I wanted to post here about the experience I had with Roane Publishing back in the beginning of the year (before I learned about Absolute Write and the water cooler, sadly).
I submitted to one of their anthologies, and got accepted. I'd had some hesitation before I submitted--their previous anthologies on Amazon had no reviews, and the website was not awesome, but I thought I'd give it a go.
The contract didn't look awesome. I've been published in anthos put out by Circlet Press and Cleis, so I am used to getting a set payment for my story; I didn't love the idea of a profit share instead, but okay. I noticed the kill fees that were laid out--one for editing, and separate one for the cover--but didn't realize how much trouble they would cause me.
I should note that the cover was already designed when submissions were requested, and was part of the call.
I got back my first pass edit and was shocked. Again, I'm not stranger to editing, but I'm more used to seeing "This paragraph is inconsistent for x reasons, fix it," whereas what I got back was the editor rewriting my story.
I argued several of the changes, and on some, the editor was willing to make changes, but on some others, she rudely informed me that I knew nothing about publishing, and needed to follow "house style", which was the first I'd heard of a house style guide.
I protested to the acquiring editor I'd originally spoken to, and she told me she didn't see the problem, and that she could take over my editing if I wanted, or I could work with the editor I had.
At that point, I lost my temper and requested my rights back. I started googling the company, found this thread, and realized that Rebecca Hart was the editor I'd been working with. A little research acquainted me with her writing style, and unsurprisingly, my story had been edited to look just like that.
The acquiring editor send my contract termination request to the "company owner" with no acknowledgment that this was the editor I'd been working with, and I got back an email asking me for the kill fee.
I challenged the kill fee, stating that the cover had already been designed, and therefore in no way could I be held liable for it, and the editing was substandard and not professional, and did not meet the contract definition of what was supposed to be provided. (The last one was a long shot, I admit). I also said, quite plainly, that while it was absolutely within their rights to publish the story without my okay--I'd signed the contract, after all--it would really just be better for all of us to walk away from this.
The message I got back from Rebecca acknowledged the termination of my contract because she "Frankly, could not be bothered to care."
I was seriously unimpressed, and would warn friends away from further calls with the company.
