Champagne Book Group

LastPage · Jun 17, 2005

I know Champagne Books just recently hit the market, but boy are they awesome. I just checked out their forum at http://www.champagnebooks.com/forum/

I was really impressed with their line of books. I think I'll try to submit to them.

LastPage

Richard · Jun 17, 2005

Identify thyself, oh Unnamed Emissary of Champagne Books Who Is Fooling Nobody.

champagnebooks · Jun 18, 2005

Actually, the above poster is not a member of the Champagne Books staff. If you have any questions, please fire away.

It's nice to hear that someone thinks we're awesome. We're new, but we're trying. Incidentally, we are closed to submissions at this time.
But thank you for the thought.

J. Ellen Smith
Publisher/Managing Editor
www.champagnebooks.com

RoccoMom · May 1, 2006

Champagne Books

Has anyone heard anything good, bad or indifferent about Champagne Books? I heard they are not only e-publishers, but some of their titles are also mass market pb's? Can anyone verify?

CaoPaux · May 1, 2006

Toni1953 said:
Has anyone heard anything good, bad or indifferent about Champagne Books? I heard they are not only e-publishers, but some of their titles are also mass market pb's? Can anyone verify?

http://www.champagnebooks.com/

Paperback, yes. But trade, not mass market.

CaoPaux · Jul 3, 2006

...

06-05-2006 12:35 PM
Toni1953

Postscript

I just wanted to add that I submitted a romance novella to this publisher.
A few weeks later i received a rejection, but the rejection was very nicely worded. They made suggestions to improve the manuscript and invited me to resubmit after making the revisions, if I were so inclined.

Now, why can't every publisher be like this? (I know, I know the answer,but...) From my limited experience, encouragement like this is few and far between.....I think if more publishers could do this, they would find a lot of authors willing to listen to their suggestions and quite possibly they could have a number of good selling books on their hands. If I remember correctly, wasn't it an editor at HarperCollins who encouraged Patricia Cornwell to rewrite her manuscript and make Kay Scarpetta the main character instead of a supporting one??

06-05-2006 12:43 PM
Aconite

Quote:
Originally Posted by Toni1953
Now, why can't every publisher be like this? (I know, I know the answer,but...)

Click to expand...

Answer 1: http://www.sfrevu.com/ISSUES/2002/02...0Tor/Page.html. See the manuscripts piled on every horizontal surface?

Answer 2: As you know, the majority of people subbing aren't knowledgable authors, and don't understand that a critique and suggestions are compliments. They scream, they argue, they tell you why you're wrong. They tell you why on the phone, and in 20-page, single-spaced, 8-point letters. Repeatedly.

Good luck with the rewrite, and good on you for taking a critique in the right spirit.

06-05-2006 12:47 PM
Old Hack

Having done my time as an editor I think that most editors ARE like this, and will readily comment on work which they think shows promise. However, if the work is just too far off then they won't comment, as they know that no amount of work is going to make it what they want (and that isn't just because it is bad--although most of what's in the slush pile is--but because most of the submissions editors and agents receive simply don't fit with what they deal with).

Oh, and here's a very interesting discussion of the subject over at Making Light:

http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight...es/004641.html

Hope the link works.

06-05-2006 12:49 PM
Christine N.

Yes! Exactly. Standing on this side of the fence now (I'm giving a hand to my pub by reading some subs, so the slush doesn't take over; and having gotten a 'rebuttal' to a review I wrote) I completely understand the need for form rejection slips.

You never know if the person whom you're rejecting is going to go off on you three ways from Sunday.

Or just send you a snippy note back, which has also happened even when I sent them a very nice form rejection. I remember liking the premise of the story, just wasn't crazy about the execution. Sometimes it really ISN'T your book. I used to think it was always about my work - now I know first hand that it isn't.

06-05-2006 08:25 PM
Branwyn

I just wish I could find that magickal combination, me and the right agent for me.

06-05-2006 08:32 PM
veinglory

IMHO the response is positive and constructive because it's not a rejection. If you like the look of these guys make the changes and resubmit.

Bo Sullivan · Sep 27, 2006

EZ Publishing Calgary Canada

Dear Sir/Madam

Can you give me any information about EZ Publishing in Calgary Canada owned by Champagne Enterprises who are advertising for manuscripts.

Thanks,

Bo Sullivan · Sep 27, 2006

I saw them advertised on EZBoard.

JerseyGirl1962 · Sep 27, 2006

Duped,

You might get more replies on the Bewares and Background Checks forum.

Maybe one of the mods can move this thread?

~Nancy

Sheryl Nantus · Sep 27, 2006

Google doesn't have anything on them having *anything* to do with publishing.

but if they're advertising via bulletin boards...

