Interesting that Dorchester have decided to go the e-book route. I have just found this thread and was about to post my own experience.
I sent them SUFFER THE CHILDREN in early-2007, I believe it was. 12 months later, when I hadn't heard anything, I phoned them. They were very polite, and explained they had the manuscript, but it was still sitting on the editor's desk.
I went away and continued to submit elsewhere.
Another 12 months later (early-2009, this would have been), I phoned again, got an answerphone, and left a message explaining who I was and that I was chasing my manscript, which they'd had for two years. I got an email from them shortly after, very apologetic, to say the manuscript was still on the editor's desk and they were very sorry for the long delay.
But then I submitted the novel to Lyrical, and got offered the e-book contract. So the next contact I had with Dorchester was to let them know the book was being published elsewhere and could they please take it off their submissions list. I got a message back acknowledging this, and offering congratulations.
So my experience was everyone was very polite and accommodating, but the response time is pretty abysmal. But it's interesting they are taking the e-book route. I wonder how many other smaller publishers are going to go this way?
Shara