Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Hey look, I,m first. I’m just going to put it out there. Dorchester has lost my business. I don’t do ebooks. I know that makes me a dinosauer, but there it is. And if that weren’t enough, how do you justify treating your authors like this? It seems they are the most unimportant part of the equation, when they should be a publisher’s first concern.
Badly done.

She should ABSOLUTELY continue with the planned virtual tour.  She can give away the ARCS in contests on her blog.  And now’s the time she should probably hop on over and start regularly reading J.A. Konrath’s blog and those of some independently published authors.  She won’t have the control over content that an indie does, but since so many indies are e-only, it would be beneficial to look at their tactics.  A lot of stuff is social networking oriented—get the cover out there and visible in avatars, on Facebook, on Twitter, MySpace, Goodreads.  Network with other bloggers and readers.  That’s all the same whether you’re print or e.  Other tactics include targeting the forums specific to the assorted reading devices—Kindleboards, the Nook forums, Mobilereads.  There are author promo threads on all of them.  And if she’s already a blogger, then appealing to existing fans and followers.  See if she can set up a virtual book blast sort of thing where they try to organize a bunch of purchases within a time frame to drive the sales ranking up into the more visible range. 

Unfortunately a number of the things that would be really helpful she won’t be able to do since the publisher controls the price and distribution channels and such.  This is the sort of move that I think will drive more traditionally published authors into self-publishing like Konrath.

I am, fortunately, not a Dorchester author. But I am epubbed.

In terms of the specifics from your anonymous author, I’d say that you can still do a virtual tour. I don’t know how you’ve set up the existing tour, but there is no reason you can’t do a virtual tour using chat technology and providing buy-links and other info.

The first thing to do, if you haven’t already, is use your social networks. It’s cheap and fast, and believe me when I tell you that authors are going to WANT to help fellow authors screwed in this manner. Find authors that have a similar market niche and see if you can do blog interviews, guest blogging, etc.

In a lot of ways, I don’t see the marketing for ebooks as significantly different from print except for point-of-sale marketing. You can do in-store appearances and things so long as the store has buy-link capability - through Kindle or Nook, for example. Yes, you will lose a lot of brick-and-mortar browsing buys, but I don’t see a way to avoid that at this point, with this little notice.

The big concern for me would be with regards to your existing contract. I’d have a serious discussion with my agent about what terms may or may not have been fulfilled by the publisher in producing the book - and that isn’t something I can speak to at all, that will be specific to your contract. But I’d definitely be having some discussions with legal representatives over the possible legal repercussions.

Good luck to all the Dorchester authors.

I agree. Continue with the virtual tour. In fact, expand it. Make friends with ebook authors so that you can promote one another. Start getting your name (and title) out there around the blogosphere, on twitter, facebook, etc. Let people know that the book was going to be in print, but now it will be in ebook. That way you’re honest, upfront, and you may even get sympathy sales. :-)

Absolutely continue with the virtual tour.  Virtual tours are great for e-books.  If the readers are already online, and they think you and your book sound interesting, they can download it in just one quick click.  Talk to as many bloggers as you possibly can, especially if you can get them e-arcs for review.

Dorchester needs to release the rights to those books to their respective authors and let them keep their advances.  This is complete bullshit.

And wait just a cotton-qtip minute here!  In most contracts, the royalties from ebooks are divided up differently than the royalties from mass market sales.  Someone with an agent can wrestle with the terms, but what about unagented authors writing for them?  Do they just get screwed?

I have no advice for e-pubishing. What I do have, though, is a sincere and heartfelt “I’m sorry” for every author who has a contract in force with Dorchester, and just found out that the book he or she worked hard on (and the marketing plan they spent good money on,) is not being published/distributed in the manner they were originally promised.

Were Dorchester editors taking pitches at RWA National? Were they telling those pitching to them this decision was coming in less than two weeks?

Again, I am so sorry.

Jennifer wrote:

Dorchester needs to release the rights to those books to their respective authors and let them keep their advances.  This is complete bullshit.

You GO, girl.
When was this decision made?

Actually, assuming the contracts with Dorchester are fairly standard, then they are only obligated to publish the books in some form, ebooks included, so this is not actually a legal issue. An ethics issues, yes. Not very nice or smart to fail to give your authors advanced notice of the change in plans.  And not very good business sense, because of the marketing issues.

I’d say, marketing-wise, besides all of the very good suggestions above, maybe look into Google ads or Facebook ads, which are pretty cheap (you pay for number of clicks on the ad and for each 1000 views, something like $0.60 a click/1000 views, and you can set a cap on how much you want to spend), and allow you to target a really specific audience.  This is something better handled by the actual marketing team, but if they’re being uncooperative, maybe do it yourself.

