Comments on: Chippewa / Lady Abell Publishing Closes Doors

By: civaWardace

civaWardace — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:39:26 +0000

Hi Everyone

i’ve just joined here and wanted to say hi to all of you!I really hope to give something back to this board…

Cheers

By: Tempra Collins

Tempra Collins — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:31:20 +0000

Congrats on the new publishing Company, I wish you much success.

I’ll check it out, thanks for the response.

Tempra Collins

By: Lloyd Corricelli

Lloyd Corricelli — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:32:01 +0000

So what do you do when an outfit like Chippewa folds leaving you in the lurch?

I’ll tell you what I did, started my own publishing company. I’m proud to announce that Sons of Liberty Publishing is now open for business and accepting submissions. You can check out the site and submission policy at:

Sonsoflibertypublishing.com

I’m focused on New England themed novels, both fiction and non-fiction so if you were the standard Chippewa author it may not actually be what I’m after.

Good luck to all of you.

By: Tempra Collins

Tempra Collins — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:24:15 +0000

Thanks so very much! I feel so bad that everything didn’t work out but I’m not going to give up on finding another publisher. Thanks again and God Bless you!

Tempra Collins

By: Fae Sutherland

Fae Sutherland — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:20:29 +0000

@Tempra Collins: You're not going to receive a dime from Rebecca, hon. Unfortunately, just chalk it up to experience and learn from it, that's all any of us has been able to do. Hope you find a new home for your books.

By: Dee Owens

Dee Owens — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:14:51 +0000

To: Tempra Collins

Hello Tempra I am sorry to say that I do not know. I have not spoken to Rebecca since the doors closed. If I do hear anything I will let you know.

Sorry I cannot be anymore help.

Dee Owens

By: Tempra Collins

Tempra Collins — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:58:07 +0000

Hello Dee, My name is Tempra Collins and I used to be an Author with Chippewa,I was there when Chippewa First opened their doors, I know I sold books because Fallen Angels gave me a five angels recommended read for my book Bad Judgment as well as Coffee time Romance.
I also bought some of my books myself just to see if I would get any kind of a check, I have been acting in good faith and not making a fuss about it but it looks like the odds are against me.

Do you think Rebecca will ever pay the Authors that haven’t been paid or should we just give up and move on?

Thanks a bunch,

Tempra Collins

By: Dee Owens

Dee Owens — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:10:35 +0000

For those that have books for sale at various places, you can contact the location and let them know that the book rights have been reverted due to Chippewa closing its doors. You can also request the information that they have to contact the publisher, this can be used to send a release of rights letter to them. You will need to make sure that you have a legal letter, and if you are with another publisher who wants that title they may be able to help you get it released.

There are ways to draw up the request to where if there is no reply by a certain time period then you can begin the process to have the book returned to you on your own.

When contacting the ebook sites you can copy that letter above, I also forwarded the original letter to my email address and will forward it to you if needed. For those that need the letter contact me at dee@deeowens.com or pr_marketing@deeowens.com

I hope that this helps…

Dee Owens
Personalized Marketing

By: Bailey

Bailey — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:37:09 +0000

Chippewa ebooks are still listed for sale here:
http://www.booknear.com/Chippewa-Publishing-LLC-publisher_1.htm
and here:
http://www.ebooksabouteverything.com/ebooks/category.cgi

By: Dee Owens

Dee Owens — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:00:28 +0000

I was contacted by an author who was published by Chippewa and she had not received anything since they closed. So even though I have not been a part of Chippewa since it closed its doors. I felt compelled to do my best to find the release letter that was mentioned. I do apologize for anyone who had to wait or tried to contact me at the mm.cpllc@gmail.com account as I had marked it closed, with forwarding information that probably did no one any good. So anyways here is the email that was sent out with the letter in it. If you have any further comments you may reach me at dee@deeowens.com, though I am not sure what else I can offer. I wish all good luck in their careers…

Dee Owens

show details 11/14/07

This is a copy of the letter that was sent out to the authors on the group. Dee

Good afternoon,

As a few of you know already I’ve been out with a family emergency.
Unfortunately, I have to make a change in priorities in my life at the
moment and my family comes first.

It is with deep regret that I must close the doors to Chippewa
Publishing LLC and Lady Aibell Press. I would like to thank all of you
for sharing your wonderful stories with the
company and our readers and giving us the opportunity to publish them.

All rights will be returned to the authors on November 30, 2007. This
will give me time to remove the books from the shelves as it isn’t an
overnight process. Please remember that even though books are removed
from the e-shelves that I do not receive immediate payment from the
wholesalers. Royalties will continue to be paid until all payments are
sent by the distributors and they owe no more. Sometimes this can take
up to a year to be paid. If you do see your books at any of our
distributors after November 30, 2007, please tell me immediately so I
can demand they’re removed from the site. Also, please remember to
remove the links from your websites pointing to the catalog.

I will be happy to write a letter of release to any future publisher
you choose for your story. I will not have dedicated computer access
until the end of November, but I can send
letters through my assistant Karin.

If you need to contact me, please send an email to my address at
ladyaeval@gmail.com as all other emaill addresses will be removed and
the group will be closed to further discussion.

I’ve enjoyed working with all of you and I appreciate the time and
commitment you have given to me and the company. I wish you luck in
all your writing adventures. Please keep
me posted on new releases that you have as I will need to buy more
books to read in the future.

