Ask The Expert

“I’m moving my book from CreateSpace to BookLocker. How come BookLocker’s prices are so much lower than the other companies?”

August 23, 2018

“I’m moving my book from CreateSpace to BookLocker. How come BookLocker’s prices are so much lower than the other companies?”
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Q –

I am moving my book from CreateSpace to BookLocker. Silly question, but I imagine that you get asked this a lot?  How come BookLocker is so much less expensive than all other companies?

Marc

A –

Yes, we DO receive that question a lot and, unfortunately, some people look at our prices, and move on to a firm that costs far more because of “perceived value.” But, the value is NOT less and, in fact, since BookLocker’s inception 19 years ago, we have been known for our excellent customer service, quality, and advocacy activities for the rights of authors and freelance writers. We and almost all of our competitors use the same printer and distributor so quality and distribution are the same.

The reason our prices are so low is simple. At BookLocker.com, we break even on setup fees, and earn our profits on book sales. That way, we and the author have a vested interest in the success of their book. The “other guys” get as much as they can out of authors up-front, and then don’t seem to care if the books sell or not because they’ve already made plenty of money on the front end. Of course, that doesn’t stop them from upselling authors on worthless services even after the book has been published.

At BookLocker, we don’t do business that way. According to Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing:

BookLocker.com is “as close to perfection as you’re going to find in the world of ebook and POD publishing. The ebook royalties are the highest I’ve ever seen, and the print royalties are better than average. BookLocker understands what new authors experience, and has put together a package that is the best in the business. You can’t go wrong here. Plus, they’re selective and won’t publish any manuscript just because it’s accompanied by a check. Also, the web site is well trafficked. If you can find a POD or epublisher with as much integrity and dedication to selling authors’ books, but with lower POD publishing fees, please let me know.”

If you’d like to know more about BookLocker, or if you have any questions at all about publishing (even traditional publishing), I’m RIGHT HERE  to help. 🙂

– Angela

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Got questions about Print On Demand and Self-publishing? Ask Angela Hoy.

About The Author

AngelaPortrait72dpismall_400x400

Angela Hoy is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the author of 19 books, and the co-owner of BookLocker.com (one of the original POD publishers that still gets books to market in less than a month), PubPreppers.com (print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish), and Abuzz Press (the publishing co-op that charges no setup fees).

Angela has lived and traveled across the U.S. with her kids in an RV, settled in a river-side home in Bradenton, FL, and lived on a 52 ft Irwin sailboat. Angela now resides on a mountaintop in Northwest Georgia, where she plans to spend the rest of her days bird watching, gardening, hiking, and taking in all of the amazing sunrises.

WritersWeekly.com - the free marketing ezine for writers, which features new paying markets and freelance job listings every Wednesday.

BookLocker.com - According to attorney Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print, BookLocker is: "As close to perfection as you're going to find in the world of ebook and POD publishing. The ebook royalties are the highest I've ever seen, and the print royalties are better than average. BookLocker understands what new authors experience, and have put together a package that is the best in the business. You can't go wrong here. Plus, they're selective and won't publish any manuscript just because it's accompanied by a check. Also, the web site is well trafficked. If you can find a POD or epublisher with as much integrity and dedication to selling authors' books, but with lower POD publishing fees, please let me know."

Abuzz Press offers FAST and FREE book publication, but only accepts a small percentage of submissions, and only works with U.S. authors.

PubPreppers.com - "We Prep, You Publish!" Print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish. Offers formatting and design services only, and then provides simple instructions for authors on where to sign up to have the print and ebook editions printed/listed/sold. Cut out the middle man. Keep 100% of what bookstores pay for your book!

Angela's POD Secrets Revealed Series can be found HERE.

Have a POD Book with another publisher? See if BookLocker can give you a better deal. (BookLocker offers "disgruntled author discounts" to those who want to move from other POD services.)


See BookLocker's publishing packages HERE.


