Well, I had all of these fun things to blog about today, but an email this morning brought everything to a screeching halt.
It seems Stardust Press is closing as of Sept 30, 2007. This mean Bloodstained Innocence, which won their Creatures of Darkness contest (2nd place) will need to find a new home. I admit I am very disappointed, I had been hoping for a Halloween release, but it never made it to editing. I have to give SDP credit. Unlike other ebook presses that have closed this year, SDP is handling it all very professionally.
I am still trying to get permission to repost the entire letter from their senior editor Raine Richards, but here a clip that should explain things more.
Dear authors and editors,
After much discussion and negotiation and evaluation, it is with regret that we announce that StarDust Press is closing effective from September 30, 2007.
This would certainly explain the delay in getting editing notes on my novel and the reason getting an answer about it was so difficult. I feel bad for Raine and the other staff there that put so much effort into Stardust, and even more so I feel for the other authors that must now find new homes for their creations.
According to the email our rights revert back to us on Sept 30th of this year. Raine has given an email where publishers can reach her until the end of March to confirm the right reversal for the contracted authors. All royalties are being scheduled pay dates, and in truth everything seems to be quite well in order. The authors even get to keep the cover art Stardust paid for.
Now comes the daunting task for many of the Stardust authors to once again begin the submissions process. I am just glad we have the chance to do that rather then loosing access to our book rights like the authors of the recently bankrupt (or bankrupting) house have had to cope with.
To all the staff at Stardust Press…
Good luck in whatever you move on to, and thanks for handling a bad situation with so much class.
Moondancer Drake
Update…
I just received word from Raine and she had submitted a public acceptable letter to be shared with you all today.
Dear authors and editors,
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.
We know that you would all be concerned with this development, so we address all your concerns one by one below.
1. Authors and editors would be paid the royalties/editorial fees due them.
2. All books would be taken off the website and Fictionwise by September 30, 2007.
3. From September 30, 2007 onwards, all rights to the published books revert back to the author, and as such, you can submit them to other publication houses for publication.
4. For unpublished books, you may send to other publication houses as early as now.
5. For authors whose books are currently under edits, we would send you a personal email on the matter.
SDP was established to do legitimate business, however the environment wasn't conducive to its survival. And so, we have no choice but to take this step.
Thank you for all your support and we wish for the best for you all in your endeavors.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reply to this email. Your question may also be the question of the others.
Thanks.
Raine
For StarDust Press management
- Current Mood:frustrated
Moondancer's Novels
Available Now!
Page Summary
rhonawestbrook : (no subject) [+1] - (Anonymous) : (no subject) [+1]
- julesjones : (no subject) [+1]
elfinecstasy : (no subject) [+1]
- scifiwritir : SDP [+1]
- (Anonymous) : sad [+0]
- ameliajune : (no subject) [+1]
- (Anonymous) : keep on writing [+1]
- b_sheridan : Came here via your post on an email loop [+1]
- (Anonymous) : Another author's opinion [+12]
- jmsnyder : (no subject) [+1]
- xakara : (no subject) [+0]
- moondancerdrake : (no subject) [+0]
- jacquierogers : (no subject) [+1]
- (Anonymous) : Stardust [+0]
- (Anonymous) : (no subject) [+0]
- moondancerdrake : Thinking of the Future [+0]
- (Anonymous) : (no subject) [+0]
- moondancerdrake : Anonymous [+0]
- moondancerdrake : Marketing! [+0]
- lzclotho : moving on [+1]
- corazane : (no subject) [+1]
Profile
- moondancerdrake
- moondancerdrake
- Moondancer's Hearth
Comments
Sorry!
Well back to the grind of looking for a new place for my book.
The best of luck
Savannah Chase
www.savannahchase.com
But yeah, I think my experience turned out well in the end, and I'm sure yours will too.
Sigh, tough biz.
*Hugs to you all at SDP* and best luck in placing your stories elsewhere.
I am thinking of to whom to send my book but I do need to wait for the letter reverting my rights back to me. Meanwhile I do hope that everyone do well in sales this last month and for our books to reach farther in the future.
About why so many small e-publishers closing, I can add a few cents to the topic. Have some of you noticed how many publishers actually are? There are many. What there is not enough, is readership. Most publishers are focused in erotic romance and think "sex sells". Yes, it does, but there are not enough readers wanting to invest in e-books they can't carry with them to bed that easily.
There is the problem that many authors and publishers are investing in promoting in the SAME places. That is why I saw how many groups had over 500 subscribers and not enough chat or sales. Many of those subscribers were other authors trying to promote their books.
I think that the e-book industry needs other approaches and techniques to promote itself. Without it we will see many more small companies closing down. There need to be a big effort to reach new readers and it needs to be done fast, before the industry fails. I think e-publishing has a future if we spread the word effectively.
Loraine Mer
http://lorainemer.com
Think about chain restaurants. There are plenty of chain restaurants - Olive Garden, Red Lobster, McDonalds, Chichis, etc. At each restaurant, you are going to have a different experience. Sure the menu is different but so is the atmosphere and the culture. With epublishing, the menu is different but what else?
It is a problem that most of the advertising is being done on yahoo groups and myspace and very little outside that. And as Loraine said, most of the marketing is being done to other authors trying to promote their book. What would happen if Olive Garden only promoted itself to other restaurants?
A different track has to be taken. Maybe we should start marketing ourselves to conservation groups (save the trees! buy an ebook!) or to college students whose dorm rooms are too small for bookshelves. I think one of the larger epublishers has to step up and spend some money on an ebook marketing campaign. I hear Amazon is launching an ebook service soon. If they do it right, it could create more popularity for the industry.
I am working on a TT (Thursday Thirteen) that all about ways to maket you work, many of which can work for ebooks. I'll love to see you all there to throw in your ideas. The who reason I started the author spotlight was to help writer to promote thier work in a broader spectrum.
If we want to keep ebook alive and growing, together seems to be the best way to me.
Madison
http://journal.madison-chase.com
On a good note I recieved a message from Eternal Press they have asked me to pass on the the Stardust authors. If nothing else they are work a look see.
If the authors have a signed release and there are no bankruptcy filings in the works, we would be happy to take on the authors of Stardust. Please convey this to them.
We are now slotted out through January with releases, but since we are still in our infancy stages, we should be able to get them published fairly quickly if they are acceptable manuscripts.
Once again, Thank you for your assistance in this regard. By the way, they would send their manuscripts to me at kcelestebryan@aol.com. Can you please post this?
Kat
Visit: http://http://www.eternalpress.com.au/
When I started thinking of promoting, I started looking at sites that were about the areas I wrote. Since mine was an erotic romance I looked at sites with information about sex. I thought of creating a banner and asking them for banner exchange. I just didn't have the courage to go on with the idea.
I think that, for example, Ellora's Cave, a known e-book publisher joining a company (if they haven't already) like Playgirl Magazine, could do a few sales from it. How? Asking their authors to write short stories from their longer works to be published in their magazines and giving the info about the full lenght story to be bought.
Cosmopolitan Magazine, a known magazine for the women could do with a few romantic erotic short stories and to be provided with the info of where to find more about the author, the book and the publisher.
I know this need to be worked really hard between staff and authors in the e-publishing industry, but it might get more readerships to their websites, even if out of curiosity.
Loraine Mer
http://lorainemer.com
--veinglory
I simply relayed a message I was asked to relay from the publiser. It is up to the author to do thier research and pick what is right for them. The only reason I even agreed to post her message was that I know authors with them that have been very happy with thier professionalism.
Is that where I will send my book? I have a lot of my own research to do about many publishers before I make that choice. No one should just jump on the next ship. There are many places (several I have listed in my sidebar) that will give you info about a publisher and their reputation if you look for it. It's up to an author as a professional to use the resourses they have avalible to make the best choice for them.
Too very true! And while we're busy trying to survive on the same few readers' limited budgets, the outside world is forgetting how to read, in e- or in print.
(Actually, that incestuous promotional circle is how I ended up here--Moondancer's generous offer of a new place to spotlight was among the few new messages in my in-box.)
I think that the e-book industry needs other approaches and techniques to promote itself. Without it we will see many more small companies closing down. There need to be a big effort to reach new readers and it needs to be done fast, before the industry fails. I think e-publishing has a future if we spread the word effectively.
Out of curiosity, how many of you have ever tried to place your e-book in your local library? As an erotic writer, I can't, the community rules and all, but you fantasy/suspense/whatever folks...?
Interestedly,
Pearl X Jones
(not anonymous, just don't have an LJ ID)
Views from the Electronic Garret
http://pearlxjones.blogspot.com
As to promotion - some of it has become so yawn of late. Let's chat here. Let's do a day there. I sit there, shaking my head, wondering if the authors realize that most of the readers are on digest or no mail for the Yahoo Groups?
My most attractive promo to date was an interactive game with several authors involved. All of a sudden, readers had something to do beside just sift through excerpt after excerpt. They actually got to participate. Though - this was highly promoted to begin with, and came down to a true group effort. It was also simul-cast on four different Yahoo Groups.
I wish the best to all parties involved with the dissolvement of SDP. This is never easy, but coming from this old hat - don't let it get you down. Bigger and better things are always waiting just around the corner.
T.J. Killian
Yeah, I am on digest for many of my author/reader groups so end up either way behind, or if I take it off digest drowning in emails.
I'd like to hear more about how that author event worked. I think things with multiple authors end up being more fun and getting more attention.
Thanks so much for the kind words, TJ. It means a lot.
Sorry to hear about the closing. If you're shopping for a new publisher, I'd like to recommend one of mine :) Aspen Mountain Press is really great to work with, pay monthly, and I've been very happy with them.
http://aspenmountainpress.com
Good luck!
J.M. Snyder
Moon
It's still a disappointment but at least its one where everyone is walking away with their heads up rather than slinking off.
I know it's only a matter of time until you find a new home for BI.
~X
I am sorry for you and the other Stardust authors -- count yourself lucky that they have ethics and are honest.
Having seen the number of small e-pubs that have closed down in recent times, why would you take the risk of joining yet another? Especially one that admits that it is still in its infancy?
I'm willing to bet that Eternal will probably be happy to publish any of the Stardust authors, but how long will they remain in business?
This really is a case of authors beware, and if writers are so desperate to be published that they ignore any early warning signs, then they shouldn't be surprised when they get royally shafted.
Karen Scott
Any publisher that offers a message of sympathy and acceptance to the former authors of SDP (knowing many of the author’s might just visit here), I will add their message unless I think they are a scam. I also have done my research and am not an idiot. There are many good places out there, but I am not in the habit of doing referrals without even seeing the book in question. Different publishers have different niches they sell well in. The better a book fits into that niche the easier it will find readers.
It's up to an author to decide what is best for their work. I think is insulting to assume the authors are either desperate or stupid. Keep in mind a lot of the Stardust authors now face the challenge of submitting published works that many publishers will not accept. This means they will need to not only chose carefully what is best for their work, but also who is willing to take it after its seen print already.
I ask that no one use my chat to blast any author, publisher or editor especially if you don't really know anything about them. I have been on Eternal Press’ chat loop for months and have found them to be honest and well informed the business as a whole and the advantage of good editing. I have order books from them and found them much clear than many epubs out there, so that too will be an advantage for them I hope. Sure they have a lot to learn, but they are trying. Rather then assume they will fail, I chose to cheer them on and hope they do well.
I also am fully aware that like me, many of the authors are gun shy about submitting to a newer publisher after what happened with Stardust. This is a viable concern, and I acknowledge that. Just don’t want my own fears to get in the way of other people making their own choices. I will not make any referrals of publishers in this matter without much more knowledge about the book in question, nor will I cast doubt on any publisher either unless I know for certain they are a bad bet.
This is a time for us to come together. All the authors (and many of the staff) have been left shocked and grieving over the loss of Stardust. My intention is to make an offer open to any once they find a new home for their work to use my author spotlight to help them promote those books. Without some change many of the best intentioned epubs will fail simply do to marketing issues. If we work together we can work against the ebook marketing issues. We owe it to ourselves to at least try.
If someone wants to know more about a publisher, rather then jumping to conclusions, they should contact that publisher and ask questions. If the publisher is vague in their answers with no wish to clarify, or resistant to answering questions about their publishing or marketing practices, then THAT is when I would say a big artist beware flag should pop up. Enter at your own risk.
What I hope to avoid here is rumor and conjecture based on no solid facts. I know with all the crap going on out there with the epubs that have behaved less admirably the Stardust, there’s a lot of fear. Fear can be very destructive emotion. The last thing I want is some damage being done because someone says something about a publisher without having their facts in order. If someone does the trouble of doing their research and brings facts to bear that cast a publisher in s different light then they profess to be, then yes, by all means, voice those. We need to protect each other from the predators out there.
It would take a lot of reading into my words to say I refused ALL comment on the matter. I was just politely asking for people to refrain from casting out opinionated insults that might hurt a new publisher’s reputation without having facts to back up their accusations. It’s all about discernment folks.
Would we want others casting doubt about our intensions without even asking us what we meant? I know I wouldn’t. Then I think its bad form to do that to someone else. If you want to know about them, then ask their authors, ask the publishers themselves. If at that time you have even the smallest bad feeling about those conversations, then trust your instincts and don’t publish with them.
If we let the events of the past colors our assumptions then they in turn prejudice us. If we cast aside discernment because of fear, then we will do the epub industry as a whole a great disservice and we cast a cloud over the authors who have chosen to publish with them.
Authors. Do your work. Get the facts. And then do what best for you and your creations no matter what I or anyone else says.
Madison (see post way above) said this...
"It'd be great if Apple would hit ebooks like they have itunes!"
I think making audio books out of ebooks is a amazingly good idea. They could do right in some ipod like devise (ok showing how little tech stuff I know with that sentence) where people can play then while working around the house, excersizing, whatever. Publishers get a person with a good voice these would do very well I think.
I think now creative marketing techniques along with a good solid product is the best shot any of these epubs have to lasting past the start up gate. That's what places like Samhain and Ellora's Cave did and look at them now. They've set the bar and many other epubs have accepted the challange.
So keep putting your work out there, and do research at outlets like Publishers Weekly and author networking sites to learn who's coming and who's going in this rapidly changing industry.
Lara
Oh, and a reminder folks, Lara is our author spotlight so go on over and give her some love.