Blue Pheonix Publishing

Annmarie09 · Jan 5, 2011

Hi!
One of my friends says that apparently once her book is finished this publishing company has agreed to publish it for her. They apparently found her on worthy of publishing if anyone knows the site, and asked to publish it. This seems rather dubious, and publishers don't generally come to you first. I looked it up, and it does have a website, and her work is up there. It's called "A world of dreams".

What do you guys think? Does anyone think this thing is legitimate?

http://bluephoenixpublishing.com/

IceCreamEmpress · Jan 5, 2011

The site looks amateurish, the grammar is questionable, and they seem to be trying to do a lot of different things at once--they're a publisher AND a record label!

If I were your friend, I would be querying agents and/or publishers who were known quantities, not going with whatever random people come to me.

Also, your friend shouldn't have stuff published on the internet by people she doesn't actually have a contract with.

priceless1 · Jan 5, 2011

There's some dodgy verbiage in their home page.First off, they sound like a service industry rather than a publisher:

New Artists pursuing publishing for the first time can find the search for a publishing company to be very over whelming. Blue Phoenix Publishing is a company that will work with you and for you to ensure your works get published and marketed professionally. Here at Blue Phoenix, we strive to take the hassle out of the publishing process and help you develop your talent to its full potential. We select new artists from the submissions we receive as well as artists we recruit personally

If we agree to collaborate on your project, we will register the copyrights for your work as well an ISBN where needed.

I'd bet my bottom dollar this is a pay to play endeavor, or something very close to it because registering copyright and issuing an ISBN is standard operations for a trade press. They insist they're able to help you with all kinds of editing, etc., but they don't say how. Nor do they say anything about getting your book into the marketplace. This site is developed to attract writers, not readers - a huge red flag.

Lastly, if your friend hasn't signed a contract with them, why is it on their site? Personally, I'd wait it out before going near this company.

Unimportant · Jan 5, 2011

The only way you can get published with them, it looks, is to win their monthly "contest". And the only way to enter the contest is to submit your prose or music with a $20 fee.

Monthly contests are open to story collections, novels, prose, stage productions and plays of up to 500 pages. Attach a copy of this entry form to your manuscript or music when submitting along with the administrative fee of $20 payable in check, money order, pay pal, or credit card. If no entry form and/or administrative fee accompany the manuscript it will not be eligible for consideration in that month’s Writer’s Quest or under Regular submission regulations.

Fallen · Jan 5, 2011

Unimportant said:
The only way you can get published with them, it looks, is to win their monthly "contest". And the only way to enter the contest is to submit your prose or music with a $20 fee.

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Ouch.

Annmarie09 · Jan 8, 2011

Yup. This is exactly what I thought. It doesn't seem like a legitimate publishing company/agency at all, there must be some kind of catch. I will try and warn my friend, although since her work's already up there and they've promised to 'publish' it she probably won't listen to me..
Thanks guys

RobJ · Jan 8, 2011

Not only do they ask for $20 entry fee for their 'contest', but you agree to this:

I understand the decisions of the judges are final and the judges retain the power to declare no winner if in their opinion there were no entries that merit the award and/or publication.

I wouldn't touch them.

Annmarie09 · Jan 8, 2011

nor would I. Unfortunately having a publisher approach you first about your work is too good to be true. *dejected sigh*

James D. Macdonald · Jan 8, 2011

Work that isn't even finished yet, and that the author posted on a display site?

Oh, dearikins me.

This doesn't sound like a good idea at all.

CaoPaux · Dec 23, 2011

Site's gone, no sign of further activity.

Blue Pheonix Publishing

Annmarie09

Live. Love. Laugh.

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago

priceless1

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.

Fallen

Stood at the coalface

Annmarie09

Live. Love. Laugh.

RobJ

Annmarie09

Live. Love. Laugh.

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless