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Lillibridge Press

Lillibridge Press

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Thanks Everyone!

It's nice to see everyone talking about Lillibridge Press! I wished some of the comment were not so negative, but I understand we can't make everyone happy. Anyway, what I wanted to mention is that our old contract did recoup the money for the ISBN. However, we've gone back to our lawyer and revised, and so that is no longer the case. :)

Is Lillibridge Press new? You bet—one year old in October! It's almost our birthday!

I think it's highly unfair for anyone to verbally bash us when they've never worked with us. And just to let writers know, we are incredibly picky when it comes to the manuscripts we choose for publication. We have a new sci-fi novel coming out in August 2010, Still Life by D.C. Petterson. You should read it, paying careful attention to how eloquently it's written. There a multiple eBook publishers, but not all of them are as devoted to well-written prose as Lillibridge Press.

I want to wish all the writers on here good luck in their writing endeavors, but here are some words to ponder... HOW you write about any publishing house be it Lillibridge Press or any other, isn't only read by those you’d expect. You never know when another publisher might read your harsh comment, too. We know some of the post's authors here have submitted to us. And we remember. You can bet other publishers remember, too. ;)
 

jennontheisland

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There a multiple eBook publishers, but not all of them are as devoted to well-written prose as Lillibridge Press.

I want to wish all the writers on here good luck in their writing endeavors, but here are some words to ponder... HOW you write about any publishing house be it Lillibridge Press or any other, isn't only read by those you’d expect. You never know when another publisher might read your harsh comment, too. We know some of the post's authors here have submitted to us. And we remember. You can bet other publishers remember, too. ;)
So, contracts not are offered not just on the basis of the prose not being well-written then?
 

Lillibridge Press

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So, contracts not are offered not just on the basis of the prose not being well-written then?

I think I understand your question, but it's a tad confusing. I'll try and answer it with a question. Would you want to work closely with an author for several months who recently bashed your company?

We treat our authors with respect and dignity, and we expect it in return. I don't think that's too much to ask. Do you?
 

veinglory

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I want to wish all the writers on here good luck in their writing endeavors, but here are some words to ponder... HOW you write about any publishing house be it Lillibridge Press or any other, isn't only read by those you’d expect. You never know when another publisher might read your harsh comment, too.

To me this reads as a passive-aggressive threat that anyone who dares to question the virtues of Lillibridge will end up on some kind of publisher black list. I think this makes Lillibridge look both hostile and foolish.

I have no problem if any publisher reads this, as these are my words and I stand by them.
 
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Lillibridge Press

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To me this reads as a passive-aggressive threat that anyone who dares to question the virtues of Lillibridge will end up on some kind of publisher black list. I think this makes Lillibridge look both hostile and foolish.

I once read somewhere that calling out someone's passive-aggressive nature is passive-aggressive. If we didn't defend ourselves we'd look foolish to some, and when we do we look foolish and hostile to others.

I'm not sure how we can satisfy everyone or if we should even try.

From the Lillibridge Press website:

"I started Lillibridge Press because I wanted to give writers who are either overlooked or inexperienced a chance to work with excellent editors who care intensely about the value of stories. I wanted to connect these writers with readers who were looking for new characters and worlds that would sweep them up and intoxicate them with possibility."

I want to thank everyone for their honesty, but sometimes saying things in a polite way often gets better results. The Buddhist have a name for it. Karma.
 

Lillibridge Press

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I understand that we are new. I'm not saying that if we were to sign you you'd become a millionaire. No one can know the future. Do we have a lot of experience? Nope. We don’t. But I’ve learned one thing in life, and that is that no one can know where a hit story is going to come from. People considered once amateurs—Rowling and Tolkien for example, wrote some of the most beloved books in fiction. They were unpublished previously. Sometimes inspired amateurs know more. Our team and their credentials are listed on our site. I think it’s a strong team, one devoted to helping authors create the best stories we can deliver, selling the booklover a damn fun read.

I have no problem answering anyone’s questions, especially when someone honestly wants to know and isn’t being somewhat snarky. Lillibridge Press is open to inquiries, which is why I wanted to start a dialogue with people here who seemed unsure of us.

Every writer believes they’ve written the best book in the world. And they should. Lillibridge Press loves books. We love them! Last year the estimate for published books in the US was somewhere around 190,000, and an extremely large portion of them only sold around one hundred copies.