Sincerely,
Rebecca

–
Dee Owens
Marketing Manager
Chippewa Publishing LLC
mm.cpllc@gmail.com

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:37:56 +0000

My wife was an author who published with Chippewa. While she was forgiving of all Rebecca’s crap, I wasn’t. It was one thing after another, one excuse after another and it never seemed to end. Her novel was eventually published and Sandra got to see that happen before she passed on.

And amen to Ronin’s comment above…

By: Ronin

Ronin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:13:39 +0000

Chippewa lost nothing, that was just an excuse. IMO, Rebecca had two problems; lack of organization and lack of integrity.

By: Bay Lockerbie

Bay Lockerbie — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:55:39 +0000

So far, I’ve really only offered to three publishing companies since I don’t have an agent. Chippewa said they loved what I submitted, but were always putting me off (they lost my phone number, then a contract was lost in the mail). Ellora’s Cave kept my manuscript for some months, then said it was in the final stages of acceptance. I then waited a year, and no deal. I’ve also tried Samhain. They loved the writing, but just couldn’t get into the characters. It is rather difficult to do erotic adventure in 20K words and have excessive characterization at the same time, but I understand their critique and am working on that aspect of my writing.

I appreciate all the input here. Any comments on acquiring an agent are also welcome.

By: Iris

Iris — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:26:12 +0000

I have a novel that’s passed the “first stage” with Ellora’s Cave. I was told it can take as long as 12 months to reach the “second one.” Too long. I signed a contract elsewhere.

I make a point of placing one novel only, per publisher. That way if they go belly up, it’s only one title to place elsewhere.

The entire publishing industry is in crisis. Paper books are going the way of the dinosaur. You can’t even give them away to charities anymore. Just like computers over five years old, nobody wants them.

By: Maya Reynolds

Maya Reynolds — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:51:13 +0000

On the many roads to publishing, no single one is “right.” In fact, the only WRONG path is taking one you don’t want . . . the problem with telling authors how to succeed is that such advice is colored by a personal definition of success we do NOT all share.

I completely agree with Lisa. Seeking publication is a personal decision. What suits one would drive another crazy.

My opinion is that everyone contemplating a writing career should take personal inventory first and decide what is most important to her about writing and being published. Is it the joy of the writing itself? Is it the money? Is it the hope of fame? Where is he on the patience/impatience continuum? Can he accept long delays and waits? Is she able to separate her personal “sense of self” from her professional one? How well does she tolerate rejection?

That personal inventory can help a writer decide where he wants to stick his toe in the pool–or whether to plunge in at all.

There is no “one size fits all.” And the answer for me might be very different from the answer for you. A friend and I entered the industry at exactly the same time. In the time it took me to have one novel published with a New York press, my friend had published over twenty novellas (starting with small presses and ending with Ellora’s Cave). She’s recently signed a print contract with Kensington.

Neither way was better than the other. Each suited our individual personalities.

I have other friends who write fan fiction and who have no desire to seek commercial publication. And I know someone else who was so determined not to cut a word out of her 175K-word manuscript that she is pursuing self-publication through Lulu.

The secret is to know yourself and to do your homework about the industry to minimize the surprises.

By: Lisa Logan

Lisa Logan — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 16:48:11 +0000

On the many roads to publishing, no single one is “right.” In fact, the only WRONG path is taking one you don’t want.

There are as many reasons NOT to pub with a big house as there are to do so, go ebook vs print, agent or not, etc. So the problem with telling authors how to succeed is that such advice is colored by a personal definition of success we do NOT all share.

Sure, few authors want a pub who fails to deliver or closes its doors. I’ve experienced both. Still, what some consider being “shafted” is what others call living their dream. For instance, many would tear off a limb to pub with Kensington or Harle, yet I’ve been advised not to pub with either. Why? The warnings came from authors whose definition of “shaft” and mine somewhat differ.

Concepts like trust, hope, and camaraderie have a solid place in a writing career. If we had no hope of selling, no trust our work was good enough or that pubs existed with enough camaraderie to forge a solid relationship, none of us could be here.

By: Fae Sutherland

Fae Sutherland — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:47:23 +0000

LOL, one can always trust Karen to say it bald, minus the sugar-coat. So, yeah…what she said. :)

By: Karen Scott

Karen Scott — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:30:48 +0000

Harlequin has always been a stable print company, but even they aren’t stable right now,

Are you really comparing Harlequin with these e-book publishers?

When business is necessary, it’s all about business, but in between times, we’re family. I like that.

Your publisher isn’t your family, and shouldn’t be considered as such.

Attitudes like this is why so many desperate-to-be-published authors get royally shafted.

I’m not as polite as Fae, and my opinion is that anybody who looks upon their publisher as if they were family, are fools, who will eventually get shafted.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:21:53 +0000

Thanks. It is great to hear so many positive things about an e-Publisher. Best of luck to you!

By: Fae Sutherland

Fae Sutherland — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:08:10 +0000

Mine was an inside submission (as I had another book already contracted with EC), so my wait time was dramatically less than those subbing cold. I wish I could give you more info on how long you might have to wait, but unfortunately I don’t. Good luck, I hope it’s good news! EC is a wonderful place to write.