1000 DELIGHTS - 1000delights.com.   Now it is simply a listing of stories available to read. No information on publication, no membership subscription, just the stories there.   February 2005 update: I sampled one of the stories. It is pretty risqué stuff, well enough done. December 2005 update: I understand they are now defunct. The site now requires a password for access. That would be weird for anyone trying to buy and sell books.

A1ADULT EBOOKS - www.a1adultebooks.com. A self publisher: the author prepares all the files himself, uploads them free, and they appear immediately in the catalogue. Material is mostly BDSM, but no under-18 sex, no animals or killing, but rape, torture, and incest are allowable. They take 35% commission on sales. A new book is a "featured product" for two weeks, the most recent being #1, the next most recent, #2, and so on. Sales are said to be small, though. I looked at the site, and some of those covers are graphic; there's no doubt about the nature of the books. Royalties are 60%, I presume of the cover price, paid in 14 days. February 2007 update: I received an angry note from the owner demanding that I remove the entry and threatening a defamation "suite." I suggested that he learn the distinction between "suite," which is a connected series of rooms, and "suit," which is a legal matter. I concluded "Threaten me at your own risk. Unlike you, I am not bluffing." I haven't heard back. Why should any legitimate publisher not want to be listed? April 2007 update: information from the publisher is that they offer both a publishing and self publishing service. All the books listed with them are done straight; self published books are handled by their authors. Whichever way it is done, the author gets 65% of the sale price, though things like credit card fees reduce this; the publisher actually takes only 10%. Payment is monthly, within 14 days. The proprietor feels that my prior report of small sales is ignorant, but did not provide informed figures. June 2007 update: A very favorable report that they have sales confirmation emails and online stats that match. It seems that this is not necessarily the case elsewhere. This says their royalty rates are 65% of sale price without credit card deductions. "They are friendly, informative, always willing to help and above all they pay out every month." February 2008 update: They certainly have an array of hard-core erotica, but this time I could not find information on submissions or terms for writers. I like to verify such things on my updates. June 2008 update: the publisher let me know where the terms are listed: under pubsell.pho. Still 65% on direct sales, 40% when sold via affiliates.

AARBOOKS PUBLISHING - www.aarbooks.com/.  February 2006 update: I got the Unknown Host message.

ACCLAIM PUBLISHING - www.acclaimpublishers.com/. "We specialize in small quantities of books at a very reasonable price." They do some marketing at their site, so I'm listing them as a publisher rather than a service, though it's a close call. February 2007 update: page not found. April 2004 update: I am advised that they remain in business, but their page may become unavailable if they get too many page views per month. This is the sort of fecal matter the little guys sometimes have to eat. February 2009 update: I got the unknown host message.

ACCURANCE GROUP - www.accurance.com/. “You have poured your heart and soul into your book. In these hard times it is a shame to not be able to bring life to your project because of the soaring costs of professionally preparing your manuscript for immediate publication and the need to conserve money. We're not going to let that happen to you.” Their publication package is $239. They also offer editing and proofreading, audio Book Creation, and Interactive Web Portals creation for your book.

A CRITICAL MASS - December 2007 update: Now I am told it goes to a portal potty. That is, a site it may be dangerous to visit.

ACTION TALES - http://actiontales.com/. See ForemostPress.com

ADAMS PRESS - http://www.adamspress.com/. A print self publisher. Minimum quantity is 100 copies. No information on costs.

ADVENTURE BOOKS - www.puzzlesbyshar.com/adventurebooks/.    No longer publishing.

ALEXANDRIA DIGITAL LITERATURE - www.alexlit.com. Seeking new titles from established authors. The site does not seem to list terms, and does not seem to encourage unknown writers. Many genres. February 2006 update: They seem to be temporarily shut down as a publisher. February 2007 update: they remain temporarily shut down. February 2008 update: They plan to have a new site in 2008. February 2009 update: they call themselves an experimental social networking project centered on reading recommendations, using their Hypatia software. They don't seem to be a publisher any more.

ALL ROMANCE BOOKS - www.allromancebooks.com/. April 2006 update: I am informed that they have folded because of the death of the publisher. Indeed, their site is gone. February 2009 update: Now it's a search site for publishing.

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS - www.allromanceebooks.com/. Not to be confused with the defunct publisher above. This is a distributor, listed in the Services section.

AMBER QUILL PRESS - www.amberquill.com   "The Gold Standard in Publishing." Currently closed to submissions, except by invitation, as they are scheduled well into 2005. They have a legal notice to the effect that a number of their editions are being pirated by other publishers; only the Amber Quill editions are legitimate and paying royalties. February 2006 update: "Amber Quill press is primarily a 'submit by invitation only' publisher...any unsolicited synopses, partials, or complete manuscripts sent to our email addresses or snail-mailed to our business office by either author or an agent will be deleted unread, without exception." That's plain enough; they don't much care whether you live or die. February 2007 update: And they won;t reply to general query letters either. April 2007 update: they have found that their best sales are in erotic romance, so they hold a short fiction erotic romance contest every January. Winners are offered a publishing contract and a continuing relationship, which means their queries won't be deleted unread. Once a writer gets into their good graces, the relationship is excellent. June 2007 update: but a negative report on their arrogance. December 2007 update: reported to be very author friendly. A writer tells me that what I call arrogance is simply plain talk, because some people won't accept a No. “Only blunt language will deter them.” February 2008 update: They remain generally closed to outside submissions. February 2009 update: they remain “by invitation only,” deleting all unsolicited submissions unread and ignoring queries. So they're really not a market for ordinary writers.

AMERICAN BOOK PUBLISHING - www.american-book.com/. There is a deposit of $780, returned the first quarter after the book is published. Royalty up to 20% of net book sales; 50% on ebooks. But ASK ANN, the SFWA service, has some extremely negative reports on them; check there before making a decision. It seems this publisher talks the talk, but doesn't necessarily walk the walk. Writers are said to be leaving, and there could be legal action. April 2005 update: I am informed this publisher is now up for sale. February 2007 update: But there is no indication of that at the site. February 2008 update: They remain in business. February 2009 update: they are still talking the talk, but it turns out that their $800 deposit is refundable only after 950 sales. A new author is quite unlikely to get such sales. Be wary.

AMIRA — www.amirapress.com/. “At Amira Press, our mission is to provide an experience so far out of the ordinary, that our readers will look to stay lost forever in the worlds our writers have created for the reader's enjoyment.” I'd call that a worthy dream. They publish all genres except children's stories, and are especially interested in Captive Romance, Interracial Romance, and Sensual Romance/Erotica in Science Fiction, Paranormal, Fantasy, and Western, with the usual restrictions. Royalties are 50% on ebook downloads and 15% on print book sales. They respond to queries within two weeks, and within 90 days for full books. Lengths range from 15,000 to 85,000 words. December 2008 update: a favorable report of good editing, prompt responses, and on-time payment. February 2009 update: They are open only to Romance and Erotic submissions. An author is happy with their editing and timely royalties payments.

AN AUTHOR'S DREAM - AN AUTHOR'S DREAM—www.anauthorsdream.com/. They have a POD service for $695 and they accept returns from all bookstores. 40% royalties from direct sales. That returnability is worth something, because it means that some bookstores might accept their books. But don't count on it.

ANOTHEREALM - www.anotherealm.com/. This is a monthly e-zine, publishing two full length (up to 5,000 words)stories a month, for which they pay $25 for electronic rights only. They read and decide on all stories by October 31, to be published the following year. They also have "Flash Fiction" stories limited to 1,000 words, no pay, accepted year round, and contest stories based on contest topics, no pay, every two months. Obviously no place to get rich, but this could be good for talented beginners who need exposure. Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror; no pornography. February 2008 update: I read one of their stories, about a peeper on the beach. Nice surprise ending. February 2009 update: news of a lawsuit against them, apparently one of a number filed by Barbara Bauer, who objects to being called a scam. Once source says “Barbara Bauer, named as one of the publishing industry's 20 worst Literary Agents, has sued over 19 bloggers and website administrators for allegedly defaming...” Another item says her lawsuit against Wikipedia was dismissed. Apparently his has been going on for a year or so; that's all I know.

ANTELOPE PUBLISHING - www.antelope-ebooks.com/. A family oriented site doing children's books, juveniles, wholesome works of fiction, religious works that teach without preaching, and uplifting nonfiction. No sexually explicit material. But it remains swamped with submissions, so is not accepting books. Getting swamped like that suggests that it must be treating its writers right, though. They also publish an online magazine for the family, at www.ongoing-tales.com/. February 2007 update: Still not accepting submissions. February 2008 update: ditto. February 2009 update: This time I found no mention of submissions, so evidently they are permanently not looking.

A PAGE 4 YOU PUBLISHING - www.apage4you publishing.com. This was called to my attention as an apparent rip-off outfit. Their physical address turned out to be fake and they seem to be completely non-responsive once they have your book. February 2006 update: I got the "unknown host" message. 

APHRODITE'S APPLES - www.aphroditesapples.com/. They have closed as of February 13, 2008. All royalties are being calculated and paid in a timely fashion. The site may say it's down for maintenance, but it's dead.

APHRODITE UNLACED - www.aphroditeunlaced.com/. They publish erotica and erotic romance ("Romantica") 1,000 to 75,000 words and above. Royalties are 35% of the cover price. But I have a report that sales are low and authors may have to bug the publisher to get them. February 2009 update: they seem to be out of business.

ARCTIC WOLF PUBLISHING - www.arcticwolfpublishing.com/. I was asked about this, so looked it up. Lovely picture of a wolf in the arctic, but the site was so slow loading that after 9 minutes I gave up. February 2009 update: I'm not sure this is a publisher, despite the name.

ARIZONAL PUBLISHERS -   I received a solicitation from them with only an email address of an assistant editor, Evelyn Obazu. "We are interested in your book "The Magic Fart"; this is because the book is popular here and demand is rising here in Nigeria." Well, no sales of that title have been made in Nigeria, and I doubt that any legitimate publisher would want to start with such a title. So I suspect this is another Nigerian scam masquerading as a publisher.

ART BOOKBINDERY - www.artbookbindery.com/. This is a self publishing company, specializing in ultra low short run, print on demand. If you produce 50 copies of a 200 page book, it costs $11.50 per book, plus postage; the cost drops with larger orders. The process normally take 3-5 weeks, and the author keeps all rights. February 2008 update: Fill out a form for information on size of book, number of coupes to be printed, etc., and they'll give a quote. This is reasonable, as books can vary considerably.

ARTEMIS PRESS - www.artemispress.com/. This is a feminist and lesbian publisher, currently accepting submissions in all categories, fiction and nonfiction, presumably relating to lesbianism. Royalties are 30% of the download price, and 15% on POD editions. One year contract for electronic rights, renewable, and it has an auditing clause. They welcome the opportunity to work with new writers. See also MOONLITBOOKS and GLB for gay/lesbian markets. Allow 3 to 6 months for reports. February 2007 update: 30,00 to 200,000 words: chances are your book will fit. February 2009 update: Now the wordage can be as low as 100. But they are no longer accepting unsolicited manuscripts.

ARTS COLONY PUBLISHERS - dfox@tstonramp.com. HiPiers received an email on this, and there does not seem to be a Web site, just the email address, so I have not checked it. It says you can self publish your book with light editing for $2500, or with heavy editing for $4500, and $400 for cover and inside design, plus the actual cost of printing. This does not seem cheap, but that may depend on how much you need editing.

ASCENT - Aspirations for Artists - www.ascentaspirations.ca/. I received an email notice about this. It's a quarterly magazine. "We are dedicated to providing a venue for established and aspiring writers and artists. David Fraser, editor, Ascent Publications." It specializes in the darker shades of short fiction in all genres, and poetry with an edge.   There are several supplementary pages for an anthology, writer's resources, writer's sites, affiliate authors pages, and AA Publishing Page. Their word limit is 2,000 words and dropping. February 2006 update: I received an email from them indicating that they are still going strong.  August 2006 update: their newsletter says they have two anthologies and a contest going.  August 2007 update: They have upgraded their links pages for their magazine publishers, writers' associations, resources, publishers, writers' courses, contest sites, and writer's home sites. February 2009 update: Submissions are now being considered for the May 2009 issue. They are unable to pay at this time.

ASPEN MOUNTAIN PRESS - www.aspenmountainpress.com/.  Seeking stories in all genres, with the usual restrictions on erotic taboos, racial, illegal acts, or abuse. Especially interested in cross-genre Romance. 10,000 to 90,000 words. I did not find information on terms. April 2007 update: royalties are 35%. Response times for submissions is about two weeks. August 2007 update: a very positive report on their editing, making a good novel excellent. Sales are said to be average. 

ASSOCIATED CONTENT - General fiction in many categories, but no erotica or gay/lesbian fiction. I found no information on terms, bit I am told their contract is decent. June 2009 update: I received an email announcement from an author published there. Each viewing brings a payment.

ASYLETT PRESS - Articles on just about any subject published here. I did not ascertain their rates of payment, but it seems that anyone can contribute. February 2008 update: Most of their present titles are Romance, Horror, and Speculative. They are ebooks with a Lightning Source option to which the author must contribute. 40% royalty based on the download price. A small staff makes communications slow. August 2008 update: Asylett now pays for all costs related to print publication. I was also corrected on my mention of their publishing articles, which perplexed me, until I realized that my informant was reading the immediately preceding entry, about a different publisher. Asylett publishes no articles, only ebooks and print books. February 2009 update: they have a wide variety of fiction, and will consider some nonfiction. Different word lengths for different genres; check their requirements.

ATLANTIC BRIDGE PUBLISHING - www.atlanticbridge.net/. There is a good audit clause. They are looking only for Paranormal at this time. They pay author's 45% of all download sales, quarterly, and buy electronic rights for one year. A satisfied writer tells me that they are easy to work with, and that they were #6 among best publishers as listed by Editors and Preditors in 2001. See also their hot romance imprint, Liquid Silver Books. Unfortunately submissions are closed. February 2007 update: Still closed to submissions. February 2008 update: ditto. February 2009 update: still closed. They must have one hell of a backlog.

@VENTURE - see Services section

AUDIBLE - www.audible.com/. These are recorded books, and they have a slew. But I was unable to find any indication that the novice writer is welcome here. I suspect that first you publish your book and become established, then they'll consider recording it.

AUDIO SHORT STORIES www.AudioShortStories.com. They are launching circa May 2009. Payment is 33% or $1 per download purchased. They take no rights, and the author may request that files be removed from the site, to be accomplished within five working days. Why self publish in this manner? Exposure, feedback, and payment for downloads. Stories should be between 30 minutes and 2 hours in length. Payment is via PayPal, monthly.

AURORA SHOWCASE - www.aurorashowcase.com. Gone.

AUTHORHOUSE - www.authorhouse.com/. February 2009 update: The Authorhouse/iUniverse complex has bought the remaining large independent self publisher, Xlibris. I do not know, but suspect it will be folded into Xlibris in due course. Your books here will be safe, however. April 2009 update: I am simplifying the entry, as past history is surely irrelevant as the new order works out.

AVENTINE PRESS - www.aventinepress.com A self publisher. Their basic package is $349.00, with additional fees for add-on services such as hardcover publication or a custom cover. They also have a marketing program for $995. Royalties are 80% of the net moneys received, which is very high. February 2008 update: Now their basic package is $399.

AVID PRESS - www.avidpress.com.  Gone.

AWE-STRUCK E-BOOKS - www.awe-struck.net. I understand that one of the proprietors is physically disabled, and wrote a book featuring a disabled character, and when he couldn't get anywhere with Parnassus (an all too familiar story) he decided to set up a publisher for such work. It publishes Romance, Science Fiction, combinations of the two, and Nonfiction. If you are disabled, or write about that subject, you will surely get a sympathetic hearing here, though they aren't limited to such authors. February 2009 update: Closed to submissions for now; keep checking. April 2009 update: Awe-Struck has been acquired by Mundania, and will be come an imprint there for various romance genres. Contract terms will match those of Mundania, 20% of net for print, 50% of net for ebooks, audit clause, etc. No set-up fee, no requirement to purchase copies; they get author's copies plus more at 40% off if they want them. Open for in-house submissions, and unsolicited submissions sometime in the spring.

BABCOCK PUBLISHING - www.swiftsite.com/pleasures/books/index.htm. I was told this is a subsidy publisher (vanity press) that claims to be up to 50% cheaper than others, and that it advertises that it provides full services. They say that there are three classes of publishers: Major, that won't even read unknown writers, Subsidy, that charges you $10,000 and up with no guarantee that you'll succeed, and Babcock at 40-50% less than regular subsidy. Okay, that means $5-6,000 and up, and they give absolutely no email quotes. They accept no downloads or floppy discs manuscripts. You can probably do better faster and much cheaper at one of the self publishers. February 2006 update: "We give absolutely no e-mail quotes! Manuscripts should be submitted in 'double-spaced' hard copy only!" I think they should get with the times, if they really want new business; even dinosaur-age traditional publishers are starting to accept electronic manuscripts. 

BAD PRESS - badpress.infinology.net. It says it is a new men's weekly to which anyone can contribute; they will edit intensively to bring your material up to snuff. Send interesting poems, essays, experimental fiction, reviews, cartoons, songs, and it seems just about anything. No information on payment or terms. April 2006 update: I still don't find information on terms.

BAEN BOOKS - www.baen.com/library/. This is a traditional publisher, offering a number of titles for free downloading, trusting that this will in the end generate more sales. I'll be interested to see if that works..

BDSM BOOKS - www.bdsmbooks.com/. They deal with themes of erotic domination. I understand that they pay 40% royalties for exclusive publishing and 30% for non-exclusive, but then take off a percentage for card processing. I tried to verify terms, but the site was so slow loading that after 13 minutes I gave up. I did see enough to verify that erotic bondage and sado-masochism is their specialty in books and videos. August 2007 update: Interesting material from the publisher, who turns out to be 15 years older than I am, and obviously not in it to rip off authors. Their site is now faster loading than it was. You know, I'm not into this genre, but some of those girls are sexy as hell. October 2007 update: an author reports that the publisher's online figures seem to match its payments and his experience. He is quite satisfied. April 2008 update: I have another satisfied response, and news that the management has changed but it remains okay. June 2008 update: but a buyer accidentally used an out of date card, and the order went through without challenge, so verification is suspect. February 2009 update: they have changed their credit card processors; now it's real time on a secure site. There should be no further problem. June 2009 update: A very positive report.

BENOY PUBLISHING -   I received an email advising me that the Attorney General's office of the state of North Carolina is handling the complaint against this publisher. It is not one I listed, and I can't locate an electronic publisher by this name. So I mention this just in case someone should find the information useful.

BETHANY PRESS INTERNATIONAL - www.bethanypress.com    This is a self publishing company that prints books. They are announcing a new book publishing solution designed for Christian authors, ministries, and small publishers. They work exclusively with Christian publishers to produce life-changing books. "We want to partner with Christian organizations and individuals who have a vision to distribute the message God has given them to a world which desperately needs it."

BETHANY'S GROUP   This was an oddity to explore. It seems to be an association of several publishers or imprints devoted to aspects of girlish naughtiness and spanking. There are pictures of bared female bottoms ready for discipline, some of them getting it. Some sites are www.herwoodshed.com, www.wickedvelvet.com, www.spankingcastle.com, www.punishmentspanking.com, www.wickedcastle.com. In Wicked Velvet I found terms that may be similar for the others: 40-80,000 words length, to be serialized, and writers are paid a per-chapter fee as the stories are run. An author's report is that originally it was good, but in the past year payments have slowed and even stopped. Rates have changed and are not high. So visit the site to view the sights, but be cautious about placing your naughty fiction there. 

BEWRITE BOOKS - www.bewrite.net/. This is merging with Jacobyte Books, and presumably this will in due course become the site for them both. As yet it is spare. February 2005 update: It is filling out. They want manuscripts from 60,000 to 180,000 words--chances are yours fits--with no porno or excessive violence or nonfiction. But this appears to be a fiction posting site rather than a paying publisher. April 2005 update: am assured by the publisher that it is both types of site. They are looking for a new site for the book division, which should be online by the end of 2005. February 2007 update: They say they are closing the BeWrite Community to concentrate on BeWrite Books. February 2009 update: Now they will not accept books under 50,000 words or over 130,000 words.

BIBLIO BYTES - www.bb.com/.Gone.

BIG SKY E-BOOKS - www.cwisestone.com/bshome.htm.   February 2009 update: gone.

BLACK LYON PUBLISHING — www.blacklyonpublishing.com/. A small publisher based in Oregon, focusing on general fiction and Romance, in trade paperbacks and electronic. Lengths vary by genre, ranging from 45,000 to 85,000 words. They are currently accepting submissions in all their lines. I did not find information on royalties.

BLACK VELVET SEDUCTIONS - www.blackvelvetseductions.com/. Open to new and established authors in all kinds of Romance, ranging from Traditional to Fetish. Their lines are Forbidden Experiences, Sensuous Journeys, Tender Destinations, Amorous Adventures, Short Story Collections. They care more about content than format. Well developed characters, strong conflict, much emotion, solid ending. I found no information on terms. 

BLADE PUBLISHING LTD - http://bladepublishing.org/. Now accepting submissions for all genres—they have a wide-ranging list—with lengths centering around 50,000 words. 35% royalty. Highest standards.

BLITZPRINT - www.blitzprint.com/. A printer who facilitates self publishing. No information on terms. February 2008 update: You can request a quote.

BODENDORFER - The former WORDBEAMS, which closed down in a decent manner, is now reviving here. If that decency continues, it should be a good place to publish. But for now all submissions are closed. February 2004 update: I got a blank screen. February 2005 update: The site is there, but the publisher seems to have folded. December 2007 update: I am told that its address changed, but it does seem to be out of business as a publisher.

BOLD STROKES - http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com/. "Bold Strokes Books offers a diverse collection of top-selling lesbian fiction with the goal of incorporating the exciting new trends in romance, action, adventure, mystery, sci-fi/fantasy/horror, and erotica while preserving the integrity of the traditional genres. We also present contemporary and general lesbian fiction as part of our commitment to offer quality lesbian fiction to all readers." No simultaneous submissions. Decisions is 10-12 weeks. 55,000-100,000 words preferred. They seem to be primarily a print publisher, marketed and distributed by Bella Books. I did not find information or royalty rates. February 2008 update: Now their limits range from 45,000 to 150,000 words, depending on imprint.

BOOKBOOTERS - www.bookbooters.com. As of July 25, 2003, they have suspended all publishing activities, but remain as a bookseller. And they are stiffing their authors. February 2006 update: they are permanently closed for business, as of November 25, 2005. 

BOOKBOX - www.bookbox.com/. "BookBox is a essentially a web-based jukebox of digital books in languages from around the world. It synchronizes the text, audio, and visual media to cerate an educational and entertaining reading experience for children and even adults who still have a child in them!" It pays $40 per story in local currency and 5% of any future profit from that story. So this isn't big money but could be nice for those who like to tell children's stories.

BOOK CLIFF GROUP ELECTRONIC PUBLISHERS - www.bookcliff-group.com/. Now here's a variant: the author retains all rights, and the publisher retains 25% as a publication fee. That translates to 75% for the author. Print on Demand for writers, poets, artists, photographers; otherwise this is an electronic publisher. Material must be child safe. February 2007 update: They are actively seeking children's stories. February 2008 update: And scripts of all types: short plays that are suitable for community theater performances.

THE BOOK DEN - www.thebookden.com/. This is Denlinger's Book Store in Florida. It's been in business for 75 years, and seems to be slow-moving, taking four to six months to report on submissions,. It seems to have a wide range of books. 10%, 50% of subsidiary. Can take 6 months to report. Primarily nonfiction, many categories. Buys all rights. February 2008 update: It is closing its doors. But it seems that some of their POD titles are still being sold at Amazon.

BOOK LOCKER - www.booklocker.com. As I understand it, they charge fees for their services ranging from zero to $225, but take non-exclusive rights only (that's important) and pay 50% to 70% royalties monthly (that's phenomenal.) Offhand, this seems to be a good place to consider early. They have many types of books, including ones on self publishing, about which they are very encouraging. Now they also produce trade paperbacks. Now author keeps all rights. Author can terminate agreement at any time, no hassle. 35% royalties on list price of POD books. Costs $199 to do POD plus $18 a year hosting fee; electronic print is free. UPDATE: An anonymous report is a good deal more negative, suggesting that this publisher's main business is publishing the proprietor's books on self publishing, and that the author's of other titles have to follow a formula and do all of the book promotion and selling., or get de-listed despite the contract. If this is true, writers should be wary. Followup on the update: I received angry letters from Angela Hoy, wife of the company's president and author of several of their books on self publishing. At first she was halfway polite, then threatening, accusing me of defaming the publisher. I rechecked with my source, who affirms the accuracy of my update. Angela said "What you are doing is illegal," and said she was turning this matter over to her attorney. I never heard further; I suspect someone got a whiff of Ogre and did the sensible thing: retreat. Nevertheless, I am trying to be fair in this survey, and have to say that my spot check did not indicate preferential treatment given to Angela's efforts. She says they have published more than 900 books, only 6 of which are hers, and none of hers appear on their homepage. So the question is whether this is a good publisher with a few disgruntled authors out of many, or one that sometimes treats writers in an arbitrary or unfair manner. Both may be true; I suspect that is the case. June 2005 update: I have a favorable author report, citing a positive attitude and quick responses. February 2006 update: They have a table showing the costs to self publish books at BookLocker $392, iUniverse $459, Xlibris $500, AuthorHouse $898, and Trafford $1,399 including 40 copies.  April 2006 update: another bad report, this one not anonymous. Ron Brault rbrault@obtel.com paid Booklocker $200 to publish his nonfiction High & Away 12 miles high and 20 miles away, the story of the cameras in the U2 spy plane, written by his father. Angela Hoy, after denying that she received the book--he finally had to send it by signed receipt certified mail to prove she received it--challenged the cover photo, saying it had copyright problems, apparently wanting him to pay more for a cover done by the publisher. She evidently felt that his cover represented stolen goods, and I understand even wrote an article titled "When writers steal from other writers." I may have this garbled. But it was the beginning of a long hassle, and the book was not published. He asked for a refund but didn't get it. He is a high & away dissatisfied customer. Contemporary readers may not realize how big a deal the U2 was a generation ago; this is surely a book of general interest. June 2006 update: Angela Hoy's site for her article is www.writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/003340_03222006.html. February 2007 update: Another positive report of prompt responses and effective procedure. "One of the things I think is great about them is that they are exclusive; they accept only a small percentage of the ms. that come in, and that's a real plus for authors who truly believe in their work and are not just publishing to make themselves feel good." February 2008 update: Now their POD fee is $299, plus $18 a year. June 2008 update: and another positive report, finding Angela to be knowledgeable, friendly and responsible, doing a tight and thorough edit of the manuscript. The cover design was good. February 2009 update: more negatives. It is said that proprietress Angela Hoy has not been published anywhere but here and that she is not a good writer. That she misuses stock photos for promotion, and that BookLocker's claim to be the cheapest POD house is untrue; Create Space is cheaper, being essentially free. That despite its claims BookLocker really does not discriminate in what it publishes, and that it arranges to plant positive and negative comments on Amazon about particular authors' books. That the publisher threatens critics with lawsuits to shut them up, and trashes their reputations. I don't know how much of this is true, and some would be tricky to prove, but there is a smell, and my prior dealings with BookLocker suggest there is some substance at least to the charge that they threaten critics. June 2009 update: Angela Hoy responds that she has a contract with St. Martin's Press, she has never mis-used stock photos, that Booklocker is cheaper than CreateSpace for services like original cover design, formatting assistance, ISBN, distribution through Ingram, etc. That if you can't honor the CreateSpace specs, they upsell you on their subsidiary, BookSurge, which is far more expensive than Booklocker. That she has never posted a review on Amazon or elsewhere, never posted under a false name, or had anyone else do it at Booklocker. That she does not threaten critics with lawsuits, only those who have posted libelous comments about her online in retaliation for having their illegal activities exposed. That it may be one of those deadbeats who contacted me. But see my extended discussion in the June 2009 Hipiers column.

BOOKMASTERS INC - www.bookmasters.com/. They focus on prepublishing services such a printing, binding, fulfillment, and distribution. You can get a package of services for $640. I list them here in the publishing section because they also do epublishing.

BOOKMICE - www.bookmice.com/.  Gone. February 2005 update: Now the site is a list of books with links to purchase them elsewhere.

BOOKSFORABUCK - www.booksforabuck.com/. Looking for novels in the fields of Romance, Science Fiction, Mystery/Suspense, and General Fiction, 50,000 words up. No pornography, literary fiction, or other genres. Prices range from $1 to $3.99, but all are available for $1 in their first month of release. Royalties are 50%, paid quarterly, on gross revenues. For paper publications, 50% of net revenues. No charges to the authors for any of their services. The process of publication seems to take about two months, because of editing and cover art. Maybe I'm influenced because the proprietor is a fan of mine, but this looks very good to me. December 2008 update: it seems they don't acknowledge submissions. A writer queried, described, got a request to see the full novel, sent it, and did not hear from them again. A query was ignored.

BOOKSHELF GLOBAL PUBLISHING - www.bookshelfglobal.com.  I received an advertising pen in the introductory package at the Florida Writer's Association convention that advertised this outfit. It says "Publish your book your way." February 2008 update: I could not find information on prices. “You pay a very competitive price per book. First run minimums are small (100-1000); subsequent runs have no minimums. Well, you can find much smaller first-run minimums elsewhere.

BOOKSOURCE -  New title for the Booksurge complex.

BOOKSTAND PUBLISHING — see ebookstand

BOOKSTRAND- www.BookStrand.com/ I have a report of excellent sales: over a thousand dollars per title paid in a quarter. June 2009 update: those sales continue; I was shown a statement.

BOOKS UNBOUND- www.booksunbound.com/ This is a new publisher with a positive attitude, open for submissions. Mystery, Adventure, Speculative Fiction, Romance, Historical, Western, Young Adult, and if you have something else that's good, query them, but no pornography. Contract is for one year, electronic rights only, royalties about 35% of the price the books are actually sold at. Author must secure his own copyright. Good general and specific advice for new writers. My guess is that they will be fairly choosy, and if it works out, this should be a good place to be. They do show a sample contract, but it doesn't have an audit clause. There is a question whether they are. Properly responsive to their authors. February 2007 update: Temporarily closed to submissions.  August 2007 update: and a negative report of months-long delays, nonpayment, and lack of response. It seems they started good, but in the past two years plunged. October 2007 update: after 3 years of delays in publication, no reasons given, no responses to queries, an author is canceling his contracts.

BOOKSURGE - www.booksurge.com.   See the entry on IMPRINT BOOKS. I do have a positive report on them from an author, who mentions they are now BOOKSOURCE. Another says the are now at www.GlobalBookPublisher.com. October 2004 update: I heard from them: they are still going strong, and Global Book Publishers was a previous name. June 2005 update: they have been bought out by Amazon.com. This could shake up the self publishing market. AMAZON's notice says in part: "BookSurge makes it possible to print books that appeal to targeted audiences, whether it's one copy or one thousand. Our new relationship with BookSurge will provide Amazon customers an ever-expanding selection of titles that are not available through other channels." I presume they will consolidate the assorted imprints under one name. February 2008 update: They don't give prices on the site: you have to fill out a form and get in touch with one of their publishing consultants. An author with a book with 120 pictures learned that it would cost $5,700 to do. April 2008 update: As of April 1, 2008, Amazon is turning off the Buy button on books not printed by BookSurge, starting with those by Publish America. There is outrage. August 2008 update: 35% direct retail royalties at Amazon.com and 4 other retailer sites; 10% elsewhere. Editing service is a minimum of $300. Royalties every 45 days. February 2009 update: No news of the controversy on their site, of course.

BOSON BOOKS - www.cmonline.com/boson/.  They don't seem to provide information on their terms. They are currently closed to poetry, drama, fantasy, children's books, and religious fiction and nonfiction. Presumably other types are okay. February 2007 update: Currently closed to submissions. February 2008 update: They remain closed to submissions. February 2009 update: Still closed, but in June 2009 they will consider nonfiction.

BOX LUNCH BOOKS - www.boxlunchbooks.com/. This is erotica for lesbians, launching in the spring of 2009. They are looking for erotica and erotic romance 10,000 to 75,000 words. 8-12 weeks for response. Any subgenre: Butch, Femme, Straight Woman Seduction, Mother-in-Law Figure (this is a hot genre in “straight” erotica too), Paranormal, Western, Interracial, BBW (I'm not sure what that is), Three Way, Romantic Comedy, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Historical, Vampire, Capture/Bondage, and anything else they might have missed; they seem to be wide open, so to speak. I did not find information on terms or clarification whether they are an electronic publisher, but it seems likely.

BROWZER BOOKS - www.browzerbooks.com/.  This appears to be a publisher and marketer of free books. I found no terms listed for authors, but presume they are unpaid. So if you have a book you just want to make available for reading, this is the place. February 2008 update: I clicked their link about publishing romance books, and it put me with Xlibris.

BUY BOOKS ON THE WEB - www.buybooksontheweb.com/. The main thrust seems to be to sell books - but let's face it, if books didn't sell, who would publish them? It has a "Get Published Now!" section. "Did you know that less than 2% of authors ever get published? We have found a way to change that!" They offer an Authors Submission Package, if you send in their form. An author report says they are responsive and pleasant to work with. See Infinity Publishing, as their publishing link leads there. February 2009 update: they remain as a bookseller, with their publishing arm being INFINITY.

BY GRACE PUBLISHING - www.bygracepublishing.com www.bygracepublishing.com/. August 2008 update: I got confused, and mislisted this as GRACE, an imprint of Unique Enterprises, about which I have a bad report. BY GRACE is a different publisher, and I have no bad report on it. I apologize for the confusion. They are a small electronic and print on demand publisher, specializing in G rated Romance of all kinds. Some titles are inspirational, many are sweet romances. They release a new title the fourth Friday of every month. Novellas 10,000-15,000 words, and a few special releases 70,000-85,000 words; several categories are in between, plus short stories. You will have to check their specific needs. Royalties are 50% of net earnings. They do not send email confirmations of received submissions, and you can expect a three month wait time. They don't want queries in the interim. Sigh; as I say elsewhere, I think a publisher should at least acknowledge receipt, so that an author is not hung up three months on a submission that an electronic foul-up deleted on the way. October 2008 update: I have a report that they do confirm receipt of manuscripts. Good enough. February 2009 update: I was told they folded, but have been unable to verify this. They do seem to have become a publishing search site. June 2009 update: A report that they keep making excuses instead of paying royalties. Since they have closed there doesn't seem to be much recourse.

Cafe Press - www.cafepress.com/cp/info/sell/books.aspx. They merchandise all sorts of things, but have added a publishing service, so are listed here for that. This is POD, with charges of $7 for binding plus three cents a page; slightly different for different types of stitching. It looks as if you have to do a lot yourself. October 2006 update: a negative report from someone who ordered a T-shirt. After months with no confirmation of the order, finally canceled it. If this is the way they do business, sales will be small. August 2007 update: And the opposite experience, with prompt delivery for several T-shirts, which are of good quality. 

CAMBRIDGE HOUSE - www.camhousebooks.com/. December 2007 update: A writer sent me a copy of his correspondence with this outfit. It says it is not a vanity or POD publisher, but the indication is that it costs something like $15,000 to get published there. When he Googled it, he found only negative comments, and the publisher did not answer his pointed query about the time it takes authors to reach the break-even point via sales. February 2009 update: The site seemed to get stuck on “loading”; I have up after several minutes.

CAN WRITE WILL WRITE — www.canwritewillwrite.com/. They started out as a showcase website for authors to display their work, but now have branched into publishing. An author reports that they have been professional and helpful throughout. I don't have information on terms; it was a slow site. February 2009 update: If they like your work, a contribution of £100 to get started. They will post your work on their website for one year. Um, as publication goes, this is barely minimal.

Carnal Desires Publishing - www.carnaldesirespublishing.com/.   This will be the erotic imprint of DOUBLE DRAGON, opening September 1, 2007. Interested in erotic fantasy and science fiction, but will accept other topics, too. February 2008 update: Alexandra Adams is the co-publisher, who has her own Sexy Novels site listed in the Services section. Minimum length is 20,000 words, 90,000 maximum, but they are flexible. They are looking for highly erotic romance, and welcome cross-genre, with a riveting plot. The usual restrictions. Royalties of 35% of the cover price for ebooks sold at the site, 35% of net for other sales, and 10% for POD sales. They take digital rights only, for five years.

CARNIFEX PRESS - www.carnifexpress.net/. I was asked about this, so I looked it up. It's a small Florida press print publisher of epic fantasy, horror, and science fiction. They release only chapbooks, which are half-digest-sized editions of manuscripts in the 20,000 word range, hoping to print 2,000 copies. Their site seems to be still filling out. February 2007 update: They are actively seeking more Young Adult novellas for a mid-2007 release. February 2008 update: I got cPanel instead of Carnifex, which it explains may be a foulup of he site administrator. February 2009 update: They shut down on January 1, 2009, with regret: couldn't make it financially. They are selling off their books at below cost, hoping to pay off their debts.

CELEBRITY CAFE - see THE CELEBRITY CAFE

CENTRAL VALLEY WRITERS - www.centralvalleywriters.com/. The writers' organization of Central Valley, in Chowchilla, California, is sponsoring contests for fiction and nonfiction, novels and short stories. Prizes of $50 for longer works, $25 for stories. They consider anything over 10,000 words to be novel length. Entrance fees are $20 for a novel, $10 for a story. February 2008 update: Call for entries by April 4. February 2009 update: As of January 7 they have moved to Madera.

CERRIDWEN PRESS - www.cerridwenpress.com/. This is an imprint of Ellora's Cave for mainstream fiction. That is, Contemporary, Fantasy, Futuristic/Sci-Fi, Historical, Horror, Humor, Mystery/Suspense, Paranormal, Women's Fiction, and many categories of Romance. They also have a number of special categories mixed in with Ellora's Cave, such as Ellora's Caveman Anthologies and Cotillion; check their site for half a slew of information. Presumably Cerridwen will have the same promotional push that Ellora's Cave does, which suggests high sales. February 2007 update: They are always open for submissions. April 2009 update: but I have a report that all they really seem to want is erotic romance. That is surprising, considering this is supposed to be a general mainstream imprint.

CHAMPAGNE BOOKS - www.champagnebooks.com. Starting up March 31, 2005, mentioned as a possible publisher, but so far it seems to be just a book reading club. June 2005 update: I heard from the publisher. They are not a reading club, though they do have an experimental ebook club. But they are a publisher first. February 2006 update: Submissions are closed, and by invitation only until further notice. February 2007 update: They seem to be open for submissions now. June 2007 update: I have an anonymous report that they seem to be slowly becoming a vanity press. Some authors are charged to go to print, while some aren't. I'll be interested to receive feedback clarifying this, as it could be a misunderstanding. October 2007 update: it is indeed a misunderstanding. They considered letting impatient authors pay for print, but decided against it. February 2008 update: They are accepting submissions for all genres except erotica, no short story collections or poetry. February 2009 update: I could not find information on terms, or any indication that they are more than a bookseller now. June 2009 update: I received reassurance that they are a full-fledged publisher, and are publishing authors with great satisfaction. Epublication and trade paperback.