I feel really, really bad for all the authors involved. To be told that your book will be out in a specific format and then to have something like this happen ... I would be screaming and crying and pulling out my hair. I can’t imagine how frustrating and disappointing this is, especially for the debut authors.

I would definitely go ahead with the virtual tour—I think those are invaluable no matter what format you’re published in. And ditto what other folks have said about social networking. I think selling books is all about getting the word out, and online is definitely the way to do that.

In addition to the suggestions already mentioned here, I would suggest a large online contest of some sort surrounding the digital reading experience. Maybe with the ultimate prize a digital reader of some sort (even a refurb Kindle or iPod Touch, or a new Sony, Kobo, nook, etc.) I’d also suggest looking for not just the social networks, but the online areas (forums, blogs, etc) where digital readers of that genre are and starting to converse (not promo) there.

But ultimately, I’d tell the author to take heart, because at the end of the day, even digital publishers/authors promote in print venues, and marketing for digital can be remarkably similar to marketing for print, so a good portion of your efforts won’t have been wasted. Your name and your book’s name are still getting out there, and will hit people in the digital venue!

@SB Sarah,

Thank you for the info. I wasn’t at National this year, but I wondered about it.

Is there no legal protection for these authors? This is about the crappiest thing I’ve heard today. :-(

This is pure bollocks. Most contracts state the book will be published in a certain format within a certain number of months or the agreement is null and void. For one of my series, I believe it’s two years. If I were an affected author, I would implore my agent to go over the contract with a fine-tooth comb and see how I could get out of it. If I wanted that work with e-publisher, I would go with Samhain, who has a proven track record and is not in trouble for defaulting on other deals.

The authors involved have my sympathies, and I will be happy to run a contest for anyone who contacts me.

First, my best wishes to all of Dorchester’s authors who were caught unaware by this sudden shift in business.

I think the virtual tour is, as many have said, a brilliant idea, even more so with the release of an ebook.  For those who might have arranged an actual book tour with signings, they will need to come up with something like small posters or giveaways to autograph. 

Get the word out to those who you send email/snailmail to of the change so they know where to find your book.  For the people who haven’t made the eReader transition, let them know that a physical book will eventually come out.  And that they can always read on their computer (not the best solution, but better than nothing).

And definitely contact bloggers and potential readers through Twitter, Facebook (not a place most of my friends are a member of for many reasons), LiveJournal, etc. 

Finally, see if any of your already done ads can be reworked to include a web address to buy your book.

Again, good luck to all.  With the right mindset, you could turn this fiasco into a winner.

Just a tiny off-topic nitpick, Sarah:

Sitting on my countertop right now are a number of printed bound galleys for books coming out in November.

 
Unless this is a really weird AE/BE difference, those are not galleys but page-proofs.  For those of you who don’t remember galley proofs in the old days of letterpress printing, they were the first proofs, long, banner-like sheets, not yet paginated.  It would have been hard to bind them at all.  ;)

Sorry to distract from the serious message of this entry.  I really feel for the authors involved in this upheaval:  publishing is harrowing enough without having the ground shifting beneath one’s feet in this way.

Honestly? I think Dorchester is circling the drain with this one.

The ebook first market is not quite as open a field as it seems. In order to succeed in it you need to have extensive web presence, a sparkling visual style and a solid net commerce site.  Dorchester has none of these things.

I have no idea who their editors are or what authors they have, unlike for Carina, Samhain and Dreamspinner who are a presence on Twitter, blogs and banner ads. Their covers are ugly cliches and their website an amateurish looking throwback to 5 years ago. Their links are underlined text. Way to go, basic HTML skills.

If they want to be a player, they need to take a good look at their acquisitions process, develop a discernable style, make some internet friends and get a big-kid website. Right now, they look like knockoff sneakers next to existing e-pubs’ genuine Air Jordans.

For their authors’ sakes, I hope they get a clue.

Wow.  Back when ESPAN published all the calls for change with RWA (just over a year ago) and, among other things, I said authors had to be aware of their e-pub rights because, like or not, it was going to be important…I had no idea how dramatically that was going to be shown to be true.

Pretty unprofessional behaviour on the part of Dorchester. I would think it’s the first sign of a long journey down a drain.

I agree with everyone on the continuation of the virtual tour and would suggest setting up a blog about your progress. If you can team with a few other Dorchester authors in the same boat, you can probably attract blog followers to learn how best to recover and thrive after such an event.

Elise said

believe me when I tell you that authors are going to WANT to help fellow authors screwed in this manner.

I totally agree.

I’m sure this must be an incredibly difficult time for Dorchester authors,  but I hope they will take heart from the support we offer.

I also agree with previous posters who have said to continue with the promotion efforts. It wasn’t long ago that I thought I’d never be an eBook reader just because I loved the feel of a book in my hands, but I now regularly purchase books for my iPod and Nook.

