Capri Publishing

Popeyesays · Oct 1, 2006

"3) Book signings: You’ll have a much harder time getting signings/readings because of the lack of print runs (and no return policy?). Many stores won’t do POD signings because it’s too iffy as to whether the books will arrive in time. "

She keeps small inventories on hand for shipping. The return policy is in place and discounts are 40-55%.

I won't get six months of advance work, more like three. I don't mind working to help get regional distribution.

Starting a small press business is like starting any business. If you don't have a significant bankroll, your day job may be important to you. Part time doesn't bother me.

Your press strikes me as a fine one. I write genre fiction and you don't publish that, therefore I didn't submit there. If I'd had the chance to do so, I would have.

As to not wanting to wait so long in the submission process, I think that's relative to the age of the writer. I'l be sixty next year. Submitting to Baen, then Tor would be a two year wait just to hear whether or not they want the book. Even if I hit at the first of those houses, it would be two more years before my book was released, waiting til I'm 63 to see the book hit print DOES seem a long time to me; that's subjective of course, but that's my point of view. Is it that unreasonable?

Regards,
Scott

soloset · Oct 1, 2006

Jennifer Robins said:
Further more, I checked some of the books with some publishers here on this thread and I don't see anyone setting the world on fire, so no one really should have anything to say after all. if you live in a glass house, don't throw stones.

I don't have to step into a hole to recognize one. Nor do I need to have a current bestseller in order to make the decision to avoid a publishing company that doesn't have the system in place required to produce one.

Regardless, it's pretty obvious that Capri is a micro-publisher. Will this count as a professional credit?

Glenda · Oct 1, 2006

I emailed a few authors from Mundania, Capri and LBF and they had not received enough royalty to brag about either. Maybe I'm wrong here, but after all the checking into these publishers or small presses, whatever, I can not see that much difference in Capri, Mundania and LBF along with some others. I went to the source of the authors, emailing questions. All but one that I emailed answered all my questions.

triceretops · Oct 1, 2006

Folks, I have been thinking about this issue for the past six months. We DESPERATELY need to define and list our favorite AND profitible small press publishers. I would love to create an entire thread that caters to SF and Fantasy, but maybe we can include them all. We need to list them and examine their operations, as far as can be gleaned from current authors that have books out by these companies. How would we define a legitimate, worthwhile small/independent press?

Small advance ($200 and up?)
Catalog
Returns
Large to deep discount? 45% to 60%
National distributor?
Offset print run or POD?
Fair contract
Good royalty percentage with esculating clause?

I think you get the idea. Because of the internet, just about anybody can now own their own label, and many of them start by publishing their own books. This can be a mine field. I'm seeing literally hundreds of these small outfits that function a few notches above PA, and more are appearing every day! I've fallen into a few ruts myself, as I currently have a trunk novel under submission with some of them.

Is anybody up for this type of list? We can call it the best 50 independent labels, and perhaps have a seperate catagory for e-pubs.
Anybody with me on this?

Tri

soloset · Oct 2, 2006

I could provide a script backend if you wanted to do a separate website. I'm not writing in the SF field right now, but I do have a couple of scripts lying around doing nothing.

Either way, I think this is a great idea, assuming nobody knows of something similar already in existence.

veinglory · Oct 2, 2006

New thread time?

victoriastrauss · Oct 2, 2006

Tri, add to your list: Reviews in professional industry and genre journals (PW, Booklist, Library Journal, ocus, Chronicle, Romantic Times, etc.). This means the publisher is sending out galleys/ARCs in advance of publication, which is something that any publisher with serious intent will not neglect to do.

I'm hoping that the discussion has gotten over its hostile hiccup and will remain cordial.

- Victoria

Sheryl Nantus · Oct 2, 2006

my concern here is that people seem to have *no* idea about how to research a publisher. If all you want are large royalties, then publish via Lulu and get it all for yourself. If you're worried about dying before you get printed, then go to Lulu and get it done within the month.

and, frankly, I find it unbelievable that within 24 hours someone contacted numerous authors from the three publishers listed and received personal financial data. Heck, you can't get a PA author to disclose their fat royalty check and suddenly you have authors handing this sort of information out to a stranger?

I stand by my statement that Mundania is a legitimate small publisher and much more organized than Capri, who seems to be running on good wishes and prayers - fine for printing cookbooks for your local church group, but hardly in the same league as Mundania or other small presses at this point.

all small publishers are *not* alike, as we can see over on the Tico thread.

soloset · Oct 2, 2006

I took the liberty of making a new thread for discussing a SF-themed publisher list over in networking (seemed appropriate to the sub-forum description, anyway -- maybe Bewares would have been a better choice?).

I think it's a great idea, by the way. Not every publisher is right for every author, but it'd be nice to have an idea which ones are which.

Popeyesays · Oct 2, 2006

Sheryl Nantus said:
my concern here is that people seem to have *no* idea about how to research a publisher. If all you want are large royalties, then publish via Lulu and get it all for yourself. If you're worried about dying before you get printed, then go to Lulu and get it done within the month.

and, frankly, I find it unbelievable that within 24 hours someone contacted numerous authors from the three publishers listed and received personal financial data. Heck, you can't get a PA author to disclose their fat royalty check and suddenly you have authors handing this sort of information out to a stranger?

I stand by my statement that Mundania is a legitimate small publisher and much more organized than Capri, who seems to be running on good wishes and prayers - fine for printing cookbooks for your local church group, but hardly in the same league as Mundania or other small presses at this point.

all small publishers are *not* alike, as we can see over on the Tico thread.

I agree Mundania is a fine press.
Personally, I don't plan to push up daisies from beneath anytime soon. However your comment aimed at me is at least annoying. You don't want to submit somewhere--don't. I respect your choice. How about quid for the quo?

Regards,
Scott

Sheryl Nantus · Oct 2, 2006

my comment was not aimed specifically at you, but at others who have mentioned their concerns about age - today's medical technology has pushed our life expectancies past those of our parents and it's not uncommon to expect now to live to 100. I just fail to see what the rush is when the odds are likely that you, along with myself and a majority of the peeps on this board, have excellent chances of living another forty plus years.

as for the comparisons - it's fine to compare, but do it on a level that's beyond "ooh, they're nice to me" and "they pay high royalties". They can pay you 85% off of the cover price but if your book never makes it onto a shelf or is overpriced... then what?

Popeyesays · Oct 2, 2006

Sheryl, the most recent reference to age was mine, I assume you would not have mentioned it at all if you hadn't seen the post, so-in my estimation-it was more personal than you are willing to admit.

I quite like Mundania, but they would take six months to a year to respond on the manuscript and during that time if another house wanted it, what is one to do?

You can hold whatever opinion you might wish and get no argument from me, I just think your comments are drifting outside the radius provided by the first commandment of Jenna Glatzer. You know, the one about fellow writers and respect.

For all you know, I have3 terminal cancer and your comment would be extremely hurtful. Let me hasten to add that I do NOT have any terminal conditions, but am progressively hobbled and crippled by arthritis.

Anyway, I thought your response was personal, I reacted in that way because that was the subtext your words provided for me. If that's not the case. I am sorry; but even sorry, I sense some acrimony and wonder why it's there.

Regards,
Scott

Glenda · Oct 2, 2006

Sheryl Nantus said:
and, frankly, I find it unbelievable that within 24 hours someone contacted numerous authors from the three publishers listed and received personal financial data. Heck, you can't get a PA author to disclose their fat royalty check and suddenly you have authors handing this sort of information out to a stranger?

I never said it was within 24 hours. If you are going to remark on what I have said, please get it correct. I don't care that you find it unbelievable. I spent months going back and forth asking and getting answers. The authors were not PA authors and had nothing to hide.

Harris · Oct 3, 2006

Great idea Triceretops. Thanks you and thank you to Glenda. I've also started contacting a few authors. It seems the only books from these sorts of small pubs to get shelf space at the chains are eroticas or romantic eroticas. I don't believe Capri carries those sorts of books. I did hear Mundania's Phaze line (erotica) were getting a few titles stocked there. Their other genres haven't been so lucky in the chain stores. At my local Waldenbooks I found several small pubs in POD (trade size digital print) form but again, all erotica.

I do think most writers get into this business for the love of writing. Money is only an issue to show what a publisher is capable of, nothing else.

Tilly · Oct 3, 2006

Harris said:
Money is only an issue to show what a publisher is capable of, nothing else.

Money is also a mark, to some degree, of readership

Sheryl Nantus · Oct 3, 2006

Popeyesays said:
I quite like Mundania, but they would take six months to a year to respond on the manuscript and during that time if another house wanted it, what is one to do?

first, I hope your arthritis gets better or at least managable - my MIL suffers as well as most of my family and no matter how many pills she takes it's still a lot of pain for her. However, you were not the first author in this or other threads to state age as a reason for going with a particular publisher. I've also seen it used on other boards as a reason for going with PA.

all I can do is point to Unk Jim's quote about there are worse things than not being published - and that's being published badly. If I had simsubbed to Tor and Mundania and Tor called first, I'd go with Tor. But if PA had offered a contract first I certainly wouldn't have tossed a legitimate small press with a proven track record for an unknown quantity.

but then, we'll see where everyone is in a year or less. I just am uncomfortable with this PC attitude that all presses are equal, irregardless of what they've done in the past or what sort of royalties they pay.

