An Author’s Dream Publisher / www.anauthorsdream.com

[eldragon]

Too old!

 

[Richard]

Christ, the name alone is cause to flee as if chased by the very hordes of Beelzebub.

And that's before 'An Author’s Dream charges only $595.00 per book' and all the usual POD cobblers. Tips? Tear vertically. Lasts that bit longer. More satisfying.

 

[eldragon]

The $595 per book includes advertising for B&M stores and internet.

And, ten copies, etc.

 

[maestrowork]

I am so itching to pay someone $600 to print copies of my book that they don't have the intention to "sell" for me...

 

[eldragon]

am so itching to pay someone $600 to print copies of my book that they don't have the intention to "sell" for me...

LOL

 

[Richard]

The $595 per book includes advertising for B&M stores and internet.

Rubbish. Re-read what it says:

"A terrific and appealing book with a high exposure 300 dpi cover so that it can be used for advertising anywhere; high exposure advertising so that anyone who sells books would know about your book, INCLUDING ON-LINE BOOKSTORES AND BRICK AND MORTAR BOOKSTORE"

Emphasis mine.

 

[eldragon]

I asked the chief managing editor if the costs include an ISBN number, and this is her reply:

Pam,

Most definitely, and we will do as much as a traditional publishing house does to advertise and get your book into brick and mortar bookstores, online bookstores and every other place we can open a door for you.

We will also look at showcasing books with An Author's Dream Publishing at large Book Fairs, which normally have over 50,000 people shopping for books. We want a book we represent to sell and make it big.

You will also have as much input as possible while producing your book. The only reason for the cost of publishing, is because like most traditional publishers, we can not finance the cost of publishing every book, but are willing to do it at as low a fee as possible to help good authors get their books in print.

The only thing that worries me is the phrase "most definitely." I have learned it usually goes with bullsh!t.​

 

[brinkett]

You can do everything they offer to do if you self-publish, and probably better. Note that I'm not suggesting you self-publish, but that if you decide not to pursue being traditionally published (for lack of a better term), then self-publishing is a better option than this outfit.

You get to keep the copyright - big deal, that's standard. The important question is who owns the ISBN.
They submit your book and cover to online retailers - big deal. Anyone can do that.
They make sure everyone who sells books knows about your book - big deal. That could just mean your book is listed in Books in Print. It doesn't mean anyone will order your book.

I'd pass.

 

[Cathy C]

My best advice is to remember the GOLDEN RULE:


Gold flows TO the writer, not away FROM the writer!

Most definitely, and we will do as much as a traditional publishing house does to advertise and get your book into brick and mortar bookstores, online bookstores and every other place we can open a door for you.

Next, ask your editor (since he seems to be in an answering mood!) which distributors have the company's books currently in their catalog, and have them provide the ISBN. (Don't help, now! Let THEM tell YOU!)

See, there are only a very few distributors and/or wholesalers (about a dozen) who get the books to brick and mortar stores. Here are a few:

Ingrams
Baker & Taylor
Books West
General Independents

Ingrams is the largest, and publishers scream their name with enthusiasm (even if it's a lie.) That's because Ingrams doesn't have that many agreements with POD publishers. Instead, they have the agreement with the PRINTER, which is often Lightning Source. When people think publisher they often think that there's a printing press in the basement. Not so! Most all of the POD publishers use a very small number of printers.

The agreement that Ingrams has with Lightning Source will allow your book to show up on the Amazon and Barnes & Noble's website, etc. It might even show up through an ISBN search in a brick and mortar store.

HOWEVER, and it's a BIG however -- "listed" is not the same as "available". What often happens is that a book will be listed on Amazon as "not available" or will require the buyer to pay a surcharge and extra shipping costs, which discourages the purchase. The same goes with physical locations. Ask your editor if the books are "returnable". Often they're not, so the brick and mortar stores won't stock them on the shelf. If they can't get their money back and the book doesn't sell, they're out the money. Businesspeople that they are, they will ORDER the book if a customer prepays, but that's about it. That puts a heavy burden on you to get the public excited enough to go order a book and wait 2-4 weeks for it to arrive.

Think carefully about whether you want to spend $600 now, plus $600 next year on promotion, and the next year and so on, just to get enough interested readers to buy it to break even.

 

[Richard]

Most definitely, and we will do as much as a traditional publishing house does to advertise and get your book into brick and mortar bookstores, online bookstores and every other place we can open a door for you.

Note the lack of a promise, right there. The distribution isn't there for POD releases in general - access to the buyers, the stocks to make it worthwhile, a returns policy if it doesn't sell etc. etc. What this typically means is 'We will make it available if they order one specially', which is firmly 'big deal' territory. You can do that yourself just fine. If they can do more, or magically do have some deal with Barnes and Noble or whoever, get the full details and research them - don't assume anything.

We will also look at showcasing books with An Author's Dream Publishing at large Book Fairs, which normally have over 50,000 people shopping for books. We want a book we represent to sell and make it big.

Irrelevant. The whole set-up here makes it quite clear that what they're selling is their publishing service, not your book. The name of the company alone just screams it. Publishers are in the business of selling books to readers; vanity publishers are in the business of selling books to authors. Read that site carefully. They're not even bothering to hide the target audience:

Getting a book published is a very hard thing to do in this day and age, as we’re sure you have come to realize.

Been rejected everywhere else? Hidely-ho, neighbourino!

The only reason for the cost of publishing, is because like most traditional publishers, we can not finance the cost of publishing every book, but are willing to do it at as low a fee as possible to help good authors get their books in print.

Funnily enough, www.lulu.com will do most of that for free. Anyway, this is a blatantly false comparison. The reasons traditional publishing costs so much money largely fall under categories like distribution, warehousing, the paper to print the thing, and all manner of other stuff that POD - Print On Demand - by its very nature doesn't have to concern itself with. This is pure having your cake and eating it territory - a fat cheque up front (especially if you want them to handle the editing work), and basically zero production costs afterwards (at least, very few not swallowed up by the mark-up on POD produced books).

 

[CaoPaux]

Adding link: http://www.anauthorsdream.com/

 

[CaoPaux]

On closer inspection, site hasn't been updated since '07, and I'm not finding sign of anything published after '08.