Here's a news item I found of interest, for several reasons:
Agent Tony Cowell is to launch a new Dragon's Den-style show on ITV London which will seek out new author talent for publication. The series of six 30-minute programmes will air at 6pm on Sundays starting 1st July on ITV London, sponsored by Borders and produced by independent production company Prospect Pictures. It will be repeated on one of Sky's digital channels.
This is the same Tony Cowell who used to advertise himself as a publicist and who closed down his business a few years ago, owing me a small claims court-ordered payment of £3000 (about $5000). What a shame he's not honored his old debts now that he's making money.
The moral of the story for writers is: always check out the references of anybody you are considering hiring. Cowell had on his website the names of several writers he had 'helped.' Unfortunately, I learned this lesson the hard way and phoned these authors only after I started wondering why he wasn't returning my calls even though he'd received payment. Two of them told me sad stories of promises unfulfilled.
The most disturbing part of the story is that when I finally got through to someone who sounded a lot like Tony, he said, "Oh, no, this is not Tony, this is his brother. He was in New York on 9/11 and was traumatized, and that's why he's not doing the work he promised you--we'll be in touch!" If, as I suspect, that was a bogus excuse, it's shameful. Needless to say, nobody got in touch, and when the bailiffs arrived at his office, it had been cleared out.