ANGELA ON TWITTER https://twitter.com/AngelaHoy


BOOKLOCKER ON FACEBOOK - Provides links to free excerpts!
https://www.facebook.com/booklockerbooks


ANGELA ON FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/angela.hoy.750


ANGELA ON LINKEDIN
https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelahoy/


Angela is the creator of the Original 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
https://24hourshortstorycontest.com/



Read More Of Angela's Articles HERE

 



90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy

Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.

We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!

Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor, which makes it fun for creative folks like you!

Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!

 



Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed


A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!


Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.




Read more here:
https://writersweekly.com/books/3695.html





 

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WARNING about The Maple Staple Bookstore / Brilliant Books Literary / Bookside Press SCAM
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THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES ARE MENTIONED IN THIS POST:

  • Creative Media Marketing
  • Bookside Press
  • Inks and Bindings
  • The Maple Staple Bookstore / The Maple Staple Bookstore Canada
  • Brilliant Books Literary
  • Great Writers Media
  • Golden Ink Media Services
  • Green Sage Agency
  • McNaughton Books
  • Pen Culture Solutions
  • P One Media Marketing Consultancy

Q –

Angela,

I received the following email. Have you had any experience with these folks?

Hello Rickey! I am Angel Sinclair, a Senior Endorsement Officer at The Maple Staple Bookstore Canada. Your book has truly caught our attention, and we are thrilled about the opportunity to feature it in our physical bookstore and independent bookshops nationwide for the upcoming holiday and book-buying season. We also aim to represent your book to Traditional Publishers, seeking potential monetary offers. I would love to discuss these opportunities further. Looking forward to hearing from you!

A –

I did some poking around. Maple Staple is mentioned in THIS ARTICLE on WritersWeekly.

On THIS PAGE, Gary Richardson writes:

“How is it that a bookstore in Toronto, Canada has only 29 reviews and all of those reviews belong to people who all live in the Philippines?”

Gary Richardson mentioned them again here: A New Scam or New Business Model?

“At the end of the day, what the representatives from Maple Staple and Brilliant Books Literary were offering flew in the face of what many of us know to be the standard model for lit agents and publishing deals.”

A HA! Another name!! Brilliant Books Literary! So, I went down that rabbit hole. The Maple Staple Bookstore has the same address as Bookside Press. ANOTHER NAME! Their description online admits they’re in cahoots. I just kept Googling and digging. WOW!!!

Then, I found the mother lode!!! Take one look at those horrible reviews and you’ll know that every author should RUN!! One of those is from someone who claims to have worked for them:

“I had the unfortunate experience of working as an agent for Creative Media Marketing, specifically under their imprints, Bookside Press and Inks & Bindings. My time there opened my eyes to some troubling practices. From the start, it became clear that the management was not supportive or kind to their agents. We were instructed to misrepresent ourselves as Canadians or Americans to give the imprints a more appealing facade. This deceit felt incredibly unethical and made me uncomfortable.

“More concerning, however, is the way this company treats authors. It became apparent that they are more interested in extracting money from writers than genuinely supporting them. Many authors are lured in with promises of help and exposure, only to find themselves paying hefty fees with little to no return on their investment.

“I strongly advise authors to think twice before engaging with Creative Media Marketing. Their practices seem to prioritize profit over integrity, leaving many authors feeling ripped off and disillusioned. Save your time and money; there are better publishing options out there.

Their real address is Northwood Square, F. Cabahug St, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines.”

So, Creative Media Marketing is ANOTHER part of the company. I googled that and found Creative Media Marketing (aka Bookside Press / Inks and Bindings / The Maple Staple) AND Brilliant Books Literary (aka Great Writers Media / Golden Ink Media Services / Green Sage Agency / McNaughton Books / Pen Culture Solutions / P One Media Marketing Consultancy/ ) are all listed here: Publishing/Marketing/Fake Literary Agency/Impersonation Scams List

Whoever sent the email is a scammer. Their aim is to get you to pay them to republish your book. It’s a very common bottom-feeder scam in the industry. Traditional publishers and literary agents don’t reach out to authors. Their slush piles are far too large.

Also, as I’ve said many times, never, EVER do business with anyone who uses spam or telemarketing to contact you.

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HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

COMPLAINTS about brokersab.com!!!
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Q –

Angela,

I’m sure this is a scam but wanted to ask you if you have ever heard about this company.

Dennis

###

From: Ian Diaz <ian.diaz@brokersab.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2024 9:01 AM
To: Dennis
Subject: [EXTERNAL]Fwd: Acquisition Offer for (title removed by WritersWeekly)

Dear Dennis,

I hope this message finds you well.

I would like to take a moment to congratulate you on the email received today November 14, 2024, regarding the Letter of Intent and Acquisition Offer from Alex Martin, the Acquisition Director and Executive of Global Talent Management at Yucca Publishing. I am thrilled about the progress we have made, and it’s a testament to our collective hard work and dedication.

Please review the attached documentation at your earliest convenience, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or require further clarification. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership offers and look forward to continuing this journey with you.

###

On Thursday, November 14, 2024, 11:44 PM Yucca Publishing <acquisitions@yuccapublishing.com> wrote:

Dear Mr. Diaz,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inform you of Yucca Publishing’s formal intent to acquire the book, (title removed by WritersWeekly).

Attached to this email is the Letter of Intent outlining our acquisition offer, which includes a proposal of $496,000 for the exclusive publication rights across all formats, including print, digital, audio, and a Spanish-language edition.

We believe that Mr. Miller’s work holds significant potential, and we are eager to move forward with this acquisition. Please review the attached document and let us know if you have any questions or require further information.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your response and to proceeding with the next steps in this process.

Regards,
Alex Martin
Executive of Global Talent Management

E: acquisitions@yuccapublishing.com
W: www.yuccapublishing.com
A: 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor New York, NY 10018

###

11/15/24, 12:49:51 AM

Warm regards,

Ian Diaz

Contract Director/ Acquisition Specialist

Direct Number : (925) 430-6177
Email Address : ian.diaz@brokersab.com
Address : 1000 Town Center Drive Suite 300 Oxnard, CA 93036
Our Website : https:/brokersab.com

A –

Hi Dennis,

First, I started researching Yucca. They’re legit. Then, I went back to your email and realized that it actually came from brokersab.com. The email from Yucca is fake. Pretty ballsy of them to include Yucca’s real website URL. Makes it look legit, right?

I strongly suspected that brokersab.com might be a scammer. They might try to convince authors to sign up with them, dangling that big “acquisition” in front of them. But, brokersab.com might then start telling the author they’ll need to pay a fee here, a fee there, etc.

So, I did some research:

1. They have a common syntax error on their website that we’ve seen on other foreign scammer sites and Facebook posts/ads:

“20 Years In Experience” is very similar to the “Get Published in $199” syntax error we’ve been seeing all over when doing our current investigation into international publishing scammers.

2. Also, as we’ve been seeing with these scammers, their address is a “virtual” one. It only costs $65/month to pretend to be located there!

3. On BBB.org:

“All was well until I paid fees for acquisition. $6000. They switched banks in the middle of the deal. Then after all fees were paid, the broker was said to be in a critical vehicle accident…”

4. My Call with the “Brokers AB Literary Agency” Scammers by Lee Goldberg

“Yesterday I got a phone message from ‘Jamie Brown’ at Brokers AB, a ‘literary agency,’ informing me that four major publishing companies wanted to buy my book for $250-400K…”

5. The Latest Impersonation Scams

“Yucca Publishing, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, is currently being impersonated by a scammer called BrokersAB. The scam begins with an out-of-the-blue contact…”

YEP! DEFINITELY A SCAM!!!

