No matter how many times I called and got voicemail, I never left a negative message. No matter how many weeks went by with no communication, I always approached each new call without recrimination. I listened politely to the editor complain about the agent, and on other calls, the agent complain about the editor. But when I needed to complain I vented to someone who had no involvement in the deal.
And now, finally, we have a deal that all four parties–myself, my co-author, his agent, and the editor at the publishing house–are all happy with.
