When do you say good-bye to a publisher?

[valarltd]

Naomi and I are in the process of re-evaluating our publishing options.

Ellora's Cave pays very well, even if the revision process makes us crazy.
We're thinking of sending them more stuff, just for the money. We feel a bit lost in the crowd.

Phaze is doing diddly/squat for us. "Collared Hearts" made about $70 and "Pushing the Boundaries of Reality" hasn't sold AT ALL. It can't even get a review. After "Frosted Hearts" I think we're bidding Phaze farewell.

Circle Dark is a "wait and see" on finances, but I find the editing non-intrusive and I feel like I'm part of the operation there.

The big problem is Torquere.
They don't pay well enough to keep writing for them: $10-50/short. My single shots makes about 50-70 when they're royalties--compare to $260 above. Our novel made about $300/each as a Turn of the Screw serial.

The attitude is very cliquish. (And some things have gotten a little chilly since three midlisters, myself included, reviewed better than a couple of big names in an anthology) When I host the LJ, I'm lucky to get 2 comments. I tried to be the go-to gal, the "hey we need a story fast" writer. I've been with them for almost 4 years. I don't even have a banner to my page on their website. I feel very second-rate, second tier, almost a nuisance there.

I've found typos in a lot of their work. This is not only my stuff, but other authors'. bad proofing.

And the deal breaker: they contracted a story. We were waiting on edits. Then they had a change of editors. We got word that unless we removed all the sexualized violence from the tale, they couldn't take it. They would really prefer a new story altogether.

We're still under contract for that story and a Birthstones story.
And we're close to done with a piece for Love Bites
But after that, I suspect Brooks and Sparrow are leaving TQ

We're considering Aphrodite's Apples.

Comments

[reannon.livejournal.com]

Ever consider Samhain? I've heard the money is almost as good as EC, with less nonsense in the editing process, SOLID dates for releases and covers, and best of all... Borders.

[hlglne.livejournal.com]

I suspect Brooks and Sparrow are leaving TQ

We're considering Aphrodite's Apples.

As well you should! You know our GLBT line debuts on Valentines Day? I just let Heather the Boss know you might be inquiring.

Aphrodites Apples Press SUBMIT!!!

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

We would, but the only thing we have right now is more erotic horror than erotica and we don't want to be reported to the authorities for incest, sexual abuse of children and murder, all in the same paragraph.


Jacob just prayed he hadn't gotten much [blood] on him. His Daddy had been making him stand in for his mama since she got sick, and Jacob had finally gotten big enough to fix the problem. He went to the pump to wash before supper, making sure to get his back and the blood from his shirt before it set.


Jacob is 16 in that scene, and the story opens with him burying his dad in the old outhouse hole and digging a new one, just like mama asked him to.


There's also a pair of conjoined twins on whom masturbation looks a lot like incest, and a 17 year old who wants her (off-camera) first time to be more special than any of the boys in her small town can provide. And a child molestor ogling the children in the carnival crowd. (the latter--a real person--has been reported and is incarcerated, permanently)

[hlglne.livejournal.com]

In that case. let us know when they grow up.

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

We were going for the realistic horror market more than the erotic one. In real life, more than half of people have sex before 16. (in fact, we're rather anxiously awaiting my daughter's period at the moment)



But not to worry. Aphrodite's apples will have a short from us first, and possibly a longer tie-in novel afterward. (EC has us on a first refusal for anything over 20K)