Ridan Publishing

[spiderboy1888]

I am usually very against pod and epubs, but I am very impressed wtih this publisher. I would submit if they opened for submissions.

 

[foreverstamp]

I just listened to the interview with Robin Sullivan on Dead Robots http://deadrobotssociety.com/2011/0...ishing-industry-with-robin-sullivan/#comments She said that none of the Ridan authors have agents. But swhibs123 you have an agent don\'t you? your sig says you have an agent.

 

[Irysangel]

Perhaps she meant that she's not working with agents for Ridan books? So someone might have an agent, but they aren't representing the books she is publishing.

 

[AlishaS]

The book Swhib has that is coming out with Ridan was not with an agent. He subbed to them when they were open for submissions and went that way. Also another book (series) coming out with another publisher was not aquired with the help of an agent either. He also just subbed to them when they were open.
However, he does have an agent now, and aquired one with another completely different novel then the ones mentioned above.

So I would assume that what Robin meant was that she's not working with books that were brought to her by agents.

 

[profen4]

Yes, AlishaS and Irysangel are correct. I do have an agent now. I didn't have one when I submitted to Ridan and I'm not entirely sure if Robin knows I have an agent. Aside from the mention on my bio on my website I don't think I talk about it much on my blog.

I haven't had a chance to listen to the interview yet, but I believe Robin tries to make her contracts as fair as possible. I'm not sure there would be a lot of wiggle room for agents to improve the terms. 70% royalties, no locked in contract term, no sharing of subsidiary rights ...

 

[foreverstamp]

ok thank you

 

[Sheryl Nantus]

My book is slated for a fall release.

I was just wondering if we could get an update on where your book is in the system. Do you have any cover art yet, how happy are you with the editing, all that usual stuff.

Please and thank you!

 

[profen4]

Hi Sheryl, Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I haven't been to AW for a bit because ... I'M A NEW DAD!! LOL, okay, not the place for such an announcement but I'm pretty excited ;-) Please feel free to email me if I don't reply to a post on AW and I'll come do that. Between staring at my new son, and working on a couple books for a series my agent is shopping around, I don't get to AW nearly as much as I'd like.

But I'm happy to share my experience with Ridan. The rounds of edits have been really good. I'm quite pleased - I work with Robin and two other editors. It's started with big picture stuff, working mostly with Robin. I added a couple extra chapters during that stage and improved some of the characterizations. Then we moved into the more line-by-line stuff, whilst continuing to touch on the some of the broader points.

I recently finished edits on the first book in a series that will be released by LOBSTER PRESS and the editorial process with Ridan has been very similar. But I can't say how either one would compare to what happens at large presses since both RIDAN and LOBSTER would be classified as small presses. Still, I am quite pleased with how the book is shaping up.

I still have one or two rounds left with RIDAN, but those rounds have been delayed a bit. Robin recently signed on a couple big names and my publication date was given a bit of a bump. I've heard of that happening with lots of presses, so I'm really not disappointed. Plus having big names with a press helps other authors too. Overall, I'm quite excited about the direction Ridan is heading and I'm pleased to be one of their authors.

Oh, the plan is still for releasing my book this year.

On another note, Robin does send her authors regular updates about the company and how other titles are doing. I believe I'm allowed to share them here if I like. So I'll just do that, for anyone who's interested.

Lesslie Ann Moore sold 5,500 copies of her two books in July and 2,500 copies in June.

Nathan Lowell sold 7,000 copies in may, 9,000 copies in June, and 4,000 copies in July. (I believe that's across 3 titles.)

Marshall Thomas's recent sales: May 17,000 books, June 19,500 books, and July 9,000 books. (I believe that's across 6 titles)

I can't find the previous update I was sent, but I do remember that there were 5 authors selling +1000 books a month. If I track down that email I'll update who they were.

Cheers.

PS - did I mention I'm a dad? Cigars for everyone! (just don't smoke them near my kid!)

 

[Sheryl Nantus]

Yay for the new father!!!

