Publishing Quandry
I have reached a critical point in the publishing life of my book where I must pull out all the stops. I have been searching for a publisher/self publisher for months, and thought I found one.
Yesterday afternoon, I dutifully spoke to representatives from Balboa Press (Hay House) and Xlibris (Penguin/Random House) asking (what I considered to be) intelligent and probing questions regarding their publishing specs, marketing, and even their author contract. It never occurred to me, until I did a Google search for complaints and scams, that the owner company of both these presses, Author Solutions, could itself be the problem. During my search I stumbled upon a website intended for authors that specifically mentioned steering clear of all Author Solution companies (Balboa, Xlibris, Trafford Publishing, iUniverse, Author House, etc.) The website went so far as to call them scam and rip off artists, listing numerous complaints and court cases, some going as high as the Attorney General’s office.
It was a sobering afternoon. The rosy colored world the reps report, along with a strong desire to see my book in print, almost snagged me. (Additionally, each offered huge discounts if I signed with their company before the end of August.) So, I got another lesson in not accepting illusion as reality without knowing the facts – which could turn out to be a good looking house of cards. No thanks, been there, done that.
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it’s back to the proverbial drawing board but with an added dose of information and skepticism. So, here’s my request: If anyone out there knows anything about, or knows someone who knows anything about Balboa, Xlibris, or the world of publishing/self publishing, please get back to me post haste. I will be eternally grateful for your willingness and knowledge. Thanks in advance for your help.
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