Q – “My publisher disappeared! How can I find out how many books they sold?”
My publisher stopped paying royalties months ago and they're not responding to emails or phone calls. I'm starting to panic a little bit...…
Ask The Expert
“I sued Tate Publishing, and won, but Amazon is still selling their edition of my book!”
I sued my publisher (Tate Publishing) for 5 counts of breach of contract, including stealing all the royalties, and won. I just learned from a friend that she ordered my book on Amazon and got it...…
“If I use BookLocker to publish my book, how many cover designs do I get to choose from?”
Q – Angela, If I sign up with BookLocker, how many cover designs may I choose…
“Should I wait for the Library of Congress to process my copyright registration before I publish my book?”
When registering a copyright for a book, nobody waits for the government anymore...…
“My Publisher Has Been Grossly Inflating My Royalties on My 1099s!”
"For the past 10 years, my publisher has been reporting to the I.R.S. up to 100 times more than what they are paying me!"…
Can a Ghostwriter Be Sued for Libel or Invasion of Privacy?
"A woman wants me to ghostwrite a book about her abusive childhood? This makes me nervous. Could I be sued?"…
“Can I copy keywords and phrases from other websites?”
Can keywords and phrases be copyrighted?…
“What sells best? Paperbacks, hardcovers, or ebooks?”
"What sells better in stores? Paperbacks or hardcovers? And, do those sell better than ebooks?"…
“How can Amazon have ‘Print on Demand’ books in stock that nobody has ordered yet?”
Why would Amazon have copies of a book no one ordered yet, and keep it on the shelf? I thought that's not how print-on-demand works?…
“I’m moving my book from CreateSpace to BookLocker. How come BookLocker’s prices are so much lower than the other companies?”
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 the book. The "other guys" get as much as they can out of authors up-front...…
“My cousin and I co-wrote a book but then she left my name off of it!”
Did the cousin, who is now deceased, do this on purpose? And, what recourse does the co-author have? …
“Can I use old yearbook photos in my book or on my blog?” NOPE!
Old yearbook photographers could seriously get into the litigation business with all of the copyright infringement occurring online right now!!…
“How do I publish a collection of my short stories?”
I would love to publish a book of my short stories but I have no idea what the proper steps are...…
“Can a magazine force freelancers to attend regular, on-site meetings?”
Is this editor violating federal law?…
Authors! Have you, too, been approached by Stonewall Press? READ THIS!
Before you (or any author) answers a telemarketing phone call from Stonewall Press, you might want to read these negative reviews...…
AUTHORS! Have You, Too, Been Contacted by Solopress? Read this…
Before you (or any author) does business with Solopress, you might want to read the 26 one-star reviews about them on...…
“How can I get my books from Tate Publishing? I paid for 1,000 copies!”
I am not getting any royalties from Tate currently either. Amazon is selling copies...…
“Should I pay $750 to have my book displayed at a large book fair?” NO!!!
The caller mentioned a fee of $750, "with only 30% due now, the remaining to be paid in installments up to the end of the conference." He then started talking up the book fair...…
“Should I pay for a $300 book review that ‘guarantees sales?'” NO!!!
A company found my book for sale online and contacted me, offering $300 to review my book, "guaranteed sales," and submission of my book to contests across the country...…
“A marketing firm wants me to pay them to promote my book BEFORE it’s finished? I thought you said that’s a bad idea?!”
Our BookLocker.com competitors HATE it when I share this advice with authors. Why? Because it really cuts into their bottom line...…
AUTHORS: Have you, too, been contacted by LitFire Publishing?
Have you been contacted by LitFire Publishing? If so, you might want to click on the link at the end of this article!…
“Amazon won’t talk to me about copyright infringement of my book unless I get an account with them, which requires signing a contract!”
My old publishers is still selling my book and that means they're getting money from sales, and not sending me royalties!…
“A local artist died. Can I use his painting on my book’s cover?”
When someone dies with no known heirs, are their assets up for grabs by the public? NO!!!…
“I revised my book but people can still buy the previous version on Amazon! Why?!”
"Somebody ordered the book and they got the first edition with the old cover. Why?"…
“Why won’t Amazon let my relatives post (fake!) reviews about my new book?”
Posting fake book reviews is FRAUD. …
“My ex-editor is selling my book on Amazon AS HER OWN and Amazon won’t remove it! What can I do?!”
In the event of illegal activities, knowing WHO to contact at Amazon can save you loads of time!…
“Can I publish other writers’ short stories in my anthology without permission?”
Can you pull short stories from the Internet and include them in your book? NO!…
“Can writers use photos from Wikipedia for free?”
People from all over can upload files to that site and, naturally, some of those people won't know and/or respect copyright law. Copyright infringement penalties can range from...…
“Can I base my fictional character on a convicted criminal?”
What liability would an author face basing a fictional character on a living politician who committed crimes...…
PUBLIC FIGURES AND LIBEL: “I want to write a tell-all book about a celebrity I once knew. Can a public figure sue me?”
Libel, defamation, invasion of privacy, stress, and LEGAL FEES. Is writing a tell-all book about a public figure financially (and morally) worth it in the end? …
