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Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly Publishing / Hot Ink Books / Steamworks Ink

MMauthor

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Is Ten Million Books (http://tenmillionbooks.blogspot.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/TenMillionBooks/) related to CHBB & co? My cursory googling last night yielded some connections, but I wasn't sure.

Yes! Kinzie Rose runs that page and she is a part of CHBB, has been for many years. She goes through times where she'll back away, but always comes back. Sometimes as a different name, but it's her. She runs TenMillionBooks. By no means would I trust anything ran by them.
 
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MMauthor

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I had considered subbing to them, then heard how they actually treat their authors. They focus primarily on their best sellers and the rest are forgotten. Not sure I'd want to be under the rule of someone who isn't interested in all their authors.
Plus, their editing leaves a lot to be desired. (check out some of their recent titles, then you'll see what I mean)

This is so true. They only favor certain authors. They preach fair, but do not follow through. They are not at all interested in all their authors. They will promote certain, leaving others with none at all. It is very much a favoritism publishing house and lord forbid, do not get on the three queens bad side, all hell will break loose and you think you know bullying, let me tell you first hand, they will do anything to see you go down. They're all show, but behind the scene they are the most vindictive witches I've ever met. Just read some of their "star" authors pages and you'll see how they act. PM me if you want more details.
 

MMauthor

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Oh it really is!

I believe they've had quite a few author's leave them recently - a few who have a good career ahead of them - but with each departure comes a 'shunning' process, where the author's who've left are blocked, deleted and often reported to FB for spam, abuse etc.

How does a company who constantly states that they base their integrity on good professional work ethics behave so childish?

I don't know about you, but this seems rather cruel to me.

They are very cruel, and I can say this is VERY true. Although I would take the shunning over all the cyber bullying, reporting, and stuff they've done to me. With everything today, it makes it so easy for them to do it anonymously and then blame it one someone else. They will make your life and career hell when you leave. Especially if you made SJ money. Oh, and writer beware, when you're in this company you are not allowed to have an opinion that differs from the bitchy three. Once you do, you're on their target list even when you're still in the company. It's so wrong. I can not tell you how much I would warn people away from this company.
 
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MMauthor

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Preditors & Editors still lists CHBB as a company to avoid.

http://pred-ed.com/pebc.ht

"Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Press: Not recommended. A publisher of dark paranormal, urban fantasies, anthologies, and speculative fiction. See this thread for more details why they are not recommended." (Links to this thread)

I don't know if being a part of CHBB would earn Hot Ink and Vamptasy their own listing or not, but they don't even show up regardless
How do we add Encompass Ink to this list?
 

MMauthor

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Actually, if the publisher cared about its reputation, its principals wouldn't pull stuff like this. It makes prospective authors look back more carefully at the earlier thread. Maybe the publisher got its act together now. But this kind of reputation management is clueless, dangerous, and an automatic red flag for me.

Hasn't changed. In fact, I'd say it has gotten worse. The bad thing is, most authors are almost brainwashed. I admit I was.
 

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I also got published by CHBB and my experience was the same. SJ Davis hired someone to edit my book--they didn't do it on time so the publication date was delayed and the editing was terrible. SJ Davis was very unresponsive to my advertising campaigns and her royalty statements were vague and infrequent. I waited until my contract was up because I didn't want to keep my book there, and then when the contract was up she said she wasn't renewing it because she expected authors to publicize their books--she's got to be the worst publisher ever. I am trying to market my book to other publishers.
I never received one royalty statement, not one. Yes, probably my fault for not thinking of it at the time, but I was just excited to get published. I've talked to most authors there and they all say the same, no statements. We all got taken for a ride and never questioned. Shame on us, smart on her. She was the one banking on it. Their process: edit(which most didn't even get this), amazon ONLY, and expect the author to do everything for themselves. Now tell me why does she collect 50% for just putting it up on amazon? This should be against the law and FYI, her contracts still aren't signed. They're all doc through word and TYPED.
 
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MMauthor

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Leave and don't look back.

There is nothing whatever this person can do to harm you with commercial publishers.

Being published well is the best revenge.

Although I agree with your statement, there is a lot this publisher can do to ruin your reputation. I know because they've tried. I've gone to self-publishing with full control of my own stories and marketing, so my best revenge is to sell well, which I do, and prove they did nothing for me. I already know that anyway. I have no regrets about leaving. The only one I have is that I didn't do it sooner, but we all make mistakes ;)
 

Filigree

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James is right: fundamentally, all they can do is high school bullying. Document every incidence for future legal uses, and don't respond to the perps. They're only powerful if you give them power. In the world of real commercial publishing, they're a pathetic joke.
 

MMauthor

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James is right: fundamentally, all they can do is high school bullying. Document every incidence for future legal uses, and don't respond to the perps. They're only powerful if you give them power. In the world of real commercial publishing, they're a pathetic joke.

That is very true. I just feel bad for the authors that don't fight back and actually do get run off from the cyber harassment. If there is anyone like that, don't give up. This is what they do. You can overcome and still thrive as an author. I'm proof, along with many other ones.
 

UnbearableLight

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Yes! Kinzie Rose runs that page and she is a part of CHBB, has been for many years. She goes through times where she'll back away, but always comes back. Sometimes as a different name, but it's her. She runs TenMillionBooks. By no means would I trust anything ran by them.

Thanks. I had a strange feeling after I was invited to like the page by an author I don't really know and saw that it was basically promo-swapping.
 

MMauthor

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Thanks. I had a strange feeling after I was invited to like the page by an author I don't really know and saw that it was basically promo-swapping.

Their authors are over aggressive with that stuff. I know because I was one and thought it the only way to do it. That is what we were taught. Mob mentality ;) You should see my list of blocked people on social media and the sad thing, it doesn't stop them. New ones appear and report, invite. Just a mess. :) But smart move on not accepting. If you have any questions, or anyone, I can answer almost anything.
 

Silverrosess

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I can't remember if I actually ever posted my experience with these CHBB guys, because I was legitimately scared of them for a long time, but I thought it might be cool, since I started this thread waaaaaaay back in 2011. I was 19 when they signed my novel and I had 0 experience with publishers. I thought it would be an actual "Big Six" type publisher (lol) with books in Chapters and Barnes and Noble. Well, I proceeded to be excluded, verbally harassed on multiple occasions, and for lack of a better phrase, violently cyber-bullied in a way that reminded me horribly of elementary school. A good portion of this came from (I believe) refusing to call SJ Davis "The Queen", among other things. I feel a bit sick every time an author I know (Because I'm a cover designer now) signs on with them. I was in college at the time, and at one point one of their biggest 'attack dogs' of the time had me in full breakdown mode in the cafeteria because of the threats - actual THREATS of harm - he was sending me.

It was a horrible few months I'll never get back, but it's all good now. We'll leave 'em in the dust, right? ;) There are so many ex-CHBBers I think we should have a name and a club... the Free Butterflies maybe? LOL
 

Silverrosess

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I'm sorry you had to endure that. Did you report him for the threats to his local police?

No... I honestly don't even think it went through my mind at the time.
 

Filigree

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Here's a truth, people. Police were, and still are, reluctant to get involved in electronic trolling. But Gamergate and some bad behavior on Twitter have made law enforcement more likely to at least look into victims' complaints.

If someone online wishes you active and specific harm, and seems willing to back up threats with doxxing and stalking...*report them*. Especially if they're affiliated with one of these pissant 'publishers' that are run more like cult cliques instead of businesses.
 

MMauthor

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They did the same to me with the bullying and cyber harassment. They even went as far a doxxing me. I wish I could get my time back and money. How can these companies get away with these shotty contracts and ONLY load on amazon to collect all the profit. That is all this company does. ONE THEY ONLY GO TO AMAZON AND KU. No other outlets. They're a filler. A hand. All they do is proofread(if best, NOT edit and that's for sure) and do a cover and then load to amazon then collect 50% your money. They do promote on FB, but no paid tours or anything like that. But I signed electronically as did she, so I suppose it's legal. I had zero experience as well and was hoping they would be honest and trustworthy. Lesson learned, but in the contract it states the publisher is not responsible for edits or having the doc error free. But I know I read somewhere and I could have sworn it was in contract about what the publisher was responsible for. Does anyone have that? Also, other REAL companies will have a audit clause. CHBB does not. There should be legal action people could take on these companies. It's a shame. Just an FYI to anyone: READ THE CONTRACT carefully. Have a lawyer check if over. Oh, when asked about statement of proof of amazon payouts, they say they can't do it because it is a publisher and not individual author. Not to mention, kindle unlimited doesn't show under books sold, so that is a different payout spread sheet. I just don't know how they can know how much an author is making if they can't "see" each author. I have no idea how this company hasn't been sued yet.
 

MMauthor

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I never thought about it either, but I would recommend other's follow this.
 

Sylvir

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Jumping in with a random question, sorry, but does anyone know what happened to their (apparently) film production company? Just curious how that went.
 

folieadeux

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I personally haven't seen hide nor hair of it. If that ship sank before it got out of port, that's for the best. Their website is also particularly vacant right now