CHANCES PRESS - www.chancespress.com.  A new publisher expanding their line of romantica e-books, now open for submissions. ("Romantica" is hot sexy romance genre fiction promoted by Ellora's Cave; I understand they don't like others using their word, but it has become its own genre.) They are especially interested in gay themed books, romance, and of course romantica. Anthologies will also be considered. They pay 50% of net sales from wholesalers. February 2006 update: "We are currently not accepting queries or submissions."  February 2009 update: They now offer self publishing options. Partnering with Wordclay, which is listed below.

CHANGELING PRESS - changelingpress.com/. "Out of this world Erotic Love Stories." All types, including gay/lesbian and fetish, from 8,000 to 25,000 words, not full length novels. Except sweet contemporary romance, child pornography--the really dirty stuff. April 2005 update: they are a royalty-paying publisher using the EPIC RECOMMENDED (AUTHOR FRIENDLY) CONTRACT. Now they do short fiction and novella length, 8,000 to 30,000 words. December 2005 update: I have a very favorable writer report on them. But I don't know what they pay. April 2006 update: I am told they pay royalties of 35% for what they sell directly, and less if they broker a book through something like Fictionwise. This is reasonable. I have another very favorable author report; their contract is said to be quite author-friendly. February 2007 update: They are open for submissions. April 2007 update: A report of 50-250 sales per title per month. October 2007 update: word from the publisher: "We specialize in paranormal, fantasy and science fiction stories." But obviously their scope is wider than that. "We've got only one heat level. Over-the-top hot!" December 2008 update: Publisher Margaret Riley sent information. They are coming up on their fifth anniversary, and have done a total of 1054 titles, in and out of production. They expect to sell 100-300 copies in the first month, doubling that in the first two years. They do some print books, but that's not their primary focus. Their contracts have a “kill” fee ranging from $350 for single ebooks to $750 for print collections. Another author report is quite favorable: good editing, on-time payment.

CHEER AND DANCE BOOKS - www.CheerAndDanceBooks.com/. This is Darnell Spirit Productions, DSP, in business since 2000 for just cheer and dance. That is, cheer and dance themed nonfiction, and soon fiction too, in a variety of lengths. Non-subsidy, royalty paying, ebooks and POD. Royalties are 40% of the net. Some may be selected for doll collections; they get 10% of the sales for related dolls. I get the impression that writers don't submit material here so much as try out for publication. This publisher seems friendly. February 2008 update: Lengths range from 10,000 to 100,000 words. They want adult romance centered around the world of cheerleading, but within those thematic boundaries will consider a wide variety of genres. Keep it sweet, sensual, but not erotic.

CHICKSPRINGS - chicksprings.com. Not a market.

CHIMERA - www.chimera-online.co.uk. A report of sales not credited, and they may balk at requests to take down author's books. February 2009 update: They sell erotic books, movies, and toys, but I did not find information on terms for authors.

Chipmunk A Publishing - www.chipmunka.com/.   A mental health publisher based in the UK. They say they have published more than 130 paperbacks and 200 ebooks. "We want to prove that everything in life is a mental health issue..." So if you have a fiction or nonfiction book relating, this appears to be a good place to be; they seem truly dedicated to banishing the stigma associated with mental health problems. You may donate money if you wish to support their effort, but otherwise this is merely a specialty publisher.

CHIPPEWA PUBLISHING LLC - www.chippewapublishing.com. December 2007 update: they have closed, because of the proprietor's family emergency. All rights are being returned to the authors as of November 30, 2007. If a publisher has to go, this is the way to go. February 2008 update: but a number of authors have not received those reversions, and it seems other publishers won't buy without those reversions.

CLASS ACT BOOKS — www.classactbooks.com. Electronic and print publisher, said to be responsive. Currently accepting submissions in all their genres. I did not find information on terms.

CLEAN ROMANCE - www.cleanromance.com. This means exactly what the name implies: keep the dirty stuff out. It is interested in all Romance sub-genres. 10,000 to 100,000 words, 35% royalties on downloads. October 2004 update: the link no longer connects.

CLOUDY MOUNTAIN BOOKS - see Fiction Forest

CLOTHO PRESS - www.clothopress.biz. Proprietor Melissa Hollingsworth sent me this notice: “Clotho Press is a new small press dedicated to publishing the gems which are overlooked by big publishing houses.” They are not open to submissions yet, but they will be. I presume they will have a Web site in due course. April 2009 update: Now they have their Web site.

CLUB LIGHTHOUSE PUBLISHING - www.clublighthousepublishing.com/. This is a newly-launched epublisher located in Canada. They are open for submissions in many genres of fiction and non-fiction. They take only electronic rights, for one year, and pay royalties of 40% of all download sales. Reports on submissions in one month to six weeks.  February 2007 update: They are open for submissions in many genres of fiction and nonfiction. February 2008 update: The site is there, but seems to have no content. June 2008 update: they are there in good order, so my prior observation must have been a glitch. I have a positive report. April 2009 update: I have a report from a satisfied author, who says they were great every step of the way.

COBBLESTONE PRESS - www.cobblestone-press.com/. This is an electronic publisher of sensual and erotic romance with many genre subdivisions. Royalties are 35% of the cover price, paid monthly. They take electronic rights for one year. Four general lengths: Trysts 10,000-20,000 words; novella 20,000-40,000; novels 40,000-65,000; full novel 65,001-100,000. Three levels: Wild = fully realized sexual relationships; Wanton = that plus explicit language; Wicked = that plus the hot stuff: disturbing themes, violence, multiple partners, BDSM (bondage/sado-masochist). But not rape, racism, pedophilia, incest, bestiality, necrophilia or body functions. In addition, three lines: Brazen, with aggressive heroines; Outlaw, with hero on the wild side; Shifter, with shape shifters. They want to see full manuscripts, not summaries. December 2006 update: a very negative report, and a quite positive one. So the jury still seems to be out.  February 2007 update: much more here, as a flurry of authors defend the publisher, and another was negative. Essentially the negatives relate to their strict editing. I discussed this with co-owner Sable Grey, and while I really hate to admit it, her case seems stronger than the authors' cases, and I have to side with the publisher. It looks from here like one of the best. See my discussion in the February 2007 HiPiers column. June 2007 update: They are having their one year anniversary. They are starting an unline publication CPQ Magazine in their Blue Page Directory. I understand this HiPiers Survey will be listed as a resource. They have added an audit clause to their contract and are making it retroactive, so those with prior contracts can invoke it. That's one generous deal. February 2008 update: They now have a fifth general length: Vignette 5,000-10,000 words. August 2008 update: more information from the publisher. They now publish a short story erotica line called WICKED. In general their hottest sales come from the hottest fiction, erotic historical, menage, BDSM, and Paranormals. There's a new series called The Vampire Oracle featuring (duh) vampires. They continue to grow. Next year they expect to release 5 titles a week. They are now working on titles for 2009. They have periodic cross promotions, cooperating with other publishers. NOTE: in the course of my updating dialogue with the publisher, she mentioned that she'd consider a submission from me. As it happened, I had recently had an edgy idea that might fit their Wicked line, so I wrote it and submitted it. They acknowledged with a notice that it takes 90 days for a report. But in three weeks they accepted it. So this note is to clarify that conflict of interest; I can't be considered fully objective about publishers with which I do business. The story is “Knave.” He has a thing for the Queen of Hearts. December 2008 update: the proprietor had a computer virus problem that messed up communication and statements, annoying some authors, but that has been resolved. Meanwhile my story has been published there. See my Cobblestone blog, rerun in the December 2008 HiPiers column. Essentially, I'm a satisfied contributor. February 2009 update: reports for November and December indicate about 17 copies of “Knave” sold, meaning in due course I should received about $17. So that's my personal experience, which may not be typical; I suspect that established erotica authors sell more, and unknowns less. Remember, this is no novel, just a 10,000 word story I might have been unable to place elsewhere. June 2009 update: I received notice of new submission guidelines. I haven't check it yet; this is just to let folk know it exists.

COLD TREE PRESS - www.coldtreepress.com/. A self publisher, charges ranging from $1,400 to $2,400, depending on the type of book desired. Other services are available for additional fees. Royalties of 30% of the list price. Typical time frame from manuscript to publication is 90 days. They have a sample contract at the site, and it seems good, except that it lacks an audit clause. February 2009 update: I checked one of their imprints, and it required all manuscripts to be professionally edited. That's likely to mean it will cost you.

COLLIDOSCOPE - shmanchester@statestreet.com. This seems to be a collection of poetry, with a deadline date of June 30, 2006. Poems can be up to 60 lines each. Payment on publication. February 2008 update: this entry is dated, but I'm unwilling to click their email link. They remain in business, I presume with similar material.

COMET PRESS - www.cometpress.us/. Small press. An independent publisher of horror, suspense, and dark crime fiction. “The ultimate goal of Comet Press is to unleash upon the general public the most terrifying, shocking, and most of all, entertaining stories imaginable.” They are currently accepting submissions 7,500-85,000 words. Response time is 2-3 months. Standard or higher royalties. February 2009 update: They are now taking submissions for an extreme horror anthology to be published in mid 2009. Deadline was February 28, 2009.

COMMONWEALTH - Avoid

CONSCIOUS KERNELS - www.consciouskernels.com/. This is a start-up ebook publisher specializing in spiritual, metaphysical, and New Thought subjects. Now open for submissions, and especially interested in new writers who can speak to their subject matter. Under 20,000 words preferred. Royalties will be paid, but not advances. February 2008 update: They remain open for submissions in their genres. February 2009 update: query them, and if they are interested, they will discuss it with you.

COOL PUBLICATIONS - www.coolpublications.com. February 2007 update: they seem to be gone.

CORNUCOPIA -www.cornucopiapress.com/. A new small press; their first book will be out in August, 2008. hardcover and trade paperback; they're not electronic. They are looking for polished novels, historical fiction, narrative biography, and positive life stories. “We are interested in characters that are courageous and ethical.” Query first; if they are interested they'll request the manuscript within two weeks. Competitive royalties.

COSMOS BOOKS - www.cosmos-books.com. A division of Wildside Press. A publisher for SF, Fantasy, and horror reprints and originals, especially British and Australian. It is not an epublisher, and got listed here because of my confusion. They have a wide range of authors and material, and will do print on demand editions too. Payment is two copies of your book in hardcover, five paperback copies, plus $100 or 50% of the amount received, whichever is greater. Contract is four years, extendable, takes all English language print rights, and you can assign other rights if you wish. There is an audit clause. August 2004 update: gone. February 2005 update: Back again. February 2009 update: The site lists a number of books for sale. I find no indication that they are looking for submissions.

COYOTE MOON PUBLICATIONS - www.coyotemoonpublications.com. One of their editors contacted me: they are seeking quality books in many genres. Their contract is based on the EPIC model contract; that's a good recommendation. February 2006 update: Their Silver Moon erotic imprint is temporarily closed to submissions. February 2007 update: They are folding, with deep regret. All rights are being released. They hope in due course to set up a free website resource for the small press community. February 2008 update: The site is there.April 2008 update: but it's just a collection of links.

CREATE SPACE — www.createspace.com/. This is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, originally founded as CustomFix Labs in 2002 and acquired by Amazon in 2005. “Our mission is to profitably connect our members to their worldwide audience.” Their on demand publishing has no setup fees, no minimums, no inventory, and it guarantees the books will be sold on Amazon.com. This seems almost too good to be true, and I will be interested in reports from writers who use this service. Apparently they expect to make their money from a percentage of actual book sales, the way traditional print publishers do. With the considerable resources of Amazon behind it, maybe it will work. June 2008 update: A positive report: “My experience with CreateSpace has been wonderful so far, and the inclusion in 'Search Inside' special shipping/pricing rates and 'AmazonConnect' with blogs tied to product pages has been a dream come true.” August 2008 update: confirmation of prior reports. One author sent me a copy of his CreateSpace Press print book, and it looks good. He feels he got service that would have cost $500 elsewhere essentially free. He can buy his own copies for $5.43 for the 376 page book, and can get Kindle publication too. I have issues with some Amazon policies elsewhere, but Create Space looks like about the best POD deal available. December 2008 update: the good news continues. They require the author to create the digital files, but if you already have them, it is completely free. June 2009 update: the good reports continue: writers who use them, generally like them.

CREATIVE GUY PUBLISHING - www.creativeguypublishing.com. He calls his ebooks e-xtras, novellas 15,000 to 50,000 words long, with special features. Open for submissions as of February 2003, pays 65% of the net sales. Query first, with a bit about who you are, your genre, and the length of your piece. Go wild. February 2005 update: They are no longer accepting unsolicited submissions; query first. February 2006 update: They hope to reopen for submissions by the end of June 2006. February 2007 update: Still not open to submissions. Their site has not been updated since July 24, 2006. That's not a good sign. April 2004 update: they remain in business, focusing on the material already in hand. In due course they will be open for more. February 2008 update: They remain closed to submissions until the end of 2008. February 2009 update: no unsolicited submissions, except for their magazine.

CREATIVE JUICES PUBLISHING - www.creativejuicespublishing.com. This is a new company offering POD and related services. You can get their Basic Publishing Package for $375, or spot individual services for lesser amounts. Author keeps all rights; it's really a self publisher. February 2008 update: Now it proffers links to other self publishers. This seems to have become a site for links rather than its own publishing.

CROSSED GENRES - http://crossedgenres.com/. “The magazine of Science Fiction & Fantasy with a twist.” They asked me to contribute an article on Humor for a forthcoming issue, and I did. They pay a flat fee of $10 and one copy of the PDF version of the issue. They are looking for articles and essays related to the craft of writing, and for particular genres of the month; check for their topics. Also for art, both cover and inside. Their time is limited, so rejections will be form letters, with no prejudice to the merit of the pieces.

CROSSROADS PUBLISHING COMPANY - cpcbooks.com/.  February 2009 update: Submit your proposal and they will consider it.

CRYSTAL DREAMS - www.crystaldreamspub.com/.   October 2007 update: the publisher is folding. They might remain as a self publisher. December 2007 update: And lo, back from the dead: it was bought by Multi-Media Publishing, normally a nonfiction outfit, now expanding into fiction. Crystal Dreams remains closed to submissions at present because they are republishing all their old titles, but I suspect they will in due course be seeking new material.

CURIOUS VOLUMES PUBLISHING - www.curiousvolumes.com/.  August 2008 update: I am told that they are no longer a publisher. February 2009 update: The site link now leads to the Little Creatures Workshop, handcrafted dolls.

CYBEREDITIONS - www.cybereditions.com/. Based in New Zealand. "Cybereditions is the online book publisher focusing on the highest quality nonfiction and scholarly writing." It makes out of print books available in new editions as e-books, with royalties on a sliding scale from 25% for under 500 copies, 33% up to 1,000 copies, and 40% for 1,000 or more copies. It also publishes original titles. Takes exclusive worldwide electronic rights and print-on-demand for the term of the copyright. Pays annual royalty checks in the month of April, provided they are more than $25. No audit clause. Their titles are issued in paperback as well as electronic format. February 2005 update: They now also publish some original works. February 2007 update: A sample contract is viewable. It takes all rights, electronic and print, for the duration of the copyright. That means the author effectively relinquishes control until 70 years after he dies.

CYBERMAN BOOKS - http://cybermanbooks.com/. They started early in 2002, so are not yet overloaded, and are open for submissions. Each book is carefully considered for readability and marketability, so many are rejected. 40% royalties, no fees of any kind. Authors are male and female, but marketing is primarily to males, fiction and nonfiction. No genre romance.
I have a report that they signed a contract with a writer, then dragged their feet for months, then said they hadn't actually accepted the book. This is weird; be wary. April 2004 update: And a response from the publisher: they know nothing about this, and had only one negative author, who turned them down. I asked if they could name that one. They replied "Since we at CyberManbooks have been given no information about who said this or any other details and we have checked our records and we have found that no such person, with an un-honored contract from us, exists."

CYBER-PULP BOOKS - http://www.cyberpulpbooks.com/.    They offer 50% royalties after costs for e-book, POD, and CD publication. They take rights for one year. The site shows a sample contract. They push their projects through advertising, message board ads and such. They use editor/partners that seem to be a cross between editors and agents, strong proponents of their books. I'm not familiar with this system, but it could be effective. February 2005 update: They publish Horror, Dark Fantasy, Mystery/Crime, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Western, Anthologies, Collections, and Short Fiction. December 2005 update: a bad report. They accepted a novel, promised publication, but delayed for over a year and then canceled. For 2006 they will consider books "by invitation only." This smells like a closed market. February 2006 update: They are restructuring, as they have not made the kind of profit they feel they should expect. They hope to do better in 2006.   February 2007 update: They are currently accepting submissions for 2007-08. February 2008 update: I got essentially a blank screen. Not a good sign.

CYBERREAD - www.cyberread.com. Comprehensive list of categories. This seems to be a resale outfit rather than a straight publisher. If you have a published book, listing it here should add to its exposure. February 2005 update: 45% royalties. There is an audit clause.

DARK CASTLE LORDS — www.thedarkcastlelords.com/. Also doing business as DCL Publications LLC. This publisher makes the scene with extremely dark auspices. Their site is positive, but I have half a spate of negative reports. I am told that they have been doing business for over a year in Ohio and Australia without registering the proper documents or accounts. Payment checks can't be cashed because legally the company doesn't exist, if payment is even offered. Authors have been invited to anthologies, then told they have to contribute to an ad for the privilege of being in the book. In my neck of the woods that's called self publishing. Theoretically there are royalties of 35% of gross of all ebook sales, but the contract has no mention of an audit clause, payment schedule, promotions, etc. It seems to have been started by amateurs who are incompetent as publishers, and are trying to cover their aimless tracks. Stay clear. June 2008 update: But now a very positive report, which I challenged as a shill (such things happen), but it seems credible: a very professional attitude, extremely hard work to help every phase of writing, and the quickest and best cover art encountered. And a second positive report: they are paying on time, and do answer questions. August 2008 update: now authors must pay upwards of $200 for their covers, with limited choices. October 2008 update: letter from the publisher refuting prior reports. 1. Their Ohio charter is in order, and they are legitimate. 2. No DCL author has to pay for a cover. 3. Royalties are always paid on time. December 2008 update: a report that they are paying on time, but making the authors pay the set-up fees for Fictionwise, and they may be charging authors for covers. Their contract demands 100% rights. So opinions differ. February 2009 update: another satisfied author, who feels the editing was of good quality, there is honest promotional effort, and they are flexible and supportive. But also a message sent to authors that once a book cover is designed and presented, the first time any changes other than spelling corrections are requested, it will cost the author $50. That seems to be a take it or leave it attitude. April 2009 update: Now I am informed it was a unilateral decision corrected by the publisher about ten minutes after it was announced; I did not receive that followup. There are no charges for a cover.

DARK ENED PRESS - www.darkedenpress.com/. Doom: letter from the proprietor, who has had a recurrence of cancer, can't keep up, and must with regret close. Letters of release are going out to all authors. By May 1st 2008 she hopes all payments will have cleared the bank and the site will shut down. April 2009 update: And they're gone.

DARK ROAST PRESS — www.darkroastpress.com/. “Dark Roast Press is an ePublisher with not only a GLBT focus but also with a thirst for the dark side of life.” They also do mainstream erotica. I did not find information on terms. June 2009 update: Now I have more information. Dark Roast was launched in April 2008. the proprietors consider themselves a family of sorts. In the past year the company has placed in the top 20 at the Preditors & Editors awards. They are looking for submissions 1,500 words and up. They want good writing, not mindless sex. “We want a story that engages and invokes, then leaves the reader breathless.” I did not find information on terms.

DARK STAR PUBLICATIONS - publisher@darkstarpublications.com. Now there is only a message form. It has merged into RFI West.

DAYTONA PRESS - www.daytonapress.com/. They are affiliated with Denlinger's Publishers. They are a self publisher, providing short-run book printing. I did not find information on terms.  February 2007 update: They have a collection of specific fees, such as Preparation $150, Custom Format $50, Assign ISBN $50, and so on, pus a printing fee of $0.03 per book page. My guess is that you'll pay several hundred dollars in all to publish your book, which is in line with similar services elsewhere. February 2008 update: Their list of sometime self published authors reads like a literary Who's Who, including Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Allen Poe, George Bernard Shaw, T S Eliot, Stephen King, and Mark Twain. “Those books you see stacked at the entrance of a bookstore is the publishers way to manipulate the reading public.” Yes, traditional publishing is pretty much a closed shop that hardly cares whether an aspiring author lives or dies, but that does not mean that this self publisher will make you famous.

DEADENDSTREET PUBLICATIONS-www.deadendstreet.com/. It looks good, but an author report says their contract is a killer: all rights for the duration of the copyright. Their site is canny about that, saying that you keep your copyright, only giving up all marketing rights. Same thing; don't be fooled. That means you can't get your book back until 70 years after you die. They also want the first option on anything else the author writes, for five years. What a phenomenal Grab; it is similar to what traditional publishers do. Yes, I'd call this a dead-end street. But they do promise to make a good effort on behalf of your book. So if you are desperate, enter this street with caution. I have an extremely negative report from one of their authors, detailing how they reneged on understandings. It calls itself an integrated publishing and motion picture production company. February 2005 update: At this time, they are particularly interested in screenplays for features and shorts. February 2008 update: At this time they are interested in screenplays for features and shorts. April 2008 update: a report that they aren't sending sales statements. That could mean the title isn't selling, in which case it normally can be reverted to the author. The rule of thumb is that a publisher has to be selling your book; it can't just bury it forever. April 2009 update: “A Publishing Motion Picture Production & Real Estate Development Company.” But how much are they actually accomplishing for their authors?

DENMARK PUBLISHING - Gone.

DIGI DOWNLOADER-www.digidownloader.co.uk/.  February 2006 update: This does not seem to be a publisher any more. 

DIGITAL BOOKS INC-www.DigitalBooksEtc.com/.  They have closed.

DIGITAL PULP PUBLISHING-www.digitalpulppublishing.com/.  They are starting a new online bookstore with four imprints: PulpBytes for pulp fiction for the digital age; ByteZines for electronic magazines; ByteSize Pieces for young readers; and Byte-it Press for literary fiction, poetry and non fiction. They are actively looking for contributors and encourage authors to contact them. Up to 75% royalties paid quarterly, non-exclusive, for digital rights only. February 2007 update: This is an odd site, without a lot of actual information. April 2007 update: I am advised that there is information here, buried behind a very slick page design that can confuse fogies like me. The site is www.dpppress.com. "Submit a query, and if interested, we will send you a contract, and upon contract acceptance we will issue submission guidelines." That seems backwards to me, but I am surely getting too old to fathom the modern way. I think it means ask them, and if they like your project they'll send a sample contract, and if you like their contract, they will tell you exactly how to send your piece. February 2008 update: I clicked Services, and got music but no information. April 2009 update: This time I got the music, but also some information: 40% commissions, author-friendly contracts, send a query for more information.

DISKUS PUBLISHING - has moved to www.diskuspublishing.com/ . This seems to be a Romance site. No problem there; just about every novel in every genre includes a romantic element, and I understand the Romance sites tend to be more friendly to beginning writers than science fiction or fantasy sites. This lists about a dozen sub-categories of fiction, including science fiction, but wants no erotica, and has plenty of information in subsections, including guidelines for writers. It looks good to me. No writer information. February 2008 update: Still no information on terms. April 2009 update: Maybe I just don't know where to look for submissions or terms. June 2009 update: Okay, a reader told me where to find it. Upper lift side of their hope page is the question “Where would you like to go?” which when clicked delivers a dropdown menu. Go to the bottom of that to find the submission guidelines and click “Go” So I did and got the message that they are closed for submissions. No terms listed.

DISSERTATION COM - http://dissertation.com/. Dedicated to self publishing doctoral dissertations and masters theses. Electronic for $100, paperback for $199. Optional cover for $109. Author royalties are 20-40% depending on whether the sales are direct or via a bookseller. This seems worthwhile for papers that are apt to be well researched but of little commercial interest; it makes them available to whoso is interested.

DLSIJ PRESS - http://dlsijpress.com/. This has ebooks by and for women writers,- They accept only women writers and pay 40% royalties. They are not currently accepting submissions, but when they do, they want anything except hate, porn, and degradation of women. Query first.  February 2005 update: I have a bad report about their non-response to a legitimate query about a manuscript held six months. Publishers that don't respond are bad news; stay clear. Remember, if they don't respond to a submission, then there's no contract or agreement, and you can submit elsewhere with or without notice. Don't let a publisher stall you forever. One reason you don't see much of my work at the Science Fiction Book Club is because they tried that on me, and I withdrew my books, including the ones they wanted. August 2005 update: But I have a very good recent report on their professionalism and quality. February 2006 update: They are now looking for stories for an anthology. February 2007 update: They are now open for book-length manuscripts. They pay 45% net on ebooks, 11% on paperbacks, monthly via PayPal. April 2009 update: they are closed to submissions at this time.

DNOVELS - www.dnovels.com/. It appears to be out of the publishing business.

DOG EAR PUBLISHING — www.dogearpublishing.net/. A self publisher with three packages ranging from Basic at $1,099 to Masterpiece at $3,499. They believe they are the best buy for your money.

DOM BOOKS — www.dombooks.co.uk. BDSM oriented erotica. I did not find information on terms. April 2009 update: 40% royalties.

DOMHAN BOOKS - www.domhanbooks.com/index.htm. This publisher was accused of stiffing its writers on royalties, and as far as I know has not paid what it owes, but there is no inkling of that on its web site. Until that is corrected, stay clear. February 2007 update: Their site is dated October 2005.

DORRANCE PUBLISHING - www.dorrancepublishing.com/ This is a subsidy publisher. "The Dorrance name has been associated with a tradition of quality subsidy publishing since 1920." They'll send you their 32-page brochure Author's Guide to Subsidy Publishing. See also Whitmore, below. April 2009 update: Got a blank screen. June 2009 update: tried it again, got the blank screen again. But their /info.asp subdivision is there with information, so evidently they are still in business. Indeed, I have a writer report that they offered to publish her for $6,000-$10,000. You can do better elsewhere.

DOUBLE-DRAGON - http://double-dragon-ebooks.com. Publisher Deron Douglas. They are a small company composed of three people dedicated to bringing quality books to the Internet. They offer a two year contract, 30-35% royalty, paid quarterly. They also do hardcover and paperback. I have a very favorable report from one of their authors. I received a report from a writer who used this Survey to try several publishers, and in due course settled on this one, and is highly pleased. DD was quick to respond, accommodating about contract changes, and moved things along efficiently. All reports on this publisher have been favorable. They have Draco awards for unpublished or self published fiction, for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror; the annual winner in each category will be published by DOUBLE DRAGON. April 2004 update: I finally have a negative report: an author put in a huge marketing effort, resulting in very few reported sales. I recommended auditing the publisher's books, as I have a conflict of interest here. June 2004 update: it seems that all electronic sales are down, so there may be low sales at most publishers. They want no agents, and are full through 2005; currently closed to submissions. Special note: the DD response to my negative note was the most polite of those received; this is a nice publisher. August 2004 update: The Draco Awards have been canceled for 2004. It seems that there was vocal opposition to them, and they were accused of being a scam because they did not give monetary prizes. It seems a shame, but they will be back in future. October 2004 update: they have a new Romance imprint. Reports of this publisher continue very favorable. February 2005 update: They are now accepting some titles in Fantasy and Romance only. April 2005 update: another very favorable user report, this one on their Dragon Tooth fantasy imprint. February 2006 update: 2006 has been filled, but they are accepting submissions for 2007. Allow 4-6 weeks for review. Now they have large-type as an option. Sales: Can be as high as 145 downloads per title per year, average. February 2007 update: They expect to reopen submissions in the summer of 2007. They receive up to 60 submission per week and are booked up a year ahead. February 2008 update: Submissions remain closed through mid 2009, but their erotic subsidiary Carnal Desires Publishing, listed separately above, is open and eager. April 2009 update: Submissions have been closed.

DRAUMR PUBLISHING - www.draumrpublishing.com/. Currently accepting submissions in Romance, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Adventure, Suspense/Thriller, Gay/Lesbian and others. Minimum word count of 50,000, no maximum. Looking for the very best, for publication is both ebook and print formats. Their name means Dream in Norse. Their links for subsections did not work, so I couldn't check on terms. February 2006 update: I received a note from the proprietor, Robert E Allen, that now everything works. Unfortunately none of the row of pages across the top was responsive to my clicks; only the "store" connections worked. The problem remains.  April 2006 update: a reader sent me more information. They are currently seeking submissions for their Dangerous Curves imprint. Minimum word count of 45,000, no maximum. Must have big beautiful woman heroine; big handsome man hero optional. She does not lose weight to gain acceptance. February 2008 update: Now the site works for me. They are currently accepting submissions in several genres, but I did not find information on terms.

DREAMS COME TRUE PRESS - www.dreamscometruepress.com/. A self publisher offering a basic service package for $350, plus custom cover design for $250, hardcover edition for $295, copyright registration for $100, and copyediting for one and a half cents per word. April 2009 update: The site was so slow loading that I gave up after several minutes of nothing plus a blowout of my browser, twice. It was more like a nightmare than a dream. une 2009 update: I tried it on Windows and it worked okay.

DREAMS UNLIMITED - www.dreams-unlimited.com/. I liked this publisher, but apparently it has gone out of business.

DROLLERIE PRESS - www.drolleriepress.com/. I heard from Deena Fisher, the Publisher. They plan to list their catalog beginning in August 2007 and are currently seeking new and previously published authors of all lengths. Especially interested in "transformative" fiction, including supernatural, myth, legend, and new or re-written fairy tales in any place or time. Erotic content is encouraged but not required. February 2008 update: They are currently accepting pieces ranging from 5,000 to 85,000 or more words, but a recent influx of submissions has backlogged them: allow 8-12 weeks for a response, though they do acknowledge receipt within 24 hours. They accept about 5% of submissions. April 2009 update: They are open for submissions.

DUFFIE BOOKS - www.duffiebooks.com/. This is a small Canadian publisher looking for travel guides and how-to-travel books. I did not find information on terms, but have a positive report from an author. April 2009 update: They are open for submissions, especially from women who like to travel.

EARTHLING PRESS - This is the print-on-Demand imprint for Awe-Struck E-Books. April 2009 update: Since Awe-Struck has been acquired by Mundania, this imprint may fade out, or be adapted; it is presently inactive.

EASTGATE SYSTEMS INC - www.eastgate.com/. This claims to be the primary source for hypertext, which is not like ordinary page at a time material; it uses links to create multiple paths through a document. Their books cost about $20-$25, being more complicated than conventional texts. They purchase exclusive world rights for hypertext, pay advances, and report in 4-6 weeks. Send material to their snail address on a disk. Royalties are typically 15%, and they pay up to $300 for works published in their Web zine.

EBOOK4KIDS - www.ebook4kids.com. A publisher of children's books. 50% royalties. I am not clear whether this is a self publisher. October 2006 update: They seem to have disappeared. Note that there is a different publisher with a similar name, ebooks4kids.org, which see, in the Services section.  June 2009 update: see the next entry.

EBOOK4KIDS — www.ebooks4kids.com. I received notice that this has come into existence, registered in London. It is an independent publishing company for children's multimedia picture books. They are currently accepting submissions.

EBOOKAD - www.ebookad.com/. October 2006 update: bankrupt. 

EBOOKMALL - www.ebookmall.com/. This is a big book store, but also a publisher. It charges a one-time $19.95 listing fee per title, and pays 50% commissions, quarterly. An author's report says they are friendly and competent. April 2009 update (posted in June, because the HiPiers web underling forgot to add it in April): They have a huge number of titles for sale. I found 11 different Anthonys, and they had 28 of my books from assorted publishers. How many copies of each author's books sell I can't say.

EBOOKSEBOOKS - www.ebooksebooks.com/. Gone.

EBOOKOMATIC - www.EbookoMatic.com/. "Join EbookoMatic today, and within minutes of joining you'll be creating secure ebooks, designing your own promotional Author's Page, writing your own customized press releases with our Online Press Release Generator, and distributing them with your personalized 'Ebook4Sale.com' email address. Best of all, you retain all of your rights and keep a whopping 75% (less transaction fees) of all ebook sales!" It costs $147 to join, and you get $500 worth in bonuses. This seems to offer a lot for a little, but you do most of the work yourself. I'll appreciate feedback from writers who use this service. Publisher tells me they do offer it, and next time I took the "skip intro" option and got their site. April 2009 update: They say that since 2001 they have published over 1,000 authors and 500 ebooks. That's half an ebook per author, on average.

EBOOK PUBLISHING - www.ebookpublishing.us.   They offer a 50-50 split of net money.
They pay 50% of the net profits to the author, and 10% to the illustrator, if one is used, reducing the author's share to 40%. February 2005 update: Their site is there, but seems largely nonresponsive; I'm not sure they remain in active business. April 2006 update: the site remains, but without much information, and their FAQ (frequently asked questions) section is empty. I'd be cautious. April 2009 update: Now their FAQ section works, and other sections.

EBOOKS - www.ebooks.com/. "An Australian company with a global focus; they deal in U.S. dollars. Business, travel, general reference, computing, and popular fiction from traditional publishers. So they deal with publishers rather than individual authors. They are retailers; they obtain their books from traditional publishers.

EBOOKS LIBRARY - www.eBooks-Library.com/.  Publisher and distributor. For $30 a year you can check their 3400 book library, and download and read whatever you want without further charge. They also publish a few books, but I did not find information on terms. April 2005 correction: the price is £30, not $30, or about $57. The managing editor tells me that they now have a sample author contract online, but I was unable to find it. June 2005 update: He returned to point out that this information is accessible from the first page of their site, duh. So I checked and it is. They pay 80% of revenues for exclusive material, or 60% for non-exclusive, within 40 days. Either party may terminate the Agreement at any time with or without cause by written notice. So you sure aren't locked in.

EBOOKS ON THE NET - www.ebooksonthe.net/. They take one-time non-exclusive rights, and copyright the one-time edition, not the work itself. Authors retain all rights to the original work and may cancel with a 30 day notice. There are no fees, books are proofread and edited, and the authors get galleys. Royalties are 40% of sales price or whatever price the publisher receives after discounts to libraries and bookstores, paid quarterly. This publisher has had a troubled history, but has been trying to straighten out. February 2005 update: Submissions are closed because of overload, but you may query anytime. April 2006 update: they have expanded into print. October 2006 update: a very favorable report from an author. Prompt responses to queries, good review process, and a joy to work with. April 2008 update: I got the Page Cannot be Found message. April 2009 update: The link becomes www.writewordsinc.com/. I did not find submission information.

EBOOKSTAND - http://ebookstand.com. An Internet-based, pay-per-service book printer that can handle books from any country in any language. They will give you a home page and list your book. You get 30% of a hard copy sale and 50% of an esale. There is a one-time setup fee of $249. They seem to have a positive reputation. October 2004 update: Now they have a graduated list of prices, depending on book size. August 2005 update: because they do have a full-fledged self publishing service, I'm moving them to the Publishing Section. February 2007 update: Now they have an assortment of packages ranging from $449 to $929. April 2008 update: They are now BOOKSTAND PUBLISHING, with similar terms.

E-BOOKTIME - http://www.e-booktime.com/. This is a straight self-publisher charging fees similar to other self publishers: $395-$695 depending on how much you want, with royalties of 30% on paperback copies sold via their store, 15% if sold via other outlets. 75% for ebooks, paid monthly. It seems straightforward. 

eBooks2Go - see Virtual Publishing Group

EBOOX - www.eboox.co.uk/. Gone.

eBrandedBooks - www.ebrandedbooks.com/.  February 2004 Update: this seems to have become a search site.

ECHELON PRESS - www.echelonpress.com. This has the Preditors & Editors Top Ten Finalist stamp, which suggests it's okay. Both print and electronic formats--first they do electronic, then print on demand or even straight print publishing if that seems warranted. They want both readers and writers to have a good experience. They have a number of imprints for Adventure/Thriller, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense, General, Paranormal, Romance, Ultra Sensual (I tried to click on that to find out just what it was, but it wasn't a link; I presume it is sexy Romance), Nonfiction, Young Adult, Western. They are currently accepting submissions in all their categories, but they do not accept submissions via email. Send hard copy of the first three chapters, plus a 3.5 inch disk with the full manuscript. Interestingly, they don't want standard Courier, but Times New Roman font. Stories of 6,000 or more words, up to novels of 100,000 words, originals and reprints. 50% royalties for downloads, 30% for everything else. They take short stories too, for their Dollar Download program, 20,000 words or less. Author gets .50 of every sale. I heard from a very satisfied author. Submissions are now open, but query first. February 2005 update: They are now accepting submissions in only General Fiction/Women's Fiction/Chick Lit, and Young Adult Mystery. August 2005 update: But unfortunately they seem to have taken a turn for the worse, becoming nonresponsive to legitimate queries. That's a bad sign. February 2006 update: More bad news about late releases, untimely editing, and nonresponse to authors. It seems they push marketing "opportunities" that cost the author money but do not necessarily deliver any sales. They are coming across like a vanity press. February 2007 update: All titles for paperback publication are acquired by invitation only. Others are deleted unread. April 2007 update: a favorable report. They are not vanity and don't force any paid endeavors, though sales are low. April 2008 update: They are accepting queries in all genres for ebook publication only. Their acquisitions for print publication are still by invitation only. You have to know someone to get a referral.

ECONOMICAL SELF PUBLISHING - http://economical-self-publishing.com/. The ESP SmartPub package is $187. it seems to be a low-cost aspect of We-Publish.com, run by the same people. They say they can have your manuscript ready in electronic format in three days for corrections, and your book will be published within a month. You get two physical copies, an ecopy, and more.

EDIT INK - Avoid. I have seen published articles about the nefarious deeds of the this outfit.

E-DITION - www.e-dition.net. Owned and operated by Bernard Limoges, said to be brilliant and quirky. It says it has the world's largest online library, 400,000 titles. But I did not find any terms for writers. February 2005 update: They now accept only works that can be used as reference tools, such as dictionaries or handbooks, and are dedicated to education.

EGGPLANT PRODUCTIONS - www.eggplant-productions.com/.  February 2006 update: Out of business. 

ELECTRIC BOOKWORM PUBLISHING - www.electric-bookworm.bigstep.com/.  Gone.

ELECTRIC EBOOK PUBLISHING - www.electricebookpublishing.com. December 2005 update: this publisher is essentially dead, with large debts and no assets.

ELECTRIC STORY - www.electricstory.com/. They are looking for fantasy and science fiction, also mainstream, young adult, and mystery. They hope to set the industry's top standards for epblishing. 50% net royalty (that translates to half the profits, a much smaller figure than half the cover price) for the lease of exclusive worldwide e-rights for three years, renewable. They seek books of 50,000 to 90,000 words and up. They publish in copy-protected formats. They pay "competitive advances," which means they're going after professional writers; my guess is that aspiring writers will not readily crack this market. Articles, some of which are so full of themselves I got disgusted; but read them for yourself, because there are things there to be learned, if only what to avoid. For submissions click "About Electric Story" then "Submission information." Send a brief personal query; if they are interested, they'll give you more detailed submission instructions. April 2004 update: They are closed to submissions until summer. February 2005 update: This time I couldn't find anything about submissions. February 2007 update: They say they don't do any vanity publishing, and to query them about publication of your fantasy, science fiction, or horror book. April 2008 update: now under Submissions it says Submissions (page is coming). Okay, I'll wait. April 2009 update: I'm still waiting for their submissions page to come.

