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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.

(more…)

Elloras Cave Are The Worst Episode 666...

I received this email from author Roslyn Holcomb yesterday with regards to Elloras Cave delaying royalty payments:

So here’s the story: My book, Drawing the Stud was published by them on July 26, 2013. It went up on the third party sites (Amazon, B&N, ARe) shortly thereafter. My first checks from them were paltry, which isn’t surprising because I know the third party vendors pay in arrears. So, for a book that came out in July, they would pay EC in November, which means I should’ve gotten my money in December.

That didn’t happen. Supposedly it takes them two months to process it. Fine. January then. No checks. No fucking explanation. So they say wait two weeks after the end of the month to inquire. That was January 14, I sent an email to them. No answer. Next day I sent an email to the address for contracts. No answer. I emailed my editor and she gave me a third email address. No fucking answer. Finally by Saturday I’d had enough of this shit, so I emailed all the addresses and told them if I hadn’t heard back from them by noon on Monday I was going public with this bullshit. In response I got this email:

Please see the message posted on ec_biz/ec_biz2. That is our official and announced communication method to authors – all authors are expected to be subscribed and check all postings promptly. If something is posted there, we do not send individual emails. If you do not maintain active reading of that announcement list, you are missing important information. (And please do take the time to read the Cave Communique newsletters for lots of good info.)

Kristen Wiig

Apparently, there was nothing on the Elloras Cave loop addressing the late checks business that morning, however they finally got round to posting some information on the loop. The gist of the posts were as follows (I’m paraphrasing folks):

‘Sorry for the delay in posting the October royalty statements, we have a new accounting system and we’ve have been experiencing technical difficulties.

We are also short-staffed in the accounting department so please be fucking patient. You’ll get the checks as soon as possible. Pinky swear.’

There was also a reminder that they aren’t obligated to pay the royalty checks monthly, as the official contracts say that they pay quarterly. In other words ‘Listen you whinging fucking bitches, we don’t have to pay you motherfuckers monthly, we choose to, so sit the fuck down and be grateful for what you get, even though there’s been an unspoken understanding that the checks will be processed monthly, for years now.’

There was then a reassurance that once the system starts working properly again, and the new staff are fully trained, they will endeavour to mail out the checks asap.

Reassuring huh?

Apparently then, there was also another communication, this time from Raelene Gorlinsky (the publisher) who basically apologized for the delay in responding to the issues, but gee golly, she’d been at a conference all week and hadn’t managed to check her emails because there were so many, oh and by the way, she’s still not going to be able to deal with the crap because she’s got some personal stuff that needs to be handled so it might be a few weeks before any of these issues can be resolved, so yeah, fuck you and your problems authors. Or something like that.

Anyway, Roslyn obviously wasn’t happy, she wrote to me:

Now seriously, do they think I rode over on the motherfucking Mayflower? I know bullshit when I’m reading it. Nobody in their right mind tries to implement a new accounting system in December, or even in the fall of the year. That’s year end closeout and they back right up on having to have tax forms out in January. Nobody’s that fucking stupid. These bitches are broke as all hell and holding on to people’s money so they can rob Peter to pay Paul.

It’s like they’re playing directly from the disintegrating epub playbook. Accounting systems. Dead people, etc… So knowing your authors hadn’t been paid you went off to some goddamned conference (who they hell has conferences in January?) Shouldn’t paying your authors be consideration number one. I’m so pissed right now I can’t see straight. So I sit here now without my fucking check. Money they’ve had for two goddamned months now. I’ve got a special needs child who needs a $600 tricycle and these bitches playing fast and loose with the cash.

Of course it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that EC are struggling, I’d love to see their financials. It’s clear thought that they give nary a fuck about their authors, because if they did, they wouldn’t be so lax with regards to paying them in a timely manner.

Anybody else having issues that you want to share? If so, you can email me at hairylemony @ gmail.com, (minus the spaces of course)

Honestly, I’m bleeding surprised that they’re still in business.

Anyway, Elloras Cave…

Suckage

Apparently EC are looking to change things up a bit by launching two new lines.

EC is launching two new Lines (genres) of Romantica at Ellora’s Cave!
*Gen-Edge
*Branded

These are targeted at specific niche markets, to expand our readership to women who might not be current customers, or who may be looking for something not reflected in our existing story types.

The first line is aimed at girls between 18-25 years of age: (more…)

This is actually directed at authors, rather than readers, but any readers who want to chime in, can do so.

I’ve heard from certain publishers that during romance book conferences, e-book authors often feel inferior to their print counterparts, because print authors/publishers don’t consider e-bookers to be ‘real’ authors. I wonder how true that is?

I’ve also heard several authors defend their e-book author status, by saying that they’d choose e-books over print anyday, because they have greater freedom in terms of their work, they can write outside the box, yadda yadda yadda.

Is that really the general consensus?

Whenever an e-book author gets a contract with Kensington or any of the big NY houses, there’s this level of excitement, and a general feeling from the author that, yes, they finally made it, despite already having written multiple books for trhe likes of Samhain or Elloras Cave.

Let’s face it, when was the last time Lora Leigh had an e-book out? And she got her start in e-books.

So my my question to the e-book authors is this: If you had a choice between writing for a house like Elloras Cave or Samhain Publishing and writing for an NY house like Kensington, who would you choose? Honestly?

Which would Lora Leigh have chosen back in the day, had she been given the choice then?

Says, Adra Steia disgruntled author, in response to a negative review from Holly at Book Binge.

Who is Adra Steia, I hear you ask.. well to be honest, I have no clue. But apparently she’s a best-selling e-book author. Erm, so she says at least.

Anyway, here’s the story: Holly from Book Binge apparently read Ms Steia’s book, and didn’t like it, in fact she went on to include said book in her Worst Read in 2007 post.

Adra apparently wasn’t impressed and allegedly started commenting anonymously, a la sock puppet.

Anyway, Holly then put this post up, basically outing her. Adra Steia responded, and responded, and responded, and responded…

Below are some wonderful examples of why authors should know when to step away from the keyboard.

Adra Steia writes:

People, I don’t care. I haven’t since, what, September? I DID google my name for further reviews, found this, and found it insanely hilarious. (The book you reviewed has received nothing but recommended reads and other great reviews– that says much more than the ‘review’ you all did of it!).

I’m laughing at you all. Not crying about a bad review. LAUGHING. Big difference.

I’m laughing even more now….

Yeah, she really sounds like she doesn’t care, doesn’t she?

This next bit made me smile:

Oh, one more thing before I once again forget you all exist…thanks for all the sales! Every time you mention my book, my slaes jump way up!

So apparently, Adra Steia’s sales are jumping every time her book is mentioned at Book Binge. You’d think she’d be more grateful wouldn’t you?

Some more examples of how not to respond to a negative review:

Seriously. I didn’t post that original comment. As I said, I looked at that post and LAUGHED. It’s funny. You hated the book, but it made an impact on you, such a huge impact that it made not one, not two, but THREE Worst Read lists!

Here, Steia continues to dig herself a deeper hole:

I don’t care what you people have to say about me. You just made yourself look immature and childish in front of the whole world. THAT’S what I’m laughing about. You don’t come off as snarky or witty or amusing. Except, of course, to your friends. To anyone else…you just look pathetic. How long has it been since you got out of high school? Most people put the love for drama behind them.

I did react strongly to that review–for a day or two. You and your cohort trashed a book I’d spent a long time and lot of work on. It’s like me walking up and telling you your kid is ugly and smells bad. Just like you’d be highly pissed at me, you have to understand that that’s how I felt for a little while.

Wow…

I wonder if she’ll ever see the irony in this statement:

Most people put the love for drama behind them.

Especially when she commented eight times on Holly’s post.

Ya know what, though? I got over it. I moved on. I wrote more books. All of which get great reviews and have great SALES. You don’t matter. Your review didn’t matter in the long run. It hurt, I put a bandaid on it, and MOVED ON.

Your ‘letter’, though, is just a huge testament to the kind of person and reviewer you really are. And it’s on my blog now. Let’s see how much more immature and vindictive and childish you can be…

Absolutely amazing.

This next bit had me laughing my tits off:

I can take a bad review. It’s a challenge for the overcome when I write my NEXT book. I’m not so emotionally attached to my books that the world ends when one gets a bad review.

She’s doing real well at handling a negative review isn’t she? She’s definitely giving a stellar performance.

You unfairly attacked me–someone who has not even VISITED this blog in months. Someone stood up for me, and you are so consumed with…sheesh, I don’t even know…yourself, I guess, that you assume it was someone who couldn’t care less about you or your blog. When you attack me PERSONALLY, yeah I’m going to respond. I want people to see how you ‘wonderful’ people REALLY are. My blog gets hundreds of visitors a day, many of which buy at least one of my books.

And to the person who said I should be thanking them…read my earlier comments. I did thank them, thank you! I’ve already sold quite a few numbers of the book in question, as well as several other copies of my horror novels. I’m the one making the money off this, and once again, I thank you.

