Vanilla Heart Publishing

Ah. I can;t help thinking that a simple redirect would be nice. If they want to keep their customers, that is.

Yeah...or, say, keeping the same (easy to remember/find) domain and just revamping the site. But, no one asked me.

“The quality of the cover designs is declining (sorry, authors, but I think they could be better).”

Now, be careful who you criticize here.
I happened to be part of the design team regarding my book cover and future covers in my series. The watercolor featured on the cover is my own. Oh, by the way... I've been a professional artist for 21 years and a professional writer for 10.

I presented VHP my vision and direction I wanted my work to go. They have gone beyond my expectations and not a penny has left my pocket, nor will.

Many comments I've seen in this thread I question, many I would like to defend my publisher and my choice, but when one is too busy pointing out the faults of others, he overlooks his own. VHP’s stable of authors would be quick to jump to defend but also, feel it to be a waste when those who read but do nothing will simply sit and watch the company develop.

I understand writers like to protect other writers, but we can't judge a whole company by one's personal bad experience. There are many voices with positive experiences but we’re too busy selling our books and having fun. If you wish to talk to any VHP author, they can be reached and they would gladly share their stories with you.

What kind of people are we if we can't allow a legitimate publisher with distributors grow? Why must there be mudslinging? Life is judged by how much good one brings into the world and don’t forget that when you kick a stone in anger, you only hurt your foot.

Ask yourself if what you're doing today is getting you closer to where you want to be tomorrow. Well, it's time for me to get back to writing my 4th novel; I want to be a chapter ahead tomorrow.

Don’t get me upset, I might put you in my next novel and kill you.

I haven't look at any of the covers in question but I would note that good art and good covers are not quite the same thing. And as for sites asking you to 'add to cart' without even showing the cover art... http://shop.vanillaheartbooksandauthors.com/main.sc

MaryQ said:

I happened to be part of the design team regarding my book cover and future covers in my series. The watercolor featured on the cover is my own. Oh, by the way... I've been a professional artist for 21 years and a professional writer for 10.

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Mary, being a professional artist is entirely different when it comes to cover design. Covers have different parameters. Does the design meet the 10 foot test? Is the font readable? Is it dated? Does it match the tone of the book? Is the cover a good representation of the story inside? Then there are colors. Great consideration goes in colors. What looks great on a canvass may look horrible on a printed cover.

While we may be willing to entertain an author's cover ideas, we, and other trade publishers know what covers do and don't work for the marketplace. Most PODs and authors don't. Had we been involved with your cover design, we would have made some pretty major changes.

twnkltoz said:

5. Her press releases say that a "professional produced trailer is available..." First of all, why would a supposedly professional publisher need to say that her trailers are professionally produced? Secondly, they are not impressive (or professional, for that matter). The writing is hard to read on a lot of them, she uses the same music in several trailers, and one has a full minute of just black screen and music. In another, the book's title is spelled two different ways. The image of the book cover says "Front-word, Back-word, Inside-out," but the description says "Insight-out." The image of the cover on the website says "Insight-out," too. Which is it?

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I checked out the trailer for that book, and at the end it says "produced by VHP staff."

I also checked out the book. It's a book on how to write a novel by Smoky Trudeau, who has some background in journalism and has published some short stories and poems, but who has written only two novels, both of which are published by VHP. So what on earth qualifies her to write a book on how to write a novel? Not only have her novels not been tested in the commercial marketplace, she has only written two. I've written seven and am working on my eighth, and I don't feel I'm qualified to tell anyone else how to write one.

One of the things that peeves me most about the Internet is how everyone can be an expert, even if they don't know crap--and there's never a shortage of people who will take them at their word.

- Victoria, feeling crabby

MaryQ said:

Why must there be mudslinging?

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Pointing out areas of concern is not "mudslinging". I'm not seeing "mudslinging" here.

Everyone involved in this press may have the best will in the world and nothing but the sheer love of books motivating their work. I don't know them, so I can't comment on that.

What I, and others, can comment on are things like their self-presentation through their website and through their cover designs and interior layouts, because that's what I see as a reader.

Critique of a business's products or services should not be interpreted as personal attacks. The whole point of an open marketplace is for potential buyers to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the various goods on sale.

When it comes to the writer's side of the desk, twnkltoz's comments on her negative experience with their editorial staff are detailed and specific, and that's useful information for other writers. You can comment on your positive experiences--that's the beauty of a message board like this--and that would also be useful information for other writers. Then the people considering whether or not to submit their work to VHP can make up their own minds.

Sorry, Mary, but I feel it's only responsible to point out the good AND the bad of a publisher so writers can be forewarned. Sorry if it hurt your feelings.

experiences

IceCreamEmpress said:

Pointing out areas of concern is not "mudslinging". I'm not seeing "mudslinging" here.
...
When it comes to the writer's side of the desk, twnkltoz's comments on her negative experience with their editorial staff are detailed and specific, and that's useful information for other writers. You can comment on your positive experiences--that's the beauty of a message board like this--and that would also be useful information for other writers. Then the people considering whether or not to submit their work to VHP can make up their own minds.

