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[Publisher] Bookouture

Donna Pudick

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This is a digital and POD publisher. Very new, specializing in womens fiction. I literally stumpled across their website while looking for something else. Anyone know anything about them?
 

Donna Pudick

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I emailed them to find that out. They said no fees. This is a wait and see thing.
 
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Kay

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I accidentally stumbled across Bookouture as well. I'm intrigued, yet skepticle. Not only do I think I spelled skepticle wrong, bookouture only has 1 author.
Donna, have you come across any other info yet?
 

aliceshortcake

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From the Bookouture blog:

After telling the world about Bookouture for the first time via our launch press release, we’ve been delighted by the response....we’ve seen a flood of submissions from authors and agents...
http://www.bookouture.com/2012/10/04/bookouture-launch-coverage/

I'm not sure why agents would be so enthusiastic about the company, which specializes in e-books with print (POD) copies if the author wants them. From Bookouture's FAQ page:

Does bookouture pay its authors an advance?
No, we don’t. Our high digital royalty rates and speed to market offset the lack of advance.

What's so special about Bookouture?

We offer bespoke digital publishing – so our publishing and marketing is tailored to your author brand – not the other way around. Put simply, our aim is to add value to the publishing process in terms of connecting authors to reader.

I have absolutely no idea what this means.

Bookouture's website is a confusing mess, but I eventually found this transcript of a Slideshare presentation:

http://www.slideshare.net/bookoutur...p://www.bookouture.com/submission-guidelines/

If the company isn't a vanity/ faux 'self-publisher' they need to rewrite the above section, which is littered with the sort of language that immediately sets alarm bells ringing:

Do I need to have been published before? Nope! Call us old fashioned, but we think publishers should play a role in discovering new talent. (What do they think publishers have been doing all these years?)

Send us your story. We promise to read and reply to every manuscript we receive. Because your hard work deserves our time and attention.

If you’ve got a finished manuscript, we’d love to see it all. If you don’t, we will need at least 3 chapters. (They're asking for unfinished manuscripts?)

No agent required No long complicated lists of what we do and don’t want No word limits No fitting your writing to a particular series or imprint (I have to wonder how much experience of publishing the founders of Bookouture have if they felt the need to add that last sentence.)

Thank you......for trusting us enough to share your dreams...Chase happiness Follow your dreams Work with smart people Who will help YOU get there

Publishers don't deal in dreams, they deal in books they hope to sell to as many people as possible.
 

Donna Pudick

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I haven't been following them at all. I don't like the flip language or anything else, for that matter.
 

mistri

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Just a note on this - I was searching for the firm as I was curious myself about it - I keep seeing it pop up on my Twitter feed.

I've worked with the guy behind it (Oliver Rhodes) and he does have significant experience in marketing at traditional publishers (this was ten years ago so I'm not sure what else he's done) in commercial women's fiction.

The website seems slick but I think more books will have to come out to judge how effective the business is, or to give reasons to go with them for ebooks and not self-publish.
 

jenauthor

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Bookouture

I am soon to be published by Bookouture, so I thought I’d shed some light on this publisher for you all. Prior to publishing with Bookouture, I submitted to many agents and publishers here in the U.S., and I’ve seen their submission process and website designs as well. The reason, in my opinion, that Bookouture’s website isn’t fussy, is because it doesn’t have to be. This is a publisher with a new vision, setting it apart from many of the big-six methods out there. You can read about Bookouture’s founder and his accomplishments at the following site: www.oliver-rhodes.com/portfolio. You can also check out this article about his vision: http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/bookouture-focues-on-global-brand49598/

For those of you who want a few more specifics, I’d like to say that I had the contract reviewed by a literary lawyer here in The States, and he found it to be a legitimate contract. The books will be published in e-book and POD. With this method, readers can access either type of book, and there isn’t a ton of waste sitting in warehouses. As for editing, I am only beginning the editing process, but let me tell you, I’ve seen the timeframes and the three-part editing method; I’ve also met my editor who has a ton of expertise. With one, quick idea, she was able to give me something to go on for revisions of one of my novels that I’d been struggling with throughout the submission process. She knows her stuff.

Lastly, I’d like to speak to the feeling that I get as an author, working with Bookouture. Oliver Rhodes knows what he’s doing. His forward-thinking approach and attention to detail is unparalleled. He provides a collaborative and positive working relationship with his authors, allowing us the freedom to offer our ideas, hear his, and grow as writers. Hope this helps.
 
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Filigree

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Thanks, Jen.

I appreciate that Mr. Rhodes has extensive marketing experience, and hope that his publishing experience matches. But I also know that strong individual advertising can be expensive. I'd like to ask, in as neutral a way as possible, who pays for the company's 'bespoke digital publishing and marketing for every single one of our authors'?

If individually tailored marketing efforts are funded through the publisher, that's one less worry. If they are funded by the author - either by front end subsidy payments or back-end fees taken out of book sales income - the situation becomes a little more dangerous for the author.
 

jenauthor

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A valid worry, Filigree, but let me assure you, I've paid for none of the publishing or marketing in any way.
 
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aruna

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I just finished reading a book published by Bookouture (Monsoon Memories, by Renita d'Silva) I loved it so much I checked out the publisher. It was an ebook; the novel for me is a definite 5 star, better than most books I've read all year, (it helps that it is set in India, with an all-Indian cast; I have a hunger for such books, though very few I've read pass muster) and has a very professional feel to it. So I checked out the publisher. I see they offer 45% royalties...

The book is getting great reviews on amazon and goodreads, as it well should. If this is the quality they publish, then I'm all for them. I'm surprised this book wan't chosen by an agent (if she tried that route).


