Got an email today from an author, Kevin, who had an entertaining exchange with an Author Solutions rep calling himself Eric Emlinger.
Now, Kevin was pitched by iUniverse back in the day, but decided not sign on the dotted line because they failed to answer all of his questions satisfactorily. Basically, Kevin sensed something sleazy was afoot and walked away.
Well, he recently received another email from Author Solutions. It was their typical spiel.
[toggle title_open
Kevin,
Thank you for requesting publishing information from iUniverse, one of the most established and respected brands in the independent publishing industry. In a recent study, iUniverse sold twice as many books in the retail channel as other leading self-publishing brands.
iUniverse offers the most extensive variety of publishing services to help individuals publish, market, and sell fiction, poetry, and nonfiction books. Our company utilizes print-on-demand technology, and is one of the largest self-publishing companies in the United States, publishing more than 5,000 new titles each year.
This link will help you with information and details about our Publishing Packages – click here —> [LINK REMOVED]
The iUniverse management team has extensive editorial and managerial experience with traditional publishers such as HarperCollins, Putnam, Simon & Schuster and Holtzbrinck. iUniverse partners with industry leading author organizations, including the Authors Guild, the Harlem Writers Guild, and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) to bring innovative programs to their members. iUniverse has strategic alliances with Barnes & Noble, Inc. in the U.S. and Chapters Indigo in Canada and has offices in New York City and Bloomington, IN.
iUniverse was created to be as similar to a traditional publishing experience as possible, while permitting the author to maintain all rights and control of the process.
Another iUniverse author gets a book deal! [LINK REMOVED]
“iUniverse has a thorough process to identify promising new writers, and then invests real dollars in promoting their books. Their editorial review process greatly enhances the quality of the books they publish. The iUniverse Star Program is a great opportunity to discover new authors and bring them to market.” – Barnes and Noble CEO Steve Riggio.
Through our recognition programs and awards, we make real investments to support titles that demonstrate a high level of editorial quality and marketability. These programs open the door to more opportunities for retail presentation and placement. This is the only self-publishing series of its kind established to identify, celebrate and support authors. Our recognition programs include:
The Star Program books are republished free of charge under the Star imprint, presented to Barnes & Noble for in-store placement, and offered to booksellers with attractive retail terms and returnable status.
Rising Star is the only program of its kind to guarantee titles will be presented by a commissioned sales force to national, regional and local booksellers. Each Rising Star title is featured in the Rising Star Special Collections boutique on Barnes & Noble.com.
iUniverse chooses only those titles that have the essential qualities of a professionally published book to be part of our Editor’s Choice program. Books that receive a positive Editorial Evaluation are sent to our Editorial Board for careful consideration.
Editorial excellence is important, but so are book sales. The iUniverse Reader’s Choice designation recognizes authors who have achieved both editorial excellence and sales success.
No other self publishing organization offers the unique and successful iUniverse Author Recognition and Marketing Programs.
First, I would like to know more about you, your book and your motivation to publish. To help me better understand your needs, I have outlined a few questions that I hope you will answer in detail for me:
-What type of book have you written?
-Who is your target audience?
-Are you finished writing the book?
-What computer program did you use to write your book?
-Will your book have images on the interior pages or text only?
-Do you plan to publish those images in color, or black and white?
-How many pages do you estimate that your book will have?
-Would you like to have your book published in softcover or hardcover?
-When would you like to be holding your very first copy?
Author Solutions, the parent company of iUniverse, is now a member of the Penguin Group. Read full press release here.
[LINK REMOVED]
I look forward to speaking with you.
Sincerely,
Eric Emlinger
PUBLISHING CONSULTANT
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
US Toll Free: (800) 288-4677 Ext. 5377
Fax: (812) 349-0747
[LINK REMOVED]
Author Solutions, the parent company of iUniverse, is a Penguin Random House Company.
iUniverse authors win Independent Publisher Book Awards: [LINK REMOVED]
A few points about their first email:
- Notice how they’re humping that Penguin-Random House association to add an air of legitimacy the Author Solutions name can’t conjure on its own.
- Notice what B&N’s CEO is quoted as saying about the Author Solutions/iUniverse editorial review process. (So that’s why my B&N closed! Now I get it.)
- Don’t miss the rest of their corporate name dropping. Plenty of brands to be leery of including: HarperCollins, Putnam, Simon & Schuster and Holtzbrinck, Authors Guild, the Harlem Writers Guild, and the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), Barnes & Noble, Inc. and Chapters Indigo.
- Be sure you laugh at the part where they say iUniverse is designed to be “as similar to a traditional publishing experience as possible.” (Where to begin with this…)
- And finally, check out this line: “No other self publishing organization offers the unique and successful iUniverse Author Recognition and Marketing Programs.” (Except Xlibris, AuthorHouse, Trafford, et al because they’re owned by Author Solutions too.)
