Pay-Per-Novel Cyberspace Presses.With online portals opening doors to publication, the Internet may fast become the peoples' publishing house, but writers choosing this "pay-as-you-go" path to publication should proceed with caution. Like the fiery lead character in her debut novel, Tracy Price-Thompson, an expert in strategic warfare, is a powerful force to contend with. When her high-profile agent failed to sell her novel, Thompson did not lay wounded on the battlefield. Instead, this retired Army engineer, fired her agent and joined an army of scribes publishing in cyberspace--the new literary frontier for aspiring authors. Thompson published Black Coffee, a novel chronicling a female military officer's struggle through Officer's Candidate School, at iUniverse.com, a Barnes & Noble affiliate. Fees for this print-on-demand service start at $99 for new manuscripts, $299 for manuscripts subject to editorial review and a free service for out-of-print books. But books published in this fashion aren't often found on neighborhood bookshelves because "many print-on-demand companies act as their own distributors," says Thompson. "Their low discount rate to wholesale distributors (25 percent) and their pay-in-advance, no return policy virtually guaranteed that my work would be unavailable in African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. wholesale channels" who do business on credit. Other recurring problems include delivery failures before scheduled book signings, books bearing her cover with another author's work inside, customer complaints of non-receipt of book orders and several discrepancies in her royalty statements. Despite numerous obstacles to publishing in a virtual environment, the pros far outweigh the cons for Tracy Price-Thompson. Thompson successfully sidestepped glitches in distribution and bugs in the publishing mainframe. Her amazing panache in marketing books to the literary masses garnered the author a pre-emptive pre·emp·tive or pre-emp·tive adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of preemption. 2. Having or granted by the right of preemption. 3. a. three-book deal with publishing giant, Random House. On her publishing victory, the triumphant author replies, "I got my money's worth." A Nonfiction Author Writes His Own Ticket As A Novelist Barri Flowers claims he was born to write, and with 15 nonfiction books published by traditional publishers, he has a library of works to prove it. "Mainstream publishers feel one cannot successfully write nonfiction and fiction books at the same time" he said. "I hope to prove them wrong." Flowers has published six novels in the past year--five through iUniverse.com and one through Xlibris.com. Flowers published When Night Falls, a suspense thriller featuring an African American FBI psychologist, as both a bound and electronic book and without paying any fee through Xlibris' Core system, a service Flint says is "for authors with the most basic and simple needs." This freebie free·bie also free·bee n. Slang An article or service given free: "such freebies as subway and bus maps" New York. service is simple yet enough for Flowers. "The text only cover was bland but satisfactory in having the title and my name easy to see." The company works with preformatted body and cover templates to publish hardback, trade paperback trade paperback n. A paperback book that is typically of better production quality, larger size, and higher price than a mass-market edition, intended for sale in bookstores. and electronic books, charges upwards of $1,200 for various privileges, and pays royalties of 25 percent on paperback sales. But unlike iUniverse.com, should an author decide to walk, their work and their rights walk with them. Xlibris.com, however, is a publisher currently buckling under the weight of heavy submissions. The company--publishing an average of 500 novels a month--is suffering from extreme growing pains grow·ing pains pl.n. Pains in the limbs and joints of children or adolescents, frequently occurring at night and often attributed to rapid growth but arising from various unrelated causes. . Instances have been reported where response time was slowed by systems overload or other online glitches. Advertised claims of publication in two months or less are grossly inaccurate, as actual publication lags between four to six months. Author rep Suzanne Flint says, "Our main concern is timely processing and quick turnaround. We're readjusting the manner in which we accept submissions." Putting Authors First 1st Books Library does not typically market an author's work, but "if a work demonstrates quality, both in the book and in author, we sometimes go beyond our contractual obligation," says Associate Director of Author Services, Paul Burt. Brotherly Love Noun 1. brotherly love - a kindly and lenient attitude toward people charity benevolence - an inclination to do kind or charitable acts supernatural virtue, theological virtue - according to Christian ethics: one of the three virtues (faith, hope, and , written by William Simms William Simms may refer to one of the following people:
"They jumped at the chance to publish and promote my novel and have done everything they promised" says Simms. "I've had television interviews as well as features in local newspapers. I'm thoroughly pleased with the end product" Like other "vanity" publishers, 1st Books provides no editing services. Authors are given an opportunity to review galley proofs, but Anthony Rivers, a writer who says he has very little patience admits that when reviewing Novel Friend, his debut novel,"I didn't take enough time and missed a few things that needed correcting." Rivers, however, remains pleased with his final product. Of the $459 initial set up publication fee, $300 is refundable once an author's electronic sales reach 1,000 copies. Authors receive 100 percent royalties on electronic book sales of up to $300 and 40 percent thereafter. Royalties for paperback sales are 30 percent. Ninety-nine percent of paperbacks ordered directly from the company are reportedly delivered within forty-eight hours and hard covers log in between five to ten business days. Disheveled Universe and Other Options Encouraged by her literary agent to immediately get her books to the market, Persia Walker, who resides in Germany, signed with iUniverse to publish her two novels, Harlem Redux Refers to being brought back, revived or restored. From the Latin "reducere." and Shifting Ground. Since their publication, Walker has yet to receive author's copies of either book and was forced to finally purchase copies for full price from Amazon.com. "iUniverse doesn't print books," says media contact Erica Manuel. "It takes a collective effort with the printer and the distributor to get these books to the public. The printer hasn't caught up with the demand." When delivery and distribution problems ensued, Walker, saddled with a sweet but excruciatingly inefficient publisher's assistant, says, "I threatened to launch a negative ad campaign on major writer's websites posting complaints about iUniverse." She has since cancelled her contract with the publisher and is hesitant to recommend the service to aspiring authors. Yet, iUniverse.com maintains exclusive publishing rights for one year and non-exclusive rights for an additional two. Although Walker has ended the business relationship, publication of her books will continue. One of the most recognized electronic publishing An umbrella term for non-paper publishing, which includes publishing online or on media such as CDs and DVDs. sites, Mice.com struggled to ready books for electronic publication and closed its virtual book doors on December 29, 2000, after long-term financial struggles. But a recent New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times survey cited cases of publishing prosperity. Hard Shell Word Factory reportedly sells an average of 6,000 titles per month and monthly book sales at Booklocker.com come in at approximately 1,200. BuyBooksontheWeb.com has published around 500 authors and printing is done in a hassle-free environment. Authors receive wholesale royalties of 10 percent and 20 percent on retail. The company also offers refunds of 50 percent but charges a 30 percent restocking fee on books returned in good and saleable condition within two weeks of purchase. "All of our printing is done onsite. Our parent company is a printer" says author services representative LouAnn Johnson of the two-year old publisher. "We know what we're doing." Above all, well-informed writers are the best customers of any cyber publisher. They Came From Cyberspace Titles covering a wide range of African American interests are readily available from online e-sources. Following is a sample of electronic and print-on-demand titles that hold their own in a competitive marketplace. Black Coffee by Tracy Price Thompson iUniverse, May 2000, $16.95, ISBN 0-595-09631-X Sandarella Coffee is employed as the ultimate bullet stopper: an enlisted soldier in the US Army. With spirited determination she marches through the mire mire (mer) [Fr.] one of the figures on the arm of an ophthalmometer whose images are reflected on the cornea; measurement of their variations determines the amount of corneal astigmatism. mire n. to take on Uncle Sam Uncle Sam, name used to designate the U.S. government. The term arose in the War of 1812 and seems at first to have been used derisively by those opposed to the war. Possibly it was an expansion of the letters "U.S. . Will the love of her life prove to be an asset? Or will her love for him become the stumbling block stum·bling block n. An obstacle or impediment. stumbling block Noun any obstacle that prevents something from taking place or progressing Noun 1. upon which she must abandon her hopes and dreams? Brotherly Love by William J. Simms iUniverse, June 2000, $7.95 paperback, $3.95 electronic book, ISBN 1-587-21683-3 Written as a diary, Brotherly Love details the lives of two brothers growing up surrounded by Confederate flags and statues in the small town of Brandon, Mississippi Brandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyGR6 History . As one brother follows his dreams, the other, suffering from a drug addiction drug addiction or chemical dependency Physical and/or psychological dependency on a psychoactive (mind-altering) substance (e.g., alcohol, narcotics, nicotine), defined as continued use despite knowing that the substance causes harm. , tests their brotherly love each step of the way. Coolness and Courage: A Buffalo Soldier Play by Terry Kroenung iUniverse, July 2000, $9.95, ISBN 0-595-001513 A one act play that shows how Raheem, a boy in trouble, learns to make the right decisions. Designed to be set up and performed in one classroom period with time set aside for discussion, Coolness and Courage has been successfully performed for schools, youth groups and churches. Dark Recesses by M.C. Beamon iUniverse, March 2000, $13.95, ISBN 0-595-00177-7 David Jackson David Jackson is the name of several notable men:
Deadly Secrets in the Motor City by R. Barri Flowers iUniverse, September 2000 $12.95, ISBN 0-595-1230-2 Jackie Jones is a 35-year-old former cop with the Detroit Police Department The Detroit Police Department serves the city of Detroit, Michigan. The department was founded in 1865 to serve the city's growing population. The department is broken into 6 districts, the central, southwestern, northeastern, western, eastern, and northwestern. . When her former husband, prosecuting attorney Frank Jones suspects his new wife of cheating, he hires Jackie to prove it. But Jackie ends up with more than sweet revenge when she finds Frank hanging from a ceiling beam in her living room with a suicide note A suicide note is a message left by someone who later attempts or commits suicide. It is estimated that 12-20% of suicides are accompanied by a note.[1] However, incidence rates may depend on race, method of suicide, and cultural differences and may reach rates as high stuffed in his mouth. If But One Wish by Bonita J.B. Sallis 1st Books Library, December 1999, $10.95 paperback, $4.95 electronic book ISBN 1-587-21059-2 Will Thorpe, M.D., wants his wife to love him and cherish their child, Merry. Rain Thorpe, wants the love of her husband's best friend, Ian Adams, and she is willing to die to prove it. lan Adams Esq. is determined to possess Sean Smith-Marshal, respected attorney and daughter of his law firm's senior partner. I'm Keeping My Kids: The Murray Hines Story by Mark Anthony Hines BuyBooksOnTheWeb.com, 1999, $14.95 paperback, ISBN 0-741-40669 When a Navy cook with 10 kids loses his wife unexpectedly, friends, neighbors, and relatives encourage him to divide the children or put some up for adoption. I'm Keeping the Kids examines the blended family Blended family A family formed by the remarriage of a divorced or widowed parent. It includes the new husband and wife, plus some or all of their children from previous marriages. Mentioned in: Family Therapy , the powerful influence of the black father, one woman's faith in God, and one man's commitment to his children, regardless of the stormy waters Stormy Waters may refer to:
When Night Falls by R. Barri Flowers Xlibris Corporation, December 2000 $9.00 paperback, $8.00 electronic book, ISBN 0-738-83354-1 FBI psychologist and profiler Angela Leighton returns to her Portland, Oregon hometown to assist police in finding a vicious serial killer serial killer Forensic psychiatry A person who commits serial murders Prototypic SK White ♂ age 30; 97% are ♂; 80% are sociopaths. See Dahmer, Depraved heart murder, Ice Man. Cf Megan's law, Son of Sam law. , but she never counted on suspecting her brother-in-law as the killer or becoming romantically involved with the lead investigator on the case--a white homicide detective who has serious complications of his own. The African Conspiracy by Paul G. Wathen Xlibris Corporation, July 2000, $16.00 paperback; $8.00 electronic book, ISBN 0-738-82765-7 When CPA (Computer Press Association, Landing, NJ) An earlier membership organization founded in 1983 that promoted excellence in computer journalism. Its annual awards honored outstanding examples in print, broadcast and electronic media. The CPA disbanded in 2000. Dell Wheeler discovers a minority client's connection to a drug money conspiracy, the IRS An abbreviation for the Internal Revenue Service, a federal agency charged with the responsibility of administering and enforcing internal revenue laws. terrorizes him, his congressman betrays him, and federal agents frame him for murder. The Black Church in the U.S. by William L. Banks BuyBooksontheWeb.com, 1999, $11.95, ISBN 0-741-40162-2 The author charts the beginnings of the black church, the sending of black missionaries Black Missionaries are a popular reggae band from the African country of Malawi. They are based around the city of Blantyre, and reside in Chileka. The band had originally five members namely Evison Matafale, Musamude Fumulani, Anjilu Fumulani, Chizondi Fumulani and Peter Amidu. , and responds to many issues related to the black church, including Black Power, black theology Black theology is a Christian theology of liberation. Methodist James Cone is still considered its leading theologian, though now there are many scholars who have contributed a great deal to the field. , civil disobedience civil disobedience, refusal to obey a law or follow a policy believed to be unjust. Practitioners of civil disobediance basing their actions on moral right and usually employ the nonviolent technique of passive resistance in order to bring wider attention to the , and increasing apostasy apostasy, in religion: see heresy. Apostasy See also Sacrilege. Aholah and Aholibah symbolize Samaria’s and Jerusalem’s abandonment to idols. [O.T. . |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion