[Publisher] Hard Shell Word Factory

[BooksBooks]

This epublisher has not published anything new in at least three years. The web site is not operational. Authors are still waiting for royalty statements for the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2010 and many authors have not yet been paid royalties for the 4th quarter of 2009 or for 2010 royalties. Yes, HSWF is in new hands, but it has been over a year and a half now since the transfer to a new owner.

 

[BooksBooks]

I forgot to mention--it certainly does seem that they are under-reporting on royalties also, so being "off" by 50% fits in there, only it seems to be off by even more than that.

 

[CaoPaux]

Coulda sworn I already added a link here. I blame sunspots. http://www.hardshell.com/

 

[Jersey Shaw]

Coulda sworn I already added a link here. I blame sunspots. http://www.hardshell.com/

Mundania Press acquired Hard Shell, so will one of the mods list it under that thread? While I'm at it, I'm not sure if New Classics still exists, but Mundania acquired Awe Struck Books, as well.

 

[CaoPaux]

Ah, that's what it is. I'd merged this with Mundania back on the 6th, but it got split out again. I guess we'll keep it separate for the time being to avoid being lost in the morass.

 

[BooksBooks]

Mundania - Hard Shell Word Factory

Mundania bought HSWF in 2009. Since then the "new" web site is still "under construction." No new books have been released, not even books that had been scheduled and ready to go before the sale.

Royalties have been sporadic at best. While authors finally received some for the last quarter of 2009 and last two quarters of 2010, most have not received royalties or even statements for the first half of 2010.

Questions are usually answered with "we're working on it." Questions have to be asked online with a ticket with the warning that duplicate tickets will be deleted (even though they take weeks, if ever, to answer). That, or a sort of "poor us" attitude, as if authors are expecting too much too soon.

 

[CaoPaux]

Still nothing new on either Hard Shell's or Mundania's site. Anyone hear anything to indicate this is an active imprint?

 

[J.S.F.]

CaoPaux,

I often go to Piers Anthony's site to see what's happening in the e-pub world and he said the same thing. Seems both Hard Shell and Mundania are way overbooked. I don't know if one merged with the other but for now, they may not be accepting new ideas.

 

[viridian6]

any new info on Hard Shell? P&E has them listed as "highly recommended."
honestly, their website is a serious turnoff.

 

[CaoPaux]

Going by Amazon listings, they haven't published anything since 2008.

 

[Gravity]

If they haven't published anything in six years, I'd say they're deader'n Kelsey's nuts.

 

[veinglory]

Hard Shell was a preeminent epublishing pioneer who contributed a lot in their day. But I think it is now fair to say that they effectively do not exist other than being the symbolic home of backlist books.

 

[triceretops]

Well said, Veinglory.

 

[Robin Bayne]

It's been about 4-5 years since I last got a royalty check from them. Maybe longer?