Also, even if Amazon were the problem, DSP would still be able to pay royalties from ALL THE OTHER VENDORS -- including their own website.
And this little gem from the publisher:
"It is a sad reality that if Dreamspinner had sold an average number of books in May-July, everyone would be paid, but because people are scared and not buying, payments are becoming more overdue. Sometimes, unfortunately, opinion becomes reality."
This is disgusting, blaming readers.
That's the main concern many readers have expressed. They're worried that if they buy anything published by Dreamspinner, the authors won't see the royalties.
Why would readers not buy? What are readers scared of? Human nature suggests that if there's going to be a shortage of some desired thing, people grab up as much as they can.
I would think that anyone wanting books from a Dreamspinner author would buy now,
while the books are still available.
Unless Dreamspinner has acquired a rep for taking the readers' money and not handing over the book? In which case it's not the readers' fault - once again, it's all on Dreamspinner.
I have a release coming in October from DSP and I don't know what to do. It's likely too late to cancel the contract as review copies have already gone out? I want to believe things will get better, but it's looking less and less likely. I worry that if I do pull my books, no other small publisher will want them. I also think that it's easier to wait and see, and if the publisher does go under, rights will revert and I can go from there.
I'm just kinda lost here.
Thanks for the explanation! Makes sense for readers who know about the problems with Dreamspinner. And, good on them for not wanting to see an author ripped-off!That's the main concern many readers have expressed. They're worried that if they buy anything published by Dreamspinner, the authors won't see the royalties.
RWA has notified Dreamspinner they're on indefinite probation from October 1, meaning they've been removed from their Qualifying Markets list and are unable to participate in RWA events until they've cleaned up their act.
Am I the only one who is betting DS will be out of business before they "clean up their act"? And I can't see how you can repair screwing a bunch of people. The damage has been done.
Possibly it was done this way to give those writers, who've been trooping trustfully along, a warning to get their rights back ASAP, before the inevitable bankruptcy?Am I the only one who is betting DS will be out of business before they "clean up their act"? And I can't see how you can repair screwing a bunch of people. The damage has been done.
Any author who publishes with them is not going to get their books treated well--they will do the bare minimum and use the money they make from you to pay off their debts, not you.
This one bloody well broke my heart. DSP was supposed to be a solid small-press outfit, lifting M/M romance into Big5 levels of great writing, competence, and market reach.
I have a lot of Dreamspinner books. They were where I went for gay fantasy & SFF when the commercial genre pubs went coyly fade-to-black with gay characters. NineStar Press has taken over that guilty pleasure for now. So has some incredible fanfic.
I started hearing rumbles about spotty Dreamspinner editing a couple of years ago. And now this.
I know I've been gently corrected by the mods before about reposting 'Filigree's Rule': I'm too cynical, I'm ruining the joy for newer writers, I'm stepping on favored publishers' toes, etc.
Whatever. Google isn't that hard to use, folks. Any writer capable of doing online or email submissions, can do basic research.