August 06, 2008

Letters To The Editor For August 6th

BookLocker vs. Amazon / BookSurge

I support SPAN's decision and Booklocker's lawsuit against Amazon! I am a small publisher and a huge fan of Amazon, but not in regards to this case. I believe small and large publishers have put Amazon on the map. I believe Amazon was frustrated by the number of vanity presses that have actually taken advantage of many self-published authors and decided to lump us all together. That is sad! The key to a successful business is to manage product and demand; but to lump us all in the same category with one term, POD, is unfair and then to demand the product be produced via them spells anti-trust!

Last time I checked, part of Amazon's success was the free marketplace system, so my question to Jeff is: once you were a little guy with a dream, you made it with the help of book lovers, book writers and book publishers, not by yourself but with the help of many loyal to you and your mission. Now, you want to step on those most loyal to your success in the name of what? Greed? Jeff, decisions like these leave the door open for another little guy with a dream who will have the support of those same people that made you the success you are!

Stacey Kannenberg, Author/Publisher
Cedar Valley Publishing & Stacey Kannenberg Unlimited
Award Winning Author/Publisher of Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten! &
Let's Get Ready For First Grade!

I Got Scammed, Legally, by a Writing Website

Hi Angie,

I read Karen Carver's blurb about getting scammed, and it reminded me of one of my Website clients. Thought your readers would appreciate how on top of Internet deals they need to be.

The client (an author) paid someone to "do his website". In his mind, the person would design, code, and upload the site. His payment to them was $6,000.

The client came to me a week before an important radio interview, saying the site was done, but the other person couldn't upload it, and would I do it? I thought it was odd because any programmer can upload a website.

Long story short - when he gave me the "site" files, the only thing there was a Photoshop file with an image of what the site should look like. The person he had paid $6000 to was a designer, and all she did was do a Photoshop image of the site's look and feel. No coding, no pages, no home page copy, nothing.

To top it off, the author had no contract, nothing in writing - just a verbal agreement. It was a classic "he said-she said", and in the end he had a pretty $6000 picture.

If you're going to work with Internet providers, get a contract with details spelled out. Otherwise, you have no legal recourse.

Nancy

Thanks!

Dear Angela,

Not realising that it was probably smack in the middle of your sickest time, I wrote recently posing some questions about marketing. Richard answered me speedily and meaningfully. So I wanted to say thank you.

I'm so grateful to you both for your professional and prompt attention, and for the support you offer so willingly. I know you say it makes more dollars for you if my book sells well, but that's not the point. All my editors in the past - and I've had several - have been very helpful in the early days, but they simply don't seem to have the time to handle ëaftercare'. In my experience you'd be hard pushed to find a mainstream publisher offering as much help as Booklocker - and so immediately.

I'm so impressed. Especially given that Richard must be hard-pushed with child-care and a sick wife. Give yourselves a hug from me.

Best wishes,
Mel Menzies

Author of 'A Painful Post Mortem' (pb May 2008) - a tragic but tender story of love stretched to its limits. http://www.melmenzies.co.uk
Cumcaritas Books (with love) gives 30% of book sales to charity. Click on link above for further details.