LBF Books / Let’s Be Frank Publishing

whachawant, it only takes a moment to make your posts decipherable. Just because you're posting on an Internet MB doesn't mean that you should throw out spelling, grammar, and good form. You may have had a point buried in there somewhere, but I sure as hell couldn't find it.

You also sound unreasonably angry. Have you taken any posts here personally? And if so, why? Quite frankly, if I was an editor or publisher, and had somebody like you speaking on my behalf, I would be extremely embarassed and maybe even ashamed. You're certainly not doing her any favors.

Yeah, that was a little harsh - just my unbiased opinon. Jenna IS a professional, and I don't think she was trying to dis (did I just say that) anybody. But this is a Beware forum, here things are looked at with a bit of a critical eye, not a personal one.

I am sure that, given time, LBF will prove themselves and this discussion will be moot. Their first books come out in less than 30 days. Let's give this a rest until then.

I must actually take the side of Rissy and the others, Whatcha. When I posted, it wasn't to fuel your fire, or anyone else's, to the point of angry posts like that. I pointed out one item in her post that I thought was a tad insulting due to the nature of the comment, but I didn't post a flame to her. Whatcha, your post is a flame, and flames take your point, no matter how good it is, and tosses it out the window. Now Ms. Glatzer's reply, though professional it may be, most likely won't be very nice.

I must also ask that you refrain from posts like that because what is does is puts your angry opinion in front of LBF's, and makes it a poster-child for them, which as one of the replies stated, isn't helping LBF's cause any. These folks, especially and including Ms. Glatzer, have a right to state how they feel based on the fact that they are free to do so, and they may have the experience in the field to back up what they say.

Ms. Glatzer told us that a simple test is to go into the booksellers near us, and see where books are. I decided to run her test, and her books are in every one of the eight Pittsburgh area Barnes & Nobles' stores, and every one of the Border's stores. Does she have a point about things? I'd say she's earned it, and my guinea pig response post wasn't nearly the offensive piece that you wrote, Whatcha. Let's not call people unprofessional twits, while at the same time acting 10 times more UNprofessional ok?

We all want to succeed in life in some way or another. Me? I really could care less about money at this point, and you can ask anyone who knows me. I believe that my sacrifice is my decision, and it is my right based on my situation. But that's not everyone's way of thinking, nor may it not be their goal, but it works for me. I want exposure, and I don't want to trade small return profits of my first book now for what may turn into a huge return in the future by reinvesting it in my own marketing. LBF and other publishers do what they can, and LBF is doing it well, but it's also up to the authors to do things for their own exposure too. I believe they go hand in hand with success. No, it's not all about money, and I would argue that with anyone, but Ms. Glatzer is looking out for authors too with her advice. No one will respond badly to a good argument, but flames will only incite defensive responses, and a bad name for LBF.

Thank you.

WOW DON'T ASK WE WHAT I WAS ON THE OTHER NIGHT.......
All I know is I should shut up and let what ever happens happen.
Jenna,... I apologize to you for my rant .... I was way out of line...
To all others who have the intelligence not to drink and bitch on this forum... I also apologize to you.
Yes I was a little mad,... (at alot of things) and should not have been on here. From what I can remember and think of now .. I probably misinterpreted your post at 1:00 am after a Friday night.

Yes I have done work FOR lbf. I don't technically work for them. (just to clarify)...on that first post I should have made that clearer.....
Don't blacklist me or the LBF corporation ... I, for one, am highly defensive about my career choice(especially after some liquid courage) and I still feel that the beginning negative opinions of some people are completely ignorant... I am confident lbf will do fine and time will tell.

Once again.. my apologies and... advice to you all

"DON'T DRINK AND SURF"
:smack

Peperlandgirl... yeah, I read it three times the day after and I couldn't find my point either.. :smack
... it has since been edited....
In no such given way am I like that regularly.... and I hope my apology is enough... ... well ... back to banging my head.:head

Hey, it's cool - we've all been there.

At least you didn't spill your drink on the keyboard :grin You can go back and edit that post though if you would like - this board is kind that way, gives us another chance to reword things when we have eaten our feet (which I also have done in the past - ugh day old sock taste is nasty).

