Doo-doo Heads can spoil even the nicest day...

Over here the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America list the twenty worst agents in the world. Here they are:

* The Abacus Group Literary Agency
* Allred and Allred Literary Agents (refers clients to "book doctor" Victor West of Pacific Literary Services)
* Capital Literary Agency (formerly American Literary Agents of Washington, Inc.)
* Barbara Bauer Literary Agency
* Benedict & Associates (also d/b/a B.A. Literary Agency)
* Sherwood Broome, Inc.
* Desert Rose Literary Agency
* Arthur Fleming Associates
* Finesse Literary Agency (Karen Carr)
* Brock Gannon Literary Agency
* Harris Literary Agency
* The Literary Agency Group, which includes the following:
Children's Literary Agency
Christian Literary Agency
New York Literary Agency
Poets Literary Agency
The Screenplay Agency
Stylus Literary Agency (formerly ST Literary Agency)
Writers Literary & Publishing Services Company (the editing arm of the above-mentioned agencies)
* Martin-McLean Literary Associates
* Mocknick Productions Literary Agency, Inc.
* B.K. Nelson, Inc.
* The Robins Agency (Cris Robins)
* Michele Rooney Literary Agency (also d/b/a Creative Literary Agency and Simply Nonfiction)
* Southeast Literary Agency
* Mark Sullivan Associates
* West Coast Literary Associates (also d/b/a California Literary Services)

Number 4 on the list, a certain Barbara Bauer apparently took exception to being on the list and called the woman who runs the web hosting of Absolute Write Forums which posted that list to threaten lawsuits and mayhem and what not. Hence, a forum with a wealth of information on publishing and writing got wiped off the face of the internet.

Very poor show, Barbara Bauer. Especially since Miss Snark explains very nicely why Absolute Write and The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America included you on that list.

So, kids - there are sharks in the publishing waters. Be leery when you query. Check names and do your research before attaching those stamps and pass this list along. Jim C. Hines has some excellent ideas on how best to do that.

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Barbara Bauer