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Has anyone had the same problem of when finally realizing "Authorhouse" will do nothing for you in promotion or otherwise unless you pay through the nose, that once you cancel the contract, you will loose the cover for your book?
I was threatened with a law suit if I used my original cover.
The contract simply doesn't state this fact or anything for that matter about the cover and who will own the rights to it?
All authors should be aware of this little pitfall, since you probaply will have spend thousands on printing and advertising your book with "their" cover.

So what have I learned?

If the publisher gives you the option to use your own cover: USE IT! Just make sure the contract states that the cover is your copyright property and you can use it in any form, shape or function, even if you cancel the contract.

MAKES SENSE TO ME!

I created my own cover for my second issue of LOOK INTO THE EYES OF EVIL with the help of my "Microsoft Picture It Photo Software" with my computer. If I can do it, as a novice: You can do it too!

Petra
aka P.K. PARKER
www. author2ubooks.ning.com

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i have heard horror stories of one of the two companies but i kept confusing which one (author house and writers house). anyways, that is am excellent point to bring up. we have to be very careful of what we sign, definitely read all contracts with a fine point comb. also, i would send a email and statement to the site of preditors and editors (www.preditorsandeditors.com) and tell them your story so they can update their listing on them. they are kind of a watch dog for us writers and they list the various publishers, agents, etc. and authorshouse is listed on their site and they not only want to know about abuses and complaints about any of them.
Personally I wouldn't touch Authorhouse with a barge pole - far too sales orientated for my liking with little support from what I can tell for the author once the contract has been signed. Getting basic info like print costs out of them is like getting blood out of a stone ! The so called author advisors from what I could tell are really little more than sales people, whose role is not to nurture and guide you through the publishing process, but to persuade you to sign on the dotted line.
Greetings Abney,

Thank you for your response to Just A Four Letter Word.

Also, thank you for this information about AUTHORHOUSE. I almost went with them a year ago. I'm glad I didn't.

I love your music. Let me know how to imbed it on my websites. Thank you.

Brenda
I have to admit, I didn't use either one. I self-pubbed through Lulu.com I'm sure the situation is the same, where the cover belonged to them before I used it on my books, so it should belong to them. Always, if at all possible, use your own cover design. It's less headaches. We have enough of them just trying to sell our books, without that kind of hassle. Sorry you had such a bad time, Petra, but copyright is a tough nut to crack, specially when the publisher owned it in the first place.

Ernie
I have been trying to get childrens picture book published with AuthorHouse for a while now. They are horrible. Their one on one service doesn't guarantee that you speak to the same person, and their "instructions" on how to setup your book are antiquated and inconsistent. I had 3 different people tell me to setup my pages 3 different ways.

I finally got all the pages, and the cover set properly and sent it to them. Then they said it will take 15 days for them to setup my cover. You mean it took that long to place your logo and a barcode on an already setup cover?

For months I have asked them what my book will cost to print, and they danced around the answer. Now I learn that my 8.5 x 11 34 page book will cost approx 10.60 for ME to purchase.

I have a second book being illustrated right now and do not plan on using AuthorHouse again.
This is the prime reason why authors should steer clear of vanity presses and subsidy presses and shady POD companies. Many authors end up spending tons of money after believing these types of presses are gonna be the same as a traditional publisher. The old rule is that authors never pay to be published. The best bet for an author who intends to become a career writer is to get an agent and publish traditionally. Unfortunately a lot of new writers get sucked into the lure of vanity presses.

I'm not surprised by this and there are tons of information on Authorhouse and their horrible practice. The same with Tate Publishing, Publish America and most other companies of this type.

This is why I stress research to new writers over and over. Searching online for a few minutes can reveal every horror story you can imagine about most of the places. Research is necessary and important or else writers, (who may not understand how real publishing works) will get taken every time.

You should never pay to be published but if a writer insists on self-publishing, they should understand who they are really dealing with and research to be prepared.

But the old way is best: Money flows to the author, not from them.

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net
Stacy-Deanne -

I spent a full year researching all publishing options for my own book. I don't deign to tell folks who they "ought" to choose, and who they shouldn't. I can say, I am extremely pleased with my own choice.

And I can say this: It is neither logical nor accurate to paint all "subsidy" type publishers with the same broad brush. If you haven't read Mark Levine's The Fine Print, you might take a peak. he clearly examines the "pay-to-play" companies, some of which are excellent.

"Money flows to the author." Immediately? Hardly ever. Eventually? The concept of a wise investment is as valid in authorship as it is in basic finance.

The admonition that we ought "never pay to be published" strikes me as naive. The fat is, we all pay to be published, in one way or another. For most of us, it's sweat & tears. Some of the finest works on the planet would never exist if the authors complied with such platitudes. (Think "Chicken Soup" for example)

For the overwhelming number of people who feel they have something to say, "Getting an agent and publish traditionally," in the year 2009, is little more than science fiction.

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