Click to expand...

I agree, it is useful when writers post their factual experiences, good and bad, and I did try to do that here.

I think the term "mudslinging" refers to the less-than-factual statements that are made solely for the purpose of hurting anyone's (publisher or otherwise) credibility.

For instance, a statement was made about my "five books" to show that VHP was trying to fund the company through sheer volume instead of quality - I definitely would like to think that statement was prophetic. Right now I only have two books under contract with VHP.

I wish you all success in your current endeavors, most of us are working very hard towards our goals, and success would be well deserved. I am quite content with the way things are going for me and I certainly do not begrudge any one else's success or contentment.

Hope you are all having good writing days and enjoying your book tours, I am.

Sorry, Chelle, I don't know where I got that you have five with them. I'll retract that. However, that doesn't change the following facts:

1. VHP said they were limiting production to 24 books between the two publishers. It's May, and already there are 19 for sale this year for only the one imprint. The other one doesn't seem to exist anymore, even though the website still says it's the parent company.

2. The website, as evidenced by this thread, clearly indicated that authors would not be allowed to publish more than one book every 6 months to allow for proper promotion time. However, there are several authors with more than one book being published very quickly after the first book was published, and in the case of one author, it's three books in less than four months.

Smoky - three books - 2/08, 3/08, and 5/08 - and one announced as 'coming soon'. That's four for her in less than four months.

Mary - three books 5/08 7/08 and 9/08 and on Mary's blog it clearly says she is scheduled to publish a fourth book with VHP but was delayed because of personal things coming up so she hasn't finished writing it.

Chelle - two books 4/08 and 7/08 (not six months apart)

Brian - two books 4/08 and 5/08 (not six months apart)

The point is...it's a big job promoting ONE book properly, and promoting three or four is huge. Putting out so many books at once (going over the 12 she'd set as the limit for each imprint) is setting her up for problems like many small presses have had in the past. Prophetic, you say? Perhaps, but it's something authors should be aware of.

The website says: Vanilla Heart Publishing is currently open for queries, although we have a full title lineup through July, 2008 at this time. So, their title lineup is only through July....that's 19 books prior to the mid-point of the year. If they only publish 5 more books the rest of the year, they are under the total, but given their momentum so far, I wonder if that will happen. Then again, where's the other publisher, CHP?

3. I wonder since CHP is no longer around (so it seems) if that anthology they were promotoing for months will ever be released? If not, what about the authors of those stories who thought they were going to be published?

4. Stock photos being used for covers:

Exhibit A: Hidden Passages. Pretty cool, huh? http://www.vanillaheartbooksandauthors.com/images/3d_hp_cover_copy.jpg
Stock photo:
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/872753 Note how nothing was changed for the cover, just the words added.

Exhibit B: Saving Amy
http://www.vanillaheartbooksandauthors.com/images/final_saving_amy_front_only.jpg
Stock photo:
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/917478

The thing is...I'd use stock photos for articles or whatever, but for a book cover? If it was that easy for me to find these (and I know very little about using stock photos), it will be for others, too. How about, you know, buying photos or hiring a cover artist? The photoshopping on some of the covers is pretty evident--you can see outlines where elements were lifted from photos, two different photos are used and don't blend together...I'm not even an artist and I can see it. I wonder who is getting the credit on the cover art, when they are clearly originally stock photos?

Using stock as part of a design is one thing, small presses do that to reduce costs (points to avatar of my cover). But using unmodified, free stock seems a little like cutting the corner right off.

victoriastrauss said:

I checked out the trailer for that book, and at the end it says "produced by VHP staff."

I also checked out the book. It's a book on how to write a novel by Smoky Trudeau, who has some background in journalism and has published some short stories and poems, but who has written only two novels, both of which are published by VHP. So what on earth qualifies her to write a book on how to write a novel? Not only have her novels not been tested in the commercial marketplace, she has only written two. I've written seven and am working on my eighth, and I don't feel I'm qualified to tell anyone else how to write one.

One of the things that peeves me most about the Internet is how everyone can be an expert, even if they don't know crap--and there's never a shortage of people who will take them at their word.

- Victoria, feeling crabby

Click to expand...

OK, I'm going to get catty for a moment, but I'm going to try to reel myself in. SMOKY PUT ME IN THAT BOOK!! She posted a chapter on her blog (look for me in Really Stupid Thing #10): http://authorsmokytrudeau.blogspot.com/2008/05/really-stupid-things-authors-do-to.html (you're welcome for the promotion, Smoky)

1. She says she pasted this word-for-word from her book. I'll give you a point for every error you find.

2. Either she lied or was lied to. The publisher did not cancel my contract; I cancelled it (I have a copy of the email if anyone would like to see it). I would have nothing further to do with that publisher or her. Also, there were not that many confusing terms. The target audience would know most of them, some were already explained in context and others I was willing to be flexible about, but rather than discussing it, she threw a fit.