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Fall 2023 24 Hour Short Story Contest


COMPLAINTS About Stellar Literary Press & Media / StellarLiterary.com!
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Q –

Hi Angela,

1) Is Tate Publishing back in business–my book was published through them (I did not participate in the legal issue however)?

2) There is a gentleman claiming to be a literary agent (Peter Johnson with Stellar Literary / StellarLiterary.com) with a claimed ten years experience who has spent much time with me on the phone asking for me to send him my manuscript for his literary review in order to properly prepare it for selling to a mainstream publishing house.

He told me there are many positive reviews for my book (of which I have no knowledge) which is why he has interest in it. As far as I know it hasn’t sold any books to speak of. I do not feel at ease with this man.

Have you any knowledge regarding Peter?

Thank you for the prompt response. Following is all the information I have:
peter.johnson@stellarliterary.com

A –

1. Tate Publishing is not back in business.

2. What a coincidence! I was just checking out Stellar Literary earlier today!! Another author was suspicious. Here is what I found:

  • “Scam Alert: Stellar Literary Press & Media. Identical solicitation emails with ludicrous errors (there’s no such thing as “Penguin and Harper”), and an illiterate website...”
  • Stellar Literary Press and Media is listed on Writer Beware’s Attack of the Fake Literary Agencies.
  • The Better Business Bureau has several complaints posted by authors about Stellar Literary on their website. Remember that a “B” rating on bbb.org simply means the company has responded to most of the complaints. It does NOT mean they appeased the authors who complained! What is bizarre is this is part of one of their replies: “First, Stellar Literary Press and Media is not a company and we can prove our legitimacy.”
  • And, there are several one-star reviews about them on TrustPilot.
  • Lee Goldberg even made a YouTube video about them called “Lee Goldberg’s call with the ‘Stellar Literary California’ Scammers.” You can read his article about that (just posted last week!) RIGHT HERE.
  • The San Pedro, CA address is suspicious. A company rents “virtual office space” to others at that address. This may indicate that the company is NOT located in the U.S.
  • Their Laguna Beach, CA address may also be virtual. There is a mailbox rental place at that address as well.

All of this seems to follow the pattern of scam publishers overseas that we’ve been telling authors about in our recent series of Extreme Author Warnings.

If you want to republish your book through BookLocker (we have republished many Tate books), we’ll give you and other victims of scam publishers our disgruntled author discount. 🙂

Step 1 for the publishing process for black and white interior books is right here.

The packages and prices are listed on that page. That is the same special price we give to authors who are publishing their second or subsequent books through us.

Please send any questions to me that you have. Always happy to help!! 🙂

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles





Are fake publishers trying to steal authors’ book ideas?
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Q –

Can the fake Macmillan site steal my book idea? I fell for the scam, and gave them a fairly descriptive synopsis. I’m very concerned. Thank you.

W.R.

A –

They aren’t in the business of stealing ideas and writing books. That would take WAY too much work. These foreign scammers are in the business of tricking authors into sending them money while pretending to be a well-known traditional publisher. There are lots of foreign scammers doing this and many of them are running tons of ads on Facebook. And, they ARE tricking authors!

Read THIS ARTICLE, written by James M. Walsh, Esq., to see if you are about to get bamboozled.

I would not worry about them stealing your idea. They’re too busy defrauding authors in other, far more profitable ways.

Incidentally, the fake MacMillan “publisher” website was deleted after we exposed them in WritersWeekly.com. We also provided emails to a law firm that then had three other impersonators taken down – within just four hours!  Now, we only have a few hundred more scammers to put out of business as well.

REMEMBER TO ONLY USE A U.S.-BASED PUBLISHER THAT HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR YEARS! And, one that has an EXCELLENT reputation!

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



ANOTHER SCAM! “Barnes & Noble called and they want to place my book in their bookstores!”
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Q –

Angela,

I just received a voicemail from a representative from Barnes & Noble, stating that they would like to place my book in their physical bookstore.

