The Saga Continues

So now in addition to everything else, I am starting my search for a REAL literary agent. 

What does that mean?  You may ask.

Well, for those who may not know - Tate Publishing appears to be a hybrid, self-publisher of sorts.  They claim they are a publishing company hanging with the 'big' dogs.  I can assure you ... they are not.  They are a self-publisher disguised as a publisher.

What is the big difference?

A publisher is interested in making money by selling your story.  They design a product, promote it, and then sell it.  They pay the author for the rights to publish their story and so on.

A self-publisher, publishes your book if you pay for their services.  They assist in designing a product, then sell it back to the author.  They make their money off of hopeful would be authors.

Tate Publishing has their fees disguised as a $4,000 'author investment'.  They want to sell my books back to me - so I can hawk them at the corner bar.  (And yes, they really suggested that.)  

What can a literary agent do?

Hopefully, I will get plucked from the slush pile and my stories will be presented to legitimate publishers.  That's what a literary agent can do.  They can break through the barriers and get behind enemy lines.  Fingers-crossed, on both hands, that an agent can assist me in getting a contract.  And here's the big part, maybe one day The Nautical Mile Series will grace bookshelves in actual bookstores.  Maybe, just maybe - kids everywhere will be reading another McCartney adventure!