ELECTRIC WORKS PUBLISHING - www.electricpublishing.com. February 2005 update: gone.

ELECTRON PRESS - www.electronpress.com/. This publisher hopes to make the quality of writing, rather than its commercial potential, the key factor in selecting manuscripts for publication, to keep books "in print" forever, and generally open up the system. It feels that by the end of the year there will be ten million PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) in use, such as the Palm Pilot, and as the technology improves to make them more readable, more people will use them and come to prefer them. "Electron Press is unalterably opposed to the closed architecture, proprietary publishing schemes and high book prices that appear to be the core principles of the dedicated ebook device companies." But I wasn't able to ascertain the terms offered writers. They say they pay "substantial" royalties. August 2004 update: The site does not appear to have been updated since July 2003, so this publisher may be inactive. February 2007 update: No, it remains in business. April 2008 update: Query them, and if they are interested they will ask for more, and if they like it will pay “substantial royalties.” Apparently you will have to be accepted before you actually learn what their terms are.

ELLORA'S CAVE - www.ellorascave.com/. "Romantica" which seems to be very graphic erotic romances for women, but no pedophilia, bodily functions, necrophilia or bestiality. 40% royalties. I did not find other terms listed, but have a very favorable report from more than one of their authors; it seems they pay monthly and on time. They are now expanding into print as well as electronic publication. They receive 100,000 hits daily and regard themselves as THE place to be for erotic romance. So this would seem to be a top choice for sexy romance. I met and chatted with some of their personnel at EPICon; they seem like nice folk. Their acceptance rate is 4-5%, which means one out of 20-25 manuscripts. They believe they do as well for their authors as any electronic publisher. They describe five levels of eroticism, so it seems you can choose your type. Their hardest erotic is the main seller. But they do have limits, so check their requirements. June 2004 update: But now I have a report of extremely arrogant behavior by one of their editors. October 2005 update: I saw a TV interview with them, where they said they now do $11 million business a year. It seems there's gold in the hot stuff. June 2006 update: Another negative report of bad editing and bounced checks. That's mischief. I suspect they got too big too soon and are losing their grip. August 2006 update: I have a very favorable report on them from a mid-list author: contract negotiations are swift and civil, editing timely, phenomenal cover art, and royalties paid on time.  October 2006 update: I have a report that their contract boilerplate asks for lifetime all rights. This is a Grab, but may be worth it considering their sales.  February 2007 update: They say they are always open to submissions in all their genres, plus a number of special projects. June 2007 update: sales of 400 or more books per release are reported. December 2007 update: they will no longer accept historicals, and I am told they are yanking them from their lineup. February 2008 update: A refutation from the publisher; they are still publishing historicals. They have yanked some when unsatisfied with their standards. Okay, here is my problem: I have evidence this is not the whole truth, but can't run it because of the threat of retaliation against the authors. At such time as this changes, I will have more to say; I do not like seeing authors get pushed around. I have another report of phenomenal sales. In sum: this is a top publisher, but it plays hardball against those it wrongs. April 2008 update: this time I looked up their definition of Romantica, and I recommend their discussion of it to aspiring writers in this genre. But one thing would help: how about spelling out exactly what terminology will do for what heat level? Where do you say “love channel” “cleft” “vagina” or “cunt”? “Masculinity” “member” “penis” or “cock”? “Love” “sex” “intercourse” or “fuck”? Some straight lists of words should help. I speak as one who has used all terms, but prefers to avoid extremes of political correctness or gutter talk. Meanwhile they remain open for submissions in all their genres. June 2008 update: A report of slow response to submissions, such as a year or more. Queries can be ignored. So they may be always open to submissions, but in practice they might as well be closed. February 2009 update: I was sent a link to a site called Mrsgiggles.com that has a January 11, 2009, discussion of this publisher's problem with an author. Something about auctioning off rights without telling the author. (My printout cut off the right end of each line, so I don't have the whole story.) Also a link to Dear Author discussing how EC is suing Borders for $1 million, because Borders ordered more books than it planned to sell and EC is stuck with heavy returns. This is no laughing matter. I can say from my involvement with Xlibris that Borders can be a bitch to deal with; Xlibris had to get out and cut its losses before the ruinous expense made it founder. I suspect EC may have to do the same. Borders is fading and may go out of business within a year. April 2009 update: I was asked to consider this issue more carefully, as my prior discussion was inadequate. I don't feel this is the place for a comprehensive discussion, but will say that Ellora's Cave does seem to have acted somewhat arbitrarily and caused the author needless mischief. This is what traditional print publishers do. There's a certain irony that at the same time, EC is suing a traditional publishing bookseller for doing something similar to EC. I guess you see it differently when you're on the receiving end. They remain open for submissions.

EMBIID PUBLISHING - www.embiid.net/. October 2006 update: they have folded. 

ENCHANTED RAMBLINGS - www.enchantedramblings.net/. This is a quarterly e-zine, published January, April, July, and November. They do book reviews, author interviews, and discussion topics for readers and writers. April 2008 update: They are open for submissions, especially with Historical themes, but one thing gives me pause: their submission deadline is December 15, 2006. Are they currently active? April 2009 update: gone.

eNOVEL.COM - enovel.com. Update: They have folded, apparently without paying their authors. They say that fraudulent book orders did them in. They have released authors from their contracts.

ENSPIREN - www.enspirenpress.com/. A new Canadian small press doing electronic, print and audio editions in a number of genres, including fantasy and romance. Their site also lists hypnotherapy, meditation, and self-hypnosis, and has many alternative health and healing, fitness, and spirituality listings. There was some concern that they charge for some aspects, but they do not; the confusion was that if an author fails to present a clean manuscript after three tries, then there is the option of hiring a pro editor. This seems reasonable to me, though the publisher says it never actually comes to that. They follow their standards, and authors who can't or won't match them will have a problem. This, again, is tough but fair. They copyright in Canada; if an author wants it registered as USA, then the author pays for that. Again, it makes sense. Six week reporting time on submissions. Royalties are 15% of net. I do have a negative report of bad editing, which seems to me more like a series of bad breaks than publisher malfeasance.

EPRESS ONLINE - www.epress-online.com/.   "Publishing by Writopia, Inc." They have a sample contract, which takes electronic rights for two years, 30-40% royalties depending on sales, and has an audit clause. They are looking for general fiction, mystery, science fiction, and fantasy, 50,000 to 150,000 words. February 2006 update: I am told they do not reply as their mailbox is full.  April 2006 update: Here is the note I received from them. We had trouble copying the long technical addresses, so I'm pasting it both in the contracted and expanded form, trusting that one will work:
I am the Acquisitions/Personnel Director at ePress-online.com. I understand that you were told we are not answering mail because our mailbox is full. We had a huge problem with spam at our info@epree-online.com mail box and some type of Trojan virus destroyed much of our site. We are currently redoing the site and have added two new mail boxes: questions@epress-online.com, for anyone with a question on our policies, procedures, or any other part of our business and queries@epress-online.com, for queries of non-fiction books relating to the art of writing. Our submissions mailbox submissions@epress-online.com is working fine to the best of my knowledge.
Or:
I am the Acquisitions/Personnel Director at ePress-online.com. I understand that you were told we are not answering mail because our mailbox is full. We had a huge problem with spam at our info@epree-online.com mail box and some type of Trojan virus destroyed much of our site. We are currently redoing the site and have added two new mail boxes: questions@epress-online.com, for anyone with a question on our policies, procedures, or any other part of our business and queries@epress-online.com, for queries of non-fiction books relating to the art of writing. Our submissions mailbox submissions@epress-online.com is working fine to the best of my knowledge.  August 2007 update: They clarify the Fictionwise charges, which are 50% of what the books sells for, plus a $15 conversion change to convert it to ten formats. 

EQUILIBRIUM BOOKS - www.equilibriumbooks.com/. Australian publisher open worldwide, but submission must be written in English. Looking for quality original works in all genres except pornography or hate, but specializing in speculative fiction--Science Fiction, Fantasy, etc. Two year non-exclusive contract for electronic rights. Royalties are 50% of net--that is, how much they get. Lengths from 15,000 to 180,000 words for print publishing (longer works become multiple volumes), 5,000 words up for electronic. Charges of $39 up for electronic, $179 up print, Australian dollars.April 2006 update: Royalties are now 13.5% of the actual sale price of the book. April 2008 update: They now have a POD special: $149 Australian for 50-250 pages. April 2009 update: they are currently open to submissions. They no longer produce ebooks, just POD books.

EQUILLBOOKS - http://equillbooks.com. They offer free manuscript conversion, authors' websites, Equill email addresses, along with a written critique of the author's work during their first month of business, ending September 1, 2007. Thereafter their rates will be among the lowest in the industry. October 2007 update: Now they are a small publishing house. They are open for submissions. They charge $35 to convert your manuscript, and give a 50-50 split on ebook sales. April 2009 update: now it says “Reviewing the best and worst of all genres of business books.” Apparently they no longer publish.

ERIDIAN PUBLISHING - www.eridianpublishing.com. April 2004 update: couldn't reach them.

EROTIC TRAVEL TALES 3 - WordDabbler@yahoo.com. This is an international anthology of location-based erotica now looking for submissions; you have to contact them via their email address. February 2008 update: This is long since out of date; they are no longer looking.

E-SAC - www.e-sac.com/. 2003 UPDATE: Gone.

ETERNAL PRESS - http://eternalpress.com.au/. New Australian publisher. They have all subgenres of Romance, Westerns, Sci-fi, Paranormal, Historical, Suspense, Horror, Mystery, Gay, Erotica, Romantic Suspense, Women's Fiction, Self Help, Cookbooks. No poetry or Young adult. 65,000 to 105,000 words, and stories 5,000-6,500 words. They are electronic, but later may do POD with a one time printer set-up fee. Royalties 35% for ebook, 10% POD. I have a favorable report on them. April 2008 update: They are remodeling and moving, but remain in business. April 2009 update: Server Not Found.

EWANSTON PUBLISHING INC - www.evanstonpublishing.com/. A self publisher. Their fees depend on the services rendered, with printing varying with the size of the book and the number of copies: the more you have, the lower the price per copy. But they're talking about print runs of 1,000 copies or more. Self published books seldom sell anywhere near that many.

EXCESSICA - www.eXcessica.com. “We're a partnership publisher who works on a load-sharing/balancing principle to keep our costs negligible.” They say that if you have written an intense story that was both too short to publish and too powerful to forget, this anthology may be the place. No subject is off limits. The emphasis is on brief, generally 1,000-3,000 word compelling, focused stories. “We challenge you to impress us.” It is an electronic anthology. The authors retain their rights. I'm not clear on the submission deadline, but probably you should get on it soon. August 2008 update: Correction: eXcessica is the regular erotic publisher, while their anthology is Focus. So there would be no deadline for the former. December 2008 update: Further clarification: they are a full-range erotic publisher, with books up to 200,000 words. I have a favorable report on their treatment of authors. February 2009 update: I have now done business with them, and found them easy to work with, in fact quite helpful. June 2009 update: I was asked how they make money, if they don't take any from royalties or charge fees. That stumped me. Maybe they make it from their anthologies.

EXTASY BOOKS - www.extasybooks.com/. This is an adult site, publishing sexy books. They have good guidelines for the writing of effective erotic fiction, but I couldn't find any terms for authors listed. They have a sample contract, taking virtually all electronic rights and trade paperback rights, in English. Here is one interesting clause: "Upon the author receiving an offer from a traditional publisher, eXtasy Books shall relinquish all rights to the contents of the book and act as agent on the author's behalf during this transaction." They'll take a 20% commission on the advance. Okay, this is high; 15% is standard, and old-timers like me pay 10%. But this includes the relinquishing of eXtasy's rights, so seems fair. Assuming they are competent at agenting, this is a very nice service for an unagented author.  October 2006 update: belay that; Tina Haveman has taken personal charge and is getting it straightened out. She has also paid royalties that the bankruptcy of eBookAd prevented her from receiving. So while controversy remains, this publisher is viable. See my extended discussion in the October hipiers.com column in another section of this site. One report is that royalties are around $200 per title per year. February 2007 update: They are currently accepting submissions in all the sub-genres, and are interested in all heat levels. 'If it's outside the box, feel free to send it.' Except for the usual restrictions. Royalties are 40% of cover price, and 35% for third party sellers. Their contract is for ebook only; if a book goes to print, they will offer a new contract. Their contracts is for three years. All backlist titles have been published. And some authors receive five figure royalties per year. June 2008 update: A very positive report on their professionalism. October 2008 update: Another positive report: they are prompt and polite. April 2009 update: Open for submissions for a brief period.

FAIRGO E-BOOKS - www.angelfire.com/electronic/fairgoebooks/. They have suspended new book submissions, due to low sales. That will change at such time as sales improve. April 2007 update: their submission requirements merely ask for corect spelling and grammar, with word wrapping, and a copy of their contract. Except that it is still just the notice that they have suspended new submissions. That notice is dated October 2, 2003. This is not a good sign.

FAMOUS HISTORICAL CHARACTERS ANTHOLOGY - www.worddabbler.com/. This was a one-shot anthology of erotica featuring famous historical characters from Cleopatra to Elvis. Their deadline is past, and they are gone.

FATBRAIN - www.fatbrain.com/ematter/. Mightywords now out of business. The site has been taken over by Barnes & Noble.

FAT CAT PRESS - www.fatcatpress.com/. They are looking for original works in electronic format: travel, murder mysteries and suspense (especially historical), science fiction, nontraditional fantasy, Buddhist studies, and technology, but no Romance or Horror/Gothic. Royalties are 50% of net once they get established; initially 20%, paid quarterly. 20,000 to 80,000 words. They have a sample contract, and it has an audit clause. April 2006 update: They do not work with agents. That's odd, because agents generally know what they're doing, and protect the interests of writers. April 2008 update: Their main announcement is for Early Fall 2007. Are they falling behind? April 2009 update: They have closed.

FICTION FOREST - www.fictionforest.com. Now out of business. Web site remains, but they are no longer publishing. Just a notice on the proprietor's experience. Update: and it's gone.

FICTIONWISE - www.fictionwise.com/. This site sets a cookie. They seek high quality reprint stories and novels in all genres, and are looking for established authors and award winners. They pay advances. This means that the novice writer is unlikely to be welcomed here. They have many science fiction and fantasy name authors. Their contracts vary, depending on the clout of the author; typically 30% royalties on gross sales (that's good) for exclusive erights for five years, renewable. Do not send them material; query first. They say they sell 10,000 ebooks a month. They list about 300 authors, and says they like to take packages of 10 books, so they may have 3,000 titles. That would be about 3 sales a month per title. Still, it's impressive. The science fiction/fantasy genre is damn well represented. But they don't buy original works.UPDATE: Suddenly Xanth is there; I had to learn it from readers, as the publishers didn't bother to tell me. That's par for the course; the author is generally at the bottom of the totem. So maybe now I'll be able to verify directly how well books actually sell here. April 2004 update: I like their color bar reader rating system; reader ratings can be more accurate than formal reviews.  April 2006 update: Now they are selling more than 40,000 books a month. August 2007 update: I learn from another source that their charges are 50% of the actual sale price of a book, plus a $15 one-time charge to convert it to ten formats. It seems to be worth it, for the increased sales generated. 

1STBOOKS - www.1stbooks.com. April 2004 update: they have now become Authorhouse, and their site takes you there.

FIRST PUBLISH - www.firstpublish.com. Gone.

1ST WORLD LIBRARY - www.1stworldlibrary.com/.  An author-services book publishing company dedicated to helping authors get their manuscripts into publication. That is, a self publisher. It can cost you as little as $5000. Unfortunately I have a very bad report on them, and it is said that the man in charge is vindictive toward any who try to blow the whistle. Fair warning. April 2008 update: Among their titles are The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and Animal Farm by George Orwell. Great novels, but not exactly current.

FICTION WORKS - see THE FICTION WORKS

FIVE STAR - http://www.gale.cengage.com/fivestar/. This is a traditional publisher specializing in library editions, some large print; in fact they are thought to do about 80% of all large print editions. I'm listing it because I received a query about it. They publish some original Romance, but it seems low on their list. They may take a large bite out of royalties for book packaging.

FLASHING SWORDS - http://flashingswords.sfreader.com. This is a Sword and Sorcery magazine, open for submissions of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction articles or essays in several categories, including Heroic Fantasy and Historical Adventure. They are not thrilled by tales where 90% of the story is about two guys killing each other, or killing a monster, even to save a helpless female. Translation: they want real stories rather than junk. They pay $5 for stories under 500 words, and one cent per word for longer pieces, up to a maximum of $60. For poetry it's $5 per 15 lines. They take non-exclusive rights, which means you can also publish it elsewhere; that's nice. They try to respond within a day or three. April 2008 update: Now they have at least one book for sale, as well as issues of the magazine.

FLYING PEN PRESS - www.flyingpenpress.com/. A new publisher with big ambitions. "We are taking on the world of book publishing with a fresh new attitude, and we intend to define the way books are published in the Twenty-First Century." They are interested in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, poker, and role-playing game books. An early report is that they are good to work with, but sales are not high. April 2009 update: As of January 1, 2009, they have a new office and mailing address, but their site remains the same. They remain open for submissions, with a minimum length of 65,000 words.

FORBIDDEN PASSION PRESS—www.Forbiddenpassionpress.com/. They are open for submissions in “forbidden” romance genres, particularly menage, BDSM, homoerotic, and capture/abduction stories. Sex scenes must sizzle, be explicit, use adult language and leave nothing to the imagination. Settings can be any type as long as there is a strong romance oriented plot and a satisfying conclusion. They prefer books of 40,000-60,000 words, but will consider 20,000 words beyond that, either way. They don't accept f/f. That is , female-female. I did not find information on terms.

FORBIDDEN PUBLICATIONS - www.forbiddenpublications.com/. April 2009 update: They are closing as of March 30, 2009.

FOREMOST PRESS - foremostpress.com/.  A self publisher. December 2005 update: they have taken over Action Tales, which no longer functions on its own. They are open to all genres and nonfiction. Authors retain all rights. The set-up fee of $347 covers light editing, typesetting, PDF version, four web pages on their site, 10 complimentary copies, and more. Author's cost for printed copies is 50% of the retail price. The cost of a book is determined by the number of pages. Royalties of 20% on hard copies, 10% on wholesale orders via a bookstore. On electronic sales they take $.97 as the transaction cost, then split the balance 50-50. April 2009 update: Their Plan B is $197, but there are additional costs, depending.

FREE FICTION - see Services section

FREELANCE EPUBLISHING - www.freelanceepublishing.com/. This is a new online publisher expecting to open in mid July 2007, in time going to POD as well. Open to all types, but not pedophilia, bestiality, rape, or racism; otherwise it will be fairly liberal. No fees, no long-term contracts. Royalties are 25% of the gross for nonexclusive publishing, and 50% for exclusive; authors can switch at any time. Authors can withdraw their work on 5 days notice. So if you want your work to appear without being locked in, this would seem to be the place. April 2008 update: This sort of information is available elsewhere, but still I find it interesting to read here that Stephen King's first novel Carrie was rejected 30 times, Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind 38 times, and Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull 140 times. Of course that doesn't mean that this publisher will put you into their orbits, but it is true that traditional print publishers can come across like idiots. December 2008 update: an author got a request for his manuscript, sent it, and never heard from them again. Beware.

FREYA'S BOWER-the Romance branch of Wild Child Publishing. They publish erotica and romantica. Cross-genre experiments and short story collections are welcome. 40% royalties on electronic formats, or 10% of the print price. No porn, hatred, excessive profanity, bestiality, feces, rape, necrophilia, etc. Beware of words like "cunt."  June 2007 update: A very favorable report an their friendliness, competence, and quality of books.  October 2007 update: this publisher is a member of EPIC, but their contract does not follow the EPIC model. No author in his/her right mind should sign it without significantly revising it to conform to professional standards. It Grabs too much, requiring the author to get the publisher's permission before getting it print published elsewhere, even if Freya's isn't print publishing it. If the publisher loses the author's address, the author forfeits any accrued money due. (Actually it says if the author fails to notify publisher of a change in address, but how can the author prove the notice was sent if the publisher shreds it? I speak as one who has suffered this sort of thing in print publishing, elsewhere.) The money should be held in escrow until the author or author's heir claims it. It says there has to be a minimum of $25 owing before the royalties are paid. This is actually reasonable and standard practice, but there needs to be another sentence, establishing that this can't continue indefinitely. Again I speak as one who got ripped off by falsified accounts, and couldn't prove statements were wrong short of legal action (which I did take) because no statements had to be sent if no royalties were owing. Catch 22. Publisher reserves the right to terminate the contract at any time, no reason given. Okay, better give the author a similar right. This contract also lacks a license-that is, a term limit after which the author can automatically revert the rights, and an audit clause. Without an audit clause the author can't prove the statements are fishy. This is not to say this is a bad publisher, just that it has a bear-trap contract it needs to reform retroactively. December 2007 update: And I heard from the publisher. They have revised their contract, improving things, though it remains a tough one. Actually, they feel it is not tough but fair. They are adding an audit clause and deleting audio book rights. They do have a two year license; I missed it when I read their contract. If a question comes up, they will fix it immediately, so an audit would not be necessary. Thus my concerns have been addressed, and this publisher looks good. June 2009 update: I have a report of very low reported sales, with a suspicion of double bookkeeping. That is, one set of figures for internal accounts, a lower set to the authors. No proof, just the suspicion. Any author who suspects such a thing should require an audit, which should settle the matter. Just be aware that a competent audit can be expensive, and will as likely vindicate the publisher as prove cheating.

GARDENIA PRESS - www.gardeniapress.com. February 2005 update: They have closed the company.

GLB PUBLISHERS - www.glbpubs.com. They say they are probably the largest e-publisher for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. They have many download formats, and many Print-On-Demand books as well. Royalties are 50%. This is a "cooperative publisher," meaning that the author shares the cost of publication for a higher royalty rate. Initial fee of $500, plus $50 per hour to integrate new elements. $350 for final stages. Thus you can publish for $850 or more, depending. See also MOONLITBOOKS for gay/lesbian markets. UPDATE: They also do "Personal publishing" for writers who aren't necessarily trying to sell copies, but just want their book published their way. To me their name sounds like the sound of a bubble in a bathtub, but if I had material of their type to publish, I'd be very interested. April 2008 update: Lengths range from 60,000 to 120,000 words for printed books, and 5,000-7,500 for stories.

GLOBAL BOOK PUBLISHER - www.GlobalBookPublisher.com.  The proprietors of the Booksurge complex, including Great Unpublished, Imprint, and others. April 2007 update: I got a "Page cannot be found" message.

GOLDEN PILLAR PUBLISHING - www.goldenpillarpublishing.com. A PC MAGAZINE article rated them 2 on a scale of 5 for self publishers. A self publisher offering publishing packages Bronze for $500, Silver for $1500, and Gold for $3500, and a variety of professional design services. So it's not cheap, but they're upfront about it. Royalties range from 70% to 90% of the gross profit and you get 12 to 48 copies of your book, depending on the package. April 2008 update: I got this message: “You tried to access a document for which you don't have privileges.” April 2009 update: The site remains forbidden. My guess is that they folded.

GOODFELLOW PRESS —I don't have a site address. I list it only because I received a report from an author who felt that this purported publisher ripped her off for expensive and apparently useless editing. Be wary.

GOOSE RIVER PRESS - www.gooseriverpress.com.    "A traditional full-service publishing house" that also does self publishing. February 2005 update: They are now seeking manuscripts including but not limited to poetry, novels, short stories, juvenile, spiritual, and self-help; no erotica or occult. April 2008 update: they have a $30 reading fee.

GRACE PUBLISHING - An imprint of Unique Enterprises, about which I have a bad report. October 2008 update: I have a report that they will publish no new material.

GREAT AUTHORS ONLINE - http://greatauthorsonline.com/.  This is a new small startup publisher without pretensions. They specialize in science fiction, not fantasy, for a primarily young male audience. They hope to publish 20 hardcover books this year, but are having trouble finding suitable material. 80% of their sales are electronic. They pay half the net income from publishing. They accept manuscripts in Word and OpenOffice. Novels 90-120,000 words, and 50,000 word e-book stories.  October 2006 update: a somewhat cynical comment from someone doing research on publishers, who notes that the free download ebooks look to be mostly works in progress, some self published previously at Authorhouse. "There appears to be no editorial process, no mention of contract terms, no promotion of any kind to spur sales."   June 2007 update: another report of somewhat sloppy handling. It seems they don't use a contract, depending on mutual trust. This isn't good; trustworthy people can still forget details.

GREAT UN PUBLISHED - www.greatunpublished.com. April 2004 update: they are now listed as part of the BookSurge complex. June 2004 Update: I have a savagely negative report: an author bought copies of his own books through friends (so it wasn't evident he was buying them himself) and the sales were not listed. There is also a report that another author flat-out accused them of being thieves. Beware; the indication is that they are consciously dishonest, and that makes their listed terms worthless. And now this site is gone.   February 2005 update: the link leads directly to BookSurge. April 2009 update: Gone again.

GRIFFITH PUBLISHING - http://hodi.com/. I was told this is a self publisher with a wealth of detail, but the link took me to other territory and I never found a publisher. Update: a reader located a different address for it, and this one works. But to get their information you need to call their 800 number or send an email.

HALCYON MAGAZINE - www.halcyonmagazine.com.    August 2007 update: it is now a parked domain.  April 2009 update: And now an extreme sports site.

HARD SHELL WORD FACTORY - www.hardshell.com/. This is run by Mary Wolf, whose survey of Internet Publishers is in the Services section, at MARY WOLF'S GUIDE TO ELECTRONIC PUBLISHERS. There are now 8 editors there, making this a heavyweight operation as Internet publishers go. Hard Shell covers several genres, including Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Western, Historical, Children's, and shows the covers. It gives author guidelines and other information, and seems like a good site. The sample contract takes electronic rights for one year from publication, gives 30% royalties depending on type of publication, and there is an Audit clause. Always seek such a clause, anywhere. UPDATE: but they are not currently accepting submissions. April 2004 update: they had hoped to reopen submissions early in 2004, but have not yet done so. April 2005 update: they still seem to be closed to submissions. April 2006 update: They are now accepting submissions for their four volume Chronicles of Egypt anthology: one volume each for Horror, Mystery, Romance, and science fiction. Um, correction: because I review these sites once a year, I am behind the times; the deadlines for Horror and Romance have passed, but you can still catch the others. They want 25,000 word novellas. Check their site for specifics. They bremain closed to regular submissions. April 2007 update: That Chronicles of Egypt anthology remains listed, though all its publication deadlines are past. This is not promising. But they still hope to reopen regular submissions soon. June 2007 update: a report of problems galore. "Too bad because it used to be THE epub." April 2008 update: They are currently closed to submissions except from currently contracted authors. April 2009 update: still closed.

HEATWAVE - www.heatwaveromance.com./. June 2006 update: Heatwave is closing on June 30. April 2008 update: But the site remains, with a lovely picture.

HEARTS ON FIRE BOOKS - www.heartsonfirebooks.com/. This is a new publisher, starting in May 2008. Currently accepting submissions in Romance and most other genres, including Erotica, Paranormal, Action/Adventure/Mystery, Western, and Historical. 40% royalties on all sales. Strictly electronic, no print editions. Proprietor Melissa Miller writes “I think that there are a lot of people out there that have a great story to tell, but they can't get them published because most publishers are very strict.” She expects to be more laid back but still wants good writing. Looks promising, but there's no track record yet. December 2008 update: The owner reports that they are growing every day, and the old site could not adequately handle it. The new site can do it. They changed their name slightly. They now do print as well as ebook. Their top print seller for the first week was 21 copies, and 14 for the second place seller, and four other authors selling 3 each. The first week? I would call this an explosive expansion. June 2009 update: I have a note from a satisfied author who definitely recommends this publisher.

HELIOGRAPHICA - www.heliographica.com. April 2007 update: They closed operations in 2006.

HIGHLAND PRESS - http://www.highlandpress.org/. The site was slow loading, with a beautiful picture of a Highlands Castle, and I gave up waiting after 12 minutes with only partial information. Romance, Historical, Contemporary, Fantasy, Paranormal, Men's and Women's Fiction, Inspirational Young Adult, Children's and more. I have an extremely negative report of questionable royalty reports, arbitrary cancellation without explanation, and abusive behavior. Complaints are being filed with RWA. Caution, until more is known. April 2008 update: And a response from the publisher: two writers failed to meet stipulations in their contracts, and those contracts were canceled, setting off a vendetta against the company. Another writer named them, and the one who contacted me was one of them, though I never identified that writer. Here's the thing: if a publisher is wronging many writers, it can't name them all, but if only one or two have a problem, and the publisher can name them, that suggests that the problem is with the writers. Some publishers do wrong writers; I speak as one who has been wronged many times, and who has legal cases to prove it. But some writers can be minions from Hell, and I have encountered those too. On this basis, the balance of evidence favors the publisher. Seven other writers wrote in defense of the publisher, six politely, and one self righteous creature who did her best to turn me against the publisher by implying I was guilty of lying, slander, and could face legal action. They never seem to learn. At this point I think more is known, and that this is a good publisher. Meanwhile at the slow-loading (15 minutes) site they give nicely detailed descriptions of what they are looking for for 2008-9. June 2008 update: But you never can tell. I was sent a link to a voluminous multi-person comment on this publisher, and it pretty well authenticated my earlier report. Authors not paid monies owed. Authors getting tongue-lashed for questions. Banning authors from Author Loops for speaking out against HP practices. Sending emails to other publishers about “problem authors.” Deleting reviews, or swamping Amazon with “report abuse” messages, gaming the system to get them removed. An identified example is harassment of an Amazon reviewer named Reba, who gave a book a three star review and was called a bitch, and in a forum post the author/publisher Deborah MacGillivray wrote “...we now have her name, her husband's name, her children's names...her address phone number and email...”. Readers aren't happy to learn that they can't trust reviews. I could have told them that 40 years ago, as I could have about the tactics publishers can use against questioning authors; I was there in spades. It does appear that there are a number of unhappy authors here—one post said more than 17. Some post anonymously to avoid savage retaliation. The publisher participated in this loop with some scathing sarcasm. So the question is by no means settled. There's a backlash by readers, some of whom will never read books by this author. But I do have another report by a satisfied author who feels that those criticizing this publisher are lying. Um, I doubt it. August 2008 update: an ugly report of the publisher trying to intimidate another author with a threat to report to her employer how she wrote porn, so as to put her job in peril. Of course erotic fiction is not porn, but folk in Mundania don't necessarily know that, so such a threat could be credible.

HOOD PRESS BOOKS -   I don't have a site address yet, but heard from Jason Sipe, the proprietor. This will be for nonfiction, some children's books, and possibly some fiction titles.

HOT JAVA PRODUCTIONS - www.hotjavaproductions.com/.    Folded.

HYPERPEDIA PRESS - www.hyperpedia.net/. They are looking for nonfiction, poetry, short stories, technical guides, and novels, and say that their royalties are competitive, up to 40%. They do both digital and printed versions. June 2004 update: but I have a report that they ignore queries. April 2008 update: They remain open for submissions. April 2009 update: They don't give details on terms, but if they like your proposal they will send you a letter of agreement offering competitive royalties.

HYPERTECH MEDIA - http://hypertechmedia.com/. Ebooks, educational software, software and web development. Specializing in award winning full length fiction and children's ebooks and esoftware. Currently open for submissions but are highly selective. All genres but no pornography. Takes full electronic publishing rights, 30% royalties, paid one month after receipt. Has the equivalent of an audit clause. Their contract appears to be highly negotiable. My impression is that this should be a good place to be, if you can make it. April 2008 update: This time I did not find information for submissions or terms, though their book presentations are evocative.

IBOOKS INC - www.ibooksinc.com/ They have a number of good titles, but I couldn't find any information for writers. This appears to be a reprint house. Maybe that will change as they get established. April 2007 update: I got the "Page cannot be found" message.

iHERO ENTERTAINMENT - www.ihero.net   Quarterly magazine of superhero prose stories. Pays 3 cents a word for stories up to 3,000 words. April 2009 update: I could not verify that they are still publishing; they seem to be still exploring possibilities.

IMAJINN BOOKS - www.imajinnbooks.com/   They are now accepting all types of erotica books, not just those with paranormal, supernatural, futuristic, and fantasy elements. It must be a romance, with no multiple partner relationships. Prefer vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, on- and off-planet futuristic, paranormal (ESP), witches, fantasy. Avoid torture, bestiality, pedophilia, rape, or really kinky stuff. 30,000 words up. Royalties of 50% of net receipts, paid monthly. Query first. They also do Romance, with slightly different guidelines, 70,000 to 90,000 words. I discovered after making most of this entry that they are not an electronic publisher, so don't belong on this list; they do trade paperbacks. Bleep. October 2005 update: fortunately it has become academic: they're bankrupt. April 2006 update: Yet they remain in business, and are open to adult romance subgenres of the supernatural, futuristic, and paranormal phenomena, but not ghosts. April 2007 update: I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop, and for them to go out of business so I can unlist them, as they probably shouldn't be on this list anyway. But they remain in business and open for submissions. Their Frequently asked Questions site is Under Construction, so maybe there's hope yet. April 2008 update: They're still there, though their About Us section merely lists phone numbers. April 2009 update: Now it says SitePal, which must be something else. It blew out my browser. But then I got a “Welcome to Imajinn Books” verbal message indicating it is still functioning.

IMPRINT BOOKS - www.imprintbooks.com. April 2007 update: This does not seem to be a publisher any more.

INDYPUBLISH - www.indypublish.com. The company mission: "IndyPublish.com is dedicated to leveraging on advanced technologies to help independent authors all over the world. The IndyPublish system allows independent authors to get published, to gain greater financial reward for their work, to retain control over their work, to interact and network with other writers on mutual interests and to stay abreast on developments concerning the writing and publishing world." This appears to be a self publisher, like Xlibris or iUniverse; the basic package is free, and you can upgrade for a price. No books are rejected, but if you publish a book that gets them into trouble, they'll kick you out. Five publishing packages, ranging from the free Basic through Bronze, Silver, Gold, to Platinum at $999. Royalties depend on size and book price, which varies with the page count. As self publishers go, this is straightforward and cheap. 2003 UPDATE: But now they have a moratorium on new manuscripts. If you wish, you can get on their list to let you know when it is lifted. April 2006 update: Now they are back in regular business, same terms as before. April 2007 update: And the moratorium is back. April 2008 update: Moratorium continues. April 2009 update: continues.

INFINITY PUBLISHING COM - www.infinitypublishing.com/. 20% of retail sales, 10% of wholesale sales. $499 set-up fee. Takes no rights; terminate agreement at any time by written notice. Can buy marketing packages for $120-$470. POD, and have their own printing, so can ship in a day or two. Royalties paid monthly. See BUY BOOKS ON THE WEB You can get a free brochure. A PC MAGAZINE article rated them 3 on a scale of 5.   They are now offering book returns for bookstores. That means bookstores are more likely to stock their books.    December 2005 update: They are now paying 15% royalty on all wholesale sales, up from 10%, and give a 40% discount to bookstores and a 55% discount to distributors like Ingram and Baker & Taylor. Their royalties are a straight percentage of the sale price, which is a significantly better deal for the writer than a percentage of net proceeds. They say they have the lowest retail price per page count in the industry. That is likely to translate to larger sales for smaller books. They print their books in-house, full color, laminated covers. This is likely to mean significantly faster publication.

iPUBLISH - www.iPublish.com. Closed.

INTEGRITY TECH PUBLISHING - www.integritytech.com/itpub.html. I have learned to be wary of seemingly lofty ideals and good terms online publishers offer, but I like the look of this one. It is upfront about how it got started, what it is looking for, what it is trying to do, how a writer should approach it, and tips for beginning writers. Such as "You must develop the hide of a rhino." They want Romance, both Futuristic and Historical, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Computer, Marketing, or Health Related nonfiction. 50% royalties based on the cover price, paid monthly. Either party can terminate with two weeks notice. That's damn good. This looks like a live wire publisher. I suspect it will be buried in submissions.  August 2006 update: a writer who queried them was told that sales are way down and they are no longer accepting submissions. April 2007 update: But no indication of that at their Web site. Their FAQ section has interesting discussion of the plight of many writers, who live below the poverty line because of the policies of big publishers. Yes, I've been there, done that.

INTUITION PRESS - www.intuitionpress.com/.  They will publish any book of 100 pages or more electronically, without editing; their only restriction is "incendiary prose." They pay royalties of 75% of what they get for your book, 45 days after the end of the month. They do no editing. So this is essentially a free self publisher. We'll just have to see how long that lasts. It may be little more than a site that posts novels. April 2008 update: They're still there, still free.

IUNIVERSE - www.iuniverse.com/. Formerly called toExcel. February 2009 update: The Authorhouse/iUniverse complex has bought the remaining large independent self publisher, Xlibris. I do not know, but suspect it will be folded into Xlibris in due course. Your books here will be safe, however, and I suspect performance will improve as the efficiency of Xlibris is extended to the iUniverse books. April 2009 update: I am simplifying the entry, because I doubt the long prior history remains relevant, as the new unified self publishing complex gets organized.

JACOBYTE BOOKS - www.jacobytebooks.com/. December 2004 update: I am told that they have been bought out by BeWrite Books, which should publish most of their authors. They will close on June 30, 2005. April 2006 update: Sure enough, the site remains, but they are closed to submissions. BeWrite Books is where to go. April 2008 update: The site now carries ads for other publishers.

JAMES RUSSELL PUBLISHING - www.powernet.net/. UPDATE: I could not find any indication they are still a publisher.

JUPITER GARDENS PRESS - www.jupitergardenspress.com/. This is a publisher starting up in May, 2009, with three lines. Jupiter Gardens press will have fiction and nonfiction based on, or about, alternative spirituality. They will also publish fiction that attempts to answer or contemplate a question facing society, civilization, or humankind. This will include all genres except erotica. Jupiter Gardens Press Thebe will include all forms of science fiction and fantasy. Pink Petal Books will be Romance in all its forms, all subgenres, all heat levels, including GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender), BBW (Big Beautiful Women, that is, large size heroines), I/R (Interracial), and M/M (I forgot to ask about that one). “We believe that love is a beautiful thing.” They pay 35% royalties on electronic books sold by the publisher, and 45% of net on third party sales. Length 25,000 to 100,000 words. They hope to go to print editions soon, with 10% of the cover price. They will also consider reprints. Their first titles should appear for October 2008. Of course it is too early for them to have a track record, but this looks highly promising. June 2009 update: they seem to be publishing now, and are open for submissions. Their home site has more than a dozen things, like candles an incense; you have to locate the Jupiter Gardens Press section.

