Bookstand Publishing

$499 for 48 copies of a trade paperback sounds like a very good price indeed.

Are there any page limits to that?
Are there any hidden fees, or is the $499 really it?

I'd buy a copy of another book from the same printers to get a feel for the actual quality--I think it's worth the investment.

Be aware that the 30% royalty is just for books sold via the Bookstand website. If the book is sold via a bookstore, library, or an online retailer, your royalty will be 10%.

Otherwise, it looks like a pretty straightforward service. Do follow Ice Cream's advice, though, and order one or more books--you'll be able to assess not just quality, but how efficient the ordering system is.

- Victoria

IceCreamEmpress said:

$499 for 48 copies of a trade paperback sounds like a very good price indeed.

Are there any page limits to that?
Are there any hidden fees, or is the $499 really it?

Click to expand...

The page count price list is located here.

victoriastrauss said:

If the book is sold via a bookstore, library, or an online retailer, your royalty will be 10%

Click to expand...

The actual verbiage is “up to 10% of the list price on each print book sold on other retail web sites” per the Agreement.

IceCreamEmpress said:

$499 for 48 copies of a trade paperback sounds like a very good price indeed.

Are there any page limits to that?
Are there any hidden fees, or is the $499 really it?

I'd buy a copy of another book from the same printers to get a feel for the actual quality--I think it's worth the investment.

Click to expand...

At a closer look, it seems the $499 price tag is for books with a page count of 25-100pp. The reality is that most trade paperbacks will run to 200pp+, and according to Boostand's site, the cost of that is actually $699 (with the 48 copies), also the retail list price for this comes in at $18.95.

There also seems to be a wholesale option for authors to purchase, but this is limited to a minimum of 25 copies.

Also, a look at the cover templates seem very basic, and any author considering this POD publishing option would be well advised to supply their own cover.

I think there are more competive POD options around, Booklocker.com comes to mind, however, it would depend on how many copies the author is intending purchasing themselves. If the answer to that is several hundred or more, going direct with Lightning Source Inc would be far better.

MickRooney said:

At a closer look, it seems the $499 price tag is for books with a page count of 25-100pp. The reality is that most trade paperbacks will run to 200pp+, and according to Boostand's site, the cost of that is actually $699 (with the 48 copies), also the retail list price for this comes in at $18.95.

Click to expand...

That seems like less of a deal, then, as compared to Lulu.com and Booklocker and even some local printers. But it might be worth thinking about for someone doing a short book (poetry collection, for instance).

If it were me - and it has been - I'd go with lulu.com. I currently have a western/humor series available from them (The Velvet Brand, The Cheyenne Brand and Seven Against Texas) and I've found their quality both good and consistent.
You'll have to format your own book (good guidelines supplied) and do your own editing and proofing (which you should have done anyway). As for covers - design your own (leaving room for Lulu to impose the title) or choose from their library of designs. (Good selection of fonts, too)
Also, you'll do your own back cover and supply a short blurb for random browsers.
Once done, your book is available for preview, purchase (trade paperback was my choice) or download.
Further, you set the price for purchase and download, depending on how much you want to earn per copy. I charge $12.99 for a 290-page book, earning just over $2.00 per and $1.50 for downloads - earning $1.20 per.
Granted, most of the people who order from the site will be friends and family since the books are promoted nowhere else, but the author can buy as many wholesale-priced copies as he wishes and peddle them to indie stores or at book fairs.
For myself, I took this route because the books fit no conventional category (ever hear of a hilarious western?) and I wanted my children to have something more than a .doc file to remember me by. (They make excellent Christmas gifts and since the series will run to at least five books, I'm covered for the next two years.)
Erv Bobo