What Naughtiness Has Venus Press Been Involved In This Time…?
Sunday, January 21, 2007Posted in: Uncategorized
So, does anybody know what’s up at Venus Press? According to my site stats, I’ve had a flurry of people looking for stuff about them. These are some of the searches that have landed people on my blog:
Venus Press rumors
Venus Press going out of business
Venus Press in trouble
Venus Press
With so many Venus Press searches in one week, I knew there must have been something funky going on, and there is. Again.
Apparently the Vice President stepped down, and a further four of their authors have withdrawn their books.
They seem to have a hard time keeping their authors, in fact, I would say they excelled at losing them.
The following statement was posted on Carol Mckenzie’s Xanga site:
I’m sadly announcing today to my readership that I am leaving Venus Press. I’m afraid something is going on there that I cannot explain.
I wish I could give you readers more information. Many, if not most of Venus Press’s authors are leaving. I enjoyed my stay there immensely but I guess it is time to move on.
In a previous post she wrote:
It is my sad duty today to tell all my readers that due to unforseen circumstances, I have left Venus Press. I am not alone unfortunately. Many authors from VP have taken leave. I don’t want to discuss problems in public regarding this publisher.
I read a blog that hinted that the problem may be a communication issue, as in authors not hearing from editors and senior staff for long periods. I’d be nervous too if I kept hearing rumours about the firm I worked for, rumours that weren’t dispelled by editors or senior management. You know that saying about smoke and fire? It’s usually right on.
If anybody knows what’s really going on, please feel free to e-mail me with the gossip. hairylemony @ gmail . com, I promise, I wont tell a soul. *G*
UPDATE:
This e-mail was has just been forwarded to me:
I wanted to let you know that Dominic’s Tempation and A Christmas Threesome are no longer available to purchase at Venus Press.
These two books will make a re-appearence in 2007 or 2008. If you noticed, I wasn’t the only one from Venus Press who decided to pull the books. I bear no ill will towards Venus Press and I do wish them the best in the future.
Thanks to all the readers who have been there for me.
Jade James
The e-mail was preceded by this explanation from the source:
My understanding is that the person who basically ran the business stopped answering emails from everyone—including the owner—back in the fall.
Rumors have been flying since the beginning of the month, but it seems as though she had all that was needed for the operation of the business, since the owner was non-involved in running the company.
No one’s been paid or offered an accounting of sales so authors are claiming breech of contract and pulling their books. Their editors were job hunting
Curiouser and curiouser…
Barbara B.
January 21
8:45 pm
Wow. Last week Bridget Midway announced on the IMRR message board that she was withdrawing her books from Venus Press.
Karen Scott
January 21
8:55 pm
Barbara, here’s a snippet of a post I wrote in November 2005, about Midway writing for Venus Press:
There’s a new author on the block called Bridget Midway. She mostly writes erotic Inter-racial romances, I’ve read excerpts of her stuff and I think she has a good writing voice, and her blurbs sound really interesting. She has a series called Fascination Street coming out in January sometime.
The only draw back is that she’s got the contract for Fascination Street with Venus Press, publishers who have a bad reputation. I wont be spending my money with them because I think the directors may be a little unscrupulous. (Yeah, yeah, my lawyer’s better than yours DT). Do you remember this scandal?
I hope it doesn’t all end in tears.
It seems ironic that she’s left them now. I hate to say I told ya so, but…
Anonymous
January 22
12:29 am
I recently left VP as well. I don’t know the whole story, but I had been trying to leave since October for reasons outside the ones that have others headed toward the exit. Tracey West’s decision to leave was a surprise. She did the best she could with what she had, but in the end I imagine the job was too much.
I don’t want to add too much fuel to the rumor mill. I can say, however, that I did receive my last royalties before being released. My works are going to another publisher with which I am closely associated. If you visit the chatters loop associated with VP, you’ll note how many authors have left or are leaving. My last count, through searches, was about 15.
Bridget Midway
January 22
1:08 am
No tears here, Karen, although I do remember your post from last year. I agonized over my decision to pull my work from Venus Press. Contrary to some of the former (and perhaps current) authors with Venus Press, I had been treated fairly. I had been paid on time each quarter and payments were accurate (to my knowledge). However, the bulk of my treatment came from former vice president, Tracey West. My fear was that after her departure significant issues within the organization would change. Like the saying goes, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. And I didn’t want to be the last one in a burning building.
I do wish everyone at Venus Press, including the publisher, well. It all came down to a business decision.
BridgeT
http://www.BridgetMidway.com
Anonymous
January 22
5:06 am
Things that make you go “Hmmm…”
Anonymous
January 22
5:14 pm
To be honest, I’ve been afraid to buy from Venus Press. I love Bonnie Dee and she has a number of stories there, but I’d rather not pay good money when the author might not see her cut. I’ve seen a couple of epubs go that way.
Lauren
January 22
6:02 pm
Totally unrelated: You know Mizz Karen, a girl could grow old(er) trying to find an email address for you. Sheesh. Am I missing it?
Kate R
January 22
7:48 pm
ann(ie)
bonnie dee’s latest newsletter said that her stories are no longer going to be up at Venus.
AND she has had a story accepted by Red Sage. Yay!
Karen Scott
January 22
8:39 pm
Hey Lauren, my e-mail address is hairylemony @ gmail .com (without the spaces) (g)
Anonymous
January 24
2:36 pm
I’m a VP author and I can confirm all the problems with communication.
The owner has been phoned and emailed probably hundreds of times now with no response to anyone. It took me three months to get any response at all after they accepted my story for publication, and that response was from Tracey.
They are extremely unprofessional, and while I don’t know what the hell is going on, I won’t be surprised when they shut down for good. In fact, I wish they would rather than ignoring authors and stringing everyone along. I did get paid this quarter, but I highly doubt I’ll get paid next quarter when Tracey is gone.
They suck, spend your money somewhere else.
Leigh Ellwood
January 25
8:23 pm
FWIW, I left Venus as well and am moving my stuff to Phaze. Not only did I receive payment for the final quarter of 2006, but Tracey paid me for the time in January when my books were still active. Not much, but it was due and I thank Tracey for it. That she is working hard to tie up these loose ends says much to me about her concern for those of us with or late of VP.
Bonnie Dee
January 26
3:38 pm
Ditto here, Leigh. I was pleased and surprised to receive my January payment from Tracey, since I pretty much figured to write off those two weeks as a loss. She’s been nothing but professional from beginning to end and is heartsick about the demise of this publisher. I just want to pick her up and give her a hug!
BTW, the re-release of my VP story Opposites Attract (the one with the cellist and rock guitarist) has been accepted at Samhain. Some of my others are awaiting word from my other publishers. Figured I’d spread things out a bit.
I feel sorry for any lingering authors at VP and don’t know what they’re waiting for. Too late now though, as Tracey is officially finished.
Desiree Erotique
January 26
6:01 pm
To the female formerly part of the VP staff and who called me a weak woman for leaving quite a while back: sometimes strength is being able to discern the B*llSh*t and saying Enough is Enough. I can’t help but wonder how many authors were duped into staying longer than they might have without your once aggressive kudos for Venus Press.
Anonymous
January 26
11:47 pm
I am another one of the authors that left Venus Press. It was a sad day since they gave me my first break into erotica e-publishing, but I couldn’t stay with everything going on. I appreciate everything Tracey has done there for all of us, but when she goes it’s all gonna go to shit. I have found new homes for my books with Forbidden Publications and ma sure all the other authors will have no trouble finding homes for their great books as well.