Sure, at this time we ask the author to purchase their copyright. Is this wrong? Who can say? Will Lillibridge Press always ask this? Probably not… We want to give our authors as much as possible, and we do negotiate some of our contract, but there are many things that go into our reasons for such changes—like the quality of the story, how well we think it will sell, etc.

Our distributor is Lightening Source, an Ingram Content Group company, and the leader in on-demand print and distribution services for books to the publishing industry. Lillibridge Press books can be purchased in the US and Europe. We offer our authors 30% from all eBook sales minus the cost to the reseller such as pay pal or any other outlet. LP doesn’t receive any money until after the author gets their cut.

Our covers are painstakingly crafted, and they get many revisions so that we can create an appealing cover that the author is proud of—that we are proud of—and that a reader will want to buy. Right now, because we are new and want to be in business for a long time, we only do small bits of advertising, as our catalog is still small. You can see one of our ads on GLBT bookshelf or The Hype Factor, and we recently ended a run for one of our titles at The Torch Online. Will this change, of course, when it’s financially feasible for us to do so.

If you have any other questions, please write us here or from our website. We want to talk to you, and there is always a place to sit at our table. I hope that you accept this offer to talk with respect and mutual support, for that is how lasting relationships start.
 

Sydewinder

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Can I just say I think Lillibridge Press has handled themselves well. AW can be a tough crowd and many people here are quick to attack, or at least come across aggressive. Many see it as innocent questions, and it may be, but lets remember that there are some very successful e-presses out there that were started by people with less experience than these guys.

The only problem I have with them is that the prices are a tad high (probably right for the industry, I don't know. I don't tend not to buy paperbacks for more than $12, but I'm a cheapskate). Those covers are brilliant! I hope the inside of the book is designed with as much thought as their covers are.
 
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xXFireSpiritXx

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I am signing with them for my young adult science fiction novel. I passed on an offer a few months ago but asked for reconsideration. I've had three offers but felt this was a best fit. Their correspondence has been stellar. They seem very dedicated to quality of the novels inside and out and I am excited to let my young adult series grow with them.

Just my two cents. Will let you know how it all goes.
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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The definitions of "bashed" are broad and varied.

This. Criticism isn't always bashing, and IMO it never looks good when a publisher comes in and complains about bashing (real or imagined). If you're good, your success will speak for itself despite any 'bashing' going on.
 

Sydewinder

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I am signing with them for my young adult science fiction novel. I passed on an offer a few months ago but asked for reconsideration. I've had three offers but felt this was a best fit. Their correspondence has been stellar. They seem very dedicated to quality of the novels inside and out and I am excited to let my young adult series grow with them.

Just my two cents. Will let you know how it all goes.

congratulations. Keep us posted. I'm glad to hear that they take care with the inside of their books, too. I'm always so disappointed when books are well designed on the outside, but look like textbooks on the inside.
 

Momento Mori

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Lillibridge Press:
Anyway, what I wanted to mention is that our old contract did recoup the money for the ISBN. However, we've gone back to our lawyer and revised, and so that is no longer the case.

That's good to know and it represents a positive move on your part, given that your previous posts here:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4770167&postcount=11

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4772699&postcount=21

indicated that you weren't going to change this policy on the basis of legal advice received.

Lillibridge Press:
I think it's highly unfair for anyone to verbally bash us when they've never worked with us.

Where do you think you've been bashed on this thread? I've seen people asking questions, suggesting potential problem areas and pointing out issues an author should consider. There's been no bashing.

I understand if you don't like some of the comments here, or feel uncomfortable with some of the questions raised, but that's not the same as bashing. IMO characterising the comments here as bashing marks you as being overly defensive.

Lillibridge Press:
HOW you write about any publishing house be it Lillibridge Press or any other, isn't only read by those you’d expect. You never know when another publisher might read your harsh comment, too. We know some of the post's authors here have submitted to us. And we remember. You can bet other publishers remember, too. ;)

Well, it's good to know that what you at Lilibridge Press hold a grudge against any author who raises questions about your company on a public forum.

You can bet that I'll remember your attitude and make sure I pass on the information to any author I know who might otherwise be considering your company.

