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All Romance eBooks is closing

Update below the fold

See further update at end

Here’s the full email to customers:

December 28, 2016

It is with great sadness that I announce our intent to wind down the operations of All Romance eBooks, LLC. For the first year since opening in 2006, we will be posting a loss. The financial forecast for 2017 isn’t hopeful and we’ve accepted that there is not a viable path forward. 

We realize that you have choices when it comes to shopping via the Internet. We appreciate those of you who have chosen to shop at All Romance and will miss your patronage. We’re grateful for the years we’ve been able to serve you. The site(s) will be closing down on December 31, 2016 at Midnight (Central/US) and you will no longer have access or be able to make purchases. 

Please take this opportunity to finalize any transactions, download your purchases, and back up your library.

Sincerely,

Lori James

All Romance Ebooks, LLC

I have no idea whether there were any rumbles about this before now, but I confess my surprise, and my dismay. I don’t think giving customers (readers and authors/publishers) a mere three days to get everything straightened out is all that considerate. Perhaps it means it was a relatively sudden decision? If anyone knows, I’d appreciate the input.

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Ellora's Cave -- once more, with feeling

For the past year and a half, a number of authors with books published by Ellora’s Cave have publicly asked their readers to refrain from purchasing those titles.

The latest is Em Petrova, who writes on her blog that she’s been waiting for royalty checks since December 2015 (that’s five months, for the calendar-challenged among us), and that that last check was for royalties for March 2015 (that’s a full nine months behind).

(more…)

How could I have forgotten? (EC v DA...sorta)

A long, long time ago (September 2010) I wrote this very short post:

Over at Dear Author there is some noise over Red Rose Publishing and the alleged issues the company has with authors, editors, etc. The fun started here, followed by this tidbit, and it’s currently going strong here.

The quick and dirty summary: Dear Author reported some shenanigans; anonymous authors came out; sockpuppets followed; RRP’s owner wants all blog content related to the company taken down; Dear Author pretty much ignores the noise; lawyer-like threats follow; Dear Author pretty much still ignoring them.

The moral of the story: be careful who the fuck you threaten with legal action over the internetz–they may just be real lawyers who not only won’t be cowed by your barely coherent threats but who will actually know the law.  (In simpler terms: be careful you don’t bite more than you can chew.)

The links work, if you have some time, but the upshot?

EC did bite a lot more than TE/JB is gonna be able to chew, let alone digest.

(more…)

Calling Ellora's Cave authors (tangential to EC v DA)

If you are or have been an author for Ellora’s Cave since the ‘new’ accounting system started creating issues and delays with royalty payments, you may be interested in this offer:

I have made the offer to several authors but I will throw it out there again. If anyone wants to band together and request the audit included in the language of most contracts with EC, I, as an uninvolved bystander, will contribute a minimum of $500 to the frorensic auditor’s fee and will help organize a fundraiser to gather the additional resources needed. Until EC’s books are subjected to outside scrutiny I would personally doubt any and all royalty statements any author receives.

Several people tweeting in #notchilled and commenting elsewhere have wondered whether authors could band together and do something to get some straightforward answers about royalties and the general health of Ellora’s Cave as a business, backed with actual numbers, from someone who is not intimately involved with EC and therefore invested in only giving answer that jive with TE/JB party line. Here’s your chance.

(more…)

I am loving this (aka, the law of unintended consequences)

Last week I realized that one of the blogs I visit regularly had an ad for Ellora’s Cave up in the front page.

Considering the fact that EC is suing a blogger, and that the blogging community rallied around her to the tune (so far) of almost $55,000, saying I was taken aback is to greatly understate the matter.

I seriously considered dropping the blog from my bookmarks, and was getting all ready to breathe fire and stuff, when I realized a few things:

  • One, there’s another blog–very well known and very vocal in its defense of Dear Author–sporting the very same ad for EC.
  • Second, it’s quite likely that both these blogs (and probably a fair number of other book blogs) signed contracts months ago for these ads to appear this month, well before EC committed the unmitigated stupidity of suing Dear Author.
  • Third, it’s also quite likely that at least some of the money these bloggers are making off these ads is going directly to help Dear Author and Jane Litte.