I have not yet returned their call. Is this to be trusted?

Thank you for your help. I’m so thankful for you all!

V.P.

A –

It’s an increasingly common problem and I commend you for being wary. First of all, Barnes and Noble NEVER calls authors about their books. If they want copies, they will order directly from the distributor or publisher.

The person who called you is a scammer working overseas (NOT at Barnes and Noble) who was then going to tell you that you first needed to republish your book through them (while still pretending to be Barnes and Noble). They were then going to make you prepay for hundreds or thousands of copies before they could “distribute those to the Barnes and Noble stores.” But, they were going to promise you that you’ll get reimbursed for those copies in a short while.

The fact is, they were never going to print and ship any books to Barnes and Noble. They were going to wipe you out financially, and then disappear.

REMEMBER: NEVER, EVER DO BUSINESS WITH SPAMMERS OR TELEMARKETERS!

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

10 Solid Reasons NOT to Use Carlson Publications to Publish Your Book!
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Q –

I spoke with several people at Carlson Publications and they made me an offer for publishing several of my books. Six books for $1200. I am being asked to pay $200 up front and one after another after that.

Other than their web site, https://carlsonpublications.com, I can’t seem to find information on them and my family is skeptical because they were pushing so hard.

Have you any information on Carlson? Seems like it might be too good of an offer!

Thank you very much.

A –

The “people” you are talking to at Carlson Publications / carlsonpublications.com are very likely telemarketers located overseas. Many of the things I found below I’ve also found when investigating other overseas companies as well. It wouldn’t surprise me if the telemarketers are all working for the same company, under a variety of different company names.

1. Let’s start with the fact that their website states, “Join our community of 1,000,000+ authors.” HA HA HA HA HA!!!! Do authors really fall for that stuff??? Amazon.com has ZERO books published by the name Carlson Publications on their website!

“No results for in Books.”

2. They aren’t on bbb.org at all. That’s a huge red flag.

3. There are four 5-star reviews about them on trustpilot…all dated 9/12/24. That is another red flag. There’s no way those reviews are real.

Two of them call the company by the wrong name (Carlson Publication – missing the “s” at the end). That’s another sign those are fake positive reviews, and likely posted by people who aren’t native English speakers.

4. The biggest red flag. Their domain registrar has this address:
Mailing Address: Kalkofnsvegur 2, Reykjavik, Capital Region, 101, IS

That’s Iceland.

Interestingly enough, that’s the exact same address we recently featured for a company under a different name. I suspect Carlson Publications may be the same company, and that they are operating under a variety of names. See:
COMPLAINTS about Iconic Book Publishers PLUS How Foreign “Publishers” Are Extorting Money from U.S. Authors!

5. According to ScamAdvisor.com:

Negative highlights

  • The website’s owner is hiding his identity on WHOIS using a paid service
  • This website does not have many visitors
    We found many low rated websites on the same server
  • Several spammers and scammers use the same registrar
  • We determined this very young site has a very high number of reviews
  • This website has only been registered recently.
  • This website appears to be using a hosting provider with a dubious reputation.

6. According to ScamMinder.com, their trust score is only 11 out of 100.

7. Their website wasn’t created until 7/30/24. Never, EVER trust a so-called publisher that hasn’t been in business for many years. (BookLocker.com has been in business for more than 25 years, is located in the U.S., and, according to bbb.org, has an EXCELLENT reputation.)

8. Here are other red flags from their website, which are common mistakes made by scammers:

A. There are several covers on their homepage that are missing the names of the authors.

B. One cover has no author name or title at all:

C. This book has no author, one title, but two covers:

D. Some covers on their website are for actual books on the market…but the real covers are completely different. Publishing Mojo was recently caught stealing covers from actual books, and pretending they created them by posting those covers on their website.

9. The map on their homepage shows they are using a virtual office space – Premier Workspaces. That’s another tactic used by scammers to make it appear they are located in the U.S.