Whether your passive aggressive attitude is representative of the publishing industry as a whole though is open to question. Certainly smaller epublishers, with only 1 year's worth of experience and who has previously issued author unfriendly contracts may well share your view. I will be avoiding them as well.

;)

Lillibridge Press:
Would you want to work closely with an author for several months who recently bashed your company?

If an author really bashed my company as in "MM Press sucks and I hate them and they're all evil", then no, I wouldn't want to work with them.

You though seem to consider bashing as constituting "Anyone had experience with MM Pubishing and can tell me anything about them?". In which case, why would an author want to work with you?

Lillibridge Press:
If we didn't defend ourselves we'd look foolish to some, and when we do we look foolish and hostile to others.

It's not the fact of defending yourself that makes you look foolish, it's how you do it.

You're posts here over the last 24 hours have contained veiled comments suggesting that publishers may blacklist authors for criticising or commenting on their company. That's a ridiculous statement to make and you've been called on it.

If you want to state the facts, you're welcome to do so. If you want to discuss particulars of your business, you're welcome to do so. If you make stupid statements and passive-aggressive threats, be prepared to be called on it. If you want to whinge about the questions/comments/potential issues raised about your company, be prepared to be called on it. If you want to complain that people aren't phrasing statements/issues/questions in the way that you want them to, be prepared to be mocked for it.

You're running an epublisher, so it's probably a good idea to work out how the internet works.

Lillibridge Press:
I want to thank everyone for their honesty, but sometimes saying things in a polite way often gets better results. The Buddhist have a name for it. Karma.

That karma comment, is an example of whinging. Just so you know.

Lillibridge Press:
People considered once amateurs—Rowling and Tolkien for example, wrote some of the most beloved books in fiction. They were unpublished previously.

Yes, Rowling and Tolkein were once debut, unpublished novelists. Every novelist is an unpublished novelist until they have a novel published.

Rowling and Tolken were also paid advances for their work. Lilibridge Press does not pay its authors an advance.

Lillibridge Press:
I have no problem answering anyone’s questions, especially when someone honestly wants to know and isn’t being somewhat snarky.

This is another example of complaining about people not using the tone that you want them to use.

Lillibridge Press:
Lillibridge Press loves books. We love them! Last year the estimate for published books in the US was somewhere around 190,000, and an extremely large portion of them only sold around one hundred copies.

How may copies on average have books published by you sold since you started?

Lillibridge Press:
Sure, at this time we ask the author to purchase their copyright. Is this wrong? Who can say? Will Lillibridge Press always ask this? Probably not… We want to give our authors as much as possible, and we do negotiate some of our contract, but there are many things that go into our reasons for such changes—like the quality of the story, how well we think it will sell, etc

Who can say that requiring authors to purchase copyright is wrong? How about the previous posts on the first page of this thread where you were told exactly why it is wrong. It is not industry practice - publishers wanting to be treated as commercial entities bear the cost of copyright registration. It's basic and it's a cost that should be factored into your pricing strategy.

Lillibridge Press:
Lillibridge Press books can be purchased in the US and Europe. We offer our authors 30% from all eBook sales minus the cost to the reseller such as pay pal or any other outlet. LP doesn’t receive any money until after the author gets their cut.

That's a disingenuous statement. Lillibridge books may be available to order in books across the US and Europe, but this is not the same as actually being present in bookstores. Unless you have negotiated a deal with bookstores for them to physically stock your authors' books, no one is going to be able to walk in a store and pick one from the shelves.

That in itself hamstrings authors, who are instead forced to get the word out there to as many potential buyers as possible. What does Lillibridge do to help them do that?

Lillibridge Press:
Right now, because we are new and want to be in business for a long time, we only do small bits of advertising, as our catalog is still small. You can see one of our ads on GLBT bookshelf or The Hype Factor, and we recently ended a run for one of our titles at The Torch Online. Will this change, of course, when it’s financially feasible for us to do so.

So you're basically not doing a great deal because you can't afford it, which means that authors are going to do a lot of the marketing themselves, which will most likely require their spending money out before getting any back via that 30% royalty structure.

MM
 

shaldna

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Although they re very young, they d seem to produce a quality product, I love their covers.

I would like to know a bit more about their plans for the future though, especially in terms of print versions and distribution channels, and marketing for both ebook and print.
 

