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Blu Phi'er Publishing (Michael L. Bernoudy, Jr.)

jackstr952

Has anyone had any experience with Blu Phi'er Publishing? They have been in business since 2005 and "claim" to offer traditional as well as cost-shared (I think this is a another term for self-publishing). They told a friend of mine they want to publish their book after seeing 50 pages and a synopsis. They sound too good to be true but I haven't seen any bad press on them.

J.
 

James D. Macdonald

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as well as cost-shared (I think this is a another term for self-publishing).

It's another name for "vanity."

You'll find them here: http://www.bluphier.com/

This looks like, at best, another amateur publisher. Tell your friend to start at the top, submitting to publishers who actually have books in bookstores, and meanwhile write another, better, book.

"Too good to be true" usually is.
 

veinglory

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Except it doesn't even look good. Where are their books sold? Why are they so proud of their illustrators?

(Just IMHO)
 

Carmy

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I tend to be wary of new publishers. In many places, I read that publishing houses are having a hard time making ends meeet. If established publishers are having trouble, how well can new publishers do?
 

zizban

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The site says they offer traditional publishing, too, but I wonder how much promotion they put into a book this way or they say, "We won't accept it for traditional, now our POD division..."
 

NicoleJLeBoeuf

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Do they actually say that? I wouldn't trust any publisher who uses the phrase "traditional publishing." If they've picked up the phrase that PublishAmerica coined, then they're probably either scammers themselves or, at best, clueless.
 

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NicoleJLeBoeuf said:
Do they actually say that? I wouldn't trust any publisher who uses the phrase "traditional publishing." If they've picked up the phrase that PublishAmerica coined, then they're probably either scammers themselves or, at best, clueless.

Excellent point, and a great red flag to watch out for.
 

swordgirl

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Blu Phier Publishing

I am new here to the group and just wanted to say that Blu Phier Publishing is a fantastic company. I guess fantastic isn't really the word because I haven't seen my own book come out yet. I've never been published before. However, with all the research I ventured in finding scam publishers like PA and a few others, I queried Blu Phier Publishing, in which I recieved a response in a few days about sending in my manuscript. When you first go to the website a red flag goes up because the owner offers two ways to publish titles, traditional and split costs, but I was told by them that this is only an option. I spoke with other authors in house and they have never paid a dime. all of them are happy that I've spoken too. I recieved an advance of 500 dollars, and was treated cordially. They are a new company. However they have an attractive catalouge they send to bookstores, their novels are POD but returnable with a 25% discount. They have a full on marketing crew, a sales team etc. They design posters for your signings, bookmarks, flyers, etc. Your books go into bookstores. I've been treated very nicely by this small press and they are very professional.

So if anyone is inquiring about getting published for the first time, I would strike while the iron is hot here.

www.bluphier.com

Good Luck!
 

Glenda

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Welcome Swordgirl, what is the name and genre of your book?
 

swordgirl

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I've already talked to Dave Zuminski, he's looking into it further. I don't think it was fair to judge them on this. How many scam publishers are you aware of that give 500 dollar advances? How many have a listing of booksignings that are legit for there authors?

Like I said, I think P/E are wrong about this one.
 

Popeyesays

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I am new here to the group and just wanted to say that Blu Phier Publishing is a fantastic company. I guess fantastic isn't really the word because I haven't seen my own book come out yet. I've never been published before. However, with all the research I ventured in finding scam publishers like PA and a few others, I queried Blu Phier Publishing, in which I recieved a response in a few days about sending in my manuscript. When you first go to the website a red flag goes up because the owner offers two ways to publish titles, traditional and split costs, but I was told by them that this is only an option. I spoke with other authors in house and they have never paid a dime. all of them are happy that I've spoken too. I recieved an advance of 500 dollars, and was treated cordially. They are a new company. However they have an attractive catalouge they send to bookstores, their novels are POD but returnable with a 25% discount. They have a full on marketing crew, a sales team etc. They design posters for your signings, bookmarks, flyers, etc. Your books go into bookstores. I've been treated very nicely by this small press and they are very professional.

