Brantwijn, you were given a very sanitized version as a fellow author. And that is what you will remain. Although, as you have some credentials, what would you do if your editor continuously told you something that was wrong. I don't mean once, but every single time, although you could prove BY THE PUBLISHING HOUSE'S OWN STYLE BOOK, that they were wrong. If you then complained up the chain, to have them back that up? I'm not going to get into the details of all that, but it wasn't a matter of editing style, but a matter of me refusing to continue to edit and have my books edited in a manner that I knew to be incorrect. I personally love the head editor who decided to stay after all. As an HR person, I'm sure you can appreciate that I didn't go into details with you as my intentions have always been to build authors, not make them feel bad.
As for the audio rights, I have a screenshot of Justyn telling me he had already asked for the rights back for another author whom had wanted her rights back as her rights were up for the 3 years. In that convo, he. when I asked if he'd asked Audible for them back, also said the reply of Audible, whom he told people later to "just ask for them back" as you've confirmed here, had refused siting breach of contract. Which is why I then got involved when he started saying we could simply as for our rights back. He already knew we can't. He gave away/signed away 7 years of audio rights, when all contracts before June of this year said 3. He changed it in June--oddly enough the same month he told me audible refused to let him/the author have their rights back.
As an editor, I have been there for my writers. In my mind, my job wasn't just to edit the books, but build the author, to help them be great, with each manuscript cleaner, crisper, and better written than the last. (Perhaps the style issue you mean.) I've discussed plots with my author, including giving a complete plot to another author (whom also happens to be your editor), from which she's built a successful series. I am there with their questions, answer via email, FB, etc. I'm there when they discuss characterizations, etc, even if I had no idea where they were sending their books too. Each editor is their personal self in how much extra they can (day jobs etc) or will give to their authors above and beyond, which is true of any house.
Also, as for royalties, Here is a quote from my email dated 7/10/2013 regarding books put out July, August, November, December 2012. In their responses to previous emails, they explained how Amazon is five months behind, but it wasn't just Amazon.
I am asking about Bookstrand royalties for 2012, Quarters 3 & 4.
I saw my information on Ravaged, etc. But Ravaged shows ARe Q4, and nothing Q1.
I understand about Amazon
It's Bookstrand that I still haven't been paid for, for 2012 quarters three and four and the applicable works involved with that. (Bookstrand) non payment is: for Quarter 3, 2012 The Ulfric's Mate and Ravaged, Volume 1. for Quarter 4, 2012, it's The Ulfric's Mate, Ravaged, Volume 1, Rick Sexed Up the Doc, The Captain's Christmas.
and sorry on the anthos. I just checked again, and it's only Ravaged, not all three ;S
Bookstrand is the problem child. I know I had sales as I was on their top 30 lists for nearly a month with The Ulfric's Mate. So it's not that I didn't sell any. You weren't here then, but I still need to have them accounted for. You probably have access to all my Royalty reports, but if not, I'll forward the emails if you need them.
You mentioned before that you noticed a problem with Bookstrand and hoped to have it corrected by the quarterly payment.
This was not the first email I sent regarding missing payment on The Ulfric's Mate from Bookstrand in particular as it stayed in the middle of their top 30 for 3 weeks after release. In February 2013, I was told Bookstrand still hadn't paid for third quarter 2012. In July, I was told he'd made an error. After I again asked for it to be fixed, I received a corrected statement. If I could figure out how to do a pic as URL, I'd do it with that statement. Anything I have said, I have proof of. (Ie, the editing stuff in comments that show from the pub house, statements, screenshots). I'd love to be free of this...fill in favorite gross thing here... However, I am tired of people saying it's always right, yada yada. You can ask/talk. I asked him about Amazon sales before, saying I thought Amazon might be misreporting. He got mad and upset. Got screenshots of that. Wish I'd started keeping screenshots sooner, but I had every faith in the company and took the word that it was a mistake, or this issue or that issue. I no longer go by faith for business matters. Especially in light of the audio issue.
People are allowed to ask questions about royalty statements, etc that affect everyone, until it's a bad thing (like the audio issue). To me, that's not open. A
business place or open forum, should be able to discuss the mistakes as well as the good. Business places aren't about blowing sunshine up people's arses all the time. They also aren't perfect, which is why I gave BP so many chances and worked as an editor. But, in light of the latest barrage of issues, I personally am not comfortable with them as an author. As for me asking for rights back...he still has print rights to The Midwife's Moon until January, and I was taken out of the group before being given my rights back.