Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers, Ltd.

[Nightwatch]

I had opened a campaign sometime ago in regard to a lawsuit against Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers (UK) -with whom I had a traditional publishing contract at that time- which had cost me significant damages, arising from the failure to respond to market demand adequately in distribution of my previous book. During this time, I have received enormous support in this matter. I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I am still in the process of suing the publisher for the past losses, with whom I have no longer any business relation. As they say, the wheels of this process (legal suit) are in motion, and undoubtedly may take some time. But I am fortunate enough that I have a new book published and another one is having its finishing touches. Publishing is difficult as we all know, but at least we have friends. Thank you all.

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Surely you noticed, when the advance failed to arrive in advance, that something was amiss?

 

[victoriastrauss]

Ummm...Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie is a vanity publisher. The demand for money shouldn't have been surprising.

- Victoria

 

[Deleted member 42]

I have to say I've never received any loyalty, at all, ever, from the sale of any book.

I think loyalty is too much to expect.

 

[UrsusMinor]

I have to say I've never received any loyalty, at all, ever, from the sale of any book.

I think loyalty is too much to expect.

Hey, it's impolite to make fun of speech impemidents imdepemipents problems.

 

[MartyKay]

Ummm...Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie is a vanity publisher. The demand for money shouldn't have been surprising.

- Victoria

Oh.. that must have been the "Traditional Contract" bit...

 

[pete-awes]

has anyone else had any dealings with this company?
I sent a quety letter to them and they have just asked me to send my manuscript for review.
so i would like to know if anyone else has any good or bad coments about pegasus before i go any further with them.

 

[xhouseboy]

has anyone else had any dealings with this company?
I sent a quety letter to them and they have just asked me to send my manuscript for review.
so i would like to know if anyone else has any good or bad coments about pegasus before i go any further with them.

Victoria already mentioned that they were a vanity publisher. Nightwatch posted details of how they allegedly operate.

That would do for me.

 

[CaoPaux]

Imprints: Pegasus, Vanguard Press, Nightingale Books, and Chimera

Vanities all. See Index for previous discussion(s).

Research BEFORE you query.

 

[Sassenach]

He ought to sue whomever designed his site. <<my eyes!!>>

 

[arrowqueen]

That Chimera should not be confused with the UK one which publishes erotica.

 

[CaoPaux]

You mean Chimera Publishing Ltd of Waterlooville? I'll bet my knickers it's a deliberate attempt to confuse.

 

[CaoPaux]

Adding link: http://pegasuspublishers.com/index.php

 

[bluebaloo79]

Any new news about this company?

Can you tell me if there has been any new news about this company this year. I see the last post was last year. I have been offered by this company to send them my novel for consideration.

Thanx

 

[IceCreamEmpress]

Can you tell me if there has been any new news about this company this year.

Are you suggesting that they might have stopped being a vanity publisher in the past year? That seems unlikely to me.

 

[bluebaloo79]

I only ask because I was informed that they have a vanity imprint and a traditional imprint.

 

[waylander]

I haven't seen any Pegasus books in bookshops or in the dealers room at UK conventions. Have you?

 

[James D. Macdonald]

You can do better.

Aim high.

 

[Momento Mori]

bluebaloo79:
I only ask because I was informed that they have a vanity imprint and a traditional imprint.

Which one are they offering you?

Commercial publishers get books into shops and don't need a vanity imprint to make money from desparate writers. If I were you, I'd look elsewhere.

MM

 

[IceCreamEmpress]

I only ask because I was informed that they have a vanity imprint and a traditional imprint.

And do bookstores know the difference? Or do they not stock the company's books (since I'm not in the UK, I don't know, but others on the thread seem to indicate that they don't)?

And would the agents or publishers you approach in the future know the difference? Or would they see the name and assume you had been vanity published?

I'm just not seeing what the benefit would be of signing a contract with a publisher that's known as a vanity publisher, even if the contract itself is an advance-paying, royalty-paying contract.

 

[bluebaloo79]

Thank you for your responses. I appreciate all the help.

 

[theskyfullofdust]

I just rejected a contributionary contract from these as well. I had no idea, to begin with, that they were vanity publishers; then I got the contract and was disappointed by what I saw.

I then asked Neil Gaiman what he thought, and he pointed me here, and I see that I was right to be suspect.

A publisher should be paying us writers for our work, not the other way round (unless you're into self-publishing, which doesn't have the same impact).

Plus, I looked at the books they had published and while I have no idea if the actual stories are any good, the book covers were awful (I can do better on my computer, and I know very little of graphic design) and none of them I recall seeing in major bookstores.

I'd avoid this company.

 

[nicolesingslave]

Geez...I read this thread too late. I went to http://pegasuspublishers.com/submissions.php was duly impressed by the titles on their site. I sent in my query in. Lo and Behold, John Pollard from PEM responded requesting for my MS. Being an unknown novelist with a 145400 words transgender baggage, I thought what the hey. Let's give this guy a try. Besides, it only cost me 60 singapore dollars (30 euros) to send them my full MS. I have a money printer in my tiny studio apartment which was rejected as a halfway home for inmates because it fell 20 cubic meters short of the prison specifications; there goes my side income. I will keep the board posted on this potential sordid tale.

 

[Silkyred]

Try looking deeper

Have people actually examined their site? I mean the books look fine and good quality to me and people only seem to like to look at the negative and not the entire story (excuse the pun) Have a look at this;
http://living.scotsman.com/books/Writing-career-kicks-off.3682218.jp

Why does everyone assume that other publishers only ever pay for new novelists and take that risk?

 

[Christine N.]

From their site:

Frequently, book publishing by many of the larger publishers only relates to established writers and those with individual celebrity status.

I call bull puckey. New and unknown authors are signed to big publishers every. single. day. With their first book? Sometimes, but usually not. Most writers write several books before they have one good enough to sell. It's called practice.

It's not that publishers only publish well-knowns and celebrities. They only publish books they think will sell many copies. Most times, that's not your book. 99.8% of all submissions are rejected. Sometimes it's not your book, but that you've submitted it to the wrong people. Try again.