blog with a large reader base, or a list of corporate clients and customers, and a track record of speaking engagements and media appearances, can be the deciding factor in getting the sale. On the other hand, some book deals happen in a flash – a quick proposal based on a Blog that reflects the zeitgeist of the moment, a passion or expertise of yours conveyed in just the right way at the right time. There are no absolute necessities except for an author’s passion, a desire to develop one’s craft, and the goal of communicating through words.  

In fiction, I’m keenly interested in well-crafted thrillers and good genre fiction in growth categories. More generally I am looking for the fresh voice and perhaps new perspectives applied to familiar situations. Writers with minority backgrounds and unusual experiences interest me, as do writers of what Sue Miller calls domestic realism. Previous publication online or in literary journals and magazines can be a plus, but is not absolutely necessary. Oftentimes the most surprising and engaging material comes from a writer who may not have published yet, or who’s been quietly and patiently working away for months or years, ready to surprise and delight us with a wonderful read.  

What I'm not interested in representing:

I do not normally represent children’s books, science fiction, fantasy, Westerns, poetry, or screenplays.

If you were not an agent, what would you be doing instead? 

Being an agent is what I was meant to do, and I love it; I can’t see myself doing anything else.

What's the best way for writers to solicit your interest? 

Please see SUBMISSION GUIDELINES page. We welcome all queries and endeavor to respond to each and every one!

Do you charge reading fees? 

We do not charge reading fees.

What is the approximate ratio between fiction and nonfiction at your agency? 

Right now it’s probably about 50% fiction and 50% nonfiction, which is a nice balance.

How would you describe an ideal client? 

Our clients put passion into their writing and are enthusiastic about what they do. They communicate well with their editors and forge strong and responsive relationships with them. They love to read as much as we do, and they’re the kind of people you’d enjoy hanging out with in bookstores and coffee shops (when they’re not writing, that is, and sometimes when they are!).

How and why did you become an agent? 

Becoming an agent was a natural progression from being editors. The work is similar, but we’re able to spend less time in meetings and more time working with authors. We can also handle a more eclectic range of material, and we get to work with editors throughout the industry who share our passions and enthusiasms.

What if anything can a writer do to increase the odds of you becoming his or her agent? 

Put your passion into your work and just follow the submission guidelines; we’d love to hear from you!

Do you have any particular thoughts about editors or publishers in general? 

Editors are without a doubt the hardest working and most idealistic people in book publishing. Publishers represent the best opportunity for gifted writers to get wide distribution, readership, and money in what is an often difficult business

What are your favorite films and TV shows? 

Favorite Films:

Any Given Sunday, Chinatown, Eye of the Needle, Jaws, Jerry Maguire, Risky Business, Once Upon a Time in America, School of Rock, Slapshot, To Die For, Working Girl, Wall Street.

Favorite TV show:

Burn Notice. 

Please list some representative titles you have sold: 

Fiction: ESPRESSO SHOT: A Coffeehouse Mystery by Cleo Coyle (Berkley Prime Crime), THE GHOST AND THE HAUNTED MANSION by Alice Kimberly (Berkley); BEST WISHES ALWAYS by Lucy Finn (Signet Eclipse), BECOMING FINOLA by Suzanne Strempek Shea (Pocket Books), FORGIVE THE MOON by Maryanne Stahl (NAL Accent), THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US by Bart Yates (Kensington); TOM CLANCY’S ENDWAR by David Michaels (Berkley), 24 DECLASSIFIED: Collateral Damage by Marc Cerasini (Harper Entertainment), CSI: Nevada Rose by Jerome Preisler (Pocket Star Books).

Non-Fiction: ALL HANDS DOWN: The True Story of the Soviet Attack on the USS Scorpion by Ken Sewell and Jerome Preisler (Simon & Schuster), WHILE EUROPE SLEPT: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within by Bruce Bawer (Doubleday), LAST FLAG DOWN: A Civil War Saga of Honor, Piracy and Redemption on the High Seas by John Baldwin and Ron Powers (Crown), RETAIL SUPERSTARS: Inside the 25 Best Independent Stores in America by George Whalin (Portfolio), SUNDAYS IN AMERICA: A Yearlong Road Trip in Search of Christian Faith by Suzanne Strempek Shea (Beacon).