So if anyone is inquiring about getting published for the first time, I would strike while the iron is hot here.

www.bluphier.com

Good Luck!

Thanks,
I designed the catalogue and the posters for them; yeah, I'm doing contract work including some editing for BluPhi'er. The publisher is dead set on increasing sales and getting into bookstores. He seems to be a sound business man, and a lawyer with a practice in two states. While publishing is a different game, he's ready to adapt to the rules.

Regards,
Scott
 

Sassenach

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The other service provided by Blu Phi'er is cost-shared publishing. In this process the Blu Phi'er and the author split the cost for publishing the authors book. Blu Phi'er takes care of all the necessary steps to put the book into production. The author maintains the publishing and copyrights in this form of publishing but he/she is able to avail their book to Blu Phi'er's marketing programs. Blu Phi'er receives a royalty from book sales but the bulk of proceeds from book sales for authors using this service goes directly to the author.

From their site. Another vanity press also claiming to do "traditional" publishing.

Some former PA'ers will never learn, apparently. They move from one scam to the next.
 

Popeyesays

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The other service provided by Blu Phi'er is cost-shared publishing. In this process the Blu Phi'er and the author split the cost for publishing the authors book. Blu Phi'er takes care of all the necessary steps to put the book into production. The author maintains the publishing and copyrights in this form of publishing but he/she is able to avail their book to Blu Phi'er's marketing programs. Blu Phi'er receives a royalty from book sales but the bulk of proceeds from book sales for authors using this service goes directly to the author.

From their site. Another vanity press also claiming to do "traditional" publishing.

Some former PA'ers will never learn, apparently. They move from one scam to the next.

I've edited two manuscripts. I was given all the communications between editor and author. Both were accepted first, and the offer was made to publish either traditionally or co-operatively. Author's choice. Both declined the co-operative option. The only difference seems to be the proportions of publisher/author return.So far as I can tell, no one has been offered subsidy publishing that wasn't also offered--shall we say 'convenional--royalty publication.

Since I do not know the identity of the poster above who as offered a modest advance, I don't know if either of the manuscripts I worked on was done by him or her.

Regards,
Scott
 

swordgirl

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Blu Phier is not even remotely like PA. in regards to the initial first page of the website, I agree (as posted earlier) that it seems fishy at first, but you have no idea obviously what this company is about. They are very proffesional and have catalouges and nice contracts. I'm assuming 18% royalties is a scam? Or how about that they send these catalouges to bookstores? I guess that's not what a publishing company does? A publishing company doesn't give advances? Tell me then Sassenach what is your idealistic view of what a publishing company does? Especially a new one? What are they supposed to do? Are they not supposed to advertise?

There hasn't been one author that has had to pay anything, not a dime. I didn't and I was paid money up front for my manuscript. I'm sure it's not the six figure advance you have absorbed, but it's good for me as a start. Plus I'm getting 20 contributor copies.

I'm sure a well respected lawyer in Loiusiana would have a scam company for a front.

Frequent their website before judging them, perhaps google? To compare them to PA is callous to say the least...
 

Sassenach

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Have they sold any books?

Does the president know anything about publishing?

A combination of "traditional" and vanity publishing in one house is suspect, IMO.

Again from their site [my comments in [ ]:

It is the brainchild of Michael L. Bernoudy, Jr., a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. [Who cares? What does this have to do with book publishing?]



Mr. Bernoudy wrote numerous manuscripts, but encountered extreme difficulty getting his manuscripts published. [Failing to sell a ms doesn't mean you're qualified to operate a publhsing house.] He further had several bad experiences when contracting with companies to help him to self-publish. Mr. Bernoudy talked to a number of professionals in the field and using his own money, he incorporated Blu Phi'er Publishing.



