Anyone ever had any luck approaching publishing houses directly with their work?

Beverley

Nope. Most of the time, receipt was not acknowledged and return postage never used. I began posting manuscripts in the trash bin and giving away return postage money to the homeless as it achieved the same overall effect.
That, by the way, was irony. Yes, I know publishers are hard-working, but guess what? So are budding authors.
Thank Heaven for sites such as this.