Have a good morning cup of java and smile. :coffee

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LBF Books has asked to see my whole manuscript. I am currently revising it with help from a reputable mentor. They say they are willing to wait for the revisions. I don't know about all the do's and don'ts of getting published but I do have to say one thing for LBF Books. They are very nice and hospitable. I have never gotten one rude or pompous response from them. I like that Jacquelyn is nice and seems to treat everybody with respect. Just for personality, I think I will give LBF Books a fair and unbiased "Good Luck".

~~Tammy

“Today is the best day. Yesterday is gone forever. Tomorrow will never arrive.” ~ David Wolfe

Good luck with that tfdswift. I submitted to them without any qualms. Still waiting on a decision, hoping the ms. gets accepted. I have a bit of faith in this little company.

And your right, Jackie is VERY nice.

That's a really good sign tfdswift,...glad to hear you've taken the plunge.. Things are looking good and will get better.

I hear the site is being revised and is getting good reviews. Maybe you all should check it out.

Peace
<img border=0 src="http://www.absolutewrite.com/images/emoteClap.gif" />

since you seem to know, Whacawant. What are the odds of a ms. getting published by lbf after they want the whole ms? This is purely for my own personal edification, b/c I am impatient. It's not in my nature to like to wait. Yeah, like a little kid I am.
I understand if you don't want to answer, you don't want to speak for Jackie. But since you told tdf that a request for a whole ms is a good sign, I was just wondering...
You can private message me if you want, or e-mail me: risseybug@aol.com

and how's this for an emoticon...

Risseybug, you can't determine odds in a situation like this since they don't have to accept anything. Odds can be determined only if they have to accept something out of what was offered.

Risseybug,...
...you're right,... I don't want to speak for Jake...but by my observation what ever tfdswift submitted, it was worth Jakes time to contact tfds and take a look at the whole ms. Something must have caught her eye... or sparked imagination. That's pretty much it.

Impatient are you?,... well join the club. I've been impatient for quite some time,(damn that took 10 years to say). I think we'll have to take a lesson from Jake on this one... called determination. You just gotta keep going. Keep in mind they do have limited staff and Jake reviews ALL SUBMISSIONS. That's a big sack of paper to tackle(whether digital or parchment) . She looks at each piece with the same scrutiny and professionalism.
They(the corp) have been busy going through changes, just in recent months. Staff, advertising, new printer,...I highly doubt you've been forgotten.

As I recall,... some where on the site you can check your submission status.(I guess Jake for saw us impatient people)
If you have something in mind,... submit away....

To keep your mind off of things, you might just want to start a new project.

peace

p.s. cool emoticon

Darn, you're too fast for me. I was going to come back and delete that post.
I did submit, and she requested the whole thing. And I know she's gotten the ms, I am just waiting on a decision. Like I said, patience is not a virtue I possess. <shrug>

I did visit the new site however, and it looks great!

I just want to say that I appreciate this particular thread. I have alot going on in my life right now and I don't have alot of time for surfing and checking out every site mentioned (although I wish I did). I try to make a point of checking my emails and checking the AW board (somedays I don't even get to do these), but I am able to check on LBF by coming here and seeing what all is going on. So thanks guys to all who have posted on this thread.

Also, Rissey, I just want to say good luck on your ms. But, believe me it gives LBF more credibility that they are taking a while to get back to you. It means they are truly reading your ms and will make a decision based on what they read. I am not a patient person, either, but I have learned (the hard way) that waiting on a decision can be a good thing.

As newbies, we have to learn to have patience and develop thick skins in this business. I am not there yet, but I wish you the best of luck.

~~Tammy

“Today is the best day. Yesterday is gone forever. Tomorrow will never arrive.” ~ David Wolfe

No problem Rissey, at least you can set your mind at ease... GOOD LUCK...

Tfdswift... and Rissey... keep at it no matter what happens and you can always ask the members of LBF for advice..... :hug

or better yet rubber skin, things just bounce off--most of the time, unless someone makes it personal---:jump

Been away from this thread for a few days. Few points:

B.T., I really didn't mean to offend you with the "guinea pig" comment. Like Rissey said, I'm just using that as a generic term for anyone who tries something new-- not at ALL saying that the only reason LBF is publishing your work is so they'll have something to experiment with. If your posts are any indicator, I'm guessing your writing skills are excellent.