Don’t you love karma?

*

Edited to add: well, it gets even better (though my timing? not so good, as I had this all scheduled and then saw what follows below)

(more…)

Who knew? (very brief EC v DA update)

(Updated – again)

Hat tip to Courtney Milan for posting links to the latest filings in the defamation lawsuit that Ellora’s Cave brought against Dear Author and Jane Litte.

Who knew one could outright giggle while reading court documents?

A choice bit, from page 13 (please note I redacted Ms Litte’s legal name):

The public perception of the company, prior to Ms. Litte’s article, was that its founder, Ms. Engler, was notoriously difficult to work with, was a generally offensive person, who mismanaged money, who had a history of being delinquent on her taxes, who maintained an offensive and embarrassing social media profile, who suffers from severe mental health issues,who engages in nepotism at the expense of other employees, and who was generally incapable of running a large successful company

(more…)

Drinking the Ellora's Cave Kool-Aid

Reader beware: I am not a writer, I’m just a fed up reader and blogger.

Also, I’m not feeling particularly nice at the moment, as I’m pretty enraged at the utter disregard some people have for the very real risk they put people when they continue to engage an asshole who keeps. doxxing. a person.

A person with a family, the members of which a) have nothing to do with anything, yet b) are put at risk as well. every. fucking. time. that asshole replies to said people.

So if you want measured, impartial commentary, do your blood pressure a favor and go elsewhere.

(more…)

More of Ellora's Cave authors speak up

It has been a crazy ten days, hasn’t it? Since Ellora’s Cave filed suit against Dear Author and Jane Litte, we have seen people saying, “now you understand why EC authors are afraid of speaking out?” Boy, yes, we do.

Which is precisely why the community rose so magnificently to the occasion, and raised the full $50,000 in less than four days–and the donations keep on coming. And, I believe, it’s that response that’s given more and more EC authors the courage to speak up about their own issues with the company. These authors are but a tiny fraction of the total contracted with EC–someone has mentioned 800 or 900 authors total. (more…)

Ellora's Cave v Dear Author - how low can you fall (pretty low)

As I reported elsewhere, on Saturday out of the blue–and absolutely not connected to Ellora’s Cave, no siree, it says so right in the tag line–a sockpuppet was created.

From where I sit–hey, Tina, this opinion, savvy? ergo, protected speech–said account is a sockpuppet for Tina Engler/Jaid Black, created strictly to try to intimidate those EC authors and other contractors so they won’t help Jane Litte fight the vexatious defamation suit that Ellora’s Cave filled against her and Dear Author.

It’s not working–donations, which had slowed down a bit, saw an uptick as soon as the toxic egg started posting how the authors had sued Ellora’s Cave (have screenshots, will share). As I type, the amount raised for Jane Litte’s and Dear Author’s legal defense is $47,503. Not bad for a relatively small online community to raise in less than three full days, huh?

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Words to sign contracts by

As many of you know, I have been following the Ellora’s Cave v Dear Author thing closely–and quite likely will until it is resolved one way or another.

On the one hand, it is absolutely popcorn worthy entertainment. In a much smaller scale, it brings to mind Charles Carreon v The Oatmeal (beware, this is an utter time suck–don’t go too far down the rabbit hole unless you have a day or two to spare).

On the other hand, the resolution of this case will help set a precedent for book bloggers, reviewers, authors, editors, etc. We should not allow ourselves to be intimidated by threats of vexatious lawsuits by the bullies of the world.

I do pray rather fervently that the court forces EC to show its books and explain why they are sending checks through the mail in a way that violates USPS rules (undated metered mail–see this post)

*

On that note, isn’t romance a beautiful thing? The fundraising was made public in the morning on Friday October 3rd. Not even 12 hours later, the community had raised over $38,000.00. People, learn from TC/JB delusions and do not piss your target market off. They’ll band together and bitch-slap you. Hard.

