Masquerade Books

Yami Dragon · Sep 13, 2006

Anyone know anything about them? They're in NY. They claim to be "the world's largest publisher of erotica".

I email queried them and they were quick to get back to me. The told me to send in an outline and sample chapter.

They were a new listing in the 1999 Writer's Market.

Thanks in advance for any info!

James D. Macdonald · Sep 13, 2006

They're still in business?

Their contract is a "do with me as you will!" type contract that allows them to do anything at all to your book, up to and including having an anonymous hack totally re-write it over the weekend. Their advances are in the mid-three figures, and their commitment to actually paying any royalties due is ... spotty.

Other than that, it may well be true that they're the largest supplier of print porn in the world.

Yami Dragon · Sep 13, 2006

Wow. thanks for the info. one thing I do NOT want is someone butchering my work. I'd rather not publish it at all!

MartyKay · Sep 13, 2006

"You wanna write about <censored>ing, we wanna <censored> with your writing!!!"

Yami Dragon · Sep 14, 2006

That's the last thing I want. *shakes head* And to be honest, I think they can probably get away with it because there's so much bad porn out there disgusied as erotica. Anyone with a decent imagination can slap together bad porn. And all they want is to see their name in print.

Sorry, not this chick.

HapiSofi · Sep 14, 2006

Masquerade Books? The house whose publisher has repeatedly been heard to say that there's no such thing as a copyright on smut? Who hires underpaid and vaguely qualified freelancers to interpolate new and improved sex scenes, if he doesn't like the ones the author wrote?

Run away. Nobody needs that kind of aggravation.

Yami Dragon · Sep 15, 2006

Oh, crud. Thanks, everyone. You saved me on this one! :Hug2:

CaoPaux · Oct 2, 2007

Just for closure: Masquerade Books, Inc. went under late 2000.

James D. Macdonald · Oct 2, 2007

How is it that the OP queried them in 2006 and they got back quickly? Different company? Different name?

CaoPaux · Oct 2, 2007

Hard to say. The only recent titles under that name are a couple early 2006 by "Blue Moon/Masquerade". One review mentions Blue Moon Books reprinting Masquerade titles.

Blue Moon Books, formerly of Avalon, was to be picked up by Skull Press, but that fell through and they disbanded late 2006. http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47472

Masquerade Books

Yami Dragon

Insanity is a Blessing

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Yami Dragon

Insanity is a Blessing

MartyKay

Sockpuppet Hunter

Yami Dragon

Insanity is a Blessing

HapiSofi

Hagiographically Advantaged

Yami Dragon

Insanity is a Blessing

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless