Guy Rose

Guy Rose   (literary agent)
Alma mater	Guildford College of Further and Higher Education
Owner In office 1993 - Present Employer FRA Literary Agents  Managing Director In office September 2000 - October 2012 Employer Bandwagon Music Ltd

Guy Rose is the owner of the literary, film and TV agency FRA (formerly Futerman, Rose & Associates), established in 1984 by the late Vernon Futerman.

Representing authors

FRA represent authors of non-fiction on practically any subject, with particular interest in politics, sport, show business and the music industry. FRA also specialise in scripts for film and television, and have successfully placed film and TV rights to many of the authors’ works with major studios and producers, in some cases even ahead of the book rights.

Diverse writers

Joining Vernon Futerman’s agency in 1993, and becoming a name partner, Guy Rose has since represented a wide variety of authors including writers as diverse as reformed criminal John McVicar: Second World War triple agent Eddie Chapman (the subject of the film "Triple Cross", starring Christopher Plummer); former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith; and, retired South African High Court Judge Christopher Nicholson.

Drawing a blank

All leading UK publishers turned it down

On 29 February 2024, Chris Nicholson wrote in the Afterword to his latest book "Who Really Killed Chris Hani?":

"My literary agent in London Guy Rose said after receiving the manuscript ‘Even knowing how subjective and cantankerous some publishers can be, it seems obvious that the right ones should be interested in this captivating work.’

"The initial response was very positive and Rose wrote ‘I’m sure we’ll be able to offer to represent this book. Highly commercial theme and some brilliant pre-reviews already (so soon!).’

"Rose sent it to all the leading publishers in England: One World, HarperCollins, Orion, Biteback, Michael O’Mara, Ad Lib, Verso, Head of Zeus, Bonnier, Pan Macmillan, Bloomsbury, Bedford Square, Canongate, Michael Joseph and Simon & Schuster.

"Alan Samson at Michael Joseph said ‘I have been absorbed in Judge Nicholson’s linkage of six high-profile deaths over three decades, in a way that I have not thought about before. I am old enough to remember most of these tragedies, and the impact each made at the time. Chris Nicholson handles the dramatic material well, and he writes compelling prose and has an eye for the telling detail. However, my remit is to acquire books that will (or rather, may!) sell 20,000 copies. In truth I do not believe I can convince my new colleagues that this book, will attain that level, despite its commercial potential. I say this with regret, though. He writes well, and it is a good subject, and I sent my email to you with a heavy heart!’

"Jamie Hodder-Williams of Bedford Square said ‘Thank you for giving us the chance to publish Judge Chris Nicholson’s book. He is clearly a remarkable man with many good stories to tell, who has been at the heart of many big legal cases, at an incredibly important time in his country. However, sadly we just don’t think we’d reach a wide enough market to warrant publication, so we’re going to pass.’

"After expressing great excitement and confidence that the book would be published, all these distinguished publishers suddenly shied away, refusing to be associated with such an account. Although they all profess that it will not sell they are not even prepared to present it as an ebook. That would have minimal expense and any doubts about the marketing would be resolved with time.

"We have to explore whether they are being truthful in refusing to publish or that pressures are being put on them to decline. This book is posited on the fact that the great corporations really rule the world and that governments and people have little say in world affairs. What a sad irony it would be that the final irrefutable proof of that proposition is in the treatment of this book by the publishers."

 

Related Document

Title	Type	Publication date	Author(s)	Description
Document:Afterword to "Who Really Killed Chris Hani?"	Book	29 February 2024	Christopher Nicholson	Courts have decided that freedom of expression trumps all other rights as without it nobody, including the courts, would ever hear of breaches of other rights. So those who have attempted to suppress this book have prevented the world from discovering and prosecuting the criminals, who perpetrated the foul murders. In law we would describe them as accessories after the fact of these killings.

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