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[Publisher] Totally Entwined Group / Totally Bound (formerly Total-e-bound)

BarbaraSheridan

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I didn't see any mention in the index or find a topic on TEB with the search feature, so here's a new thread Mods--if I've totally missed an existing thread delete away and try not to yell at me for being an idiot ;)

I recently offered an out of print historical to the brand new UK e-publisher Total-e-Bound to use in their "free read" section and was pleasantly surprised when owner Claire Siemaszkiewicz asked if I'd consider upping the heat level between the H/H because she'd like to reprint it. Claire gave some great suggestions for the rewrite. The suggested edits arrived just last week and this morning I received my author's copy of the revised book.

It's inevitable that things will slow a bit as their submissions increase but at this early stage I'm impressed not only with the speed but with the company in general. Claire and her partners have solid background which they have listed on the website--take note new publishers-- ALWAYS list this stuff. It's the first thing many authors look for when considering a new company. for.

They've got a very nice forum for readers set up with a private section for authors/artists. I really like the e-signature contract service they use as it makes things so much quicker and easier than snail mail which would be a nightmare considering their headquartered in the UK. The coverart is top notch and for your artists my friend Anne Cain is very pleased with in her dealings with TEB.

I hope Claire and company keep up the good work.
 

jennontheisland

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Hm. Is this really the only thread about Total E-Bound?

Are any AWers pubbed with them?

Comments??
 

Stacia Kane

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I know a couple of people who pubbed with them, but don't know whether or not they're pleased.

I think they have an advantage in being a UK company because it means UK readers don't have to worry about exchange rates (although given what the rate has been of late it's not like buying things in dollars is a hardship, but most banks do charge a fee.) It's nice to see an epublisher in the UK.

And they do seem like a class operation to me. I like the forums. I understand they also have an author login where their authors can get up-to-the-minute sales figures, which is frankly awesome.

Beyond that...it's still a new epublisher, which means--no matter how experienced the people behind it are--sales are probably not everything you'd get from a bigger, more established house. It takes time to build a name in this business, and Total's been around for, oh, a good year and a half, and beyond the flurry any new house causes when it opens this is the first time I've heard of them.

You could do worse, but you could probably do better. :) That said, if it's a reprint you weren't going to do anything with anyway and you feel like giving Total a try, why not.

I'd be very interested to know how things turn out--I hope if you do go with them you'll keep us updated (either here or through PM?)
 

jennontheisland

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It's an 8k short. So I have limited placement options for it, especially since it includes f/f/m. This one seemed like a decent option. I like the site, the forum, and the covers, despite the glut of mantitty, are quite a bit nicer than most.

The monthly payment of royalties seems a lot of effort. Especially since some pubs don't like to cut cheques for less than $25. Implies reasonable sales to me.

And of course, I will always share any numbers I manage to generate. :)
 
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Stacia Kane

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The monthly payment of royalties seems a lot of effort. Especially since some pubs don't like to cut cheques for less than $25. Implies reasonable sales to me.

Nah, it's a simple computer program that generates all the numbers and checks. No more or less effort than doing them quarterly or once a year or whatever.


I don't know what their numbers are like, I'm not saying they're not decent, just that paying monthly means nothing aside from that it's nice to get monthly checks. :)
 

LfB

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Bumping.

Anyone work with Total e Bound recently?
 

para

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Must be short on submissions because they have posted to three long dead livejournal communities.
[FONT=&quot]Total-E-Bound is an erotic romance publisher providing top-quality books for the adventurous reader from some of the biggest names in the business. We are now actively seeking submissions from established and début authors.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]We are currently accepting manuscripts between 10,000 and 100,000+ words in the following genres:[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Action/Adventure, Bondage/BDSM, Comedy/Humour, Contemporary, Cowboy/Western, Fantasy/Fairytale, Futuristic/Sci-fi, Gay/Lesbian, Historical/Rubenesque, Ménage-à-trois/Multiple Partners, Multicultural, Older Woman/Younger Man, Paranormal/Timetravel, Thriller/Crime, Shapeshifters/Morphers, Vampire/Werewolf. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Submissions or queries should be sent to [email protected].[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Please see our submissions page at http://www.total-e-bound.com/submissionguidelines.asp? for more details on heat ratings and submission guidelines.

x-posted
[/FONT]
 

newbound

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Well, I'm hoping they are doing well, since I'm placing my next erotic romance with them. But they can't be any worse than my previous publisher, which is pitiful as far as book sales. The thing I notice about total-e-bound is that their Alexa rating is much better than many of the others, and their PR is 4, which is the same for many of the other more well known pubs.
And if you do a google search for "erotic romance", the site comes up number 9 on the first page. Heck, my previous publisher doesn't even show up on the first 5 pages. LOL No wonder the sales are awful. Wished I had checked that two years ago. LOL
 

firedrake

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I'm with TeB and so far, so good.
Great cover art (see avatar :D)
Huge amount of books on their web site
Efficient and friendly to work with.