First, my heartfelt sympathy to Dorchester authors and I know many. For one, author’s should have been given more of a heads up on this and the chance to either renegotiate or been allowed to choose whether they wanted to stay with this or have their agents query other publishing houses.

There is no shame in e-pub, and savvy authors and agents want book print and digital, but if your expectations were strictly mass market, this has to be a bitter pill.

As far as promotion, I concur with several who have offered the same advice, keep your blog tour intact. Whether you’re print or digital, that aspect is the same promotion process. I have guest authors on my blog who are strictly e-pubbed and who are print. I provide buy links to Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble, and etc. I do that regardless of whether it is a print or digital book. A good book is a good book and at least with Dorchester keeping their editors (and art department), you know the quality of the stories and covers will be superior to a vanity press story and many of the POD pubs that don’t have an editing staff. Tell your author friend not to despair although I understand the outlay of money in preparation of a mass printed book.

As you know Sarah, bloggers are generous souls who do like to help and there are many out there for her to choose from.

Many of us who have been watching this whole e-pub/print on demand/trade print technology the past three years knew this day would be coming and will continue to come. Fact of the matter is print on demand (POD) is more cost effective for publishers. The digital market far surpasses print right now. With the advent of machines, that can print on demand any book, being stationed in libraries the past few years, why are we surprised when a major pub decides to go that route. They also call it the Espresso machine and envision a future of having them in coffee shops, for goodness sake.  E-books are here to stay and paper books can still be had—it’s not like they’re going away any time soon. Most of the e-pubs have trade paperbacks for sale. Talk to the Aussie authors and you’ll find that trade paperbacks have been there for years.

My understanding is Dorchester is planning to release some of those contracted books as trade paperbacks through their national distribution system for bookstores. I’m curious to see what their plans are. I don’t think they will be the only major publisher either seriously considering this business platform, or setting themselves up for that platform in the next few years.

Well although I love ebooks I think these Dorchester authors have a right to feel shocked by this sudden turn of events. I wondered what was going on back when Dorchester sold several of their most popular authors contracts. And I’ve noticed there are several older books on the catalog now reissued with new covers, some Feehan and Dara Joy titles for example. On a different note, I’m a member of the Love Spell book club. I find it odd there has been no notice that in the future they won’t be printing paperbacks. There was no information, or even a flyer stuck in with the book club books. I wonder what they will be sending me for my 2 books each month? I’ve been considering ending my membership…maybe this is a sign.

I agree with Donna in the first post. I, also, don’t do ebooks. Sorry, but I just don’t like the idea of curling up with a good computer (Kindle, Nook, whatever) at night. I, also, don’t know a thing about publishing. I’m just a reader who loves romances. So, like Donna, I guess Dorchester doesn’t want my business either. I am very sorry to hear that the world of publishing is just as impersonal as other corporate entities. It’s all about the money.

My deepest sympathies. Dorchester is doing a terrible thing to their authors if they switch to epublishing without offering competitve epublishing royalties. At the very least, those outstanding contracts should be renegotiated as a matter of good faith.

As for marketing ebooks online, I’d like to invite all the new Dorchester ebook authors to do an interview on my Kindle Author blog. i did 59 author interviews last month, and plan to do many more. It’s a great way for ebook authors to get some online exposure with links to their ebook, website, blog, facebook page, and/or twitter account.

For more information on setting up an online interview with me, visit the Kindle Author blog.

Best of luck to all the Dorchestor authors, and please hang in there. The world is changing fast, but it’s a good thing. Readers need writers.

I too, do not do ebooks, so that’s Dorchester down the Swannee for me.
But-  hasn’t there been rumblings about Dorchester for quite some time now ?  So, perhaps this news is not altogether unexpected.
My very best wishes to those authors published by Dorchester…..& a final thought.
Perhaps a certain barking author wasn’t as barking as we all thought (Still highly irritating though - needs a brilliant editor, &  a decent cover artist to even halfway make the grade )

Somebody mentioned above that some Dorchester authors get together and start a blog. I think this sounds like a great idea. If a few Dorchester authors started a blog to advertise their new e-books, it would be a great place for people to go and see who is may be affected by this change. And then they could combine some of their advertising power

Is it legal? Were people contracted for paperbacks or just for the novels in any form?

Like the rest of us, I feel for the authors. One note—as a mixed-media pubbed author since ‘02, there are loads of ways to promote an e-book. Stick with the blog tour. Print up cards if the budget allows, and snail-mail to your contact list.  Announce your release on the e-loops to which you belong, and any e-contact list you have built up.

However…can the Dorchester authors’ agents not get their print rights back? There are houses that will consider reissues. If the authors have reversion of their print rights, that may become possible. I have two titles out right now that were originally print books and have now been reissued as e-books after the rights reverted.

I’m with those that feel Dorchester no longer wants her business. I am among the unwashed masses that do not have a digital reading device and I don’t really want one either. However, I buy paperback books every month, usually close to a dozen, but sometimes more. Just looking at my shelves, I have more than my fair share of books published by Dorchester. Apparently, they do not feel that my patronage is worth their while, so I will no longer be supporting them.

I am truly sorry for the authors this affects.

I feel sympathy for all authors involved and vehement corporate outrage. 

But I want to say that my favorite part of this post, Sarah, is:

[screw]

Good luck, everyone!

My understanding is that those books would have to be nearly ready by now, if not already shipping out. If mass markets were printed, what happens to them?

It means that retailers are going to start the returns process.  I’m speculating wildly, but knowing retailers, anyone doing business directly with Dorchester is going to start looking at returning any titles they can, because they might not be able to do that once Dorchester moves to print-on-demand, especially since it sounds like they’re going to use Ingram Publisher Services for the POD titles.

So…yeah.  Even the books that have been out for a while might be heading back to Dorchester while there’s still time to return them; bookstores don’t like to sit on inventory, and with this amount of advance warning, anything that can be returned, will be.

A number of the authors I used to read who were published by Dorchester had both their frontlists and backlists sold to HarperCollins.  Future releases and reprints will be done under the Avon banner.  That was announced in January.  Authors included in this group were, Victoria Alexander, Nina Bangs, Christine Feehan, Sandra Hill, Marjorie M. Liu, Katie MacAlister, Lynsay Sands and CL Wilson. 

I’m assuming that this decision, of publishing as ebooks is across genres?  After stumbling through their website, and oh man that thing needs help, their are 20 titles scheduled for release in September and October.  Of those 10 are reissues.  Not sure how this correlates to what their release schedule used to look like. 

Best of luck to all the authors.

Perhaps a certain barking author wasn’t as barking as we all thought (Still highly irritating though - needs a brilliant editor, &  a decent cover artist to even halfway make the grade )

I thought the same thing too.

@Patrice I think the PW article said that the book club would continue. I’m not sure what that means, exactly, but that’s what I remember reading.

Obviously there have been problems at Dorchester for some time. I hope they can make this work, but it sure is rough on their authors.

If I even try to pretend I know enough about promotion to offer advice, lightning (or my editor) will strike me down, but I have one tiny suggestion and that’s to try to present a positive, upbeat spin to the readers.

Perhaps, playing up to one of the strengths of digital, make the blog tour a Pajama Party. It’s finally here and you don’t even have to get dressed because you can buy it in your PAJAMAS!

Obviously, the affected authors will have to put a note on their websites, but I’d avoid negative words such as “unfortunately” or “sadly”, or any wording that implies obligation on the part of the reader to support the book/author/publisher. Just a note explaining that Dorchester has gone digital, with links to where to buy. And I’d also include a link to Sarah’s post on how to read a digital book if you don’t have a digital reader.

And finally, I’d write up a response to “why can’t I find your book in print?” email from readers NOW (or in a few days, when the dust settles), so when release date comes and you’re angry and depressed and more angry because your publisher screwed you and you get that email, you’re not tempted to vent in that direction, nor will your response be written while you’re angry.

While I’m very happy being digitally published, I chose that route, and my heart goes out to the Dorchester authors because they didn’t and that totally sucks. For their sakes, I hope this transition is successful and wish them all the best of luck.

My heart goes out to the Dorchester authors.

What chaps my butt is the royalty rates (probably low) and the lack of certain companies to even begin to understand the market they are getting in to. Will they offer books in multiple digital formats? Have they considered the effect of reader loss overseas due to restrictions? Have they truly, truly considered the pricing and impact on sales? Have they rolled out a major marketing blitz to accomodate this switch?

I honestly believe they look at places like Samhain and think, “hey, if that smaller place can do it, we can blow them out of the water.” Horse pucky. Places like that have been in the game for a while, and are probably salivating at the opportunity this presents to them, via grabbing your authors for all the questions I listed above.

Sigh

I have thought a lot about the Dorchester debacle, even posted about it, but one of the things that stuck with me after reading the above comments was the continued resistance to ereaders among a number of readers. I certainly understand the cost issues-although Kindle is now available for $139- and for people who buy romance books, the lower costs of ebooks would more than make up the cost fairly quickly.

However, I couldn’t help but think what a life saver my Kindle has been. My father has Alzheimer’s and I have been traveling to see him every other month, and since there is often not a lot I can do for him but just be with him, having books to read makes this process much easier. Before I got the Kindle I would pack about 7 books, and still run out before the end of the trip. Now, all I have to take is my nice slim, leather encased Kindle, and I never run out.

