Dark Eden Press

Some people from Dark Eden harrassed an author I know for asking simple, non-offensive questions about them on a writing message board. I don't know anything about their sales or the quality of their editing, but seeing that soured me on them. I'd avoid them, personally.

Dark Eden Submission Guidelines:
Our contract requests full rights to the manuscript to include both digital and print for one year.

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I'm pretty clueless about epublishing, but could someone who is familiar tell me if that's a normal requirement?

MM

I haven't been to their site, so I don't know if they do actual print publishing.

However, if they do not, then there's no reason whatsoever to give away rights to a publisher who cannot make use of them. Same reason why you shouldn't give away "foreign rights" to someone who can't make use of them.

Give away as few things as possible and negotiate for everything you can.

We are not a vanity publisher, nor will we charge the author for editing or publishing their manuscript. Our contract requests full rights to the manuscript to include both digital and print for one year. We are open to negotiations and our contract is available for review upon acceptance of your full manuscript by Dark Eden Press.

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This a lot like the old Chippewa Publishing and the fact you can negotiate the contract is a plus. They don't have print books:

Sometime in the future, yes, but it will be a year or two down the road. I would like Dark Eden Press to become firmly established as an e-publisher and build a great reputation before jumping into print books.

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So if you sign away your print rights for a year, there is no gaurantee it'll see print. I would negotiate this; something like "I'd like an option to have my print rights reverted if you cannot print it within 365 days of acceptance" or something like that.

They seem to heavy erotica, which is a big chunk of ebook sales these days, with prices from$2 to $7.

I think they have picked up a lot since that one forum exchange. I have read one of their books and found to to be very good. Small, not perfect, but I would consider them if there seemed to be some hopes for okay sales.

Losing print rights for one year seems a pretty minor grab--most writers would not have another use for those rights. Large epresses in the genre do this. Not saying it is a good idea, but as bad ideas go pretty academic.

I don't see the point of a reversion after 365 days in a one year contract. You could simply ask to strike that clause if you had another use for those rights--whatever that might be.

Dark Eden Press?

Actually December, that is not exactly true, and as I said on the previous forum when this happened, that particular author left out a few important facts of her own doings. But as that was last year and over and done with I am not going to rehash it.
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We do not do print books, and the contract was changed early on to reflect that and had a clause added to it. I will be happy to post the whole of it here...

2. Publishing Rights.
A. Author agrees to grant to Publisher exclusive worldwide English language rights to publish and sell the Work in readable (text) digital format, including electronic download, disk, CD/CD-ROM, e-book reader or similar media of presentation known or in development (hereinafter referred to as “Electronic Format”) this includes promotional material that may be handed out. Electronic Format excludesmagazine, paperback, hardcover, motion picture, television, video, video games, and role playing rights. All rights in the Work not specifically granted to Publisher in this Agreement are reserved by the Author. All rights to the Work granted to Publisher herein shall revert to Author at the termination of this Agreement or any extension thereof. Author shall in no way, during the term of this Agreement and without the express prior written consent of Publisher, infringe upon this exclusive right of Publisher by authorizing other parties to utilize any portion of the Work in Electronic Format, whether revised, corrected, enlarged, abridged or otherwise, or any work in any format that will directly compete or interfere with or injure the sales of the Work in Electronic Format. This provision shall not be construed to prohibit Author from publication of excerpts as permitted in Section 3B.

B. Publisher agrees that if it is decided at any point to do a print run on any book, a new contract and royalty rate will be negotiated and in place before such a run will begin.


When I did some website changes, I apparently forgot to change that. I am told we have one of the better 'author friendly' contracts and everything is very much open to negotiations as I have done with several authors already. Nothing is set in stone.

Debra
DEP

Debra Durham said:

Actually December, that is not exactly true, and as I said on the previous forum when this happened, that particular author left out a few important facts of her own doings. But as that was last year and over and done with I am not going to rehash it.
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Debra
DEP

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Actually Debra, I watched it happen, and yes it is exactly true. She asked a basic, inoffensive question, and at least one person claiming to be a representative of your company showed up and called her names and threatened her on a public forum. (Unfortunately that forum is not as willing to educate authors as this one and deleted the thread shortly after.)

I'm glad you don't want to rehash it, though. And I do appreciate you posting part of your contract to clear up those questions.

DecemberQuinn said:

Actually Debra, I watched it happen, and yes it is exactly true. She asked a basic, inoffensive question, and at least one person claiming to be a representative of your company showed up and called her names and threatened her on a public forum. (Unfortunately that forum is not as willing to educate authors as this one and deleted the thread shortly after.)

I'm glad you don't want to rehash it, though. And I do appreciate you posting part of your contract to clear up those questions.

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December, if we are talking about Romance Divas, then no the person that posted was not a rep for DEP, was actually an author whose contract I terminated after that because of this situation and her behavior, and I believe I posted on that group during this myself explaining the situation.

Debra

Debra Durham said:

December, if we are talking about Romance Divas, then no the person that posted was not a rep for DEP, was actually an author whose contract I terminated after that because of this situation and her behavior, and I believe I posted on that group during this myself explaining the situation.

Debra

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If that's the case, then I apologize. I didn't see that final post before the thread was deleted. Thanks for clearing it up.

Hi Debra,
If Karma works I may have to send you my latest novel tonight (G). I have a relative named Debra, and my novel is titled, "Eden's Planet", and I find this thread on AW. It has to be Karma (haha). I haven't figured out how to include the little icons yet, sorry.

To be utterly fair although I feel favorably to Dark Eden I also think the author from the Divas exchange was sincere and well meaning and her enquiries were not well handled. This was back in the very first days of the press and I think it is time to put it in the past.

December, it is not a problem. I wish the thread had not been deleted at all. For alot of people, it is the only thing they have seen or remember of DEP.

Tom, we would be glad to take a look at your story.

Emily, I completely agree. It was not handled well by anyone. I think there was a huge miscommunication between that author and I, which I wish could have been repaired. That one exchange taught me alot believe it or not, and it is not an episode I am likely to repeat.

I do think DEP has come along way since then. We have learned alot and are still learning in some things. But one thing I can say in all honesty is that my authors come first. Every change, down to a website redesign, any thing that affects the authors in any way, is discussed on the loop for everyone to put in their thoughts.

I have a great staff that works very hard at making sure the authors have everything they need and are available to them all the time, as do I.

But it is still one of those things that will have to be proven with time.

Debra

That is sad to hear. I hope she has a fast and healthy recovery.

Wow, my heart goes out to her.

I also would like to commend her for handling this situation with dignity and in a very professional manner. I wish her the best.

JulieB said:

Wow, my heart goes out to her.

I also would like to commend her for handling this situation with dignity and in a very professional manner. I wish her the best.

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I agree, looks like she handled it the best way possible. Will send prayer her way.