HAPPY WITH MY SELF PUB COMPANY THRU PRODUCTION, NOT HAPPY UPON RELEASE

[frosteeman]

If you want to know who I used, PM me. I was very pleased with the company that helped me publish my book. They did everything they said the would do and helped me put out a very professional looking novel. The problem started at the end of production and has continued thru the release stage. Problem 1. They released the book for sale on their personal bookstore and on Amazon and B&N over the internet before they sent me my Author's Proofs. My readers had their books before I the Author did...mad, mad. When I finally got my proofs I found two typos and 1 dropped line in the book. Needless to say I'm quiet embarrassed about that and still mad that people got my book before I did...talk about dropping the ball. Finally, I'm still waiting 3 weeks after my book's release and still haven't received the books they agreed to in our agreement. I've been wanting to hit the booksigning tour but don't have anything to sell.

[Soccer Mom]

Hi, Frosteeman. I'm afraid I don't understand. You're quite pleased with the company and say they did everything they said they would do. Then you say they released an unproofed novel and still haven't sent you paid for copies of the book which was released on May 8th. We have a thread on Xlibris here. I suggest you read more about your "publisher."

I don't want to rain on your parade, but your publisher, Xlibris, is a vanity press. They charge you thousands of dollars for things you could do yourself. In fact, they seem to have a history of publishing things with errors and then charging the authors to fix the errors. I see they have priced your book at $30 for a hardback and $20.00 for a paperback. When was the last time you paid $20 for a paperback? It is unlikely anyone will buy your book at these prices other than friends and family.

TO learn more about how publishing should work, I suggest you read This is Nothing Like A FAQ.

[frosteeman]

Thanks for your response Popcorn. It's obvious I'm learning as I go. I thought I did enough research prior to allow Xlibris to publish for me, but it's a no brainer that I didn't. As the old saying goes, fool me once...U know the rest. Fortunate for me, after I signed with Xlibris I was picked up by a rather large traditional publisher. I really believe they will put out a much better version of my novel, as they didn't blink when I asked them if self-publishing with Xlibris was going to affect their decision to publish me and they said, I Quote, "Not in the least", that response told me I am an egghead. Live and Learn I guess.

[Katrina S. Forest]

Hi, and welcome to AW! Okay, I'm really sorry, but I'm going to add more rain to this parade.

Your book with Xlibris only came out less than a month ago. And you found a new publisher already? I'm sorry, but that screams red flag to me. Full manuscripts, with few exceptions, take way longer than that to read.

Please tell me the "large traditional publisher" is not PublishAmerica. If it is, don't sign anything until you read this thread: http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/...ad.php?t=10211

"Traditional publisher" is actually a term that PublishAmerica made up, though lots of vanity presses also use it. The term for a publisher that pays authors and makes money from selling books to readers is a trade publisher or a commercial publisher. The term for one that requires you the author to pay (in one form or another) is a vanity press.

Even if your new publisher is not PublishAmerica, I would still look whoever it us up on this list to see what others have to say about them:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/...read.php?t=792

Again, that extremely quick turn around sends off warning bells in my head.

Bottom line: A publisher that doesn't charge you upfront can still be a ripoff. They have other ways to part you from your money. This can come in the form of asking you to pay for editing, cover art, or just pushing you to buy your own books and resell them.

If you just want your book available for people to buy and don't care if you have an editor's approval, then self-publishing might be for you. Self-publishers hire independent editors and cover designers to do those parts of the book for them. Or they do it themselves for free. Either way, it can be done for way less than the price that vanity publishers will charge you.

Best of luck!

[frosteeman]

No, the publisher that picked me up is not PublishAmerica and it has been a lot longer than a month. I had been sending out query letters for 6 months and just like everyone else went through many rejection letters. They had my manuscript for almost three months before I heard anything from them. Having patience is not in my DNA. But I'm finding out it dang sure needs to find it's way into my makeup. But hey Katrina thanks for your advice and sorry it didn't rain, so please wish me luck.

[Old Hack]

Originally Posted by Katrina S. Forest

Your book with Xlibris only came out less than a month ago. And you found a new publisher already? I'm sorry, but that screams red flag to me. Full manuscripts, with few exceptions, take way longer than that to read.

Originally Posted by frosteeman

No, the publisher that picked me up is not PublishAmerica and it has been a lot longer than a month.

I'm confused: you announced your publication on 24 May of this year, and at that time you linked to its page at Xlibris, and there its publication date is given as 5/9/2012.

I had been sending out query letters for 6 months and just like everyone else went through many rejection letters. They had my manuscript for almost three months before I heard anything from them. Having patience is not in my DNA. But I'm finding out it dang sure needs to find it's way into my makeup. But hey Katrina thanks for your advice and sorry it didn't rain, so please wish me luck.

Ah, I think I understand. Did you submit your book to various publishers and in the middle of that process, sign it over to Xlibris?

I am concerned that you've now apparently been signed by a new publisher. I understand that it's not PublishAmerica: but I am worried that it's a publisher of a similar ilk, because various points you've made concern me. I hope that I'm wrong, but I am worried: would you mind letting us know who this publisher is? If you don't want to say so in public you're welcome to PM me the name, in confidence of course. Just to set my mind at rest, you understand. I do worry.

[merrihiatt]

Congratulations on finishing your book and finding a publisher. The publishing waters are shark-infested. Not all sharks look like sharks, sometimes they're disguised as dolphins and seem like just the thing we were looking for. I hope your new publisher is legitimate and your book is successful. Keep us posted and welcome to AW.