JUST MY BEST, INC - www.jmbpub.com/.  This is a small traditional publisher, in business since 2001, who will publish 6-10 books in 2005. They are currently soliciting manuscripts. "Chances are good that a new author can get published here." Um, I doubt it; at under one book a month they will rapidly be swamped. But give it a try; traditional publishing remains the gold standard of publishing. October 2005 update: this turns out to be a quasi-self publisher, charging a $500 initial administration fee. 7% royalties. They take half of movie rights. This is a Grab; they should have none unless they market and sell movie rights for the author, and then they should take maybe a 15% commission. See also my discussion in my Hipiers column for OctOgre 2005; they have a far more interesting history than this listing can accommodate.  August 2006 update: But I have a very negative report about extremely sloppy editing and handling. So their travails may not be over. April 2008 update: Now they have a subsidiary, Aarbooks, for self publishing. June 2009 update: they would not let me in without authorization. That's odd, for a publisher, if they remain one.

JUST WRITE BOOKS - www.jstwrite.com. This is not an electronic publisher, but I had some dialogue with its proprietor, so am listing it for now. "Just Write Books is a small publishing house using print on demand technology to produce high quality books by Maine authors/poets." Authors participate in the cost of preparing books. So if you live in Maine, this may be for you. But they are unable to read new work until June 2007. Their fiction quota is filled for two plus years. April 2008 update: They seem to be accepting new submissions now, from Maine authors.

KEEP IT COMING EZINES - http://www.keepitcoming.net/. February 2006 update: It seems to have folded. But see Virtual Tales, which may take some of the material published here.  April 2006 update: The site remains, selling books, but they don't seem to be buying any.  April 2007 update: the sign says Welcome to vDeck. They may be out of business. April 2008 update: Page not found, so they're gone. June 2009 update: Page back, but they don't seem to be publishing any more.

KEY 20 PUBLISHING - http://www.key20.com. I was contacted by Jason L. Blair, editor-in-chief of this one, so I looked at his site. News, poetry, information, contacts, links, and others. This is a small press publisher focused on "those voices that have no financial outlet to the world." It seems to be primarily for poetry. It takes no right. There doesn't seem to be a lot on yet, but they expect to return with force after the prior disarray. They are looking for artists. 2003 UPDATE: Their THE FORGE section is dedicated to the promotion, creation, and review of independent role-playing games--that is, those that are creator-owned. Any type will do. April 2007 update: Their printing services section provides a link to Avalon Innovations for Print on Demand services. June 2009 update: the domain is for sale.

KNIGHTOFTALES - http://www.knightoftales.co.uk.   April 2006 update: and it has shut down. 

LADY AIBELL - http://www.ladyaibell.com. December 2007 update: closed. LADY ORACLE--They do do some publishing; see entry in Services section. June 2009 update: The site remains as a self publishing ad site.

LADY ORACLE - They do do some publishing; see entry in Services section.

L A MEDIA - http://lamediaonline.com. Teresa Wayne-Jacobs, formerly of Mardi Gras, set this up as a semi-private publisher, but its scope is limited. She is accused of selling some books there that don't belong to her. April 2008 update: Teresa wrote me that this is not connected to Mardi Gras, but is a private release proprietary company for herself and one other author. It was originally intended as a name change for Mardi Gras, but the authors went nuts objecting to the change, and it was stifled. June 2008 update: an author refutes that. And the site seems inactive.

LIACE PUBLISHING - See Eridian Publishing

LIGHTNING SOURCE- www.lightningsource.com/. This is the main place for Print On Demand--POD--books that electronic publishers use. It turns out that they will also print for individual writers. They have free tools for authors and publishers alike in the resources section of the site. They process one trillion bytes of information per day. However, they require cookies and won't admit you if you don't accept them, so I was barred from entry. My information is mostly from their sales development manager, not from the site itself. June 2004 update: I received a 27 page manual from the publisher detailing their services; obviously this is comprehensive. They have now printed over ten million books. December 2006 update: A writer reports that they do exactly as they say; he receives monthly reports, and they pay on time. He has no complaints. 

LINDEN BAY BOOKS- http://lindenbayromance.com/. A Romance epublisher currently accepting submissions. Stories 15,000 to 30,000 words; novellas 30,000-60,000; novels 60,000 up. Royalties of 37% on every electronic sale. Query with a detailed synopsis. They prefer Arial 12 font, block paragraphs. Smoldering passion, sex between consenting adults, happy endings; ask about more controversial material before sending it. December 2006 update: very positive report: friendly to authors, great cover art, highly responsive.   February 2007 update: and a negative one. I understand that not all authors have had a positive experience with this company. It seems that an extremely restrictive gag clause in the contract can prohibit authors from airing concerns, and they can make ugly threats enforcing it. Okay, here's how you handle that: when you get the contract to sign, firmly cross out the gag clause, initial your change in the margin, make a copy for your private record, sign the contract, and send it in. If it is not a physical contract, simply delete the offending clause, again keeping a printout for yourself. If the publisher refuses to accept that modification, this is an indication it has reason to believe it needs it, and you should ask why. A publisher that does not intend to trespass has no need of such a clause. April 2007 update: Submissions are closed: they have too much already on hand. February 2008 update: And a very positive report. June 2008 update: another positive report, stating that they put all novels into print, with wonderful communication and artwork. Sales, however, may not be great.

LIVING WATERS PUBLISHING COMPANY - http://www.livingwaterspc.com/. This seems to be a self publisher, with fees of $599 to $2,000. They offer financing for authors who have trouble affording it. Um, be cautious, authors; you don't want to get into anything you can't afford outright. June 2008 update: “LW is a multi-media avenue for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ...” So it seems to be limited to that type of material.

LLUMINA PRESS- www.llumina.com/. A self publisher, $499 for the basic package plus add-ons, depending what you want. Royalties of 30% of print sales from their site, 10% of sales via third parties. For electronic sales, 60% and 40% respectively. Their contract is for three years, automatically renewable, but the author can terminate at any time with 30 days written notice, subject to payment for effort they have already put in. Their terms seem generally standard. April 2005 update: their prices are rising. April 2006 update: this time I did not find any listing of their prices, but I presume they are in line with other self publishers. April 2007 update: I finally found their prices: $799 for trade paperback, $859 for hardcover, $999 for the combination. December 2008 update: a report that they can nickel and dime you to death on additional services, and they have a peculiar schedule for paying royalties.

LIONHEARTED PUBLISHING - www.lionhearted.com/. This in Romance in all genres. Royalties are 10% on paperbacks, 30% on ebooks. Their Author Guidelines provide length ranges for all types, and are comprehensive; they even tell you how many rubber bands to put around your manuscript. They list the top ten reasons that editors reject most manuscripts. #1 is No Conflict; #10 is Not a Compelling Storyline. This is material you should read even if you don't plan to submit to them; education of aspiring writers is a public service. In response to my caution, they responded: DON'T LET THE PUBLISHER GRAB MOVIE RIGHTS--UNLESS THEY ARE LIKE LIONHEARTED WHO HAS THE CONTACTS AND PARTNERS TO DEVELOP THOSE RIGHTS. If an author doesn't have an agent, working through the publisher may be the best shot for a movie. So there you have the "He said, she said" abridged dialog. I must say that movie options are complicated and a writer who tries to handle them alone is likely to get stung, so this does make sense. If a movie option offer comes to you and you don't trust the publisher, GET AN AGENT. If it's a real movie offer, any agent will jump at the chance to get a piece of the action. That's likely to mean a regular agent for your book, and a separate Hollywood agent the book agent will contact. Yes, maybe double commissions, but do it anyway; barrels of money may be on the line, but the sharks in those waters can be fierce. If the movie interest fades out the moment an agent appears, it's probably either spurious or a rip-off ploy; a real movie outfit will be satisfied to work with an agent. 2-2004 Update: they are still behind on paying an editor. April 2004 update: As of March 16, manuscript submissions are on hold, while they focus on their current authors. April 2005 update: submissions are still on hold. April 2006 update: ditto. April 2007 update: "As of March 16 LionHearted has put manuscript submissions on hold." Even when they're open, they take only one or two out of a hundred. June 2008 update: Submissions remain on hold. June 2009 update: Check their site monthly to see when submissions go off hold.

LIQUID SILVER - www.liquidsilverbooks.com/. This is an imprint of Atlantic Bridge Publishing, dedicated to erotic romances. Send the first three chapters and a synopsis, with a cover letter about your writing background, why you are interested in doing erotica romance, and your thoughts on epublishing. They will respond in a day and treat you right if they want your novel. Royalties are 40% on retail sales, paid quarterly. They take electronic rights for one year, and are thinking about print publication with a 30% royalty. This looks good from here. April 2004 update: They seem to be broadening their genres to include Historical, Science Fiction, Paranormal and others, but all have an erotic romantic slant. In short, it seems to be the kind of Romance male readers should like too.  October 2006 update: a favorable report "I'm a Liquid Silver author, and am very, very happy with them."   December 2006 update: sales report: ranging from 60 for a fantasy novel to 260 for a vampire/horror,romance.    April 2007 update: more very favorable report: "They treat their authors like gold." Average time from submission to release is 3 months. Sales range from 120-175 books, and the royalty rate increases when sales pass certain thresholds. For example, if a title sells 1000 copies, royalty is 50%. This would be paradise for the average author. June 2008 update: an extremely positive report: “My absolute favorite! They are quick, friendly, professional, the artwork wonderful, and I sold 220+ books during the last quarter.” But very few books are put into print. June 2009 update: They are currently accepting erotic romance. Royalties are now 35% on ebooks.

LONE STAR STORIES - http://literary.erictmarin.com/. They publish speculative fiction and poetry, ideally with a Texas nexus. That is, by or about Texans or former Texans, set in Texas, or with Texas themes, but they will consider other work. They pay $20 for stories up to 8,000 words and $5 for poems up to 100 lines, for two months online in the magazine. This isn't much, but the exposure should help. April 2007 update: Now they pay $10 for poems.

LONG TALE PRESS - www.longtalepress.com/. This is as ebook publisher expanding into audio and print. Prospective writers post an excerpt and short description of the book. Readers review the submissions and provide feedback. So they get books real people enjoy, and writers can orient on what readers want. Novellas of 17,500 words up, and novels from 40,000 words up.

LOOSE ID LLC - www.loose-id.com/. This is a pun on "Lucid." They are currently accepting submissions of cross-genre love stories with a high degree of sensuality, 20,000 to 130,000 words. They take electronic rights only, for two years; authors can abridge that in four months if they are unhappy or need their rights back for other reasons. You know, like a million dollar sale prospect elsewhere. Royalties are 35% paid monthly. They are publishing two books a week and are booked up to February 2005 but will squeeze in new titles sooner if need be. "As a company, we are committed to steady growth and calculated risks. We aren't just doing it. We're trying to do it better." Their titles seem to have a strong fantasy element, and do look interesting.  October update: I have a report that their editing precess was timely and well handled. One author reports royalties of almost a thousand dollars in one month on one book.    April 2007 update: I have a report of 50-100 sales per title per month. There is also a report of some editor problems, but they do pay promptly. They are currently open for submissions. June 2007 update: "I think they are one of the best publishers on the web for erotic romance." This is from a competitive publisher, so is hard to doubt. August 2007 update: a writer reports sales of over 300 copies in the first month, and another 100 the following month. Another reports excellent sales.  October 2007 update: an author who did not sign up with them nevertheless says "I found Loose-id to be a wonderful company to work with. They were efficient and professional." December 2007 update: another positive report. “A very classy outfit.” Also a report that a new title sold over 200 copies in the first month. April 2008 update: a report of sales of over 250 in the first ten days. August 2008 update: reports of over 300 sales of a short story in the first week, over 200 of a novella in two weeks, and almost 400 copies of a re-released novel. Also sales of a POD print book of over 1,000 in three months. The good reports keep coming in. December 2008 update: From Editor in Chief Treva Harte -- they publish four titles per week, rather than two, and their standard contract asks for electronic rights and an exclusive option on print rights for 12 months.

LOVESTRUCK BOOKS - http://lovestruckbooks.com/.  December 2008 update: Folded.

LTDBOOKS - www.ltdbooks.com/. February 2006 update: folded 

LULU - www.lulu.com/.   This is an on-demand publishing tool that lets authors self-publish digital content free: a book, music, images, a calendar. No setup fee. Register if you want to publish, but anyone can browse without registering. They take a 20% commission on books sold. October 2004 update: report from a generally satisfied client: they are completely free if that's the way you want it, but do offer some charged services. The selling price per book depends on its size, and as with other self publishers, not many copies seem to sell to the general public.   February 2005 update: Another favorable report: "It is very good for what it is, free book publishing." Royalties paid quarterly if they reach a certain amount. This is standard; publishers don't want to spend more in postage than the total of the royalty checks. Lulu is said to be the fastest growing of self publishers and is becoming a force in the field; they must be doing something right. April 2007 update: a report from a somewhat disgruntled writer that while Lulu doesn't charge up front for the printing, when overall costs are tallied it's no different from, say, Authorhouse. "The publication process is less than clear and takes several false starts to get the hang of it, in which case you have to destroy the work you set up." December 2007 update: They have set up a new Lulu Studio Photo Book publishing service, an advanced Flash-based application, separate from their original photo book offering. February 2008 update: I have been reassured by an established author that it is quite possible to put together a selling book for no cost and have it sell, if you know what you're doing. She showed me a year and a half of Lulu statements showing payments averaging a hundred dollars a month. That's persuasive. December 2008 update: a disgruntled author says their philosophy seems to be “We'd rather have a million authors sell only a hundred books each rather than have a hundred authors sell a million each.” Actually that would be par for the course in self publishing. Authors who could truly sell a million copies should get traditional print publishing. It seems that they take full rights for the duration of the contract. This is odd; other self publishers take no rights. February 2009 update: A flat denial from a Lulu employee: Lulu does not retain any rights. Also a report from a book buyer, who found Lulu's process so complicated that he was turned off. This matches my own experience buying there.

LYRICAL PRESS - www.lyricalpress.com. They will open May 5, 2008. They are now accepting submissions in all genres. If you dare to write it, they will consider it. 40% royalty on the sale price. Preferred word length is 30,000 up, but they will consider pieces down to 12,000. The usual restrictions. August 2008 update: a favorable report, saying the proprietors are highly responsive.

MACABRE CADAVER MAGAZINE - —www.macabrecadaver.com/. This is an online horror magazine which also publishes science fiction, dark fantasy, articles, and artwork. Stories range from 500 to 8,000 words, articles from 1,000 to 3,000. But they are closed to submissions until May 2009. They associate with Stark Raven press. June 2009 update: They are terminating their Print issues, at least until the economy picks up. They are currently accepting short stories, artwork, and poetry.

MAGIC CARPET BOOKS - www.magiccarpetbooks.com.    This is primarily a bookseller, but I understand they do publish some books. An author told me they pay a flat rate, rather than royalties. I was unable to find terms listed on their site.

MAMA SPECIFIC PRODUCTIONS - www.MSPpress.com.   Trula Breckenridge, founder, notified me of this small press whose focus is on niche markets for mothers, such as vegetarian mothers or mothers raising biracial kids. "We are always in need of quality submissions for website content and for our quarterly print zines. Payment is $25 per accepted submission for first North American rights" one month after publication. April 2007 update: Now it connects to Guide to Blue Book Value. It must be defunct.

MANTRA E-BOOKS - www.mantra-ebooks.com. UPDATE: it has disappeared into a search portal.

MAPLEINK - wwwmapleink.com/. Gone

MARDI GRAS PUBLISHING LLC - www.mardigraspublishing.com/. The MGP proprietor ceased activity during the first week of August, first making excuses, then fading out entirely. The company phone number was disconnected, statements stopped, payments stopped, and publication ceased. The website is not being updated. She is filing for bankruptcy, though that may wait until 2008 so as to give authors a chance to find other publishers. Worse, it seemed she opened a new site, Satin Rouge Press, the end of July, having it parked for future action. That turns out to be an error; Satin Rouge was set up in July 2006, a year before, intended to be the erotic imprint, but authors preferred to stay with the mother house. Check your contracts; they should say that rights revert to the authors when the publisher folds. I expect to contract this long entry considerably, soon, since this is no longer a market. February 2008 update: A report that it may not have ended quite yet. Apparently the proprietor has not yet filed bankruptcy and hasn't returned all the rights to all the authors, and may have started a new publisher. Some of this is unverified; call it a rumor, but I have it more more than one source. I did look up the site, L A Media LLC, , and it seems to be for just three authors, and is privately registered. Looks like self publishing, which is legitimate. However, there are reports that Teresa Wayne-Jacobs is selling books there that have reverted to their authors, which is not legitimate. There are some very angry authors. April 2008 update: not so. Everyone was released from contract on September 1, 2007. Some titles do show up in certain places, the Internet being what it is, but they can't be purchased unless maybe Amazon has some left over copies. Teresa reports “I have failed as a publisher, but I will not fail as a writer...I would like to publish my own work in peace.”

MEDICI BOOKS - www.medicibooks.org/.   April 2007 update: I got the Page cannot be found message.

METROPOLIS INK - www.metropolisink.com/. They will publish your book if they like it, apparently independent of genre. Their terms are spelled out in their contract, which it seems you don't see until they accept your manuscript. They are not a vanity or self publisher, but do expect writers to purchase many copies of their own books for promotional distribution. I'd say the line is fuzzing.   UPDATE: They sent some corrections. They need not only to like your book, but to be convinced that the author is ready, willing, and able to do most of the promotion and marketing. While it is true they don't post their contract, any author they are considering is welcome to peruse it, so this isn't a blind commitment. They pay for the whole publication process, but expect a solid effort by the author. Actually this is generally true of electronic publishers, if there are to be more than minimal sales; they don't don't say so as clearly. April 2005 update: they are not currently accepting new manuscripts. June 2008 update: I found no indication that they are publishing any new books.

MIDNIGHT SHOWCASE - www.midnightshowcase.com/. Regular romance and sensual erotic romance. They are looking for novels 50,000 to 100,000 words, but temporarily closed for short stories. They have a sliding royalty schedule, paying more for longer pieces. Query first. I have a favorable report on them. February 2006 update: I have a warning that authors here may get ripped off.  April 2006 update: Half a slew of responses from their authors refuting the negative report, plus word from the publisher and the customer service representative. No confirmations of the bad report. So it looks as though I have been taken in (again) by a disgruntled writer, and that that report was unwarranted. I hate that. The essence is that this is a fine publisher. I also heard from the publisher, bemused, as she's not trying to rip off anyone. She offers a one year contract and pays royalties ranging from 2% to 30% for ebook, audio, and print. 30% for print is unheard of outside self-publishing. They are looking for digest themed short stories, through novella size. April 2005 update: They are closed to Novels until Fall 2008. August 2007 update: more positive feedback from an author. June 2008 update: They say that they are now MS Fiction. February 2009 update: Reports that they are breaching their contracts and not paying authors on time. It's a struggle to get statements, money or responses. April 2009 update: Another negative report of late payments and nonresponse. It looks as if this publisher is in trouble. June 2009 update: word from the publisher: they are not closing. They have had problems, such as late vendor payments, but are forging on. They are open to submissions for both short and long science fiction, romance, fantasy, and mainstream. They are booked through most of 2010. So don't expect early publication here.

MILL CITY PRESS - www.millcitypress.net/. A self publisher. Their publishing package is $1,367. They say that other self publishers make fat profits on printed copies, while Mill City changed only the actual printing cost of $3.90 per average book.

MOJOCASTLE PRESS - www.mojocastle.com/. Erotica and Erotic Romance, 8,000 words to infinity, any subgenre. I did not find royalty rates, but presume they are standard. The usual restrictions: underage, bestiality, necrophilia, forced seduction, snuff, urine/feces, straight pornography, and TSTL = Too Stupid To Live. Do try for good plot, characterization and writing.  October update: A report that the editors are very much on the ball, and Stephanie Kelsey is easy to approach. Royalties are 45% of the net. April 2007 update: Closed to submissions until further notice. April 2008 update: note from Stephanie saying they lost a partner due to personal issues, but the remaining two are still going strong. They are accepting queries now, but still not submissions per se. they are keeping their numbers low—about 20 authors—so they can do their best for those. “Attitude is just as important as writing ability for us.” They have partnered with a private printer to produce their print books. This means the format is bigger than trade and they don't distribute through Ingram, but all authors get 45% of net. This is unusual for print sales, but seems to be working so far. They hope to convert their whole catalog to print, in due course. So if you're a decent writer with a ferociously promoting attitude, this may be your ideal location. June 2008 update: But a negative report: they took 18 months to process a book, did not respond to queries, and finally let it go rather than publish it. August 2008 update: Another negative report: in 18 months from acceptance, neither publication nor firm release date, and communication with Stephanie Kelsey is becoming chancy. Apparently the publisher is getting overwhelmed. October 2008 update: The proprietor says that she has posted three different phone numbers she can be reached at, and has encouraged writers to call or text her if they have a problem. They were overwhelmed by the default of one of their three partners, and had to deal with dead links, uncorrected mistakes, lack of proper records, and so on. So they gave releases to authors who got fed up. They are operating in the black now and expect to do well. December 2008 update: They continue to gain on their backlog, focusing on the books that have waited the longest. June 2009 update: they are new accepting submission queries.

MOONLITBOOKS - www.moonlitbooks.com. December 2003 update: out of business. April 2004 update: Well, in a manner; they're still there, but no longer publishing. June 2008 update: A notice: ”This domain may be for sale.”

MOONLIT GARDEN - www.moonlitgardenbooks.com. April 2005 update: they seem to be out of business.

MOONLIT ROMANCE - www.moonlitromance.com/. An imprint of Unique enterprises, about which I have a bad report. February 2009 update: I am told they are out of business. June 2009 update: Indeed, their page is gone.

MORRIS PUBLISHING - www.morrispublishishing.com/. Self publisher, offering a free publishing kit. Minimum order of 200 books at 2.72 per book, so you'll have to invest about $600. Actually it will cost you twice that for a typical 300 pages novel. You can send for their free publishing kit for details. June 2008 update: It says that Flash Player 8 or higher is required to view this website. So I didn't view it.

MOTH MAGAZINE - www3.telus.net/throwingsticks/. Interesting ploy here: a predetermined theme word must appear in each story. Any genre of fiction, 5,000 words or less, and they like interesting, eclectic, and quirky material. No money in payment, just a worldwide audience and you keep your rights. So maybe this isn't the place to get rich, but the proprietor is a Xanth fan; what more can be asked? They expect to have their current issue live by April 1, so it should be there now. They were deluged with submissions. April 2005 update: They have temporarily suspended publication. Life became too hectic for them to keep up. They do hope to return in future. June 2008 update: Page Not Found.

MOUNTAIN VIEW PUBLISHING - www.trebleheartbooks.com/MVWelcome.html. This looks good for inspiration fiction. It's a Christian site, apparently expanding into more general categories: Anthology, Autobiography, Children's, Christian Fiction, Christian Romance both Contemporary and Historical, Fantasy, Mystery, straight Romance, Young Adult, and stories. But submissions are closed, apparently due to an Act of God.
UPDATE: This is now a part of TREBLE HEART BOOKS  It's the Christian division. Submissions are open again, but query first. June 2009 update: Page Not Found.

MOXIE PRESS - www.moxiepress.com/. April 2007 update: they have closed.

MULTI-MEDIA PUBLICATIONS — www.mmpubs.com/. This is the outfit that bought out Crystal Dreams, which is now one of their imprints. Other imprints are Lessons from History, which is a series of books, ebooks, audiobooks, and DVDs analyzing historical events. Project Management libraries of books and audiobooks. Networking for Results. Impact Publications, for fiction and general adult trade nonfiction. Impact Publications, for young entrepreneurs. Birth Books is coming soon, appropriately. But when I answered their email, it bounced. June 2008 update: They are open to submissions in a number of genres in a number of forms. Royalties of 20% of net sales. June 2009 update: I could not verify that they are still publishing, rather than bookselling.

MUNDANIA PRESS LLC - www.mundania.com/. New very small epublisher with hard copies too. This came into existence to handle the reprinting of my dirty fantasy novel Pornucopia, but has expanded to have a number of other writers and titles. No, I'm not running it, but have a financial interest in it.  It is also looking for previously published books, and for new authors. Several of my new novels will be published here, but that does not guarantee that they or the publisher will be successful; I regard it as an experiment. Also, if my books do well here, that does not necessarily mean that yours will too, so be cautious. Their sample contract has plain-English explanation of what the legalese language means. They take electronic, hardcover, and trade paperback rights for two years; it can be canceled thereafter on a month's notice. Royalties: 50% electronic, 15% on hard copies, paid quarterly, based on what they get. There is a good audit clause. You might want to look at these explanations when considering the contract of some other publisher, as the legaleze is similar. April 2005 update: they have been growing rapidly, and now have more than 75 titles and considerable ambition. April 2006 update: this time I counted 86 authors, some of whom have many titles, so the growth continues. They remain open for submissions, doing electronic and print editions. But I have to say, based on my own experience, they can be glacially slow.  Sales: in accordance with my attempt to indicate relative sales of publishers, I am starting with my own sample figures. Eight novels there paid a total of $733.16 in the first quarter of 2006, or an average of about $91.65 per book. The most was Pornucopia = 170.70; the least was Omnivore = $3.30. February 2007 update: they are closed to submissions for the 2007 season. April 2005 update: Unsolicited submissions will reopen in late 2007. They list a number of EPPIE awards they won, including the Margroff'/Anthony reprint of Dragon's Gold. So my experience continues: if you are willing to wait forever, they can do well by your books. October 2007 update: Dan Reitz and Bob Sanders, who run Mundania, visited me in September, and I got an earful of the problems small publishers face. They are deluged with up to 500 submissions per month, and their attempts to get some of their books into brick & mortar stores are met with on again, off again reactions that look like random incompetence but I think are actually part of a system designed to prevent small press from getting an even chance. As author Robert Moore Williams put it, decades ago: the big hogs have their snouts in the trough, and they aren't about to let the little pigs get any swill. June 2008 update: They are open to unsolicited submissions in March, April, September, October. During the other months they consider only solicited material. In my experience they have been prompt to respond to queries. February 2009 update: Authors can now access their royalty reports online. This includes past reports as well. April 2009 update: Mundania has acquired Awe-Struck E-books. June 2009 update: I attended the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention at the behest of Mundania; see my report in the JeJune 2009 HiPiers column. But now they are closed to submissions.

MYSTIC MOON PRESS - www.mysticmoonpress.com/. Evidently a new electronic publisher, open to all genres except poetry. Lengths range from 2,500 to 60,000+ words. They do not indicate what their royalty rates are. Submissions should be in Times New Roman 12 pt font. June 2009 update: they are open for submissions in all genres except poetry, but watch it on sex. 2,500 to 60,000+ words. I did not find information on terms.

NEW AGE DIMENSIONS PUBLISHING - www.newagedimensionspublishing.com/. April 2006 update: they have abruptly closed as a small press, because of the effects of Hurricane Wilma, and are reverting to being a self publisher. All royalties have been paid, and titles reverted to the authors.   June 2007 update: the site remains, but has become an information source. August 2007 update: now it forwards to a free hosting place. The URL will expire in November 2007. 

NET PUB - www.netpub.net. This is a print-on-demand publisher who says they have had over one trillion impressions printed. But their site doesn't seem to provide information on terms. You have to request a quote. June 2008 update: Under “Get Published” is a description of Hudson House Publishing. You still have to request a quote.

NEW-AUTHOR.COM - see the Services section.

NEW BABEL BOOKS - www.newbabelbooks.com/. They plan to publish 6 books a year by hand-picked authors. POD, but the author's don't pay, and will receive royalties.  April 2006 update: They are not actively seeking submissions, but will listen if you query seriously.   June 2007 update: same as before. June 2008 update: Page cannot be found message. June 2009 update: They are there now, but scanty on information.

NEW CONCEPTS PUBLISHING - www.newconceptspublishing.com/. NCP for short. It is expanding to ten books a month. Actively seeking other genres to add to the book list, including Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Mainstream, Erotica (but not pornography), and Nostalgia. They are also looking for Art. 60,000 to 120,000 words. They offer 30% of list price on downloads for direct sales. The contract is for three to five years, and the author has the option of renewing or leaving, with all rights reverting. They are in the print market as well as electronic, and plan to expand to book stores soon. They never close their doors to submissions, and their editors have excellent discussions on what they are looking for, but they are said to be somewhat lax about responding to authors.   February 2004 Update: But I have a very bad report on their sloppiness and nonresponsiveness and possible cheating of authors. If they list no sales, when there have been sales, how long should one allow it to be in the pipeline before crying foul? Maybe their personnel are overworked, but I'd be wary. April 2004 update: I have received other bad reports, as well as emphatic defenses of the publisher by other writers and its staff. After a struggle--see my comment in the April 2004 HiPiers column--I conclude that misunderstandings account for much of the bad feeling. The publisher is not trying to cheat anyone, but has not always kept authors informed. One writer reported that the publisher's site was hacked at the end of 2003, causing it to be offline for over a month, which may have contributed to the confusion. June 2004 update--But complaints continue, so it's not over yet. December 2004 update: Complaints still are coming in, acknowledging routine problems from disorganization and overworked staff. They also are reported to resist reverting contracts at their normal termination dates, even refusing delivery on a certified letter with such a request. Read the complaint on the National Writers' Union site; legal action is being considered. That's arrogant mischief. There are too many instances; I have to say that this publisher should be avoided. August 2005 update: it seems that in the interest of enhanced sales they are spicing up their books, and removing the less sexy titles. They seem to have changed their nature, and books not rated R or more will be on the back burner. February 2007 update: another negative report of unreported royalties and nonresponse to complaints. April 2007 update: it gets worse: one author submitted a manuscript, got no response, queried twice, and after 7 months finally asked them to remove the submission, as it had been sold elsewhere. After another two months came an email offering a contract. It seems that they hired an author liaison--who also does not respond to emails. But I do have a report of their finally making good on what was owed. June 2007 update: this time I did not find submission information. I received more than one complaint that writers are not informed of publications dates and that answering queries is considered too much of a burden. They may be making changes in manuscripts without letting authors review them. One author's name was incorrect on the cover, but they would not fix it. But I have a report of 200 copy sales, which isn't bad. October 2007 update: A reader paid for a book, but then the publisher did not send the download link. An accidental glitch? December 2007 update: a report of poor service but very good sales. So mixed signals continue. April 2008 update: yet another bad report of lack of communication, poor customer service, and authors having problems getting their rights back after their contracts expire. There is an extended discussion at an author loop, the essence of which is that authors must post anonymously to avoid vindictive retaliation, that authors who ask questions can get blacklisted, that there is no editing, payments can be late, and that the proprietor publishes her own material under multiple aliases, with those getting the most promotion. One says that NCP was good, but has been going downhill the past 18 months. One is bemused that the publisher can't be bothered to notify authors when their books are being published. But some posts are positive. One says that the blacklist is a myth. The publisher, Madris DePasture, has a long hard-nosed discussion of publishing and authors that makes sense; it is true that many seeming errors are mostly the ignorance of new writers. So as an outsider, I suspect the truth is somewhere in between. June 2008 update: a reader bought a book there, but never received it or any reply to a query. Any legitimate publisher would be concerned about such a glitch and rectify it promptly. So this is worrisome. No sign of this on the site. August update: refund finally given, after 4 months of confusion and nonresponse to queries. Their Web site says they currently receive between 25,000 and 45,000 hits per day, and are on their way to becoming a multi-million dollar company by 2009. They accept only submissions that are publication-ready; there does not seem to be an editing process. So proofread your manuscript before you submit it. And a bad complaint: an author submitted a three chapter partial book, per their guidelines, then took time to work on it—and they published it as part of a three author collaboration, with the other authors picking up from her beginning. Now this sort of thing can be done; I've done it. But it has to be by contract, and that was not the case here. So it was an involuntary collaboration. The publisher says she was in breach of contract by not delivering; author says there was no specified due date. Looks from here as if the author has the right of it. Yes, it happened to me, in traditional print, decades ago when a publisher rendered my novel But What of Earth? into a degraded collaboration without my knowledge, in egregious violation of the contract. I objected, and the publisher apologized, reverted the rights to me, fired the editor, and shut down the line. And fans said I was too easy on them because I didn't sue. Okay, they were in the process of doing the last two things anyway. But I could have forced it, had I sued. I saw no need; I'm tough minded, but not that much of an ogre. I had the novel republished elsewhere, restored, with 25,000 words of commentary on the idiocies of the original editing. So in my judgment, unless the publisher can prove breach of contract by the author, such as a delivery deadline, it owes the author reversion and public apology, and shutdown of the book unless it can negotiate a contractual compromise with the author. Because arrogance like this needs to be curbed, for the good of the field. It seems they have also deleted the clause that requires written permission from the author before the editor can make changes, and have done some horrendously destructive editing. Yes, some manuscripts do need serious editing, but in other cases it comes across like a pig rooting in a flower garden. So maybe it is just as well that they have stopped editing at all. They have also run a Public Notice listing a number of authors whose rights they are reverting because of breach of contracts. One would think such matters are best handled privately, and when they list the author's pseudonyms and real names that's like hanging dirty laundry out in public, intended to be embarrassing. Or, worse, to get authors in trouble with their daytime employers, who don't know their secret lives as spicy-fiction writers. It looks from here like more mean-spirited arrogance. Other complaints, selected from a myriad: royalties can be late, without corresponding 1099 forms. Favoritism to some authors, such as NCP pen names. Not informing authors of release dates. Refusal to take books off websites when reverted. I even heard of a case, surely one among many, where an author corresponded with another NCP author, only to learn later that she was a house pseudonym. I suppose that's one way for a publisher to phish for private complaints and out secret critics, but there's a nasty odor. October 2008 update: a report that at the end of July NCP deleted its 1700+ readers loop without warning. It is conjectured this was because readers were complaining about paying for but not receiving orders. Later they opened a new readers loop, but with all messages moderated, meaning that complaints would not get through. On the in-house author loop they post only emails from the NCP staff. The odor thickens. June 2009 update: they remain open for submissions, and say the average payout to authors over three years ranges from $44 to $8,455.46, depending on genre.

NEW LEAF BOOKS - www.newleafbooks.net/.   This is a new small publisher, an imprint of WigWam Publishing Co. Hardcover, paperback, and electronic. It pays no advance, but offers an "attractive royalty package." Looking for nonfiction 70,000+ words, genre fiction 70-100,000, and Young Adult, 50-90,000. No erotica. Query first, and response time on manuscripts is four to six weeks. They are open to different fiction, unique stories, unforgettable characters, and strong plot lines. With no visible track record, this publisher can't be judged good or bad, but its attitude looks promising. October 2005 update: But now they are accepting only nonfiction. June 2007 update: unchanged. June 2009 update: they now have a 2009 date, but I can't verify that they remain open to submissions.

NEXT STOP HOLLYWOOD - http://nextstophollywood.org/. The idea is that they will publish a collection of stories adaptable to movies, thus providing Hollywood with what it needs and helping the careers of writers. But they are canny about details. You have to give them a lot of personal information before they let you see their terms of agreement and they won't say what they pay, though they are sure writers will be happy with it. They expect to get 7-10% royalties, which they will split evenly with the authors on a pro-rata basis. This is reasonably standard, and it seems they do pay an advance. So will it work? I have had more experience than most writers with the vagaries of Hollywood deals, and I am skeptical. But if you have a suitable story you haven't placed elsewhere, this might be a worthwhile gamble.   June 2007 update: They announce an anthology of 15 stories published by St. Martins Press, selected from 600 on the criterion "Would this story make a terrific film or TV project?" A 2008 edition is planned. I presume they'll inform us if any of the stories actually become movies. April 2008 update: a writer who asked for information found instead obscurities. The word out is that this is a scam. I have no solid information, but be wary. June 2008 update: Their last update was dated 10-17-07, seeking graphic novels in any genre, and nonfiction. June 2009 update: I got a blank screen. I suspect they require a loading device I lack.

NEXUS TEQ - http://ebooks.nexusteq.com. Apparently out of business; the link now leads to Findwho.com. June 2009 update: now the link leads to eBooks.com, a bookseller.

NITELINKS - www.nitelinks.com/.    February 2004 update: no longer in business.

NOBLE ROMANCE PUBLISHING - www.nobleromance.com/. They pay author advances of up to $1,000. That's remarkable for an e-publisher. They are looking for a passionate, gripping love story in any sub-genre, with honest, graphic sex, that pushes the envelope. Any sexual fantasy goes, except pedophilia, necrophilia, bestiality, etc. Length 20,000 words up. I did not find information on terms. October 2008 update: They sent me a sample contract. 7 year term of agreement, 5 free copies for the author, 36% royalties for a digital edition, 20% for print on demand formats, 7% for traditional print formats, 10% for audio. June 2009 update: exceedingly slow loading site. They still offer $1,000 advances for erotic romance. They want the hottest risque sexual fantasy.

NOVEL BOOKS - www.novelbooksinc.com. April 2005 update: it has folded, as of the beginning of the year, leaving authors and staffers unpaid. So much for integrity. There may be legal action. February 2006 update: Confirmation on how they took their authors, artists, and editors for a ride, stiffing them all. June 2009 update: And yet the site remains, selling books, but they are not accepting submissions at this time.

NVF MAGAZINE - www.freewebs.com/nvhmag1, Publishes horror short stories and poems. Theoretically pays royalties, but this seems doubtful. June 2009 update: As of June 2009 this will be online only, no further print issues. Pay for authors will be in exposure only. They mention that almost 500 publications have gone digital or folded entirely; costs have wiped them out.

OCEAN'S MIST PRESS - /www.oceansmistpress.com. February 2008 update: it's gone.

OMNIBUCKET - www.omnibucket.com/. I was asked about this, so looked it up. It required me to download Flash Macromedia to view its site, theoretically a three minute download, actually ten minutes. Flash has never worked on any of my systems, and didn't work this time, so I can't report on this site. June 2008 update: Now it works. It says it is a creative incubator more than a traditional publishing company. It believes in Multimedia. I can't say I am creative enough to properly understand it, but maybe more creative types do.

OMNISCIA - omniscia@forsiteuk.com. No www address was given for this one, so I'm listing their email address instead. It says: "Omniscia is a new publishing company that is seeking to publish material online. We offer you, the author, 35% of each sale made. We will use state of the art publishing techniques in a secure document format. There are no strings attached, if your work sells then you earn substantial amounts of money, if not we will surrender all publishing rights back to you after six months of market exposure. If you are interested in this service and have produced anything that you believe deserves to be published, then please send an e-mail with your contact details, and some information on your work."
UPDATE: still no site or information. February 2006 update: I am told they do not reply as their mailbox is full. 

ONLINE ORIGINALS - www.onlineoriginals.com. It is a British online-only publisher with 50% royalties. They offer constructive feedback on all submissions, and a review of your manuscript can be commissioned for £40, $60. Each work must be book length, previously unpublished, original, well written, intelligent, and available in French or English. My impression is that they are looking for quality, and that your manuscript has to be pretty good to be accepted here. They accept only one out of 300 submissions on average.

ORPHEUS ROMANCE - www.orpheusromance.com/. 2003 UPDATE: Gone

OUTSKIRTS PRESS - www.outskirtspress.com/. This is a self publisher with packages ranging from $199 to $999. for electronic to POD editions. It says it partners with all the big Internet booksellers. October 2004 update: I am advised that this publisher has gotten the email addresses of a number of other publishers' clients and is deviously soliciting them. This smells of a scam, but I don't have solid evidence.  October 2006 update: I have a report that this publisher was very friendly, until the money was received. Thereafter it was drop dead, leaving the project unfinished. Bad vibes here.  October 2007 update: I ran across a promotional book I received at a conference a year ago: Self Publishing Simplified, by OUTSKIRTS PRESS. Of course it paints a rosy picture of this outfit's services, which should be taken with a near-lethal dose of salt, but along the way it does have a fair discussion of the problems of self publishing, such as distribution, and is worth glancing through for this reason. February 2009 update: I heard from the Author Services Director, defending the publisher, requesting that I remove the disparaging and unconfirmed report. He wanted the identity of my source. No go; I was blacklisted for 6 years when I objected to the way a print publisher cheated me, so I don't give publishers such information. He also said “If your site's intention truly is an objective one and not a clandestine promotional tactic...” which suggest the way he thinks. Obviously he did not endear himself to me. He also said “Xlibris requires some of the highest retail prices and pays some of the lowest royalties in the self publishing industry.” The presumption is that Outskirts charges lower retail prices and pays higher royalties, and authors should check this out. I can say that Xlibris has honestly paid a lot of royalties, and hope that Outskirts matches it in that respect. He did not address the matter of whether Outskirts solicited the clients of other publishers. June 2009 update: This time I got a list of supported browsers. Nothing on Outskirts itself.

PAGEFREE PUBLISHING - www.pagefreepublishing.com. This is a self publisher. It says that an impressive number of best-selling authors paid to get their first books published, Hemingway, Poe, Kipling, Tennyson, T S Elliot, the author of Waller's The Bridges of Madison County--I didn't know that! This is Print on Demand, hardcover or trade paperback, and the author gets 75% of the net. That may be less than it seems, but is still a lot. You pay a "reasonable and moderate" set up fee, ranging from $299 to $452 depending on the length of your manuscript, plus the cost of optional services such as editing or custom art. Author keeps the rights. There's quite a bit of good general discussion here. 2003 UPDATE: They now have a considerable array of levels and services, ranging up to $702 for big books, plus editing, cover art, and marketing for additional fees. You can pretty well shop for what you want. December 2003 update: they are now offering book returns for bookstores. That means bookstores are more likely to stock their books. June 2004 update: they seem no longer to list their prices; the author has to contact them directly. But the fees listed here should be in the ballpark. December 2004 update: I have a serious complaint against them, consisting of shoddy work, failure to do what was paid for, and their failure to respond to queries. There may be class action litigation. June 2005 update: still more complaints, and more legal action contemplated. See http://color-of-truth.com, the section on PageFree in the Articles section, for details. August 2006 update: I got a NOT FOUND message. October 2006 update: it is still there. February 2008 update: I have a report that texts of their authors' books are being displayed on Google Books with Pagefree's permission, but not necessarily the author's permission. Trying to get them to stop seems to be ineffective. I suspect that Pagefree is not the only publisher doing this. The wishes of the authors should be considered. June 2008 update: Now they have new packages, starting at $399, and in some the author can get 99% of net. You will have to review these to get the details. December 2008 update: an attempt to exercise the right of cancellation was ignored.

PALABRAS PRESS - http://www.palabras-press.com. I was sent this address to be checked, but it gave me a blank screen. August 2005 update: I received a note that they have chosen to advertise in Quills Canadian Poetry Magazine. October 2005 update: There are there now with articles on writing fiction and poetry. It's a small literary ezine. October 2006 update: they have courses and workshops. They are accepting manuscripts for publication. They have announced their Third Annual International Dance With Words Poetry Contest.  June 2009 update: To discuss your publishing requirements, you have to contact them at their Canadian office, by phone.

PAM PUBLISHING - http://pampublishing.freeservers.com. A new E-publisher. Query first; they reject 60-75% of proposals and won't read unsolicited manuscripts. They're interested in non-fiction, fiction, poetry, children, cookbooks, instructional, and self-help. Normal minimum is 48 pages except for children and self help. They don't list terms, but hope to build an e-publishing empire second to none. June 2004 update: They have changed their name to White Pickets, which see. October 2008 update: They have closed.

PEANUT PRESS - www.peanutpress.com. This came to public attention because of Stephen King's "Riding the Bullet" story. It is a division of netLibrary, and is a bookseller; it does not appear to be a market for ordinary writers. Its material can't be read on a personal computer; you must have PDA, a hand held computer running Palm OS or CE. Two of my titles are there: Hope of Earth and the collaborative Quest for the Fallen Star. But I was informed by a writer that they liked his book so well that they submitted it to DAW, a traditional print publisher, for him, and he wound up with a DAW contract for three books with good future prospects. This would seem to be extraordinary service.
UPDATE: This site is now Palm Digital Media. I think that means this press is gone. The word from writers is that that it is now a book seller, not a publisher, part of Palm Pilot. April 2005 update: I am advised that Palm Digital Media was sold and is now eReader.com. Already a complaint: "Their customer service has gone down the tubes."  August 2006 update: The link took me to ereader.com.  June 2009 update: It's back as Peanut Press, but seems to be a straight bookseller now.

PENDULUM PRESS - www.pendulumpress.com/. Electronic publisher of mysteries and suspense fiction, open for submissions in all sub-genres, but no pornography. Query with a synopsis of the story, plus the first three chapters, not to exceed 10,000 words. I found no information on terms, but they seem to be pretty sure of themselves.  August 2006 update: no address. June 2008 update: This domain may be for sale.  June 2009 update: It is Pendulum Press again.

PENNED, INK - www.pennedink.com/.   This is a new self publisher offering a number of services ranging from editing to ghost writing. Publishing costs $325. It will also give advice, leading off with a discussion of The Outline. As prices for publishing go, this is cheap, and the advice is free. But as yet it has no track record. June 2007 update: Their basic publishing package is now $1,000.  June 2009 update: Now their fee for publishing is $325.

PENKNIFE PRESS - www.penknifepress.com/.    "Our goal is to publish works that the mainstream publishing industry won't publish because the works are not intended for the mass market." They are looking for literary fiction with some depth. I did not find information on their terms. They have emailed me more than once with samples, and they do seem literary to me. I would say that it would help to be intelligent and open-minded, if you want to properly appreciate their wares. They don't seem to be pulling their punches. February 2006 update: That business of emailing samples is incurring annoyance. WritersWeekly reports a number of complaints, and it seems Penknife refuses to turn them off when requested. They say that other sites are doing it, not the host company. The "unsubscribe" button bounces. Folk consider it spam. So it seems it is a publisher of quality and challenging material with a bad attitude about promotion.   June 2007 update: Royalties are 50% of net profits, and there are fees. They have an audit clause, but it's not a good one. Their sample excerpts remain excellent for anyone with a mind. June 2008 update: Page cannot be found. June 2009 update: They are back in good order, but I'm not sure they're a market.

PETALS OF LIFE PUBLISHING - www.petalsoflife.com/. Gone

PETERSEN PUBLISHING GROUP - www.petersenpublishinggroup.com/.    They talk of cost sharing, partnership publishing, but seem canny about what the author pays. Much discussion about the liabilities of all other forms of publishing. This seems to be a form of self publishing, which accepts 75% of the manuscripts they receive. The process takes 4-6 months. I will be interested in feedback from authors who actually try it. Indications are that it will cost $8,000 to $10,000 for the full treatment. For that price, it had better be damned good.  June 2009 update: I got a screen identifying them, but otherwise blank.

PHAZE - www.phaze.com/.  Ultra-sensual fiction, wide open (no pun) to all submissions including simultaneous and multiple, from 5,000 to more than 90,000 words in five categories, and single author collections. Except the usual: bestiality, pedophilia, necrophilia, bodily wastes, serious injury or positively portrayed rape. No need to query; just submit your manuscript. They want strong, passionate, intelligent characters, intense sensual tension, and good narrative. Electronic submissions only. They acknowledge within two days, and try to report within four months. They take print rights, because they hope to do some print editions. Royalties are 15% on the net received for print editions, and 50% of net electronic received, paid quarterly. I like the name of this publisher, for some reason. April 2005 update: this turns out to be an imprint of MUNDANIA, which I hadn't realized. Evidently their erotic arm.  August 2006 update: they do now have print titles available, three in the Erotic Romance section of Borders. December 2006 update: A very positive report.   June 2007 update: Their publication schedule for 2007 is filled, but they remain open for 2008. The only material they need for 2007 is for two themed 5-12K length HeatSheets. They are focusing on quality women's erotica. I am now doing business there, coincidentally (I'm not a quality woman), with my Relationships series of spicy story collections.  October 2007 update: another very positive report of first month sales of 100-200 copies. My reprinted Relationships, in contrast, sold 2 copies in July, so normal sales are probably somewhere in between. June 2009 update: They seem to be open to submissions, and have a sensible FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section clarifying what they will and will not consider.

PINESTEIN - www.pinestein.com/. They have clever commentary about their professor Pinestein Porcupine, genius IQ, discoverer of Quillativity. They do children's books and look forward to hearing from writers, but say they are unable to respond to inquiries or submissions. They do look at everything, though. I have an author report that they mean it: no responses. Now I have a problem with this: they should answer queries, and should acknowledge submissions, so the authors know they have arrived safely. This is basic courtesy. I found no information on terms, which may be par for that course. So you can feed your manuscripts into this black hole if you wish, but until their attitude in this respect changes, I'd avoid them.

PINK FLAMINGO - www.pinkflamingo.com/. "Erotic Stories & Novels Bondage, Spanking & Fetish Stories in Paperback & Ebooks. "Original, Sexy & intelligent Fiction You won't find anywhere else!" That seems to cover the territory, but I couldn't find any information on terms for writers.   June 2007 update: They are open for submissions, but a visitor has to register with them to get information on terms, and I'm not into registration.

PNEUMA SPRINGS.CO.UK - www.pneumasprings.co.uk/. The site seems to be all about restrictions on the use of the site; I did not find information on terms. However, I have a highly favorable report from one of their authors. This appears to be a British self publisher. Everything is up front and in black and white; no hidden clauses or extras to pay. You pick the deal that suits you. From start to finish for the book was 10 weeks. June 2009 update: The site was so slow loading that I gave up.

POETRY.COM - www.poetry.com/. This seems to be the online access of Watermark Press, which says it is the largest publisher of poetry in the world. I gather that you pay to have a number of copies of your book published: About $400 for 15 copies of a 60 page book, for example. So this is a straightforward self publisher. UPDATE: I am advised that this company has one of the worst names in the business, and that many consider it to be an outright scam. December 2004 update: a participant was told she was to receive an award which was to be given at a convention Poetry.com sponsored. When she did not attend the convention, the award disappeared. Apparently attendance is a requirement. Beware. December 2005 update: confirmation in an article in the October 2005 AARP BULLETIN. You pay $60 to put your poem in the book, and $580 plus travel and hotel expenses to attend their convention where you might get to read it to others. It's your money that counts, not merit.

POETRY OF TODAY - www.poetryoftoday.com/. "Publishes mostly Christian and inspirational poetry, including online publication. Requires an undisclosed 'service fee' from the Author. Author gets 70% royalties until service fee is recouped by the author, then 50% royalties from then on. Service agreement is for two years, requires granting of electronic publishing rights for that period. The way it's worded the site keeps rights for that time, even if the contracts is terminated." MW 2003 UPDATE: When I tried to click their Book Publishing or About Us links I found myself in commercial ads for things like Ferrari. But when I tried Site Map, it provided access to publishing information. A minimum of 80 pages are needed for a manuscript, so they must be thinking of books of poems, rather than individual poems. June 2007 update: Closed.

POST CARDS FROM HELL - http://postcardtales.blogspot.com. "This is a limited run series of postcard-sized horror flash fiction...paying roughly 10 cents per word, but at this time only have slots for 13 stories." Once he has those, it closes down until the editor, Minion, decides for more. Stories should be 500 words, not more than 600. June 2007 update: They have five rules: keep it brief, make it relevant and maybe funny, stay within the broad horror genre, accept their flat $50 fee for one year rights, and format it correctly. Don't argue with the editor: he's from hell. June 2009 update: Gone.

POWER PUBLISHING - www.powpublish.com/. April 2005 update: gone.

PUBLISH AND BE DAMNED - www.pabd.com.  This is a free self-publishing site. All you have to do is buy ten printed copies of your own book. They help you set it up, and you can market from this site. April 2005 update: now it's 25 copies.  August 2006 update: Now it costs $659. February 2008 update: the link now leads to Spire, a self publisher.

PUBLISH AMERICA - www.publishamerica.com. "We are an old fashioned publishing company with new, innovative ideas. We pride ourselves on publishing books that are having a hard time being accepted elsewhere." They respond within weeks or months, and are looking for Children's/Young Adult, Fiction, Health, Mystery/Suspense, Nonfiction, Spiritual/Philosophy, Romance, or Sci-fi. They use print-on-demand to avoid big inventories or warehousing. Thus they can give talented undiscovered authors a fair chance. They pay standard traditional-publisher royalties of 8% to 10%. Bear in mind that these seemingly small royalties are apt to bring in a good deal more money for the writer than 50% or 100% with a straight online publisher, because of the likely volume of sales. Less is often more, in publishing. However, there may be an odor here. The "Ask Ann" service (check it in the Services section) has posted a number of complaints, and there is some fierce dialogue with the publisher. Elsewhere reports have been mixed. Whether it is unscrupulous or merely impatiently efficient is uncertain, and perhaps depends on your perspective. Remember, the "old fashioned" publishers can be arrogant as hell. I heard from one writer who was seriously disappointed in their performance.  October 2003 update: another writer says that they are a thinly disguised vanity press, their fee not being money but an "announcement list" of two to three hundred addresses the author is required to provide. I presume they then hit up those addresses for sales. I would distrust this.   December 2003 update: But another writer says that they ask for only 100 or fewer addresses and don't expect to sell to many of those.
August 2004 update: a writer forwarded me a copy of the San Antonio Current review: they are doing well, paying small advances of one dollar, but have generally low sales. They do retaliate against complainants, removing them from their message boards or banning them. PA (that's Publish America, not Piers Anthony) warns to beware of sci-fi or fantasy authors: "They have no clue about what it is to write real-life stories, and how to find them a home." Well, I am such an author, so consider yourself warned. December 2004 update: complaints continue, and PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ran an expose, saying that PA does not pay royalties. That's a no-no. My impression is that this publisher is best avoided.   February 2005 update: And I have a positive feedback on them, from an author who was paid a small advance, is satisfied with their editing and responsivity, does receive royalties, and discovered that some who pan the company do so based on rumors rather than personal experience. Still, it seems that the WASHINGTON POST published an article trashing them as selling false dreams, and see my column for February 2005 for the SF writers' hilarious response to PA's put-down of them. June 2005 update: yet I received an ad for one of their books, so they do do that amount of promotion. June 2006 update: And I have a positive response, that they do exactly what they say they will do. Authors really do have to do 99% of the marketing of their books; PA doesn't charge and does pay royalties. And another negative report. One writer feels they make sales difficult because books are non-returnable. Here I can't fault PA; POD books generally are non-returnable, having been in effect special-ordered.  October 2006 update: Another complaint that the company became non-responsive after receiving the manuscript. So the manuscript was withdrawn. Meanwhile, I have what amounts to a leaked document on the inner workings of this publisher. There are 20-some "editors" who are hard pressed. Layout/editors are required to do three books a day. There's no time to check story-line or continuity or even spelling. Basic editors (a different class) do about one book a day, and are lucky to correct punctuation, grammar, spelling, tense, or point of view. Questions are shunted to Support, where they are answered with pre-made blurbs drawn from the contract or form letters. So if service seems perfunctory, it's not because the editors don't care; they just are on such an assembly-line schedule that they can't do much for any book. It is reminiscent of a sweat shop.   December 2006 update: another bad report, of their firing their best editors and engaging in sex discrimination. Another says "they are rude ignorant and down right nasty." Some folk believe they will fold in six months. We'll see.    April 2007 update: more negatives. See MEET REAL PA in the services section. August 2007 update: a positive report, they performed as promised, though they do price the books high. October 2007 update: and another negative about non-payment. June 2008 update: They have an item titled Publish America Confronts Amazon. I am not keen on Publish America, but I believe they have the right of this one, refusing to let Amazon dictate who prints their books. However, I also have another negative report from a writer: they are difficult to work with. If you post something negative on the boards, they delete it immediately. They can take forever to get back to you if you have an issue. December 2008 update: a report that they have extended their contract term from three to seven years, that they take movie rights, and pay an advance of one dollar. Be wary. I also have another mediocre report: they did pay a royalty check, but the author could not verify its accuracy. Typos were left in even after supposedly corrected. April 2009 update: Publish America won its suit against Preditors & Editors. I do not know the details, but conjecture that the P&E report was considered to be intended to prejudice people against the publisher, rather than being objective. June 2009 update: I note this on their page: “Welcome to Publish America! We are the Nation's number one book publisher!!” They are talking about numbers of books, not quality. But, oddly, I could get none of their supplementary sections.

PUBLISHER'S GRAPHICS/ LLC - www.pubgraphics.com. They say their staff has more than 40 years experience in the graphic arts industry, and are ready to meet your needs. But to get information on cost, you must make a quote request.

PUBLISH4U - www.publish4u.com/. June 2004 update: gone, without paying their authors.

PUBLISHING PROFESSIONALS - www.pubprof.com. They have 30 years experience in typesetting. Design, publishing, and printing. Their specialty is multi-chapter books of 60 to 1,000 pages. They will work for publishers or individuals. Their pricing is industry competitive. June 2009 update: Server not found.

PULPLESS - at www.pulpless.com. The site remains, and titles are for sale, but this publisher is in essence dead.

PULPLESS FICTION - at www.pulplessfiction.com/.  June 2007 update: Gone.

PULSAR BOOKS - subs@pulsarbooks.com. Gone. It has merged into RFI West.

QUICKSTORIES - www.quickstoriees.com. Gone

Rain Publishing - www.rainbooks.com/. Canadian. I have an unhappy report on their lack of professionalism and lack of response. I did not find information on their terms.  October 2007 update: And a very positive report by a fully satisfied author. June 2008 update: Page Not Found. June 2009 update: Now the site is Myhosting. com.

RATIONAL SKIES - www.plasticine.com/. This seems to be limited to speculative fiction and science. Accepts 50,000 words and up, pays 40% royalties for non-exclusive rights. That means you can publish here and elsewhere simultaneously. The link now leads to METROPOLIS INK, which see.

RED LILY PRESS - www.redlilypress.com/. "Words Written by Women for Women." They range from short stories to 150,000 word novels. They want submissions that move them emotionally. They have a list of links useful to writers. April 2007 update: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are not accepting any further ebook submissions." June 2008 update: Unchanged. June 2009 update: Gone.

RED ROSE PUBLISHING - www.redrosepublishing.com/. Started by Wendi Felter, who was booted from Mardi Gras. Opinions about her are highly mixed, positive and negative; now we'll see how she does on her own. Sliding scale for royalties: 40% first 300, 45% next 200, 50% above 500. They are seeking all variations of Romance and Erotic Romance, with the usual restrictions. Authors must be 18 or older.  October 2007 update: a favorable report from an author, who has good sales, and another who feels very nicely treated. December 2007 update: Wendi reports that they now have authors in the 45% and 50% range, meaning that they are selling 300, 500 or more copies. She is pleased with the progress of the company. I also have a very favorable report from an author who was actually paid early. This is almost unheard of with publishers. A separate report gives about 50 copies in a month for a republished title, which seems good. February 2008 update: There are nonetheless some concerns about retaliation. April 2008 update: The editor is perplexed by that report, as she does not practice retaliation at Red Rose. Considering that she has herself been the victim of retaliation—I know from reports I received a year back—I'm inclined to believe her. But misunderstandings have made for hard feelings with at least one author. So this may be a he said, she said situation. There was an amusing confusion when a RR author sent an encomium/refutation/lecture to Preditors & Editors addressed to Piers Anthony, apparently believing me to be an employee there. “I know you haven't done any homework...” Dave Kuzminski of P&E set her straight. It would help if folk who are not well informed were more cautious about correcting those who are. Regardless, I have another satisfied author report. Another says that a fracas with a cover artist was the artist's fault. On balance, Red Rose seems okay. June 2008 update: the artist refutes that. Some very hard feelings remain. On the site there is a notice: “665,271 requests since Friday 13 July, 2007.” They are evidently getting a lot of business in their first year. August 2008 update: Another negative report of lost contracts, lost editing, lost release dates, nonresponse. A general impression not of malice but of chronic disorganization. December 2008 update: there was a problem, but it has been resolved. A head was offed. But some artists have not received statements or checks, with little or no response to queries, and there are reports of retaliation. February 2009 update: I received a report saying that Wendi Felter was not booted from Mardi Gras, but that there was a campaign there against her by Teresa Jacobs, who used something like 23 aliases, and Wendi finally cut her losses and left. At Rod Rose she hired an Editor in Chief who was not up to the job, had to replace her, and since then things have improved. They are now going to print publication as well as electronic and have been swamped preparing books for print debuts. Editor Annie Melton says “Wendi, despite her problems with that witch at Mardi Gras a few years ago, is an absolute doll.” Another report says Red Rose is doing a good professional job. April 2009 update: But another report of retaliation with enough detail to be persuasive. I omit the detail for that reason. And another positive report from an author. Apparently opinions differ. June 2009 update: Wendi points out that authors can rip off publishers, as well as vice versa, and gave examples. Sometimes she has gone out of her way to help authors, and not had much thanks. Sigh. My normal stance is with authors, but Wendi has a point.

RED SAGE PUBLISHING - www.eredsage.com/. “For all the secrets that touch a woman's heart.” Apparently this is a Romance print publisher that now also does ebooks. They are currently open to submissions in many genres, and want provocative material. I was unable to find terms for authors.

RESPLENDENCE PUBLISHING - www.resplendencepublishing.com/. I heard from Editorial Director Jessica Berry. Romantic fiction, offering titles in both electronic and print formats. Their initial titles will be released in October 2007. An early report says that they are very considerate and professional. From the site I learn that they are looking for Historical, Paranormal, Horror, Contemporary, Romantic Suspense, and Erotic Suspense, 12,000 - 90,000 words. 40% royalties on epublication, 7% on print books. They have 5 levels of heat. February 2008 update: They are now accepting submissions in new categories, in preparation for their mainstream launch in June 2008. Literary Fiction, Horror, Action/Adventure, Romance, Women's Fiction, Self Help/Spirituality, Nonfiction (How-to, History, Biography, etc.), Mystery, Young Adult. But not Science Fiction, which other publishers cover well. They have launched their print program and are receiving orders, though this is complicated by different policies at different stores. Their electronic books are available, and will come soon to Fictionwise and elsewhere. June 2008 update: They try to respond within 12 weeks, will consider multiple submissions, but accept only 1-3%. Royalties are now 35-40%, or 30% on third party sales, on gross rather than net. (That's good.) August 2008 update: they launched their first Fictionwise titles mid-April, and now have 40 titles listed, several of which sold above 100 copies in their first month, with a few breaking 200 and one 300. They have sold more than 1,000 print copies and 1,200 e-copies in April and May. June 2009 update: I noted that they had a considerable presence at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention, which I attended. The impression is that they are a sharply rising publisher.

ROMANCE AT HEART - www.rahpubs.com/. They are accepting submissions in all Romance genres, including erotic, not over 150,000 words. As a new publisher they lack a track record, but they look competent. I found no information on royalties or terms. June 2007 update: No simultaneous submissions, no pictures included in the text, and the usual restrictions for erotic fiction. See their guidelines for formatting. Word counts are actual rather than calculated, so you can use your computer tally for length. Still no information on terms.  October 2007 update: a complaint about not getting paid in the past year. Then came a check for sixty four cents. Hmm.

ROMANTIC SHORT LOVE STORIES - www.romantic-short-love-stories.com/. December 2006 update: this is now a relationships advice site. December 2007 update: the site appeared, but with a yellow banner saying “This Web page could be a scam. Proceed with caution.” February 2008 update: I have been advised that this message is caused by an often malfunctioning Earthlink browser helper.

RENAISSANCE E BOOKS - http://renebooks.com/. This is dedicated to a variety of genres with splashes of erotica, but they do not publish pornography. Novels and collections of short stories for mature audiences. They give fair warning to underage or socially conservative readers: stay out. Lengths are 30,000 to 100,000 words, for first or second electronic rights for one year. Books are sold to readers for $4.00 with $1.60 (that's 40%) royalty for the author. If a book is sold via an Internet reseller, the author gets $1.08 (27%). That's because the resellers take part of the cash; it is a reasonable reduction considering those sales probably would not occur at all otherwise. Reports are monthly and royalty checks are quarterly. Overall this looks good, and I have a favorable report from a writer published there.They hope to add a new imprint in spring or summer: PageTurner Books, to include both fiction and nonfiction for all audiences, no erotica. Update: the PageTurner Imprint is now active and looking for good submissions, no erotica. Now they have the sexy Sizzler-imprint. 2003 UPDATE: Sizzler wants plotted erotica, not sex for sex's sake. Five sub-imprints: Scorchers, Bondage & Submission, Sappho (lesbian), Wylde (gay male), Sexpert (nonfiction). They try to respond within one week. They license only electronic rights, for three years.  October update: I have a report that payments are a bit slow but okay: $200 or more in half a year per novella for one author. June 2008 update: I have a report that the editor no longer responds to email from her authors. This is a bad signal. The posted sample contract says that if the Publisher suspends operations, all rights revert immediately to the Author. The Author may also withdraw all rights to a book after 120 days if it isn't in process for publication. So if you have a problem, invoke one of these clauses, saying that you will consider nonresponse to be agreement for reversion. That should get results, one way or another.

REPLICA - I was sent news of this POD publisher that was so bad I thought I'd better mention it here as a warning to aspiring writers. Apparently there have been wrongful charges and non-deliveries that have caused a mess, so that going to law is the only remedy. So I have no Web address here, just the notice.

RFI WEST - http://rfiwest.com/. This seems to be effectively out of business. That may be just as well.

RIFT MAGAZINE - RiftMagazine@aol.com.    I received a Call for Submissions of original works up to 3,000 words in creative writing in many genres. Deadline was June 1, but presumably there'll be new deadlines for later issues.

RIPTIDE PRESS - www.riptidebooks.com/. Currently accepting submissions for science fiction, fantasy, and fiction, 90,000-150,000 words. Allow 3-5 weeks for a response. Their What We Want link didn't work, and they don't provide information on their terms. So despite their evident ambition to be a violent force in publishing, I'd be cautious. However, I have a report that they answer questions freely and helpfully. June 2004 update: They are looking for untraditional fantasy, so skip wizards, dragons, elves, and fairytale endings. But still no information on terms. June 2005 update: blank screen. February 2006 update: May be for sale. June 2007 update: seems to be gone. June 2008 update: But now it is back, returning from the seeming dead, as a limited search engine. June 2009 update: Gone again.

RJ's EBOOKS - www.rjs-ebooks.com/. UPDATE: Suddenly they're gone, I understand without paying their authors.

ROCK WAY PRESS - www.rockwaypress.com/.   This is a small traditional print publisher that really doesn't belong on this list, which focuses on electronic publishing. But someone asked me about it, so I looked it up. It is open to new authors and to previously published books, and has annual book contests, so may be worthwhile. It is looking for quality books and fine writing, rather than commercial efforts, and is not afraid of a small print run. A commendable attitude. Query first; it does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. The site is helpful, even telling you how to "pitch" a book to them. In essence, do it in one sharp sentence, if you can. This looks like a good place to be, if you can make the cut. June 2005 update: They have useful discussion of things like the costs of bookstore distribution. There is an education to be had here. April 2006 update: a warning that they can delay unduly and be unresponsive to queries. This, unfortunately, is typical of traditional print publishers.  June 2006 update: I have several responses from writers saying that Rockway is great, and that it is highly responsive. These are credible reports, so I think my prior complaint is in error.  August 2006 update: They don't pay advances, but do give the author 12 copies of his book. Royalties are on a sliding scale from 10% to 20% depending on volume of sales; this is good., for traditional print. They don't remainder titles; that's good too. June 2007 update: no longer accepting queries for new books until at least 2009. You can still enter their contest, however. February 2008 update: Another negative report, that the publisher will not or can not deal with her writers on a professional level, causing much stress. June 2008 update: Page cannot be found.

ROSE DOG -   An imprint of DORRANCE. I have a negative report of butchered text and delays. 

ROWE PUBLISHING - www.rowepublishing.com.      August 2005 update: this now sells desktop publishing software; no sign of anything else.

RUTHIE'S CLUB -- www.ruthiesclub.com. This is a weekly erotic magazine. “Ruthie's Club is the classiest, sexiest, illustrated erotic fiction site on the Net.” Indeed, their site pictures are classy and sexy, a pleasure to see. They are looking for tastefully sexy adult stories. They take a 6 months license for assorted short fiction lengths ranging from $10 for 300 words or less to $75-$350 for above 14,000 words, but they're not eager for long stuff.

SAMHAIN PUBLISHING- http://www.samhainpublishing.com/. A new publisher currently accepting submissions in all genres of fiction and nonfiction. No pedophilia, bestiality, necrophilia, racism. Royalties of 40% of the cover price. Allow 4-6 weeks for a personal reply. They take full rights for digital and print, for (I understand) 7 years, but the contract is negotiable. This is a dog-in-the-manger Grab; they should not have more rights than those they need to publish. Things like recording and movie rights should certainly be excluded, and print rights unless they specify serious intention to use them.  April 2006 update: I received an email from one of their authors saying that Samhain does use the print rights, and expects to print some of the longer works later this year. Then I heard from the publisher with much more information, including a sample contract, and from other writers. Their contract seems reasonable to me, though it lacks an audit clause, and they are indeed using the print rights. Clauses are negotiable, they do not take movie rights, but do take half of translation and book club sales, which is a lot. I heard from one writer that when she had interest from a big traditional publisher, Samhain released her contract and wished her luck. This is Publisher-from-Heaven territory. In sum: they take a lot, but their writers love them.  December 2006 update: Now they are including an audit clause.  February 2007 update: Another author reports that there were some problems, but they were good about fixing them, and in the end sales were phenomenal. April 2007 update: A report of over 250 sales in the first two weeks a title appeared. This is phenomenal. June 2007 update: Temporarily closed to open call submissions, but keep an eye out. Another report on sales: 25 to 50 copies a month for re-releases from other publishers, which is very good. If there is a problem, management discusses it without blacklisting or yelling. One author reports sales of 30 copies, which is much lower than she has at other publishers. December 2007 update: But another reports excellent sales and great treatment. February 2008 update: and another negative report of discourteous rejection and ridicule at RWA. April 2008 update: A response from Angela James, executive editor: “I am shocked and more than a little dismayed by this report... Certainly I ... would never damage my company's reputation with authors by ridiculing anyone.” Okay, I run the reports I receive, playing no favorites. I find Angela's denial credible, and suspect that the February report was a distortion. General feedback I have had over the years suggests that Samhain is one of the best electronic publishes extant, noted for its courtesy. The gentle tone of Angela's response is a sharp contrast to some of the blasts I have received from other publishers. Distributor All Romance Ebooks gave Samhain the Best Publisher Award in February 2008, of more than a hundred publishers and imprints they deal with. June 2008 update: an author reports sales of 150-200 for the first month on non-erotic work, and steady sales of 50 a month thereafter. This seems very good. But another very negative report of bad treatment, specifics deleted for fear of retaliation. August 2008 update: they are now open for submissions to all Romance, Erotica, Fantasy, and romantic Science Fiction, and closed for now to other genres. Preferred length is 60,000 words or longer, but they will consider shorter works of 12,000 up.

SAPHIRE BLUE PUBLISHING - www.sapphirebluepublishing.com/. This is gearing up to launch in August, 2008, with variable but competitive royalty rates, open to many genres, and will also do reprints. 12,000-100,000 words. But submissions are by invitation only.

SATIN ROUGE PRESS- www.satinrougepress.com.  A site set up by Teresa Jacobs-Wayne in August 2006, a year ago, parked. She ran Mardi Gras, which has folded indecently; this was intended to be its erotic line, but the authors wanted to keep MGP as it was.

SCHEHERAZADE TALES ROMANCE E-NOVELS - http://scheherazadetales.com. June 2006 update: Folded.

SCIENCE FICTION QUARTERLY — www.sfquarterly.net/. This is a new online magazine of science and speculative fiction, a conscious emulation of the pulpzine SCIENCE FICTION QUARTERLY published in the 1940s and 1950s. “We believe that in the last several decades, science fiction has fallen astray from its short story roots; and while we cannot ourselves resurrect them, we can at least provide an outlet in which they may be explored.” Ah, yes; I grew up on science fiction of that era, and share the nostalgia. They welcome all submissions of short fiction and artwork rooted in the genres of science and speculative fiction, as well as essays and reviews of science fiction books, films, and television shows. They are especially interested in “think pieces” related to topics in science fiction as a genre and a craft, and in profiles of science fiction writers and editors. They accept original written submissions of up to 60 pages. They don't pay specific rates, but authors may received some share of ad revenues. August 2008 update: oops, I typoed the site address. I have fixed it now. Their inaugural issue will be uploaded in March 2009.

SCI-ROTICA — www.sci-rotica.com/. They are looking for the best in erotic science fiction and fantasy. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome year round, 8,000 to 90,000+ words depending on category. There are a number of series, plus anthologies and collections. They are also open to art. I did not find terms for authors. August 2008 update: This time I looked at their contract. 40% royalties on electronic, 15% on POD, based on cover price. There is a good audit clause.

SCORPIUS DIGITAL PUBLISHING - www.scorpiusdigital.com/. This specializes in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in Microsoft Reader format. They publish a very limited number of titles, almost exclusively out-of-print novels, collections, and anthologies. So Scorpius is not a market for an unpublished writer, but if you have an out-of-print classic, this is for you. June 2004 update: But they will consider new material, if properly queried first. I found no information on terms. SEABURN - www.seaburn.com/. I looked this up because a writer queried me about it. It seems to be a print publisher, with hard copy distribution, so doesn't really belong on this list. I was unable to find terms for authors. They say that if they like your manuscript they will offer a contract.  August 2006 update: they specialize in General interest, African-American, Greek, Ibo, and Spanish language books. June 2007 update: An author was told to send $1,500 for editing and printing. This sounds like self publishing. August 2008 update: But it says there is no charge for publishing your book

SEE SPOT BOOKS - www.SeeSpotBooks.com. Apparently it is out of business.

SENSORY PUBLISHING INC - www.sensorypublishing.com/. out of business.  

SERIAL BOOKS - www.serialbooks.com/. August 2006 update: gone.

SERENDIPITY SYSTEMS - www.s-e-r-e-n-d-i-p-i-t-y.com. Publisher John Galuszka notified me of this one, which has been publishing electronic books since 1986. They don't want paper manuscripts or straight prose. They take only electronic rights. No advance, royalties of 33% of wholesale or retail sales. In one place they say they want hypertext novels, but in another they say "no hypertext or multimedia," so you may have to ask. They want interactive fiction, experimental works, and references on writing/publishing. This strikes me as leading-edge, not for old stick-in-the-muds like me who turn out old-fashioned prose manuscripts.
UPDATE: Couldn't find it. 2003 UPDATE: They are back and open for submissions. June 2005 update: They are not accepting new manuscripts the first half of 2005.  August 2006 update: They have an interesting bookselling system: you download the book, but it's encrypted, so you can't read it until you pay for it and get the key. The site was last updated April 7, 2004, so I suspect they are no longer a market for writers. June 2007 update: Now the last reference is dated early 2005. August 2008 update: The site remains, selling books, but there's no evidence they are buying them. Still no updates since 2005.

SEXY EBOOKS http://sexyebooks.a1adultebooks.com - I received an email saying that any erotic books can be published here, entirely free, and there is no catch or downside. August 2008 update: gone.

SHADOWFIRE PRESS - www.shadowfirepress.com/. They publish all genres of fiction except literary, young adult, and inspirational. Lengths from 5,000 words for new authors, or down to 1,500 for inhouse authors, up to 125,000; they have taken longer, but reluctantly. Term is 2 or 3 years for ebook rights only. Their contracts is standard but negotiable. There is an audit clause. If they decide to do a print run, they will negotiate a new contract. Author is responsible for registering the copyright. Ebook royalties are 40%.

SHADOWROSE www.shadowrosepublishing.net/ - A new small press that publishes romantic fiction of all sub-genres in ebook and print formats, specializing in romance and erotic fiction. SHADOWMERE is their imprint for traditional fiction, including sci-fi, fantasy, YA, and mainstream fiction. Lengths range from 5,000 to 100,000 words, in categories. They are currently seeking stories of 10,000-15,000 words for an erotic anthology planned for November 2007. They don't want pornography and have the usual taboos. They are happy to read manuscripts by new authors. April 2008 update: I am informed that though they published the anthology, they have not been filling orders for it, and that their website is no longer working. These are bad signs. I checked, and the site is gone. Apparently their proprietor had a health crisis, and it was a one-woman operation. Authors are currently stranded.

SHN www.shnpublishing.net/ - The letters stand for the name of the proprietor, Stephen Hamilton Nicol. This seems to be a startup, publishing books free or for printing, for now. He says he believes in karma and this is his way of giving something back. The site does not discuss costs or terms, merely says terms are very generous. It features a four step plan: Bring your creativity to life, submit your manuscript, get your book into print, and sell it to the world. The site has a good deal of information for aspiring authors, and is very positive about their prospects.

SILKS VAULT www.silksvault.com/ - An epublisher specializing in sensual to erotic romance. Stretch the rules toward hardcore without going over the edge. In that framework, all genres: fantasy, historical, contemporary, BDSM (that is, bondage, sado-masochism). Solid plot lines, good setting, characters, originality, professional level storytelling. No child sex, necrophilia, rape (at least, not shown in a positive light), bestiality (unless sapient aliens), or graphic body functions. Royalties are 40# of retail price on all download sales. 20,000 no 80,000 words and over. Open to all submissions. This looks good; I'll be interested in writer reports, pro or con.  June 2006 update: And I have one: they have nice covers, but don't pay on time and don't market the site. They promote the author who markets his/her book the most, leaving other authors in the background.  August 2006 update: And a response to that: the author of several titles with them has always been paid on time. Then says "It amazes me that your website can post complaints that come in, with NO PROOF, and then when GOOD REVIEWS come in you won't follow up with it." Which shows how much attention he has been paying to this ongoing survey. He recommends this publisher, obviously. But another report says "If you request a copy of the contract, you will see ISBNs required" but the publisher is applying them only to most new releases not older ones. "Basically, a breach of everyone's contract." I also heard from Sarah L. Tiller, the owner, who says that they do pay their authors on time, and try to make sure all authors get the same publicity. So it seems that reports remain mixed. And from two more of their authors, who are leaving them because of breaches of contract and nonpayment of royalties. One who is departing has been blocked from the site. A class action suit is being filed. Frankly, at this point I don't know whom to believe, but the negatives are more persuasive than the positives.  October 2006 update: another negative report by one of their authors. Editorial and cover art problems, no promotion. And one who says their contract specifies a royalty of 40% of cover price, but they actually pay 40% of net. And that it seems the author gets no royalties on their promotion to buy three books and get one free, if it's the author of that free one. That's wrong; the income should be divided four ways in such cases.   December 2006 update: The negatives continue. Reports that the editors and models for covers have not been paid, and confirmation that those who stand up to the publisher can be blocked from the web site.    April 2007 update: still more. I received a letter wishing she had read my report before doing business there. "Everything you report about them, is true." But there is bad blood between Silks Vault and Mardi Gras, so not everything said about either can be trusted. June 2007 update: now royalties are 35% of retail on all downloads. They are always open to new submissions. August 2007 update: I have a letter supporting the publisher: excellent treatment, royalties paid on time.  October 2007 update: another favorable report. But also another extremely unfavorable one, this one named: Camille Anthony (no relation to me), who once worked for them but quit when not paid, and now is being paid royalties late if at all, and she questions the accuracy of the statements, as known Fictionwise sales were not listed. A report like this is damning, and I suspect this publisher is headed for oblivion. I was also sent a copy of a posted blog by Aline de Chevigny that says in part "They are not professional, don't keep their word and breach their contracts without a 2nd thought." The issue here is nonpayment. April 2008 update: The publisher seems to have folded without word to the authors. Queries go unanswered. This may be the end. August 2008 update: other reports indicate that the state of Wisconsin has suspended this publisher's right to do business there. The site is currently down for maintenance. It may never come up again.

