Cacoethes Publishing House, LLC

brucesarte said:

About EMailing Me:
The email address on my profile here is correct, however if you continue to have issues you can contact me via my website on the Media Requests page, it goes right to me and I've had a few authors contact me already via that method -- don't use the one on Cacoethes site, it is not accurate. I would post it here, but I don't need any additional SPAM .

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Admin's Note: The issue with emailing Bruce through email feature of this site was a technical problem that has been corrected.

Gee, go to bed, get up...discover a troll in your forum.

I suspect (oh gosh, there's that pesky opinion thing again) that Mr. or Ms. Idiot has an agenda, and it isn't to help other authors. If s/he were arguing any real position, I'd support leaving him/her free to contribute...but just trying to get a rise out of people is pointless. I think we'll leave him/her on time out.

- Victoria

The signing may be at Wal-Mart, but I very much doubt it's sponsored by Wal-Mart. I'd also be extremely surprised to hear that Wal-Mart will be carrying Cacoethes books. Wal-Mart buys only via specific distributors, and doesn't generally carry small press books. Even most big-press books don't get into Wal-Mart.

- Victoria

Trust me, there's some of us who know for sure...

Canadian writer said:

How could they have a signing at Wal Mart without the cooperation of Wal-Mart?

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The same way Girl Scouts can set up a table and sell cookies there. The only thing Wal Mart provides is sidewalk space.

yahsureyoubetcha.

come back in a year and give us an update - the advice below from people who know what they're talking about should be enough.

good luck.

Canadian writer said:

Can't, you still think Caco is going under????

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I don't know about that, but I do know that some authors are having trouble and the ones who have posted here are not just trying to make trouble for them.

There appear to be definite communication issues, that is for sure.

I wish that Denise Mosely [the CEO for those who don't know] would join, get an ID and set the record straight for all of us so we could feel better about everything.

And yes, I have contacted Cacoethes myself, but this thread has gotten out of hand and a response from Cacoethes would be well placed I think.

The theories that criticism is based on some baseless vendetta reflect, in my opinion, a degree of credulity. The simplest and so most plausible explanation is that such criticism is, if not warranted, at least reasonable and rational (true fact or fair comment). I would suggest that authors read the whole thread while pretending it is about 'Acorn Tree Publishing' about which they know nothing. The discussion is, for the most part, a dispassionate one free of any such ad hominemable motives.

Canadian writer said:

we're all struggling writers here why is it so wrong that I continue to be positive about my life and writing? I don't wish anything bad on anyone here? But sometimes I feel that you don't wish me well because I continue to believe that I can make things work...

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We wish you not only well, but the best--thus we question not only for you, but for any author, whether this press is a good choice--whether it is the best choice to bring you great success. There is a difference between being negative and being analytical.

Canadian Writer, who are you talking to?

No one is ill wishing you. That's not the purpose of this thread. The purpose of this thread is to share experiences about/with a specific publisher. If your experiences don't match those that have been shared here, you shouldn't take it as some kind of attack on you. That's not the case at all.

Canadian Writer, I'd love to meet you. I am a Cacoethes author as well, and have the same positive attitude which you express. The negative comments on this forum used to bother me. However, I've learned to let them bring me a chuckle or two.

victoriastrauss said:

The signing may be at Wal-Mart, but I very much doubt it's sponsored by Wal-Mart. I'd also be extremely surprised to hear that Wal-Mart will be carrying Cacoethes books. Wal-Mart buys only via specific distributors, and doesn't generally carry small press books. Even most big-press books don't get into Wal-Mart.

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I was once asked to participate in an "America Reads" type event by bringing my own small-press book to our local Wal-Mart and signing there. I met the Anderson rep there and it was very nice, although of course I didn't sell or sign many books. So they do participate occasionally in community-service type events. If I remember correctly (this was 5+ years ago and I've forgotten what I ate for supper tonight), they found us through our local RWA chapter.

I wonder if they still do this sort of thing?

Okily Dokily..

I want to respond to two things that have been said over the past two days:

One, that quote from the Cacoethes website is lovely and all... Denise has been in and out of surgery over the past few months and she has certainly been in my prayers for her speedy recovery. Denise's situation is completely understandable, it isn't Denise that is letting things fall through the cracks -- it is the people who work for her. I think Denise does great things and has always been mostly pleasant and helpful with me. The administrative staff... notsomuch. And as an author, I expected a higher level of communication from the company. And given the timing of everything, it did not work out well for me. I expect other authors with release dates in 2009 will have a much better experience than I have had with them.

Again, I am not bashing Cacoethes or Denise in any way. I'm just relating my experience.

As for Wal-Mart --- WHY didn't *I* think of that! Right on, Wal-Mart lends out space all the time... I'm sure I could work that out... except.. oh yea... now it is 30 degrees out and no one is going to come to an outside book signing... DOH! Maybe I'll keep it in mind for the spring... But there are other outlets that do similar things...

Canadian writer, if you can hand-sell your books at Wal*Mart and you're happy with that, that's awesome. I wish you the best of luck. Same to you, Dreamer: if Cacoethes is meeting your needs in a way you feel comfortable with, then all the best to you.

But Cacoethes is not providing what the industry of a whole considers appropriate author support at this time. Not responding to emails is not appropriate author support. Filling out Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com webforms wrong is not appropriate author support. Calling a local Wal*Mart to arrange for a table where authors can hand-sell their books is fine on its own, but it isn't a substitute for appropriate author support.

I am certainly sorry to hear that the CEO of the company has had serious health issues. However, this isn't a one-person company, so if the other staff members can't perform even the most basic functions during her illness, that doesn't augur well for the health of the company as a whole.

