Eagle Feather Press

[nolabohemian]

Any thoughts on Eagle Feather Press. They were advertising for audio book readers on the paying markets forum here and it looked interesting. Checked the site and only two pages are functional- home and contact us. Everything else is "can not be displayed." Also, no current listings on amazon.com and no bbb.org listing...

Has anyone worked with them at all, on anything?

[vstrauss]

I just got a letter from someone who inquired about this job. To make a long story short, payment is tied to book sales--after 1,000 books are sold you get $100, after 2,000 books are sold you get another $100, and so on. Given the extreme unlikelihood that audio books from a tiny publisher will ever sell in anything even remotely close to that kind of volume, in my opinion it's basically a scheme for getting people to work for free--like those publishers that pay their editors and designers with royalties from the books they work on, which, because most of the books are sold to the authors in royalty-free sales, works out to nothing.

- Victoria

[aka eraser]

Thanks Victoria. I've added a link to this thread from the one in paying markets.

[LisaHa]

And can I add, that if they aren't prepared to pay for a professional to do it, then it is probably not going to be worth anybody's while (I'm a freelance voiceover and reports of our huge fees are somewhat exaggerated)!

Lisa x

[eaglefeatherpress]

I would like to add that we at Eagle Feather Press stated in our Absolute Write ad that we were BEGINNING our publications in 2005. We were inundated by numerous requests by many people who demanded money without even supplying an audition, which we clearly stated. We also clearly stated the payment terms before any prospective reader auditioned. If the terms were not acceptable they were not obligated. Also in our terms we stated that in the event the book was not released or the book did not sell the reader would receive a minimum payment $100 in ANY event upon completion and delivery of the reading. We were trying to offer a long-term relationship to serious people who wanted in on the beginning of our enterprise. Our editors and writers, as well as ALL writers, have known and experienced writing for free and minimum compensation or just for copies. It is a part of the writing profession. So insinuating that a publisher who clearly states the payment before an audition is required is not being deceptive or misleading. No one was expected to work for free, just supply a short five-minute audition tape. How many writers have sent countless submissions and the cost of postage only to receive NO response. We have hired a reader and altered our payment as this reader not only did an excellent job but also was willing to do more re-takes than we expected and was compensated for this dedication. You will also note our web site is up and will continue to grow as well as titles listed on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and others.

Cynthia Richards
Eagle Feather Press

[bkreviewer]

Cynthia, I am the one who notified Victoria Strauss. When I applied and gave you my credentials, I was serious. I was willing to supply a tape, and I was willing to work for relatively little to gain more experience. I would not and will not work for free.

Your response to me was precisely as Victoria noted above. Pay was dependent on sales. I felt as if I had been misled, and in order to protect others who might not yet be aware, I sent the e-mail onto Victoria.

[HapiSofi]

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Our editors and writers, as well as ALL writers, have known and experienced writing for free and minimum compensation or just for copies.<hr></blockquote>How promising.

[eaglefeatherpress]

Eagle Feather Press demands retraction and apology by AbsoluteWrite or Libel lawsuit will be filed.

On every search engine immediately following Eagle Feather press is a link from AbsoluteWrite stating Eagle Feather Press are scammers and rip off artists. This is not only libelous but also damaging to our business, thereby nullifying any and all marketing we do on the Internet. People will not click to read this Character Assassination nor will they click on our link THEREBY causing us to lose immeasurable business.

The article in question regards a post by Eagle Feather Press for audio book readers. Everyone who responded received a payment schedule that INCLUDED a royalty breakdown as well as stating that a reader, even if the project was not published or sell would be paid, at minimum, $100 after supplying the finished reading to us. This translates to approx. $10 per hour. If anyone did not find this payment satisfactory that is their right to not apply and audition, but they have no right to FALSELY STATE THAT WE ARE SCAMMERS AND RIP OFF ARTISTS. We SCAMMED NO ONE and we RIPPED OFF NO ONE.

Eagle Feather Press DEMANDS that Absolutewrite and the individuals apologize, remove this libelous statement from ALL search engines and/or PUBLISH an apology and retraction on ALL search engines or face a lawsuit for Libel and Character (business) Assassination and DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER.

Link: p197.ezboard.com/fabsolutewritefrm11?page=2 - 39k

[eaglefeatherpress]

Thanks for the info. We will forward it to our attorneys.

[eaglefeatherpress]

If you are going to take things out of context, what about readers would be PAID a MINIMUM of $100.

[JohannaJ7]

Don't be so damn stupid.

Who are you going to sue? Absolutewrite for allowing the discussion? Ezboard, for allowing AND hosting the discussion? Or a bunch of random posters who participated?

[maestrowork]

You can't sue people for hosting or posting opinions.

[XThe NavigatorX]

You should've done this on a slow day. We're too busy being entertained by the current PublishAmerica happenings.

[CaoPaux]

Yup, it's a waste of a good tantrum if Momma's watching her soaps. :p

[vstrauss]

>>On every search engine immediately following Eagle Feather press is a link from AbsoluteWrite stating Eagle Feather Press are scammers and rip off artists.<<

I checked that thread. I can't see that it's said anywhere in it that Eagle Feather Press is a scammer or ripoff artist.

>>The article in question regards a post by Eagle Feather Press for audio book readers. Everyone who responded received a payment schedule that INCLUDED a royalty breakdown as well as stating that a reader, even if the project was not published or sell would be paid, at minimum, $100 after supplying the finished reading to us.<<

I have a copy of an e-mail from Robert Prindle, CEO Eagle Feather Press, sent as a response to someone inquiring about the call for audio book readers, which states the following:

Therefore we have arrived at what we think is a fair and profitable situation for both of us. We are proposing the following fee schedule: After the sale of 1000 copies we would pay you $100, after 2000 copies we would pay an additional $100 for a total of $200. Following this we would pay you $50 for each 1000 copies. With this fee schedule if the book would reach our average of 30,000 copies you would receive $100 for the first 1000 copies, $100 for the second 1000 copies and $1,400 for the following 28000
copies for a total of $1,600. Should the book sell more, which we anticipate, your income would increase accordingly.

This is followed by more verbiage ending with this:

In summary, you could read only one book and make only $100 (guaranteed minimum you can earn) because the book sold only fifty copies or if the book sold 100,000 copies you could earn $5,100---all for ten hours work!

Is this the spot where you're committing to pay $100 on delivery of the reading? If so, it's not at all clear. The paragraph as a whole reads as if no payment at all will be made unless 1,000 copies sell.

Can you cite any of your audio books that have sold 30,000 copies, which you quote as your "average" based on your "previous publishing experience"? How many of your readers have earned more than $100?

- Victoria

[Kate St Amour]

Perhaps I am fried due to all of the garbage with PA, because I can't seem to find the Eagle Press thread. Can someone please post a direct link to the thread in question. Thank you.

[Chacounne]

It's just a little further down this page Kate.

Chacounne

[astonwest]

p197.ezboard.com/fabsolut...=530.topic (http://p197.ezboard.com/fabsolutewritefrm11.showMessage?topicID=530.topic)

Just in case it falls off the page due to inactivity in the wake of the PA thread...

:hat
Big Daddy West

[roolmarty]

"Every search engine". Umm... how many did you check? Last count was a few THOUSAND different "search engines" around the world.

Google has the referenced thread as the FIRST hit for a search of < "Eagle Feather Press" > Google (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=%22eagle+feather+press%22&btnG=Search&meta=) -- however the link under that is this topic.

Reading the referenced thread I can't find anything that says "Eagle Feather Press are scammers".

However, looking further into the Google search shows that UNDER their own site is a link to this thread at Writers Weekly (http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?p=13662&sid=5efc303483c09c13fe77178b64c712f8). Now in THIS thread on THAT site there is a comment about scammers, although it does not flat out state that Eagle Feather Press are scammers.

So.. Eagle Feather Press has jumped into Absolute Write to demand the retraction of a post at... Writers Weekly.

[RejectME]

Have fun with those attorney's fees. So where will you file your suit. How much are you willing to pay for legal manpower. Have fun in the umemployment line...

[CaoPaux]

FWIW, their site is functioning now. http://www.eaglefeatherpress.com/

[CaoPaux]

Now named Broken Hands Music / Vincent Vertigo Productions.

[Atomic Bear]

Wow that site really is amateurish. It hurts my eyes.

[CaoPaux]

And now gone without a trace. :cool:

[Dennis]

Eagle Feather Press demands retraction and apology by AbsoluteWrite or Libel lawsuit will be filed.

On every search engine immediately following Eagle Feather press is a link from AbsoluteWrite stating Eagle Feather Press are scammers and rip off artists. This is not only libelous but also damaging to our business, thereby nullifying any and all marketing we do on the Internet. People will not click to read this Character Assassination nor will they click on our link THEREBY causing us to lose immeasurable business.

The article in question regards a post by Eagle Feather Press for audio book readers. Everyone who responded received a payment schedule that INCLUDED a royalty breakdown as well as stating that a reader, even if the project was not published or sell would be paid, at minimum, $100 after supplying the finished reading to us. This translates to approx. $10 per hour. If anyone did not find this payment satisfactory that is their right to not apply and audition, but they have no right to FALSELY STATE THAT WE ARE SCAMMERS AND RIP OFF ARTISTS. We SCAMMED NO ONE and we RIPPED OFF NO ONE.

Eagle Feather Press DEMANDS that Absolutewrite and the individuals apologize, remove this libelous statement from ALL search engines and/or PUBLISH an apology and retraction on ALL search engines or face a lawsuit for Libel and Character (business) Assassination and DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER.

Link: p197.ezboard.com/fabsolutewritefrm11?page=2 - 39k


To save you on your "legal fees":


You should be aware of the Communications Decency Act or "CDA", 47 U.S.C. § 230. In short, the CDA provides that when a user writes and posts material on a website such as absolutewrite.com, the site itself cannot be held legally responsible for the posted material. Specifically, 47 U.S.C. § 230(c)(1) states, "No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider."

This post could have been a good opportunity for you to speak your case and spread the word about your organization. The only thing that makes you look like a scammer in this thread is your own words/actions, it also makes you look like a complete idiot.