Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0452264324, Paperback)

New York literary agent Richard Curtis has represented many bestselling authors. When Curtis talks, authors -- and publishers -- listen. Now he is talking, straight from the shoulder, to writers, telling everything an author must know to get published and not get exploited or taken advantage of -- by an agent, a publisher, or the IRS.

read about:

The truth about the clout of agents in getting a writer sold;
the best deal to make if you sell your book to the movies;
when to sign a multibook contract, and when to sell one book at a time;
is the advance offered to you poor, good, or terrific?

And lots more.