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Does anyone have experience of publishing conference
proceedings? We
could try to find a publisher who will do this for us (at what cost?).
Or we could do it ourselves - yes I know about the copyright copy to
the
BL and getting an ISBN. Has anyone got any good advice? Or does
anyone
know of a good publisher who is likely to be prepared to do this?
Please contact kcm@cix.co.uk or please email : Rosemary Culley direct
from here.
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Society to share Meetings
The Wilkie Collins Society is looking for a prospective 'partner' to
share meetings. The 'partner' should somehow relate to Collins and
preferably be based in the London area. Please contact Andrew
Gasson, 3 Merton House, 36 Belsize Park, London NW3 4EA or email
apogee@gasson.demon.co.uk
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Non-payment
The lady writes: My husband and I have written 2 books, one is in its
8th
printing and the publisher refuses to honor their contract to pay us.
They
won't even give us an accounting of what the books have earned. They
refuse
to return calls and ignore us or promise to get back to us and never
do.
Our contract states they are to provide us with bi-annual
updates/reports
and checks. We have not received a check or an accounting for about
three
years now. Are there any organizations or attornies that fight for
the
little guy. We have been congratulated on writing a viable book, and
even
after 8 years it is a #2 best seller on Amazon.com in it's genre. Is
there
any help for the writer?
I just
want to warn other authors about this sort of thing. The publisher is
Carol
Publishing/Citadel Press in New Jersey, USA. When my first check was
late
they said they were under an audit by an irate author...I wonder if
this is
their usual procedure?
I am also aware of an author who is a friend with a similar tale to
tell about non payment of
royalties on a book written by that person and for royalties due on
other books for which the author
holds the copyright. It seems that this might be a common problem.
If the publisher refuses to pay
- there are a never ending list of reasons that the more untrustworthy
ones use for not doing so -
it is, as I see it almost impossible to get recompense. The sums
involved are usually small and
resorting to law would not seem to be an option as the cost would
probably outweigh what could be
obtained.
One excuse used by small publishers is that they have to get
production costs back first before they
pay royalties - contracts need to be studied carefully to see that
this cannot happen. I personally
have always believe that the contract should state that an agreed
amount of royalty should be paid
on every book sold regardless of the costs of the publisher. But even
then one generally has to
rely on the honesty of the publisher to account for how many books
have been sold. I have not been
directly invoved in publishing by a second party so have no great
experience of contracts etc. but
from what I have learned of publishing from other peoples experience
it is a minefield and the
publisher holds most of the cards.
I would certainly be interested if anyone has an answer to this
problem so that I could pass it on
to the author who is being deprived of their just royalties.
Reply:
I suggest contacting the Society of Authors for such advice. I
must say that, on the whole (after seven books) I had little
trouble with publishers. They do need a bullet occasionally to
remind them that their bills do need paying!
A good technique is the rather horrid modern one of 'Naming and
Shaming'. If the Society of Authors - or yourselves, if you think
you have 'the clout' - mentions the offenders in print (and after
all a copy letter without a response would constitute proof of
non-payment), they can hardly be surprised if their Authors were
to
advise their friends not to use them! This reply came from
peter.mccall@westlodge.cdr-i.net who is willing to be
contacted.
Has anyone found a Literary Society for Winifred Holtby
I have received an e-mail from a person who has not been paid by their
publisher. Has anyone any ideas on how to get the money due?
From: Frederick Lane E-mail:flane@unisonfree.net The webmaster would
be very interested to hear of any other similar experience and any
method of redress that has been discovered which can be added to this
thread.
Please email :
Rosemary Culley
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Has anyone found a Literary Society for William Golding?
Please
email : Rosemary
Culley
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Does anyone know of a Society for Henry Major Tomlinson
(1873-1958)?
If they do, please could they contact Mr H. Steward, tel: 01903 882235
or contact me Thank
you!
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If anyone wants a query added to the page, please let me know. If I
can, I will try to find out if I can put a page where you can put your
questions, and your answers. If you think this is a good idea,
please would you let me know? Very many thanks.
Please email : the owner,
hon. sec. of the Alliance of Literary Societies Thanks!
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