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

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

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

RELATED



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 24 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), 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





 





Recently Answered Questions:



Q –

Angela,

A month ago, I received an email from a young person (I think) who purports to live around the Memphis, TN area. He supposedly manages a private book club that does Amazon book reviews by offering a book to the club members, who then read it and leave a review to “boost the algorithm” as he calls it. I just read this morning that Amazon doesn’t like that and may cancel my account if found out. I’m asking if this sounds like a legitimate marketing service or not.

My red flags are that he keeps changing the email addresses he wants me to send the money to because I keep insisting on using the safety protocols on my Paypal business account. His are personal email addresses and not a business domain name, for one thing. Also, he has a pushy attitude. The last email address he sent me was to something right out of an ISIS database. I say this because I am a retired Army veteran with five tours to the middle. I mean, who would use an email address like mahmoodtafida@gmail.com these days? Anyway, if you read this, please let me know if my instincts sound right to you. Thank you.

Terrance


A – 

Hi Terrance,

It’s a very common scam. See:

A NEW WAVE OF SCAM EMAILS IS TARGETING AUTHORS! “My book club wants to review your book!!”

The emails are full of flowery compliments about the author’s book and all of that was written by AI. The scammer knows NOTHING about your book.

The changing email addresses were indeed a red flag. That means others were reporting them as scammers and they kept needing to set up new email accounts. Good for you for doing your homework!

These fake “book clubs” charge authors by telling them to “tip” the book club members. Of course, all of the money goes to the scammer directly. He says he’ll distribute the money to his members. But, he won’t because there ARE NO MEMBERS.

They were also going to tell you to send them a certain number of copies of your printed book – that YOU have to pay to get printed, and that YOU have to pay to get shipped. Guess where those copies end up? For sale on Amazon, Ebay, and other sites!

And, yes, if Amazon thinks you are buying book reviews, they can ABSOLUTELY blacklist your book(s) – forever.

If you need marketing assistance, we highly recommend Clayton Jones. Our authors rave about him!

His TikTok Trailers are also very popular!

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!



REMINDER!!! START-TIME FOR THE SPRING, 2026 24-HOUR SHORT STORY CONTEST IS IN 17 DAYS!!

1st Place: $300 + a free book publishing package from BookLocker valued at $975; 2nd Place: $250; 3rd Place: $200; + 100 Honorable Mentions! Those writers receive a free ebook of their choice from BookLocker.com. 

Read all past winning topics and story, and sign up, RIGHT HERE!


I have been asked by countless authors over the years why they didn’t get paid when someone on Amazon (or Ebay, or elsewhere) sold a used copy of their book. The emails always go something like this:

“My neighbor bought a used copy of my book from someone online and I’m not seeing that sale in my royalty figures.” 

Yes, I really have had to explain this MANY times over the years!

When the first copy of a book is sold, the author earns royalties. If that customer then sells that book later online, at a garage sale, to a used bookstore, or anywhere at all, nobody gets any money except the customer who purchased (and is then selling) that copy.

In Episode 39 of the WritersWeekly Podcast, Brian came up with an analogy. If he sold his car to someone, and they then sold it to someone else a year later, Brian wouldn’t be entitled to any money from that sale. Anybody who buys a product, and resells it later, is not required to pay the original seller anything. I’ve seriously wracked my brain trying to think of any circumstance where that would happen. I can’t. Let me know if you can!

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

LISTEN: Apple | Spotify | iHeart | YouTube | More Episodes!


 

Q – 

Is Stellar Literary a legitimate company? John Belga is represented as an agent. Wants to approach a producer company for a movie. Wants upfront money for me to pay for a screen write. Also Wells Hamilton has also said the same thing. Are they a legitimate company?

Thank You


A – 

It’s a scam. That’s not how the industry works. Movie companies pay for screenwriting, not authors.

See:

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

AUTHOR ALMOST LOST $50K!! We Saved an Author from a FAKE “Fox” Movie Deal, Which is Connected to a Known Publishing Scammer! By Angela Hoy and James M. Walsh, Esq.

