WARNING ABOUT DAMNATION BOOKS/ETERNAL PRESS

[Michaela]

This is the cover that caused all the problems. Alex did not like it. Kim refused to modify it, and insisted it would stand as is. What do you think? Do you like it? Do you think it's got what it takes to attract readers?

[Joe Zeff]

What I think, or what anybody on this board thinks, doesn't matter. For that matter, unless your contract gives you the right to reject the proposed cover, what you think is also irrelevant. If you try to pull the book from publication because you don't like the cover, you're violating your contract and the publishers have every right to ignore you.

[Archipeglio]

The problem was Kim Richards refused to negotiate on the cover, at all. Alex tried everything. She would not move an inch. This is an inexperienced "publisher," only in business since last September, and on a real power trip. She is unprofessional, and has no idea what the legalities contained in a contract mean. She is attempting to browbeat authors who just want out with kill fees, even although their contracts contain no such clause.

And it wasn't just the icky cover that galled Alex, but the fact that it had no relation to his story. Here is his story blurb: "In this supernatural thriller, three aimless souls collide in a tempest of lust, violence and vice in Washington, DC, where the elitist country clubs they call their home can be as cutthroat as the business of staying popular. As their triangle grows tighter, they each battle to hold on to their sanity, one fleeing to Africa, the other two signing up for a cruise to Mexico. But they cannot evade their fate. And as they face down doubles and triples of themselves stalking them wherever they run, they will learn that the demons that haunt them will accept only blood for their final sacrifice."

<http://www.damnationbooks.com/people.php?author=71>

[Paige]

Kim Richards is anything but diplomatic. **edited by Mod*

[Arden Leighton]

You know, most publishers do not allow authors creative control of thier book covers.

Companies hire people to design covers, they don't allow authors to get involved in the process.

[Paige]

[Paige]

Isn't Kimmy a lovely girl. :-)

[Ro Strauss]

I know it's hard, guys, when you feel you've been ripped off -- wow, you should see the Publish America threads on Absolute Write -- but if we can just stay away from personal attacks, it makes our case that much stronger.

[D K]

Arch,

You seem to be blinded to what the real problem is...Alex signed on with, what appears to be, a less than trusted partner in Kim. That's it, end of story. Now Alex is feeling the fallout from this poor decision. Nobody forced him to sign on with this group, he chose to. Alex has nobody to blame but himself. Unfortunatley he doesn't see that and has chosen a very unproffessional route of spreading his problems across boards like this. As I said earlier, this approach isn't helping him and will only scare away any future opportunities.

DK

[W.D. Blair]

DK

I agree with you. Authors have to go over a contract with a magnifying glass before signing. Scammer publishers abound in this industry, and it all comes down to "Author Beware." Alex's book is dead. He needs to move on. His campaign has served to warn other authors, however, so it wasn't entirely in vain.