Gator House Publishing

Harlequin · Dec 9, 2017

They've signed a contract with this author: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DJW1BMC/?tag=absowrit-20

to reprint some of those books.

"Today after a couple of weeks of talking things over I signed a contract withGator House Publishing to do reprints of the first 3 Cat Land Novels. So this means in a few months you will get all new editions, in paperback, hardback, and ebook formats, with all new covers. This is the beginning of hopefully a successful partnership. The new books will be re-edited, re-formatted, and will maybe have illustrations too! its very exciting. Please go over to their page and give them much panther pal love!!"

eqb · Dec 10, 2017

I also came across one of their ads for submissions:

Gator House Publishing offers traditional and non-traditional publishing options for authors and helps connect readers to excellent writing and stories.

They've already said they "generally" offer a royalties contract. That previous statement, together with the part I bolded, makes for a giant red flag.

PeteMC · Dec 11, 2017

I would suggest that a business student who uses "gross revenue" and "gross profit" interchangeably probably doesn't pay much attention in school...!

eqb · Feb 3, 2018

Update: Their first release was February 1st (or January 30th, or January 31st, depending on which vendor site you look at). I checked the Look Inside feature, and oh, dear God, the editing is terrible. I counted at least a dozen errors, from punctuation mistakes to grammatical errors. I would also say the book needed a true content editor, and obviously didn't get one.

Harlequin · Feb 3, 2018

Given the errors in his Facebook posts I am sadly not surprised.

Maryn · Feb 3, 2018

We can't save authors from their own stupidity, naivete, or eagerness for validation, can we?

Until he had an author's works under contract, he was just a clueless doofus who has no idea what he's doing. Now he's hurting an author, and I don't like that one bit.

Maryn, officially hostile

eqb · Feb 3, 2018

Harlequin said:
Given the errors in his Facebook posts I am sadly not surprised.

The book does list a different person as the editor, but her experience appears to be limited to editing her spouse's books. It was scary how many errors there were.

Maryn said:
We can't save authors from their own stupidity, naivete, or eagerness for validation, can we?

Alas, we can't. And this publisher is taking advantage of that.

Beth, feeling hostile as well

mrsmig · Feb 3, 2018

eqb said:
Update: Their first release was February 1st (or January 30th, or January 31st, depending on which vendor site you look at). I checked the Look Inside feature, and oh, dear God, the editing is terrible. I counted at least a dozen errors, from punctuation mistakes to grammatical errors. I would also say the book needed a true content editor, and obviously didn't get one.

There are even punctuation errors in the DEDICATION. Color me appalled.

Pisco Sour · Feb 3, 2018

A young newbie author told me via Twitter DM that she was interested in this 'publishing house' and I checked them out here. I told her to RUN and she turned super-hostile and defensive. Basically, I'm jealous and I don't want anybody else to be published... She must have blocked me after that, since I was unable to answer that I was only trying to watch out for her. Some people...

Maryn · Feb 3, 2018

The errors in punctuating and capitalization of dialogue and attributes of that first published book is making my fillings hum inside my skull...

eqb · Feb 4, 2018

They've blocked me again on Twitter when I pointed out the editing problems. Or, rather, I should say *he* blocked me, since GHP is one person, some freelancers, and a number of unpaid content writers.

eqb · Feb 5, 2018

And the person who runs Gator House emailed my agent and threatened me with legal action. (Agent has rolled their eyes at this threat.)

Harlequin · Feb 5, 2018

Wow, what a piece of work lol. Dude's got a serious chip in his shoulder.

I wonder if he knows that searching Gator House Publishing turns up this thread as the second result >.> Hopefully save a few sheep from the wolf.

eqb · Feb 5, 2018

It's all we can do.

mrsmig · Feb 5, 2018

eqb said:
And the person who runs Gator House emailed my agent and threatened me with legal action. (Agent has rolled their eyes at this threat.)

Yeah, there it is - the last piece in the classic PUBLISHERS TO AVOID portrait.

Why is it that the ones with the shakiest of legs to stand on always get litigious the minute anyone finds fault with their business?

C Alberts · Feb 8, 2018

I just looked up their book on Ingram. It is available for bookstores to order with a 5% discount off list price (standard wholesale discount to bookstores is 40-43%). Why bother even putting it on Ingram if the store is only going to make 50 cents? Just so you can say it's there? Because no one's going to order it... We would as a special order at my shop - we are tiny and have close relationships with our customers so we'll take a hit like that once in awhile knowing the overall service we provide is the key to our success. But most stores won't order a book at 5% discount under any circumstances.

eqb · Feb 8, 2018

C Alberts said:
I just looked up their book on Ingram. It is available for bookstores to order with a 5% discount off list price (standard wholesale discount to bookstores is 40-43%). Why bother even putting it on Ingram if the store is only going to make 50 cents? Just so you can say it's there? Because no one's going to order it... We would as a special order at my shop - we are tiny and have close relationships with our customers so we'll take a hit like that once in awhile knowing the overall service we provide is the key to our success. But most stores won't order a book at 5% discount under any circumstances.

I'm not surprised. I asked Robert what his background in publishing was. He danced around the question, then told me he didn't owe me an answer. Which, of course, he doesn't. But data points like this--his refusing to answer a straightforward question, the non-standard 5% discount, the terrible editing--only confirm that he doesn't know what he's doing.

eqb · Feb 24, 2018

Oh, this is special. The publisher plans to launch an e-zine this summer.

The inaugural issue will be distributed for FREE electronically. Based on the success of the first issue we will determine the future of the magazine. If all goes well, stories that are accepted for the second issue, those authors will be compensated for their stories.

Full post from Facebook is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/KindleAuthorsGroup/permalink/1719576654731255/

Gator House Publishing

Harlequin

Eat books, not brains!

eqb

I write novels

PeteMC

@PeteMC666

eqb

I write novels

Harlequin

Eat books, not brains!

Maryn

Baaa!

eqb

I write novels

mrsmig

Write. Write. Writey Write Write.

Pisco Sour

Maryn

Baaa!

eqb

I write novels

eqb

I write novels

Harlequin

Eat books, not brains!

eqb

I write novels

mrsmig

Write. Write. Writey Write Write.

C Alberts

eqb

I write novels

eqb

I write novels