Keep up the diatribe, please… it’s doing wonders for my sales.

Once again, the mention of the jump in sales of her book. Do we think she’s telling porkies or what?

This whole thing is retarded and childish. I’m a writer. I’ve had six books accepted and published. I’ve proven to the world that I am a capable author. My books are bestsellers, and I sell out at book signings. Your review didn’t just destroy my world and turn me into a sniveling little weakling and leave me cowering in a corner.

You can post nasty things about me left and right, and trash me and my books and still…it’s not going to matter. You’re weak. You couldn’t resist the urge to just ignore the comment–or bring yourself to check the IP address against the ones in the posts that I willingly, happily signed my name too. Ya know why? ‘Cuz you know you’d look like an idiot for going off on someone who had NOTHING to do with this.

Bear in mind guys, that she’s talking about The Book Binge Girls. I mean come on, The Book Binge Girls? On what planet are they considered mean girls?

This is just an attempt to make yourself look more superior, more intelligent, and more snarky. Guess what? YOU are the weak link here. It’s all pack mentality. Most people have no clue who I am, and you’re just sending more and more people to my blog and my website.

If she is getting more hits to her blog, surely she should be grateful? As AztecLady already noted, first she says she’s a huge best-seller, then she admits to nobody knowing who she is. Which statement is nearer to the truth do we think? I’ll give y’all one guess.

I DID show my friends and cronies the link. One of which is an author you all despise as well. I probably directed about 20 people here– hits for you blogs, ladies, you should be happy. We all had a big laugh.

Thats how me and my friends roll—and lots of other authors. We celebrate our victories and our less-than-victories. It was a public post, was it not? I had ever right to pass it around to my friends. In no way does that warrant an all out attack from you. I never posted a word about it anywhere, my blog or otherwise. Only my direct circle of friend (those 20 or so people) knew about it.

I wonder if she has a publicist?

I’m still getting over the fact that she used the ‘That’s how me and my friends roll’ line. This is a best-selling author don’tcha know.

She then goes on to admit that perhaps her book wasn’t the best thing evah:

My book isn’t the best thing since sliced bread. Shoot, I admit that. I’m not so conceited that I can’t see the flaws. Beyond saying the book is different than one you’d most likely read, I didn’t say anything above and beyond about it.

The problem with your reviews were the utter-closed-mindedness of them. But, that’s your opinion. It’s your blog, you write what you want to about the books that are submitted. I run a book review website. I know that and understand it. BUt when an author complains to me that either I or one of my reviewers missed something, if it’s a justifiable complaint, we look into it.

That one book in particular was the one and only romance I’ve ever written and will ever write. I write horror. I’ve never even tried writing another romance, because, well, I don’t like romance. I don’t care that you didn’t like my book. Plenty of other people do.

Yep, that’s definitely the sound of yet another author shooting herself in her own foot. Ya gotta love ’em right?

What a fucktard.

I had a conversation with Jane last week, where I said that I thought the problem with e-publishing, especially those who publish romance/erotic novels, is that it’s full of screeching women who don’t have the faintest idea about running a business.

She disagreed of course, as any sensible person would, but to be honest, I’m not so sure I’m wrong. Yeah, yeah, I know, I’m being somewhat sexist, but so what? I still think there’s a grain of truth in there.

I know that there are exceptions, but that’s just it, they seem to be exceptions, rather than the rule.

If Tina Engler was to start up in today’s current climate, would she be as successful? Maybe, but I’m not so sure.

In the beginning she too was writing most of the books herself. The editing was terrible, and nowhere near as polished as it is now (well, not counting those Carol Lynne books because they were shockingly bad). I hear that she struggled no end in the beginning, and that was with virtually no competition.

I think that Crissy Bashear, great timing, and no competition, were what helped EC make it big.

In today’s e-pub market, minus Crissy Bashear, I do think Engler would really struggle.

Of course men fail in business too, but seeing as so many of them run most of the world, you’re bound to get failures here and there.

No, I’m serious. I do think that if more romance e-pubs had men at the helm, more e-presses would survive (James Lightsey doesn’t count, I’m still not convinced he was a bloke), and I can’t help but think that you wouldn’t have the same level of shrill, hormonally challenged screaming dingbats, that plague the industry now.

How many times do you get the CEO of a print publisher having a total meltdown in public? Come to think of it, how many of those CEOs are women?

Anyway, agree, disagree? Couldn’t give a crap?

