dogpile on the scam artist

[zwol]

So there's this woman Barbara Bauer and her agency, cleverly named the Barbara Bauer Literary Agency. The editors of Writer Beware, who can be trusted in such matters, have cited her as one of the 20 worst scam agents in their files:

None of [these 20 worst agencies] has a significant track record of sales to commercial (advance-paying) publishers, and most have virtually no documented and verified sales at all (book placements claimed by some of these agencies turn out to be "sales" to vanity publishers). All charge clients before a sale is made--whether directly, by levying fees such as reading or administrative fees, or indirectly, for editing or other adjunct services.

Absolute Write was (and will soon be again, we hope) an online community for writers to share experiences, critique each others' work, help each other find paid gigs, and help each other avoid scams. In that last capacity, they recently reproduced SFWA's list. Ms. Bauer was so offended at this that she browbeat Absolute Write's hosting provider into taking the site down. Making Light has the details. They have found a new hosting provider and will be back soon, but that doesn't make it okay.

Shame on you, Barbara Bauer, and know that you have accomplished less than nothing; hundreds and thousands of people like me, who had never heard of you before, now know you for the scum you are and are doing our best to spread the word.

And just for additional emphasis, I shall now reproduce the 2006 SFWA list in full.

• 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)

EDIT: corrected Making Light link.