Tinyhorn Press

Susan Gable · Apr 13, 2007

Has anyone heard of Tinyhorn Press out of Minneapolis? A friend has a writing student who's been offered a contract from them, but the instructor has never heard of them. I just did a Google search, and a Yahoo search, and found absolutely nothing.

Thanks!

Susan G.

PS - Okay, we did find this website www.tinyhorn.com - thoughts?

JPLangsdorf · Apr 13, 2007

Marsha Braxton is listed as the managing editor. She's listed on WritersNet, but I have no idea what that actually means. Other than that - nada.

The site is pretty, but a little lacking in actual information. There are books/authors listed, though, so that's nice. I didn't take the time to browse through them, but you may wish to look through and see if you notice anything.

veinglory · Apr 13, 2007

I found the website very annoying when the nav buttons actually float away as you are trying to use them.

They are speaking of putting out more than 50 books a year, and they offer a paid editing service at $10 a page where it is assumed the work sent for editing is also being offered to them for publication.

They do not state who started the company and what their relevant experience/skills are.

The whole first paragpraph on the submissions page is a promise not to lie, cheat and steal from authors--which feels a little odd to me.

They state that they are deliberately staying off search engines--probably because the website is incomplete and has a lot of placeholder material. Ergo I assume they are a start up.

Susan Gable · Apr 13, 2007

JPLangsdorf said:
Marsha Braxton is listed as the managing editor. She's listed on WritersNet, but I have no idea what that actually means. Other than that - nada.

The site is pretty, but a little lacking in actual information. There are books/authors listed, though, so that's nice. I didn't take the time to browse through them, but you may wish to look through and see if you notice anything.

Those weren't really books -- they're placeholders, I think.

Is $10 per page average for paid editing services, or high?

I was thinking the website screams stay away, writer beware <G>, to me.

Susan G.

James D. Macdonald · Apr 13, 2007

What I would ask that student: "Have you personally read any of their books? Have your friends read any of their books? Has anyone you know even seen any of their books? If not, why are you considering sending them your book?"

veinglory · Apr 13, 2007

They haven't published any books yet.

James D. Macdonald · Apr 13, 2007

Tinyhorn is a newly launched royalty publisher who truly cares about its authors, without them we would cease to exist. We'd like to earn their respect by conducting our business in an honest, ethical manner. We have absolutely no interest in exploiting authors through ambiguous contract clauses, or siphoning their much deserved earnings in any way. Authors publishing with Tinyhorn will receive all royalties owed to them, and be treated with respect by our staff at all times.

Wowsers. Count the red flags.

Start with poor grammar. Move on to aiming their site at writers rather than readers.

Oh, and when the folks from Tinyhorn show up here to denounce us for saying "Stay away" even though we don't know anything about them and they're totally honest: Guys, lose the music. Put your words in a type size that humans who don't have 20/15 vision can read. Forget all the fancy Java and Flash and such webby BS. Get books on the shelves of bookstores. Nothing else in the whole world will impress me.

victoriastrauss · Apr 13, 2007

I've been told that they "normally" charge a $600 fee. I hope to get a look at the contract soon.

That has to be the MOST annoying website I've ever experienced, bar none.

- Victoria

CaoPaux · Apr 16, 2007

Hmm. That "acquisitions" page now states, in its entirety:

We only accept manuscripts through Literary agents at the email below.

[email protected]

Heh.

blacbird · Apr 16, 2007

When I first saw the thread, I misread the title as "Tinhorn Press." On that basis, I was going to recommend against it.

caw

victoriastrauss · Apr 16, 2007

More bad news about Tinyhorn Press: they pay royalties on "net profit." Paying on net profit--as opposed to paying on retail/cover price (what the book actually costs) or on net receipts/income (what the publisher actually receives from vendors)--means that the publisher deducts expenses in order to arrive at the amount on which royalties are calculated. In Tinyhorn's case, expenses include production costs and "distribution other than shipping and handling charges." Paying on net profit, which can be a much smaller amount than net receipts (which in turn is smaller than retail), can result in a very small royalty indeed. It seems this publisher is aptly named.

Also, royalties are not paid unless the amount is $50; and the publisher doesn't have to provide royalty statements unless the minimum payment amount has been reached.

There are other issues, including an overly sweeping editing clause and the possibility that authors may sometimes be required to pay for editing.

- Victoria

Susan Gable · Apr 18, 2007

Apparently Tinyhorn doesn't like writers who ask questions about them. They withdrew their offer of a contract.

Yeah, that makes them look better.

Methinks a bullet has been dodged.

Susan G.

CaoPaux · Apr 18, 2007

I agree, Susan. For the curious, this is what the Submission Guidelines page used to say.

