Riverdale Avenue Books was founded in 2012 by literary agent Lori Perkins of the L. Perkins Agency. Riverdale, which describes itself as a “hybrid” publisher even though, as far as I know, it does not charge fees, boasts a whopping 13 imprints, covering everything from erotica to mystery to sports and lifestyle titles.
It also, apparently, has trouble providing royalty statements and author copies.
Writer Beware has received a number of complaints from Riverdale anthology and book authors who cite publication delays, poor copy editing, late or missing royalty statements, non-provision of contractually-promised print author copies, and poor communication (for instance, authors finding out about to-be-published stories only when other authors spotted the stories in proof copies).
I’ve also seen royalty statements for several RAB anthologies, which appear to sell in miniscule numbers (for example, several years into its five-year contract term, one anthology had sold just 35 copies in total, according to correspondence from RAB). RAB has a policy of not paying out anthology royalties at all until at least $50 is due; this benchmark is stipulated in most of the RAB anthology contracts I’ve seen–but not in all, and even where it’s not, the $50 benchmark has been cited as a reason for not providing royalty checks.
Lori Perkins’ previous publishing venture, Ravenous Romance, was the focus of similar complaints before it shut down in 2016 (some examples can be seen in the comments thread on this post from the Dear Author blog). In particular, it stirred conflict of interest concerns, in part because of Perkins’ dual position as owner of an agency and part-owner/editorial director of Ravenous, but also because Perkins Agency agents and Perkins herself were placing clients’ manuscripts with Ravenous. Similar concerns exist for RAB–something that is explicitly acknowledged in at least some RAB book contracts:
******
Breaking Rules Publishing (BRP) bills itself as “an open and inclusive publishing house” that was founded “to help writers break down the system.”
Indications at its website, however, are not auspicious. Founder Christopher Clawson-Rule had no professional publishing or writing experience before starting BRP in 2018. BRP covers leave a lot to be desired (to put it mildly). It runs a large roster of high-entry-fee (read: profit-generating) awards (such awards, with no name recognition, are a complete waste of writers’ money, especially where, as in BRP’s case, the primary prize is “exposure”), along with no fewer than 15 different writing contests that, while not as expensive to enter, are clearly also designed to generate a profit. To complete the picture, BRP sells a range of paid services, including editing and cover design (always a signal for caution, as this poses a potential conflict of interest; Duotrope declines to list BRP for this reason), and hawks ads to writers:
All of the above would be sufficient reason to be wary of BRP. But there’s more.
Writer Beware has received multiple complaints about BRP, from both authors and staff. These include: late payment of royalties; non-payment of royalties, staff salaries, anthology flat fees, and story fees for publication in BRP’s magazines; failure to provide author copies; failure to provide books ordered and paid for by authors; problems with online orders; confusing or inadequate contract language (for instance, anthology contracts that are really only lightly-adapted book contracts, and magazine contracts that don’t include rights language or grant terms); and rude and aggressive responses to questions and complaints.
These financial problems and logistical snafus will probably sound very familiar if you’re a regular reader of this blog, as they often precede a publisher’s abrupt demise. Even if BRP isn’t on the brink of going bust, the complaints suggest that there’s considerable disarray behind the scenes…possibly because BRP–which offers not just book and anthology publishing, but magazines, awards, contests, workshops and classes, and a recently-established European branch–may have expanded its offerings considerably beyond the capacity of what (I’m guessing) is a tiny and not-necessarily-very-experienced staff.
(If Breaking Rules rings a bell, that may be because of its encounter with supertroll Gary Kadet, about whom I wrote last year. Briefly, BRP agreed to publish Gary’s novel, Ogre Life (giving it a cover of typical BRP caliber), but Gary’s reputation caught up with him when, apparently, he was mean to people in one of BRP’s author groups. In response, BRP “downgraded” and then booted him. Drama ensued: Twitter insults, angry Yelp reviews.)
UPDATE: I’ve received an email from Christopher Marry Hultman of Breaking Rules Europe, who says this:
In January of this year, I and two other authors took over the European and Australian wing of Breaking Rules Publishing, calling it Breaking Rules Europe. This does not mean that we are a part of Breaking Rules or are governed by Christopher Clawson, we are an independent entity and do not engage in or offer the services that BRP provides.
However, things are not quite as arm’s length as this statement would make it appear, as Christopher Clawson Rule has published posts in the BRP Europe Facebook group seeking contributors for BRP USA’s “Write to the Point” blog.
UPDATE 1/25/22: Breaking Rules seems to be also doing business as–or maybe just promoting as, it isn’t really clear–“Someday–A Creative Collective“.