I truly am wishing you and LBF all the best. Part of my job here is to help writers figure out what to look for in a publisher, and I want to add LBF to the list of publishers I can recommend without hesitation. With them, everything is based on hunches right now. Even with an experienced publisher, distribution can be very difficult. My book Outwitting Writer's Block, published by Adams Media (a reputable mid-sized house with a strong sales history), is still struggling to find its place on bookshelves, despite great reviews and outstanding online sales. New publishers are at a bigger disadvantage because they can't prove to bookstores that their books sell or that they know what they're doing with publicity.

Just about anyone can get titles listed with Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and it doesn't mean they'll find their way to bookstore shelves. Vanity presses are routinely listed with them, but receive almost no bookstore play. There has to be some kind of sales force (by a distributor or in-house reps hired by the publisher) getting out there and getting the books placements on shelves.

And back to Whatcha's rebuttal: I'm sorry that it seems otherwise to you, but I will reiterate my statement: New writers can and DO sell books to major publishers EVERY DAY. I didn't say new (or experienced) writers never receive any rejections, and I'm not sure how that got twisted. If you like, I'll start pulling out statistics and examples. Actually, here are three that all came in one issue of Publisher's Lunch:

Kyo Maclear's THE LETTER OPENER, set in 1989 in the
Undeliverable Mail Office of Canada Post, where a woman
spends her days sorting through orphaned letters and
parcels, and where she comes to know a Romanian
refugee who briefly works beside her until, one day, he
disappears without a trace, to Phyllis Bruce at Phyllis
Bruce Books/Harper Canada, by Jackie Kaiser at
Westwood Creative Artists (Canada).

Film and television writer Nina Shengold's first novel
CLEARCUT, about a salvage logger whose impulsive
decision to pick up a hitchhiker draws him into a volatile
love triangle, set in the untamed splendor of the Pacific
Northwest in the mid-1970s, to Diana Secker Larson at
Vintage, in a nice deal, by Phyllis Wender at
Rosenstone/Wender (world).

Wade Rubenstein's first novel GULLBOY, set in
contemporary Coney Island, Brooklyn, packed with
allusions to Thomas Mann, Cervantes, and other
classics, the story a peculiarly misshapen foundling and
the working-class ne'er-do-well who adopts him -- in
the process transforming himself into a workaholic
parent who tragically neglects his new son's complex
emotional and physical needs, to David Shoemaker at
Counterpoint, by Scott Mendel of the Mendel Media
Group (world English).

-
Although I don't know any "famous authors" who can't get published anymore, if an experienced author stops getting offers, it generally means the author's sales record has dropped off, the author hasn't come up with any new marketable ideas, or the author's work has gotten really sloppy. It's not that publishers are closing their doors to experienced authors with great new work... or even to brand new authors with great new work.

And when I say "exposure is overrated," here's what I mean:

Take as an example a print-on-demand vanity press, or even a well-intentioned traditional press with no experience. They'll print your book. They'll get it an ISBN, list it with a wholesaler, put it on Amazon, put it on their website, send out press releases and maybe some review copies. Presto: Now you have "exposure." Your name's on a book and people can order it from the world's biggest online bookseller. They can usually order it from bookstores, too.

Problem is, that book will likely never see a store's bookshelf outside of your local area (and that's only if you can convince the manager). Three years from now, that book has sold 40 copies, mostly to your relatives. It's hard to resell it to a traditional publisher now because not only do you have to sell reprint rights instead of first rights, but you've just shown them that it looks like a bad investment.

Worse, when you try to sell your next book, you now have a track record-- and it's a bad one. If a publisher were to check into your past book sales to figure out whether or not to buy your next book, you have a big strike against you.

In the book world, the only people you want "exposing" you are the ones who have the capability to sell your book on a mass level, to the chains and the major independent stores and libraries, usually. Possibly to the educational market or by direct sales.

Whether you care about money or not, you definitely want readers, right? The more the better? If no one can find your book, no one can read it. My whole point here is that it's time to wait and see if LBT can deliver the readers.

When I mentioned the small presses I've "taken a chance" on, I didn't do so blindly. I asked questions, I looked for quantifiable results. One of the presses had put out only about a dozen books at the time I signed with them... some of which had sold almost 100,000 copies and were still going strong, and had received great trade reviews and foreign rights sales to boot. Still a risk because they had never put out a book in my category before-- which made me a guinea pig-- but a calculated risk. I trusted that they had the industry knowledge and tenacity to ensure my book's success. It was a wise risk. They've done well by me, and I plan to write for them again and again.