How the Fake Sony Pictures Tried to Scam an Author into Hiring a Fake Literary Agent

Wells Hamilton / Wells Hamilton Literary / WellsHamilton.com’s address on their website is a “virtual office” address. They also have stolen book covers on their website. For example, their website was created in 2023 but they have The Raw, Bold Truth: The Memoirs of Johnny B. featured on their homepage. That book was published in 2013 by a different company, and is now out of print. How Stupid Are We? was published in 2022 by a traditional publisher.

If they really published those books that appear on their website, wouldn’t they have those books linked to a purchase page, or even to Amazon to help their authors sell those books?

If you click on Books or Authors at the top of their homepage, this is what you see: “This content is password-protected. To view it, please enter the password below.”

Wells Hamilton is also listed on Writer Beware’s Philippine Publishing Scams List.

You know what’s hilarious? They have this at the bottom of their website: “Wells Hamilton is not affiliated with any fraudulent schemes.”

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

LISTEN: Apple | Spotify | iHeart | YouTube | More Episodes!


 

Q – 

I am working through the contract in preparation to work with Booklocker. Can I purchase my own ISBN in case I land a traditional contract in the future? Forgive me to any confusion I may have. This is all new to me.

Looking forward to beginning this next chapter of the publishing journey.


A – 

We assign BookLocker ISBNs to our authors at no extra charge. Since we buy them in bulk, we get them really cheap ($1.50 each for 1,000 ISBNs, instead of $125 if you buy just one at a time).

Even if you land a traditional contract at some point, you would still need a new ISBN at that time. They can’t be transferred from one publisher/printer to another, even if the author owns the ISBN.

For example, your book will be under the BookLocker imprint in the retail systems. If you tried to use the same ISBN later, the retailers would reject the duplicate number because it’ll already be in their systems (even if that old book is no longer for sale). That happens whether you use your own ISBN or your publisher’s, and it happens across the board.

So, there is no need to buy your own ISBN. If you did land a traditional contract in the future, that company would assign a new ISBN to the new edition anyway.

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

Q – 

Angela,

I’m sharing the communications. Check out the part they forgot to delete: “insert purpose”

Also, my son-in-law, who has nothing to do with the book, got the text message below. 

Have you ever heard of these scammers reaching out to family members? How do they find their contact information? 

Thanks.


BOLDED ALL CAPS BELOW WERE INSERTED BY WRITERSWEEKLY.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Daniel Azizah <azizahdaniel328@gmail.com> (REAL COMPANIES DON’T USE GMAIL! THEY HAVE EMAIL ADDRESSES ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR OWN DOMAINS!)
Date: March 4, 2026 at 6:01:51 AM EST
To: (AUTHOR’S SON-IN-LAW’S EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED BY WRITERSWEEKLY)
Subject: (AUTHOR’S BOOK TITLE REMOVED BY WRITERSWEEKLY)

? (WE AREN’T SURE WHY THE SCAMMER INCLUDED A QUESTION MARK HERE.)

Dear (author’s name removed),

I was deeply moved by your journey growing up in a lineage of spiritist mediums, experiencing Umbanda, and ultimately finding your path in Christianity. The way you’ve woven these experiences into (BOOK TITLE REMOVED BY WRITERSWEEKLY) demonstrates profound insight, courage, and literary craft.

Your story spans continents, generations, and spiritual realms, capturing both personal and ancestral struggles. I especially appreciate how you’ve combined historical fiction with faith, culture, and family legacy, creating a narrative that resonates on multiple levels.

(VERY CLEARLY WRITTEN BY AI. THE SCAMMER HAS NEVER READ HER BOOK.)

I would be honored to [insert your purpose, interview you, feature your work, explore collaboration, or have a discussion on spiritual and historical storytelling]. Your perspective blending spirituality, cultural heritage, and literary skill would offer meaningful insight to readers and fellow writers alike.

