Triskelion Publishing

[donnai]

I'm looking for any info anyone has on Charles Tolbert, an attorney and agent in New York. I e-mailed a query to him, stating that Triskelion has accepted my manuscript and he e-mailed back that he wants me to send him everything I get from Triskelion so he can represent me. That's very nice, but don't I have to have a contractual agreement with him before he starts representing me??!!
He's recommended in predators and editors and seems to be on the level, but I want to be sure that if I chose him, I'm making a good choice. Several other agents are currently reviewing the same material, but I haven't heard from them yet.
Thanks!!
Donna
[email protected]

 

[CaoPaux]

This Triskelion? http://www.triskelion.commercefactory.com/ I wouldn't think many agents'd be interested in working with a POD/ebook outfit. Are advance and royalties enough to make it worth their commission?

In any case, Tolbert's legit. Best of luck!

 

[RoccoMom]

Does anyone here know if Triskelion Publishing places thier books in actual brick and mortar stores, or are they strictly an online/POD publisher?

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Their web page says: "All Titles are available through your local bookseller, Amazon.com and Booksamillion.com"

That sounds very much like a Special Order Only deal.

 

[veinglory]

I believe they POD

 

[Aconite]

Folks, please check the Index to see if there's already a thread on a publisher or agent before starting a new one, as requested in the big banner across the top of the forum. This thread will be merged with the existing Triskelion Publishing thread: <old link snipped>

 

[Stacia Kane]

Hi, I know I'm dredging up an old thread but I wanted to say Triskelion isn't POD. They do place their books in the brick-and-mortars.

They're just quite small, but they've recently hired a PR firm and are really trying to grow.

 

[IHeartWriting]

They may be small, but they are a RWA recognized publisher.

 

[Aconite]

The romance e-books I see listed are from Triskelion Press, not Triskelion Publishing. Which is the RWA-recognized publisher?

ETA: Actually, digging a little more, what I'm seeing is a Triskelion Press that publishes something other than e-romance, and some books listed as being published by Triskelion Press that point back to Triskelion Publishing.

 

[Marlys]

Triskelion Publishing is the one on the RWA's list of recognized publishers.

 

[veinglory]

The books by them that I saw looked like POD trade paperbacks not an offset print run?

 

[Stacia Kane]

No, they really are offset print, they do small print runs but they do do them.

 

[veinglory]

I know they do print runs but I thought it was as print to demand --so still in the same format as PODs (TPB)? Just trying to sort this one out for my own curiousity.

Okay, I must be either confusing them with somebody else or very out of date. their pricing is defintiely for standard paperbacks. Looks promising.

 

[Richard White]

TPB doesn't always mean POD.

The Star Trek series I'm writing for is going to Trade Paperback size to get our e-novellas out in paperback format as quick as is reasonably possible, since Pocket cut back to one ST mass-market paperback a month, and they're definitely going to be offset printed.

 

[darkmagic]

ASAP
Does anyone have information on Triskelion Publishing? I don't want to reveal my reasons for asking but would like to know if its a good idea to sign with them.

 

[Cathy C]

In a word--yes. Triskelion is an up-and-coming epublisher who is quickly moving into the trade print world. They were recently admitted as an "approved" publisher by Romance Writers of America, which has VERY strict standards about who they give that title. Those standards include:

Books must be published by a publisher that (1) is not a subsidy or vanity publisher, (2) has been releasing books via national distribution for a minimum of one year, and (3) has sold a minimum of 1,500 hardcover or trade paperback copies or 5,000 copies in any other format, including print on demand, of a single romance novel or novella or collection of novellas in book form, in bona fide arms-length transactions.

"National distribution" means you can find the books in bookstores--they can't just be on Amazon, B&N and the publisher's own website. The quantity of books sold per TITLE means there's a standard of quality that authors can trust.

The company actively markets the books through print advertising in national level magazines (Realms of Fantasy, Heavy Metal and Romantic Times spring to mind) and has distributor contacts. I know quite a few people who are being published with this company, and they're very happy there.

Good luck!

 

[darkmagic]

Thanks!
The problem is, I was told by a lwayer that their contract is bad. Truth, this is my first offer and first contract. I want to write but I don't know if I should sign the contract.

 

[Cathy C]

I haven't read their contract, but all contracts are negotiable. And is your attorney a PUBLISHING attorney, or a contracts attorney? They're very different animals.

If there's something you find objectionable, suggest a revision. You might be surprised that they'll change it. Most all publisher's contracts stink at the beginning (at least as far as protecting the AUTHOR'S interests! LOL!)

Still, not every publisher is a good fit for every author. It might be you want to keep looking. But if there's something really objectionable, it would be nice to know about it here so we can discuss it (or you can PM me the details, if you'd like to keep it more private.)

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Does the lawyer specialize in publishing?

 

[darkmagic]

No, he doesn't. Basically I was told that I wouldn't have any rights to the book especially my characters. I've told by best-selling authors to never give away your rights to your characters.
Now the lawyer did tell me to get an agent.

 

[Cathy C]

Unfortunately, an agent probably won't want to take this on to sell to Triskelion. They don't pay advances presently, and agents prefer to negotiate with publishers who do.

 

[James D. Macdonald]

I too would love to see those clauses in the contract.

 

[veinglory]

I suspect a misunderstanding on the lawyer's part. No doubt there is some mention of other works in the same world being offered to them first? A few places do ask that but it tends to be negotiable.

 

[JanDarby]

How about posting the clauses you're concerned about? I know folks who've signed with Triskelion, but I haven't heard from them about problems with their contract, which doesn't necessarily mean the contract is great, just that I haven't happened to hear complaints.

ETA: I googled "Triskelion contract" and didn't come up with any complaints in the first few pages of results.

You might want to check out the following link to a list of "red flags" in a publishing contract, just in the interest of helping you to know what to look for yourself. http://www.epicauthors.org/redflags.html

JD

 

[darkmagic]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to sit down tonight and reread everything in the contract. As for the the Character rights, should I just ask Triskelion where they stand on this issue?