Nightshade Publishing / Nightshade Agency

[mrsmig]

They've just announced their first "multi book" book deal, out April 2022.

Oh boy.

 

[eqb]

They've just announced their first "multi book" book deal, out April 2022.

Wait, so they just bought the books and the release date is only two months later?

I suppose if you don't plan to edit or market the books...

 

[Harlequin]

and if you have six editors for one client it'll go fast I guess >.<

 

[Unimportant]

How can it be her debut series when two books in this series are already published?

 

[Maggie Maxwell]

I guess it makes sense when you remember they don't seem to know how publishing terminology works.

 

[Nether]

How can it be her debut series when two books in this series are already published?

Because they're reinventing the wheel!

 

[mrsmig]

Nightshade Publishing LLC is based out of a residence in Atalla, Alabama (about 50 miles northeast of Birmingham). The company was registered as a business entity in Alabama in May 2021. Owner is Amanda Porter, who is very likely the same A.G. Porter who has a short story in NP's only publication to date, a November 2021 anthology called "Endless Moonlight." (Its sales figures on Amazon are nothing to write home about.) Ms. Porter's author page on Amazon states that she lives in Alabama, so my guess is that NP's address is Ms. Porter's home and the press is likely operated from there.

Their listing on Publishers Marketplace contains the following:

What We Offer Authors

* 50/50 royalties
* High-quality cover art
* Grammatical and Developmental edits
* Formatting for ebook and paperback
* ISBN
* Audiobook (this is on a case by case basis, please ask for more information)
* PR Coaching
* Self Promotion Coaching
* Marketing Package
* FB ads
* Book promo images
* Social media posts
* Guides and Education
* Assistance with website and other social media set up
* How-Tos for KDP and IngramSpark (if needed)
* How to find and maintain Readers and Beta Readers

I find it curious that they offer a 50/50 split with their authors, but don't seem to offer anything beyond what one could do for oneself through self-publishing. I find the "Marketing Package" curious, too, along with "Self Promotion Coaching" and "How-Tos for KDP and IngramSpark (if needed)." It looks like NP isn't providing either marketing or promotion (or else it's conflating the two).

Here's their website, by the way. Looks like they haven't popped for their own domain yet and have a free site through Wix: Nightshade Publishing LLC

 

[Unimportant]

Because they're reinventing the wheel!

And it's square!

 

[Maggie Maxwell]

And it's square!

Hey, it can work!

https://imgur.com/Fepy1dL

 

[eqb]

I find it curious that they offer a 50/50 split with their authors, but don't seem to offer anything beyond what one could do for oneself through self-publishing. I find the "Marketing Package" curious, too, along with "Self Promotion Coaching" and "How-Tos for KDP and IngramSpark (if needed)." It looks like NP isn't providing either marketing or promotion (or else it's conflating the two).

After the business with "literary agent" vs. "acquiring editor," I wouldn't be surprised if they conflated marketing with promotion. Amanda's understanding of trade publishing is shaky, at best. She talks about her "adventure with traditional publishing," but she's never worked with or for a trade publisher.

Here's their website, by the way. Looks like they haven't popped for their own domain yet and have a free site through Wix: Nightshade Publishing LLC

I noticed that too. I did a quick check and there's another Nightshade Publishing LLC that owns the URL NightshadePublishing.com and is registered in Missouri. Either Amanda didn't do her research beforehand, or she decided it didn't matter. Either way, another data point on how sloppy her approach is.

 

[Nether]

I noticed that too. I did a quick check and there's another Nightshade Publishing LLC that owns the URL NightshadePublishing.com and is registered in Missouri. Either Amanda didn't do her research beforehand, or she decided it didn't matter. Either way, another data point on how sloppy her approach is.

Okay, now THAT is hilarious. I feel like they have to be going out of their way to rack up red flags.

 

[Unimportant]

She talks about her "adventure with traditional publishing," but she's never worked with or for a trade publisher.

I suspect her adventure with traditional publishing was submitting to a few trade presses and/or querying agents, and receiving form rejection letters.

 

[PeteMC]

They've just announced their first "multi book" book deal, out April 2022.

I pity whoever signed it, I know that much.

 

[yarnagogo]

Y'all. NOPE. CHECK IT OUT:

As established, AG Porter (Amanda Porter) owns Nightshade Publishing LLC.

I'm living for this 8-day old Publishers Marketplace announcement (screenshot hosted on my website).

In this announcement, she announces with great excitement that she sold her first romance to her own publishing company through her romance "editor," Kayla Dzakic, who is still listed under Literary Agents (see tab at top ) whose experience in editing is that she had a Bookstagram and a Booktok account.

Decoded, this says, in Pub Marketplace lingo, that Amanda sold herself her own book for $49,000 (or less, natch, see PM deal language).

Whew. That's just lying, y'all.

Another good one: her site says, on the very front page:

Trusted Publisher
Since 2000, authors have trusted Nightshade Publishing, LLC to edit, publish and promote their books. We are always on the lookout for fresh and new talent and are firmly committed to all our authors.

Interestingly, her own site says on this page, that she started the company during the pandemic. Then, the same page says she started her "team" after she published the anthology Endless Moonlight, on November 30, 2021.

So, in my math, she's been a "trusted publisher" for like 6 months? Mayyyyybe 7. Not for twenty-two years, as it says on her front page. (Screenshots here.)

In Porter's Feb. response in this thread, she said that fantasy writer AK Mulford is doing an anthology with her, trying to boost validity/trust in her brand. I can confirm that AK Mulford is busy writing books in a 7-figure deal with Harper Voyager, not with Nightshade Publishing. AK is a friend of mine, and she had agreed to write a story for Porter's Booktokker anthology, thinking it was a nice way to help other new, indie-pubbed writers out. Luckily, AK's advisory team was savvy enough to point out the glaring inconsistencies of Porter's business (as well as the holes in the shabby contract).

Honestly, I'm mad. I hate NOTHING more than seeing new, hopeful writers get taken for a ride.

(Sorry if it looks like I'm new here - have been a member since 2009, but I think it doesn't show the old posts? Just had to relog in to post this.)

 

[Brigid Barry]

So, in my math, she's been a "trusted publisher" for like 6 months? Mayyyyybe 7. Not for twenty-two years, as it says on her front page. (Screenshots here.)

Maybe she was talking about the other Night Shade?

 

[Pyrephox]

To be fair, the last two years have felt like twenty years so I can understand some confusion.

 

[Harlequin]

That's so wierd. In initial posts they admitted to being new, so I'm not sure where the 2000 date thing has come from all of a sudden. I guess they wanted to up credibility.

 

[eqb]

Huh. Their website appears to be gone. Also, their Facebook page. And their Twitter.

I also note that the Nightshade Publishing (based in Missouri and started in 2019) now has trademark symbols next to its name.

ETA: After some research, I found more info. Nightshade shut down abruptly in mid-June, stating that they never meant to "mislead" anyone about their experience. Web cache from the old Facebook page:

Nightshade publishing, LLC must regrettably announce that we are shutting our doors permanently. Recently, it came to our attention that we may have inadvertently misled people regarding our experience, and, although it was was never our intention to be predatory, we understand that our lack of knowledge in the industry has created a perfect storm of misinformation that has become detrimental to us and those represented by us. Therefore, we are taking responsibility and rectifying the issue by removing ourselves from the situation.