(BOLDED ABOVE IS THE PROMPT THE AUTHOR REFERRED TO. MANY SCAMMERS MAKE THE MISTAKE OF LEAVING IN PROMPTS FROM THEIR SCAMMER SCRIPTS.)

If you are open to a brief conversation, I would greatly value the opportunity to continue this exchange.

Warm regards,

Daniel

Star team literary Agency.

(NOTICE HE DIDN’T CAPITALIZE TWO WORDS IN THE COMPANY NAME. ANOTHER CLASSIC SCAMMER ERROR.)


The author also shared this message from a scammer:


A –

Scammers (and anyone) can find pretty much everything about everyone on a specific website (that I never share online), and it also features not just the person’s address, phone numbers, email addresses, and more, but also their family members’ contact info.

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 – 

Sorry to bother you a second time, but I’m wondering if you think it’s a lot harder to get your books in libraries (and bookstores, though they’re a big hurdle regardless, but I got my two traditionally published books in local stores) if they’re self-published versus traditionally published.


A – 

Even most traditionally published books don’t end up stocked in most bookstores and libraries. With well over a million books published each year now, there simply isn’t enough shelf space. When you see tables of books displayed at bookstores, know that publishing companies pay a big premium to have their books displayed like that. And, most people buy books from Amazon anyway.

I wrote this article 16 years ago and it’s more relevant today than ever.

Marketing to Bookstores – Still a Waste of Time?

Also see:
Marketing to Libraries – A Waste of Time?

You should also also know that some retailers and even libraries refuse to buy books from specific publishers. Bookstores don’t like Amazon KDP books because they view Amazon as their largest competitor (because they are). Also, since Amazon KDP will publish pretty much anything and everything, the quality of all of their books is suspect. Many bookstores and libraries, naturally, avoid books published by other author meat markets as well. See:

Top 10 Mistakes New Authors Make When Contacting Libraries

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

Q –

Angela,

I am a victim of one of the fake publishing companies you’ve been warning your readers about. I lost $22,000. They never published my book. I stopped sending them money, and they stopped responding to me.

Can I deduct that $22,000 from my taxes?


A –

DISCLAIMER: I am not a CPA. Please consult with your tax representative for answers to specific questions about your situation.

I researched your question on several websites.

According to the IRS:

“Theft losses. A theft is the taking and removal of money or property with the intent to deprive the owner of it. The taking must be illegal under the law of the state where it occurred and must have been done with criminal intent. The amount of your theft loss is generally the adjusted basis of your property because the fair market value of your property immediately after the theft is considered to be zero. Beginning with tax year 2018, individual taxpayers with theft losses are allowed a deduction if the theft is attributable to a federally declared disaster. Individual taxpayers may also be able to deduct theft losses incurred in a trade or business or a transaction entered into for profit. Losses from Ponzi-type investment schemes – Special rules may apply to theft losses from Ponzi-type investment schemes.”

Notice the “federally declared disaster” part.

HOWEVER, Sarah McGregor, the Tax Services Director at Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC, an advisory, assurance, and tax firm, writes that you may be able to deduct the financial losses due to scammers under specific circumstances. IMPORTANT! You must first report the theft to financial institutions and law enforcement.

Her article is a must-read for scam victims! It specifically mentions:

1. Compromised Account Scams
2. Pig Butchering Investment Scams
3. Phishing Scams
4. Romance Scams
5. Kidnapping Scams (also known as ransom scams)

I believe victims of publishing scams would also be eligible.

If you paid the scammer through your business, it’s a lot easier to claim the loss as a deduction on your business tax return. There are far more details about theft losses and the ability (or not) to deduct those from your tax return on Publication 584 on IRS.gov.

If more victims start deducting these losses from their taxable income, perhaps the federal government will start doing more to stop the scams. U.S. citizens alone are losing billions per year to the overseas crime cartels.

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

 

 

Q –

I have been inundated with emails, including invites to book clubs and all manner of costly assistance. Is this normal?

