I've been busy (when am I not?) since last month. Projects are sort of falling into place. Are they at the orderly points where I'd like them to be? Nope, but we're rolling with it. #flexibility
Since the last episode of Does She Ever Sleep?, I've done a comic con that was my best sales event of the year so far, an art festival where water streamed through my tent, enjoyed a hometown art fair with perfect weather and lots of friends, had one signing canceled due to thunderstorms, and did a paid presentation on self publishing at my local library. I've also received the interior illustrations on Nugget #2 and finalized the cover of i9. #progress
Which brings us to ARC reader sign ups for Nugget the Space Chicken and the Haunted Cave of Korabumba. If you have any young readers or are interested in a kids sci-fi story, the sign up form is here. Do I have cover art yet? Nope, but I have a blurb. I'll be sending out ARC copies at some point this week. #vaguedeadlines
The mushroom forests and deep caves of Korabumba might be a
beautiful home for humans. While exploring the planet, Jasper and Opal's father
runs into trouble and calls for help. Their mother is out of range. It's
up to Jasper, Opal, and Nugget to find him
They set off to work together on a rescue
mission. Except their father down in a deep, dark cave filled with ghosts,
fairies, a who knows what else.
Is the trio brave enough to help their father or will they chicken out?
Let's get to the cover reveal for the adult sci-fi standalone I9, shall we? Tune in next episode for the blurb because I have a cover, but not the blurb. See what I mean about rolling with it? #coverreveal
The audio narrator is still busy editing chapters of Sahmara so that is currently out of my hands but also in my juggling routine. Woohoo!
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If you're not familiar with and find links to all the other participating writers. |
Since a friend is dealing with a troublesome publisher right now, I'm going to say: Not paying authors on time / being transparent with sales / not paying authors at all.
She signed what sounded like an ideal contract with a publisher she was reading slush for stating they would provide formatting, ISBN, editing, and publication of her novel and all profits would go to her. They paid no advance and would not be taking any split of the royalties. Sounds too be good to be true, right? Yeah, exactly.
What it did not state was a payment schedule or when sales reports would be relayed. She ordered author copies at cost and was happily out selling her book. Now, I will clarify that the majority of her sales were in person with the books she purchased so she did collect and retain payment on those. What she did not receive was payment or record of any online sales through the publisher's website, Amazon, B&N, etc. And there were sales. Not an astronomical number, but some. Some she wanted to be paid for. Asking a lot, I know.
It was well over a year after her book released before the publisher finally agreed to pay out what was owed and transfer rights to her, washing their hands of the whole hassle of having to track sales and actually pay the author. The crazy thing? They have other authors in house and NO ONE is getting paid what they are due because they aren't even asking. Apparently this is how the publisher is making money. I just can't even. *shaking head*
Know your contract. Keep on top of your publisher. Ask for what you are owed. Stand up for yourself. #endrant
