• Guest please check The Index before starting a thread.

Barking Rain Press

Jamiekswriter

USA Today Bestselling Author
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Messages
1,227
Reaction score
152
Website
www.jkschmidt.com
Well, this from their FAQ section (bolding mine):

"While large publishing houses pay an advance royalty to an author when they sign a contract for publishing a book, keep in mind that they do so only because they are confident that they will see a return on investment that is at least equal to (but hopefully greater than) the advance royalty. This is why most large publishers will only sign “bankable” names or manuscripts—to the exclusion of new or unknown authors.


As a small, non-profit publisher, the traditional advance of $2,000 or more per title would severely impact the ability of Barking Rain Press to accept works from new or lessor known authors by draining the resources we need to run a viable publishing operation. "

Horsefeathers on the first bolded statement.

And the second bolded statement doesn't make me think they're very solvent.


Oh and they want an exclusive and don't do marketing:


"What is your policy regarding simultaneous submissions?
Barking Rain Press requires an exclusive evaluation period; we do NOT accept submissions that have been submitted to other publishers during our evaluation period. Barking Rain Press strives to reply within four weeks to a query or submission, which is a common courtesy we extend to every author in recognition of their desire to secure a publishing contract.


How will Barking Rain Press help me to market my book?
Most readers aren’t interested in hearing from a publisher as much as they are interested in hearing from an author. Readers will Google your name, your book(s), your characters, etc., but they don’t typically Google for the publisher name.
That’s why as an author, you should understand that your own marketing efforts will be the main driving factor in sales of your book. As your publisher, Barking Rain Press will make your book available for purchase in print and eBook form, but as the author, the task of helping prospective readers become aware of your book will fall largely on your shoulders."


Not worth the 50% royalties on Net IMHO.
 
Last edited:

Marian Perera

starting over
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
14,333
Reaction score
4,578
Location
Heaven is a place on earth called Toronto.
Website
www.marianperera.com
From the FAQ:

The reviewers want most to hear from YOU, the author. It’s that one-on-one contact with the creator of a work that makes writing book reviews exciting to the reviewer.
Yeah. That's why I was bored writing reviews of A Dance with Dragons and Watership Down and The Fountainhead and Gone with the Wind...
 

veinglory

volitare nequeo
Self-Ban
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
28,750
Reaction score
2,933
Location
right here
Website
www.veinglory.com
As a reviewer I prefer never to hear from the author. And frankly, I would have to be pretty hard up for excitement to write reviews just in the hopes of provoking a response from an author.
 

twm

Zizban
Sockpuppet
Banned
Joined
May 31, 2011
Messages
91
Reaction score
7
Location
In My Own World.
Some of the principals from Virtual Tales started Barking Rain. As best I could figure out, the decision to go non-profit was for various legal reasons. Barking Rain is solvent but I think the principals didn't want it to make it their full time job (all the people with Virtual Tales had day jobs).

While I believe the people behind Barking Rain are competent, their new business model is not inspiring which is why I declined their offer of publication when they started out.
 

veinglory

volitare nequeo
Self-Ban
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
28,750
Reaction score
2,933
Location
right here
Website
www.veinglory.com
Some of the principals from Virtual Tales started Barking Rain. As best I could figure out, the decision to go non-profit was for various legal reasons. Barking Rain is solvent but I think the principals didn't want it to make it their full time job (all the people with Virtual Tales had day jobs)..

I am not sure how being non-profit relates to being unable to front an advance?
 

paulcosca

The Paulest of all Coscas
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 20, 2013
Messages
138
Reaction score
15
Location
Missoula, MT
Website
www.paulcosca.com
Just read a book by this press, and i'd be shocked if a competent editor had actually taken a look at it. Or if they had, they let the author run away with way too much. Not a good sign.
 

Fuchsia Groan

Becoming a laptop-human hybrid
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 27, 2008
Messages
2,870
Reaction score
1,399
Location
The windswept northern wastes
Just received a review pitch from one of their authors (or rather, the publicist he hired). I'll take a look at the book sample when I can and see what I think.
 

JohannaC

Registered
Joined
May 30, 2014
Messages
35
Reaction score
0
I submitted to Barking Rain during their open submissions period in August. Received a confirmation that the manuscript was received and accepted for submission (they have a lot of requirements you have to pass). Email stated that I would hear back by October 31. Since I did not receive an email one way or the other, I tried contacting them through their website but was not able to make a status inquiry through the contact form. Does anyone have information re this press and how to contact them for a status update?
 

raegenhare

Registered
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
7
Reaction score
0
Location
Pacific NW
Website
www.sherigormley.com
There is a Contact form at the website (look at footer menu), but keep in mind that if your email provider is blocking them, you won't get the response. Make sure you add the domain to your safe list, then use the contact form. You can also ping their Facebook page.
 

Thomas Vail

What?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 21, 2014
Messages
506
Reaction score
57
Location
Chicago 'round
I have to say, it might be more than two years old at this point, but reading the bolded statements in the second post, if I was ever on the receiving end of a sales pitch like that, my immediate response would be, 'go on, pull the other one.'