*

But, back to the point of this post.

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Elloras Cave Sucketh Episode 667...

titanic sinking

Another day, another email from yet another happy EC author;

I have a several contracts with EC. Yeah, I’m kicking myself. Wish I never signed those contracts and I should’ve known better having worked in the legal field for over 25 years. In any event, I got suckered in. I have given them 2 books and I just finished my third for them but I haven’t turned it in. It’s taken EC almost a year to edit the first and not because I’m a bad writer. (Only one round of edits) and another 10 months to edit the second book which I turned into them last April. (I’m supposed to get final edits next week.) They’re slooooooow on all ends.

I believe you are right on the mark, they’re having money problems. It’s not hard to see if you look closely. They’re letting go of staff. Lisa Gray who’s been with them for 8 years and I know of two others. One of them told me they were laid-off. I have a feeling EC is about to implode. They’re not paying their authors and I’ve only received money for August and September. I have not gotten a print out on my sales and I haven’t received my digital sales from any of the other vendors my book is supposedly selling with. I’m hoping they breach contract on my second book because if they don’t get it out by April, I’m going to ask for my rights back and legally I can.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next few months. I’m thinking about checking with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to see if they’ve filed. It’s public record. They may not be at that point but it’s possible. I made a lot of friends at EC and at first I was impressed. But their lack of organization and structure is alarming. I think the powers that be overspent and now we’re paying for it.

I’m working on other projects and trying to get them ready to submit to other houses. I’ll fulfill my obligations to them if they stay in business but I’m going to take my old sweet time about it. They’ve dragged their ass with me so why should I jump through hoops for them. Sad thing is that they had a great gig. Poor business management though.

I love how very happy all these authors are with EC. I wonder what the actual problem is? Lack of cash flow? Bad business management, or do they just suck? I’m betting that it’s the third option…

Comments Off on Elloras Cave Sucketh Episode 667…
Jill Noble Has Left Noble Publishing?

Wait – I thought she owned the company?

Apparently there have been rifts between her and “the owner”, (yeah, I’m doing air quotes every time I mention the owner) and they’ve had major differences of opinion on how to move the company forward.

So who owns Noble Romance?

It all seems a bit fishy to me. I’ve heard reports that a lot of their authors haven’t been paid for a while. Is this a creative way of saying sayonara and blaming the ‘owner’ for people not getting paid in the long run?

I’m assuming that the authors who write for Noble know who the other owner is? If so, do tell. (I could Google, but I can’t be arsed)

Do any of you guys have any more details?

Thanks to Anon for the tip-off. You know who you are.

Whiskey Creek Press Love Their Authors Like Victoria Beckham Loves Complex Carbohydrates Part 1499...

Yet another satisfied Whiskey Creek author left this comment on an old Whiskey Creek Press blog post:

I also had a bad experience with WCP. They did not publish my book until one year after I signed the contract. A month before it was supposed to be published the editor contacted me and I had to rush to look at everything.

A second editor completely ignored the changes and sent me a galley with errors in it. When I asked if we could correct those errors she called me up and said that I was a horrible writer and she is confused about why the company ever took me on. After berating me for ten minutes she suggested I buy out my contract because I had a bad attitude (all because I wrote a polite e-mail pointing out that a few things were missed.)

She said I was much too young to be doing this. What company accepts a manuscript and then their editor calls to berate the author? Then when it came time for royalty payments, I never got them. They said “We will get you next time around.” Does this sound unprofessional to anyone?

I’ve got a few questions in response to the above:

A; She obviously knew the publishing date, why didn’t she query it in the first place, if she wasn’t happy with the length of time it would take for her book to hit the public? I have to say, a year sounds pretty reasonable to me.

B: Why was she rushing to get the edits in a month prior to publishing? She’s just complained about the length of time she’d been given between signing her contract and having the book published.