Adobedragon

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HOW you write about any publishing house be it Lillibridge Press or any other, isn't only read by those you’d expect. You never know when another publisher might read your harsh comment, too. We know some of the post's authors here have submitted to us. And we remember. You can bet other publishers remember, too. ;)
Um, I don't have a dog in this race. I am currently reviewing a contract with another small press, and am poking around AW, trying to get a sense of what constitutes a fair contract.

But your statement, above, pretty much reads like a threat. While the questioning on this thread has been tough (and well it should be, since AW is a valuable resource to those of us who don't have agents and are navigating the sometimes treacherous water of contract negotiation), it hardly constitutes bashing. What I've seen is a reasonable, albeit tough, exploration of certain contract clauses.

I am grateful that this kind of forum exists, even if it steps on a few toes.
 

xXFireSpiritXx

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I just wanted to give an update and say my experience with Lillibridge so far has gone beyond my expectations. We have just begun the first round of editing (content/story) and things are going really well. My pages have also been added to the site and the cover art is stunning. So far things are A-okay :) The entire staff has been a pleasure to work with.
 

profen4

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I just wanted to give an update and say my experience with Lillibridge so far has gone beyond my expectations. We have just begun the first round of editing (content/story) and things are going really well. My pages have also been added to the site and the cover art is stunning. So far things are A-okay :) The entire staff has been a pleasure to work with.

ummm, yeah, that cover is sick! wow! congratulations.
 

shaldna

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I think that's something we all agree on, the covers are lovely.
 

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Anyway, what I wanted to mention is that our old contract did recoup the money for the ISBN. However, we've gone back to our lawyer and revised, and so that is no longer the case.

Can you tell me if your contract revision also addressed any of these (in my opinion) significant problems:

- The contract of yours that I saw recently was a life-of copyright contract with no provision at all for returning rights to the author. I'm wondering if you've changed that.

- The contract I saw contained no editing clause. Standard publishing contracts include a clause describing the editing process and (ideally) ensuring that no major changes are made without the author's permission.

- In the contract I saw, the Competing Works clause prohibited authors from publishing any "similar work," or work featuring the same characters (i.e., a spinoff or sequel) for a full five years following publication. This seems to me like an unreasonable length of time. I'm wondering if you've considered amending this to six months or a year?

- Victoria
 

Erin

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I just wanted to give an update and say my experience with Lillibridge so far has gone beyond my expectations. We have just begun the first round of editing (content/story) and things are going really well. My pages have also been added to the site and the cover art is stunning. So far things are A-okay :) The entire staff has been a pleasure to work with.

Love your cover! Good luck with sales.
 

Lillibridge Press

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Positive News from Lillibridge Press!

Just Released​
STILL LIFE by D.C. Petterson


When Dylan receives a threat against his life, he does what any rational person would: He contacts the police and hires a lawyer. But Dylan isn't just any rational person. He's an experimental artificial intelligence program. The police say that shutting off a computer doesn't constitute murder, but Dylan's creator and his new lawyer will fight to protect him. To do so, they must unravel the bureaucratic threads of the university that houses Dylan. Who is behind the threat? Can they save Dylan in time? The surprising answers to these questions examine the nature of life, of consciousness, of reality, and of love.
________________________________________________
"David Petterson is a bright and engaging new SF voice and STILL LIFE is a sensawunda page-turner that kicks it Old School with a nod to New Age. It asks the Big Questions: What is human? What is a person? Who gets to decide? And it wraps them up in "twenty minutes into the future" worldbuilding and a tale that's both a classic mystery and a great Mystery. Science Fiction has been called the literature of ideas for more than fifty years. STILL LIFE is clear proof there's a dance in the old girl yet."

—Rosemary Edghill

Author of Hellflower, Bell Book and Murder, and Shadow Grail: Legacies​
 

Lillibridge Press

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Our contract is still as it was. This may seem intransigent to some, but not to us. We extend a welcome to anyone who would like to submit a manuscript to us. If the contract is not to an author's liking then we can be polite and step away amicably.

As of now, we are receiving many submissions, almost more than we can handle. Soon we may have to close our subs for a few months or so. This is encouraging!

Victoria, my intent was to come back here and write positive things happening at LP. We would love to read one of your submissions! And if we really liked it, offering you a contract and you accepted, we'd be able to write something positive once more.