Jenna,...
I believe clarity was my problem there,... when that posting was put up I wasn't in the best of shape and pretty much mad at the world and somehow I managed to type in my password correctly and went on a free for all.... I'm glad you were away long enough so that I could edit the posting, but my apology:cry (and the current posting) still stands... and strangely enough I agree with the fact that new writers get a break... however lets define New...
New(?) writer making a major publication after how many small prints and major rejections?.... by this time this 'NEW' writer isn't so new any more... He/she has made the mistakes and is now ready to take the next step..... That's all I'm saying... all of your examples have published their first book...yes .. I'll give you that... but I found the people listed have past histories and experience in writing and creative arts.... ALL OF THEM
HECK,..Wade Rubenstein is a former journalist, lawyer, boxer and painter, so he could write the book, illustrate the book and if the publisher didn't like it he could punch him in the head and defend himself in court.....(lol)...I consider this quite the asset when approaching something like a book publisher .. wouldn't you?
I regard NEW as one who has never had a publication (small or otherwise)

As for exposure I guess I could see your point, .........except if the small press did all the things you mentioned and It's on the web,. and an ISBN which major wholesalers can order the book how could it just stay in a local area? .... and how could you not see some relevant revenue from the book?
There are some pretty strong search engines out there... and if you type in what you're looking for (i.e. horror, new release,new author) somehow that book is going to pop up. I don't know maybe I'm just over-experimental ,:shrug (is that a term?)

...and in the last paragraph of your post.. you still admitted you took a risk... NOW... THAT JENNA, I admire you for.... (Calculated Risk?... I wonder how many people invested in Enron and Nortel are sick of hearing these words used together)


I think we're all Guinea pigs in life's rat race......

Ms. Glatzer, thank you for clearing up the guinea pig thing, and thank you for the compliment as well. <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif" /> Your tests proved your point, so I must then assume you know your stuff. I'm hoping that we'll see LBF rise above all this, and I'm betting that my book will be watched like crazy from now on. If you also haven't checked recently, LBF Books' website has a new look, and it's great! <a href="http://www.lbfbooks.com" target="_new">www.lbfbooks.com</a> And thank you to everyone who has supported LBF Books. As a fellow writer and reader, I also thank everyone for their support, and wish everyone good luck in their writing endeavors. <img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif" />

B.T. Robertson

*Intentionally blank*

The best seller isn't released yet, but is being placed with Amazon.com very soon. I'm not sure what Amazon's policy is, but I'm assuming that with a new author, they won't list it until it's actually released. My guess. But, as the author of that book, I know for a fact it will be available for sale there. Hope that helps.

B.T. Robertson

arainsb123.....

Once again,... LBF has gone through extensive changes...
Quote from page 2 the editor herself.....

".....I've been...preparing over 400 press releases per book next week, not too mention the book stores (over 50 per book) we contact to get signings, or the reviewers we send copies too. Each title is submitted to specialty distributors and books sellers for consideration and shelf placement....."

LBF has switched to a printer that will handle high volume.

....and no you won't find anything on amazon. YET!!... cause the scheduled release for all books, journals and what ever else their preparing for isn't until October....
(which is less than 30 days away... wow time flies)and they'll be on shelves......

As far as I know book sales have not been disclosed, nor have I inquired.


B.T. Robertsons book is mentioned on Barnes and Nobel site and it also says scheduled release in October.. You can, however pre-order if you wish.....

As for your other questions I would suggest to inquire to LBF directly instead of this forum.

GOOD LUCK! ....and remember.... don't give up....

P.S. LOOKING GOOD B.T.......:thumbs

Oh yes, here is the link to where my book is showing up on B&N's site. This must be a great sign. <img border=0 src="http://www.absolutewrite.com/images/emoteClap.gif" /><img border=0 src="http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif" />

4th item down in the list! I couldn't be any happier!!

<a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?ATH=robertson%2C+b&userid=fm6NAiy9cq" target="_new">search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?ATH=robertson%2C+b&userid=fm6NAiy9cq</a>

B.T. Robertson

Thank you for the clarification. LBF seems like a great publisher!