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Park East Press (formerly Durban House Press, Oakley Publishing Co.)

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Maryn

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Victoria, as my kids would say:

You totally rock!

Maryn, who's been caught saying the same thing
 

johnsjud

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Victoria et al.
I received an e-mail from Bonnie James of Lindseys Literary Services this week requesting my first three chapters, a synopsis, and profile. According to your posts, she shares an address and fax number with Durban House. Your posts have convinced me it is not in my best interest to send Ms. James anything. Thank you.
Judith Johnson
 

beccam

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Only 2 thumbs down??

This publisher certainly deserves more thumbs down than that.
 

joann

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any recent info on either Durban house or its new firm... Oakley publishers ?
 

joann

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You know it is so hard to say no when they are the only ones who showed an interest in all your hard work. But i guess that is how they get us right?
 

beccam

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Joanne

I hope you have contacted Victoria. and listened to her sage advice.

Do not go with Durban House.
 

beccam

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Durban House web site shut down???

It would appear that the Durban House web site is shut down. When I clicked on the link it directed me to the author web site of John Lewis-one of the erstwhile owners of Durban House. One would hope that means Durban House is no longer taking advantage of authors.
Joann mentioned that Durban House has a related company in Oakley Publishing. I have been unable to find out anything about Oakley. But I hope that Durban House and its owners are permanently out of the "publishing" business.
 

CaoPaux

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Oakley Publishing Co.: http://www.oakleypublishingcompany.com/

Interestingly enough, the books under Coming Soon are listed as Durban House on Amazon, etc., and include new and future releases. One author also speaks of her previously self-pubbed book coming out with Oakley in 2009, so...I'm thinking Mr. Lewis is shuffling his sites around, rather than shutting down.
 

beccam

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I think you are right

I had been on the Oakley site previously and it had looked suspiciously like Durban House, but I could not find any corporate information, such as ownership etc.- in NY, Del. or Texas.
But then I checked out several of the books listed at Oakley's site, and they had been published by Durban House not Oakley.
So I do believe you are right, Durban House operations seem to be just changing names. And I suspect the business practices are substantially similar too.
And thank you for all the good work you do on this site.
 

Joel Seaton

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Durban House Publishing

I have been trying to get my book published for over 2 years with no success. John Lewis, the publisher will not return any emails or phone calls. I have, however, had a enjoyable relationship with the editor, Robert Middlemiss. I would recommend staying away from this publisher. I will give more details on my situation if asked. Joel Seaton
 

CaoPaux

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Both sites are gone. Dare we hope?
 

victoriastrauss

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No, unfortunately. I'm remiss in not posting this sooner, but John Lewis is still active as Park East Press. I started getting reports and complaints in early 2010.

Park East's fees are a bit lower--averaging $7,500-8,500--but the basic M.O. is the same. No fees are mentioned on the company's website; writers who approach Park East find out that money is involved only after interest has been expressed in their manuscript. The fees are (supposedly) not for publication, but for marketing.

The seriously non-standard contract is more or less the same one Oakley has been using all along; among other things, it relieves the publisher of any obligation to actually publish, and pays royalties on net profit. Also, despite the fact that authors are paying for marketing, the contract stipulates only that the publisher "may" perform "one or more" of a list of marketing activities. The entire contract is loaded with language that gets the publisher off the hook for pretty much everything.

- Victoria
 

CaoPaux

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Alas! But thanks for the update. :Thumbs:
 

JournoWriter

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Park East Press site appears to be dead.
 

CaoPaux

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Yep. Smashwords page is still up, but Amazon agrees that last books were published early '12.

If one were to believe his LinkedIn profile, Lewis left Park East in '10. Regardless, no immediate sign of starting up elsewhere.