[Publisher] Iron Cauldron books

[Mayusan]

Has anyone heard of this company? I did a search and didn't see a thread made dedicated to them yet.

here is their website.

http://www.ironcauldronbooks.com/

and here is a link to a book I found on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615204562/?tag=absowrit-20

it looks like it got pretty good reviews... but the lack of a website kind of concerns me. Most other publishers have a catalog of the books they have published... they only list 2 books, both from the same author. They don't mention anything about self-publishing, or POD... but still.

So I thought I'd see if anyone has heard of this company.

 

[michael_b]

They look really really small. A search for their traffic stats on Alexa comes up with no statistics so no measurable traffic so nothing to drive sales from their site to Amazon.

Two niche market witchcraft based books released since 2007? Even by small press standards that's too few books in that length of time. There's no way to build a readership for their company on two books in 4 years.

 

[Mayusan]

that's kind of what I thought. I was a little surprised that they've been in business since 2007, but only have 2 books (by the same author) listed. I thought maybe I was missing something, which is why I thought I'd ask.

 

[CaoPaux]

Yep, the sole author is also the owner.

 

[Mayusan]

I found that to be kind of weird, that no mention of any other books published other than the owner's own books.

I guess I'll pass on this one. I was going to send a query... but there's no real information. I don't know if they're a POD, self-publish or traditional publisher, there is no mention of any other works from other authors or a catalog of other books for sale.

it all seems 'to easy'. Oh well. thanks for the info guys.

 

[michael_b]

Yep, the sole author is also the owner.

Noticed that too.

 

[IceCreamEmpress]

Looks like a personal nanopress that's trying to branch out. I find the website language to be a bit misleading, especially "Top Sellers" being applied to the two books published to date by the owner/publisher/writer.

Especially with mystery and paranormal, where there are so many well-established small houses in addition to the Big Six houses, why take a chance and be a brand-new publisher's guinea pig?

 

[Mayusan]

I'm trying to find publishers that accept non-agent sent manuscripts... but it's actually pretty hard. Most I've found are self-publishing companies which I just don't want to deal with. It's just not my thing... and the agent I have currently working on another project doesn't handle mystery/paranormal books, and says he doesn't have the contacts to help get it published because it's just not his genre.

I was hoping to find a publisher I could talk to on my own, and have him look over a contract should it come to that... but it's not working out well. I have less contacts than he does.

That's when I came across this publisher. but I was leery. Glad I wasn't the only one who kind of hesitated at the site.

any suggestions per chance?

 

[IceCreamEmpress]

Mayusan, I'll send you a PM with a list of publishers that accept unagented submissions in mystery and paranormal. I'm also going to share some concerns I have about how your agent is handling this.

 

[Mayusan]

thanks. I'll keep an eye out for your PM. I appreciate it.

As for the agent... don't get me wrong. He's not asking me to do everything and then he'll finalize things. He was very up front that this wasn't his genre and he just wouldn't be able to handle it for me since he doesn't have the expertise to promote the book to publishers, nor the list of publishers who delve in paranormal books. I think he was waiting for me to ask to be released from our agreement... I'm just really bad at that sort of thing. I feel guilty... So I took it upon myself to do it this way hoping if I found a publisher, he could work out the contract for me when it came time.

don't get me wrong, I'm kind of at the point where I'm ready to move on to an agent who can help out in this genre. I just have to get over that guilty feeling. I've got the nerves of steel to handle rejection, I just don't have the nerves to do the rejecting.

 

[CaoPaux]

Website now has more info and more books.

 

[Mayusan]

I just wanted to do a quick update. I did query the publisher and they were extremely friendly, but their communication needs work.

in the early stages, they were extremely enthusiastic about everything. The proposal was awesome, the partial was great, they couldn't wait to see the full manuscript, if I emailed them, they would email me within hours or the next day if it were after business hours... In the end they told me everything was in order and they were having a meeting about it that night and would contact me immediately... then they stopped all communications.

I emailed them 3 times throughout the next several weeks after they said they were making their decision. The final email was to thank them for their time, but it was obvious they were not interested and I was taking my project elsewhere.

It was like they fell off the face of the earth. I never received a rejection letter or email... not even a formed, generic one. After how talkative and excited they were... which gave me a lot of false hope, it would have been nice to at least hear the 'no' instead of being left in the lurch.

However, it is what it is, and whatever. I have one publisher who currently has the full... so moving on. lol

 

[HistorySleuth]

Kind of expensive $19.95 for a pocket book. Some of the titles don't come up when you goggle them except at Cauldron Books.

 

[kelliewallace]

my submission was rejected almost straight away...Humph!

 

[HistorySleuth]

I wouldn't be too upset. I only found a couple books on amazon -- the rest no where not even in a google search (other than their own website.) So if they took your book it would be a waste because no one would see it to buy it.

 

[Mayusan]

I had considered that... my main problem is that the biggest issue publishers have had with my book is how localized the book's topic is. so I figured, find a small publisher willing to take it on, and do some of the promotional leg work myself.

I'm not even upset about a rejection. I just got a rather terse rejection a few days ago. It would just be nice if they would go from 0 to 180 instead of 180 to 0 as they say. I prefer to hear the rejection over "AWESOME, EXCITED, HERE WE GO - nothing, no response."

But it just leaves me open to submit to a bigger publisher who may actually want to publish the book.

 

[CaoPaux]

"New and Forthcoming" are all from '12/'13. Anyone have recent contact?