There are frontlist and midlist authors and they get different treatment from in house publicists.

Yes, but there’s a difference between having different promotional setups for better-selling authors and treating some authors like crap and others like gold. I don’t think anyone disagrees that, say, if a publisher had to choose between giving Nora Roberts a splashy promo package or giving it to Jane Nobody (although that’d be a great pen name, wouldn’t it?), they’d go with Nora every time. One hopes, however, that Jane Nobody would still get her royalty checks on time, receive respectful and professional communication from editors, not have her edits summarily discarded, etc.

I don’t see the issue as being one of treating better selling authors to better promo–it’s one of treating every author professionally.

but it does show a lack of professionalism at the publisher that they can't seem to treat their authors equally.

When I first read the complaints about Triskelion at Piers Anthony, I had that thought too but then I got to thinking about the NY houses and they do things for bigger name authors that they don’t do for the less established authors or for authors they believe in. Kate Duffy put forth a huge promotional effort for Jacqueline Frank which include a tower of ARCs at BEA and a special promotional angle to buyers. No other Kensington author of recent memory has had that push.

JR Ward is getting similar treatment at BEA this year. According to published sources, Penguin is featuring Lover Unbound at BEA which means either an author appearance or tons of arcs (please someone go to BEA and send me a copy of the arc!).

There are frontlist and midlist authors and they get different treatment from in house publicists. I received a special email about a couple of books being put out by Harper Collins but not the entire list. The fact is that all publishers have different heirarchies for their authors and none of it has to do with “fairness” and all of it seems to have to do with getting the biggest return on their dollar. So for all Triskelion’s faults (and who isn’t sympathetic with poor Meyer), this doesn’t seem to be a reasonable accusation.

Anon, if there are truly so many Trisk authors disgruntled then I am sorry for them. I also think they will never be happy anywhere.

I don’t agree with that at all. I have several close friends who’ve gone through hell with Trisk. Print titles delayed over and over, sometimes just before the date–after advertising has been paid for–royalty checks being late, editors changing three times within the edits for one book, and that ebook finally being released not as the final, polished file that was turned in after 8 rounds of edits, but using a much earlier rough version… the list of grievances goes on and on. I don’t think anyone can seriously doubt that there are MANY disgruntled Trisk authors unless they’re just not willing to see the facts.

I urged one of my friends to contact RWA and Piers Anthony because her experience was so horrible, and happily, she’s gotten her rights back from Trisk. I think that the authors who’ve complained have very valid points and insults or name-calling isn’t going to make those points go away.

It’s been clear for quite a while now that there are some authors who have a good experience with Trisk while others are screwed over. I don’t think that makes either group of authors whiners or saints, but it does show a lack of professionalism at the publisher that they can’t seem to treat their authors equally. I haven’t heard of such blatant favoritism since… well, ever.

I personally reviewed a letter from a member of staff to an author that left me stunned- completely. I crossed them off my submission list a very long time ago.

RWA did the right thing.

A LOT of authors are VERY unhappy with Trisk. It’s not like RWA got one complaint and closed the door. There have been rumbings online about them for almost a year now.