C: Why would an editor tell you what an asshole you are, just because you asked for the changes to your book to be implemented? Do we think she’s missed a whole chunk out of information out here? (Mind you, this is Whiskey Creek Press after all, so you never know…)

D: Did she actually sell copies of her books? What are the payment terms over at WCP?

I never know what to believe with these epub authors, I just assume that anybody who has this much trouble with their publisher isn’t the brightest bulb in the picnic hamper. It sounds like she’s been dicked around, but honestly she doesn’t sound overly bright, so my sympathies are limited. Harsh, I know, but hey, what are ya gonna do?

Was I the only person who read Kassia Krozser’s How I Spent My Summer Vacation post and felt that it was slightly…glib? Casual, even?

Welcome back from whatever you did this summer. Me, I spent my time building a digital publishing company. It went mostly okay, though, in the end, there was no company to show for it. That has nothing to do with the work and talent of the people involved. Talk about amazing, smart, and creative.

You’d never know that all that summer long we’d been bombarded with messages of how QP was going to revolutionize the e-book industry, and change the digital publishing world forever.

You’d never know that people who took a risk and jumped on board ended up losing their jobs, their time, their money.

You’d never know that they made big promises that they broke.

KK’s post seemed far too casual in my opinion. A lot of people commended them on the fact that they held their hands up, and shut up shop before the bodies started piling up, but I wasn’t one of those people. In fact it didn’t impress me much at all.

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cute-but-psycho

I received an email the other day informing me that AP Miller AKA Patti Rebmann has got a new job. Apparently she’s the acquisitions editor at the soon-to-be-opened (slightly dodgy looking) XoXo Publishing.

You guys remember Patti right? She’s that imbecile who emerged at the height of the Mardi Gras publishing scandal.

Remember this love letter she wrote to me? (more…)

sinking-ships

So you guys remember my post about the rumour that the disgraced ex-owner of the defunct Triskelion Publishing, Kristi Studts had opened a new publishing company?

And the follow-up post where I posted the comments of Kristi Studts Jennifer Mitchell, the owner of Mystic Moon Press, who not only took the time out to try to set the record straight, but also sent along her henchmen to support her?

OK, so it was a while ago, but bear with me will ya?

Anyway, this was the rebuttal comment from Jennifer Mitchell at the time: (more…)

sinking-ships

Is there trouble at the Elloras Cave mill, I wonder?

I got this e-mail last night:

I’m surprised this isn’t out. EC was supposed to mail January royalty checks on Feb 25th, then an e-mail went out from management claiming that because they changed banks the checks were delayed. As of last Friday or so, they were still ‘working on sending out’ the Feb 25th checks. Authors are grumbling about it but nobody is saying anything to management that I know of.

I’m personally not saying anything because if you start asking questions you tend to end up on the ‘shit’ list.

Another author, one who has a huge following, …. is one of their highest sellers said she’s only been paid on time ONCE in the last twelve months and there is fear that something is seriously amiss in paradise, so to speak. I asked her what she thought was going on – poor fiscal management was the response. Now what that means is anybody’s guess, but I can say that I’m still waiting on my money.

I have no doubt that the authors will eventually get paid, but late payments would suggest that EC’s ship may not be as steady as it used to be.

Any anon authors out there willing to confirm or deny?

Thanks to you-know-who for the tip-off

Remember James Lightsey, AKA ex fucktard of the week here at KKB Central? Well a few people think that this person might be him.

If it’s him, it’s a bit cheeky isn’t it? I guess this way, none of the authors get their royalties, and they don’t have to pay tax on the books sold. If NCP have resorted to doing things like this, surely they can’t be doing all that well financially?

Can anybody shed any light on this? Are your books included in there somewhere?

Thanks to You-Know-Who for the heads up.

So, does anybody know why Madris DePasture (NCP Owner) felt the need to post the names of all the authors whose rights have reverted back to them?  I’m thinking that this was a directive from a legal source, but I cannot fathom out why, seeing as I’ve never seen anything similar at any of the other e-pubs.

