Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Why Sorche Fairbank is a brilliant agent

Three years ago Sorche sold my favorite book of the year, Matthew Frederick's 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School. I'm not an architect, I have no visual smarts whatsoever. On the other hand, I love to look at beautiful things. This book is that. I carried it around with me for months. I love that book passionately.

Then Sorche told me about her next great find: Bent Objects. Here's the video trailer about it.

And here's a picture from the book, if you can't see the video: Zombie Nuts!



The author of Bent Objects didn't write a query. He sent Sorche (godhelpus) a link to his site. And she looked at it. And she was able to see past all the "don'ts" right to a fabulous book. That's what makes her a brilliant agent.

Her ability to imagine what the book will be is one of the things I most admire and respect about Sorche. Not to mention she's smart and funny and has great literary taste.

If you're making a list of agents to query, you'd be selling yourself short if you didn't add Sorche to the list.

Here's her website just to get you on the right track.

20 comments:

BJ said...

She doesn't rep science fiction, either. :(

Stephen Parrish said...

I always wondered how Raisinettes were made.

Elizabeth Lynd said...

Okay, that's pretty dang funny. Can you say Christmas list? That pesky father-in-law problem, solved!

scaryazeri said...

Don't we all secretly hope for agents like that? especially bloggers.:)

Furious D said...

I think we've just seen a preview of George Romero's next movie with those zombie nuts.

I too think it's a shame that she doesn't rep science fiction, it's hard to find an agent who does who isn't already fully booked.

Anonymous said...

What, do you -hate- her?

Now I wanna send her links.

Debra Lynn Shelton said...

Flipping awesome "mind bending" video!!! Brilliant! Bravo!

suzanneelizabeths.com said...

I've always admired the agents and editors who have the imagination to see the magic in a book even while it's still in manuscript form. That's real talent.

Jude Hardin said...

Love that!

Carla Buckley said...

Pure artistry. I can't imagine how fabulous the images are that DID make it into the book.

Literary Cowgirl said...

I am always so impressed when someone pays a compliment to another person working in the same feild. Often, what people say communicates as much about them as the person they are talking about. I'm sure you've just earned some good karma.

MAGolla said...

Well, poop, she doesn't represent middle grade.

Anonymous said...

Very cool!I love his artwork.
Alexander Calder used wire to do portraits, animals. He did one called The Goldfish Bowl.
Some of these remind me of Calder's.
The use of the food in these art pieces is inventive and hilarious.
Very nice to see the work appreciated and turned into a book. Kind of hard to tour with perishable objects.
No one will ever look at a cheeto the same way again.
As for the Raisinettes. True story. I was in kindergarten. A bunny was brought in. Bunny hopped around the table leaving little "raisinettes" and a fellow kindergartner ate one of these little gifts. Of course the screaming commenced the moment the "Raisinette" hit her tongue. I swear I can still see the look on her face.
I suspect she never fully recovered.

Robin Lemke said...

I love Bent Objects. I found them through her site when I was researching agents. There's a widget you can grab from the Bent Objects blog to put on your blog, and you better believe they are frolicking on my sidebar right now!

Patience-please said...

Don't you just love creative people with fun ideas? Thanks for sharing.

ryan field said...

I queried Sorche Fairbank once about three years ago and she asked for a partial or a full...I can't remember now. It didn't work out and I eventually got another agent, but I was amazed at how wonderful she was during my experience with her. And, she gave me some great advice that led to getting my agent.

Unknown said...

I bought this book because of you. I hope you're happy.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

My thirteen year old daughter bought that book last week at B & N. I was a bit surprsed by her choice, but will now have to have a look at it too.

laughingwolf said...

not laffed so much in a long while, thx janet :)

CoreyHaim8myDog said...

Janet, I want tot thank you for recommending Sorche and other agents. I admire your willingness to plug your peers and not just yourself. It speaks very well of you. I've been wondering about querying you because I'm not sure if my novel fits with your repertoire but I have decided that I just plain like your style too much not to send you a query. You're really a benefit to me as a writer looking to improve his craft and find representation. Too many agents come off as stuffy and aloof on the net, but you actually put your personality out there and I really appreciate that. As a writer it makes me feel that there is a real person looking at my work, even if said person decides to pass. Both Jeff Somers and Dan Krokos have spoken very highly of you and I get the impression they're right. i'm not trying to blow smoke here, but I think it's nice to write a note and tell people they're appreciated. I know it gets lonely on my end, perhaps it does on yours too.

-Chris