Congrats and my best to your family!

 

[RexJameson]

Joe Haldeman signs with Ridan

Joe Haldeman appears to be starting with The Forever War, his Nebula, Locus, and Hugo award-winning novel from 1974. The Ridan site claims the ebook was released in June, but this month is the first I'm hearing about it. It's apparently done very well this month (over 1,000 sales at the 4.95 price point, according to Robin). Since she can't post over here anymore, I thought I would post an update for anyone still looking into Ridan Publishing.

 

[Sheryl Nantus]

My book is slated for a fall release.

Just wondering if we could have an update on this one. Do you have a listing up on Amazon yet, etc...

Thanks in advance!

 

[profen4]

Just wondering if we could have an update on this one. Do you have a listing up on Amazon yet, etc...

Thanks in advance!

Hi Sheryl - I don't have any updates yet. As I understand it, we're still on course for a release this year, though it'll likely be into December. As I mentioned above, my novel was bumped a bit, so there's always the chance it won't be released until the new year, but at this point I haven't heard that.

 

[Sheryl Nantus]

Hi Sheryl - I don't have any updates yet. As I understand it, we're still on course for a release this year, though it'll likely be into December. As I mentioned above, my novel was bumped a bit, so there's always the chance it won't be released until the new year, but at this point I haven't heard that.

Thanks for the update - hope the wee one is letting you and the wife sleep at least a few hours now!

 

[profen4]

Ha-Ha. He's not doing the feedings every 2 hours anymore, so that's good. But, as it is, I don't really sleep more than a couple hours a night anyway (long story, nothing to do with the baby). But he's letting my wife sleep more so that's a good thing.

 

[LIBGirl]

No offense to anyone who might be contracted with this press, but it strikes me as odd that the publisher spends so much time talking about what a success "she" is in the industry, and how successful "she" was at leveraging her husbands books into a traditional publishing contract, when it was clearly "his" agent who made the deal. Also, it's odd that they haven't had any new books come out in a very long time.

I'm a skeptic at heart, but it strikes me as odd that such a "successful" publishing house wouldn't have more titles on the market, or at least get the titles they have slated for release out on time.

http://www.thetimecavern.com/ is a website for one of their books and it looks like it's had one delay after the next. In fact, there's a statement on the site from the author indicating that they expected a release of december of last year, and now expect a release date of June or so of this year, which as we all know, has come and gone. It's nearly October and as best I can see it's still M.I.A.

If I were looking at a press, I'd want to know they'd follow through on deadlines otherwise the author is the one left looking the fool.

 

[Irysangel]

No offense to anyone who might be contracted with this press, but it strikes me as odd that the publisher spends so much time talking about what a success "she" is in the industry, and how successful "she" was at leveraging her husbands books into a traditional publishing contract, when it was clearly "his" agent who made the deal. Also, it's odd that they haven't had any new books come out in a very long time.

I'm a skeptic at heart, but it strikes me as odd that such a "successful" publishing house wouldn't have more titles on the market, or at least get the titles they have slated for release out on time.

http://www.thetimecavern.com/ is a website for one of their books and it looks like it's had one delay after the next. In fact, there's a statement on the site from the author indicating that they expected a release of december of last year, and now expect a release date of June or so of this year, which as we all know, has come and gone. It's nearly October and as best I can see it's still M.I.A.

If I were looking at a press, I'd want to know they'd follow through on deadlines otherwise the author is the one left looking the fool.

To be fair, does the author state outright that it's a delay on Ridan's part? Or is it just stated that the book is not yet ready? There are lots of reasons a book can be delayed.

A quick search on Amazon shows that Michael Sullivan's next book is already scheduled: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0979621127/?tag=absowrit-20

So I'm not sure - this could be a case of edits being needed and simply not turned in yet, or it could be something else. Robin Sullivan is banned, however, so I don't know that we'll find out a resolution unless the author stops by.