At any rate, Kevin picked up on what was going on, and shot an email back to Eric:
Ugh, I didn’t realize this was iUniverse under another name. I’ll pass thanks. I’ve heard nothing but horror stories about how little authors get and how you people upsell for next to nothing in return.
To which Eric responded with this gem:
Hello Kevin,
Such horror stories are from websites that are being sued for racketeering, their [sic] essentially hiring people to write bad reviews about big companies. I don’t expect you to believe me, all I can tell you is the facts. We’ve been in business for 15 years, published over 91,000 books, we have an A with the Better Business Bureau, we are regulated by the FCC, and our company is a part of the Penguin Random House group. Many of my authors have even returned in recent months to publish their second and third book. I hope we hear from you again.
Sincerely,
Eric Emlinger
PUBLISHING CONSULTANT
Oh. My. God. That’s so delicious. Racketeering? You wouldn’t be making shit up now, would you Eric?
‘Cause, umm, who’s suing whom?
What exactly is racketeering anyway?
Maybe Eric is referring to some other nefarious website that’s telling everyone to stay away from ASI? Even so, he doesn’t really present the facts. He just presents a sales pitch dressed down in a list of statements that could be qualified by a less than happy customer later (e.g., Did you publish 91,000 books in 15 years due to high-pressure sales and dubious marketing tactics?).
Excellent question!
Racketeer, according to The Free Dictionary: A person who commits crimes such as extortion, loansharking, bribery, and obstruction of justice in furtherance of illegal business activities.
” extortion, loansharking, bribery, and obstruction of justice in furtherance of illegal business activities.
see more ”
”
that sounds like the Big 6 trad publishers collusion court case. hey penguin/random house are part of the big 6 and they own authorhouse…. hmmm sounds like classic psychological projection on your part Eric. You really should get some therapy Eric. oy vey.
I heard a rumour that Xilbris uses their books to launder money for the Mafia so I guess that’s how they know what racketeering means- whereas the rest of us only find out by looking in the dictionary. (It’s about organized crime.)
Regulated by the FCC?
Perhaps he got his acronyms mixed up? 😉
My first reaction is his reference throughout to iUniverse instead of the parent company, Author Solutions. If they have this great relationship with Penguin-Random House and all the other co-conspirators under the Author Solutions name, why not be up front about that? (Never mind. I know the answer.)
Racketeering? Talk about grasping at straws. Don’t they own at least one dictionary at their brand-heavy company?
Given that he doesn’t use racketeering properly, who knows what FCC stands for in his world? (Don’t get me started telling you what I think it means.)
Thank you, Emily, for sharing that little entertaining piece. (And I do mean piece.) Up to now my day was rather boring. Suddenly I find myself laughing.
This would be hilarious if it wasn’t part of a massive operation to fleece writers.
I’m seeing this Better Business Bureau defense crop up repeatedly. Leaving aside the fact that they are cherry-picking the one solitary source that doesn’t slam their service, let’s take a closer look at the Better Business Bureau.
From the BBB Wikipedia page:
“The organization has been the subject of controversy, particularly related to its practice of giving higher ratings to businesses that pay a membership fee. In addition, the organization has been accused of requesting fees from consumers in excess of the amount consumers are attempting to retrieve.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Better_Business_Bureau
This is the way the rating system works. A customer makes a complaint to the BBB. If the customer doesn’t pay a fee to the BBB, the complaint is then closed as “resolved” and the business receives a positive score towards their rating.
Here’s another quote from that Wikipedia Page:
“Past complaints allege that the BBB compiles scores based upon their ability to collect their money from businesses, and not entirely upon business performance.”
And finally:
“In 2010 ABC’s 20/20 reported in a segment titled “The Best Ratings Money Can Buy” about the irregularities in BBB ratings.”
You can see that report here: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/business-bureau-best-ratings-money-buy/story?id=12123843
It’s worth noting that Hamas also have an “A” rating from the Better Business Bureau.
In short, the BBB is not a reliable metric for Author Solutions’ (or anyone else’s) performance levels.
‘It’s worth noting that Hamas also have an “A” rating from the Better Business Bureau.’
Ohmygod, that’s right! Here’s a fun link from Gawker for all interested: http://gawker.com/5591804/hamas-rated-a+-by-better-business-bureau-starbucks-gets-an-f
I’m sorry, but that sounds like a Ponzi scheme (I know it isn’t but…)…
“If you invest in us, you get __________ ” just screams SCAM all day long.
The BBB defense pops up on every complaint site from some random poster,,,and on the phone with the scammers from Xilbris who scammed my elderly father.
I love how Mr. Eric doesn’t distinguish between “their” and “they’re” in the first sentence of the response. Wait, the first sentence? That’s a comma splice…
Surely this man can propel my books to literary greatness!