SILVER LEAF BOOKS SilverLeafBooks.com/ - I received a query about this one, so looked it up. It appears to be a small print publisher rather than electronic, so is not properly in the province of this listing. Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, intended for ages 10 and up. Open to aspiring authors. August 2008 update: their royalties seem to be 10% on the wholesale price of the book. That is not high, but within bounds for print publication.

SIREN - www.sirenpublishing.com/. A Preditors & Editors reader poll in 2007 rated them the #1 for 2007. They are accepting submissions for Erotic Romance ranging from 25,000 to 150,000 words. Their response time is eight weeks. The usual restrictions on content. They have a sister publisher, BookStrand.com, which I haven't yet looked up. I did not find information on terms. August 2008 update: book lengths range from 15,000 to 140,000+ words. October 2008 update: their contract has useful information, and is standard. December 2008 update: in the first few weeks an author's book sold over 125 copies. February 2009 update: report from a very happy author whose book sold more than 100 copies in the first week.

SIRIUS PUBLICATIONS - Established by Kerri Kadow, said to be an author and imaginative. Publishes in all genres. Standard contract that authors can modify as required. Like many epublishers, this offers good terms but is probably underfunded, so that performance may lag behind promise. However, I was not able to reach this site when I tried. 2003 UPDATE: I heard from the proprietor, who gave me a link--but the link didn't work. At any rate, for those whose systems relate better than mine does, there is someone there who will be happy to have you visit. Second 2003 UPDATE: now it connects. They are open for submissions, except for pornography or religious material. The author gets up to 70% of the net profit. That could be less than it seems, if the profit is small. June 2004 update: I got a timeout trying to reach them. Past experience suggests that this doesn't necessarily mean they're gone. June 2005 update: Sure enough, they remain, are accepting short stories or previously published books.  August 2006 update: Their submissions guide seems not to have been updated since 2002; that's not an ideal sign. June 2007 update: now a notice that the store will be closed from April 19-May 31, 2006. So maybe they have caught up to a year ago. August 2008 update: the site hung up, trying to load.

SIX GALLERY PRESS - www.sixgallerypress.com. This was founded the spring of 2000 as a publisher of experimental and progressive poetry and prose. There's an associated magazine, JACOB'S LADDER, still in the planning stage. Keep submissions under 8,000 words. The proprietor, Tim Miller, says the site is massive and growing day by day. Jacob's Ladder is currently accepting submissions. Review previous issues to determine if your work is right for it. June 2005 update: They have reached their fiction manuscript limit, and are closed to submissions until October 2005. Theory articles remain open.  August 2006 update: They are inviting manuscript proposals, not direct submissions. They are extremely choosy, seeking experimental and esoteric literature; study their material before you go near them. But a writer reports that all their contributors have to pay, so it's actually more like a vanity press. June 2007 update: their requirements are confusing. In their call for submissions they discuss their needs in detail, but also say NO SUBMISSIONS OR QUERIES. "These are the rules; break them at your peril." I'd be nervous about even glancing in their direction.

SKOOBE - www.skoobe.biz That's ebooks backwards. August 2006 update: they are now a web directory of Internet Resources.

SMASHWORDS - www.smashwords.com/. A digital self publishing platform. The founder says that 80% of written works are never published for widespread distribution in stores, are never promoted, go out of print after the first printing, and authors never receive royalties beyond their advances. Smashwords hopes to do better. August 2008 update: If you want to publish with them, you have to sign up for an account. December 2008 update: I checked a sample Author Page, and it had an author bio and listing of books that I admit made me curious about them. The proprietor feels that all authors should publish in multiple digital formats, so readers can consume their books in their own way. “Our goal at Smashwords is quite simple: It's to create the single best ebook self-publishing platform for independent authors.” Authors select the sale price and receive 85% of the net proceeds. The Founder advises me that they have added Stanza integration. “For authors who wish to publish with us, it means their works are now easily readable by the 500,000 uses or the Stanza app.” I am not familiar with Stanza, but am told it's a cool ereader for the iPhone. April 2009 update: checking through this I found a huge amount of sensible commentary; this is a prime browsing site. June 2009 update: A very positive report on their performance.

SNM HORROR MAGAZINE - www.freewebs.com/snmhorrormag. The letters may stand for the proprietor, Steven Marshall. A free online magazine. It does not seem to be well recommended. February 2009 update: A refutation from the proprietor: “Yes, we are a freepress where new authors get seen by about 1500 visitors a month and we have only been around for 8 months. We have bi-monthly paying contests, which helps writers get into HWA if they are paid $25 or more 3x. We offer free editing and coaching and are also free to the public. We publish 8 new stories per month and host new author interviews and reviews. I've maintained the same staff and writers and we get lots of good praise from writers for what we offer them.”

SONS OF LIBERTY PUBLISHING - www.SonsofLibertyPublishing.com/. They specialize in fiction and nonfiction books featuring New England themes, characters, and settings. Ebooks for now, eventually traditional publishing. Royalties are 40% of net profits. They are looking for two or three works for 2009.

SOUTHERN GOTHIC ONLINE - www.southerngothic.org. A new bimonthly ezine dedicated to Southern Gothic fiction and poetry. It is now accepting submissions. Authors are not paid money, but do receive ad space. August 2008 update: Currently closed to submissions. All manuscripts sent after 7-16-2008 will be deleted unread. “So don't send 'em,” they conclude. That's clear enough. I presume it is a signal of the approaching end.

SPEAK WITHOUT INTERRUPTION - www.speakwithoutinterruption.com. They have 50 active writers who contribute to their magazine, representing 14 different countries. They are actively looking for additional writers and contributors. The topics covered are highly varied.

SPOKEN BOOKS - www.spokenbookspublishing.com. Now accepting submissions for audio book recording. You can choose from dozens of narrators. They will accept self published authors.  August 2006 update: Set-up fees ranged from hundreds to thousands of dollars, so this is a self publisher. August 2008 update: Coyalties roange from 15% to 50% or even higher, depending on circumstances.

STARDUST - www.stardustpress.com/. StarDust press is folding. They are doing it in a legitimate manner, paying authors and editors, taking books off the website as of the end of September 2007, reverting rights to the authors without hassle, and dealing personally with queries. Their email address will remain functional until March 31, 2008.

STARK RAVEN PRESS - www.starkravenpress.com/. New small press specializing in horror, science fiction, and dark fantasy. Currently focused on anthologies of stories appearing in their companion magazine Macabre Cadaver (see their entry, above). They hope to publish about 10 books in 2009, with the first release in May.

STARLIGHT PUBLISHING - www.starpublications.com. Gone. It has merged into RFI West.

STEALTH PRESS - www.stealthpress.com/. August 2006 update: gone.

STEEL CAVES - www.steelcaves.com/.   August 2006 update: gone.

STONEGARDEN PUBLISHING - http://stonegarden.net/.  They publish what they like, and don't have too many guidelines. Categories seem to be Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller, Historical, Comedy, General, and Poetry. Royalties are 50% paid monthly or when there is $30. A report from one of their authors says the sales are very small but the publisher is nice.  October 2007 update: I heard from the owner. All genres are welcome except erotica. Royalties are now paid quarterly. They are booked up for 2007 and 2008 but considering for 2009 and 2010. Review their guidelines before submitting. August 2008 update: submissions should be at least 21,500 words long. They are full for 2008 and 2009, so submissions will be considered for 2010 and 2011.

STREET SAINT - www.streetsaint.com/.  June 2004 update: Gone.

STRATEGIC BOOK PUBLISHING - www.strategicbookmarketing.com/. I know of this only from a bad report. It seems to be a masked self publisher presenting itself as traditional. They offer assorted paid services like promotion book signings, and interviews, which may or may not help an author. Pay $625 up front, and editing for $50 an hour. I recommend checking out an open self publisher instead.

SUBJECTIVE BOOKS - www.subjectivebooks.com/. This is aimed at writers who have been rejected by traditional publishers because they weren't writing to the market. Looking for fiction of ansy length, but is skewed towards "literary" writing, intellectually stimulating nonfiction, or really good poetry. But when I checked their site, I couldn't get it.

SUNPIPER PRESS - www.sunpiperpress.com/. A literary online magazine, open to anything positive--poetry, short stories, novellas, or excerpts from novels. Make people think. I did not find information on what they pay. June 2007 update: Now they are also publishing books, but I did not find their terms.

SUPERIOR BOOKS - www.superiorbooks.com.  June 2007 update: I had no trouble getting the site, but it now appears to be a bookseller, not a publisher.

SWIMMING KANGAROO BOOKS - www.swimmingkangaroo.com/. New publisher, established in 2006, both electronic and print editions. Mystery, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, or reasonably close if they like it. Not all their subsections seem to work yet, so I didn't get terms from the site. But an email from the proprietress, Dindy--she says she was the fourth girl in her family, so her father named her that for revenge--says they pay 38% of the gross for books sold from their site, less if sold by a third party. Send a short synopsis and 36 sample pages. August 2008 update: they accept short stories in several categories, with token payments. June 2009 update: times are tough and the long-term outlook is uncertain, but they'll see. They are closed to submissions for the rest of the year.

SYNERGEBOOKS - www.synergebooks.com/. Founded in March 1999 by Debra Staples. Electronic, CD ROMs, paperbacks. 40% royalties on electronic, 30% on paperbacks 25% on children's books, 60% to Independent Authors (I'm not sure what that means). They publishe most genres of fiction and nonfiction, some poetry. They accept less than 30% of submissions. Query first, with your manuscript as an email attachment, MS Word or RTF formats. They'll respond in 4-6 weeks. But they are presently closed for submissions. June 2005 update: until November 2005.  August 2006 update: Closed for submissions until August 2006. So they should be just about due to reopen. June 2007 update: They no longer put any of their books into print, just electronic formats. August 2008 update: They are closed to submissions until at least September 2008.

TANTALIZING TALES - www.tantalizingtales.com/. They publish tantalizing titillating books with explicit sex by new and established authors, from 15,000 to over 100,000 words. Three general categories: super-erotic, romantic erotica, and mainstream sexy, with the usual restrictions. They will consider gay and lesbian fiction and nonfiction. Royalties of 35% of the cover price of ebooks, paid every second month for the first year, monthly thereafter (that's interesting); print books to be negotiated separately.  August 2007 update: they are considering how-to and nonfiction works that deal with relationships, romance, and sexuality, 15,000-50,000 words. Other categories seem to be open for submissions.  October 2007 update: they have a free book give-away through December 31, 2007: The Lodestone by Kathryn Fairfax, a historical romance they feel is awesome. It has had excellent reviews, and they believe the word will spread once people read it. August 2008 update: they are still giving away The Lodestone, so if you missed it last year, ou have another chance.

TATE PUBLISHING - www.tatepublishing.com. This is a Christian based publisher looking for new authors. 40% royalties. 50 free books printed. Author retains all rights. This appears to be a small print self publisher, but they don't give information about fees.
August 2004 update: an author reports that they charge several thousand dollars. February 2008 update: I am told they charge a fee of $3985 up front, which covers it all, and they are very professional.

TERRIFIC BOOKS - www.terrificbooks.com. Gone. June 2004 update: They are back, but appear to be a bookseller for just one book: Autobiography of Howard Hughes, which they represent as the most famous unpublished book of the 20th century. So if you are not a notorious dead aircraft builder, this is not a prospect for publishing. April 2008 update: I have a report “This is a con man selling books that are no longer in existence. His contact info is bogus as well.”

THE AUTHORS BOOKSTORE — www.theauthorsbookstore.com/. A self publisher with a one time $49.99 set-up fee for distribution, and a $450 one time set-up fee for their POD package. Once things are set up, the author gets 100% net royalties. August 2008 update: But their “publishing” link leads to a nonexistent page.

THE CELEBRITY CAFE - www.fictionworks.com. "The Internet's longest running entertainment magazine. Read by 4.6 million people a month." I wasn't going to list it, as they have a number of in-house writers, but they assure me that while they have 16 writers and are always hiring more, they also do free-lance pieces. So this is a market for those who make the grade. I did not discover their rates of payment.  October 2006 update: they have three magazines they need writers for: http://CDInsight.com/news.php for anything entertainment; http://ToTheCenter.com for US News and Political Stuff; http://TrekkerTime.com for the travel guide for the world. August 2008 update: they are presently closed to submissions.

THE DARK CASTLE LORDS — see Dark Castle Lords

THE FICTION WORKS - www.fictionworks.com. The publisher is Ray Hoy, and he is said to be very author-oriented and fair minded. This one covers the full range of genres and also audio. There is a free monthly newsletter, too. Last time I could find no indications for writers to submit work here, but now there are comprehensive guidelines. They are accepting submissions of Historicals, Inspirationals (all faiths), and Juvenile Literature, and are closed to all others. They pay 30% of the retail price of the book for copies sold directly, down to 20% for those sold through distributors, paid quarterly. The contract has an audit clause. It is renewable after three years by mutual agreement. Now closed to submissions. 2003 UPDATE: Unfortunately all may not be well in paradise. I have a report of late royalty statements and payments, and a question whether they are accurate. Sometimes well meaning folk get overcommitted and fall down on details. June 2004 update: they seem to be doing audio, paperbacks, and ebook publication. August 2005 update: they seem to be struggling.  August 2006 update: Closed to submissions until January, 2007.  August 2007 update: I didn't find any information on submissions. You have to contact them by email. This is not a good sign. August 2008 update: They are presently closed to submissions.

THemESTREAM - www.themestream.com. Defunct

THE READERS RETREAT - www.thereadersretreat.com/. August 2007 update: I got a can't-be-found message. 

THE YOUNG WRITERS' SHOWCASE - www.cedarpost.com. This is now a furniture and antique shop.

3RD MILLENNIUM PROS - Dead.

THIRD MILLENNIUM PUBLISHING - http://3mpub.com. This is a cooperative of online writers and resources. The writers' services link did not work when I tried it, but others did. The author retains control, getting 65%-75% of the price of the book. There is a set-up fee and a charge of one dollar per book sold, plus a credit card charge. The minimum book order is one book, for trade paperbacks. It costs $300 for hosting one book for two years; progressively less for subsequent books.
August 2004 update: I have a very favorable report. August 2007 update: The site seems to have been last updated in August, 2006. A year between updates is not a good sign. Now the writers' services link works, though. August 2008 update: Now there's an update of 6-30-08, so they evidently remain active.

THREE OWLS PRESS - http://3owlspress.com/. August 2007 update: this does not seem to be a publisher any more. 

TIGER — www.tigerpublications.com. I was asked about this, so looked it up. It's a traditional print publisher, so outside the proper compass of this Survey, but can be checked by those interested. Their advances range from $500 to $5,000, with royalties of 7% to 10%. They have no word count or genre restrictions. In short, wide open. August 2008 update: But now the site seems to have closed.

TITAN PRESS LLC - http://www.titanpress.net/. This is an imprint of Venus press, dedicated to mainstream fiction in many genres. 35% of gross for ebooks, 7% for paperbacks. 5,000 to 100,000b words, depending on category. They say they take 120 days on submissions, so don't expect fast action.  October 2006 update: they are merging back into Venus. August 2008 update: And of course they are dead, because Venus died.

TORQUERE PRESS - http://www.torquerepress.com/.   They are now reading for year 2006 novels. Especially interested in novels featuring lesbian characters; this is a gay/lesbian/transgender publisher. They will consider physical manuscripts but prefer electronic. Allow 2-3 weeks for a response. Stories in anthologies may receive flat fees of $20. June 2005 update: They have a new imprint, High Balls, and are accepting submissions for it for the year 2006. They need artists too. December 2007 update: a favorable report: “I'm delighted with the way Torquere does business and would recommend them to any writer of gay romance or erotica.” August 2008 update: They are open to submissions in all categories.

TOTAL-E-NTWINED LIMITED — www.total-e-bound.com/. An Erotic Romance electronic publisher. Royalties of 40% of the cover price. Currently accepting stories of 8,000-15,000 words, any genre, but very erotic. Anthologies, four a year. The usual restrictions about pedophilia etc. Four levels of ratings: sizzling, burning, melting, taboo. I get the impression that writers can push the limits further here than elsewhere, so check the site. August 2008 update: Now they have many story volumes, all of which seem to be wide open, and wordage for books can go up to 100,000 words and beyond.

TRAFFORD - www.trafford.com. This is a Canadian self publisher with several packages in US dollars, depending on how much service you want. It has comprehensive information leading prospective authors through its offerings, all the way from the manuscript to marketing. There is a sample contract. They seem enthusiastic and eager to please. They say that your book could be published and publicized in six weeks.   Rates are $699 for the lowest, $999, and to $1399 for the top. Royalties are 60% of the gross margin: that is, the price the book actually sells at, minus the single-copy printing cost. So in effect the author gets more than half the profit. They have set up their own in-house print shop, enabling lower costs. They now also do full color children's books, and offer editing, ghostwriting, illustration, extended publicity and such, at additional expense. They have established offices in England, Ireland, and Spain. June 2009 update: I understand they have been sold to the same outfit that bought Xlibris, iUniverse, and AuthorHouse. No confirmation on their site, however.

TREBLE HEART BOOKS - www.trebleheartbooks.com. Contemporary, paranormal, time-travel, futuristic, historical, romantic suspense, mainstream romance, nonfiction, mystery, metaphysical/spiritual guidance. Takes electronic and print on demand rights for two years, renewable by mutual consent. 35% royalties on POD, 40% on electronic sales, net. There is an audit clause.   I have a highly favorable report about their positive attitude. June 2004 update: they will not accept multiple submissions; they want three months to consider your manuscript exclusively. No erotica. October 2004 update: I have a negative report that this is essentially a one-person operation, thus prone to mistakes such as losing authors' final edits so that the wrong galleys go to the printer (that's annoying as hell; it has happened to me in traditional publishing, and I get the blame for uncorrected errors), repeatedly changing dates of publication, and taking over a year to get a book into print. When there is a complaint, the author is blamed and the contract terminated. This is a flashing red signal; beware. February 2006 update: I have an emphatic concurrence from one of their authors.   February 2007 update: I understand this is essentially a one-person operation, so any personal glitch can mess up the company.  October 2007 update: an author is very satisfied, but wondered why it isn't listed on Amazon. That's because Amazon squeezes small publishers mercilessly, so it's not worth it.

TREELESS PRESS PUBLISHING - www.treelesspress.com. June 2004 update: out of business.

TREESIDE PRESS - www.treesidepress.ca. December 2005 update: dead.

TRIANGLE GOLD BOOKS - www.trianglegoldbooks.com/home. June 2005 update: gone.

TRISKELION PUBLISHING - www.triskelionpublishing.com.   They are filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy as of July 2, 2007. All assets, including contracts, are frozen. This publisher has had a troubled history, which seems at last to be ending. 

TRUEFIRE - http://truefire.com. June 2005 update: They seem to have morphed into a sales outlet for assorted instructions, mainly musical.

TRISPEC - www.geocities.com/z4ho.rm/TriSpec-Main.html. August 2008 update: Their update is dated April 5, 2003. I'm pulling the plug on this entry.

TWILIGHT FANTASIES PUBLICATIONS- http://twilightfantasies.com/. I just learned of this publisher, which opened in May, but already it has folded, ironically. Apparently it never really got off the ground, stiffing authors, cover artists, and editors.

TWILIGHT TIMES - www.twilighttimesbooks.com. I was put on to this one by Celia A Leaman, one of their authors who will now be their Submissions Editor. They are looking for Fantasy (including Dark), Literary, Magic Realism, Mystery, Non Fiction, Pagan, Paranormal, Science fiction, Slipstream, and Specialty/New age. If your work is in a "blended" genre, is too "literary," or quirky in tone for other publishers, they're interested. Just tell a great story. Send a cover letter, synopsis, and first chapter in the body of the email query; no attachments. They say they offer a standard epublishing contract; that should mean electronic rights only and good royalties. December 2003 update: I have a very favorable report on this publisher.    June 2005 update: They are still there, apparently doing well. But I found no information on terms.  August 2006 update: They evolved from an epublisher to a traditional print publisher with initial print runs of 500-750 books. That's good, for a small publisher. They will be open for submissions until August 5, 2006. So about the time you see this note, it will be too late.  Sales: up to 145 downloads per title per year.  August 2007 update: They say they launched 21 titles in 2004. How about 2007? 

TWISTED SHIFT - www.twistedshift.com/. June 2007 update: Folded, as of July 1. 

TYBORNE HILL - www.tybornehill.com. Specializes in fiction, poetry, and reference. They will take material from new authors. December 2005 update: now that information. They are not a printer, don't prepare stuff for print, and don't offer services for authors they don't publish. They don't charge a fee for publishing; they are a straight conventional publisher. They no longer want poetry. Author retains copyright, and gets a 40% royalty on monies actually received (i.e., the net rather than the gross) for ebooks, 12% on paper books. But they revise their structures every few months, so check with them to be sure of what's current. August 2008 update: This time I find no indication that they are open to submissions.

UKG PUBLISHING - www.ukg-publishing.co.uk/, and www.rpgnow.com. This is a group of independent writers, artists, and proofreaders who have set up as a self publisher on a shoestring. They charge no upfront fees, rarely reject anyone out of hand, and pay up to 80% of net to the author. August 2008 update: This time I don't find much indication that they are actually publishing.

UNCIAL PRESS -   I understand that this is a startup founded by two competent editors from Awe-Struck. It will release its first titles on October 2006. Present needs are for Georgian, Regency, Victorian, and Western American Historical Romance, Fantasy/Paranormal, mysteries, and nonfiction books and humor. Query if you have something else; they might be interested. They hope to respond to all manuscripts within 60 days; nag them if they don't. Royalties are 42% on books sold from the publisher's site, less otherwise. They have a sample contract, and it has an audit clause.

UNIVERSAL PUBLISHERS - www.upublish.com/upb01a.htm. This is another self-publishing outfit, charging a fee of $495 and paying royalties of 20-40%. It specializes in nonfiction, and has a non-exclusive publishing agreement which can be terminated on 90 days notice, and says many submissions are ready to promote and distribute in just four to six weeks. That's fast. I don't know this company, but if you have nonfiction to publish, it looks good from here. I would appreciate feedback from writers who use this service, or any of the publishers listed here, so that I can report on actual writer experience. That makes a huge difference.

VANTAGE PRESS - I did not find a web site, so give their number: 1-800-821-3990. This is a well-known subsidy publisher. I figure that if I'm listing self publishers, I should list subsidy, also known as vanity, publishers too, though I don't recommend them. They tend to cost far more, but if you have the money, they'll do the job. August 2008 update: Now I have their web site: www.vantagepress.com/. It is informative and reasonable, but they decline to give prices, saying every manuscript is different. That is misleading; most manuscripts will have very similar costs, depending on author preferences, so a general range could readily be given. But I will give you this word: if they want to charge you more than $500—and they surely will—don't commit until you have checked out a regular self publisher, or Lulu, or Create Space, which is close to free. Royalties are 40% of the retail price.

VAN GOACH BOOKS - www.vangoachbooks.com/. Out of business The link now leads to Barnes & Noble.

VENUS PRESS - www.venuspress.com/. February 2008 update: The site reappeared in January, but seems not really functional, so it's probably the server's error. Its manifestation was a shock to me and a number of other writers, somewhat like encountering an awkward ghost or zombie. We prefer that the dead stay dead. April 2009 update: “The VP family is happy to announce their (sic) soon reopening.” They promise new releases soon. The page is under construction, but their Submissions link works, and says they are open and pay 35% of gross (cover price). Length ranges from 5,000 to 80,000 words. I presume authors left in the lurch when they faded out before are not included in the new order. I was one of those; I took my book to Phaze.

VEROBELLE - www.verobel.com/.  August 2007 update: The Domain is for sale. 

Vignette - www.vignettepress.com.au. It used to be Wannabee Publishing, but no longer does self publishing. “We publish quirky books and magazines with a literary bent that are focused on promoting writing that is fresh, diverse and unique.”

VINTAGE ROMANCE PUBLISHING - vrpublishing.com.   This set up in February 2004, specializing in vintage romances set in the 1920s to early 1950s. They promise fast and good service to authors, with good promotion and contests, and they will never be closed to submissions. But I found no information on terms.
August 2004 update: It is run by four women. They are looking for manuscripts 35,000 to 75,000 words, or novellas of 25,000 words, and true-love non-fiction, old fashioned romance without controversy, undue erotic content, violence against women, sex crimes, or gruesome murders. Their "Pet Peeves" section is a good guide to how not to write for any publisher. But I still found no information on royalties. April 2005 update: Royalties are 40% for download and 10% for print. They do seem to move fast, and market actively. February 2006 update: now they are all-print, no longer selling ebooks.  August 2007 update: They are closed to submissions until the fall of 2007 

VIRTUAL BOOKWORM - www.virtualbookworm.com. Accepting manuscripts in all genries that aren't too far out. Publication ranges from free to $50, depending, with royalties of 50-60%. I was told that their basic program costs $190, but did not find that on their site. June 2003 Update: My system timed out trying to reach them. I don't know if that means they're not there. There is a complaint against "virtualbookroom" which I assume means this outfit: they tend to be nonresponsive.
August 2004 update: Found them okay this time. Royalties are 50% of net proceeds, paid monthly if they exceed $25 (this is reasonable) but it may take up to 90 days to get the money in from outside sales. October 2005 update: I have a very negative report on them, including failure to deliver on paid-for services. February 2006 update: I have a response from the publisher, saying that they try to be sure to complete all services that an author contracts for, and asks that any authors who feel wronged contact them directly, and they will be sure everything is taken care of. This strikes me as a fair response. 

VIRTUAL LIBRO - www.virtuallibro.com/. June 2003 Update: They seem to be gone.

VIRTUAL PUBLICATIONS - www.virtualpublications.com. October 2006 update: they seem to be gone. 

VIRTUAL PUBLISHING GROUP, INC - www.eBooks2Go.com. August 2004 update: this now seems to be a search engine.

VIRTUAL TALES - www.virtualtales.com/. They publish novels in installments of 1,500 to 2,500 words in a variety of fiction genres, but not erotica. Author gets 60% royalties. They are looking for artists, too.  April 2006 update: they are the evident inheritors of the late KeepItComing, but need editors; they won't begin evaluating authors or stories until they have a full slate of competent editors. They want their stories to be a professional as possible. The split for subscription proceeds is 60% for the author, 20% for the editor, 10% for the cover artist, and 10% for site maintenance. 

VIVISPHERE - www.vivisphere.com/. I had a report from one of their authors that this is a print-on-demand publisher, but its site says it is traditional small press and is not at the moment accepting manuscripts. Yet it is part of Netpub.net, which is a POD publisher. UPDATE: The publisher contacted me to correct my typo flubbing of its address--my fingers got on the wrong keys, and evidently my proofreading too--and with a clarification: they are traditional in the ways that count, manuscripts accepted, editing, contracts, cover design, copyright, book registration, return policy, and general quality, but do use the POD technology. They are hurt when bookstores ignorantly condemn them as being without standards. They are a small press using Internet technology. They do have a point; the use of the Internet or POD is a method of publication, not a definition of it. It would make about as much sense to say that all physical bookstores are warehouses, because some buildings are warehouses.
UPDATE: Not considering new submissions at present.  October 2006 update: they are now considering submissions only in Bridge and Science Fiction. Nothing else. 

WALTSAN PUBLISHING - www.waltsan.com/. October 2006 update: they folded as of the end of 2005. 

WANNABEE PUBLISHING - www.wannabee.com.au/. An independent publishing house in Australia that supports and values writers. "Wannabee Publishing runs a reputable manuscript assessment service, and offers editing services in addition to running two literary competitions annually." This seems to be a self publisher, with assorted fees for listed services.  October 2006 update: they will soon be calling for manuscript submissions  August 2007 update: now the link leads to VIGNETTE PRESS, which I assume is their publishing imprint. They charge $180 up for manuscripts 35,000 words and up, and have other fees for other services. August 2008 update: That's changed; see the entry for VIGNETTE.

WATERMARK PRESS - see POETRY.COM

WEBOOK - www.webook.com/.”WEbook is a revolutionary book publishing company, which does for the industry what American Idol did for music.” They provide an interactive writing platform that enables writers, editors, reviewers, illustrators and others to join forces to create great works. They believe that there are millions of talented writers whose work is ignored by the exclusive world of book publishing. Okay; such a system could work, depending on the quality of the participants. There's the rub: self-selected talent is not necessarily of the level believed.

WE-PUBLISH - www.we-publish.com. A self publisher. $578 for 5.5" X 8.5" size book, 50-300 pages. $748 for a 6" X 9" size book 50-300 pages. They offer publication within three months. They have a free Book Writer's mini-course to help you deal with writer's block, writing a synopsis, and writing a book that sells. 7 weekly email lessons, no exams. April 2004 update: they tell me that they appreciate the referrals they have been receiving from this website. They have been in business 4 years; their fees include cover design, ISBN #s, 5 free copies for the author, electronic and printed proofs, listing on Amazon.com, the author's web page for selling books, and more. June 2005 update: now they have ESP--Economical Self Publishing--a rapid publication process for $187.

WHEATMARK - www.wheatmark.com/. "Wheatmark is the only self publishing service that is also a publishing house." $799, and their copyediting service for two cents a word. August 2008 update: royalties 40% through Wheatmark, 20% via third parties. They will invest their own money on your book if you sell over 2,000 copies. Lotsa luck there! Editing services are $.02 per word, with a $100 minimum. Excellent customer service.

WHISKEY CREEK PRESS - www.whiskeycreekpress.com/.    A number of genres, ranging from Inspirational to Erotica Romance, but no porn. They are looking for novellas up to 35,000 words and novels 40-50,000 words. I did not find information on royalty rates, but they are said to be good. June 2005 update: No charge for epublication, but if you want a trade paperback edition, there is a one-time charge of $90 by the printer. August 2005 update: I have a favorable report from an author: they are good to do business with, and prompt on royalties. Royalty is 7.5% on print books, 30% on downloads. February 2006 update: Now I have an extremely negative report on them not paying some authors.  April 2006 update: a report that they fouled up a royalty report, but fixed it when questioned. Another report is very positive.   December 2006 update: I have a report that 30% of the net from third-party sales turned out to be very low, more like 3%. Net is after assorted publisher expenses and deductions, so perhaps it can be abused. The publisher is said not to respond to the emails of disaffected authors.  April 2007 update: And another positive report, finding them responsive, prompt, and polite. But also another very negative report: abusive when questioned about royalties, sending an uncorrected edition to the printer instead of the right one, suspicion that they are stealing royalties from authors. It seems their latest contract allows books to be pulled early for a fee of $550. So I don't know what's true here. December 2007 update: A serious complaint, devious in detail. It seems that WCP uses its printer, Paw Prints, to produce the POD format of its books. But Paw Prints charges the author a $90 set up fee. (I have it listed at $99, but they may charge WCP less.) Well, one author decided not to go POD, then discovered that the book had been printed anyway and was being sold on Amazon via Paw Prints as a “Storefront” outlet. It seems that lessens the high price Amazon charges otherwise. Nothing appeared on the royalty statement, and there is no indication in the contract. It seems the division of the money is in this order: Amazon, Paw Prints, WCP, and finally the author, who apparently receives no accounting. Okay, this situation obviously deserves clarification, but a call to the owner of WCP was met with immediate hostility and abuse. The essence was that it was none of the author's business what they did with the books(!) and was not a contract violation. To a request that the author's books be immediately removed from the storefront, the answer was No. So here is my summary of the author's summary: WCP is not at all Author Friendly; questioning them makes you a Problem Author. They refuse to correct errors made by their editors, refuse to run reviews on the backs of the books (only one self-written blurb), and may not even send out books for reviews. No actual accounting on their royalty statement how many books are sold, and they refuse to answer questions about this. I suspect that there are few complaints about this because most authors simply don't know it is being done. I have not contacted the publisher directly, in part because I suspect that my next call thereafter would be to a lawyer with a lawsuit on my mind. If the publisher contacts me, politely, I will listen. Otherwise, to borrow from a lovely line on the NCIS TV series, if there is to be a pissing contest, bring an umbrella. Meanwhile, be wary; there is a noxious odor here. February 2008 update: the publisher and others did contact me, politely. I think I have it straight now. According to their contract the author is given a choice: pay a set-up fee for a print edition and receive royalties on those sales, or decline. If the author declines, but the publisher feels there are print prospects, it can do the print option at its own expense. In that case the author does not receive those royalties. So it is contractually legitimate. Okay: I suggested to the publisher that there be two things. First, the author should be notified that the publisher is doing this, so she doesn't think her book is being pirated. Second, if the set-up fee is earned out, subsequent royalties should then be shared. Otherwise the publisher could try to stifle electronic sales, on which it pays royalties, in favor of print sales, on which it does not. This sort of thing has happened with traditional print publishers; there was a lawsuit. Now there will be no set-up charge for printing, if enough copies are selling. Just as well, because sometimes the author pays and the publisher loses the record so doesn't report. Meanwhile I have more than one additional very positive report of good editing, on-time royalty payments, review copies sent out, and prompt correction of errors. Also of polite and professional treatment. The consensus is that this is a top publisher. One person makes a good point: authors who tackle a publisher “with attitude” are more likely to reap a negative response. I do have more positive reports, but also more negative ones. In one case there was significant re-editing done after the author's final approval. That's a huge no-no. So reports continue mixed. October 2008 update: Further on editing: the author felt she was given two choices, to allow abusive edits, her own editing having been refused, or pay a $500 buyout clause in the contract. This is not a simple matter; she showed me some of the publisher's edits and explanations for them, and they generally made sense to me. I know that arrogant editing can be absolutely maddening; I have eliminated it when I have had the chance on republication elsewhere, and I left my top publisher, DEL REY BOOKS, because of it. But I can't say the WCP editing is ignorant; they seem serious about having a good product. So while I condemn the seeming arrogance of their approach, I do not feel they are harming the manuscript. I suspect an author's best course is to accept the editing, then place her next book elsewhere if she feels she is not being allowed to have her own voice. It is one of the necessary compromises in publishing. And a complaint of law sales. June 2009 update: WCP Torrid is looking for new sensual/erotic romance submissions.

WHISPERS - www.whispershome.com/. Erotic Romance: spicy, sensual love stories that leave a reader breathless. Intense plots, spicy males, strong heroines, sizzling dialogue. Consenting adults. But no homosexuality, bestiality, or anything illegal. 35,000 words or less, minimum 10,000. Any subgenre is okay at present.  August 2007 update: They are not seeking M/M or F/F at this time. Now if only I knew what those letters stand for. Oh-could it be male on male, female on female? I have a very positive report from one of their authors. December 2007 update: a report of relatively low sales, but good to work with. As they grow sales may improve. December 2008 update: a 20K novella sold over 50 copies in the first week.

WHITE PICKETS - http://trishmacqueen.theshoppe.rom/. This is Pam Publishing under a new name. This is run by Trish, MacQueen, married mother of two, grandmother of three. Publications seem to be mainly free downloadable newsletters. It seems to be more of a personal site rather than a true publisher, but I'll give it time. June 2005 update: She has relocated to http://trishmacqueen.theshoppe.com/. This continues to look like a personal site, not a publisher. But it has a link to the publisher she bought, White Schooner Books. October 2005 update: I'm not clear whether they are still publishing books.  They say their Black Scorpion line is open for submissions from September through June each year. They take up to six weeks to review submissions.  August 2007 update: They are currently revamping their web site. August 2008 update: The site seems to have gone. October 2008 update: Trish advises me that they have closed.

WHITE SCHOONER BOOKS - http://whiteschoonerbooks.s5.com/.  Trish MacQueen is running this as of June 2005. Fiction, Romance to 110,000 words, Young Adult to 45,000 words, but they are accepting a number of other genres. I did not find information or terms. August 2005 update: I have considerable new information from Trish. She remains here as manager. They are now a cross between a conventional publisher and a POD publisher. They have a reading committee that makes recommendations; if they like a book they'll take it, regardless of the author's name or publishing record. They take a month or two to decide. They are open to many genres and many non-fiction types, 70-110,000 words for fiction, 90-100,000 for Romance. They now have a Book Bandit service listing books. Royalties are 25% on the retail price of the book. There is a set-up fee of a flat $100 for print and $25 for an e-book that is gradually refunded as the book sells.  October 2006 update: but their link doesn't work. August 2008 update: It still doesn't work. I think they're gone. October 2008 update: They have closed.

WHITMORE PUBLISHING COMPANY - http://www.whitmorepublishing.com.  Their site is remarkably uninformative about terms or royalties, and I have a report that a writer who queried them later received a solicitation from subsidy publisher Dorrance. It turns out they are affiliated. Whitmore is a traditional commercial imprint, Dorrance a subsidy publisher that receives leads from Whitmore. 

WHORTLEBERRY PRESS - http://whortleberrypress.9f.com/. I have a very good report on them. The site was very slow loading, and did not load completely, so I have no report on their terms. June 2005 update: They have moved to http://whortleberrypress.com. But their site crashed my browser three times, so I don't have fresh information.  October 2006 update: submissions are closed the rest of 2006. royalties are 50%.  August 2007 update: they seem to be gone. 

WILD CHILD - http://www.wildchildpublishing.com/.   An online magazine since 1999. Pays royalties of 40% on electronic formats, and currently does not print publish. Nonfiction and most genres of fiction, but no pornography, hatred, or fan fiction. Books are 50,000-100,000 words. Responds in 2-3 months. High standards. Check their requirements for format; they want only RTF or text files. I agreed to do an interview; this does not necessarily imply support.  August 2006 update: they are assembling an anthology for the benefit of Shelter for Abused Women and Children."  February 2007 update: now they do have print novels. A clarification: it's their Romance branch, Freya's Bower, doing the charity anthology, not WCP. August 2007 update: royalties are 10% on the wholesale print price. I think that means net, not gross, so actual royalties could be half that. August 2008 update: All submissions must be in English at this time.