10. The testimonials on their site have very generic author names but no book titles. FAKE!!!

I seriously doubt this company is located in the U.S. They are NOT going to publish your books for $200 each. They’re going to take your money, and then upsell, upsell, upsell. You may never get your book and they may just string you along for months, asking for more and more money.

I would definitely avoid this company at all costs.

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

Fall 2023 24 Hour Short Story Contest


“Does anyone offer social media marketing campaigns FOR AUTHORS that are affordable?” YES!!!
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Q –

Hi Angela,

I hate Facebook. I used to get on it but I found myself getting pulled into arguments so I quit. I don’t have an account with Twitter, or whatever it’s called now, or anything else. I do watch YouTube once in awhile but I know that’s not really social media.

I know that social media is important for promoting a book but I just don’t want to do it myself. What are my options? Is anyone offering a service where they post directly to social media for the author? And, how much does something like that cost?

A –

Clayton Jones is a not only a professional online marketer, but he’s also a professional editor (it’s extremely important that authors’ posts/ads are error-free!) AND an English professor. We have received nothing but rave reviews about Clayton!

I pulled the text below from THIS PAGE.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING PLAN

The basic social media marketing plan is designed to help establish and maintain a strong online presence with minimal effort. This package includes management of two social media platforms of your choice (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn) with the following services:

Content Creation: I will create and post engaging content tailored to your brand twice a week on each platform. This includes crafting captions, selecting or designing images, and scheduling posts to maximize reach and engagement.

Ad Management: I will manage one Facebook ad per month, including ad creation, targeting, and performance monitoring to ensure your advertising dollars are well-spent. Your first ad is designed at no additional cost.

Account Monitoring: Regular monitoring of your social media accounts for comments, messages, and overall engagement. I will notify you of any significant inquiries or issues and show you how to interact with your audience.

Reporting: I will notify you of significant metrics, including engagement rates, follower growth, and ad performance, along with recommendations for future strategy.

Pricing:

$200 per month
First and last month’s payment is required upfront
Cancel at any time with no additional fees

You can read more about Clayton’s book publicity services, and contact him for a quote, on THIS PAGE.

And, you can read about his editing services RIGHT HERE.

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RUINED MANUSCRIPTS! The Very Real Dangers of Hiring a Cheap Editor for Your Book

Is YOUR BOOK at Risk?! List of Publishers Who Bit the Dust…and WHY – 03 2024

BACK ON OUR SOAPBOX! REPEAT AFTER US: “Real Publicists and Literary Agents Do NOT Spam Authors!” by Angela Hoy and Brian Whiddon



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

 

“Are recent marketing phone calls about my old book legit or a scam?”
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Q –

More than 40 years ago, I self published a book. The company I published it with and I parted ways more than 35 years ago when I refused to pay anything to continue with them.

My question is related solely to recent events. In the past year, I have heard from more than 10 different agents, movie producers, and publishers all claiming that market events have made this book suddenly very marketable. To my knowledge, all copies of this book (which I believe needs to be rewritten) have been taken off the market and no copies of it are available to anyone.

What is going on? How are they finding a book that even I cannot locate anywhere? What do these individuals want from me? No one has asked for any money from me and they have not asked for my signature on any documents.

A –

The scammers are getting pretty desperate if they’re pursuing an author who wrote a book 40 years ago! They never ask for money on the first communication. They’ll sell you on promised fame and fortune…and then they’ll start insisting that you pay them money to move forward. (Lots of it!) And, they’ll further lie to you, telling you that you’ll earn that money back in the future.

Whenever you received spam (or a phone call) from someone claiming they’ve read your book (or that someone at their company has) and that they love it, it’s a scam. No, they don’t own a copy of your book and they’ve never seen it. They found you online, obtained your contact info., and started harassing you.

REPEAT: Never, ever do business with a company that spams or cold-calls authors (telemarketing).