UPDATE 2/22/22: Breaking Rules has closed down, and has completed its morph into “Someday”.
All of the cautions above continue to apply.
UPDATE 2/28/22: Christopher Clawson-Rule is being sued by a photographer for using images without permission.
******
Adelaide Books presents itself as an independent publisher. In fact, it is pay-to-play, requiring authors to purchase 45 copies of their finished books.
Shifting fees to purchases, rather than book production, is a tactic some fee-charging publishers use to try to make their fees more palatable. You’re not paying the company to publish your book–just buying books once the process is complete! But whether you pay upfront or on the back end, the bottom line is that you are giving your publisher money in order to be published. That’s vanity publishing.
Adelaide does not mention the purchase requirement on its website, nor is it included in the sample contract. Writers’ first indication that they will have to pay comes with the offer email:
Naturally some writers, having assumed they were submitting to a non-fee-charging publisher, aren’t too pleased to discover they are in fact expected to “support” the publisher by handing over a large amount of money. Here’s Adelaide’s rather snippy response to the concerns expressed by one of them:
Okay, then.
The 45-book fee may not be all authors wind up spending, either. At the 2019 Book Expo, authors were given the “opportunity” to buy 100 ARCs for $1,100, to be exhibited for sale at Adelaide’s booth. I’ve also heard from writers who paid even larger sums in “partnership” arrangements, and were not satisfied with the results.
Additional concerns: royalties paid on net profit (net income less printing and shipping costs–not quite as “generous” as claimed), very high cover prices (at least for print, likely an indication that Adelaide uses KDP and/or IngramSpark for production), an eyepoppingly huge publishing schedule (Adelaide published more than 120 books in 2020, with a similar number planned for 2021–an enormous list for a small press even with a large staff, which I could find no indication Adelaide has); and a range of author complaints, including inadequate (or no) editing, poor proofreading (books published with errors), little in the way of marketing, and, recently, difficulty getting the publisher to respond to emails.
If you’re an Adelaide author, there’s an Adelaide authors’ forum on Facebook where you can share questions, concerns, and anything else. The volume of complaints there is steadily increasing.
UPDATE 9/22/21: The Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) has issued a Watchdog Advisory for Adelaide Books.
Writer Beware too continues to get complaints. The volume of complaints, as well as what appears to be chronic non-performance, are very much not a good sign, and suggest that Adelaide Books is a publisher in trouble.
UPDATE 5/30/22: The problems reported in the Adelaide authors’ forum on Facebook seem to be getting even worse: no communication, missed deadlines for things like cover design, missed publication dates, failure to release ebook editions, no royalty payments or statements, “pre-purchase” books never received, and more. Multiple authors are demanding contract termination and rights reversion.
The publication faucet also appears to have been turned off. As mentioned above, Adelaide’s huge publishing output has always been a warning sign; but none of the books on Adelaide’s publishing calendar for April and May appear to have been released. According to Amazon, Adelaide has published nothing since March.
Such a large number of missed publication dates is an extremely ominous indicator. It often surprises me how long troubled publishers manage to limp along, even in the face of towering problems and masses of complaints; no bets on a closure timeline, but IMO the writing is on the wall.
UPDATE 12/12/22: Complaints continue to accumulate in the Adelaide Books authors’ forum. Writers are also banding together to take action: recently, a group of authors met with the Authors Guild’s CEO, Mary Rasenberger, to share their stories and urge the AG to take action. Adelaide writers are encouraged to contact the AG with their stories:
UPDATE 1/27/23: The Authors Guild has been in contact with Stevan Nikolic about paying royalties and returning rights. See my update.
We can all learn a lesson or two here, and there is a solution: You can opt to go DIY and have complete control. It’s the same story, anyway, and let’s not make publishing a fairy tale. What you are doing now is exactly DIY, assisted in some sense.
Make sure your book is edited, and it has to be edited. You can find editors available in the market, even editors who once worked with traditional publishers. Save your time figuring out how to lay out your book ready for printing. It’s technical and boring. Go find someone who can lay out for you: 99designs, Fiverr, or a freelancer. There are many talented designers out there, and you’ll be in for a surprise finding who’s who is offering their services. Approach the cover design the same way, hire someone, hire a pro. Next is to decide which way to go, going wide (Ingram) or exclusive ( KDP ). You can manage your accounts if you do it this way. You can see your sales or the lack of sales. You can learn to market yourself or hire a pro. You can see their performance through sales in your dashboard. Repeat what works. Stop doing what’s not.
This is a better alternative than complaining and glorifying perceived failures. In the first place, we decided to go with a company. We have to be ready for the outcome.
Publishing is not an enigma to solve. There is no mystery in publishing, as these ‘gurus want us to think. They want us to believe that publishing is a mystery to solve and to serve these gurus as gods of information. Goodness gracious! It’s obvious.
The writing is creative. Publishing is technical. Distribution is the logistics. What is enigmatic and remains a mystery is sales, how one book goes viral. My ten cents!
Please share today’s Publishers Weekly. Writers Unite! https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/91408-adelaide-books-promises-to-make-things-right-with-authors.html
Shared on my Adelaide update.
Adelaide is so far back in my rear view mirror that I can’t see it. I contacted the legal division of the Authors Guild, and they did nothing. So I lost money and maybe learned a lesson. Maybe.
Not too late, Patty. Right now our AB forum on Facebook has the Authors Guild legal team behind us and are currently dealing with Mr. Nikolic at Adelaide Books. I encourage anyone who needs their AB issues addressed to join our forum at https://www.facebook.com/groups/208340360248358. See for yourself what we are doing and take the opportunity to join the Authors Guild and let their legal department represent you now while they can. All our work is not in vain. Thanks to Writer Beware, aLLi, and our Facebook forum leader, Richard Wise. Please share.
After a number of breaches of contract I mangaged,after a lot of my emails going unanswered, I got the rights to my book returned.
I assume this is Adelaide? Congratulations.
It’s been a long time since I gave up on the hundreds of dollars I sent Adelaide Books–for nothing. Are you saying it’s not too late? I don’t want to get into a lather over it again. I’m back to seeking legit publishing the way I have in the past, but just seeing Stevan’s name raises my BP!
Patty, please join our AB forum on Facebook. We have been working diligently for Adelaide authors and no it’s not too late!
After multiple emails, an official certified termination letter, comments on our FB forum, Writer Beware, and finally opening dialogue in the Authors Guild Community, Stevan Nikolic acknowledged reversion of rights from Adelaide Books today with an email and an officially signed letter attached. Although I am sad that my first book publishing experience was a sour one, I am happy to have my book back a year earlier than the termination date, and I am especially glad that I stood up with so many of you and fought for my rights. The fight is not over as I need all AB books removed from the sales platforms, and I have not been given royalty reports or payments for the year 2022. I’m here to encourage all my fellow authors to never give up. AUTHORS HAVE RIGHTS!
Congratulations on getting your rights back.
Yes, thank you. I hated how I had to do it, but I’m glad I could share with my fellow authors. Now I have to spend time getting the books removed from all sales platforms. More fun awaits! Patty, I would not give up. Some on our Facebook Forum are reporting to Payoneer about not receiving books. You might want to go that route, if that applies to you. I understand the wincing…I think I now have a permanent scowl.
Thank you. So very helpful for those who have terminated according to their contracts. If the publisher ignores us, I think the only proof we would have for the 30-day notice would be the certified mail return receipt card.
Hi Victoria, I am sorry for the late response. I had a bad date with Covid. 🙁 Thank you for sharing your expertise. That has been my biggest concern. Even with terminating the contract when it expires, getting the book removed from all platforms may not happen since we are not getting any response from the publisher. I understand that Amazon needs the publisher to remove the book and any documentation from the publisher provided to the author may or may not work. Can you share what you know about this? By the way, I still have not received royalty reports or checks for the year 2022.
Hi, LBB,
Sorry to hear about Covid–hope you’re feeling much better now.
Thanks for sending me your recent contract–it’s essentially the same as the older ones I’ve seen, with no provision for termination by the author, even in the event of breach. Of course, you can terminate for breach anyway–but all a publisher has to do to thwart you is to ignore you, or dispute your allegation of breach, and keep on publishing, basically daring you to do something about it. I’ve seen this happen quite a lot, and it’s incredibly frustrating.
If Stevan continues not to respond, your only option may be to wait out your three year contract term. Be sure to give notice as required in the contract (in writing, via email or snail mail, at least 30 days before the contract’s end date). Wait a few days beyond the end date, and then check to see if the ebook version is still for sale on Amazon, which would indicate that your book has not ceased publication (if Amazon has copies warehoused, the print version often remains available). You can then use Amazon’s Infringement form to report copyright infringement. In the Additional Information box, explain your situation: contract ended, you gave notice as required by contract, book should have ceased publication but is still for sale. State that you can provide evidence: the contract, the 30-day notice you sent, a reversion letter if you actually received one. Even in the absence of a reversion letter, the contract and your properly-sent notice should provide sufficient evidence.
Of course, it’s Amazon, so outcomes are unpredictable. But I’ve done this procedure myself when I reverted rights and my publisher neglected to remove the ebook version from sale. So it can work.
Thank you for coming forward, Deborah and thank you Writers Guild for supporting your members. I hope others take heed. Please let us all know if the acknowledge of termination you have from AB sufficed for Amazon to remove that edition from distribution. I am happy for you that you are producing a second edition. Onward!
As for Victoria’s comments on the inability to terminate the contract based on the contracts she’s read, please note that there is a clause for timely royalty reports and payments in many of our contracts. Those have been violated. I do believe that is a breach of contract. As of today, we have yet to receive the first and second quarter’s report or payments. Many of our contracts read “non-exclusive.” Would that not mean we can publish whenever, wherever and whoever we choose? I’m thinking the contracts over 3 years ago that you read are not current. It would be interesting to compare.
LBB,
If the grant of rights in your contract is non-exclusive, you can publish elsewhere–but that’s not necessarily helpful. You’d only be able to re-publish with another publisher or publishing service that also had a non-exclusive contract–and if your book was still on sale from Adelaide, you’d be in competition with yourself, with two editions of the book available.
The main benefit of a non-exclusive contract is to allow publication in different formats (if the initial publisher’s formats are limited–for instance, ebook only and you want a print edition) or wider distribution (if the initial publisher’s distribution is limited–for instance, they only use Amazon). Otherwise, as noted, you’ll put different editions of your book in competition with one another.
I’d love to see a recent version of an Adelaide contract, if you or others would be kind enough to share with me–my email is beware@sfwa.org, and all information sent to me is held in confidence.
I am one of the authors who submitted to Adelaide Books. I was able, with help from the Authors Guild, to get released from my contract with AB just last week. When a New York Publishing Company (no bad online information or scam notifications when I accepted his contract at the end of 2020) accepts a submission, takes money upfront for 45 books (I did not mind doing this as I am an unknown without prior published works) promises marketing, ARCs to book reviews, press releases, agrees to pay royalties every 30 days, send a quarterly statement, list you with Ingram, and put into print a well edited book, fails in every aspect of that job, he is a SCAM artist and right now he is making money on books he is paying no royalties for. He has not refunded the $653.40 I paid for 45 books I have never recieved. I belong to the Adelaide Authors Forum on Facebook, more than 80 authors who have been scammed by Stevan Nikolic, Editor in Chief, Adelaide Books.
I am a newbie and I am very grateful to have my book in print, but an any editing done, I did, I chose and paid for the rights to the cover art, because what he sent me was half baked, formula photo I found immediately online. My book, The Serpent’s Tail, was released 3 months late with little to no communication. I didn’t know it had been released until I checked Amazon and found it for sale at $27.10 per book. The book was put to print and released with more than 20 typos and errors that did not exist in my manuscript. He does not return calls, he does not answer emails, and I have seen no royalities or statements, though it is selling steadily. Thankfully I was able to get released from my contract so that he doesn’t get to make money on my books for 3 more years, but I had to stop all of the marketing and promoting I was doing on my own until I can get a self published second edition on the market. I am trying to figure out now if my letter of release from the AB contract can stop the continued sales on Amazon.
The world of publishing isn’t really about new talent. One cannot even submit to the big houses without an agent. Good agents are as difficult to find as a good publisher. The Big 5 express their desire to accept literary excellence but what many of them publish are predictable, formula type money makers. The other folks who can get published by the big houses are ex-presidents, celebrities who fall in the category of “money maker” once again. This leaves many talented and possibly very succesful authors to make it on their own, only after they have fumbled through the extreme frustration of NOT having an agent, NOT being a celebrity author, NOT being a multimillion dollar fantasy, sci fi, or romance novelist. I’m thinking hard about all of this. There has to be a better way to get good work and qualified authors into the world of print, without skinning them and snaking their pocketbook in the process. Onward!
I have a book waiting to be published with AB. It’s been a year since and I have recieved no communication from them.My e4mails go unanswered. How can one get out of the contract? Can I take my book elsewhere?
It’s been a while since I saw an Adelaide contract–other than the partial one on the Adelaide website–so this could be out of date. But in the contracts I have seen, the contract term doesn’t start to run until publication, and there’s no language requiring the publisher to publish within a reasonable period of time (say, 12 months) or else return rights. (For future reference, always look for language like that in a publishing contract; it prevents the publisher from just sitting on your rights and never publishing.)