CaoPaux · Sep 27, 2006

A good rule of thumb: Any agent or publisher which advertises is one to avoid. This includes Google ads, spam via email or to message boards, ads in the back of magazines, etc.

http://www.champagnebooks.com

http://ezppublishing.homestead.com/

Looks to be a POD/ebook operation created by ex-PA authors.

Wordworm · Sep 27, 2006

P&E listing
Champagne Books: A electronic and small press dedicated to bringing excellence in romantic fiction to the romance community.

Silver King · Sep 27, 2006

Duped said:
Dear Sir/Madam

Duped, you are so formal and polite. I haven't been called Sir/Madam in ages.

ModoReese · Sep 27, 2006

For whatever it's worth - I lived in Calgary and have never heard of them. I checked both the Yellow and White Pages and found no listing (the phone books are relatively new).

Was there any physical address information in the ad?

BeeBomb · Sep 28, 2006

EZP Publishing is in Calgary, Canada and is a sub of Champagne Books. I just submitted a ms to them and was accepted. My book, FULL CIRCLE is due out in November. They are accepting manuscripts for review. Go to Champagne Books and see all the necessary data on EZP.

Joyce Rapier
www.authorsden.com/joycelrapier

Saundra Julian · Sep 28, 2006

I have conversed with the owner of Champagne and EZP Publishing and have found Ellen to be a no-nonsense, honest person.

Sheryl Nantus · Sep 28, 2006

but can they get your book into bookstores?

are the books returnable?

little details like that...

victoriastrauss · Sep 28, 2006

Moved this thread from Ask the Agent to Bewares, where it seems better suited.

- Victoria

Bo Sullivan · Sep 28, 2006

ModoReese said:
For whatever it's worth - I lived in Calgary and have never heard of them. I checked both the Yellow and White Pages and found no listing (the phone books are relatively new).

Was there any physical address information in the ad?

Yes, their address is:-

EZP
Calgary
AB
Canada

or

#35069-4604
37 St SW
Calgary
AB
Canada
T3E 7C7

Bo Sullivan · Sep 28, 2006

Thanks to all of you who have replied so far.

I might submit an ms to them but I need more detail as to what they offer.

Anyone know any more?

Kind Regards

Jana · Sep 28, 2006

The website is heavily focused on ebooks and says in its FAQ 'no returns.' So that likely means 'no bookstore presence'.

The address is a post-box at the strip mall on that block. It's near my xray clinic, and there's a decent little deli as well.

Also (Grammar Nazi Alert!) the CEO's blog has at least two misused homonyms in the first few entries: 'more often than NAUGHT' and 'didn't make it PASSED the first round'. She might be using voice software (which drops those things in a lot) but I always think it's a bad sign when a publishing professional doesn't make the effort to proofread her own public words.

nevada · Sep 28, 2006

wow, lot of people in Calgary. I was going to offer to do a drive-by but Jana has that covered. Never mind. lol

Jana · Sep 28, 2006

I'm not exactly in Calgary (Bragg Creek) but I do most of my shopping, doctoring etc in the SW. So it wasn't a stretch to identify the location.

Also, for what it's worth, the publisher's blog says she has a day job and works on her publishing business evenings and weekends. Not that there's anything wrong with that....

Jennifer Robins · Jul 18, 2007

Champagne Books

I signed a contract with Champagne in January after submitting it the end of Nov 2006. Ellen, the publisher asked to leave a release date out of the contract until she could have a chance to start on the edits. I foolishly agreed. Now after eight months she still refuses to give me a release date. She first told me it would be mid summer, then she said late next year and when I got upset, she was angry but then said maybe late summer or early fall. She takes any where from four to six weeks between edits and only does a few pages. After waiting this time (the fourth one,) for five weeks I asked again what she had planned for my book and she once again exploded into a rage. I am getting a release. She is too hard to work with.
I have heard from a few others who are having problems but there are others who are zipping right through in having their books out in less than six months.

Jennifer Robins

Glenda · Jul 18, 2007

Sorry to hear you going through that, Jennifer. It sounds like a release is the best thing for you at this point.

Champagne Book Group

LastPage

Richard

13th Triskaidekaphobe

champagnebooks

RoccoMom

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

Bo Sullivan

Bo Sullivan

JerseyGirl1962

I heart Malamutes! :-)

Sheryl Nantus

Holding out for a Superhero...

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless

Wordworm

Impotent Omnipotent

Silver King

Megalops Erectus

ModoReese

Bang head here for service

BeeBomb

Saundra Julian

A work in progress

Sheryl Nantus

Holding out for a Superhero...

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

Bo Sullivan

Bo Sullivan

Jana

nevada

Jana

Jennifer Robins

paranormal interest

Glenda