Agent query

Kenoshamaensa · #1 11-03-2010, 07:40 AM

I've been a bit absent of late, grading midterms, but I come back with a query chart for an agent to represent a book. I have published in the past, but I've had mixed luck with this book, as it's on the long side. So after some major hacking, I'm trying again, hoping for better luck.

And I went hunting for a time that was, if not perfect, at least not horrid.

Chart below. Please add your thoughts.

What I was looking for:

--Avoiding the usual no-nos, like VoC Moon, Saturn in 7th, <3 or >27 on rising, malefics in bad places, etc.

--I do have an approaching aspect between what would seem to be very promising planets for significators in a chart about a novel: Mercury and Jupiter. Let me add, this is a query to an AGENT, who will represent my novel seeking publication. As such, I am looking at 8th and 7th houses, for someone handling another's money and partnership -- which are both in the same sign (Pisces), ruled by Jupiter, also in Pisces. So Jupiter deposits itself. Since the agent is on the way to publication, I wasn't looking at the 9th house except secondarily, but I do notice Jupiter traditionally rules the 9th house of publication, which seems good for an agent.

--My significator is Mercury (words and communication), placed in the 3rd house, Scorpio. It makes an approaching TRINE to Jupiter, although Jupiter is *retrograde*, I note, which suggests movement away. Nonetheless, Mercury moves faster so is still in approaching aspect. I'm not sure what significance Jupiter retro here makes. The trine I interpret as good, but retro Jup may indicate a delay? Or hemming and hawing? Also, Mars (4th), in Sagittarius deposits Mercury, and Sagittarius, of course, is also ruled by Jupiter.

--I also looked at the Moon, and her next aspect is a semisextile to Venus (nice), but her last aspect is a quincunx to retro Uranus (not as good).

--Last I looked at the "4th house" of the quested, which is Cancer on the 11th (4th from 7th), and here I did also look at the 9th house of publication (which is the ultimate goal) Aries, ruled by Mars. Moon makes an approaching SEXTILE to Mars, which sounds good ... but honestly, I'm a bit confused about how to interpret this "4th house of quested/end of the matter" stuff, so I have NO idea if that's either significant or valid.

So it looks good but ... ? I had a chart for a poem's acceptance that also looked good and it was soundly rejected.

--I know I should also look at interactions between this chart and mine, but got lazy. :-) About the only thing that immediately leapt out at me is that my own Jupiter rules my MC in Sagitarius. And the MC of THIS chart is conjunct my natal Jupiter at about 4 degrees.

Serendipity · #2 11-03-2010, 04:54 PM

Can you clarify what your question is?
I also need to go back to the poem question to see where I went wrong. My normal horary analysis are for relationship questions but I would like to brush up on career questions

Kenoshamaensa · #3 11-03-2010, 06:48 PM

My question at this point is just whether or not the agent will query the book and take me on as a client. That's *something* of a 2-part query, because of the way the process works. Normally, one sends a query with a sample. If the agent likes it, she queries a longer partial or the whole, then will decide if she wants to take it on and try to sell it. The end result is a sale to a publisher, but I wasn't really looking at that for this chart. I'd run a different horary for that.

So this one is just about the initial query and her response(s) to it. That's why I restricted myself to 7th (close 2-person relationships) and 8th (other people's money). I only looked a little at the 9th house (publication) and the 5th (entertainment), since those are more long-range goals. With the poem chart, I did look at the 9th since there was no middle-man (or woman, so to speak. It was a direct query for publication, yes or no. The answer was "no," unfortunately.

That thread is HERE.

I should add that the process of getting an agent usually involves MULTIPLE queries. I'm just trying to learn the process and what to look for, so I can get a handle on looking at charts for good potential times, since I have (some) leeway on when to mail queries.

Of course, it would help if I got a positive reply, for analysis. Hee.

Below is one of those "positive" charts, but I'll be honest. I don't (entirely) get it. The Sun is my significator, ruling the chart from the MC, but it squares Jupiter ruling the 9th house from the cusp of the 9th house (in the 8th), in Pisces. The Sun was in Aries, which was in mutual reception with Mars in Leo in my 1st house right on the Asc. I'd have read the Sun-Jupiter square as a "no." But clearly, it wasn't.

Serendipity · #4 11-06-2010, 02:57 AM

I looked at the charts. I need to think about this for a bit, especially the chart that was positive.

KatyaVelikaya · #5 11-06-2010, 05:56 AM

[Just in case this can be of help on the side of the query process (not horaries).] What the original poster means is you submit a query which is basically an inquiry including the basic information about your book idea. (the agent does not "query") Based on the query, the agent requests more material (a full proposal), or not.

If you are asked for the full proposal, you are one step closer to getting a contract, but there are no guarantees. I have had queries accepted, then proposals requested, and at THAT point they can say your book is too this or that for OUR agency but... you might try it at another agency. (ie. The scope or the audience or the topic may not fit *that particular* agency.) But if you get to the point of them requesting a proposal, you know already that you have *something* that may sell.