So unfortunately I don’t think there’s anything in the contract (assuming it hasn’t changed in the last three years) that would allow you to terminate. And unless you can get written notice of contract termination and rights reversion, you can’t take your book anywhere else. It’s not just that Adelaide might take action if you did, but that a new publisher won’t be willing to take on a book whose rights are contracted elsewhere. Even self-publishing platforms require you to warrant that you have the full right to publish–which, as long as there’s an existing exclusive in-force contract, you don’t.
Adelaide is releasing books now, after a two-month hiatus in April and May, so publication is happening–though based on the comments at the Adelaide Facebook group, it is waaaay behind schedule, and plenty of authors are reporting a wide variety of problems and broken promises.
I’m really sorry you’re in this situation.
AB doesn't routinely list the titles it publishes with Ingram, despite claiming it does so. As a result, booksellers, bookstores and libraries can't order copies of many of its authors' books and authors can't track weekly sales. Another example of how AB violates its agreements and its authors lose out.
If you have published with Adelaide Books or are considering publishing with Adelaide Books, may I suggest the Adelaide Books: Author's Forum on Facebook. This forum is limited to past and potential writers. If you want to hear about other writer's actual experiences, you'll hear about them on the forum. We are moderated, simply ask to join.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/208340360248358
To follow up with Adelaide Books since Jan 2022, and as a member of the FB-AB forum, a great many authors who published with AB are coming to the forefront with complaints. As of today and as we roll into the end of the 2nd quarter, we have not received the first quarter royalty report or royalties, or even an email with an explanation. Many authors on the 2022 publishing calendar have not been published according to their dates, many have no eBooks published, some not listed with Ingram, many promises have not been kept, and absolutely no communication. It gives none of us any pleasure to report this, but authors do need to be aware. Thank you Writer Beware and Alli Watchdog for paying attention.
No doubt another money-making scheme by AB.
Adelaide Books has put out a call for submissions for it annual literary awards including a best first novel award. The submission fee for the novel award is $125. The notice cites a deadline date or a threshold of 200 submissions for closure of the submissions window.
Last year I observed a similar call for submissions. Let someone correct me if I am wrong, but I do not recall seeing a winner announced for the novel award.
My other thought is that $125 seems very high. I cannot recall seeing another publisher asking for such an amount.
If you think for one minute that the mistreated AB authors were expecting to have a best seller produced, think again. We know better. That is not what these complaints are about. Beyond shoddy work and promises never meant to be fulfilled, breach of contract is clear. This should not be happening in the publishing world, and who better to warn other authors than us? Want to share or learn more, besides this blog, there is an FB Forum with 50+ AB authors discussing their experiences. ALLi has a Watchdog report on this publisher and they are so fair, they will change the Warning label if they see the publisher changing for the better. Fellow authors take heed. Do your homework before working with a publishing company. Publishing your book should be a joyous experience!
What I want to know is how much of my 45 book purchase has gone to subsidizing the books of Joram Piatigorsky who appears to get primo treatment at AB. Should I be sending him a bill?
Because once his authors have purchased 45 copies of their books, there's nothing more in it for him.
There are observable facts about Adelaide Books. Stevan doesn't have a public presence by which he speaks well of his authors. He doesn't write in support of his authors. He doesn't make personal remarks in public in support of his authors. Why?
'
In its contracts, Adelaide Books promises to publish paperback and e-book versions "simultaneously." Yet its authors have been waiting for e-book versions of their books for up to eight months. There is something wrong with this publisher.
AB makes promises it doesn't keep. A scam.
Not publishing ebook versions of its authors' books is just one example of how this publisher violates the terms of its contracts with authors. No advance editorial reviews, marketing support, etc.
The ebook that Adelaide Books DID provide for my book was a mess. Illustrations in the wrong places, big chunks of text in the wrong font or misplaced… And when I alerted the publisher to this, he said he would correct the problems and never did.
To this day Adelaide Books has not provided eBooks for its many authors published since March 2021, although it is a part of the publishing agreement. This can be proven on their website and Amazon. Very unfortunate for those authors who lost that vital marketing source.
You’re much better off working with a reputable vanity publisher than Adelaide Books. You’ll get your money’s worth, you’ll be treated with respect and your contract will be honored. If you are considering Adelaide, be sure to check with a few of its authors and read blogs like this first. You have to know the truth and what to expect.
It's too bad that such a publisher as Adelaide Books exists and does what it does. Maybe not much longer thanks to sites such as this. I've found a much better publisher for my book.