ETA:
And they now have six books out. Also, I notice that Lorella Belli handles their foreign rights for them. She is a well established, legit London agent to whom I have submitted in the past, and who has seriously considered some of my novels.
 
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gingerwoman

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From the Bookouture blog:



I'm not sure why agents would be so enthusiastic about the company, which specializes in e-books with print (POD) copies if the author wants them. .
Maybe because the guy who started it is the "former Head of Marketing at Harlequin UK"?

At least he is according to this website? (I don't know personally.) Imprints that specialize in ebook. and POD aren't really to be automatically sneezed at anymore, not for that reason alone anyway.

They have a book in the top ten gay books on Amazon at the moment, so I was just about to search them up here, out of interest for that reason, when I found someone had already bumped this to the top. .
 
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aruna

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Oliver Rhodes was a 2012 Bookseller Rising Star:

Oliver Rhodes
bookouture, founder and publisher
Harlequin Mills & Boon has one of the sharpest digital teams around, and Rhodes was just one of the people that has made it happen. He worked at HMB for 10 years, starting as an assistant product manager, and later working on the MIRA list in 2005, where he was part of the team that rapidly grew sales and profitability. He became marketing controller in 2008, introducing Mills & Boon’s social media strategy, and played a key role in the company’s centenary campaign. He is now taking those skills to bookouture, a digital publishing company that will publish commercial women’s fiction.
Long-term aim: “Creating a successful business model with bookoutre that adds value to authors. To continue to learn, innovate and push boundaries.”
 

aruna

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I assume that Jenauthor who posted above is the the author or Coming Home for Christmas -- which has just entered Amazon UK's Top 50 -- just days after hitting the Top 100. That's what I call fast rising, and if that's a result of their marketing (and choice of book) -- well, what's not to like?

I am seriously considering them for one of my books.

I contacted Oliver yesterday and he got back to me within the hour, and answered a question I had immediately. I sent him the ms and he promised a response in two weeks. Let's see...
 
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triceretops

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I assume that Jenauthor who posted above is the the author or Coming Home for Christmas -- which has just entered Amazon UK's Top 50 -- just days after hitting the Top 100. That's what I call fast rising, and if that's a result of their marketing (and choice of book) -- well, what's not to like?

I am seriously considering them for one of my books.

I contacted Oliver yesterday and he got back to me within the hour, and answered a question I had immediately. I sent him the ms and he promised a response in two weeks. Let's see...

Good luck, Aruna. This might be a good fit for you, culturally and stylistically.

tri
 

aruna

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Well I am signing with Bookouture. He had it for one week and then made an offer. And it is not just any book (I have several unpublished novels) but THE book, Of Marriageable Age, my first HarperCollins novel. The contract is for digital world English as well as print world English, though the latter will probably depend on e-sales. Also, the print rights exclude Guyana, where I will be self-publishing a print run so that my countrymen and women can read it, with the profit going to char
.

No advance, but that was a given. Based on my experience with other publishers (big and small advances, big and small promotion) I've always been on the side of promotion, because that's what made the book a top ten bestseller in France, next to Grisham, Steele et al. And it's horrible getting a good advance that doesn't earn out. Oliver's expertise is in promotion, and there will be early publication (Feb-March) and that makes up for the advance thing. Quarterly royalties; I'm OK with that. Besides, I have a day job now, after all these years!

So I guess this is it: after almost ten years of scratching at the door... those who have followed my story a bit will know.
 
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HeatherCW

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How are you feeling about Bookouture now, Aruna? They look interesting. I've self-pubbed 14 of my books now but I'm wondering if I want to try them with #15...

Thanks for any info you can provide!
Heather
 

aruna

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Very satisfied. Oliver has been in communication over every little stage; most recently, I've gone over the typeset ms and when I had a certain quibble he immediately changed it. Looking good! I'm hoping for a late February -- early March release, their first for the year. I have the feeling he's giving the book a LOT of attention.
I've also corresponded with two of their authors (before signing), including the very first, and they were very forthcoming and full of praise. They say he is very choosy about what he takes on (with only 9 books in just over a year, that rings true!) and gives each book his full attention.
Also, I suggest he add "multicultural fiction" to his list of genres and he immediately did so -- kudos!
 
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aruna

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Update:
Just wanted to say that their books continue to do well. They are now publishing many second books by their authors, and these do particularly well. The Forgotten Daughter was in the Top 100 Sold of Kindle books (in the UK) within three weeks, and was number 1 in the category Literary Women's Fiction for several weeks; they had three books in the Top 20 of this category -- along with a couple of Booker shortlisted books and bestselling authors -- for a long time; there are still two on this list -- including mine, at number 9 or 10, where it has been for about six weeks now!

The French for Always (another second book) was published on 23rd April. Here's where it stands today, after less than a month (my bold):

Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #130 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
#1 in Books > Travel & Holiday > Countries & Regions > Europe > France
#1 in Kindle Store > Books > Nonfiction > Travel > Continental Europe > France
#5 in Books > Fiction > Romance > Romantic Comedy
Would you like to give feedback on images or tell us about a lower price?

My own second book should be out later this year so let's hope it does just as well! He seems to have a knack for getting books noticed. There was very little promotion for my book as it was previously published. But other books get loads of blog reviews. My own book was very quickly on the "Readers who bought also bought" list for Forgotten Daughter, and from there got on to the Also Bought lists of many best-selling books, such as The Husband's Secret and Half of a Yellow Sun (near the end, but still!)

They also have a brand new Publishing Director with a name known in the UK publishing world, but since it hasn't been officially announced... :)

The trajectory of all their books can be seen on Novelrank. I know it's not accurate (it underestimates, so the info there is LESS than real sales) , but it gives the general picture.
 
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