They seem to have a pretty good publicity machine too.
 

areteus

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They've posted a couple of times here asking for anthology shorts as well...
 

brainstorm77

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I am with TEB and I have not heard anything negative about them yet. The editing process was great. I was extremely pleased with my cover art, and they are quick to answer questions. I can't speak about sales, since my first release comes out in August.

I do know that they prefer a high heat level.
 

michael_b

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I do know that they prefer a high heat level.

Could you give some sort of definition to 'high heat level'? Do they expect sex every 10,000 words or do sex scenes fall closer or farther apart? Do you mean the sex needs to be explicit but doesn't need to be frequent?

Each publisher has their own ideas of what 'hot' is and for some it means lots of sex scenes while from others it means a few very explicit ones.

I'm asking because I've been looking at this publisher as one I might be interested in trying.
 
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areteus

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Generally best to see a publishers website for thier definitions of heat as they do vary a lot from publisher to publisher...
 

brainstorm77

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Could you give some sort of definition to 'high heat level'? Do they expect sex every 10,000 words or do sex scenes fall closer or farther apart? Do you mean the sex needs to be explicit but doesn't need to be frequent?

Each publisher has their own ideas of what 'hot' is and for some it means lots of sex scenes while from others it means a few very explicit ones.

I'm asking because I've been looking at this publisher as one I might be interested in trying.

Taken from their website: http://www.total-e-bound.com/submissionguidelines.asp?#bookrating

We accept different levels of ratings:
  • Total-e-sizzling - Sexy, explicit and highly imaginative, with a sensual side.
  • Total-e-burning - Explicit, highly imaginative and hot, where almost anything goes. These titles are very uninhibited in both sexual dialect and descriptiveness.
  • Total-e-melting - These are our XXX stories. They differ from the others only in the content of the plotlines, as they tend to be much more risqué and explicit. These babies are burning hot. Some readers will find them objectionable, so definitely not for the faint hearted!
  • Total-e-taboo - the taboo line breaks into pure, unadulterated erotica or covers the subjects that could be seen as extreme or offensive, pushing stories to the limits of what some deem acceptable. These books don’t necessarily have to have a ‘happy every after’.
 

Adam

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They clearly have no standards 'cause they took me on. :D

Me, too. :D


Srs - They have been nothing but friendly and helpful. Great editing experience, and swift to publish in the case of my two (shorts). I'd recommend to any and all at this point.
 

michael_b

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Further to what Adam and Firedrake has said (not ignoring brainstorm; my reasons will become clear) as they're a UK-based publisher, they don't insist on changing Britishisms to US slang, which is a tremendous relief for this writer at least and I'm sure to the other Brits in this thread.
 

brainstorm77

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Further to what Adam and Firedrake has said (not ignoring brainstorm; my reasons will become clear) as they're a UK-based publisher, they don't insist on changing Britishisms to US slang, which is a tremendous relief for this writer at least and I'm sure to the other Brits in this thread.

We still use most of them in Canada anyway.
 

Adam

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Further to what Adam and Firedrake has said (not ignoring brainstorm; my reasons will become clear) as they're a UK-based publisher, they don't insist on changing Britishisms to US slang, which is a tremendous relief for this writer at least and I'm sure to the other Brits in this thread.

My flats, pillocks, and pavements remain!
 

firedrake

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My MC failed to 'connect' with a US editor, so TeB seemed the way to go with my book because it's very 'British'. I haven't had my edits yet *twitches* but I doubt that the 'Britishness' will be touched.
 

newbound

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as they're a UK-based publisher, they don't insist on changing Britishisms to US slang, which is a tremendous relief for this writer at least and I'm sure to the other Brits in this thread.
OMG! I hadn't even thought of that. I am always using dreamt and leapt and my old publisher would make me change them. So I won't have to being with a UK publisher? woo hooo!!! I'll finally be able to write the way I want to. I HATE using dreamed and leaped. LOL

And I'm American, by the way. ;-)
 

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I have several titles with this publisher. They're very professional, and responsive. Editing is good, so is the cover art, and the royalties. The latter come in without fail, on the first of every month. I'd recommend them without hesitation. Total-E-Bound makes a dramatic and most welcome contrast to the deadbeat slags that clutter up the industry.
 

brainstorm77

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I have several titles with this publisher. They're very professional, and responsive. Editing is good, so is the cover art, and the royalties. The latter come in without fail, on the first of every month. I'd recommend them without hesitation. Total-E-Bound makes a dramatic and most welcome contrast to the deadbeat slags that clutter up the industry.

Extremely good to know, and thanks for sharing.
 
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OMG! I hadn't even thought of that. I am always using dreamt and leapt and my old publisher would make me change them. So I won't have to being with a UK publisher? woo hooo!!! I'll finally be able to write the way I want to. I HATE using dreamed and leaped. LOL

And I'm American, by the way. ;-)
Even with my American publisher, they don't make me change anything as such, they just 'strongly suggest'. After that, whatever I write has to get past the proofers, so... :Shrug:

With TeB, I get comments in my edits like, "Well it's up to you, but if you leave that in, I'll laugh at you and everyone will think you're a dinosaur. JUST SAYIN'."

So yeah, very professional. :D