You're right, Canadian writer. I am prepared to do whatever I need to do to have the success I expect with my book. Before I even had bookcover art available, which turned out to be beautiful by the way, I designed my own book marks, press release and announcement to share. It was like my vision board knowning my book would be published before I even signed a contract. I have a database of local bookstores that will be willing to allow me a signing. Now that I heard of Walmart, I may try them as well. When we take the kids vacationing to our usual resort next summer, a very busy resort, I am arranging a signing there as well. Success is what you make of it. It's all in the attitude.

But if you're pouding the pavement promoting yourself, negotiating signings, talking bookstore owners into carrying your book, you're not writing.

Hand selling your books, whether at Walmart or your local bookshop is not an effective promotion tool. Books signings encourage bookstores to stock your books. If they don't, then all you've done is some really expensive (in terms of your time and effort) personal sales. You might as well try door-to-door.

Here's a really good article by a fellow AW member and full-time writer JA Konrath: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24549. It's worth the read.

But the real point of his Drive-By Booksignings is to get the stores sell all of his books they stock and to get them to order more of his books, not just sell the books he brought with him.

I'm really new to this, so you can feel free to roll your eyes if this question/comment is a rehash of something that's been said/asked a zillion times.

The writer's primary job is to write the book... right? The publisher handles most of the marketing - so that they can make money. (catalogues, advertising, etc.) That means that the division of labor falls greater on the publisher to promote the book once it's in print, thereby freeing up the writer to continue writing and hopefully making both parties income. Sybiotic vs. Parasitic.

If the writer is totally consumed with self-promotion, or is made solely responsible for approaching bookstores, libraries, etc. to physically stock their books on shelves, then they won't have time to write.

Plus, since these books ARE NOT stocked in the locations where the signings are taking place, I would assume that the author is also responsible for providing their own signing copies. (unless they can arrange for the publisher to send some to the location, but if they're POD I dont think that happens often) Unless you sell the books at an outrageous markup, how do you expect to turn a profit of any size - large or small?

If no one can afford your books, and if even libraries don't stock them, then exactly how is it that you expect to gain a following or even have the joy of knowing strangers enjoyed the story you had to tell?

Personally, I would NEVER go with a company like the one I've heard described (and that's weighing the positive replies and negative ones). All the energy and good intentions in the world can't make up for a good end product. Rushing ahead to publish seems a bit immature and self-defeating. I wonder if the manuscript pitched to Caco was complete or if it was the same partial HC turned down. Fiction publishers don't usually go with unfinished works - they have no way of knowing if they'll end up with a marketable product - fiction printers, however will.

I read through this whole thread today and have the following questions:

Does anyone know the ratio of rejections for Caco? What's their percentage of acceptance vs. submission? Is it like some of the other printing presses that will accept anything? Do they even supply the author with his/her own copies of his/her own book once the book is in physical print rather than solely online?

Cyia said:

I'm really new to this, so you can feel free to roll your eyes if this question/comment is a rehash of something that's been said/asked a zillion times.

The writer's primary job is to write the book... right? The publisher handles most of the marketing - so that they can make money. (catalogues, advertising, etc.) That means that the division of labor falls greater on the publisher to promote the book once it's in print, thereby freeing up the writer to continue writing and hopefully making both parties income. Sybiotic vs. Parasitic.

If the writer is totally consumed with self-promotion, or is made solely responsible for approaching bookstores, libraries, etc. to physically stock their books on shelves, then they won't have time to write.

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Yep, the primary job of the writer is to write the book. These days, writers seem to be doing more of their own promotion, and this is especially true for writers with a small press. However, all the shameless self-promotion in the world doesn't do you a bit of good if the publisher can't get books in bookstores.

There's nothing wrong with approaching bookstores to do signings yourself. I've done it, and it helps when they know they can get the books at a fair discount and a fair return policy is in place. If this publisher can do that, then it's a real help to their authors.

Yes, you should do what you can to help your book be a success, but not at the expense of your next book.

Most authors surely do some promotion these days. But I think people fail to distinuished between promotion and marketing. The best promotion in the world will not substitute for poor marleting by a publisher (that is distributing the book, listing it, making it attractive, affordable, easy to find and easy to buy).

That's pretty much what I meant. While the writer has to do their part, the BULK of the promotions work should be handled by the publisher. Their job is to market the finished product. If they're marketing to national chains (or however legit eBook sellers do their marketing), then the publisher is working for and with the author. (Whose product they purchased)

If the printer is "marketing" only to the author and the author's acquaintences, or making the author do all his/her own foot work to get the word out, then they're not working for or with the author. (That's not even marketing - that's my dad getting his office to buy my girls scout cookies when I was ten because they feel obligated.) They aren't acting like they purchased the book at all, rather they are charging the author for the privlige of seeing their own work.

How does this not bother the people who go the "self-publish" route?

Cyia is going to fit in rather well around here, I feel.

Cyia said:

How does this not bother the people who go the "self-publish" route?

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Presumably, when one self-publishes, they know they have to do it all. There are a few self-publishing success stories, and self-publishing does lend itself well to a few niche areas. The successful ones did their homework in advance and knew exactly what they had to do.

Most of the best selling epublishers do sell primarily off their own websites, supplimented by the use of online distributors. However I have heard average sales of less than 20 per title per year called 'a lot' by an epublisher. That is why I prefer to see actual numbers and encourage authors to go with presses who sell more books and pay more money, regardless of how exactly they do it. At this point of Cacoethes has reported sales to my database, so who knows.