Author Solutions: The Scamming, Lying and Hucksterism Continues!

Shame!

I don't usually post author related stuff on this blog because I like to try and keep it reader-friendly. However I feel that this needs attention. Fellow indie author David Gaughran has been courageous in exposing certain "publishers" and calling them out on their baloney! If there are any readers out there that have hopes of publishing their own book one day please read his blog posts that expose these scammers!

The Bookseller Hires Author Solutions

Penguin a while ago purchased notorious vanity publisher Author Solutions. Author Solutions, on the other hand has a whole host of vanity presses under its umbrella - and all of them rip authors off! Why Penguin is in bed with a company with such a horrible reputation for fleecing writers is a mystery - unless you look at the money they probably stand to gain from it. To understand how AS rips authors off, I suggest you read the articles on these issues by David Gaughran and The Passive Voice.

Deceptive practices are par for the course with Author Solutions! The sad thing about this is that when I was a younger writer I might have been scammed by these crooks. Unfortunately many authors have been but these serious issues are swept under the rug by many trade publications int he industry who should be exposing this. Shame on Penguin for being involved with these scammers and shame on Author Solutions for ripping off authors. No one cares about authors in the industry. If you are an author or writer you have better start caring about your own work, the rights to your work and your own financial welfare because most others are only out to fleece you and laugh at you behind your back or in your face. Shame!

Listen up newbie authors! Educate yourself about what Author Solutions is really about! Do not be fooled by their association with Penguin, writer's conferences, trade journals and websites etc. Do not be fooled by their gushing and fake social media presence either. These people are sharks looking to eat authors alive! They are hucksters of the lowest kind! Stay away from them and do not ever use their services unless you actually want to be fleeced. They offer outrageous prices and poor terms, making it impossible for authors to make a living. Leave them alone if you value your work!

For those going the traditional route, continue to go to REAL publishers that have no connections with these crooks, if that is the way you really want to go. For those wanting to self-publish, to find out how to create a professional looking book, start at the KBoards Writer's Cafe! There is a whole host of great information there for you to learn how to do it yourself - for free!