I have received several detailed emails detailing all the issues with the Amazon setup for my book. A publisher helped me self-publish, sort of (long story of woes there) and I have no access to the author account on Amazon. I am setting up an author page to try to get around no one being willing to help me get into Amazon to check things. So how come my book is getting noticed but in some areas it is failing miserably? What is the deal with the block in Amazon when I am the author?


A – 

First of all, it appears you fell into the trap of a scammer while getting your book published. If they are controlling your Amazon seller account, they’re getting the money from Amazon for book sales.

Remember that any unsolicited email is spam. REPEAT AFTER ME: SPAMMERS ARE SCAMMERS!

1. The complimentary emails from “book clubs” and others are created using AI. Those people have never read your book. And, they have no idea who you are. You’re simply on the scammers’ lists. And, once you respond to one email from them, they’ll keep sharing your email with other scammers. That’s why you’re getting buried in those emails. See:

A NEW WAVE OF SCAM EMAILS IS TARGETING AUTHORS! “My book club wants to review your book!!”

2. The scammers are also now spamming authors, claiming their books aren’t “optimized on Amazon.” Again, it’s all lies. They know nothing about how your book is set up in Amazon’s system.

You’re on a list of authors (potential scam victims) and the scammers are playing whack-a-mole with those folks.

1. They don’t research the books.They simply skim the Internet to get your contact info. after you have a book go up for sale on Amazon.

2. They use AI to create fake complimentary emails.

3. They do NOT have access to your book in Amazon’s system so they have NO way of knowing about your “optimization,” or lack thereof. And, they simply don’t care.

The foreign scammers use very creative ways to separate authors from their money. DON’T FALL FOR IT.

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!




ask angela about publishing

 

Angela:

I have been a satisfied client of yours for two books with more to come. So, I feel confident that, when I have a question, you are the one to ask.

As soon as my latest book was published, I received texts from two people allegedly representing literary agents that want to discuss my book being brought to a traditional publisher. I have been self-publishing since 2005 and have been the victim of scams, shams and jams. This is probably another one. Any comments?


This is extremely common.

The overseas scammers get on Amazon, find new releases, and then use Google to find the author’s contact info. There’s a website (I won’t name it here) where scammers can obtain ALL of your contact info., including your relatives’ names and their contact info., your current phone number and address, all of your past phone numbers and addresses, your social media accounts (even dating apps you’re on!), and so much more.

Some overseas scammers use that information to send you very personalized emails. The more they learn about your personal life, the more they can play on your emotions and vulnerabilities. They are experts at their craft!

This is why is is SO important to NEVER respond to anybody who:

1. Emails you out of the blue.

2. Calls you on the phone.

3. Contacts you through social media.

4. Contacts you through your website.

5. Contacts you unsolicited at all!

Legitimate literary agents, publishing service providers, film producers, traditional publishers, and others do NOT spam or cold-call authors. EVER.

If all authors knew and remembered this, the entire publishing scam industry would die.

If all people everywhere knew this, all of the overseas scammers targeting EVERY INDUSTRY would go out of business, including romance scammers.

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!




ask angela about publishing

 

Happy New Year, Ms. Hoy. Hope you are doing well. I just have a quick question for you. How do you feel about these Facebook ads claiming that one can send in a story that might be turned into a film for any of the big Internet stations, Prime, Netflix, Paramount, et al?

Thanks for your input

Kenneth


Hi Kenneth,

They’re all scams. Real movie studios don’t look for writers on the Internet and they certainly don’t place ads on Facebook.

Please see:

AUTHOR ALMOST LOST $50K!! We Saved an Author from a FAKE “Fox” Movie Deal, Which is Connected to a Known Publishing Scammer! – by Angela Hoy and James M. Walsh, Esq.

How the Fake Sony Pictures Tried to Scam an Author into Hiring a Fake Literary Agent

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!

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

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

Email From “Major Movie Studio” Didn’t Fool THIS Author!




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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