Here’s the gist of what’s been written on the NCP site:

Notice of Breach of Contract and Intention to Resolve

In as much as author Shalon Stewart aka Sydney Somers has refused to honor her obligations to this company regarding completion of her novels Howl for Me and One Dark Knight. And, in as much as New Concepts Publishing has invested money in art, editing, and promotion of these two books as well as other considerations and Ms. Shalon Stewart having been informed of this circumstance has stated the intention of not completing the projects, New Concepts Publishing has taken such steps as they deem appropriate to resolve this situation.

Notice of reversion of rights

To whom it may concern, this is to serve as notification of the reversion of rights to Janet Luchinger, aka Lauren Agony/Janet Springer regarding novels previously contracted with New Concepts Publishing and sold through our website as well as through our distributors, webwide, and various independent bookstores under the titles of A Hitman for Hannah and Loverboy. Although both novels appeared together in the print version, Naughty Men, and New Concepts Publishing reserves the right to dispose of the returns due to the substantial monetary investment the company has paid for these books in print, all other rights have reverted to Janet Luchinger as well as future print rights of both or either book so long as it is understood that New Concepts Publishing will continue to sell Naughty Men until we have recovered our investment in these print versions of A Hitman for Hannah and Loverboy. We acknowledge that the author, Janet Luchinger, is entitled to any royalties that accrue from the sale of these print books. We further maintain that no royalties will be due to the author in the event that we are unable to sell the remainders and/or are forced to sell them below our cost, or give the books away as promotional items.

Madris DePasture
New Concepts Publishing

Notice of reversion of rights
To whom it may concern, this is to serve as notification of the reversion of rights to Ellen Ashman aka Ellen Ashe regarding novels previously contracted with New Concepts Publishing and sold through our website as well as through our distributors, webwide, and various independent bookstores under the titles of Love Not Forgotten, Lady Outlaws, Midnight Tryst, The Mountain Man, A Mistress for Marcos, Merlin’s Eye, and the Sorcerer’s Mark. Although the novel The Sorcerer’s Mark appeared in print version, and New Concepts Publishing reserves the right to dispose of the returns due to the substantial monetary investment the company has paid for these books in print, all other rights have reverted to Ellen Ashman as well as future print rights of the book so long as it is understood that New Concepts Publishing will continue to sell The Sorcerer’s Mark until we have recovered our investment in the print versions of The Sorcerer’s Mark. We acknowledge that the author, Ellen Ashman, is entitled to any royalties that accrue from the sale of these print books. We further maintain that no royalties will be due to the author in the event that we are unable to sell the remainders and/or are forced to sell them below our cost, or give the books away as promotional items.

Madris DePasture
New Concepts Publishing

Notice of reversion of rights
To whom it may concern, this is to serve as notification of the reversion of rights to Tracey Ranson regarding novels previously contracted with New Concepts Publishing and sold through our website as well as through our distributors, webwide, and various independent bookstores under the titles of The Conqueror, The Warlord’s Woman, Caribbean Splendor, and The Unforgiven: Raphael.

Madris DePasture
New Concepts Publishing

Notice of reversion of rights
To whom it may concern, this is to serve as notification of the reversion of rights to Louise Crawford regarding novels previously contracted with New Concepts Publishing and sold through our website as well as through our distributors, webwide, and various independent bookstores under the titles of Rhiannon and Spirit Heart.

Madris DePasture
New Concepts Publishing

There are a couple of authors on there that I know for sure have been dying to get away from the madness that is NCP, but what of the others?

For anybody with any inside information, you can e-mail me at hairylemony @ gmail . com, and as usual, total confidentiality guaranteed.

"Starting rumours have consequenses. All I said is to be an adult about it. All I did was point out that this thread is nothing more than gossip and hope for revenge..."

Remember my April 10th post, where I was sent an e-mail alleging that Kristi Studts, disgraced ex-owner of Triskelion Press may have opened up a new publishing company under the name of Mystic Moon Press?