Welcome:

Tinyhorn is a newly launched royalty publisher who truly cares about its authors, without them we would cease to exist. We'd like to earn their respect by conducting our business in an honest, ethical manner. We have absolutely no interest in exploiting authors through ambiguous contract clauses, or siphoning their much deserved earnings in any way. Authors publishing with Tinyhorn will receive all royalties owed to them, and be treated with respect by our staff at all times.

Since Tinyhorn has decided to make its niche publishing celebrity memoirs & biographies, we give priority to those submissions. We are currently working on signing a famous supermodel, an M.M.A. champion and a noteworthy actor for later this year!

We have some sizzling titles ready for release in summer 2007, and optimistically fifty more by mid 08, thus we are actively seeking book proposals to meet our goal. We are open to just about any genre barring religion, poetry, and children’s picture books. We also consider general memoirs, biographies, or nonfiction titles with ‘wow-power.’ If you are interested in publishing with Tinyhorn please briefly describe your book, then answer the questions below. Submit your no more than two page response to Acquisitions editor: Marsha Braxton at this temporary email - [email protected]

1. Is your book complete? If not when?
2. What genre does it fall under? Is it unique?
3. How many pages is /will it be?
4. What do you see as your books competition, if any?
5. How many copies of your book would you be satisfied selling?
6. Do you have size specifications or cover designs in mind?
7. Are you interested in publishing more books in the future?

Note: We're trying to stay out of the search engines while our site is in development.

As Uncle Jim said, count the red flags....

victoriastrauss · Apr 18, 2007

Oh dearie me, Tinyhorn is stamping its little feet and having a temper tantrum. This is up on its entry page:

It's come to my attention Tinyhorn is being attacked by an elderly woman. (author) Victoria Strauss who I'm told writes second-rate, Fantasy Ebooks, (sister site 4 book reviews) and is involved with a website called absolutewrite.com Was it her work rejected or James D. Macdonalds, Donal? Consequently we can no longer accept...

...and the rest is unfortunately obscured by a non-working link.

Gosh, the professionalism is knee-deep around here. I'm also impressed by the quality of their research.

- Victoria

Unimportant · Apr 18, 2007

Oddly enough, Elderly Woman (giggle), their acquisitions page says they only accept submissions through literary agents. Perhaps the "we can no longer accept" is "submissions over the transom". (Cuz, of course, a second rate ebook author like you would be spamming your manuscripts into publishers' slushpiles.)

And their "portfolio" is just a few cartoon thumbnails repeated over and over. What exactly is this company?

priceless1 · Apr 18, 2007

It's come to my attention Tinyhorn is being attacked by an elderly woman. (author) Victoria Strauss ...

<slapping knee while laughing fool head off> Sorry, Victoria...that just so blows the reality of who you are. I'm...well...enjoying a good laugh. Truly unprofessional to serve a snark sandwich on one's own website. Yeech.

veinglory · Apr 18, 2007

Funny how a few questions about unprofessional presentation normally provokes conduct to match. Time to replaced 'Mood-y Moderator' with 'elderly woman (author)'? bwah ha ha.

But seriously, a publisher that seems to have issues about age, gender, genre writing, ebooks and personally attacks anyone who deigns to question them. That isn't a red flag, it's a scarlet bedsheet.

herdon · Apr 18, 2007

Well, at least it was amusing in a 'i cant believe someone would put together such an annoying and stupid scam website' sort of way.

I only wish I could say something true enough that I could be mentioned on their website as an evil attacker 8(

Unimportant · Apr 18, 2007

veinglory said:
That isn't a red flag, it's a scarlet bedsheet.

<gasp> V, are you saying they've lost their virginity?

veinglory · Apr 18, 2007

I won't believe it until they deliver, um, publish a book

batgirl · Apr 18, 2007

Unimportant said:
<gasp> V, are you saying they've lost their virginity?

Hah. Betcha they killed a pigeon on the bed. That's the traditional way of faking previous chastity.
That's seriously one of the worst under-construction websites I've seen.
-Barbara

Popeyesays · Apr 18, 2007

Now they are 'only accepting submissions through literary agents'. What a good opportunity for BB, NYLA et al.

James D. Macdonald · Apr 18, 2007

Wow. This is really early in the life cycle of a hopeless publisher for them to bring out the "sour grapes" defense.

Good luck finding a legitimate agent who'll return your calls, guys. (And I mean it, really. Lose the music.)

JeanneTGC · Apr 18, 2007

Oh my. What's with all the RED?

And, Uncle Jim, you CAN turn the music off. By getting my nose RIGHT up to the screen I could see, in red bold type on a red background of the same color, the sound On/Off point. It's tiny, but it's there.

I'm with everyone else -- what an atrocious-looking site. And nowhere to add a comment like, "We at AW prefer to be called crones as opposed to old women."

veinglory · Apr 18, 2007

I am partial to 'hag' or possibly 'harridan'

Tinyhorn Press

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