THE WILD ROSE PRESS - http://www.thewildrosepress.com/. A new small electronic and print publisher of Romance. Currently accepting submissions in all subgenres, all lengths. Check their site for information on category editors, so as to select the right one for your piece. The usual restrictions. I did not find information on royalties. August 2007 update: They are still accepting submissions in all romantic sub-genres and in all lengths, with the usual restrictions. October 2007 update: Two favorable reports. They are professional, friendly, and quick. Royalties seem to be 40%. June 2008 update: But not a report that they can be very slow, taking a year to get into the editing process. August 2008 update: And a mixed report: there were problems, but they seem to be doing better now, though still very slow. Then an evident campaign: I received a cluster of seven letters telling me how good they are, the essence being that they are prompt, responsive, and easy to work with. October 2008 update: more reports. Their contract currently specifies publication within one year of signing of the contract. Royalties are now 30% ebook, 7% print; sales can be low. Another report that they can be slow with edits, but are quick to respond to emails. And from editor-in-chief Rhonda Penders: they have clearly defined timelines, replying within 45 days to a query, 60 days for a partial, and 90 days for a full manuscript, then one year to publish. She posted a note to her authors that if anyone experienced delays, let her know. That should take care of it. December 2008 update: a complaint about low royalties. I addressed this matter in my OctOgre 2008 column, after investigating, showing that such royalties may not be erroneous. A writer clarifies that the publish one year after the edits, and the edits can take many months.

WILDSIDE PRESS - www.wildsidepress.com/. They are looking for published books that are out of print. They must be in English, and the rights must be available. They take essentially all publishing rights worldwide in the English language, to prevent other editions from competing with theirs. They're looking for Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Romance, Suspense, and Classics. They pay 50% of net revenues after expenses. The contract is for a four year term, automatically extended unless someone objects, and it has an auditing clause: overall, not a bad deal.
August 2004 update: I received an unknown host message. That may mean they are out of business. December 2004 update: No, they are still there.  October 2006 update: they are announcing a mass-market paperback line. That's a different league, if they can swing it. August 2008 update: Several of their imprints are currently closed to submissions, but Juno Books and some story magazines remain open.

WIND RIVER PRESS - www.windriverpress.com They specialize in literary and travel fiction and nonfiction. They are looking for short pieces for their magazines. They pay 15% print, 50% electronic, with a negotiable two year contract. Chapbooks under 40 pages are considered for their chapbook series. 20 copies, 50%. Query first; response in one month. June 2005 update: But they have an announcement about a magazine coming in 2003. That suggests that their site is not very active. August 2007 update: they are still looking forward to 2003. I am wary. 

WIND RIVER PUBLISHING - www.windriverpublishing.com    "Dedicated to providing quality publications for readers of general interest, religious works and family fiction for all ages." They offer author services such as syntax & grammar, flow and style analysis, and complete analysis for one to 2.5 dollars a page; reader reviews for $40 per reader, but do not charge for straight submissions. I did not find information on royalties. August 2007 update: They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. First make a Project Proposal, and they will solicit the ms if interested. August 2008 update: The site remains there, but now five years out of date. My guess is this is no longer a market.

WINGSPAN PRESS - www.wingspanpress.com/   A self publisher, costing $499 and up depending on the package.  October 2006 update: Author keeps all rights and 100% of the profits. August 2008 update: a positive report. Upfront charges and services, questions answered promptly, flexible, produced a quality book, author's copies available at one third price. “David Collins made me feel like I was his only client.” They let the author set the published price of his book, in contrast to some other self publishers. Royalties are now 20% of the book's retail price, paid quarterly if the balance is greater than $25.

WINGS PRESS INC - www.wings-press.com/. They plan to publish excellent fiction and establish a writer's community. Query first; no simultaneous submissions. Romance of all types, any genre with an older heroine (40 up), young adult, middle reader, general fiction in a number of genres, but no erotica. 50,000 to 150,000 words. I found no information on terms. June 2004 update: royalties are 30% of download price; 35% if the author provides own cover art. Very positive report by an author. August 2005 update: Electronic publishing is free, but they charge a $90 setup fee for POD books.  October 2006 update: Another positive report from a satisfied author. But also a negative report that while some authors are happy, others are dissatisfied. Editing can be shoddy, cover design going downhill, slow and inadequate responses to authors' concerns. Submissions for General Fiction are closed until January 1, 2007. December 2006 update: Another bad report, where they spelled the author's name wrong and did not answer queries. Apparently if all goes well, authors are happy, but if there's a foul-up, it doesn't get fixed.  October 2007 update: another very favorable report: outstanding service, high quality books. February 2008 update: I have a report that as with Whiskey Creek Press, copies may be sold on Amazon in the printers' section without the author's knowledge. February 2009 update: I have a report that Wings authors are well aware that the printer lists their books on Amazon, and they do receive royalties on books sold.

WITTYBOOKS - www.wittybooks.com/. A new self publisher, saying they are fast and personal; your book can be published in weeks. Author retains all rights. No pornography, hate, racism, child abuse, or other communally sensitive subjects, or books that could incite legal action against author, publisher, or printer. $450 or 19,000 rupees. Or you can simply advertise your book on their site for $20.  October 2006 update: They have moved their advertising to www.author-world.com.  August 2007 update: As far as I can tell, they no longer publish: instead they provide links to other self publishers and services. 

WORLD WIDE EBOOKS - http://worldwideebooks.fiction4all.com/. I received an email saying that I or any of my author friends can publish non-erotic books as e-books free here. August 2008 update: Gone.

WORDBEAMS - www.wordbeams.com/. Closed--but they are doing it in a decent way, maintaining their site and listing their authors with their electronic addresses and new publishers, if any. So I looked up Ellen Anthony (no relation to me; she was early in the list and there is something about the name that appeals to me) and checked her advice on how to find a good electronic publisher. In essence: see where they sell their books, see if their Web site is intelligible, order a couple of their books to see how their service is, check their sample contract, and check with some of their authors. So though WORDBEAMS is done, I like its manner of expiring. It is in sharp contrast to that of most others.
Now featuring Bodendorfer.net, which appears to be a straight bookseller. UPDATE: Susan Bodendorfer, the proprietress, is recovering her health and resuming activity at Bodendorfer.net, in limited fashion. August 2007 update: I'd say this has become a personal web site. 

WORDCLAY - www.wordclay.com/. As I understand it, this is essentially a self publishing tool for authors, also offering editorial services, content design, cover and graphic design, channel distribution, and marketing support. The publishing tool is free; I'm not sure about the other services. August 2008 update: yes, they do seem to charge for other services. For example, copyediting is $.02. I assume that means per page.

WORD WRANGLER PUBLISHING INC. - www.wordwrangler.com/. I did not find information on their site for author guidelines. Their "books" link took forever to load, and when complete, was a blank screen. UPDATE: My click on information for writers turned out to be a link to Midwest Book review, a reviewing service. So I think this is not a publisher. August 2008 update: This time I got the message “The new and improved Word Wrangler coming soon.” So maybe we'll learn more, soon.

THE WRITERS COLLECTIVE - see the Services section.

WRITERS EXCHANGE - www.writers-exchange.com/. Romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Children/Young Adult, Mystery, Western, Action/Adventure/Thriller/War, Humor, Writing Advice, Parenting, Christian, Self Help/How To. They do electronic and print on demand books. For the latter there is a one-time set-up fee, variable depending on what their cost is. Author receives 60% of the cover price, or less, depending on what the publisher has to pay for, like cover art. Contract has no specified time limit; the author merely cancels it at will, giving 90-day notice. There doesn't seem to be an audit clause, but there is a dispute-resolution clause. The proprietor Sandy Cummins tells me that they won the "Inscriptions Engravers award for Best E-Publisher." Indeed, the site has pretty pictures. She's a Xanth fan, so must be legitimate. 2003 UPDATE: They intend to be open for submissions for two to three months, then close for about six months to get through the submissions. Thereafter they should be open twice a year. So check the site to see if they are in phase before submitting.
August 2004 update: they are currently open for submissions. So act quickly, before the window of opportunity closes. June 2005 update: They are still open. February 2006 update: They advised me that they have revised the site. It looks clear enough. They are currently open for submissions, but it may take 12 months for an acceptance.  October 2006 update: Royalties are 50%. They remain open for submissions. August 2008 update: They now have the acceptance time down to 5 months, and expect to bring it down more as they clear their queue. June 2009 update: now at www.readerseden.com. It seems it is now a bookstore rather than a publisher. In due course I will simplify the listing to reflect this, if it is confirmed.

WRITERS PRESS - www.writerspress.com/. This is an established small press that is moving into digital publishing. The basic service is $549.95, plus $100 a year for your website there, and you get ten author's copies of your book. You can purchase additional marketing services.
August 2004 update: I was unable to get current terms, other than an average initial deposit of $195 to start the process. August 2007 update: This seems to have become a referral service. 

WRITE WAY PUBLISHING - www.writewaypub.com/. June 2003 Update: gone.

WRITTEN BY ME - www.writtenbyme.com/. June 2003 Update: gone.

WTF MAGAZINE - www.wtfmag.ca. This is a new literary magazine launched in January 2007. They accept worldwide submissions of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. August 2008 update: Their main entry is for their July/August 2007 issue, so I fear for their future.

XC PUBLISHING - www.xcpublishing.com/. "XC-lent books." They accept fiction in all categories, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Horror, and particularly cross-genre novels, 70,000-150,000 words, and report within three weeks. 40% download royalty paid quarterly, and the author can audit. Contract is for one year, and seems to cover only selling rights. So if you have a novel that crosses genres, this may indeed be excellent. June 2004 update: I have a report that they don't answer queries, even after months. August 2007 update: They seem to be out of the publishing business. 

XLIBRIS - at www.xlibris.com. February 2009 update: Xlibris has been sold to the complex that owns Authorhouse and iUniverse. My investment has been repaid, and I am no longer associated with it. I understand that the surviving self publisher, which will control the vast majority of this business, will be called Xlibris, but it is under new auspices. In due course I will simplify all three entries, as their past histories will no longer be relevant. No, Xlibris was not in financial trouble; I believe it was by a significant margin the most successful self publisher extant and was profitable. The purchaser met our price.

XULON PRESS - http://www.xulonpress.com/. This is a Christian self publisher, rates from $999 up. Interesting manner of paying authors: 100% of bookstore sales, minus the cost to print the book. It appears that their overhead costs are thus factored in on a per copy basis, and the author of a $20 book might receive $2 to $5 per copy sold to wholesalers, and up to $7.50 per book sold directly to individuals. That translates to an effective royalty rate of 10% to 35%, depending. Does this seem a bit deceptive for an openly religious press? Well, they are based in Florida, and the local better business bureau says they have a satisfactory record dealing with complaints, but the company has been inactive with the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations since September 15, 2006. They remain very much active, however, saying they are the world's biggest publisher of Christian books. I would be cautious; don't let your religious sense blind you to the ways of those whom Jesus might prefer to throw out of the temple.

YARD DOG PRESS - http://www.yarddogpress.com/. This is a small print press. This list is primarily for electronic publishers, but I will list others as I come across them, without pretending to be remotely comprehensive. “Our mission: To bring to the attention of the reading public the talent of authors who haven't earned the 'big numbers' yet, so therefore get little or no attention from the corporation giants. These are often great story tellers with equally great stories to share. We think it is shameful that there is no forum for their work.” Well, now; I like their attitude. So if you have been shut out of the big ones, here is a small one to try. August 2008 update: Royalties are 50% of net profit. That's fair, but could be a small figure.

YOUNG WRITERS' SHOWCASE - see THE YOUNG WRITERS' SHOWCASE

ZANDER eBOOKS - http://zanderebooks.com/. August 2004 update: I got an Unknown Host message.

ZANY BOOKSS - http://zanybooks.com/. They are now accepting submissions. No sci-fi, romance (without zany elements) or pure porn. Send the first page of novel only in text of message to submissions@zanybooks.com. Their ebooks are available in all formats, including LARGE print. August 2008 update: They are open to sumbissions only of completed novels. Remember, even their horror novels have a zany element.

ZEUS - www.zeus-publications.com/. Australian. This is a subsidy publisher, paying royalties of 20%. Costs start at $1,800 Australian and go up depending on the length of the book, the editing required, photographs, and additional services. August 2008 update: Now costs start at $2,200 Australian.

ZULU - www.zulu.com. This lists a schedule and nothing else. I don't know what to make of it. June 2005 update: Now they have access for those with passwords, but I find no indication that this is a publisher.

ZUMAYA - www.zumayapublications.com/. "If it's a great, well-written story, we'll publish it." Currently accepting submissions for science fiction, fantasy thriller, horror, mystery, historical, nonfiction, western, romance, erotica, mainstream, paranormal, young adult--well, really it seems to be everything. Manuscripts should be 65,000 words or above for Adult fiction, 35,000 to 60,000 for Young adult. Send the first 5 chapters and a one page synopsis in Word format, Times New Roman 12 font, single spaced, as an attachment to an email; provide author's name, address, phone, word count, and genre. Takes all electronic rights plus trade paperback. Pays 40% of the net profits. Two year contract, renewable. No audit clause. So this looks pretty good, but ask for an audit clause. June 2003 update: The publisher wrote to me with further information: they are based in British Columbia but have "offices" in Austin, Texas, and in California. They enter their second year of serious dedication to publishing all the wonderful books nobody else wants. Technically they are now closed to submissions, but do read queries, so if you really do have the best novel of the year, make your pitch; their No might become Yes. But if you're looking for a place to dump junk, stay well clear.
August 2004 update: As I looked through their contract, I noted an interesting clause: if the author receives an offer from a traditional publisher, Zumaya will relinquish all rights in exchange for 20% of the advance the traditional publisher pays. Since a traditional publisher may pay an advance of $5000 to $25,000 or more, this seems a fair compromise: take the money, pay off Zumaya, and be on your way to fame. It's fair, because Zumaya will be taking a loss on the investment and promotion it put into your book, without which you might not have gotten the traditional print offer. October 2004 update: I understand they are scheduling into the year 2008. That's a long wait. June 2005 update: They are closed for submissions until September 2005.  October 2006 update: "After a yearlong hiatus, Zumaya Publications is now open for submissions." Minimum lengths are now 45,000 words for Young Adult, and there is a general maximum of 150,000 words, unless they can break it up into smaller volumes. I have had a private dialogue with Elizabeth Burton, who is running it; she seems to know her business.  August 2007 update: They are open for submissions in many genres, but your book may not see publication until 2009. August 2008 update: One of their imprints is closed, others open, so check their site before sending.

AJW CELEBRITY SERVICES - www.ajwcelebrityservices.com. I received a solicitation to enlist with them to make public appearances. They are booking agents. Fill out a form, send it in. They take 15% of what they make for appearances and 10% on any production services they book. I did not respond, but list them here in case anyone else is interested.

A-W PUBLISHING - www.a-wpublishing.com.  December 2006 update: but it does list several self publishers. 

ABIKA.COM - www.abika.com. This houses one of the Internet's largest collections of online books in pdf format, with over 5,000 titles available. The downloads are free, so it seems to be a library, thus a service to readers rather than writers. Writers who wish to make their books available free should check here; they are looking for more titles. They will also list books for sale, for a fee of $4.95 a month.
UPDATE: now it seems to be all reports' I couldn't find the library.

ABINTRA PRESS - http://abintrapress.com/. This is a personal site by Ed Howdershelt, and I am listing it for two reasons. The official one is that it has useful advice on the Epublishing Info page on marketing your manuscript, including on ISBN numbers and registering copyrights. The unofficial reason is that Ed came to my house, installed a modem, and enabled me to get online at last and this is the first entry verified and done on my own system instead of on my wife's Windows system, Mayhem 28, 2008. I'm free of Windows at last, at least for browsing. So click his link, visit his site, and thank him or bawl him out, depending on whether you are pleased that he helped me get better access. You might even consider buying one of his books.

ABOUT.COM - www.about.com/. This really isn't a writing site any more. It's a general advice site.

ABSOLUTE WRITE - www.absolutewrite.com/. They offer on-line courses in all manner of writing, and say they have a list of more than 180 agents. They have a newsletter, offer editing services, and so on, for a price. This could be good for a writer who is not sure how and why to proceed.

A CAPPELA - www.acappela.com/. Advice on all aspects of writing, directing the aspiring author to various fee-charging services.

ADULT FANFICTION - http://www.adultfanfiction.net/. This seems to be the counterpart to Fanfiction.net, for the fiction too racy for the mothers of teens. Writers can join and contribute their pieces for others to read and rate. I randomly sampled several entries and found little actual sex, mostly folk getting into fantasy situations that might become sexual farther on. So like most fiction, it takes time to get into the hard stuff, but it is surely there somewhere. I would say the emphasis is on fiction rather than sex; it's not a porn site. Probably a good place for authors of risque fiction who want to get reader responses about its merit. Some established frameworks are borrowed for settings and characters, like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter; I'm not sure how the proprietors of those series feel about that. October 2004 update: I checked a story written by the proprietor: full hard anal sex. This sort of fiction seems to be far more common today than it was a generation ago. August 2005 update: when I clicked it said Error 400--Bad Request. Maybe anal sex blew the circuit. October 2005 update: they are there in good order, but now have a notice that all stories must have disclaimers or will be deleted. The disclaimer says that you do not own, or are not making money from the story.  October 2007 update: now there are layers of warnings about not entering the site unless you are an adult. You must give your birth date and swear under penalty of law that it is correct. I tried to fill in my information, but it got complicated and I did not succeed in entering the site. But something is obviously there. October 2008 update: This time they accepted my sign-in. They say they have more than a hundred million page viewers per month, but are in need of money to continue. I guess more folk are interested in erotica than are willing to pay for it.

AGENT RESEARCH & EVALUATION - www.agentresearch.com/.  This is a paid service for locating the right agent for you. For $75 you can get their New Agent List containing 40 agents appearing since 1998. For $210 you can get a complete report on five agents who handle work like yours. For $330 they'll research the best agents for you and give you the information. Or ask them about a particular agent and they'll give you the poop on it, free. There are other services. They don't guarantee you'll get an agent, but at least your search will be well informed. At first blush, I'd say this is worthwhile, because finding the right agent may be more important to your future than finding the right spouse, if you are a serious writer. If I were looking for an agent, I believe I would try this service. October 2004 update: They say their agent database includes more than 2,000 active agents, none of whom charge reading fees, and they have information on the $ made on deals. October 2008 update: Now the fee is $360. The right agent would certainly be worth it.

ALLBOOKS REVIEW - www.allbookreviews.com. I received an email ad for this. Their complete promotional package is $49.95, or $6 more Canadian. They will read and review your book and submit the review to various publications and websites, and least 5, among other things. You may be able to get a free review.

ALLIANCE DATA - www.alliance-data.org. They are based at Union Territory, a former French colony on the shore of the Bay of Bengal in South India. They provide mass data entry and typesetting. They say they have 25 years experience, with 99.99 percent error free delivery, promptness, and attractive rates. They can handle any text, including mathematically. They have an impressive list of publishers for whom they have digitized text, starting with the Oxford University Press.

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS - www.allromanceebooks.com. They have experienced unprecedented growth, sometimes stifling their site, but have upgraded and should be okay. They are a distribution site for electronic romance books, not a publisher; they sell books for more than 100 other publishers and imprints. Very wide range of sub-genres, at five heat levels. An email circular announces that Preditors and Editors awarded them Best Book Store of 2007. Published authors in their catalogue-I'm one-may be considered for their Free Reads program. April 2008 update: they are evidently doing promotion, because I have received several email fliers. August 2008 update: They will sponsor a booth at the West Hollywood Book Fair on September 28, 2008, and are seeking authors who would like to participate. The fee to participate is $20 per author. The Book Fair anticipates an attendance of 25,000 readers, so it's pretty good exposure. They are also launching a weekly radio program What's Hot in Romance. October 2008 update: Now there are two new spots on their site to promote your books through video. The home page has a featured spot available at an introductory price of $30 per week. There is a secondary page for videos at $30 for two weeks. Such spaces will be filled on a first-come basis.

AMAZON - www.amazon.com/.  Known primarily as a bookseller, Amazon now does do some publishing of its own. I don't yet have reports. February 2008 update: I understand the Amazon Kindle program started in November 2007, downloading to the Amazon reading device. Author receives 35% royalties on books sold this way. April 2008 update: They are making a gross power play, refusing to sell the POD books that are not printed by their BookSurge subsidiary. Authors and small publishers are generally outraged. October 2008 update: for their publishing program see Create Space in the Publishing section. It seems to be the best self publishing deal extant. February 2009 update: Amazon has a feature, Sponsored Links, that is a service to readers, providing links to additional sources or information about the authors. But some authors are upset, because some of those links violate their privacy by providing personal addresses, phone numbers and such, and Amazon will not remove them when requested by the authors. I checked Piers Anthony, and a Sponsored Link was for Docks and Piers supplies. No joke; you can check it yourself. Just be advised that I endorse no Docks or Piers; buy them at your own risk. That does not violate my privacy, but does show that this is an automated thing, not necessarily relevant. So authors should be warned that more than their books may be for sale here. I certainly don't want my street address or phone number available for any kook who figures to erase me and take my place, figuring that no one will know the difference. My ghost would be really annoyed if no one noticed, though.

AMES ON-DEMAND - www.amesondemand.com.   Jose Colon in an account executive with 20 years experience in Production. He is offering On Demand Printing with Client Solutions. He uses the latest digital technologies, so can handle a variety of printing projects on short notice with rapid turnaround.

An Insider's Guide - see PUBLICIZE YOUR BOOK

APHELION - www.aphelion-webzine.com/   This is an online magazine that doesn't pay for material but should be a good market for exposure of your fiction. Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, or Poetry. Stories under 7,500 words are sent to one editorial office, and longer ones to another. They have a "Mare Inebrium" category; I don't know whether there's any connection to Xanth's Mare Imbrium, who brings daydreams. October 2008 update: I learned something I didn't know: “Fan Fiction” is not fiction written by fans, as I had thought, but is anything that involves copyrighted characters or institutions from Star Trek, Star Wars, etc. That is, fictionalizing about copyrighted characters or settings.

APOLLO'S LYRE - www.apollos-lyre.com/    This is an online ezine for writers of every caliber and genre. I list it as a service because I see no indication that it pays for material, and it does have good information for writers, such as a list of literary agents, other story markets, writers' conferences, and an "Author Beware" section. Articles should be 300-1,000 words, and stories 300-1,500 words. They also do poetry. They take one-time rights for 30 days; author retains ownership.      August 2005 update: they have a new address: the old one with a hyphen. December 2006 update: they cite a Writer's Digest statement that says this is the best writing site of 2005 and 2006. 

ARTIST FIRST NETWORK - www.artistfirst.com   I received an email flier promoting this. It says that ArtistsFirst World Radio is offering a new show series exclusively about independent and undiscovered authors, entitled Authors-First. They are a Web Radio station sending out a constant worldwide FM signal. They will do a pre-recorded one hour program about your book. There is no fee, but you are requested to make a donation whose size you determine. This looks very  August 2004 update: they invited me to do a series of one minute opinions for them to broadcast. I pondered and passed it up, as I have my own site for opinions.  October 2007 update: The site was slow loading, then played music. Obviously it is functioning.

ARTS AND EDIT - www.artsandedit.com. This provides a variety of editing services to authors/writers. The proprietor's experience includes copy and literary edits of books, plays, business documents, and student compositions, as well as basic proof reading. Unfortunately when I checked their site, it was a blank black screen.  October 2003 update: I received an email update, but their screen remains blank black. October 2004 update: now their site appears in all its splendor. April 2005 update: but I am told that now it seems to be only a business card design company.  October 2007 update: And now it's a search engine.

A.R. YNGVE HOMEPAGE - http://clik.to/pankrator. - A R Yngve of Norway advised me of his site, where he has published his own books and has a Writer's Column, all free for reading and feedback. This is not a market, just an example of what a frustrated writer can do for himself that others may want to emulate. There are useful links to genre and other sites. He believes the Web will change publishing. I agree. October 2003 update: I received an email update, but their screen remains blank black. October 2004 update: It is there now, though the text of my screen seemed to be in Norwegian. Nice pictures, though. August 2005 update: now it's in English.

ASCOT MEDIA GROUP — www.ascotmedia.com. I received an invitation to use their promotional services for my books. It costs $3,500 per month. I think I am not in their league, but I list them in case you are. April 2009 update: now they have an “intro” plan for authors: $2,000 reduced to just $750 a month. In fact Viral One can be had for one month only for $700.

ASK ANN - www.speculations.com/rumormill/archive/arc200.htm. October 2008 update: they are no longer in the business of publishing market information for writers. SPECULATIONS will go dormant a while, then presumably revive.

ASSOCIATION OF AUTHORS' REPRESENTATIVES (AAR) - www.aar-online.org. These are the legitimate agents, the ethical ones who won't rip you off. You don't want any other kind. Good general information here, but it may not help you much if you want to get an agent. August 2005 update: Now they invite you to search their database if you are looking for an agent. So I typed in my own agent, and they couldn't find him. Okay, not every agent belongs, not even every legitimate agent. October 2008 update: But their general advice about agents is good, and this is a site worth checking for information regardless whether you are currently seeking an agent. They say most agents will answer only snail queries. In my experience, many don't even do that; it's a wonder how they ever find clients. If I ruled the world, there would be stiffer standards for agent attitudes.

@VENTURE - www.atventure.com. "@VENTURE is a site where comic book writers can publish prose fiction, and where readers can find it."    UPDATE: this now seems to be a search engine.

AUTHOR CAMPAIGN AGAINST UNDESIRABLE PUBLISHING COMPANIES - Authorscampaign@aol.com. Membership of 98 authors who investigate publishing companies that do not pay due royalties. The notice I received discussed Cool Publications, listed in the Publishing section. No Web site yet, but they are working on it. If you are suspicious of your publisher, this seems to be a place to check.

AUTHOR CONNECTION -   see The Author Connection

THE AUTHORS DESK - www.theauthorsdesk.net/. This is the Web site of author Jozette Aaron, editor-in-chief of DeSilva's News, a tool for writers to meet their creative needs. It caters especially to aspiring authors. December 2006 update: her newsletter has been discontinued so she can devote herself to writing, but the site remains active. October 2008 update: Now it seems to be an ad site for furniture. It wants to sell an author a desk, literally.

AUTHOR DIRECTORY - www.authdir.com/. This is a listing of a squintillion writers, artists, and models in alphabetical order, listing birthday, age, and site and email addresses, with links. It lists four Anthonys but missed Patricia Anthony. For me it listed an AOL email instead of my real one; curious, I clicked it, as I never had that address. Sure enough, it gave an error message. It lacks the age for some writers. It also listed a second site address which leads to the Xanth Thread, which does not appear to be fully operative. So this list may not be complete, or completely accurate, but it's a dandy way to locate writers. I list it here though it's not a publishing service, as folk might want to check the sites of their favorite authors to see where they get published. October 2008 update: Now it has six Anthonys, including Patricia, but still does not have my correct address. So it's a big list, but sloppy on detail.

AUTHORLINK - http://authorlink.com/. This seems to be a general publishing information site worth checking out. It has news, information, and marketing service for readers, writers, editors, and agents. October 2007 update: But to get that information, you have to subscribe for $7 a month. October 2008 update: Now it's $15 a month, after a $30 first month.

AUTHOR NATION - www.AuthorNation.com. The Online Community for Authors, Writers, Poets and their Readers. They expect to have half page ads in print magazines, middle of October 2007. They are setting up sections for different genres. February 2008 update: I have an extremely negative report, calling the site a total sham. Employees of Infinity Publishing Company (a self publisher listed in the Publishing section) run this site and pose as regular members, controlling the forums and freely insulting others. Protesters are banned. I'll be interested to see what feedback this notice inspires. Meanwhile, I'd be wary. June 2009 update: I heard from the president of Infinity Publishing, Tom Gregory, owner of Authornation.com, giving the name of the one he suspects is my informant. “We do none of the things he alleges and the site is free to all who join and has been very successful in bringing a community to Author's and wannabe Authors.”

AUTHORS DEN - www.author'sden.com/. An authors' promotion site, with membership dues.

AUTHORS-SPEAKERS - www.authors-speakers.com/services.html. October 2004 update: gone

THE AUTHOR'S ASSISTANT - www.authorsassistant.com. UPDATE: Got an "Unknown Host" message, so it's gone.

AUTHORS GUILD - www.authorsguild.org. This is a traditional writers' organization that you can't join unless you are selling traditionally, but I'm listing it because it has a web site and some online writers might qualify. It just issued a Model Trade Book Contract and Guide that includes Electronic Rights Clauses, so can be relevant to electronic publishing. It is a fine guide. The site has news of interest to writers. UPDATE: Announcement of their quarrel with Amazon.com about the way it offers used books for sale cut-rate almost as fast as the new ones, depleting new sales. This fracas has made the NEW YORK TIMES and WALL STREET JOURNAL, with hot accusations relating to free speech, lawfulness, and misrepresentation. I suspect Amazon is already sorry it took on Author's Guild without weighing its words. So who has the right of the case? I would say technically Amazon, but it's a shitty thing to do to writers. August 2003 UPDATE: Clicking this link made my browser crash, thrice. Does a hacker have a grudge against this legitimate organization? October 2004 update: This site still makes my Konqueror browser crash. I assume Author's Guild still exists, as I just renewed my membership by snail mail. December 2006 update: the site seems to be working now. October 2008 update: I am now using the Firefox browser, and it didn't crash. The site seems functional and informative.

AUTHORS OF LITERARY EROTICA - www.mindcaviar.com/literotica.html. This is a Web Ring hosted by the erotica webzine MIND CAVIAR. You must be a legitimately published erotic author to join; then you can share the company and camaraderie (but they misspell the word) of fellow writers who share your interests. August 2005 update: got this message: "Forbidden--You don't have permission to access /literotica.html on this server." Interesting; I have published very solid erotica, notably Pornucopia and The Magic Fart; if I don't qualify, who does? Some outfits seem unduly arrogant. December 2006 update: now the site loads without complication. October 2008 update: they spend a lot of space specifying exactly whose sites they will not accept. But if you think you qualify, you can email their ringmaster and make your plea.

AUTHOR ZONE - www.authorzone.com. Now being launched. "A complete authors and writers community 100% interactive!" You get your own homepage, biography section, books page, new submission page, events announcement section, and so on. $1000 worth of services free. Well, the price seems right.

BABY NAMES - www.www.babynames.com/. So why is this listed here? Because coming up with character names can be a hassle. I have a collection of baby names books I use. This online collection should be convenient for those who don't want to invest in physical books. My Konqueror browser crashed twice trying to look at this; maybe that's coincidence. December 2006 update: It is working now, at least with the Windows browser, so I tried looking up my own name. It has a phenomenal list of names, including Pierce, Pier, and Peers, but not Piers. Hmm. October 2008 update: Their listing is very pretty, with boys in blue, girls in red, and unisex in green.

BABY NAMES WORLD - www.babynamesworld.com/. Another list of baby names, with 11,000 names you can use to name characters, and maybe even a baby or two when the occasion demands. This one includes "Piers." October 2008 update: It no longer includes Piers. Was it something I said?

BART BAGGETT'S INTERNET MARKETING FOR AUTHORS, SPEAKERS, & PUBLISHERS - www.internetbookpublishingsecrets.com/. This is a hard sell for a $297 online course and books the author says can make you duplicate what he made last month: $11,989, or $144,000 in a year. His discussion is interesting, but I take it with a ton of salt. My guess is you'll be fortunate if you make back the course fee. But who knows?  December 2006 update: I don't know whether the site has changed, but certainly it has worthwhile points for writers to ponder. October 2008 update: He lists myths: that the Internet doesn't sell books, that your book will sell itself, that your books must be available in bookstores, that you really believe that being on Oprah will make you an overnight bestseller, that it takes luck to be a bestseller, that you should advertise Amazon on your site (because Amazon will not share customer information with you). Buy his book and prosper.

BEACH BOOK FESTIVAL - BeachBookFestival@sbcglobal.net. BEACH BOOK FESTIVAL-BeachBookFestival@sbcglobal.net. Call for entries in their 2008 annual program. $1,500 first prize and a flight to Atlantic City. Many genres.

BEMOP - www.bemopub.com/. Stands for Be My Own Publisher. A hosting site for a community of writers of all genres, artists of all media, and musicians of all types. The intention is to bring together amateur creative artists with their intended audiences for collaboration and feedback. The hope is that advertising will bring in traditional publishers to scout for new talent here. There is a subscription fee for those who want to sell original work, and a fee starting at 10% and diminishing in time, for those who get hired via this introduction. Um—that may be difficult to enforce; creative types are not necessarily financially responsible. The site has to have “temporary” custody of copyrights in order to sell the items for the Creative Artists. That's so the publisher can legally sell and collect funds through its merchant account, then take out the 10% and relay the rest to the artists. There is only a month to month or annual subscription for Creative artists. If any are picked up by a professional company, BEMOP gets exclusive online, electronic, multimedia sales at a 60/40 split (BEMOP gets the 40%) for the first ten years, and the Creative artist gets the option to negotiate and extend the option or terminate it.

BETTER FICTION - www.betterfiction.com. I clicked the link, and the connection was refused. Then they gave me on alternate link and I got there. This is a collection of forums relating to improving your writing. I agreed to contribute a spot essay, but haven't tried to look at it online because I'd need to be a member to get there. The other comments I saw seemed to be informed and relevant. Aspiring writers need feedback so they can tell whether they are on the right track. This is a way to get it.

BLACK ON WHITE - www.blackonwhite.on.ca/. This site is intended to help writers overcome hurdles that prevent them from producing pages on a regular basis. There is no charge. It says the Writer's Block is an excuse for not writing. That Inspiration is a myth; writing is hard work. Well, now; I like that. A genuine desire to write, and self discipline, and a workmanlike approach can work wonders. I don't wait for inspiration, I summon it on demand. So I think this site is on the mark. It says its motto is "learn to fail faster." Get it out of the way today, so you can succeed tomorrow. So if you have trouble settling down to write, this is the motivational site for you. UPDATE: A notice says the site has been visited almost 33,000 times since 1-27-28. I had no idea it existed since 1928. Regardless of typos, it seems good. October 2004 update: Now the site says it has been visited 14,963 times since 1/07/28. So those earlier ten days must account for a loss of about 18,000 visits. But despite nonsense like this, this is an informative site. December 2006 update: Now the site has been visited 25,886 times since 1928. October 2008 update: Now it's not saying how often the site has been visited since 1928.

BOOK ANNOUNCEMENTS - www.bookannouncements.com/. They offer several promotional packages. For $195 they will do electronic distribution of your press release to 2,000 bookstores, 2,000 librarians, and 3,900 media contacts. For $325 they'll circulated a full-color ad to 20,000 librarians and booksellers. There are several other increasingly expensive packages, depending on how big a blast you want to make. It seems you can certainly make you book known to the trade. October 2004 update: Now they have an introductory package for $175, and other services for different prices. October 2008 update: The domain has been temporarily disabled.

BOOK CANDY STUDIOS — www.bookcandystudios.com. They help authors promote their works through trailers, blogs, review boards, top social networking sites, newsgroups, and even author tours. “We offer a wide range of promotional services—none of which will break the bank.” But when I clicked their site, it had music, colored blank books, and a message “Get Ready.” Otherwise it was blank. August 2008 update: I received an email saying that this fall they will publish the “Book Candy News Wrapper,” a media communications platform that will go out to more than 68,000 magazine editors and multi-media producers. Their goal is to help authors get the word out; there is no charge. Unfortunately, all submissions had to be received by July 31, the day before this update. Maybe there'll be another push at a later date. October 2008 update: got music with a blank screen. Then a push for their program: $400 for two days. June 2009 update: They inform me that my last update is in error; it related to a temporary client they no longer represent. “We are a viral marketing company. We produce very nice trailers.” They seem to be very enthusiastic about their projects, such as Brenda Novak's annual fundraiser for Juvenile Diabetes Research. They are now offering short-form trailers in 3-, 6-, and 12-pak configurations that can be time released or run all together for an added burst of marketing.

BOOKCROSSING - www.bookcrossing.com/.  This is a book club, a reading group that makes the whole world a library. Book reviews, ratings, recommendations. 61,000 members, 23 million hits a month. October 2004 update: now they have 293,755 members and 1,432,845 books registered. October 2007 update: Now it's 591,353 people in more than 130 countries. October 2008 update: Now it's 711,322 people.

BOOK ENTREE - www.bookentree.com. They have two programs to increase orders to libraries, via newsletters,  costing $35 and $15.  October 2007 update: They are not accepting new submissions at this time. October 2008 update: Now it says Cassandra Vaughn. I'm not sure how she relates.

BOOKHABIT - www.bookhabit.com/. “Bookhabit is devoted to fostering the love of reading and writing, connecting those who share our passion for books, and providing opportunities to discover and be discovered.” Writers can post books on the site free, retaining all rights, and receive 40% of the sale price. On average every site visitor looks at 8 books. Bookhabit also offers a forum where you can discuss your work or writing experiences with readers and other writers. Such feedback can be useful, if not always pleasant. So this would seem to be a site where novice authors can get relevant experience.

BOOKHITCH - www.bookhitch.com. A new marketing alternative for authors and publishers, who can list an unlimited number of books free. December 2006 update: Premium service is $19.95 per book per year. 

BOOKMAN MARKETING - www.bookmanmarketing.com/. December 2006 update: "You are not authorized to view this page."  October 2007 update: now it simply says "Hello World." The rest is blank. October 2008 update: Server not found message.

BOOK MARKETING NEWSLETTER — see Substance Books

BOOK REVIEW SERVICE - www.burlingtonnews.net/. This is a paranormal site strong on UFO information. I received an email saying it has a new free book review service, but I did not find it at the site.

BOOKS2MENTION MAGAZINE - www.Books2Mention.com. "We are currently offering authors six months of advertising for $25.00 per book." Authors are encouraged to visit their site to learn more about their magazine. December 2007 update: they now have other offers, ranging from $10 to $125. August 2008 update: Now they have a joint venture with Ulban echoes entertainment, the parent company of Ghostwriter Extraordinaire, GWE, which is becoming a leader in video trailers for authors to promote their books. $99.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS - www.booksandauthors.net. For $250 you get a personal interview page with your photo, bio, book summary, short book reviews, etc. They will send press releases to 1,000 booksellers. December 2006 update: This now seems to be a collection of links relating to writing. 

BOOK SERVICES - www.eBookServices.com. They are located in India. They cater to both organizations and individuals. They have multi-lingual typesetting, page composition/design/layout, Desktop Publishing in almost all international languages, format conversion, formatting of manuscripts, keying in, scanning, and OCR,XML coding, Website Design and Development. They indicate that you can cut your costs by at last one third without compromising quality.

BOOKS JUST BOOKS - www.booksjustbooks.com. This says it is the #1 self-publishing site on the Internet, with over a hundred million books in print. But it seems complicated to get information on costs. I gather you sign up for assorted services you choose, rather than getting a package deal. August 2005 update: Now there are per-book prices starting at $3.41 each for 100 copies and descending to $.65 for 3,000 copies. Color printing costs more.

