Stardust Press

[crafted]

Hello,

Stardust Press is a new epublisher, yet for as long as they have been on the net open for submissions (which is over two months) they only have two authors.


When you compare this to other epublishers that started up about the same time, with a waiting line to get into their submission queue, does this smell not quite right to you?


Another thing, when they have been asked on repeated accounts when they were opening for business, they were unsure on that date???


Some one pointed out maybe they are picky? Okay, look at Mojocastle or Samhain...both are extremely picky, but there are many wonderful writers with stories waiting to be told already in their stable...again...only two authors listed at Stardust Press' site.

Crafted.

 

[veinglory]

It smells completely fine to me. Any place that can review, edit, get cover art and put a bunch of books online in under two months *would* worry me. Samhain is new but they have been going much longer than two months.

 

[triceretops]

Well, it looks kinda okay to me, too. I just wish it was print. I have nothing against e-pubs, but I rather explore the print houses first.

Tri

 

[James D. Macdonald]

I'd consider a start-up e-publisher only after my book had already been submitted to and rejected by everyone else in Writers' Market.

 

[CaoPaux]

Heh. All things considered (including my dislike of yellow), they seem to a better grasp of epubbing than most. Which could be damning with faint praise, considering the gawdawful state of most epub ventures.

Anyway, they look to have fair-to-decent editing. But I will contest their claim of "stunning cover arts". *cough*

 

[crafted]

One note on this publisher: I found out through another author that they are based in Singapore and all contract disputes and legal actions must be addressed in Singapore.

 

[Kai]

Hey veinglory, is that you? *waves happily*

I'm new here, and I'm glad I discovered this place. I think it's good that there's a place where authors and aspiring authors can come together to share knowledge and information.

I feel I need to say a word of fairness here, both to my publisher StarDust Press, my fellow authors, and to all aspiring authors out there, based on my experiences.

StarDust Press is a new epublisher, but like veinglory had said, I can see that they're starting out slowly but surely. I'm comfortable with the management, and from what I can see, they do have plans to market the company and the authors and the authors' books. As an author, that for me is a great relief. Being in the industry for nigh on 2 years, I do know that I'm expected to do my own marketing and to get my name out there, and I have been doing so and will continue to do so. Nevertheless, it gives me a measure of comfort that I am not alone in my efforts, and that my publisher is also doing its part to advertise and market me and my books.

Another thing about StarDust is that they pay US$50 advance. This is in the contract. As an author, it gives me a good feeling, not because of the amount (which is not really a lot), but because it signifies the publisher's faith in my work.

Regarding the authors, there are 5 of us now in the authors' group, and I expect more are coming. We are rather a quiet bunch, although the chat group is getting livelier these days. So come and join us:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stardustpress-chat/

Or if you're the type who just wants to receive news, you may join our mailing list at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stardustpress-mailinglist/

Regarding Singapore, I personally don't see that as a problem. I did think long and hard before signing with them, but in the end, I realized that with the Internet, geographical barriers have been torn down. As long as more and more people are made aware of ebooks, the whole world is our marketplace! That's billions and billions of people. Moreover, I think StarDust, being in Asia, is well poised to create awareness of ebooks in that part of the globe. And if you're afraid of copyright violations, forget it. Singapore is a first world country and it has tough laws and strict implementation on piracy and such things. I do a lot of travelling in my day job, and I've been there, so I know. Aside from the fact that I also did my own research.

I hope I've cleared up some of the questions that have been raised.

 

[veinglory]

I have heard unconfirmed reports that this press is closing at the end of the month.

 

[Chicken Warrior]

I wouldn't be surprised. Any epub that pays advances is probably shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[veinglory]

Only if their average book makes less than their average advance. Samhain pays twice as much and I expect them to still be around in a few years, or decades.

 

[Moondancer Drake]

Okay, I got the facts on SDP. It's too much to post here. You are invited to my blog to read the details for yourself

http://moondancerdrake.livejournal.com/

 

[CaoPaux]

The specific post http://moondancerdrake.livejournal.com/7618.html#cutid1, including SDP's official statement re: closing Sept 30. Not a word of this on their website, though.

 

[veinglory]

The closing has been confirmed on other sites including dearauthor.com