Blu Phi'er has several experienced editors [names and CV's would be nice] on staff [to me "on staff" means employees. Do they have an in-house, professional staff?], a number of talented illustrators [so?], and contracts with experienced publicists [again, names would be nice] to help ensure the success of all our works.


Where are their books for sale? Where have they been reviewed? And if they have experienced editors on staff, why are there so many typos and grammatical errors on the site?
 

James D. Macdonald

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PA uses false and misleading advertising and a deceptive contract. That makes them a scam.

No one is saying Blu Phi'er is a scam. The question on the table is whether publishing with them is a good idea. Laying the question of "scam" aside there's a huge grey area between Bad Idea and Good Idea. A startup always has a question mark beside its name. A publisher that offers co-publishing (vanity publishing) as an option has a question mark. A company run by folks with no obvious experience in publishing has a question mark.

If you've asked the questions and liked the answers ... well, see what a year brings by way of experience. Keep working on your next book and hope for the best.

A $500 advance is a good sign. That's in respectable small-press range. What else the contract says I don't know.
 

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Sassanech, as I said earlier, and I'll reinerate, go through the website. You'll see reviews on the REVIEW link. Nothing spectacular, but they are moving along.

I sent an email asking if they would drop the "cost shared publishing thing"

I do know that their books are in bookstores. I saw a few copies of HUMANITY'S EDGE in a boston, Mass, Barnes and Noble.

I don't believe they are stocked everywhere yet. But as I said, they just started. Give them a chance.

Jim, you are right, I'll see a year from now if they've advanced or if they are a glimmer of lost hope for me.

Thank you sir.
 

Sassenach

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Sassanech, as I said earlier, and I'll reinerate, go through the website. You'll see reviews on the REVIEW link. Nothing spectacular, but they are moving along.

I sent an email asking if they would drop the "cost shared publishing thing"

I do know that their books are in bookstores. I saw a few copies of HUMANITY'S EDGE in a boston, Mass, Barnes and Noble.

I don't believe they are stocked everywhere yet. But as I said, they just started. Give them a chance.

Jim, you are right, I'll see a year from now if they've advanced or if they are a glimmer of lost hope for me.

Thank you sir.

Sorry, while I wish you the best, I'm unimpressed by links to B&N and Amazon "reviews." You've cast your lot with an unproven house. It may work, but the odds are not in your favor.
 

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Very true...

But after the advance, like many others I have to start somewhere and most houses require an Agent other then Dorchester Publishing and a few others.

They were timely and gave me a good deal for still being a nobody in the literary world. If they progress and the book has a modicum of success then perhaps I can build up from there.

Thank you though.
 

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something to consider

However they have an attractive catalouge they send to bookstores, their novels are POD but returnable with a 25% discount.
A 25% discount will make getting into stores nearly impossible. A low discount rate is one of the worst traits of many POD publishers. Anything under 45% makes it tough for stores to stay in business. Even 40% discounts are frowned upon as BN and others refuse to stock them.

But, on the other side, PA's discount through Ingram's is 5%. That 5 times better.
 

Popeyesays

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A 25% discount will make getting into stores nearly impossible. A low discount rate is one of the worst traits of many POD publishers. Anything under 45% makes it tough for stores to stay in business. Even 40% discounts are frowned upon as BN and others refuse to stock them.

But, on the other side, PA's discount through Ingram's is 5%. That 5 times better.


I just mailed out Blu'Phier's catalogue to more than 400 independent bookstores. The discount offered to bookstores right now is the same offered to the wholesalers--55%, not 25%.

I'm not sure how long that discount will remain available, after all it's 15% deeper than the wholesalers offer bookstores. And it IS the publisher's decision, not mine. I just work on contract for him, I have no financial stake in the company. If he can get the bookstores ordering substantially, hwe can show the wholesalers and distributors better numbers to get proper distribution and a proper distributor.

If anyone wants a copy of the catalogue in *.PDF, use the message system to send me an e-mail.

Regards,
Scott