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Q: “Will you read my manuscript and tell me what you think about it?”
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Q –

Hi Angela,

I know you don’t know me but I’m wondering if you will read my manuscript and tell me what you think about it?

Doug S.

A –

I wish I had time to sit back and read all manuscripts sent my way, in their entirety, all day long. Unfortunately, I do not. However, I do refer authors to an excellent and talented professional who does offer editorial evaluation services. Clayton Jones a professor of English at the University of Tennessee and authors RAVE about him. 🙂

What I didn’t send to the author, but very much wanted to: If I had a nickel for every time an author asked me to give them an editorial evaluation (that’s basically what this is) for free, I’d be a wealthy woman! It is extremely rude to ask a professional to work for you for nothing.

RELATED

RANT! You Better Darned Well THINK Before You DEMAND I Work for YOU for FREE!

You Want ME to Write for FREE?! Ha Ha Ha!!! By Angela Hoy

“WHY WON’T YOU PUBLISH MY BOOK FOR FREE?” – A Behind the Scenes Look at a Publisher’s Expense

Another Day, Another Cheapskate “Publisher” Looking for Free Labor

Think Twice Before Giving Away Your Entire Book Online For Free



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



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BookLocker Still Doesn’t Take Rights from Authors, and NEVER WILL!!!
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Q –

Good day, Angela –

How would you, and BookLocker’s attorneys, like to proceed with this inquiry?

R.S.

—– Forwarded Message —–
Sent: Tuesday, July 9, 2024 at 10:41:31 AM CDT
Subject: Collaboration Opportunity for Screen Adaptation of Your Book

I hope this message finds you well. My name is (removed), and I am a film executive with a specialization in commercials and films. I previously worked at (removed) for several years before its closure. Despite the studio’s shutdown, my passion and faith in the film industry remain unwavering.

Currently, I am an independent filmmaker looking to collaborate with like-minded individuals who share the same enthusiasm for storytelling. Last week, I came across your book, (title removed), and was deeply impressed by its potential. After some research, I asked my team to gather your contact details so that I could reach out to you directly.

I am writing to explore the possibility of partnering with you on a screen adaptation of your book. With your compelling content and my expertise as a writer and executive, I believe we have a strong chance of creating something remarkable.

If you are interested, I would be delighted to discuss the details further. We can also negotiate your compensation and royalties to ensure that this collaboration is mutually beneficial.

Please let me know your thoughts at your earliest convenience. I am looking forward to the possibility of working together.

A –

You don’t need our attorneys. 🙂 We don’t take rights from authors. You own ALL rights to your book and files (I think we are the only publisher remaining in the industry that still doesn’t take rights from authors in some form or another) and you can work any independent deal you want.

HOWEVER, I am glad you contacted me! This is very likely a scam. There are tons of scammers spamming authors like this now. as well as using telemarketing tactics. It’s highly likely this spammer has never read your book at all.

Scammers make you think that your book will be a movie at no cost to you….but those scammers then hit the author up for tens of thousands, or more later, while dangling the “movie deal” in front of them. Of course, the movie deal doesn’t happen.

I checked and the sender’s email is a URL that isn’t even a working website.

Please see:

How Today’s Most Common Publishing Scam Works, Step by Step By Neall Ryon

Your Book As a Movie? Watch Out for Snake Oil Salesmen!

“A marketing company says my book was ‘endorsed’ by movie producers but they want $5K! Is this too good to be true?”

No, CBS Studios Did NOT Just Offer You a Movie Deal for Your Book!

A Fake Literary Agent + a Fake Movie Studio = Another Scam Targeting Authors

SCAM ALERT: No, Netflix did NOT just email you about turning your book into a movie!

Angela

DON’T FORGET! THIS SATURDAY IS THE SUMMER, 2024 24-HOUR SHORT STORY CONTEST! It’s tons of fun so don’t delay if you want to play!! 🙂



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

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