Well, I had the CEO of Mystic Press over on the blog last night to set the record straight. The problem? She also sent across a number of her henchmen authors to tell me off for spreading scurrilous rumours. (Yes, I know we’ve been here before, but bear with me.)

Anyway, Ceo Jennifer Mitchell wrote:

Hello My name is Jennifer Mitchell, I am the CEO and owner of Mystic Moon Press.

All I can say is that Kristi has nothing to do with our company other then she is a cover artist. It saddens me to know that by hiring a cover artist who claims to be male and involved with a woman I have garnered bad press because of it.

Those that doubt please feel free to check out my personal writing webpage www.jenniferraemitchell.com

or by all means go to Writing.com which is where I got my start www.writing.com/author/gen13

both places have pictures of myself and my family and my book covers.

I originally started this company with a good friend of mine, who has passed away, her name was Keeley McGreggor, to help me run the company now is an author by the name of Kristina Chartrand.

I am offended that I have not had one query to the matter of the real identity of Magickal Media is to myself or Kristina, there is no fact to base this on other then that Kristi “Magickal Media” is a cover artist for me and my company. At this point without knowing the truth I will stand behind my employee, but if I do find out that I have been decieved then I will take the appropriate actions.

It saddens me that things in the E-publishing business have gotten a bad name. Mystic Moon Press, was a dream of my dear friend and one that I want to continue to share. We are small, new and family like. We endevour to treat our authors fairly and I will go to bat for any of them.

Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Mitchell
CEO of Mystic Moon Press, LLC
jen@mysticmoonpress.com

You’ll note Dear Readers, her use of the phrase “We are small, new, and family like”. This is a familiar refrain is it not?

Anyway, fair enough she wanted to set the record straight, but then Ana Star, one of the authors at MMP also posted:

Hi everyone,

My name is ana star and I’ve been a published author for almost a year with mystic moon press. I never had any problems what so ever with this company. Alot of the authors at mmp came from writing.com and some others came from other companies.

As I was reading the comments, there is absolutely no proof as to what you are accusing. Also I am not sure why this post is even here in the first place…sounds like rumours of people who have nothing else better to do than start bs.

Who ever this kristy is, she isnt in your life anymore so be a grown up and move on…

As for the covers, all covers of every company look alike. If you go to fictionwise, you have the largest example of similar covers. Everyone uses the same images and same programs to make them…

I have no doubt that Jennifer Mitchell put out a call to arms for her authors to come over and give the blogger what-for, for spreading malicious gossip, but as per usual, they’ve gone off the deep end without actually, A, doing any research of their own, and B, without taking the time to find out the kind of blog this is. Happy days for Karen.

Now, let me address that fucktard Ana Star.

Ana, you are indeed a fucktard. You know why? Because after all that’s happened with e-publisher after e-publisher imploding and screwing over their authors royally, you dare come on here and say “Who ever this kristy is, she isnt in your life anymore so be a grown up and move on…”

That statement, my dear friend, ensures that you wear the crown of Fucktard of The Week. You must be so proud.

This statement:

As I was reading the comments, there is absolutely no proof as to what you are accusing. Also I am not sure why this post is even here in the first place…sounds like rumours of people who have nothing else better to do than start bs.

Merely cements your fucktardly status.

I wouldn’t be so incredulous had she not admitted in a later post to having already been shafted and “taken advantage by a company who turned out to be fraudulent.”

Loyalty is an admirable trait. Blind loyalty such as the one that she displays, will no doubt ensure that she will be fucked over more than once, by her present/future e-publishers.

Anyway, somebody called Jim Richards, (another one of Dear Jen’s authors) also had his tuppence worth, but he stated his piece and nothing in his comment annoyed me. Although, if they ever go tits-up, you know I’ll be reposting his comments right?

Anyway, the original post was a ‘Rumour Has It’ post, with a request for more information. I suspect though that the authors didn’t bother reading it, and just launched straight into their staunch defence of Mystic Moon Press.

Will these people ever learn?