 

[Sheryl Nantus]

To be fair, does the author state outright that it's a delay on Ridan's part? Or is it just stated that the book is not yet ready? There are lots of reasons a book can be delayed.

A quick search on Amazon shows that Michael Sullivan's next book is already scheduled: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0979621127/?tag=absowrit-20

So I'm not sure - this could be a case of edits being needed and simply not turned in yet, or it could be something else. Robin Sullivan is banned, however, so I don't know that we'll find out a resolution unless the author stops by.

Well, the author says " Ridan Publishing was not able to release this next volume prior to the holidays late last year.

We hope to have it out over the next couple of months in time for early summer release. Thank you for your patience."

Make of that what you will. It says to me that there's something wrong in the production somewhere.

There's another interesting Ridan author comment here - he notes his own books being delayed. Now, that could be from anything - as noted, we're not privy to the internal dealing for Ridan.

However, given the lack of movement of the AW author below who is signed with Ridan, I would be very nervous about submitting to them at this point. I don't know if they're overwhelmed with what they have on their plate and are adjusting to deal or what, but when you have no set release date and books are bouncing around in edits without any firm committment it plays havoc with trying to set up promotion.

The fact that her husband's books are being released on schedule doesn't surprise me - they set up the company specifically to sell HIS books. As for the other authors, well... each to their own.

As usual, jmo.

 

[LIBGirl]

I'd say the fact that Robin Sullivan has an amazon page for her husband's (Michael Sullivan) book which is to be released in summer of 2012 is interesting. Especially when you consider that each of the other authors that Ridan Publishing is saying are to be published this year do not have Amazon pages. It sort of tells you where her priorities are. If Robin Sullivan manages to produce other books this year I will eat my words with a super-duper side-helping of humble pie. But I suspect that the next book to be released by Ridan will be her husbands book in 2012.

 

[Irysangel]

Yeah, I'm not really sure what to make of it either. I have a feeling we won't hear from the author, either, though.

 

[brianm]

Most unfortunate. Washing one's professional laundry in public in order to garner a few sympathy votes is never a good thing. Robin has an obligation to her authors to maintain a professional image and whether she was right, wrong, or somewhere in the middle she should never have taken her banning public.

I have been an AW member for five years and marvel at the professional decorum and patience displayed by its moderators when threads start to get out of hand. Theirs is no easy task and I have confidence in Mac and AW's moderators that when a member is banned it is not taken lightly and is always well thought out.

Robin is not only hurting her company's image and possibly burning numerous bridges, she is doing a disservice to writers across the internet who may now shun AW simply because she allowed her emotions to get the better of her.

I wish only the very best for this publisher's authors and sincerely hope Robin will think long and hard on how she acts and what she says in public in the future.

~brianm~

 

[shaldna]

No offense to anyone who might be contracted with this press, but it strikes me as odd that the publisher spends so much time talking about what a success "she" is in the industry, and how successful "she" was at leveraging her husbands books into a traditional publishing contract, when it was clearly "his" agent who made the deal.

She also has a habit of talking about the books as being 'hers' as if she wrote them. And she apparently can't decide if her hubby is self published or not, which doesn't inspire confidence.

However, the company has done the job it was set up for, which was to sell Michael's books. It's had a couple of other decent sellers from established authors, but it will be interesting to see what happens now that Michael has jumped ship to go to Orbit.

I'm a skeptic at heart, but it strikes me as odd that such a "successful" publishing house wouldn't have more titles on the market, or at least get the titles they have slated for release out on time.

Things happen though. I think they are growing at a sensible rate, a small press that's just started shouldn't take on more books than they can handle. My hubby's press is only putting out three or four books this year, which is plenty for a press that size. The worst thing you could do would be to stretch yourself too thin, grow too quickly and not be able to cope with it.

Delays happen, and it's not always the publisher that is at fault. There can be delays at the printers, or the copyediting, or the cover artist is ill and is a couple of weeks behind, or there's a lorry stike or a postal strike or warehouse fire or a mix up in the shipping or the oder numbers etc etc etc.

