Month: March 2015

Bad Publishers: How Can I Protect Myself?

Predatory Publisher Month at Indies UnlimitedI’ve known for a while now that Indies Unlimited planned a month of posts regarding bad publishers. Some know my story, but not most. I’m under a “gag” order, you see. The specific words of my termination contract were:  “In addition, the author agrees not to discuss the Author’s Group or any information from that group, or discuss [redacted], nor speak as an agent or former agent of the publisher, either by verbal, written, or electronic communication with any persons, groups, or agents, either publicly or unsolicited, and [redacted] will adhere to the same standard. [Bolding mine.]

And I haven’t, not in nearly two years. Continue reading “Bad Publishers: How Can I Protect Myself?”

Video Trailer: The Spark

The SparkSearching for the truth is the most dangerous thing firefighter Donny Robertson will ever do. Everyone believes the blaze that killed Donny’s Captain, was just a tragic accident. Everyone but Donny that is. And the people who will do anything to keep the truth hidden.

The Spark, the action adventure thriller by John Kenny, is available at Amazon.com, Amazon UK, and other online retailers.


Don’t forget, you can cast your vote for trailer of the month on March 31, 2015 at 5 a.m. Pacific time.

Print Book Party Day

print book partyYou must know by now that if it’s Sunday, that means we have a print book party. You’ve got that on your calendar, right? All these great paperback books at bargain prices should definitely not be missed. That’s right, it’s time for the Indies Unlimited Print Book Party.

Want to help readers discover some fine indie writing at reasonable prices? Here’s the deal:

If you have a print book available from a major online retailer at $15 or less, follow the instructions below and post your link. If you see one you like, click over and buy it. This feature is only for print editions priced at fifteen dollars and under.

When possible, we replace some of the links with clickable book cover images. Do not attempt to insert an image in comments on your own. Just put the following information in the comment section:

1. Book title and price
2. Author name
3. A short one sentence book description (140 characters ONLY please)
4. One AMAZON link to purchase the book.

Then let your friends and fans know your book is available here today. Use the share buttons below, or copy the link in the address bar above and share the news on your favorite social media platforms. The more, the merrier, right? So let’s give it a try, shall we? Please make sure to follow the RULES above. Now, go ahead and tell the world about your cheap read.

IU is a safe-for-work site. PLEASE do not post links to erotica, religious, or political books. That’s what the rest of the internet is for.

[Note: if the book cover images below do not display properly, please check your AdBlock settings.]

Publishing: Surviving the Scammer Minefield

Predatory Publisher Month at Indies UnlimitedBack in 2004, I began reaching out for an agent and or a publisher for my completed memoir, Surviving the Battleground of Childhood. Remember, this was still a time when the publishing industry was geared to snail mail and hard copy. Needless to say, we are talking about a turnaround time of six to twelve weeks or more for each query. After about a year and a half of what seemed like hundreds of rejections, I was feeling somewhat down about the whole publishing thing and, truth be known, I was probably a little desperate.

It was then that I came across the UK small press PenPress Publishers Pty Ltd, Publishing and Marketing. After sending the usual enquiry letter, I received a response expressing some interest in my book. They explained that, unfortunately, they were fully booked for the foreseeable future, but they would be interested in looking at my manuscript and, depending on the product of course, they would consider me for their partnership programme. Being pretty green, and did I mention desperate, at the time, I asked for more information regarding the ‘partnership programme’. Continue reading “Publishing: Surviving the Scammer Minefield”