Tate Publishing

[Momento Mori]

brianm:
The Christian Storyteller is run by Leon Mentzer, a Tate author. He's registered as Leon R. Mentzer on AW and has made numerous posts in support of Tate in this thread.

Looking at The Christian Storyteller website, it might justify a separate thread on these boards. There's a lot of hyperbole and misinformation on there and it's charging for membership and advertising space.

I'd be interested to know more about Leon's links with The Write Agenda, given that his Christian Storyteller site identifies them as a "positive and professional website for author" whereas P&E, AW and (unbelievably) the Science Fiction Writers of America are all listed as having "bad credibility".

Leon might want to remember that a man is judged by the company that he keeps ...

MM

 

[ResearchGuy]

I type "A.C. Crispin" in Google, Amazon, and B&N, and I get books right away. Took me all of fifteen seconds, too. I'd love to know what definition of "diligent" they were using.

It is approximately as hard to find commercially published books by A.C. Crispin as it is to find grass on a lawn. Just look.

--Ken

 

[James D. Macdonald]

The con artist's greatest talent is telling the marks what they want to hear.

 

[Chris P]

I wonder if "family oriented" is a code phrase, one of those things that's meaningful in a particular subculture. I've seen it used in combination with "Christian-based" (something Tate uses on its website) to clue in evangelical Protestants that here is someone trustworthy in a wicked and profane world.

It's a nasty way to play on a subculture's mistrust of outsiders and tendency to overtrust insiders.

The thing about "family oriented" is that the precise definition is in the eye of the beholder. I do not know upon what content grounds Tate would refuse to publish a book (Same-sex sex? Excessive profanity? I don't know), but I do know they are publishing one book that is heavy on magic, which some Christians find very offensive. It's the only Tate book I have read, so I can't say what the rest of the titles are like.

 

[IceCreamEmpress]

Anyway: the blog that Publishing Facts likes belongs to one Terry Cordingley who, according to his Facebook and Twitter profiles, is the Associate Director of Marketing at Tate Publishing.

Is that the same Terry who was all over the Living Waters Publishing thread as "allabouttheindustry"?

 

[JulieB]

It is approximately as hard to find commercially published books by A.C. Crispin as it is to find grass on a lawn. Just look.

Easier, if you live in drought-ravaged Texas as I do. ;-)

 

[victoriastrauss]

I'd be interested to know more about Leon's links with The Write Agenda, given that his Christian Storyteller site identifies them as a "positive and professional website for author" whereas P&E, AW and (unbelievably) the Science Fiction Writers of America are all listed as having "bad credibility".

Apparently my lack of credibility is due, at least in part, to my occasional use of four-letter words.

- Victoria

 

[Maryn]

Fuck that shit.

Maryn, who's got your back

 

[Calla Lily]

And there goes another keyboard.

 

[JulieB]

I just clicked Victoria's link and this was at the bottom of the page:

"Life is too short to be mean and speak nasty words".
If you blog then be professional enough to post your real name. We value your advice and opinions.

There went the keyboard, the mouse, the monitor, and everything. ;-)

P.S. If you want to know who I am, click through. I'm not hiding anything.

 

[Gillhoughly]

I type "A.C. Crispin" in Google, Amazon, and B&N, and I get books right away. Took me all of fifteen seconds, too. I'd love to know what definition of "diligent" they were using.

Perhaps they tried searching using one of these:

​

 

[M. Scott]

I saw an advertisement for Tate on Absolute Write today...checked it out. No query guidelines, no description of what markets they're after other than "Christian." You just upload your manuscript.

Silly little me, I figured I would upload my MS and see if there were any other red flags. An instant video told me to call their founder...um, no. Even if they went by the books, I'd be turned off by a company whose head honcho spends time on the phone with everyone who submitted.

As for the $4,000 fee, there is NO way it costs them that much to get a book out. I used to be a workflow manager for a local printing company (assembling materials that got shipped to schools nationwide. We made the covers, printed the pages/guts, collated and bound materials, etc) and that number is just insane....

 

[MichaelZWilliamson]

REVENGE OF THE DWEEB (31k words) - 11 rejections, 2 fulls requested

Alright, if that gets published, let me know. I'll buy it for my kids based on the title alone.

 

[M. Scott]

Alright, if that gets published, let me know. I'll buy it for my kids based on the title alone.

I've been slow querying it and have been pushing my latest MG one while mapping out some commercial work. If you want, PM me and I can always send you a PDF of the text. One kid on the east coast really enjoyed it and getting various reactions is always helpful.

 

[Old Hack]

As for the $4,000 fee, there is NO way it costs them that much to get a book out. I used to be a workflow manager for a local printing company (assembling materials that got shipped to schools nationwide. We made the covers, printed the pages/guts, collated and bound materials, etc) and that number is just insane....

It might not cost that much to get a book printed, but it does cost a lot more than that to get a book published if you're doing it properly: the costs of editing, copy editing, design, permissions, typesetting, etc. all add up.

Not that Tate is going to do all those things for the books it publishes, you understand, but still.

 

[Gillhoughly]

For 4K dollars I'll edit the book, format it for CreateSpace, Kindle, etc. and design a cover that looks good in postage stamp size.

The writer doesn't have to buy any copies and keeps the rights. The book will look good and read better.

I keep the four thousand bucks. It's about 3000 too much (considering my cheap editing rate) but if someone wants to pay it, I've got a mortgage to feed.

I'm one hell a a lot more qualified to do the job RIGHT than "Doctor" Dick and his crew of Jesus-pimping con artists.

I don't go to God's fan club meetings on Sundays, but it sticks in my craw when a lying thief poses as a Christian to lure in more victims. That's just wrong and their support of The Write Agenda is flat out shameful.

 

[Old Hack]

Gill, you're pricing your skills too low. Other than that, you're right on the button.

 

[Gillhoughly]

I know it and I'm still not getting any business. It's okay, I'm busy with other stuff at present.

 

[Deb Kinnard]

I wonder if "family oriented" is a code phrase, one of those things that's meaningful in a particular subculture. I've seen it used in combination with "Christian-based" to clue in evangelical Protestants that here is someone trustworthy in a wicked and profane world.

It's a nasty way to play on a subculture's mistrust of outsiders and tendency to overtrust insiders.

"Family oriented" is a phrase some (not all--please!) Christians invoke when someone uses language the more delicate of us don't care for. And yes, it's nasty. After all, only we Christians have families or values, and we don't want them polluted when a fellow writer uses a perfectly valid Anglo-Saxon word.

I've had it with these types. As Calla so rightly pointed out, they do not speak for the rest of us Christians and cannot step into those shoes anytime soon. Once they elect me Queen, I'll put a stop to it.

 

[MichaelZWilliamson]

Once they elect me Queen, I'll put a stop to it.

No way. Dictator or nothing. I don't believe in half measures.

 

[Calla Lily]

Nuh-uh.

Goddess. I want it all, baby!

 

[Chris P]

It might not cost that much to get a book printed, but it does cost a lot more than that to get a book published if you're doing it properly: the costs of editing, copy editing, design, permissions, typesetting, etc. all add up.

Not that Tate is going to do all those things for the books it publishes, you understand, but still.

I'm told Tate justifies the $4000 by claiming they spend $20,000+ of their own money per title and are therefore recouping only a portion of their investment. I've not seen this in writing from Tate, so take that as the small-town gossip it might be.

 

[ResearchGuy]

I'm told Tate justifies the $4000 by claiming they spend $20,000+ of their own money per title . . . .

Sure. Put that in the same fairy-tale category as his "doctorate."

--Ken

 

[MichaelZWilliamson]

Goddess? You don't get elected goddess. I mean, just because some watery tart throws a sword at you...

Oh, sorry. Wrong script.

 

[Calla Lily]

Help! Help! I'm bein' repressed!