3. This incident happened in April of this year. The book this abstract came from was printed in May. That may explain the many errors in it.

My question is, what experience does Kimberlee have to be running a company? She may have good intentions, but the evidence here leads me to wonder if she has any experience in publishing or in running a business.

I can go start a publishing company today with all the good intentions in the world. Doesn't mean I should...

You'll be thrilled to know, Jennifer, that the anecdote with sufficient details for me (admitted with more info than most) to identify the author she was calling 'stupid' is, is also being trotted out by ST when she speaks at conventions. I would file that under 'unprofessional things done by editors'. By identifying I mean 'former author of ours with considerable expertise with horses'. Not a long list, I suspect.

veinglory said:

You'll be thrilled to know, Jennifer, that the anecdote with sufficient details for me (admitted with more info than most) to identify the author she was calling 'stupid' is, is also being trotted out by ST when she speaks at conventions. I would file that under 'unprofessional things done by editors'. By identifying I mean 'former author of ours with considerable expertise with horses'. Not a long list, I suspect.

Click to expand...

That's pretty funny.

Just thought I'd post an update.

I decided to self publish Bubba Goes National. I'm sure it will thrill Kimberlee to hear that, because in her mind I should have stayed with her and played ball. However, I'd rather do it on my own terms and know it's done right and a product I can be proud of--I have a trusted friend and advisor with experience doing this helping me out. Sales are rolling in and I'm very happy! There is a series of Morgan Horse books (by Ellen Feld) that were self-published and she has had tons of success...in fact, Breyer made a model of her main character and is packaging it with the first book. Her books are written as technically as mine, using the same terminology my editor at VHP thought was confusing.

Anyway, so if you google "Bubba Goes National", the first result is a press release from VHP in 2008. We asked prlog to remove it, and they said we had to contact the original poster, so I sent a polite email to Kimberlee asking her to remove it. She sent me a very rude response that she would not waste her time doing that. Isn't that just so nice and professional? Here is the exact exchange:


Wed, December 23, 2009 9:41:58 PM
From:
Vanilla Heart Publishing

To: Jennifer Walker
no Jennifer, I will not spend effort on this posting

----- Original Message -----
From: Jennifer Walker
To: Kimberlee Williams
Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 9:43 PM

Kimberlee, will you please remove this posting? http://www.prlog.org/10044545-vanil...r-for-bubba-goes-national-and-bonus-book.html

Thanks,

________________________________________________________________
Jennifer Walker
www.authorjennwalker.com

Merry Christmas!

Wow Jennifer... that is just too much for words. Does Google have a dispute process for that then???

Wow. Seriously. Wow.

Thanks for the response--yes, I think so, so we're looking into it.

"A frequent writer for numerous horse magazines, Walker’s equine knowledge shines through on the pages as she gentle educates readers about life around horses. Learning about the many duties required in the daily care of horses, as well as showing on the Arabian show circuit will have many youngsters spouting off horse facts to their friends all day long." --Feathered Quill Book Reviews

http://www.featheredquill.com/reviews/animals/walker.shtml

Very nice review! In fact, I just ordered the book. It sounds great.

It's too bad that VHP turned so screwy and unprofessional. For a while there they sounded promising. I think a lot of small publishers don't realize what they're getting into, and when things get tough, they start lashing out at anyone they can blame for the difficulties. I would be interested to know why your former editor (the good one) left, too.

Thank you so much!

Not to be unkind but I've heard nothing but bad things about this publisher--ranging from simple unprofessionalism to downright dishonesty (since I'm going off hearsay here I can't be more specific about the "dishonesty"). Either way, I'd keep my distance from this one.

Some writers are extremely happy with them; however, I submitted my latest novel elsewhere, and I'm leaving them at the end of the year.

I've been asked privately if I would recommend Vanilla Heart, and my answer is NO. Three main reasons why:

After I signed, the company scaled down to a one-person operation, which meant if the managing editor had anything to do - illness, hers or in her family, emergency in her town, or anything else - the publishing shut down.

Her other authors do the editing. The quality? As an example, I had written a compound sentence in my manuscript. The 'intern' as the editor was called, replaced the comma with a period, and of course, neither sentence made sense. That's just one example.

Tricky wording in the contract so that new writers weren't included in the next round of royalty and statements. Even afterwards, payments and statement were usually late.

They do have several loyal writers who support the company and each other so you feel as if you've been accepted into a writing family. Kinda reminds me of another 'publisher.' All I can say is, if you're seriously interested, check your contract.