Popeyesays · Oct 3, 2006

Sheryl Nantus said:
first, I hope your arthritis gets better or at least managable - my MIL suffers as well as most of my family and no matter how many pills she takes it's still a lot of pain for her. However, you were not the first author in this or other threads to state age as a reason for going with a particular publisher. I've also seen it used on other boards as a reason for going with PA.

all I can do is point to Unk Jim's quote about there are worse things than not being published - and that's being published badly. If I had simsubbed to Tor and Mundania and Tor called first, I'd go with Tor. But if PA had offered a contract first I certainly wouldn't have tossed a legitimate small press with a proven track record for an unknown quantity.

but then, we'll see where everyone is in a year or less. I just am uncomfortable with this PC attitude that all presses are equal, irregardless of what they've done in the past or what sort of royalties they pay.

There probably are worse things, Sheryl. I don't think all presses are equal by a long shot. If I'd subbed to Tor or Baen, I probably would have simsubbed them. I was writing military sci-fi and Baen might think they had enough and Tor might want to try to cover the genre a little bit better.

Glenda · Oct 3, 2006

Harris said:
Great idea Triceretops. Thanks you and thank you to Glenda. I've also started contacting a few authors. It seems the only books from these sorts of small pubs to get shelf space at the chains are eroticas or romantic eroticas. I don't believe Capri carries those sorts of books. I did hear Mundania's Phaze line (erotica) were getting a few titles stocked there. Their other genres haven't been so lucky in the chain stores. At my local Waldenbooks I found several small pubs in POD (trade size digital print) form but again, all erotica.

I do think most writers get into this business for the love of writing. Money is only an issue to show what a publisher is capable of, nothing else.

You Welcome

James D. Macdonald · Oct 3, 2006

I do think most writers get into this business for the love of writing. Money is only an issue to show what a publisher is capable of, nothing else.

If it were purely for the love of writing we could keep our manuscripts at home in the desk drawer. There's a desire to be read. That's the kicker. That's why so much emphasis on major reviews, bookstore placement, and all the rest. That's where the readers are.

rekirts · Oct 3, 2006

If writers don't put any value on their work, then no one else will.

People with Fine Arts degrees are the lowest paid of all university graduates. It's just sad.

palm9999 · Oct 9, 2006

Allow me to clear some things up. I am young but have been involved in publishing for years. Capri is not a part time thing. It is the owners full time job. I am going with them for my book, even though I will have to work hard.

She is not POD. I coined the term Publishing Hybrid to describe Capri. They print PODish which means they may order books...once a month instead of like....30000 at a time but with larger amounts than you would think. They supply books to baker and taylor. They DO print runs, just not in huge numbers.

They do have some ex-PA authors but whats wrong with that? They made a mistake, so what. Their writing may still be good! They are just people. Its a great place and any questions can be referred to me
Email me at [email protected] or post here.

TwentyFour · Oct 9, 2006

I have some questions.

Why is she promoting books being distributed by PA? Ex. Messenger of Fire

I'm not saying this to be mean, just asking questions on the forum for reasons why.

Dave has her listed as POD, why did he do that if she isn't POD?

What is a Publishing Hybrid?

They supply to Baker and Taylor, but do they supply them anywhere else?

palm9999 · Oct 9, 2006

1. She feels sorry for the guys mistake and he cant get out of the contract.

2. I have no idea. She is not POD.

3. I just make that up. As I said..I coined the term.

4.Ingram and Baker and Taylor

palm9999 · Oct 9, 2006

glad to accept more questions

palm9999 · Oct 9, 2006

Some of this is straight from her btw. I talk to her on AIM so....
Anyway she wants to make it clear SHE DOES NOT ACCEPT EVERYTHING AT ALL!

Capri Publishing

Now departed. Rest in peace, Scott, from all of us

'bye

'bye

volitare nequeo

Writer Beware Goddess

Holding out for a Superhero...

'bye

Now departed. Rest in peace, Scott, from all of us

Holding out for a Superhero...

Now departed. Rest in peace, Scott, from all of us

Holding out for a Superhero...

Now departed. Rest in peace, Scott, from all of us

Your Genial Uncle

NOooooo!!!

practical experience, FTW