LazyDay Publishing

Mr Flibble · Aug 11, 2010

To be honest, I'm more concerned about the UK side of it all, since it involves filing tax returns and registering as self-employed (while still being normally employed). I'm going to make an appointment with my local tax office as soon as the ITIN arrives.

Actually it's dead simple. If you earn under £300 (IIRC) a year from overseas you don't need to declare. If you earn over that, you can declare online, after deducting expenses etc. Takes hardly any time. Registering as self-employed is also a doddle.

But yeah, talking to the Tax Office is a good idea so you can see where you stand.

BenPanced · Aug 14, 2010

Zefiris said:
I've been offered and accepted a contract from LazyDay Publishing.

I'm really impressed with them. They're quick to answer my emails, seem really professional in what they're doing and Staci is really enthusiastic about providing a good service to writers

I'd really recommend them

I had to go back and check a couple things out, but I've found them to be incredibly unprofessional in the way they've dealt with the questions we've put forth. In fact, the owner of the blog did something they weren't able to achieve here on AW: they deleted several questions they didn't like from the blog, mine included, without answering them. If you get something out of your dealings with them, great, but I'd have serious reservations about any company - publisher, plumber, doctor, lawyer, what have you - that refused to answer any questions I have.

Fallen · Aug 14, 2010

Zefiris said:
The payment I guess will be dollars converted into pounds (England doesn't use the euro) That's all stuff I'll make sure to find out though so thank's for mentioning it.

I'll be straight, I know nothing about the legal side of things. I my brother have a look through it though (he knows more about that than me) and he says it's pucka.

I don't really expect any breach of contract to take place and if it does, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it

I went with LD because they impressed me. They're websites well designed, they provide alot of services and seemed really enthusiastic on their email.

I did have two other contract offer from a publisher for my novel (One from a a publisher that turned out to be subsidy, another which I was considering but decided with LD instead), also had a few full requests from various publishers and agents that were been considered.

Out of the three offerered contracts LD seemed by far the best. I know they're a new publisher but, how is a new publisher going to become established if people don't take a chance?

I've taken a chance and I know it's early stages but, so far LD seem good.

Congrat's on the contract, hun.

One of things that worries me is that they have no samples of cover designs. I know they don't officially open their doors until december (?) and they may not have any new releases ready to be shown yet, but have (can) you ask for any samples from anything their cover artists have previously done (they've got to have something floating round)...?

I'm pretty new at this, what happens if their covers don't live up to scratch?

thothguard51 · Aug 14, 2010

Fallen said:
Congrat's on the contract, hun.

I'm pretty new at this, what happens if their covers don't live up to scratch?

More importantly, what happens if LazyDay does not live up to scratch once the contract is signed? Is there an out clause? How hard will it be to return rights to the writer if they fold? Will LD defend the author in case of a copyright or other lawsuits?

While covers are fairly important, I am more concerned about the legal aspects of working with a new publisher.

eqb · Aug 14, 2010

Fallen said:
One of things that worries me is that they have no samples of cover designs.

What worries me more is that they are asking "What makes a good cover?" on their blog.

These are people with *zero* experience in publishing. No experience with cover art or design. None with acquisitions. None with editing, marketing, or distribution.

Fallen · Aug 15, 2010

thothguard51 said:
While covers are fairly important, I am more concerned about the legal aspects of working with a new publisher.

One hundred percent behind you on that, tho.

I generally just listen in here unless I see something that bugs me. It's only because Zef said she'd signed with them and seemed happy with everything discussed that I got curious about covers... If it's a new publisher and the author's happy to go ahead, how would they get access to samples of cover designs...? I know I've seen sites that look the business, but design has let them down. Hmmmm...

eqb said:
What worries me more is that they are asking "What makes a good cover?" on their blog.

That's...concerning.

CScottMorris · Sep 29, 2010

Four cover designs just posted today.
Dont look to bad, but the books they match with seem very, um, cliche? There is a witch/werewolf book, a traditional romance, a steampunk, and an erotica.
The quality of the book underneath is much more important to me, and how they plan on marketing it. Just putting them up on Amazon and Smashwords wont do much. I wonder, if they know all about sales, as they claim, how are they going to sell those books? I want to see a marketing plan.

M.R.J. Le Blanc · Sep 29, 2010

If these people don't have any experience operating as a publisher, your question is already answered.

eqb · Sep 29, 2010

I'm underwhelmed by the covers, to be honest. None of them entice me to check out the story inside.

And it's only two months until launch. Other than these four covers, I've seen no sign of marketing, or pre-order information, or anything that's targeted to readers. According to their twitter stream, they are acquiring a bunch of books. I hope they don't overestimate their ability to market all these acquisitions.