Adelaide Books is the worst kind of publisher, one that preys on the desire of less experienced authors who simply want to see their words in print. Adelaide claims its mission is to “promote writers.” But Adelaide’s only interest is in lining its own pockets. As soon as authors have forked over hundreds of dollars to pre-purchase 45 copies of their books — which are delivered long after they’re needed for an effective launch — Adelaide essentially walks away, cranking out books in slipshod fashion, deaf to its authors’ requests. This publisher is a charlatan.
Adelaide Books routinely violates the terms of its contracts. Once authors pay for 45 copies of their books upfront, Adelaide shows no interest in them, not even responding to simple requests.
I am one of Breaking Rules Publishing's authors in one of its magazines. My story was published a year ago and I have yet to receive any payment. When I approached one staff member, the owner, Christopher Rules, came down hard on me and anyone who dared to ask for our money, while at the same time, apologized for not being able to pay. To date, I have never received a cent for the US$60 that was in my contract. Beware of this publisher, they will not pay you and will treat you like a nuisance asking for payment they owe you, and the owner is unpleasant to deal with.
Adelaide Books is unprofessional, unreliable and unethical.
It seems to me that the entities featured on this thread exist in a spectrum of maltreatment which resides widely throughout the publishing industry. Because most writers are rejected much, whatever potential abuse awaiting those accepted doesn't enter the consciousness. Publishing is classist. No matter the public face a publisher knits together, even the most progressive looking, virtue-signaling, are in most cases looking to economically exploit. And that exploitation is fortified, if not rationalized, upon the notion that publishers are some higher life form.
Comment dated 7/17/2021 You are absolutely right on with your comment! IF Adelaide Books NY would do as they say, professionally, and CARE about their authors, they could be a class act.
You bet we're anonymous! We have no choice if we have a book in the hands of an inept publisher such as AB. I am not interested in destroying this unprofessional company, but I am interested in sharing with other authors who are considering them for publishing the truth so that they can make their own educated decision. Accountability would be nice, too. And the truth is: DO NOT expect to get any form of marketing. DO NOT expect for anything to be done on time. DO NOT expect to hear from the publisher within 48 hours as their automated email indicates. DO NOT expect editing on any level. DO NOT expect an e-book within a month, or two, and currently over 3 months for some authors. DO NOT expect payment (presently waiting over 10 months). DO NOT expect a detailed royalty report, much less readable. DO NOT be surprised when the "Look Inside" on Amazon disappears or the Book Scan showing your book sales in Amazon Author. DONOT expect for bookstores to buy your books as AB's terms are not to their liking. If you send in a beautifully edited book, DO expect a nice copy. If you want only to have a nice book printed and published in about a year and a half (if lucky) and do not care about anything else mentioned above, you have found your publisher. And yes, I will self-publish my next ten books. The industries are much kinder now to Indie authors. My best to you all!
It is difficult to discern how Jason's contribution pertains to the thread. If a publisher states it will do X, and doesn't do it: that is the issue. It does not matter if a writer actually aspires to wide circulation or just has a parochial reason for publishing. It does not matter. What matters is a publisher taking a manuscript and its project and abusing it to the point the writer now understands it would have far less injurious to self-publish.
Following up on my above comment re "RAB – Circlet Press". It took a few more emails and prodding, but eventually the former publisher at Circlet Press stepped up and accepted my request for reversion of rights, and took over getting the book removed from all the retailers to satisfy our contract. I have been promised a royalty report for 2019 and 2020 "soon", (and I anticipate that it will show zero sales for the time period), but considering Circlet's track record regarding my requests for one in the past, I won't be surprised if I never see it.
I wish RAB/Circlet the best, and Ms. Perkins good health, but I will never recommend submitting to either.
This is proof of why not everyone can and should be an author. You cannot write a book anonymously and expect someone to treat you as an experienced and well-known writer. The success of the book is primarily your responsibility. The publisher is there to help but no one will and should do all the work for you. Such anonymous comments only show that someone is trying to denigrate the publisher for personal reasons and uses the methods of a spoiled child who does not like something. It would be smarter to focus the time you spent researching someone’s address, internet connection, etc. on promoting the book and looking for ways to make it successful. This is how people who take writing books seriously and professionally do it. If I have something to say against my publisher I will certainly not do so anonymously. Any other way is to undermine the integrity of the listed publishers as well as this site which should help us authors rather than post unverified information and allow anonymous users to share their frustrations in this way.
I’m sorry. “..write a book anonymously..”? I don’t think anyone here is trying to “…write a book anonymously and expect someone to treat you as an experienced and well-known writer.” What are you referring to?
