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Dorchester Publishing / Leisure Books

jennontheisland

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Yeah, damn, not looking like a revolution at all.

Unless you consider circling the drain as one.
 

michael_b

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You know I was really disappointed when they closed down the Shomi line and returned my book because it didn't fit in with their romance line. Now, seeing this mess, I'm happy to have dodged that depleted uranium shell. (This is a lot bigger than a bullet IMO.)
 

jana13k

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I am a Dorchester author. Given that I have a executive background in corporate finance, I sorta saw this coming a couple of years back. So I shortened my last contract to one book to wrap up a series because I was fairly certain I'd never see royalties for any of that series without a huge fight. I was hoping it wouldn't get this bad, but I honestly have zero reason to be optimistic.

My agent is working to get my rights back, but I see little incentive for them to return rights on books that are selling well and that they're not paying the author for. The entire thing makes me seethe, especially every day when I open reader email gushing over my work and asking when the next one comes out.

I can only hope for the best outcome given the shitstorm for myself and all the other authors. This is a sad, sad point in publishing history. Dorchester gave many authors a start in the business, especially those that wrote out of the box.
 

michael_b

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I can only hope for the best outcome given the shitstorm for myself and all the other authors. This is a sad, sad point in publishing history. Dorchester gave many authors a start in the business, especially those that wrote out of the box.

I wish you and all the other Dorchester authors all the best.

I'd submitted to the Shomi Contest because I'd liked the books in the line a great deal so I was saddened by the ending of the line.

I'm very sorry this happened to you and the other Dorchester authors. I used to read a lot of Dorchester titles, now I won't buy from them until I know their authors are going to be paid.

I hope you find a new publisher soon.
 

Bubastes

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My agent is working to get my rights back, but I see little incentive for them to return rights on books that are selling well and that they're not paying the author for.

Sorry to hear you're caught in this mess. This makes me so angry. If your books are selling well, then you should be paid, period. I hope you get your rights back so you can find a publisher that will actually pay you for your good sales.
 

jana13k

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Thanks, Michael! It's a catch 22, isn't it? I want people to read and love my books, but at the moment, I almost don't want people to buy them. It seems a no-win situation, regardless.

I am fortunate enough (or have heard enough horror stories about publishing) that I started looking to diversify a couple of years ago. I have two books out next year with the Harlequin Intrigue line, which is the mystery line.

Once I have more time, I will pursue another single title publisher, but probably in the mystery realm and not romance. I always got dinged by reviewers for too much mystery and not enough romance, anyway. :)
 

miamyselfandi

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Really? you don't see how a commercial publisher, thinking that using POD technology for a front list as a means to reduce risk associated with warehousing books, might give credence to other POD's?

I do. Seems like it's not so much the option for failing publishers as it is for those without a lot of capital.


Shrug. Yes, it's something that a publisher w/o capital can use. Somehow, being something that publishers who can't afford to actually publish books can do doesn't scream "credibility" to me.

But I may be missing your point, here. Which other PODs are you talking about that get credibility from this? Maybe that's what I'm missing here.
 

veinglory

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Dorchester may have once had credibility to burn, but then they burned it. I am surprised how many people saw their e/POD strategy as a great progressive move. In context, not so much.
 

miamyselfandi

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I am a Dorchester author. Given that I have a executive background in corporate finance, I sorta saw this coming a couple of years back.

I'm glad you were savvy enough to protect yourself, and hope you find a new publisher soon.

My sympathy goes out to all Dorchester employess/writers and others who are suffering because of this.

Has there been any news about how their financial woes started, whether there were bad business decisions or the failing economy or...?
 

jana13k

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It would be purely speculation on my part, but traditionally, Dorchester has always been a slow payer and it's pretty much industry knowledge that they were always juggling cash flow. Then when Anderson distributing starting tanking, word in the industry is they owed publishers (including Dorchester) millions. Being an independent publisher without the deep pockets of a Random House, I think that was the final setback that signaled the beginning of the end. Then of course, the economy tanked and I can tell you first-hand that sales are down for all the midlist authors I know, so are print runs.

IMHO, it was simply a stone that started downhill and gained speed.
 

justme

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I am a Dorchester author. Given that I have a executive background in corporate finance, I sorta saw this coming a couple of years back. So I shortened my last contract to one book to wrap up a series because I was fairly certain I'd never see royalties for any of that series without a huge fight. I was hoping it wouldn't get this bad, but I honestly have zero reason to be optimistic.

My agent is working to get my rights back, but I see little incentive for them to return rights on books that are selling well and that they're not paying the author for. The entire thing makes me seethe, especially every day when I open reader email gushing over my work and asking when the next one comes out.

I can only hope for the best outcome given the shitstorm for myself and all the other authors. This is a sad, sad point in publishing history. Dorchester gave many authors a start in the business, especially those that wrote out of the box.

I was just talking about you. I said it was almost as if you knew something would happen because your last book wrapped everything up nicely. I'm a fan and I'll make sure to look for your books with Harlequin.
 

jana13k

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justme - I'm glad you enjoyed my books and really glad you managed to get copies before they all disappeared! My first Harlequin will be out March 2011, but I'm sorry to say, they don't do humor. If you like gothic mystery-romance, though, it will be right up your alley. Thanks for reading!
 

michael_b

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Thanks, Michael! It's a catch 22, isn't it? I want people to read and love my books, but at the moment, I almost don't want people to buy them. It seems a no-win situation, regardless.

I am fortunate enough (or have heard enough horror stories about publishing) that I started looking to diversify a couple of years ago. I have two books out next year with the Harlequin Intrigue line, which is the mystery line.

Once I have more time, I will pursue another single title publisher, but probably in the mystery realm and not romance. I always got dinged by reviewers for too much mystery and not enough romance, anyway. :)

I hope you find success as a mystery author, I think you're going in the right direction. Write what you love, then find a publisher.

Best of luck!
 

brainstorm77

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I find it all rather sad. I enjoyed their romance and horror books.
 

AnneMarble

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I find it all rather sad. I enjoyed their romance and horror books.
Me, too. And the Westerns now and then. (Horror and Westerns, I really like genres that are hard to find in mass market, don't I? :rolleyes:)

I hope authors are able to get their rights back now. In a post I read yesterday, a Leisure author said that he wished they would just declare bankruptcy because he wanted his rights back. But from what I remember reading in this forum, authors often don';t get their rights back when a company declares bankruptcy, no matter what their contract says. Can anyone speculate about what happens to thiose rights
 

brainstorm77

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Me, too. And the Westerns now and then. (Horror and Westerns, I really like genres that are hard to find in mass market, don't I? :rolleyes:)

I hope authors are able to get their rights back now. In a post I read yesterday, a Leisure author said that he wished they would just declare bankruptcy because he wanted his rights back. But from what I remember reading in this forum, authors often don';t get their rights back when a company declares bankruptcy, no matter what their contract says. Can anyone speculate about what happens to thiose rights

I was wondering the same thing.
 

JanDarby

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No point in speculating. It all depends. Even if Dorchester gave the rights back, and then filed bankruptcy within a certain period (it's not my field of expertise, so I'm not sure of the details of the look-back period), the rights would still be subject to the bankruptcy court's jurisdiction.

The one good thing about going into bankruptcy sooner than later (assuming that's where this is headed) is just that the sooner the process is started, the sooner it will be resolved.

No matter what, a lot of authors are going to be essentially in limbo for quite a while, and that's not god for anyone. It's just sad.

JD, not giving legal advice, just general information
 

miamyselfandi

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It would be purely speculation on my part, but traditionally, Dorchester has always been a slow payer and it's pretty much industry knowledge that they were always juggling cash flow. Then when Anderson distributing starting tanking, word in the industry is they owed publishers (including Dorchester) millions. Being an independent publisher without the deep pockets of a Random House, I think that was the final setback that signaled the beginning of the end. Then of course, the economy tanked and I can tell you first-hand that sales are down for all the midlist authors I know, so are print runs.

IMHO, it was simply a stone that started downhill and gained speed.

Thanks for taking time to explain your thoughts. It all makes a lot of sense.