The Screen-L moderating system slipped up recently and allowed two posts
from Woodside International Literary Agency to slip through (see
below).  Unbeknownst to us, Woodside is a frequent sender of bulk e-mail
(spam) and has been accused of many improprieties.
 
As a "literary agency," their business practices have been called into
question. In addition, they have been accused of using the Internet to
merciless harass one individual (Jayne Hitchcock) who complained about
their operation.  The story of this alleged harassment has been covered
by The New York Times, Dallas Observer, Houston Press, and other sources
both online and off.
 
For the full story, visit Hitchcock's Web page:
 
http://www.geocities.com/~hitchcockc/woodside.html
 
Moreover, ccording to an article by Jack Mingo, a lawsuit has been filed
against Woodside by Hitchcock:
 
On January 13 of
this year [1997], in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District
of New York, [Hitchcock's lawyer] Young filed a lawsuit against Ursula
Sprachmann and any other "John Does and Richard
Roes...of the Woodside Literary Agency," asking for
actual and punitive damages totaling $10 million.
Explains Young: "The suit charges that Woodside
and its cohorts have terrorized and harassed Jayne
Hitchcock through a pattern of racketeering which
includes forgery, libelous defamation and other
criminal activity by which the defendants wilfully
and maliciously have caused her acute emotional
distress and placed her in fear of sexual or other
physical assault and of her very life."
 
( http://www.dallasobserver.com/extra/cyberstalk.html )
 
The Woodside incident illustrates once again that if you are a writer,
especially one just starting out, you should ALWAYS be suspicious of an
agency that asks for money to read a manuscript, as is Woodside's
practice.
 
--
Jeremy Butler
[log in to unmask]
 
Woodside International Literary Agency post:
 
Now*accepting <new> and <previously published> writers for publication.
We are a NEW=YORK based international literary agency with three
offices: 2 in NEW=YORK and one in <FLORIDA.>
<Please follow guidelines for submission:>
For ALL fiction, including screenplays for TV & Movies: Send us a <brief
 synopsis>,
the  first chapter, and include a self-addressed, stamped
envelope=S.A.S.E.
Short Stories: Send brief synopsis, 3 pages, S.A.S.E.
Poetry: Send 3 poems, S.A.S.E.
For ALL nonfiction: Send us a <brief synopsis>, the first chapter, and
include a
 S.A.S.E.
Do not send complete manuscript unless invited.
<WOODSIDE=INTERNATIONAL=LITERARY=AGENCY>
<Thirty Three Twenty Nine 58 St.>
<Wood-Side, New York>
<zip: 1.1.3.7.7>
<(Tel)=={718}=651=8145>
 
AFTER MAY 10, 1997, please submit your material to our branch office at:
Woodside International Literary Agency
1190=North=Collier=Blvd.
Marco Island, Florida  zip: 34145  Tel: 941-642-9660
 
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