But four months ago I experienced the most profound asset of the Kindle-my ability to download instantly. I had just moved my father into a memory care facility, and I was staying with him (sleeping on the floor) for 4 days to help him adjust. This was extremely painful as he was confused and frightened. He was off with one of the aids and I was trying desperately not to completely fall apart from having watched him try for ten minutes to remember how to put his pants on, and I knew that none of the books I had on the Kindle was going to get me through this.

For nearly 40 years my comfort books have been Georgette Heyers, I own every one, and have read them multiple times, but my Heyers were thousands of miles away, and what I needed right then and there was Cotillion, and within 60 seconds I had it. Yes it wasn’t formatted all that well, and it wasn’t encased in the musty, falling apart paper cover I had at home. But the words and the story was there, as was the smile Freddy always brings to my heart.

And as an author and a reader, this is the message I want to bring, it is the content not the delivery system that matters, and sometimes the new medium can actually be superior to the old delivery system, something I hope Dorchester authors and readers will discover in the coming years.

I can’t imagine how this must affect Dorchester authors; my heart goes out to you.

And now, to be the Voice of Doom:  Dorchester appears to be making some rash decision in reaction to their financial situation (which has to be baaaad), and I can’t see them making any sort of good faith effort with their authors if they aren’t forced to or required to by contract.  This is a Cover Your Ass situation.

My big question is, what formats will the ebooks be published in, and what outlets?  This is info you need to get to your readers as you market.  You would hate to market it to everyone, then find out that all those iPad readers (me) can’t download the proper format without stripping the DRM.  And someone above mentioned the international market—find out the geographic restrictions on the release and make that clear, too.

As a reader, I admit I read completely different sub-genres in ebooks than in mass markets.  Even though I read a ton of ebooks, this would be a big shock to me.

@Louisa Locke - beautiful comment. Only thing I want to add is that for many of us ereaders books are now more expensive rather than less. I am not yet giving up my favorite agency 5 authors but I am buying far fewer books overall. So making up the ereaders cost only works for those willing to abandon some authors.

I love the digital/POD format as I’m a small press author, but I CHOSE to go that route. The Dorchester authors did not. I feel especially bad for the authors whose books are coming out in the next few months—I can’t imagine their inner turmoil right now.

If Dorchester wanted to make this change, why couldn’t they have decided that every book contracted after today would be released in the digital/POD format?

While I hate to support Dorchester after this author-unfriendly move, I DO want to support their authors. So I will be buying as many Dorchester books as I can afford to read on my Nook.

Like other commentors, I have to call shenanigans on this one.  Announcing it *this* close to the wire…well, it’s clear that either Dorchester are in a financial hole, or they’ve treated their authors rather shabbily.  Books for September release should’ve been at the printers weeks.  In fact, shouldn’t authors with books coming out in September/October have the proofs by now?

RE:M Louisa Locke….Thanks for a sweet uplifting anecdote….But what has that got to do with the price of fish ??
  The Dorchester Authors have to be able to pay the gas water ,electricity & what passes for the council tax in the USA. from thir current royalties….I don’t think they’re going to be able to do this on what’s proposed as an acceptable royalty payment from their ebooks

i am not an author, but i agree with the others that have suggested checking out facebook ads.  because my facebook shows that i read romance novels, a lot of different ads come up about reading specific authors that are similar to the ones i listed that i like.  most of the time i click the ad to see if the book is one that i would like.

Good Luck!

PS Dorchester should be ashamed of itself.

RE: M Louisa Locke - I’m one of those that does not care for the ebook format. Not that I am resistant to it, I simply don’t prefer it. For me, it isn’t just the content. I love looking at my bookshelves and anticipating the next read. However, I don’t travel much. If I did, or if I had a long commute, it would be a completely different situation. I truly hope this Dorchester issue is not a trend in publishing. Hopefully there are enough of us who still purchase books to keep the market strong and profitable for all.

I feel for the authors.

I really enjoyed the books I have bought from Dorchester.  I have absolutely no interest in ebooks.  If everything turns to ebooks, I will happily re-read from my library the rest of my life.

I am very tired of the the attitude that if we will all just try ebooks,  we will convert.  I like books.  There are reasons I like books, non-virtual books, but real life books on paper that I own.  I use technology all the time but for reading, I prefer books, not ebooks.  I will not buy ebooks.  If I want something electronic, I will play games, not read or do a million other activities.

I wish the Dorchester authors well.  I wish this particular author well.  I am sorry to see this happening to this publisher in particular.

Dot - Well said, and ditto.

This is making me really unhappy. Rose Lerner, a new author whose blog I follow carefully because I think she’s bringing some really important ideas to the genre, is published with Dorchester. She’s just put up an announcement about this. Her new book, scheduled for publishing in January, is now coming out as an e-book then and MONTHS LATER, a trade paperback.

Like Dot above, I’m not interested in e-books. I have nothing against them at all, but I have a RELATIONSHIP with print books. I can’t afford an e-reader, I wouldn’t buy one in the next couple of years anyway as it seems the various companies making them are still making them significantly better, and it MEANS sometime to me to have a book on my shelf that I can physically thumb through and write notes in. Well, I can write elsewhere about the experience of paper books if I like ... and I really don’t want to make e-book fans feel like I look down on them, as I don’t. But I’m incredibly disappointed in this decision! I would probably pay Dorchester *extra* for a mass-market paperback of A Lily Among Thorns if I could get it in, say, February instead of waiting until July for a trade paperback. RRRRGHH.

Dear Dorchester Ebook Author

The suggestion to join with the other Dorchester authors to create a web presence is a very sound one. For some time now Dorchester has presented books that were slightly off the beaten track (much to my delight, by the way). Now you are on the digital frontier along with many of the rest of us, and the biggest issue is to get online eyeballs and associated sales.

Get with a group of authors about to go out the same time you are. Put together a blog, go onto reader’s loops where you can permittedly advertise it. Make it clear that you are seizing the day here and are delighted to be pushing your books to the Kindle, Sony, iPad reading audience. Give away a few ARCs to reviewers if Dorchester hasn’t done it already, and clarify that these are ebooks. At this point you have sympathy and the focus of the publishing world. Take advantage of that!

Try to stay positive to avoid problems with the publishing house but make some noise about your books.

Yes I’m being too cheerful but if life hands you lemons… well you get the point.

I will be happy to host any Dorchester author on my blog who has releases coming out. Are they able to go to all e-readers or just Kindle?

I do feel bad for the readers out there who aren’t able to buy an e-reader—the readers who buy romances while they’re shopping at places like Walmart because they’re on tight budgets. Romances provide an escape from reality. And I don’t want them to lose that escape.

By running contests where readers can win e-readers so they can access their authors and books would be perfect.

I have read a number of the posts, and feel as everyone does, very sorry for the quagmire the Dorchester authors now find themselves in, from marketing standpoint, a legal standpoint, and an emotional standpoint. What I didn’t see (at a glance) is what I think the problem probably is. The recent announcement by RWA that Dorchester’s appointments/appearance was cancelled for the national conference because of not fulfilling contractual obligations (I’m thinking $$$$), comes after several years of financial rumblings about Dorchester’s shaky state. By cancelling so abruptly mm releases what they are doing, I would think, is saving a huge outlay of cash. And they’ve fired their entire sales staff, so they’ve saved salaries, health benefits, etc. It sounds like they just don’t have the money to keep a print operation going. And I also agree that if they’re going this route, they’d better be burning the midnight oil doing their homework. There are some big boys (or girls) on the block these days: Ellora’s Cave, Samhain, Carina and Harlequin, Wild Rose Press, and all the digital books the other print pubs are generating.

“Dorchester needs to release the rights to those books to their respective authors and let them keep their advances.  This is complete bullshit.”

I have a sneaking suspicion Dorchester won’t play fair on this one. They don’t seem to care much about their authors.

BUT most of the Dorchester authors I know (myself included) have not received royalty payments or advance payments on time - if ever. They are years late paying authors. Therefore, Dorchester is in breach of contract and we can take our books anywhere we want. I suggest Dorch authors consider their options.

Hello, a Dorchester author here…a little late to the discussion, but I can assure you myself and fellow Dorchester authors are absolutely livid. My agent is asking for all rights to be returned so we can walk away. For the last year they have been horrible about royalty payment and advances. I know they owe one author almost $10,000 and he is starting to realize he won’t see a dime. Unfortunately, I see the company inundated with lawsuits over the next few months, and closing their doors by January….

Ahh—I feel for the Dorchester authors. I agree with the last post even though I am not a Dorchester Publishing author. I fear you are right; they won’t play fair. I haven’t gotten paid, period, writing for the Trues. And I don’t know any other writer over there who is either. I’m owed thousands. Is there any recourse, I wonder? Can’t all Dorchester writers from the book and mag divisions get together and do something?

hmmmm—I am on smartbitches now, so I appreciate the word fuckery now that I and other Dorchester Media (the mag division) writers aren’t getting paid. Anyway—I’m owed thousands myself, so I’m not making light of all the authors who are losing even more than me. BUT it appears we are all getting a screwing. AND that is no surprise. Do some research and see where the publisher of Dorchester Publishing worked before. I’m sure some smartbitches (like myself—tee hee) can track that info. down. I’ll just dangle that tidbit and leave it to others to do what they may with that info. But when smartbitches breaks the info. and digs—it might become more apparent why people all over the web are using terms like screwing, fuckery, etc. and being prophetic and not even knowing it.

I have to agree with many of the writers here.  I don’t do ebooks.  I don’t plan on doing ebooks.  I spend 8 to 10 hours a day staring at a computer screen and have no desire to do so during my leisure time.  As so many others have said, Dorchester obviously no longer desires my business.  I too buy dozens of books a month.  I buy them in grocery stores, department stores, and bookstores.  I do not buy them online.  Although I do have several authors that I buy faithfully, my other purchases usually impulse buys.  I very rarely buy trade books bacause I can buy two mass markets for one trade.  I hope that as soon as their contracts are up some of the authors I love with Dorchester will move to other publishers.  I would hate to have to give them up as well.
    Also, I reat that the ebooks will be approximately 6.99 each.  Why such a high price?  I’ve always heard that books have become so expensive not because the authors are making a lot on the books, but because of publishing and distribution costs.  Why such a high cost on a computer file that will be distributed by downloads?  I hope with that cost and few expenses that the authors will be given a higher percentage of the sales price.

The example above is something that I worry about equally better, how to show your personal actual exuberance and percentage the fact that your merchandise is useable in this subject.
car mats

The insidious thing here is that this was not a sudden plan. You can see that with the sudden change of publishers for a number of writers.  My genre is Westerns.  Dorchester used to be a great place for the old pulp stuff from the ‘40s as well as for newer authors.  Well, you can see from listings at Amazon that these Western authors are now with other publishers.  In fact nearly all of the established writers appear to have left Dorchester enmasse so that their September, October, November books are coming out in mass market paperback under a new publisher’s banner.  Heck, even some of the cover art is lifted directly from Dorchester.  This couldn’t have happened without advanced notice.  It had to have been planned, and some authors had to have been told about it while still others were not.

Wow—SteveAsClay! I’m not in the book division—but was talking online with a mid-list author who was royally screwed there. My question is: what are authors doing about this? She feels this was deliberate as you are observing. I read elsewhere (can’t remember) that it was a “dirty, little secret” for over three years that Dorchester was very late or no pay—but folks were afraid to speak. The RWA thing brought it to light a little. I’ve NEVER gotten paid. I “know” people (other mag contributors) who are waiting almost a year now. So what do we do? If Wal-Mart wasn’t paying vendors—most people would quit shopping there. Why is this not more public? Why aren’t authors (in mag division) contacting Dorchester’s bigger-name advertisers and letting them know about the breach of contracts?

Hey, Lennie - I don’t doubt that this has been a dirty little secret for a while - maybe even three years.  Publishers, even more than execs in most industries, have to plan out far in advance. And it is clear that this is an economic measure designed to keep Dorchester above water.  Frankly, I don’t think they can.  Romance novels (and all their sub-genre) are fairly lucrative, certainly more than Westerns or the Leisure Adventure line.  So, if Dorchester is going all-electronic, then it appears to this observer that their Romance division wasn’t healthy either.  That suggests a sickly company, and they may well be heading for another Chapter 11 or worse.  As for why no one is talking ... well, that’s Human nature, isn’t.  I mean, each writer thinks he’s alone in this; can’t be happening to others.  Or there’s fear of someone blacklisting you as a writer, regardless of how unfounded that fear may be.  And then, if you do tell others, odds are they won’t care.  Other publishers may be glad to have the competition reduced; B&N and Borders and other large book retailers have their own massive problems; and the public just doesn’t care.  If Dorchester can’t supply them with books, someone else will.  If they are forced to give up paper books and go electronic, most people (as of today) will simply say the heck with it and turn the TV up louder.  The only people who are going to fight for writers and their rights are writers.  But the only way we can do that is if we also command the distribution arm of the process.  But organizing writers into a coherent, effective group for change ...  I’d rather herd cats.

Thanks! I loved your post. It’s a slap of reality I needed to hear. This world is new to me. I’m a former small-town journalist and writing for the Trues was my first foray into the “bigtime.” I was wondering why writers were not banding together. I even heard glimmers that the RWA knew and acted too little and too late. Can’t comment on that since I’ve only been a member for a short time and am not actively involved yet. Herding cats! I think I believe that! I’m pretty mild mannered, but this is inflaming me as I wonder why writers aren’t getting together. I think you answered it quite well. I’m ticked because I feel even the lowly confession writers need to politely warn the newer ones not to submit at this time. And I’m not happy that some folks are continuing to teach classes on writing for the confessions market. Since Dorchester is really the only confessions market outside of New Love Stories (which isn’t technically confessions) I couldn’t do that in good conscience. I asked another ticked Dorchester book author (on a blog) if she knew if Dorchester media even had a comptroller. That’s the story at least one confession writer has been told recently—not the check is in the mail, but the info. is being turned over to the comptroller. Even though I have nothing to do with Dorchester Publishing, I imagine Dorchester Media is almost one in the same. I agree, this doesn’t seem like an overnight decision. I can’t speak to the book division, only the mags. I’ve received a few emails from mag writers (almost timid ones) saying this is nothing new and expect to sorta get paid, maybe someday—and they stopped submitting quite some time ago.

Okay, I’ve made up my mind. You are correct. Authors need to control the distribution arm. I’ll start Cathouse Publishing and Distribution—with a meow, meow nod to your analogy. I’ll run it with a silken claw since coming from journalism, I have a semi-logical frame of mind. We’ll accept westerns and horror since I well know they are niche markets. Romance will only get by my claws if it’s not totally predictable and can pass a smartbitchytrashy pre-review. I won’t take a salary since I don’t need to for awhile. My main job besides filtering out crappy submissions will be making sure NO writers are self-sabotaging. Only authors and editors can work at Cathouse—no executive types. Even small potato authors like myself will be trained to be smart, logical and not accept junky deals.
p.s. I’m more of a dog person than a cat lover—but I’ll make concessions!

Lennie ... sounds like you’re on to something!  When you start up your publishing and distribution outfit count on a submission from me.  BTW ... I used the “herding cats” line simply because it’s a phrase that defines the impossible.  It’s dogs for me all the way.  Definitely not a cat person. :)

Sounds like a plan! I was at the Dorchester website last night. Are you the Steve over there who writes westerns? If so (or even if not) what are your future plans for your work?

I’ve been chatting online with another Dorchester author and she’s quite the cat herder! She’s flamed. She’s been contacting RWA and others about the Trues, which I write (or wrote) for. I think that’s nice, because she’s a novelist and is advocating for the mag writers.

And I am glad to report that the True writers are getting together about sharing the info. so we can make decisions on future submissions. There is slight hope! We may never see a penny, but we (I) learned there are lots of good, supportive folks out there who help even the lower-level writers.

I’ve been slightly anonymous since I thought coming out might ruin my chances of getting paid. But now, I don’t care. Lots of interesting posts on Absolute Write water cooler between me and the Dorchester author and others. So much drama and intrigue over at Dorchester that I might write that book after all!

Please let me know what westerns you write. I won’t buy them from Dorchester though! My husband is a westerns fan and I’m getting into it.

Since many authors have their own websites, I’ll have to check and see if any of them have gotten together and started a centralized one, selling their books.

Lennie ... I’m not one of the Dorchester writers.  In fact I’ve had only a little luck with getting published, and the past four years I’ve completely stayed away from the keyboard for health reasons (not that the keyboard was the problem…).  Before that I had a handful of Westerns published by a British publisher.  That is just about the extent of my bona fides.  All of my books are out of print and impossible to get as the publisher’s print runs are purposely microscopic.  If you live in England you might find one in their library system.  Had a website but I let it fall into disrepair.  All of my observations come from 40 years of watching the publishing industry.  I’m glad that folks are getting together; I’ll check in on that Absolute Write site.  But, hearing about writers being worked up and talking to each other, I’m reminded of the townhall scene in Blazing Saddles where all the Johnsons gather to complain about the attacks on their town by a gang of outlaws.  A lot of harrumphing followed by a sternly worded letter to the governor.  Or if you prefer more literary comparisons:

Life ’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
——WS

Oh, but I am melancholy today ..... 

Still I do like the Writers Bookshop (BookShoppe?) idea.  An online source not only of physical books, but author and title information.  Sounds like Amazon, of course, but this one would benefit the writers only, not stockholders.  A sort of collective.  A lot of details to work out, and seed money to sponge up.  Someone with enterprising blood could make this happen.

John Prebich was the COO of Penthouse Media Group. Also, an editor at the media part tended to keep contracts from over 6 months ago on her desk, unfiled. It was no secret. The employees really wanted to get writers paid.

Thanks Cindy. That’s interesting. I sorta suspected when I heard the payment info. ( almost a year late) would be FINALLY turned over to the possibly imaginary comptroller that the decision had to come from the top. I suspected that most employees would want to see the writers get paid—but would have little to no say in that if they wanted to keep seeing their paychecks. Didn’t Penthouse Media Group file bankruptcy back around 2003?

Wise, wise words SteveasClay! I appreciate the literary version as well as the Blazing Saddles one! I haven’t thought of that great scene for years. I know you are right. Getting writers together is not easy. Some are hinting it’s not professional to want to be paid. I suggest that it’s totally professional to demand fair treatment. I can’t imagine people telling the plumber he is unprofessional or whatever for wanting payment for services. Your decades of observation are right on the money. I’ll have to check out that website. I think many writers are thinking about taking their own publishing future into their own hands. Interesting to watch all the changes happening in the publishing world. And sad too.