BOOKS TO FILM - www.bookstofilm.com. I received this as spam, but it may be of interest. They publish a semi-annual catalog distributed to over 2500 film producers, directors, studios, and film agents nationwide. You can buy a full page ad for the fall issue for $250. Okay, speaking as a writer who has had a number of film options over the years, I have to say that this looks to me like a long shot. Certainly you are not guaranteed getting your book made into a movie. But since the movies, like publishing, seem largely closed to newcomers, this may be a way to express your availability. Maybe you'll be the one in a thousand whose ad evokes pay dirt. December 2006 update: This is now Network Solutions, the site under construction. October 2008 update: Now you can download full movies for as low as $1.99. That does not seem like an author service.

BOOKVIEW - http://hometown.aol.com/bookviewzine. This is an online nonfiction book review magazine. The proprietor, William Tienken, notified me that he was reading my autobiographies, so I checked the site, and thought others might be interested in reviews of nonfiction books.

BOOKWHIRL - www.BookWhirl.com. I received an email solicitation for this service, which says their company has many great ideas. I haven't actually clicked the link, but list it for anyone interested. October 2008 update: I received an advisory from Xlibris: this company has been soliciting their authors for promotional services. That must be why I heard from them. Xlibris researched them and found that the address listed on their website does not exist; it's a vacant space. FedEx can't deliver to them for that reason. Xlibris recommends exercising caution. For sure. Naturally their site does not mention this caveat. June 2009 update: I received another solicitation for their services.

BOOK WRITING - http://www.ability.org.uk/book_writing.html. "A UK-based page of links supporting book writing for disabled people. I've checked out some of the links, and they seem excellent." MW   October 2004 update: I sampled their section on dealing with criticism. It opens with a painfully insensitive sample of negative criticism, and has several snippits of good advice before becoming a listing of ads. Here is a sample: "The only thing worse than being criticized is finding out that nobody cared enough to correct me." Yes, we hate criticism, but need it.

BOOKZONE - www.bookzone.com/. This appears to be a service to promote self published e-books. "We help small publishers and first time authors seeking self publication to SELL MORE BOOKS." Hosting setup is $309 to $399, plus a monthly hosting fee of $59 per title. They set up your domain name, submit to at least 45 search engines, include your titles in the BookZone SuperCatalog, and have other services; check their site for full information. October 2004 update: This seems to have become Wheatmark, Inc., with a similar service.

BRIEFSMART - www.briefsmart.com. October 2004 update: I got an Unknown Host message. August 2005 update: now it's Men's apparel.

BRIEN JONES, Author Consultant - www.bookmanmarketing.com.

BRYONY ALDOUS - dunresearchin@yahoo.co.uk. If you don't have the time to do your own spot research, he will do it for you. His services are free at this time, but will be charged when he has more experience.

BULLYING - www.bullying.org/. This is not a publisher, but a site dedicated to awareness of bullying and the related problems, trying to help eliminate it. I list it here because you can send stories, poetry, images, music, audio stories, animations or videos here to be posted. They don't divulge author's names. So if you have something to say about bullying, you can say it here, anonymously. December 2006 update: lovely quote there: "Whoever said 'Don't run from your problems' never faced a bully." 

CANADIAN E AUTHORS - http://ceauthors.com. This is to feature, showcase, and promote Canadian writers who have published electronically. October 2008 update: Notice that this site was last updated in July 2005.

CANDLES OF CREATIVITY - creativitytoexcel@firemail.de. 2003 UPDATE: Gone.

CAN WRITE WILL WRITE — www.canwritewillwrite.com/. This started out as a service to showcase books in the hope that publishers will see them, be impressed, and buy them. Now they are branching into publishing themselves, so look for them in the Publishing section.

CARNIVAL OF WICKED WRITERS - http://freezenerve.proboards32.com/. I was notified about this site back in February 2005, and the paper got lost on my cluttered desk. It promotes Horror and Dark Fantasy, and wants to create a serious writing forum for writers to share ideas and information. There is relevant material here, and it seems worthwhile. It lists Horror fiction markets, and really sharp screenwriting information.  October 2007 update: Now you have to log in if you want to see anything. I don't do that, but presume the site remains functional for those who do.

CATALYZER ONLINE JOURNAL - http://www.catalyzerjournal.com.   This is a nonpaying publisher run by a high school student, covering topics such as war, peace, social justice and others. October 2008 update: this seems to consist of links to assorted articles on a number of subjects. I glanced at one and it seems informed and objective.

CHEAP BOOKS - http://www.easybooksearch.com.    This compares the prices of books at more than 100 bookstores. As a general rule, I list publishers and services for writers, rather than for readers, so this and Fetch Book may be as far as I go here. December 2006 update: "This page cannot be found."  October 2007 update: it is back in business.

CHILDRENS LITERARY AGENCY - http://www.childrensliteraryagency.com/.   This is said to be a somewhat shady outfit, but some writers do have positive experience there. December 2007 update: a writer showed me their response. I have to say this was a well reasoned statement of their service and expectations. They use an independent critique to evaluate a manuscript, and go on from there. Since the great majority of amateur—and many professional—manuscripts have some problems, this makes sense. They talk the talk; whether they walk the walk remains to be seen.

CHIMAERA'S WRITER'S PARADISE - http://pub18.ezboard.com/bchimeraeswritersparadise. A reader asked me about this, so I checked it. Unfortunately it seems to be chimerical as far as writers are concerned, being a forum whose topics may have no content. "Career" turned out to be spam-type ads. No paradise here. UPDATE: this time I found some content. It's a discussion group, with many genres of fiction represented.  October 2007 update: the link took me to Yukufind, a search engine. October 2008 update: All I got was a list of the most common tags in the last 7 days. This does not seem useful.

CHERRY CREEK DESIGN GROUP - www.cherrycreekdg.com. "My name is Chris Phelps. I help authors make more money! Whether you are trying to move up the Best Seller's list, or just trying to get published, I can get you there...We provide high quality, affordable graphic design and illustration, with unequaled one on one service...Double or triple your book sales." I haven't checked their site, I merely quote their claims. October 2004 update: This time I checked their site, and it seems to be as represented. June 2008 update: it seems Chris is no longer accepting new design projects, so he can focus on his own art career.

CK MARKETING - http://www.authors-speakers.com. They offer to get your book reviewed, or help you promote a book signing event, or get more exposure and publicity for your book, for a variable price. October 2004 update: I got the Unknown Host message. August 2005 update: Now it's a Debt Consolidation service. October 2007 update: And now it is selling books on heart health. October 2008 update: This time all I got were pages of numbered boxes.

CLAY TABLET PUBLISHING - www.claytabletpublishing.com. October 2007 update: It's a search engine.

COMMIAB - www.commiabindia.com   An e-learning firm based in India that undertakes graphics designing, animations, rendering photographs, converting material to electronic form, and transcribing audio files. (But the site stopped working). October 2007 update: it seem to be a dead link.

CPSWEBMART - see BOOK POD

CREATEWRT.NET - www.createwrt.net/. “Housebound and Disabled Writers—Children's Section and Surfers all Ages—Stockport Creative Writing was formed to help in writing and poetry etc. Originally to help over 50s we found that many requests came from Housebound Disabled who could not attend our meetings so we set up Createwrt.net, so we can all keep in touch. We now welcome Writers of all ages plus Disabled Groups and now cover all U.K. plus Overseas being read in over 60 plus Countries. As we expand please remember we are all volunteers.”

CREATIVE COMMUNICATION - www.poeticpower.com. They work to motivate young poets. They have a free newsletter for teachers on tips for teaching poetry. They have a poetry contest for students in grades 4-12. They award over $70,000 in prizes for each contest. Contest deadlines are December 1 and April 5. Poems submitted should be 21 lines or less. No entry fees. They do reject poems; there are editorial standards. So if you're a young poet, check this out. UPDATE: They are expanding to include grades K-3 and Adults. That would seem to make any poet eligible.

CREATIVE SERVICES - http://creative-strategies.com/. This is a book publishing consulting company. They offer a wide array of services to aspiring authors, from coaching on writing to self publishing, for a price. They will give a price quote to interested writers. If you have a book, and money, and no idea what to do, this could be a place to start.  October 2007 update: There's a little circular diagram labeled Energy Critique Creativity and nothing else. October 2008 update: Now there's a description of how it will teach students to be creative.

CREATIVE TECHNOLIGY - www.creative.com.np/. This is a data conversion service based in Nepal. I gather they can take your manuscript and render it into other formats.  October 2007 update: This time a got a blank screen.

CREATIVITIY WORKSHOP - www.the-creativity-journey.com.  December 2006 update: Not found. 

CRESCENT BLUES - www.crescentblues.com. I learned of this online magazine when it requested an interview. In the past it has interviewed Anne McCaffrey, Terry Pratchett, Kevin Anderson and others, so should be of interest to fantasy genre readers/writers though it is not limited to that. So I list it as a service, on the assumption that the opinions of established writers may help hopeful writers. They pay ½¢ per word for 300-500 word reviews of books, movies, videos, CDs, games and such, and buy first electronic serial rights for one year. This would be chicken feed for pro writers, but a chance for amateurs to get into useful print, if your reviews are accepted. Many reviews; I checked the one for The Dastard and got the impression that the reviewer doesn't like puns and takes it out on the novel. All he sees is panties and puns, and isn't aware of any story in the novel. Par for the reviewer course; don't blame the magazine.  October 2007 update: They are no longer making regular updates, but are maintaining the magazine as an archive.

CULT OF THE GREAT OLD ONES - vicky@communalconstruction.com. I don't have a site address for this yet, so give the address of the one who contacted me. They plan to have visitors submit chapters to an unfolding story. Each month three chapters will be posted and the chapter with the most votes is chosen as the next installment. They hope to create a novel of publishable quality. They asked me for feedback, but I have participated in such projects before, none of which have succeeded, so I didn't comment. I hope it works out; it should be good experience.

CUNE - www.cunepress.com/. Founded in 1994 to explore innovative ways of bringing superior writing to public attention. The name derives from "cuneiform," as in ancient script. Yet, oddly, they misspell "Sumer," where that script was used. They propose that writers, independent presses, and mission-oriented large publishers make common cause to lift public taste.   2003 UPDATE: One of their goals is to publish thoughtful books by Arab, Arab-American, and American authors. They seem to have a strong pro-Arab, and perhaps anti-Israel stance. This would seem to be a convenient site to get the other side's version of current history.

CURTIS - www.curtisagency.com/. This is a Parnassus agent who is worth reading. I know him from way back. He's got an attitude somewhat like mine. He has always fought for the rights of writers and tried to get improved and sometimes innovative contracts. He is Richard Curtis.This site is spare, no longer containing provocative articles on the business. Curtis is no longer accepting fiction queries from new writers. Thus he joins the closed shop, to my regret. August 2005 update: They are now considering only non-fiction submissions. Responses take 4-6 weeks. October 2008 update: Now not even non fiction. You have to be an already established author.

DAWN TUCKER - www.geocities.com/skyclad@ameritech.net/writestuff.html?1068080775260.  Dawn Tucker is a freelance writer who does ghostwriting, brochures, fliers, greeting cards, personalized "on hold" messages and such. Her site has information on writing contests with no entry fees, writing groups, and projects. I would hesitate to take all this on faith, but she says I'm her favorite writer, so how can I resist?    December 2006 update: Page not found. Darn; I liked her. 

DEARBORN SYSTEMS - www.dearbornsystems.com.   Typesetting, Information Technology, and Data Conversion. They promise instant communication and response. October 2008 update: gone.

DEVIANT ART - www.deviantart.com.   I haven't looked at this yet, but am told it has a massive repository for creativity of all kinds including an active and supportive critiquing and writing community. It includes free and paid membership, with the usual restrictions. It is said to be a great help to authors and artists.  October 2007 update: This time I looked at it. A site full of pictures, some odd, not sexy or ugly, just odd.

DEWAR EMPIRE FILMS - www.dewarempirefilms.com.    They are in the business of creating motion picture book trailers (short promotional films) for literary authors based on their fiction or non-fiction books. An innovative new form of marketing and promotion. But I suspect it costs.  October 2007 update: it played music and gave another button to enter. It offered to download a Quicktime player: I declined, being on slow dialup, so was unable to watch anything. I presume these are samples of what the company produces.

DIGITAL PUBLISHING - DigitalPublishing@yahoo.co.uk. I received this ad: "PageWhiz the 3D page turning eBook wizard easily create professional 3D page turning eBooks, eBrochures, eServices, photo albums, invitations. Much, much more PageWhiz--Simplicity has never been so powerful." No Web site given.

DIY BOOK FESTIVAL - DIYConvention.com. The letters stand for Do It Yourself. They consider books in many genres for awards, charging a $10-$50 entry fee for each book. They have regular contests, so if you miss one deadline, try for the next. Anything published from 2005 on is eligible, including self published (POD) books. Their grand prize for the Book of the Year is $1,500.

DO IT YOURSELF PUBLISHING - www.livingbeyondreality.com. This is a book, by Diane Lau, subtitled A Blueprint For Publishing Your Own Books. The author has been freelancing erotic romance anthologies, Soulful Sex, for nearly three decades, got screwed (pun intended) by the system, and decided to do something about it. As she says, if you are an aspiring author you may be frustrated by lack of success in finding a publisher, and appalled at the charges of self publishers, and wish you could just do it yourself--this is the book for you. She did it for herself, and is spelling out the process for you. Her writing is clear and her points are accurate, in my experience. Even if you're not contemplating true self publishing at this time, this is worthwhile material that may affect your outlook. It costs a pittance, $2.99. I heartily recommend this book.

DRAGONCUB - www.dragoncub.com. “We can promote and sell your books of all kinds to the general public over the internet.” Their usual charge is 20% of your retail price for their Internet marketing service. But for 2009 it will be free, as they build their reputation.

DreamE Info Network - http://mirror.dreame.cc/search/infonet.html.   2003 UPDATE: It is now advertising the domain name for sale.

DREAM WRITERS — www.dreamwriters.org. Inspired by the Nanowrimo effort to write a 50,000 word novel in a month, this site sponsors a similar effort every month, buttressed by trying to do something with that text once it has been written. I was asked to contribute a pep talk relating to editing, and did so, but it was not acknowledged and I don't know whether it was used. So I ran that pep talk in my FeBlueberry 2009 HiPiers column.

EBOOKAD - www.ebookad.com/.   Bankrupt. October 2008 update: Yet it is still selling books.

E-BOOK ARCHITECT - www.zizzoo.com/guides/ebook/index.php.    This site is devoted to an ad for a book and program for $39.99: "How to create, publish and sell your ebook online for large profits." Good deal, if it works.

EBOOK EXPLORER - www.ebookexplorer.com.  "We are the first and only site to offer a summarized directory of niche ebooks and how-to-guides on hundreds of specialty topics." I regard this as a peripheral call, but hope it is useful to writers.   December 2006 update: I was unable to connect.  October 2007 update: But it's there now.

E-BOOK EXPRESS - www.m-pro.demon.co.uk.   UPDATE: Gone.

EBOOKS4KIDS- www.ebooks4kids.org. This site offers downloads for children's ebooks, ages infant through 12 years. Authors can sell their books here by getting listed on the site, then selling through their own websites. This is not the same outfit as the defunct EBook4Kids.com. October 2008 update: Now it seems to be a collection of links, not for children. June 2009 update: But now there is an EBOOKS4KIDS LTD. See the publishing section.

EBOOKSNBYTES - www.ebooksnbytes.com/. October 2008 update: gone.

EBOOKSTAND - http://ebookstand.com. See Publishing section.

EGGPLANT PRODUCTIONS - www.eggplant-productions.com/. See Publishing section

ELECTRONIC AUTHORS GUILD INTERNATIONAL - www.eguild.org. UPDATE: Seems to be gone; the site now leads to a Casino.

ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING - THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE, by Karen Wiesner - Available from Avid Press, www.avidpress.com. -    August 2005 update: This is an excellent book, but at present I don't know who publishes it.

ELFWOOD FANTASY ART GALLERY - http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/elfwood.html. This is a site for display of works, both art and writing in science fiction and fantasy. It's not really publishing, and not intended for making money, just as a way to get comments from viewers/readers on your work. Lovely art, though of course it takes time to load. There are a huge number of guided tours. I checked #231 Bad Girls of the Woods (I can't think why such a notion should interest a dirty old man like me) - ouch! It shows a busty virgin running a sword through the head of a unicorn. I conjecture that he tried to devirginate her with his horn, and she would have none of that. Ah, well.
UPDATE: still there, letting creative people show their art to the world.  October 2007 update: They had to close for a week or so for maintenance, but are now moving ahead.

ELITE SKILLS - www.eliteskills.com/writing_scams/. This is an aspect of a larger site featuring various things like handwriting analysis; this link is to their section on publication scams. For example they really don't like Poetry.com, but they do list other fraudulent outfits too. They urge folk not to link to such sites, because links increase their presence on search engines. I have a bit of a problem with this, as I call a spade a spade, but put links so folk can go there if they disagree. Non-listing can also be used against legitimate sites, and whistle-blowers; its been used against me. So check this site, and make up your own mind. October 2004 update: They sure don't pull their punches. Scams seem especially prevalent in poetry publishers. But their writing advice sections seem scant.

ENCHANTED ARTWORKS ARTIST ASSOCIATION - www.enchantedartworks.com/. They have a magazine, and run interviews, among other things; I agreed to be interviewed, though I'm a writer rather than an artist.  October 2007 update: I got a page cannot be found message.

eONLINE BOOKSTORE - www.eonlinebookstore.com/. They are dedicated to promoting online business. They offer Internet marketing ebooks at low cost. If you do a newsletter, they may wish to publish it for their readers to access, with a link to your site.

EPIC--Electronically Published Internet Connection - www.epicauthors.com. This is a nonprofit professional organization for electronically published authors and print authors interested in electronic publishing. They have annual EPPIES awards for the best fiction in several categories. This Survey received a special plaque as "Friend of EPIC" for 2003.   UPDATE: now they have their Model Contract available for anyone to see. It's a kind of choose-your-clause, fill-in-blanks document that is well worth perusing, especially if you have been offered a contract and want to know how it rates. And yes, the Model has a good audit clause. This is a good site for writers; check it, and consider joining EPIC. (No, I haven't joined, trying without much success to remain an objective outsider.)   October 2004 update: Now they also have a "Red Flag/Yellow Flag" list of contract clauses you should be wary of, whether doing electronic or traditional publishing. This is well worth reviewing. They mention some stunts that even I have not encountered, such as the author having to pay a "kill fee" for failing to renew the contract when it expires naturally, or the author being required to buy the books of other authors from the same publisher as a condition for earning royalties on his own book. Maybe we need a Royal Turd award for such outrages.  October 2007 update: it is now located at .com instead of .org, same address.

EQUILLBOOKS - http://equillbooks.com. They offer free manuscript conversion, authors' websites, Equill email addresses, along with a written critique of the author's work during their first month of business, ending September 1, 2007. Thereafter their rates will be among the lowest in the industry.  October 2007 update: Now they are a small publishing house. October 2008 update: Now they are listing investment books.

EREC site - http://www.erecsite.com. The proprietor is compiling and listing sales figures for erotic romance publishers, as well as warnings about publishers behaving badly. October 2008 update: It says the average erotic romance ebook sales are 222 copies the first month, 404 in the first year.

EROTICA READERS & WRITERS ASOCIATION - www.erotica-readers.com. This is an international community of those interested in erotica of all types. They have a monthly newsletter, an email discussion group, and information. The interest of this HiPiers listing is in markets for writers rather than pornography, but for those interested in browsing, there are some nice pictures and pieces here. This strikes me as a cut above dirty pictures; there is intellect here too. I did not find an actual listing of erotic publishers, but am told it is a thorough one. It certainly seems to be a nexus for those interested. UPDATE: This time I found the listing, thanks to the help of a reader: click Author Resources, then Call for Submissions, and it's there on the left side. Many Gay and Lesbian markets are included. It's not completely up to date, but comprehensive. October 2008 update: This time I couldn't find Author Resources, but the site has a lot of listings, including movies.

EROTIC ROMANCE BLOG - http://www.erecsite.com/2007/12/wiggle-room-veinglory.html. The proprietor is compiling and listing sales figures for erotic romance publishers and posting results. This seems to indicate that a typical erotic romance will sell about 100 books in the first month, and 300 in the first year. Such sales wouldn't even make the chart for traditional print, but may be good for electronic. October 2008 update: now it says that the first month is 180, first year 360. but some publishers do better than others. Samhain and Loose ID seem to sell 600-700 in a year.

ESCMAGAZINE - www.escmagazine.com/. The PDF version of this magazine is available for $3, with older issue free to download. It's for amateur writers and artists of all kinds. They get paid only in one hard copy of the magazine. So this would be a showcase for aspiring artists.   August 2003 Update: Gone. October 2004 update: They're back, and are now accepting submissions for future issues. Fiction from 2,500 to 5,000 words, poetry, and artwork.

ESPAN--The Electronic and Small Press Author's Network- http://espan-rwa.tripod.com. August 2003 Update: Gone.

ESSAY WRITING - www.essay-writing-1.com/.    I received an email ad for this one, with an invitation to exchange links. I didn't answer; this is not a links-exchanging site, but a service to aspiring writers. Nevertheless, the subject may be of interest to writers, so I'm listing it here.

EVENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES - http://www.event-management.com/.   This is a publicity firm whose stated purpose is to help companies become well known. Presumably this would apply to publishers too. Unfortunately it was called to my attention as a site that collects email addresses for spam distribution.  October 2007 update: it locked up my system. October 2008 update: I'm using Firefox now and it didn't lock up.

eWritingCenter.com - www.ewritingcenter.com. "Our premier website with a collection of stories written by authors all over the world. It is a free service for young, amateur, and professional writers. It is also a site for avid readers."
UPDATE: I think this has changed its nature; now it offers many services, I presume for fees, such as "How to write a book in 14 days or less... Guaranteed." In my book, the point is not velocity, but quality; unless it's a very short book or a tight formula, if it is done in two weeks it's bound to be bad. October 2004 update: It offers links to self publishers. October 2008 update: Now it is a Yellow Pages phone book.

FABSOLUTE WRITING FORUM - http://absolutewrite.com/forums. This is a general public input discussion group relating to electronic publishing. As I understand it, anyone can start a topic with a statement or question, and others respond with positive, neutral, or negative input. They rake some publishers over the coals, and entries can be fascinating. For example one person asked if a given publisher had any legitimate reviews of its books. A response listed a number of very impressive reviews. A response to that indicated that there were no such reviews; the listing was bogus. Well, now. If you are pondering publishing your opus, go here and look around; you are bound to find something interesting, and you might change your mind about some prospective publishers, or have some input if you have experience with one that others are pondering. This seems like a great service for writers in doubt, or for those who have no doubt and need it. December 2004 update: I randomly checked their feedback on an agent, and was impressed. This is exactly what a new writer needs to know. October 2005 update: they have moved to ABSOLUTE WRITE at www.absolutewrite.com/forums/.

FANFICTION - http://www.fanfiction.net. "Unleash your imagination and free your soul." This seems to be a site where short amateur fiction is run without charge and displayed for anyone to read. I couldn't find a description of its nature on the site, just listings of many stories. It is theoretically ad-free, but ads popped up when I checked it. I received an email from a writer who objected to its policy of deleting all "lemon" pieces. I gather a lemon is a story that is rated R or worse, having elements your maiden aunt would not care for. The email spoke of freedom of speech, but it seems to me that a site can run what it wants, and if it doesn't want lemons, it can legitimately delete them. I speak as one who would much rather read a lemon than a sanitized story. I had some trouble at this site because my system was not equipped for protocols it employs. See also www.adultfanfiction.net for the R rated stories; this may be the naughty companion site. December 2004 update: They report that a serious bug corrupted many of their entries, but they are working to recover, and have just done a large technical upgrade. I sampled randomly, and their material seem good.  October 2007 update: The site now seems to consist of news updates on their upgrading, bug fixing, and features. October 2008 update: I tried to fathom what this site is about, and conclude it may be a review site.

FANSTORY - www.fanstory.com/. This appears to be a site devoted to publishing fiction and nonfiction in a number of genres by members for reviews and feedback. They have a system of ratings, but I was not willing to sign up as a member so don't know exactly how they operate. It should be good for new writers looking for exposure and reader feedback, however.  October 2007 update: They list a number of poems and stories, with reader ratings, all of which are Excellent or better. So I clicked on one, and learned I would have to buy it to see more. So I'm not sure I understand their system. October 2008 update: All the rankings still seem to be Exceptional. So I still don't understand it.

FANtasy today - www.fantasytoday.com/. This is the home of the Internet Fantasy Writers Association, IFWA, a group of published and unpublished fantasy writers. It is intended to be a crossroads for writers to meet and exchange ideas, and more. The prior update survey discovered comprehensive lists of research links, so it is getting there. There's a Writer Talk section, and a Research section.
UPDATE: this hung up indefinitely, making no contact, so may be out of business. December 2006 update: not found. 

FANTASY WRITERS WANTED - www.FantasyWritersWanted.com. This is a link to the eGroup of newbie fantasy writers set up by my collaborator James Richey. If you want to be a fantasy writer, but are girt about by uncertainties, stop in and inquire. October 2005 update: I got an unknown host message. December 2006 update: now the site is there, but no content.  October 2007 update: Now it is there and functioning, but seems to consist of links to related sites.

FEAR OF WRITING, at www.fearofwriting.com/. This is a book by Milli Thornton for anyone who suffers this malady. It has cute graphics and seems sincere. It is self published at Xlibris; I list it because it has its own web site and could be a help to nervous writers. There's a message board, a sample chapter, and other things. I looked at the sample Chapter One, which concludes "Writing is a torture chamber invented specifically with you in mind." Exactly.  October 2007 update: Now there are a number of pieces by other writers, all on the subject of the challenge of writing. This remains worthwhile for anyone nervous about writing.

FERRET & DOVE SANCTUARY - www.myspace.com/ferretanddove. This isn't a publisher or related service, but I'm adding it because its a volunteer-created page for folk who love small animals, and folk might want to see what's going on, including publication of a children's book.

FETCH BOOK, at www.FetchBook.info/. This is a price finding service for buyers who want to locate the cheapest edition. I tested it by typing in my own novel Key to Havoc with no other information and it immediately gave me a listing of prices at various online bookstores, ranked in order of cheapness, as well as providing the author's name and the book number, and making it easy to click to order it at any of the listed stores. I believe there were even links to reviews. No complications at all; this service works.

FICTION PRESS at www.fictionpress.com/.  "What is FictionPress? FictionPress is a growing network of over 144,000 writers, hundreds of thousands of readers, and home to over 890,000 original works. As a writer, this is a place to showcase your creativity and for a reader, FictionPress is an opportunity to feast to your heart's content."  December 2006 update: now it is half a million writers/readers and 900,000 original works. October 2008 update: The site took so long to load--about 10 minutes--that I gave up on it.

FLORIDA WRITERS ASSOCIATION, at www.floridawriters.net/. "Welcome to Florida's first and only statewide, nonprofit, 501(C)(3) organization dedicated to the support and networking of both aspiring and published writers in any genre." They will strive to encourage and inspire writers throughout the state with group workshops, meetings, panel discussions, book fairs, bimonthly magazines and annual conferences. They have a slate of directors and committees. They say they are the fastest-growing writer's organization in the south, and are looking for new members and leaders. December 2006 update: I participated in their FWAConference November 10-12 in Orlando, Florida and found it good. See my Conference Report in my December 2006 HiPiers column.  August 2007 update: Their Royal Palm Literary Awards Contest deadline has been extended to August 1, 2007. Unfortunately this update just misses it, but maybe there will be other times. October 2008 update: No, my update continues to miss their deadline.

FONER BOOKS, at www.fonerbooks.com/. Last August I was told of this, and promised to get right on it-and lost it in my chronic shuffle. So, belatedly, I looked it up, and there's some interesting material here. Such as "Interview with a Vampublisher" and "Print-On-Demand Book Publishing." I'm listing this in the Services section as it seems more informational than practical, but I understand he does have advice on how to start a self publishing company.

FREE FICTION - http://www.free-fiction.com. Gone.

FREELANCE WRITERS - www.freelancewriters.com. December 2006 update: yes, it's gone. 

FREE SOFTWARE - freesoftware-1136n08@yahoo.com. I received an email ad from this address for digital publishing tools. I don't know how useful it might be.

GET BOOK REVIEWS - www.getbookreviews.com/. They will help a writer to find book reviews, and have a book review newsletter. When I checked they didn't have many reviews, but presumably they'll be expanding.   August 2003 Update: They show six featured books that do look interesting, such as Seduce Me and The Cult Around the Corner. If I had more time I'd love to get free copies to review. But I'm not clear how many readers will see such reviews. The cost for an in-house review is $275 per book; they post the review online and distribute it to the media, but that doesn't necessarily mean the review will be published or widely read. December 2004 update: Introductory package for $175.  October 2007 update: Now they have a Rapid Review Service for $150. December 2008 update: they have a Press Release Special for $99. A Rapid Review is $150. the Combo Package of all their services is $350.

GHOST FOREST - www.ghostforest.com/. This is actually a fantasy novel for children, available free for downloading, for now, with pictures and a history of the project. Perhaps of interest to those who want to see how a fantasy novel can come to be.  October 2007 update: I got a notice: This Account Has Been Suspended. December 2008 update: It remains in business, and should be of interest to children.

GLOBAL SALES - globalsales@isla.net. George Rodriguez & Associates translate books from and into 29 languages. This is a email address, not a web site, so I didn't check for prices and have no way to know competence. So if your manuscript is in Greek and you want to translate it to Basque, there's the service.

GLOBAL TALK RADIO - www.globaltalkradio.com/ I received a notice that they have launched a new promotional service. You can get your own URL, a professional 5 minute interview available for on-demand listening, your picture, a 1-3 paragraph description about yourself, your mission, or your book. December 2008 update: They have a special Host Your own Talk Show for $99 per month.

GREEN BOOK FESTIVAL — www.greenbookfestival.com. I received an email announcing that the 2009 Green Book Festival has issued a call for entries to its annual competition honoring books that contribute to greater understanding, respect and positive action on the changing worldwide environment. They will consider published, self-published, and independent publisher works of all types. Entries can be in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, or Italian. Grand prize is $1,500 and transportation to the April 2009 Earth Day celebration in Los Angeles. But I'm not clear on the deadline for entries.

GROPEN ASSOCIATES - www.GropenAssoc.com. A consulting firm, which you can hire for as little as 30 minutes. Marion Gropen works primarily with very small publishers and includes quite a bit of information writers might want. Listings of publicists and self-publishing e-communities. Listservs: pub-forum, publish-I, self-publishing. December 2005 update: Marion Gropen says "May I suggest that the PMA Newsletter is also a wonderful resource for those who are interested in the world of small publishing? As is the annual seminar series that PMA throws just before BEA." In my jammed schedule this time I lacked time to look these up, so relay the suggestion on faith. December 2008 update: This site was given a “Truly Useful Site” award by Preditors and Editors.

GUIDE TO FICTION ON THE WEB - www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/2465/index.html. If you are a reader-and chances are that you are, if you're a writer-and you want to read what others write, this is an annotated list of sites with fiction. It doesn't do diaries, poetry-only, sales promotions, non-English, or "sites that suck." Aw, gee, I was hoping for suck. It's a big list, starting at A and ending at Z. So if you need a break before you grind out more deathless prose, sample this. If you wish to contribute, all text and graphics are copyrighted by the site, and the proprietor asks that others not pirate the material. The fact is that anything on the Web can be pirated, but should not be.

GUTENBERG PRESS - http://sailor.gutenberg.org. They make public domain books available online in text format, free.   Huge listing. October 2005 update: I got a blank screen. June 2006 update: it seems I had the wrong site address; they're still going strong. October 2007 update: There are over 20,000 free books in their catalog, and 100,000 via their Partners, Affiliates and Resources. December 2008 update: Now they have over 25,000 free books.

HAVE YA HEARD? -  See Zyonair.

HOLLY LISLE - www.hollylisle.com/. Author of more than twenty published novels. Her site has general advice for writers, workshops, articles on writing, news items, reader input. There's a good deal there, for browsing. December 2007 update: This time I checked her comment on agents, and it is apt. To find one, she recommends first, check with a writer you know for a recommendation. Second, go through the most current edition of Insiders Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents or a similar guide. Third, check the Association of Authors; Representatives. My private caveat is that you should be prepared to have none of these give you the time of day; locating an agent is hardly the same as signing on with it. December 2008 update: She has a quiz for writers: “How Much Do YOU Know About Writing Fiction?” I checked the longest category, Over Five Years (I've been writing and selling for over 45 years) and the first question is “What goal do you have for your writing?” with answer options ranging from it being a hobby to wanting to use it to support your family. My goals go beyond that, but this seems like a worthwhile exploration for early writers.

HOLLYWOOD BOOK FESTIVAL - HollywoodBKFest@aol.com. They have issued a call for entries to their annual program celebrating books that deserve greater recognition from the film, television, game, and multimedia communities. They mean to spotlight literature worthy of further consideration, and facilitate getting those works to the proper hands for consideration by the entertainment industry. They will consider published, self-published, and independent fiction, non-fiction, and just about anything else. The grand prize is $1,000 and a flight to Los Angeles.

HOLT UNCENSORED - www.holtuncensored.com/. This is mainly about traditional publishing, tracking its follies. As such, it can be an education for starry-eyed aspiring writers. Worth checking on general principles.   Read a sample column; I suspect that fans of my bi-monthly HiPiers column will like Holt, too. December 2004 update: Random sampling took me to ten mistakes writers make, and it is an excellent discussion. Holt remains well worth reading. December 2006 update: It is on hiatus now, because of family health concerns, but the site remains with its original material. December 2008 update: it is active now, with a list of three things he'd like to see, the first being Online Royalty Accounts for Authors. It make sense, but traditional publishers seem stuck in the 19th century and are loath to try the 20th, let alone the 21st.

HORROR MASTER - www.horrorfind.com. This is a search engine specializing horror, with information on anything relating, including contests and conventions. HiPiers.com is listed. June 2009 update: they have a Premium Listing deal, where you can get 8 months for the price of 4, saving $320.

HOW TO DO THINGS - www.howtodothings.com/. This is a site with a library of articles about writing. “HowToDoThings strives to solve people's everyday problems by compiling reliable information from experienced contributors in over 250 categories.” They invited me to contribute, but I'm satisfied to contribute my notions to my own site. But this should be a useful source of information and advice for questing writers. December 2008 update: They need writers to contribute articles. “Help others, gain recognition and get paid!”

HOW TO WRITE A BEST SELLING FANTASY NOVEL - www.ozcomedy.com/fantasy.htm.    UPDATE: gone  December 2006 update: now it is an adult friend finder, featuring some pretty sexy female anatomy. This is a public service announcement. December 2007 update: Alas, the anatomy is gone.  

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK - www.jojaffa.com/guides/writeabook.htm#kit.   Practical advice about how to write a book. It assumes that you have no idea what to write, so takes you on an intellectual tour of deciding.

ICANWIN2 - www.icanwin2.com/macbeth25win. This will offer ebooks, and will be open to just about everything except illegal, porno, or the like. As yet there's nothing on the site, but they hope to have material soon. August 2003 Update: Still a blank screen. December 2006 update: now it's a job search site.

IFICTION - www.aburt.com/ifiction/. This is a free service to authors. They can sell their stories to readers directly. They are paid by PayPal, which takes a fee of 30 cents plus 3% from each translation. The author gets the rest; iFiction takes nothing, being run by donations. The proprietor is Andrew Burt, a science fiction author who runs an online workshop for science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Remember, authors are responsible for the details publishers normally cover, like copyright registration and marketing, and there are no covers: the story has to sell by it's own merits.

IMAGES AND WRITERS — http://imagesandwriters.com. I received an invitation to look at their website, so did. They are a community of writers, artists, photographers, illustrators, graphic designers, animators, cartoonists, and digital artists. “We are a subscription membership website. To protect the creator's work, only members can review other members' complete work. Every month, we publish 'Images And Words,' our full color E-zine. The stories & illustrations are the best work of our members. This E-zine is available to the general public, with no membership required.” It is intended as a showcase to promote the work of their members to the general public. Each month they invite professional literary agents, publishers, editors, theatrical production studios, ad agencies, webmasters and such to their site, to view their members work and projects. Membership is $8.95 a month. They say they have a lot of fun. December 2008 update: Now membership in Blog-O-Rama is free.

I'M A PUBLISHED NOVELIST?...HA! HA! HA!--the email address is too complicated for me to type without fouling up, so this is just a mention, not a link. It is somewhere on The Vines Network (which I understand will be going out of business). Lisa Maliga has done a light-hearted article detailing her humiliating experience with an epublisher. This is a warner for whoso would be warned: success, riches, and fame are not necessarily eagerly seeking the new novelists out. But I can give you her home site, which does have related material in its "essays" section: www.lisamaliga.com/. UPDATE: Lisa says she has established an e-publishing page for other e-published writers, at LISAMALIGA, below.

IMPRINT BOOKS - www.imprintbooks.com. This is a sales service, not a publisher. December 2007 update: Now it;s a collection of relevant links.  

INDEPENDENT BOOK - www.independentbook.com.   This is neither fish nor fowl: neither a self publisher nor a paying publisher. It is free, sells no books, and pays the authors nothing. They take your manuscript and publish it electronically, free for downloading, and relay the number of downloads to the authors, and all reviews. Why do it? Because it represents easy exposure. They do the cover, typesetting, listing, and so on, and the author gets a readership. I could see how such publication of a writer's first book could generate interest for him to find a paying publisher for his second book, if he's good. So it could be an avenue to bypass regular publishers and get in the readers' faces. They point out that free distribution means more copies out there. If you are motivated by the need for a readership rather than money, this could be good. It's not automatic; they have to accept your book, which means there are standards. All genres, and their books do look interesting. They post their bestseller lists. They ask readers to review and rate the books they read, which seems fair enough.

INFUSION - www.stickbull.com. Gone.

INKED IN - http://inkedin.ning.com/?xgi=6uW4Gpa. INKED IN-http://inkedin.ning.com/?xgi=6uW4Gpa. “You are invited to join the creative people who share Inked In, the social community for writers, musicians and artists from the Burry Man Writers Center.”

INKSPOT - Shut down, but its place is being taken by WRITING-WORLD, which see.

INSTANT PUBLISHER - www.instantpublisher.com/. This offers Print On Demand software that will take your manuscript and print 25 to 5,000 copies in 7-10 days. The price per book varies, depending on book size, number of pages, front cover design and binding style. For example it might cost $4.92 per book to produce 200 copies of a 200-page book.   August 2003 Update: Gone.    December 2004 update: Back the same as ever.

INTEGRATIVE INK - www.integrativeink.com/. This is an editing and publishing services company that recently moved to the Tampa Bay area. It exists to assist both established and beginning authors in self or e-publishing, helping with editing, manuscript formatting, and design, plus a number of free services. They accept Windows files and also OpenOffice and StarOffice (the kind I use). They associate with Lulu.com, whose entry is elsewhere in this survey. I checked their charge for Extensive editing: one to two cents a word. Less for moderate editing, and you can get quote