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Noble Romance Publishing

Ralyks

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Anyone have publishing expeirnece, negative or positive, with Noble Romance since the new CEO took over?
 

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Well, if you're saying it's only in some contracts some of the time, then it's not boilerplate, is it? That's my point. The way it was said implied that this super restrictive ROFR clause is in every base EC contract and must either be lived with or negotiated out. I'm saying no, that's untrue. The end.

I am saying it was in their contract for a period of some years when several authors reported it to me. And that they would on many occasions refuse to negotiate it out and just pull the offer. And this thread shows it is still being offered to some authors now as the default contract provided upon acquisition of the manuscript (a.k.a. boilerplate). Why others get a better initial offer, I have no idea. But the fact that other authors, including ones comment in this thread, have had this experience is well documented. Their experiences are true for them, and yours for you. And I am a neutral party with no dog in the fight.
 
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amergina

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I wonder if we could get the EC posts moved to the EC thread? Seems to me they'd be more useful there...
 

Ralyks

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If you're asking because you're considering them, I'd definitely go elsewhere. I've had relatively positive experience with the new CEO, but everything with Noble is up in the air right now. People have very real grievances, and those that are talking haven't been as fortunate as I have.

They accepted it for their Sweetheart Line and offered me a contract and are currently my only bird-in-hand. Two other publishers requested the full manuscript based on a sample, and I delayed signing with Noble until I heard back from them--rejections both, though one was a very detailed and helpful rejection. Because this is my only bird-in-hand, I am very tempted to accept the offer, but having read this entire thread, and having asked some clarifying questions about some (what I perceived to be unusual) wording in the contract without receiving any response in over a week, I think I had best not sign on the dotted line and instead see if I can't rewrite this thing to suit some other genre, since my "close call" rejection indicated it might not really be a romance in the genre sense. Anyway, back to the drawing board. I may cut it down to novella length and try the Kindles Single program too.
 
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Sheryl Nantus

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I am very tempted to accept the offer, but having read this entire thread, and having asked some clarifying questions about some (what I perceived to be unusual) wording in the contract without receiving any response in over a week...

This is a bit of a red flag, IMO. If they're not getting back to you in a reasonable length of time about VERY important questions about the contract then how responsive will they be if you *do* sign the contract?

The other red flags here would give me pause. I know the temptation of going with what seems like a sure thing and the happiness of being accepted - but as noted elsewhere, better to not be published than to be published badly.

I would suggest you fire off one last email and tell them your concerns for the lack of communication and your reasons for refusing, if you do so. Let them know their behavior is a factor in your decision as well, IMO.

JMO, of course.
 

Ralyks

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Thanks for the feedback. I've fired off a polite e-mail explaining why I will be passing on the contract.

Yes, back to the drawing board on this novel...Sigh.
 
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thethinker42

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Posted on Aleksandr Voinov's Facebook page, and quoted with his permission: (bracketed text is mine for context/clarification)

"Noble Romance has illegally published a print copy of Forbidden Love, which contains my short story Deliverance."

"I emailed them on 1 August that I'd be reclaiming my [print, audio, and translation] rights. As of 1 September, these are MY rights, as per my contract. Noble published a print copy of my book on 30 October. I'm wow. I'm really quite angry."

"I want my print, audio and translation rights, but I'm not even getting a response from him on most things. And when I call him, he says one thing one day and something else the other day. I can't trust this guy. He's lying, he's insulting (claims my English is so bad he doesn't understand what I'm saying - funny, he understood me just fine.) [...] After we'd talked for an hour, he's like "You have such a strong Indian accent, I don't really understand what you're saying" - funny, he understood me when it suited him." [I'd like to add here that Aleks has a German accent, but it is hardly strong enough to keep someone from understanding him.]

ETA: The entire e-mail exchange between Aleks and Noble is here.
 
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amergina

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Posted on Aleksandr Voinov's Facebook page, and quoted with his permission: (bracketed text is mine for context/clarification)

"Noble Romance has illegally published a print copy of Forbidden Love, which contains my short story Deliverance."

"I emailed them on 1 August that I'd be reclaiming my [print, audio, and translation] rights. As of 1 September, these are MY rights, as per my contract. Noble published a print copy of my book on 30 October. I'm wow. I'm really quite angry."

"I want my print, audio and translation rights, but I'm not even getting a response from him on most things. And when I call him, he says one thing one day and something else the other day. I can't trust this guy. He's lying, he's insulting (claims my English is so bad he doesn't understand what I'm saying - funny, he understood me just fine.) [...] After we'd talked for an hour, he's like "You have such a strong Indian accent, I don't really understand what you're saying" - funny, he understood me when it suited him." [I'd like to add here that Aleks has a German accent, but it is hardly strong enough to keep someone from understanding him.]

Wow. That's not good at all.

More reasons to stay the heck away from this company.

I hope Aleks is able to get this sorted out.
 

thethinker42

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Fallen

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Uh. The book in there looks the size of a non-fiction text book.
 

veinglory

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Trying to make an actual paperback look like an amateur zine (on purpose) strikes me as just as incompetent than doing so by accident.
 

michael_b

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I used to do print layouts and I have to tell you that is some of the shoddiest layout work I've ever seen. I think it even tops the copies of print books that Midnight Showcase/MS Fiction used to produce and those were terrible. (Not sure about their newest incarnation, haven't seen any recent books.)
 
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madmumbler

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*blink*

*blink*

I'm going to hazard a guess those pinheads have no clue how to change page sizes or use page size templates. Looks like they picked a print size based on standard 8.5 x 11 Word default. Maybe they though it would magically become a "book"? Either that, or the cheap bastard was trying to use as few pages as possible to keep the cost down.

Bet the printing monkeys at LS or wherever they sent it were shaking their heads when that popped out of the machine.

Wow. Just... holy freaking' wow.

I've set up print copies for some of my tutorials and they looked faaaaar better than that.

It's like he's clueless about publishing....oh, wait. Yeah. Nevermind, answered my own question.
 

Filigree

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They're not even responding to rights-reversal requests, even after violating the terms of their own contracts? Seems like we're getting close to a large lawsuit, if these authors want to band together.

I know I'll never send anything to Noble or anyone still connected to it.
 

thethinker42

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They're not even responding to rights-reversal requests, even after violating the terms of their own contracts?

Response from Aleks, quoted with permission:

I haven't received any responses to my registered letters. He responds
to some emails, and only partial, usually ignoring anything about
rights. That appears to be a pattern, too. He's also misrepresenting
what's been agreed on the phone, and has stated that "nothing
said/written on the internet is legally binding", which is clearly
wrong. There's also reports of Noble Authors being underpaid for their
POD books, and Jean refusing to remedy the situation, even if people
quote chapter and verse of their contracts to him. It's an incredibly
frustrating experience. There are authors who've been worn down by
that strategy of passive-aggressive ignorance and (real of feigned)
incompetence.
 

chancerychislettII

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Weren't they offering $2,000 advances to YA authors just a year ago? Sad to see an e-pub go downhill so quickly. I hope you get your dispute settled!
I've never had any response to any of my emails or certified letters sent starting last August. Ever. I've gone so far as to post on their Facebook page, they delete the comments. I respond on their Twitter feed and they've unfollowed and blocked me. I have had a semi-response from one staff member who supposedly forwarded my emails yet again, still nothing, but I suspect my emails were never forwarded. And yet they are still selling my titles. They've owed me money for over a year now on both titles. Contract clauses give me the right to terminate and I have done that - but they just ignore any communication I send.

I'm definitely looking at legal action, it seems it's the only way I'll get my rights back. And I will continue to be vocal on my blog and on Twitter, etc. about how they are screwing their authors. It's not like I'm saying anything that isn't the truth!
 
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thethinker42

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Weren't they offering $2,000 advances to YA authors just a year ago? Sad to see an e-pub go downhill so quickly. I hope you get your dispute settled!

The offer was for "UP TO" $1,000 or $2,000. Most people I've talked to, myself included, received $100 or so.