Much of what is said here about Adelaide Books, and others on this blog, is grossly unfair, and seems to be from authors with a grudge, newbies who have no idea how publishing works in the real world.
It is not unusual for small publishers (especially of poetry) to request authors buy copies and help promote their own books, no, you're not getting an "advance" or being sent on a book tour. I've been published by three small presses (never Adelaide) and they all do a variation of what Adelaide and others on this blog are being assailed for.
I only ask that prospective authors learn about the publishing world, it's not what you fantasized when you wrote your book, before going on the attack.
Nonsense.
Following up with info re: RAB – Circlet Press became an imprint of RAB sometime in 2019 and as a Circlet Press author I wasn't informed.
I was already not impressed with Circlet, having had a massive royalty payment snafu. I also needed to hound them for Statements annually. We had originally discussed (though not contracted) a trilogy, and after the frustrating experience of putting out book one with Circlet Press, I declined to provide them with any further manuscripts.
I was therefore already preparing to end my contract with Circlet when I learned, quite unexpectedly, that RAB now held my rights when I began my annual months-long campaign to get my sales statement for taxes. I was told, much to my surprise and dismay, that I should stop bugging Circlet and reach out to RAB instead.
I did, and I had one phone call with Ms. Perkins regarding her plans for the book in early 2020. She talked a big game about a re-release with a new cover in late 2020. Since then, no contact that I didn't initiate myself. Each email I sent requesting followups to our phone conversation was met with a request to be patient, and a promise that she would get back to me. Obviously, the re-release never happened.
In her defense, Ms. Perkins is going through some serious personal health concerns. However, it worries me that one person's absence from the team means that the whole publishing house grinds to a halt.
After about a year of waiting to get any news of the plans for my backlisted manuscript, I emailed both Circlet and Ms. Perkins on May 11th, May 17th, and May 25th to request we begin the process of parting ways and a reversion of my rights. I received no acknowledgement of the first two emails.
My most recent email was replied to, acknowledging the receipt of the first two, and requesting for my patience as Ms. Perkins is still ill. It also states that 'multiple departments' need to be involved in a request to invoke the sunset clause, which is what is delaying my response. (Although if there are multiple departments, why is RAB shuttered while Ms. Perkins is away?)
I'm not confident that this process will be as smooth and easy as I hoped. I don't see the value in RAB fighting to keep this title, as under Circlet it sold a little over a hundred copies in six years. I would just like to be quit of both publishers as soon as possible.
I've published with AB, the experience hasn't been good, and I basically agree with what's been written here. One thing not mentioned, however, is that the fee they ask for buying your own books is not really large. I don't see how the $400 one forks over (at least, that's what it was in my case) could enable them to be a vanity press, since publishing a book, even if they do it on the cheap, costs a lot more than that. And since none of their books sell well (at least, I've never seen one with decent numbers on Amazon), there's still a mystery as to how and why they're doing this–seemingly it's not because they make big bucks from it or even cover their own costs.
My experience with Adelaide Books mirrored what has been described here in many ways. I also discovered that the 5th Avenue "address" is a fake. This address is actually a mail forwarding service. I know this because I actually stopped by there once when I happened to be in NYC.
Adelaide published two of my pieces and later asked me to send a book manuscript. I did. Then one morning in March three years ago they offered me a contract. I noticed that I would have to pay some money. I contacted one of the AB authors, who told me she was happy with them. I contacted the head of my local writing group, who told me not to pay them any money. That evening I received an email saying they were canceling their offer. I wonder why. Had they heard from the satisfied author that I was asking questions? Had they sent out numerous emails that day and reached their quota for the month? In 2020 I sent them a third piece, never heard from them, and recently withdrew it. I see that Duotrope has "delisted" Adelaide.
So, my experience with AB is consistent with those narrated above. It sounds like what is being described is a mere tip of the iceberg. It sounds like there's a whole lot of people who know a whole lot of stuff about this operation. It should come out. For example, what about AB's stable of headliner authors featured prominently on its website? They appear to be a small circle of NY personages who do the book fairs and then they shill for each other on online reviews for each others' books. And other stuff. So, what about these people? They are complicit. I mean, how soulless do you have to be to aid in the stringing along of earnest beginning writers who have been conned into "believing" and then bilked of their money in a pandemic?
Adelaide Books is not only misleading in the ways described in this article, it is worse than that.
Fake 1) Their so-called New York (244 5th Ave suite D27) address is a virtual address/mailbox (http://www.nymail.com/ ) rents for less than $50 a month.
Here's a list of actual tenants at 244 Fifth Ave: https://homemetry.com/house/244+5TH+AVE,+New+York+NY
Of Course Adelaide Books is not among them.
Fake 2) Their Lisbon address is also a virtual/mailbox address available for a few euros a month. Check it out.
Fake 3) Their Internet connection is just as crooked, based in Lisbon and done through a server in Denmark, almost impossible to trace.
Fake 4) Adelaide Book's telephone number, its NYC 917 area code is perhaps MR.SVN's finer trick. Try to trace who owns the line, I dare you. It's again a fake number, not unlike the fake robo calls and counterfit accounts of telephone scammers. He's cell phone with the Mineola NY area code is another but similar story. His personal residence, the man's moved from Brooklyn to Queens to Manhattan to New Jersey, probably conning his way through the city as he has into the book business.
Fake 5) Try to find Adelaide Books' owner in the NY State register of corporations. Good Luck.
I must recognize what Mr. SVN is doing at Adeliade Books might be one way to break into today's publishing business, which is dominated by a few monster companies. He has created a functioning publisher out of thin air. With a facade of legitimacy, he has faked his way into becoming a "New York" book publisher, and published many writers for the cost of 45 books. That's an art. Mr. SVN is not a heartless con artist, but a con artist he is. I, for one, appreciate the distinction.
This was my experience with Blue Deco Publishing as well:
"All they seem to do is accept a manuscript, put it into a PDF for publication and then take part of sales for doing not much."
The owner, Colleen Nye, publishes your book through Amazon the exact same way you would do it yourself, then tries to duck out of paying royalties whenever she has money problems. I had to get the Authors Guild involved to get my royalties and then luckily, she was so angry with me that she ended our contract herself.
Adelaide Books; The Where Your Dreams Go To Die.
Getting a book published is tough, but the work of writing one is even tougher. Your manuscript is the receptacle of your hopes and your dreams. If you sign a contract with Adelaide Books, they will send you a monthly production schedule which lists all the preconditions necessary for your book to have any chance of success. Editing, sending ARCs to reviewers, press release, book trailer, etc. It's a good schedule. Only problem, they never planned to do any of it. By the time you figure it out, your book has been published, full of errors, and it's too late to send ARCs to prepublication reviewers. Your book has entered a death spiral.
You try to call. You send emails, but the editor, Stevan Nikolic ignores you. In the book business, the average time from publication to the remainder pile is 18 months, and already you're half way there.
Adelaide is scheduled to publish 120 books this year. Thats one hell of a lot of stolen dreams.
Today is my pub date, and I’ve seen nothing from Adelaide–except requests for book purchase. I’m well published by major houses, and I am completely sick at heart. My readers expect more from me. So do I…
This is a footnote to what I wrote earlier.
I canceled with Adelaide, never got back a nickel of the $$$ I sent, but have asked Authors Guild to pursue legal channels. As Janis Joplin said, Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose…
My experience with Breaking Rules Publishing mirrors the observations above other than I didn't really have any rude experiences with the editors. What I did encounter was the reality that they accept every manuscript they receive for publication without reading them. Thus, they have no editorial standards and that is also probably why they got themselves into the mess with one of their writers. All they seem to do is accept a manuscript, put it into a PDF for publication and then take part of sales for doing not much. They offer marketing, which seems to consist of marketing to everyone else that publishes with them. I backed out once I realized that they hadn't read my manuscript, even just to scan for typos. I am usually better at sniffing out these things quicker than this.
Hi Unknown.
You have a book, You want to publish. Buy a batch of ISBNs and create a publishing name for yourself. They do not cost a lot. If you buy in bulk they are much cheaper. In Australia Thorpe Bowker sells ISBNs. You can also purchase Bar codes if you like.
If you want a paperback you can publish for free at KDP Amazon, Lulu.com
Other places want a small fee: Ingram Spark, Draft2Digital (free)
If you want digital books, publish at Smashwords.com free
KDP free, Lulu.com free.
You can also get free interior templates from Amazon.com, and Lulu.
Cover templates are also free from these online publishing houses.
Also, ISBNs are free at KDP Amazon, Lulu and Smashwords (some conditions)
So where do I go. I want to publish.
Woof. I get author copies through Amazon for 5.50 a pop. Granted, there are other issues with that (mostly that my books are – for the moment – majorly distributed by The Forces Of Darkness Incarnate In The Mortal Realm) but still: 100 copies for 1100 dollars is basically you paying retail on a book YOU wrote. Not to mention the other issues; that's the double whammy. Thanks for the heads up.