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Samhain Publishing

James D. Macdonald

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For those who are wondering what being recognized by RWA means... this translates out to the fact that Samhain is a a non-subsidy, non-vanity publisher that has released books on a regular basis via national distribution for a minimum of one year and has sold a minimum of 1,500 hardcover/trade paperback copies or 5,000 copies of any other format of a single fiction book or a novella or collection of novellas in book form.

It isn't exactly the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval but it does mean that they're in the business of selling books to the public.
 

Josie

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Thanks Uncle Jim!!!

:e2cookie: for you!

Believe me, everyone -- no one could have said it better,.

Cheers, Josie :)
 

Josie

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Sorry, "the Lily". :(

I'm glad they wrote a nice rejection...

Now onward you must go...to success.

Good luck :)

Cheers, Josie
 

Robyn

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I'm considering sending my Dragon story to them. I've sent it to a few agents but I'm not sure if i should wait for those to respond first or not. decisions decisions....
 

Rebecca James

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Hi there everyone!

I've just joined absolute Write and am just dropping in to say that I think Samhain is a great publisher. (from what I've experienced, so far)

My book is coming out this month (on the fifteenth) and I'm really looking forward to it. I've been thoroughly impressed with the quality of Samhain's editing process (three stages and a final line edit) - and with the way Samhain is very, very author friendly.

They like to ensure that their author's are happy with their cover art (and have a very interactive way of going about this) - and really DO have a negotiable contract.

Good luck to everyone who has submitted to them!
 

Robyn

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Well I sent mine over and now the wait begins (as well as 2 partials to agents)

fingers, toes and anything else i can figure out to cross now.
 

Josie

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Rebecca, congratulations!! The cover on your book is fantastic. Very classy.

I like everything I hear and see about Samhain.

Good luck.

I'll be submitting to them, eventually.

Cheers, Josie :)
 

Christine N.

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Current authors were exempt from the submission-closed status. I also sent another submission to Carrie, last week I think it was.

I don't think they're open to outside submissions yet, not with RWA coming up.

Sheesh, I know when Romance conventions are...and I don't even write it!
 

darkmagic

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Hi there everyone!

I've just joined absolute Write and am just dropping in to say that I think Samhain is a great publisher. (from what I've experienced, so far)

My book is coming out this month (on the fifteenth) and I'm really looking forward to it. I've been thoroughly impressed with the quality of Samhain's editing process (three stages and a final line edit) - and with the way Samhain is very, very author friendly.

They like to ensure that their author's are happy with their cover art (and have a very interactive way of going about this) - and really DO have a negotiable contract.

Good luck to everyone who has submitted to them!


Do you own the rights to your characters??
 

Christine N.

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Oh, shoot, I thought it was Rebecca who sent in a sub. I don't know if Robyn is or not, but anyone who had requests out was allowed, as were current SP authors.

So maybe she had a request to send it in?

Darkmagic, I'm curious to know why Rebecca wouldn't have the rights to her characters? Unless that's specifically in the contract (and why would an author sign them away?), or some kind of work for hire, all authors retain rights to their characters.

I haven't started editing my first SP book, but so far I'm finding the company most professional and really together with everything.
 

darkmagic

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Oh, shoot, I thought it was Rebecca who sent in a sub. I don't know if Robyn is or not, but anyone who had requests out was allowed, as were current SP authors.

So maybe she had a request to send it in?

Darkmagic, I'm curious to know why Rebecca wouldn't have the rights to her characters? Unless that's specifically in the contract (and why would an author sign them away?), or some kind of work for hire, all authors retain rights to their characters.

I haven't started editing my first SP book, but so far I'm finding the company most professional and really together with everything.

I was offered a contract this past fall. I was told it was a standard boiler plate contract. But if I had signed it, I wouldn't have owned the rights to anything, not my characters or my pen name.
So I was curious. Can some one without an agent demand that they own the rights to their characters? Or would you be labeled a troublemaker?
 

Christine N.

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Who was this goddess-awful publisher? No, seriously, because no legitimate outfit would try to grab that kind of stuff. Their boilerplate needs some work.

When you sign a publishing contract, you still own the book. You are only temporarily selling the right to the publisher put the manuscript in book form (including editing and cover design, etc..) and sell it to the public. A license, if you will.

Yes, people without agents negotiate contracts all the time. Some use literary/intellectual property lawyers to look over contracts instead of agents. No, they usually aren't considered troublemakers, as long as you're not asking for anything outrageous.

Never, NEVER sign away more than you want to part with. Even stuff like foreign rights, audio book/e-book rights are negotiable.

If you gave away the rights to your characters and pen name, the publisher could then contract another author to write under that name and use your characters. No way, no day.

If they were really asking for those, it was probably better you didn't sign with them.
 

darkmagic

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Someone from the board helped me go over it along with my lawyer. Needless to say I didn't sign it.
So its back to the trenches for me. Though I have to say this board has been great in helping learn about the business.
I'm currently working on something that would be great for Ellora's Cave. I've heard that they have a straight-forward contract.
 

veinglory

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Check again. Ellora's Cave's contract is one of the most restrictive in epublishing. It is worthwhile because they deliver on sales, and will negotiate.

I am not sure what you are talking about re: characters. Most of these publisher ask for first refusal for works set in the same world of with the same characters.

EC ask for exclusive rights to your next book whether it uses the same world or not.

In all cases contracts are negotiable.