Thing is, I don't think the closing/no we aren't thing is as problematic as people say it is. Every company falls on hard times and has to rethink their stratergy from time to time, or change to avoid hard times. Though it does suck for the authors to be caught in the middle and they 100% should've been treating them better during this time.
What's really alarming is the basically acussing their writers of being stupid in addition to everything else. That's why people should steer clear, preferably permanantly at this jucture, but at least until such a time as they get their shit together and start acting decent again. And even then, only with eyes wide open to their history with all it's sparkles and warts.
I don't know - I think it's reasonable for authors, especially those with a lot of books with a publisher, to make plans for their future based on the information the publisher gives them. So if the publisher says they're closing (and then suspends most of the promo efforts and other services the authors have a right to expect), I think it's an issue.
I mean, so far in 2016, we've had a deliberate release of information to Dear Author before authors themselves were told anything, then an e-mail saying things are fine, they're just downsizing, with a bonus "I don't get why people have to be such Debbie Downers and propagate doom and gloom. Sad." Verdict? "We are all in the for the long haul and we're working to push through this downturn." Authors make plans, submit books, etc. based on information from a trusted source.
Then less than two months later we get "the Long Goodbye" e-mail - they ARE closing. Okay, they're a less trusted source now, but obviously they should know the state of their own business, so authors make plans, submit books (to others) etc. based on this information.
But wait! Just a couple days later (the next day, maybe?) we get another e-mail saying there's a possible Hail Mary and Samhain might NOT be closing. Okay! Authors don't really know what to do, but make plans and submit books based on what information they've got.
April 25 we get a kind of ambiguous e-mail - the Hail Mary didn't work and Samhain isn't going to be sold, but "Our focus at this very moment is to wrap up the move from the office (we are about to write the final rent check!), get settled in our home offices, and continue on as always." - some authors interpret "continue on as always" as a sign that they aren't closing. Authors hover indecisively.
The very next day a clarification is issued. It includes "We are continuing on with the original plan of winding down" and "We don't have a date yet as to when we will be closing. When we do, we'll let you know." Okay. Clear. Authors make plans and submit books accordingly.
June 23 - "All the scaling back of overhead, the reducing expenses and bringing our expenditures in check with our income has been more successful than I had anticipated. I no longer feel that Samhain has any need to close its doors in the foreseeable future." Oh. Okay? Maybe? Authors are cautiously (VERY cautiously) optimistic and make plans.
Now? "Although some of my correspondence has been very informal and emotionally fraught, and used terminology that may have had some implications that I was not aware of, I was expressing that the downsizing process was difficult and stressful for me, as my emails ranged from thoughts of giving up and closing to excitement about new opportunities I was exploring." Authors throw manuscript pages up in the air.
I think the original back-and-forthing did most of the damage in terms of current authors and current plans. This last e-mail has just done the damage in terms of people ever wanting to work with the company again.
Which is sad, because, as I've said far too many times on this thread, I really, really liked working with them. But there has to be some stability, you know?