Beware of thin ice... and nefarious publishers

Imagine this scenario, if  you will. You know of a body of water that appears to be frozen, but appearances

can be deceiving, and you know from firsthand experience that it isn't as steady as it appears to be. Perhaps you've even fallen in, or know someone who has.

You hope that this water will refreeze, so that others may enjoy it, but you can't be sure, because you can't see everything, and you're sure something lurks beneath the surface.

The local citizenry doesn't want anyone to know about the thin ice because gosh darn it, it's bad for tourism, which is bad for them, which is bad for... Well, you get the picture. So you don't say a word, and you figure it'll all work out okay. Right?

But then you notice some newcomers, people who don't live around there, and don't know about these things, and they're venturing out onto the ice. Isn't it your civic duty to warn them of the dangers that they can't see? They're strangers in town, gosh darnit, won't somebody help them?

Well, that's how I see what's going on at Silver. There is a lot going on, and a lot of it has been made public knowledge, but still... not public enough. Authors not getting paid properly, deception, using royalties for other than their intended purpose, rudeness, lies... and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I won't go into details, but it's really bad.

And now these people are trying to lure in new authors? Writers who may not be aware of what is going on until it's too late, and they find themselves embroiled in the same morass?

There are authors at Silver who wish no one would speak about the problems, keep it inside, like the skeleton in the family closet. Because without a new influx of writers and income, how can they expect to be paid? They insist it's no one's business, but I disagree. I don't expect them to go around badmouthing their publisher, to cut off their nose to spite their face, so to speak. Then again, they chose to remain when others left.

No, I don't expect them to see the situation as objectively as someone else. They have too much invested in it to do so. But what I do hope and expect is that they would have the decency to warn new authors of the pitfalls of what they're getting into. Sub to Silver at your own peril. If you choose to, that's fine, but at least be aware that there's danger lurking in the water and don't go into it with your eyes closed.

In other words, give new authors the tools and the knowledge to make knowledgeable decisions. Not after the fact, when it's too late to do anything about it, when the contract is a signed fait accompli.

For myself, I advise against signing with Silver, but that's just my opinion. Everyone has to make up their own mind.

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie