WWTBAM Bored

My publisher is failing. The website (www.stanleypublishing.com) has been suspended and no royalty checks have been sent since Q1. All my attempts to contact the publisher (phone, email, Facebook) have been ignored (agent has had no luck, either).

Another Stanley author got the publisher on the phone and was told the company has taken on a lot of debt. There are no plans to close the business, however. The worse part is there are several authors who order books by the hundreds for events and those orders can not be fulfilled. Sam Brown's book just came out, but no one can order it from the website.

Lizzie is still available through Amazon and B&N, but it's pretty likely I'll never see another dime from sales. I hope everyone took advantage of the free download in July. That's about all it's worth.

I kllled another small press just 18 months ago. I'm on a roll!

Sorry to hear this. Here's hoping your next one is a keeper.

Though maybe your current avatar scared them to death...

Damn, that sucks... hopefully you can move on to bigger and more financially blacker publishers....

Did you by chance write any promos for Stanley?

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:Damn, that sucks... hopefully you can move on to bigger and more financially blacker publishers....

Did you by chance write any promos for Stanley?

lb13

Typically, that is the kiss of death. But, alas, I did not.

I am sorry to hear about this. Do publishers have escrow accounts? Can you get another publisher to take over for your books?

That sucks bath water! At least you can use that you actually had a book published for future pitches.

Your publisher will walk the plank!

Wow - that really sucks.

t.

So sorry to hear this. Now that you have a traditionally published [at least that part got done] book under your belt, might your agent have a better go of selling your other books to more-solvent publishers?

geoffil wrote:I am sorry to hear about this. Do publishers have escrow accounts? Can you get another publisher to take over for your books?

Nothing can happen until the publisher claims liquidity. Unfortunately, she hasn't even told her authors what's going on.

Catfish wrote:So sorry to hear this. Now that you have a traditionally published [at least that part got done] book under your belt, might your agent have a better go of selling your other books to more-solvent publishers?

It shows I can write a publishable book, but acquiring editors are mostly concerned with the quality of the manuscript-in -hand and if it is marketable.

I write offbeat, middle grade mysteries that appear to be Yay on quality and Nay on marketablility.

They are piled six deep on the agent's desk.

Damn...

Vandal wrote:
I write offbeat, middle grade mysteries that appear to be Yay on quality and Nay on marketablility.

They are piled six deep on the agent's desk.

To loosely paraphrase "Field of Dreams", If you write it, they will read. Keep piling them on that desk. Two grandkids and I have read Lizzie so far, and three thumbs have been pointed up. So you're batting 1.000 with my family so far.

I will spare you the "nothing worth having comes easy" crapola. Just stay with it. Talent will triumph.

To loosely paraphrase "Field of Dreams", If you write it, they will read. Keep piling them on that desk. Two grandkids and I have read Lizzie so far, and three thumbs have been pointed up. So you're batting 1.000 with my family so far.

I will spare you the "nothing worth having comes easy" crapola. Just stay with it. Talent will triumph.

Ditto what Mr. Bone said.

geoffil wrote:

To loosely paraphrase "Field of Dreams", If you write it, they will read. Keep piling them on that desk. Two grandkids and I have read Lizzie so far, and three thumbs have been pointed up. So you're batting 1.000 with my family so far.

I will spare you the "nothing worth having comes easy" crapola. Just stay with it. Talent will triumph.

Ditto what Mr. Bone said.

Thanks. I just piled another one on their desk this morning. Thankfully, they have a fancy new concrete desk just for my stuff:

I finally heard from the publisher, who emailed to say the website is back up "forever." She made no mention of royalty payments, but at least the company has a pulse once again.

We authors were never told what happened other than it was a "rough summer."

Tell me about it, sister.


Also, I heard form my agents earlier and don't want to kick me to the curb! They are reviewing two of my manuscripts for possible submission.

This appears to be the end of the line for Good Golly Miss Molly, which has pretty much exhausted the sub list. Too bad because I really like this one.

If anyone wants to read a nice paranormal baseball book, just let PM me and I'll send a pdf copy.

Here's the latest on Vandal vs Stanley Publishing:

The publisher has not paid any royalties since Q1 of 2012 and STILL has not responded to any phone calls, emails, tweets or Facebook messages. According to another Stanley author, publisher Marsha is "as good as bankrupt" and has other problems in her life.

I sent a formal letter requesting the return of my rights to Dizzy Miss Lizzie in exchange for all back royalties. Just the rights, nothing more.

Silence.

I urged the other authors to take some action and let Marsha know she is in violation of several terms of the publishing contract, but they don't want to make any waves. They are sheep.

I contacted the Texas Attorney General's office through their website and filed a formal complaint. I got their response earlier today:


Re: Stanley Publishing Company

Dear Robert Clark:

Thank you for contacting our office regarding you complaint against the
above-referenced party.

Our office has the responsibility of enforcing the Texas Deceptive Trade
Practices - Consumer Protection Act. Unfortunately, the problem you described in
your letter does not fall within our legal jurisdiction.

You may wish to contact a private attorney to discuss your legal remedies and
proper course of action in this situation, if you have not already done so.

We appreciate your interest in the Office of Attorney General and sincerely
regret we were unable to assist you in this instance.


Thanks a lot, Texas AG. You're a big f'ing help.

I contacted a Texas lawyer (hi Bix!) and she is looking into the matter for me. Perhaps an official Texas lawyer letterhead will cause the publisher to take action.

The royalties I'm owed amount to far less that it would cost to hire a real literary attorney. I just want my rights back and I want the publisher to remove the book from all marketplaces it controls (publisher website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble).

So if you really want a copy of Lizzie, buy it used. Otherwise, you're helping to support a deadbeat publisher.

Lizzie deserves better!


As always, thanks to everyone on this Bored for your support.

Spoiler

Free Lizzie!

Sweet Mother of God!

Like T-Bone's family, we have several big Lizzie fans (friends' and cousins' grandchildren).

I was so hoping that things would work out better. And I really hope you get all rights to Lizzie back.

Good thoughts from here.

Vandal wrote:Thanks a lot, Texas AG. You're a big f'ing help.

He has been busy with more important matters.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninsca ... greg_a.php

Free Lizzie indeed! Hope this all works out for Lizzie, for you, and for your other books.
Love,

TheConfessor wrote:

Vandal wrote:Thanks a lot, Texas AG. You're a big f'ing help.

He has been busy with more important matters.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninsca ... greg_a.php

Texas AG Greg Abbott Wants You Gun-Owning, Freedom-Loving New Yorkers to Move to Texas

In a related story, Plaxico Burress has signed a free agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

Maybe it's time to get some of geoffil's lawyers on the case....

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:Maybe it's time to get some of geoffil's lawyers on the case....

lb13

Nice avatar!

Vandal wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:Maybe it's time to get some of geoffil's lawyers on the case....

lb13

Nice avatar!

I didn't even think of the fact that Stanley's logo was a dog. Maybe we can put Marsha in debtor's prison....

lb13

This is horrid. Another thing, sometimes bankruptcies prevent creditors from pursuing during the actual process. Hope that's not the case. Lizzy!!!