Catadmin · Sep 29, 2010

I hope everyone who signed with them has a rights reversion clause in their contracts.

Though every author should have that clause in their contract, regardless of publisher, unless (s)he's doing WMFH.

para · Sep 29, 2010

LazyDay said:
Our staff so far ranges from a freelance cover artist who has designed for e publishers such as Carina Press,to a copyeditor that has edited text books and healthcare manuals (sounds tedious).

Now where have I heard about textbooks before...

About Me

Posted by Saritza Hernandez at 11:13 AM
<snip>... a call from Harcourt School Publishers to come work for them! In the ten years I have been with the company, I have learned the "ins and outs" of the textbook production process while meeting and befriending folks from the various departments including the Editorial groups for the textbook divisions.<snip>

Coincidence?

eqb · Sep 29, 2010

para said:
Coincidence?

Ah, interesting. I had missed that connection.

That would be a serious conflict of interest.

brainstorm77 · Sep 30, 2010

para said:
Now where have I heard about textbooks before...

Coincidence?

This very interesting...

CScottMorris · Sep 30, 2010

I have heard that a lot of publishers are laying off editors. And a lot of those editors are finding jobs at new ebook pubs.
If she works for a textbook publisher, then she would know some of those editors who lost their jobs and now maybe work for Lillibridge.
Im just saying.

eqb · Sep 30, 2010

CScottMorris said:
I have heard that a lot of publishers are laying off editors. And a lot of those editors are finding jobs at new ebook pubs.

The problem is not that she's working for LazyDay. It's that she might be working for LD *and* sending her agency clients to that same publisher. The reason doesn't matter. It would be a conflict of interest, plain and simple.

Now, we don't know if Hernandez is that same textbook copyeditor. It would be lovely, however, if she said straight out that she had no connection to LD, except as an agent.

We know they're reading here. Maybe they will post a clarification on their site.

epubagent · Oct 1, 2010

No, I am not affiliated with Lazy Day nor do I work for them. I have made submissions to them as I have with Ellora's Cave, Loose Id, Carina Press, Decadent Publishing and Silver Publishing. All of whom I've executed contracts with in the past six months.

eqb · Oct 1, 2010

epubagent said:
No, I am not affiliated with Lazy Day nor do I work for them. I have made submissions to them as I have with Ellora's Cave, Loose Id, Carina Press, Decadent Publishing and Silver Publishing. All of whom I've executed contracts with in the past six months.

Hi, Ms. Hernandez, Thank you for clearing that up. Would you be willing to tell us what convinced you to make submissions to LazyDay? I ask, because according to their own comments, they have no experience in publishing--digital or print--and I am curious what advantage you see in them.

regdog · Oct 1, 2010

Each of those publishers take direct from author submissions and have standard royalty paying contracts.

veinglory · Oct 1, 2010

regdog said:
Each of those publishers take direct from author submissions and have standard royalty paying contracts.

And several of them most likely have low sales even on the scale of epublishing.

With EC the question might be, did you manage to renegotiate the boilerplate ridiculously long term of the contract or restrictive option on future books?

epubagent · Oct 2, 2010

eqb said:
Hi, Ms. Hernandez, Thank you for clearing that up. Would you be willing to tell us what convinced you to make submissions to LazyDay? I ask, because according to their own comments, they have no experience in publishing--digital or print--and I am curious what advantage you see in them.

It was really a decision made between the client and I after discussing options for a shelved novella manuscript their current publisher passed on.

epubagent · Oct 2, 2010

veinglory said:
And several of them most likely have low sales even on the scale of epublishing.

With EC the question might be, did you manage to renegotiate the boilerplate ridiculously long term of the contract or restrictive option on future books?

We were able to negotiate some of the terms of the contract with EC and actually took several months to complete the sale because of it. The restrictive option on future books, I'm afraid is one the terms EC will not budge on.

jennontheisland · Oct 2, 2010

epubagent said:
We were able to negotiate some of the terms of the contract with EC and actually took several months to complete the sale because of it. The restrictive option on future books, I'm afraid is one the terms EC will not budge on.

Was one of those terms an advance?

thothguard51 · Oct 2, 2010

Ms Hernandez,

Please don't take this wrong, but I am puzzled on how an agent is going to make a living off of sending their clients to small epubs when the general sales figures are around 200 or less.

Not to put you on the spot with your clients, but how does an agent justify this type of publication from a business standpoint? I mean, you do have bills to pay I assume...

thothguard51 · Oct 2, 2010

epubagent said:
The restrictive option on future books, I'm afraid is one the terms EC will not budge on.

Is this in the best interest of the client?

epubagent · Oct 2, 2010

jennontheisland said:
Was one of those terms an advance?

No, EC does not offer advances to all authors.

LazyDay Publishing

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

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