WritersWeekly.com Warnings Report - Dry Bones Press, Inc.

WritersWeekly Warnings Report

Date Filed: 07/03/02
Company: Dry Bones Press, Inc. / drybones.com / Jim Rankin

Summary:

I want to report a publisher for copyright infringement. I sent a proposal and three chapters of my novel, Exclusively Designed, to Dry Bones Press in August of 1999. They sent me a rejection letter. However, Jim Rankin wrote a personal note saying that he was tempted to publish it and he would think about it. I never heard anything else.

In December of that year, I sent the entire manuscript, hoping to tempt him further. I guess I did. I never heard anything else from him. In 2000 my novel, Innocence Rediscovered, was published by another publisher. A friend of mine tried to order the book, June of 2001. The bookstore told her that they could not order it, but Exclusively Designed could be ordered.

That's how I discovered that Dry Bones had published my book. I contacted a lawyer who contacted Dry Bones. Mr. Rankin insists that he didn't publish the book, although my friend and I each own a copy, listing Dry Bones as the publisher. Mr. Rankin also threatened to sue me for causing him stress and endangering his health. I registered the copyright on the book. However, my lawyer advised that I would spend more pursuing the case than I would ever receive. I have never gotten any royalties from Mr. Rankin, although I know that two copies of the book have been sold. The book is listed as out of print now and Mr. Rankin has taken it off of his website. It is still for sale on several websites and I'm still trying to get it taken off as well as getting it taken out of Ingram's catalog. I have reported him to the FTC and BBB. I saw your warnings page and thought I would contact you.

Thank you,
Shannon Vannatter

Response WritersWeekly received to its inquires into the matter:

We have contacted this publisher since sending this complaint, yet he refuses to email us. Rather, he sends emails to the writer. He has accused her of "bearing false witness" and "murder" and has threatened to damage her reputation in the industry. We have tried to piece together what happened, but it is difficult since he refuses to write to us directly. He also accused us of terrorism. He then threatened to invoice the writer for the time he has spent corresponding with her. He said, "I bill $60 per hour or part thereof, plus expenses; rising to $100 for further abuse; and to $200 for truly egregious cases." He then said if she doesn't pay him, he'll report her to the credit agencies. We strongly recommend all authors avoid this firm and its owner, Jim Rankin.

FOLLOW-UP EMAIL SENT BY WRITERSWEEKLY TO PUBLISHER:

Hi Jim,

We are in receipt of a copy of the email you sent to Shannon Vannatter, but we are still waiting for a response to be sent here? Don't you want our readers to know your side of the story? If you don't reply, we will be forced to publish the allegations without benefit of a rebuttal from Dry Bones.

Angela Hoy
WritersWeekly.com

ANOTHER FOLLOW-UP EMAIL SENT BY WRITERSWEEKLY TO PUBLISHER:

Hi Jim,

I find it interesting that you're accusing us of not publishing the truth, yet you refuse to send us your side of the story.

However, Shannon Vannatter has been kind enough to forward along your correspondence. From what I've read, you admit that you published the book as a print on demand book, yet you didn't know you published it. Somehow the files got loose in the system and the book ended up on the market and available for sale. Is this correct?

Also, you refuse to send her the royalties for the three books sold...because she hasn't "asked" for them. Is this also correct?

And, you don't seem to understand that now that the book has been published, the value of it on any future contract is greatly diminished. First rights are no longer available for this book. This means the financial damage done to Ms. Vannatter is much greater than the royalties on the sale of three copies. I'm sure, as a publisher, you understand this is the greatest damage you have done to Ms. Vannatter.

Angela Hoy
WritersWeekly.com