And Another One Bites The Dust…

Monday, March 24, 2008
Posted in: Epublishers

pondering-mouse.jpg

Dark Eden Press are closing.

The official statement from Debra, the owner of DEP, has been reposted here.

Apparently she has cancer.

Is Silk’s Vault No More?

Friday, February 22, 2008
Posted in: Epublishers, Silk's Vault

I received an e-mail earlier asking me if Silk’s Vault had closed. I have no idea. All I know is, their site seems to have gone kaput.

A few months ago, Jane reported that Camille Anthony, an e-published author, had gone public regarding her lack of royalty payments from Silk’s Vault.

From that point, I can’t actually remember whether they actually died a death or not.

Anybody know? Or indeed care?

Well, I’ll repeat my comment at DA at the time:

My advice to any Silk’s authors out there is PULL YOUR BOOKS ASAP. There’s evidence of dishonesty already, so this ship is probably getting ready to sink. The warnings are loud and clear, and any author who stays with them out of fear, will only have themselves to blame when things go tits up, and the owner starts going batshit crazy. Mardi Gras Publishing anybody?

The website going kaput may be just a technical glitch, but I still think this is pretty good advice.

And Another One Bites The Dust…

Monday, September 17, 2007
Posted in: calling it a day, Epublishers

I’ve no idea who Stardust Press. were, but they’ll be going kaput on 30th September. This is what the CEO or whoever ‘Raine’ is, had to say:

“After much discussion and negotiation and evaluation, it is with regret that we announce StarDust Press is closing effective September 30, 2007. We are saddened that despite all our efforts, SDP is bleeding, and the investors have decided to cut their losses.”

At least we can be grateful that this time, the owners don’t seem to be totally losing the plot. They’ve obviously learned from the antics of the last lot.

Via ERECSITE.

By the way, does anybody know what it means when you dream that everytime you picked up a newborn baby, you either broke its bones, or dropped it on its head?

I had the same dream on Friday and Sunday. I woke up crying each time.

I really think I need a break.

Question….

Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Posted in: Epublishers, random ramblings

If you were a best-selling author who got your start in e-publishing, why would you choose to not include those early, and subsequent books on your website?

Possible Answers

1. Embarassment (I’m not sure why though, the e-published books were good)
2. An effort to cut all ties with said e-publisher (Can’t really blame her for that)
3. Wants to be taken seriously as a writer (Hey, your readers take you seriously enough)
4. Doesn’t want to admit to writing ‘smut’ (Hey, sex sells)
5. Pissed off with e-publisher for some mysterious reason (Hmmm… very likely)

Well, I guess we’ll never know unless the author in question talks, so I’ll have to draw my own conspiracy-fuelled conclusions. *g*

Apologies for the lack of posts, but TTG and I decided to go away for the weekend.

Anyway, I was just over at the Dear Author site, where Jane’s got a link to Camille Anthony, an e-published author, who’s gone public regarding her lack of royalty payments from Silk’s Vault, an e-publisher, with whom she was contracted with.

Camille writes:

So basically, they haven’t paid her all year, and when the bleeders did pay her, they didn’t include royalties from her sales at Fictionwise. Good going.

Camille continues:

Jeepers creepers. I’m assuming Sarah Tiller is the CEO of Silk’s. I guess she didn’t read Dale Carnegie’s book huh?

Anyway, Jane’s done her bit, and tried to contact the publisher directly to get the other side of the story, but so far she aint biting. I’m guessing that Sarah whoever-she-is, is probably stuck with her head buried in the sand somewhere hoping that all her troubles will go away, as if by magic.

If I was an author at Silk’s Vault, I’d seriously start thinking about taking my books and running like crazy. I don’t know about anybody else, but I’ve never enjoyed being shafted from behind.

Getting published might be a writer’s dream come true, but if you guys aren’t careful about who you hand over your precious babies to, that dream might turn into a nightmare, and you might just end up getting royally screwed, without the benefit of an orgasm.

Triskelion and Venus Press anybody?

Just sayin’.

By the way, if you’re an aspiring author hoping to get e-pubbed, you might want to check out Piers Anthony’s website. Some E-publishers, and authors seem to hate him, because of the gossipy nature of his info, but some of the information that he’s posted about e-pubs, have been right on the money.

No smoke without fire, I say.

If anybody has any further info on Silk’s Vault, you can e-mail me on hairylemony @ gmail. com. All identities kept strictly confidential of course.

Right, now that that’s done, I’m off to get ready for a crazy night out with the girls!