I don't know if they're overwhelmed with what they have on their plate and are adjusting to deal or what, but when you have no set release date and books are bouncing around in edits without any firm committment it plays havoc with trying to set up promotion.

Agreed. A vague idea and no set date, even if that date is subject to change, makes it difficult to plan or even drum up interest in a title.

The fact that her husband's books are being released on schedule doesn't surprise me - they set up the company specifically to sell HIS books. As for the other authors, well... each to their own.

Doesn't suprise me either.

I'd say the fact that Robin Sullivan has an amazon page for her husband's (Michael Sullivan) book which is to be released in summer of 2012 is interesting. Especially when you consider that each of the other authors that Ridan Publishing is saying are to be published this year do not have Amazon pages.

Authors set up their own amazon pages.

Most unfortunate. Washing one's professional laundry in public in order to garner a few sympathy votes is never a good thing. Robin has an obligation to her authors to maintain a professional image and whether she was right, wrong, or somewhere in the middle she should never have taken her banning public.

And this should tell you just about everything you need to know about her professionally. Now, granted she's been quite sucessful in what she's done, but her behaviour means that there are an awful lot of people who wouldn't deal with her. Professional is as professional does.

 

[priceless1]

Agreed. A vague idea and no set date, even if that date is subject to change, makes it difficult to plan or even drum up interest in a title.

The few times I've had to delay the release of a title, it was due to editing - it was taking longer than we'd expected, so we had to push it off a month. The first thing we do is always establish the new release date - both to put the author's mind at ease and to rearrange our publicity and promotion.

Robin said that her company doesn't worry about bookstore placement, so she probably isn't hindered with having to establish which season a book will be released, getting the title into the catalogues, and getting the ARCs out to reviewers four months before the release date. This allows her more freedom to release a book within a couple months, provided everything goes well with editing. Being with Consortium, I don't have that ability to turn on a dime.

The one thing everyone should consider is sales. Robin says her marketing isn't geared toward selling to the stores, and the fact that she's printing through Lightening Source would bear that out. But it also makes hard to verify sales. However, if authors are happy with the results, who are we to argue? I would think her authors would be the first to scream bloody murder if she were exaggerating the number of sales.

All that aside, she offered some odd advice in the self-pubbing thread that left me scratching my head. When she was called on it, she assumed the role of victim. Not quite sure how that helps her reputation, but the proof is in the sales. It'll be interesting to see whether the debut authors enjoy the same kind of marketing treatment and subsequent sales. I certainly hope so. It would also be interesting to hear what kind of publicity and promotion she employs to garner such lovely sales.

 

[Irysangel]

I do think she does a good job with selling books for her authors. And if you had a SF/Fantasy series you were looking to e-publish with, I think you could probably do really well with her company. All of her authors seem to be enjoying some measure of success and seem happy with their results, and she's stated repeatedly that they can leave their contracts at any point, which is nice as an author.

If the author is unhappy with Ridan, according to Robin's discussion of her contracts, he can leave at any time, no harm, no foul. Since he hasn't, it could be that the editing is taking longer like mentioned above. Lord knows I've had a few books take WAY longer than they should.

 

[Irysangel]

Authors set up their own amazon pages.

I think the page in question isn't an Author Page, but a pre-order to order the first book in his urban fantasy series which will be released by Ridan in June 2012.

Or...can authors set up pre-orders?

 

[brianm]

And this should tell you just about everything you need to know about her professionally.

I disagree. Every business owner makes mistakes. I've owned two successful brick and mortar businesses and I know how tempting it can be to think you know everything about the industry you are in after your company gains its initial success.

IMO, the biggest mistake Robin is making is in not listening to the opinions of those who have been successful in the publishing industry for many years. These people have already seen many changes in the industry and they would not still be successful if they weren't willing to adapt and change.

One always learns more from listening than you do from talking. And with that, I shall stop talking.

~brianm~