Strategic Book Group / Strategic Book Publishing / Eloquent Books / SBM
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Hmm... I suppose since he had bad publicity from the last 'child author' that Strategic would not want to take a chance.
But then, the 'watchdogs' are costing him $20,000 a week; he has to recoup his losses somehow...
Sorry Anne! I meant month!
But then, the 'watchdogs' are costing him $20,000 a week; he has to recoup his losses somehow...
Sorry Anne! I meant month!
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Bouncing Bobby claimed, in his "lawsuit" (the one that got dismissed because he didn't pursue it after we sent him our interrogaties, make of that what you will, heh heh) that Writer Beware AND James Macdonald were causing him to lose $25,000.00 bucks per month in author income.
And we know Bobby really felt that loss, because "author income" that is, authors paying him money, is how he makes his income. It's sure not from selling books to anyone BUT their authors. I'm sure Bobby's tax records will bear me out. Anyone want to take bets?
(Edited to correct earlier mistake: the amount is $25,000.00, not $20,000 and it's per month, not per week.)
-Ann C. Crispin
Chair, Writer Beware
www.writerbeware.com
And we know Bobby really felt that loss, because "author income" that is, authors paying him money, is how he makes his income. It's sure not from selling books to anyone BUT their authors. I'm sure Bobby's tax records will bear me out. Anyone want to take bets?
(Edited to correct earlier mistake: the amount is $25,000.00, not $20,000 and it's per month, not per week.)
-Ann C. Crispin
Chair, Writer Beware
www.writerbeware.com
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Wow. I am neither an attorney nor anyone else qualified to advise on proper lawsuit-writing, but the sheer chutzpah of this shocks me. To my non-legal mind, this sounds like an admission of the very charges brought against him, reminiscent of those (possibly apocryphal) stories of lawsuits brought by criminals against their victims: I break into your house intending to rob you, and admit this in court when I sue you after I trip over your umbrella stand and break my leg.
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Seems the little 9 year old writer quoted above from the news article gets it. Even she doesn't believe she is a published/professional author with SBG (but hopes to be one when she grows up
I suppose the parents are well meaning, proud and just want to make their child happy. They will buy a number of books, give them out to family and friends then hopefully, that will be the end of it before they push too hard and the child goes from naively happy to devastated that no real publisher will touch her.
What I really can't believe is that some illustrator worked long distance with a child for a year on this. I was going to say you couldn't pay me enough but I suppose if the parents were willing to remortgage the house, then perhaps!
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Check out the prices Fletcher is charging for authors to attend/send their books to book fairs (this is from Fletcher's Publish on Demand Global website, which doesn't mention Fletcher or Strategic, but it's essentially the same fee schedule he sends Strategic authors):
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I don't know what the heck a "sell sheet" is but why would anything need translating. Publishers have people that speak English and would send them to a book fair if looking to purchase foreign rights. I've worked with Korean Editors who speak perfectly fine English.
Absolute Write is the most helpful site I've ever found. It seems that for every question I come up with you writers have an answer. Thanks so much.
I just picked up a local newspaper this morning and read about a new author's book deal. It got my literary senses tingling, and bingo . . .
The article isn't available online, so I'll quote for future reference:
To me that sounds like a form rejection, Although he did show promise.
Then my instincts started tingling:
Strange that an US publisher would be interested in a book set in Glasgow and the Trossachs that wouldn't sell to a UK publisher I thought.
So just in the Scottish Waterstone's then? Why not the rest of the UK?
I don't know which is depressing me most, a promising writer getting sucked in or an ex-cop and journalist who can't do research.
The article isn't available online, so I'll quote for future reference:
To me that sounds like a form rejection, Although he did show promise.
Then my instincts started tingling:
Strange that an US publisher would be interested in a book set in Glasgow and the Trossachs that wouldn't sell to a UK publisher I thought.
So just in the Scottish Waterstone's then? Why not the rest of the UK?
I don't know which is depressing me most, a promising writer getting sucked in or an ex-cop and journalist who can't do research.
Well, I've just checked Waterstones.com and they don't even stock it. It is available through WHSmith's, at a pricey £10.25 and a 4 week delivery time [print-on-demand anyone?]
Then I tried Amazon. Oh look, a five-star rating from a reviewer who has only ever given one review.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1609761952/?tag=absowrit-21
Edit: Did eventually find it on Waterstone's through a google search. Odd. Turns out the book was published back in December 2010.
Then I tried Amazon. Oh look, a five-star rating from a reviewer who has only ever given one review.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1609761952/?tag=absowrit-21
Edit: Did eventually find it on Waterstone's through a google search. Odd. Turns out the book was published back in December 2010.
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Weirdly it was also a police officer who wrote to me saying she was represented by the Bounder but would I look at her picture book (which of course he had never sent to anybody legit.)
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*comes out of lurking in sheer embarrassment for another author...*
One of my author friends is pubbed through them. You should see the illustrations for her book. I could do better. It seriously looked 4th grade. Okay, had to share my shock and aww. Back to writing(iif I can stay away from you guys )
One of my author friends is pubbed through them. You should see the illustrations for her book. I could do better. It seriously looked 4th grade. Okay, had to share my shock and aww. Back to writing(iif I can stay away from you guys
)
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Sorry. I forgot I posted here lol. No, she didn't have to pay for her illustrations because her friend did them. Sad part is she now thinks she's a real illustrator so she's spending boatloads of cash to send stuff to Scholastic and such.
ETA: Just checked her website. They did tell her she had to pay. It wasn't listed, but she said it was too high. After the pictures were drawn, she had to pay to convert into digital for the book to be finished. This fee appears on another author websites I've checked. Plus the illustrations must be expensive. I've found a few others who have had friends/family do them.
ETA: Just checked her website. They did tell her she had to pay. It wasn't listed, but she said it was too high. After the pictures were drawn, she had to pay to convert into digital for the book to be finished. This fee appears on another author websites I've checked. Plus the illustrations must be expensive. I've found a few others who have had friends/family do them.
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I was in Glasgow yesterday and found a copy of Mitchell's book in Waterstone's.
Very poor quality. The jacket design was poor, printed on cheap paper. There was a contents page for the chapters which was a bit weird in a novel.
Then I read the first chapter. All I will say is that there was a reason for the rejections, it was really poorly written. Now I'm suspicious of the 'agents' that signed him. As for Macmillan, they were being incredibly nice [if the story is believed.]
As for being 'available in all Scottish Waterstone's' I've been in Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Dunfermline this week and only seen it in Glasgow.
Very poor quality. The jacket design was poor, printed on cheap paper. There was a contents page for the chapters which was a bit weird in a novel.
Then I read the first chapter. All I will say is that there was a reason for the rejections, it was really poorly written. Now I'm suspicious of the 'agents' that signed him. As for Macmillan, they were being incredibly nice [if the story is believed.]
As for being 'available in all Scottish Waterstone's' I've been in Glasgow, Stirling, Perth, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Dunfermline this week and only seen it in Glasgow.
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No need to be suspicious; we know for sure.
Technically "available." PublishAmerica uses the same weasel-wording. Available at the special-order desk.
As to being on the shelves in the Glasgow shop, I see that the subtitle of the work is "The Glasgow Supremacy." I suspect the author has a local connection, went to the manager in person, and begged.