Take a look, as Silks Vault has been suspended since January 1st, 2008 by the state of Wisconsin.

I have no problem giving my advice, opinion or the benefits of my experience to other authors. But I don’t owe it to them. It’s choice.

I’m only saying if we have the mind set that we’re privileged to be published, and that we owe it to other writers to give something back (how it is back anyway when it’s ours and was never theirs?) we’re sliding down a road that can devalue what we do, what we’ve accomplished.

We’re all entitled to see life as we see it.

I can’t agree. Being published isn’t a privilege, and it’s not a matter of owing. I don’t feel I owe new or aspiring writers anything because I’m published.

I choose to give my opinion, and would certainly not stay silent if I knew of violations or underhanded practices in the business. But this isn’t because I’ve been privileged or because I owe anyone. It’s because I believe there’s right and there’s wrong.

Being published isn’t a privilege or a right. It’s a job. It’s work. It’s a profession.

I was with Romance Foretold from the beginning of that venture when there were three imprints…including the one for which I wrote, Dark Star Publications. Then RF became RFI West and that was when the real problems started. It was the same old/same old with books sold and not accounted for, royalty checks not sent on time or never sent at all, money owed the cover artist…the whole shebang. When several of us at RFI West had had enough, we went out and started Amber Quill Press. Because we knew what it was to be cheated, we had no intention of allowing the authors who took a chance on us to ever know the same problems we’d had. We also tried to warn those authors who steadfastly refused to leave RFI West. They wouldn’t listen.

And therein lies the biggest problem here: writers who refuse to listen.

You don’t want to believe you’ve been had. That’s just human nature. When you realize you have been screwed, it’s usually too late. The bewilderment becomes hurt which becomes anger…not only at the publisher but at yourself for being a fool…and then comes the desire to get even. Some do it on a blog. Some do it via email to Yahoo groups. Some do it with the law.

Report what you know to Piers Anthony. Report it to Preditors and Editors. Several thieving publishers have been brought down via the web and they will continue to be brought down only if writers do what they do best: write. Put your experience out there for others to see. Go on groups and tell your tale. Let other people know what’s going on. In this instance, ignorance is definitely not bliss.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: authors owe something back to their struggling peers for the privilege of being published. What better way than to help protect them from the unscrupulous? Don’t be afraid to speak out. Don’t be afraid to step on toes.

And be very careful about these new startup publishing outfits. They are going to come out of the woodwork now. Some will make it; most won’t. Most will have good intentions; some won’t. Do your homework.

Charlee

As Nora has said time and time again, publishing is a professional undertaking, not an effing Girls Club. Get over the loyalty issues already, and do what’s best for you.

And for the sake of all the authors and editors I know at Silk I hope this gets resolved before there are anymore problems.