- Joined
- Mar 2, 2005
- Messages
- 216
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- 2
Anyone heard anything? It's half a vanity publisher but he offers small press services too from what he says.
I'm not sure notoriety is the word they're looking for.We exist to achieve high-level success and notoriety for authors and experts wanting to publish their work in North America and beyond.
CaoPaux said:http://bookmarketingsolutions.com
I'm not sure notoriety is the word they're looking for.
Imprints: Austin Hamilton, Harvest Day Books, Holy Cow Publishing
Notice the owner's books: "Best Seller 101" and a fleet of poetry books. http://www.readingup.com/categories.asp
Translation: Yes, we are a subsidy publisher. What's more, we don't realize that "independence, control, and nimbleness" are irrelevant to selling a significant amount of books.1) Are you only a subsidy publisher?
No. We are a hybrid publishing company in that we chose to build our business model on utilizing the best of traditional publishing coupled with the independence, control, and nimbleness of independent publishing. Although in many cases authors contribute toward production costs, we team up with them to contribute time and money toward the distribution infrastructure, publicity, branding, promotion of the book and author, revisions, reprints, electronic product creation, engagement scheduling, Internet marketing, audio, and more. Many subsidy publishers do thousands of books per year -- dozens per day -- an assembly line, high-volume approach. We choose to publish only books that we can be actively involved in for many years to come.
Translation: If you go with us, you are self-publishing. Except in those few cases where we believe we could actually make more money from the sale of the book than from you.2) Do you routinely charge the author any fees?
78% of the time yes, but only to offset the initial production fees, such as manuscript development, design, layout, and industry registrations. 22% of the time, we have chosen to invest in the full project and charge no fees to authors. Yet, sometimes authors or businesses come to us to expertly handle certain aspects of their projects such as when they are self-publishing. For those services, we charge fees to accomplish the task.
Translation: We don’t understand how books get into stores, so we’re sticking with what we do know: seminar marketing.3) If I walk into three national book store chains, will I find any of your publications on the shelves in any one of those stores?
Because most of our titles are fairly new releases, some will soon be distributed to the national chains. Most in the meantime are now selling direct to consumer and to special markets like corporations, gift wholesalers, book clubs, or other miscellaneous niches -- the approach depends on the book and the goals of the author. Our most recent books are going out regionally (first) as our authors begin their speaking tours/engagements with their book. Our publicity is directed to the same markets as the events and so follows our distribution. This way, we support the author in any town where they are speaking, consulting, doing interviews, obtain press clippings, or are hosting book signings. The publicity will increase nationally through time.
See above.4) Do you accept and publish any book without charging the author fees?
Yes, 22% of the time we handle projects without charging any fees to the author.
Translation: We don’t pay advances because that would crimp our cash flow. Our authors can get more per book, but won’t sell nearly as many as if they'd gone with a commercial publisher.5) Do you pay advances, and do you pay royalties on the cover price or the "net" price, and if the latter is true, how do you compute the "net" price?
We do not pay advances. Royalties are based on revenue received. Our authors receive more from our direct sales than they would from sales which flow through wholesalers, distributors or other middlemen. In some instances, the royalty is based on cover price, other times it is based on net which is figured as income received less print cost and shipping cost. Our royalty percentages are much higher than the industry average of 10.7% of net. We pay up to 50% of cover price depending on the publishing agreement and how the author is published.
Translation: we access how much an author is willing to pay us to be published.…We handle each project individually and attempt to work toward the goals of the author in a manner that creates win/win/win situations for all involved….
I will probably pass on the contract offer - just hoping for better. But if he does offer a contract, and I can negotiate better distribution - is it still a better idea. He' already signed off on doing the rounds with ARC's if he is interested in the book.I won't sign NOTHIN' til I know its acceptable. And before I decide its acceptable, I'll run it through you guys for sure.Regards,ScottNomad said:This is beyond a dumb idea, Scott. If his definition of a "hybrid" publisher doesn't get you, then his assertion that they sell primarily to corporate accounts, gift wholesalers, and book clubs right now, but might go national in the future should send you running.
Popeyesays said:I will probably pass on the contract offer - just hoping for better. But if he does offer a contract, and I can negotiate better distribution -
Popeyesays said:I will probably pass on the contract offer - just hoping for better. But if he does offer a contract, and I can negotiate better distribution - is it still a better idea. He' already signed off on doing the rounds with ARC's if he is interested in the book.I won't sign NOTHIN' til I know its acceptable. And before I decide its acceptable, I'll run it through you guys for sure.Regards,Scott
Popeyesays said:By asking?Regards,Scott
Susan Gable said:Uhhhhh...if they don't have the channels in place for proper, wide distribution, how will your asking make it any different? <scratching head>
Susan G.
Aconite said:Scott, be careful--experience in contract law is not sufficient to understand a publishing contract, which has specialized terms of art, and which requires experience in publishing specifically to know what's standard and what's not. Your lawyer friend could be helpful, but you really need a lawyer with experience in publishing and intellectual property.
As for distribution, it's the Holy Grail of small publishers, and for a good reason: It's desperately hard to get, and without it, you can't succeed. Many small publishers have a good plan to get distribution, but never manage to do it, because it's not just a matter of what they want or plan. Distributors decide whether or not to pick them up, too, and I have to tell you, given that this place is a subsidy publisher, it's not going to be appealing to distributors.
My advice? Don't bother with penny-ante crap like this place. If your book's good enough to be published, do it right. Go with someone proven.
victoriastrauss said:Scott, do you have any idea of what would constitute effective distribution? No offense, but I always sigh to see people who think they can negotiate "marketing" and "distribution" when they have only the haziest idea of what these things mean in the real world of publishing (as opposed to the imaginary world that companies like this one encourage you to believe in).
- Victoria