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Warning: the audio may not be 100% awesome but the guests are!
Did that headline catch your attention? Good, that was the plan. No, you haven’t been scammed but a lot of authors have. This episode we talked about a devious way for how an author, such as yourself, can be scammed. You’re probably familiar with some of the more common ways, like: vanity presses wanting all of your money, people pretending to be editors / proofreaders / cover artists and taking all of your money–and perhaps your precious writing!
This Thursday, we discussed a scam you might not expect. One perpetrated by a fellow author. Someone you thought you knew well online but once you signed up to their scam they had you. Yes, the multi-author boxed set scam. The scam that two of our three guests have been recent victims of–along with Erica *shakes fist*
Find out how the scam went down, how to avoid being a victim of one and best practices for being in a multi-author boxed set.
Support the authors of legitimate multi-author boxed sets, like the ones above
About our Guests
Isadora Montrose writes hot Paranormal Romance about sexy shifters and the strong women whose hearts they win.
JK Harper writes about paranormal romance because despite a lifetime of wishing, all the cool supernatural book characters of her childhood don’t seem to be real. Besides, it’s just really fun to make stuff up and write it down. She lives in the rugged, gorgeous canyon country of the Southwest, which is a great place to let her imagination run wild.
Violet Vaughn lives in coastal New Hampshire where she spends most mornings in the woods with her dogs, summer at the ocean and winters skiing in the mountains of Maine.
Questions and Topics Discussed:
- Each author introduced themselves and what they write
- How did you join the multi-author boxed sets?
- What makes boxed sets so attractive?
- What was promised by the organiser?
- When did you first notice something was wrong?
- A Facebook group was set up and the authors from all boxed sets were invited to discuss what was going on
- Discussed the payment schedules of the multi-author boxed sets and what we should be looking for
- What to look for in a multi-author boxed set author
- Audience Question: How much did the organiser walk off with?
- What steps were taken once you realised what was going on?
- After everything that has happened, have you sworn off being in boxed sets? Why/why not?
- What is City Owl?
Links and mentions:
- City Owl <– a reputable company that will host your multi-author boxed sets and organise author payment and disputes
- Amazon’s Intellectual Property Infringement Form
- U.S. Copyright Office’s FAQ on Copyright Infringement
- FBI’s Online Crime Complaint
If you have a second, an iTunes review would be VERY appreciated!
Its been awhile you lovely people of the Self Publishing Roundtable. I’m back…well just for tonight. Work is taking up a lot of my time. I’m bubbling with excitement, I finally got a Thursday off.
Welcome back ReneeKelley. Have you been scammed?
I’m here for the free candy. Who brought the free candy?
BatmanErica ReneeKelley Girrrrrrl, they almost got me. But no!!!
ReneeKelley praytell?
tspaulauthor http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/walkingdead/images/3/3f/Shut-up-and-take-my-money.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/2000?cb=20140829235648
I’m not sure if I can stay but …. oh! POPCORN!!
Uno momento…
*waves* There’s free candy?
BatmanErica ReneeKelley Its been a while ago. But I almost went with one of those Vanity presses until I was told how much money I was going to have to invest. I’m too cheap for all that mess!
Hey y’all.
Heyo
Hiya WayneStinnett. Glad to see you again 🙂
Hi Guys 🙂
WayneStinnett Its Rich Wayne Stinnett. What’s uppppp, Wayne!!!
This is Paul C. Middleton’s alternate ID BTW
Paul is undercover
ReneeKelley LOL I’m doing well.
tspaulauthor he’s spying on us… >.>
BatmanErica tspaulauthor I’m not I swear!
Any questions?
Not just that, if you pick the right combo of fellow authors there is the chance of fans cross pollinating.
marradin correct. It’s the same reason for doing multi-author promos as well.
LivBrywood Heyyy Liv 🙂
WayneStinnett ReneeKelley Good! Me too.
ElianneAdams LivBrywood Hi! I PM’d you on FB. 🙂
tspaulauthor Hey Paul!
ReneeKelley tspaulauthor heyho
ElianneAdams BatmanErica has a big bowl of Whittaker’s chocolate she’s supposed to be passing around.
Echo!!!
feedback loop
Does someone have the video open in another tab?
its erica shes haunted
Houston, we have a problem!!!!
A thousand apologies for the sound issues. I will edit it out for the audio.
I’m about two minutes behind in the ‘cast; did you name the person who perpetrated this scam? Naming names is the best way to help other authors defend themselves.
JimJohnson5 the author has claimed she has a very serious illness (message me after for a name) so we dont’ want to look like dicks by publicly naming her.
BatmanErica JimJohnson5 OK, will do, Erica.
tspaulauthor Too funny, Paul
That’s my biggest fear with boxed sets.
How much did she make off with?
are these box sets still out there ? are they still selling?BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna
tspaulauthor all removed.
Wow!!!
That’s probably about right for the amount.
Howdy all! Barely made it.
David Anson 2/3s through man!
BatmanErica JimJohnson5 Honest to God, if this set could have earned up to $32K, don’t hesitate to name this person. This is fraud. We should know who this is to avoid this person in the future.
BatmanErica David Anson {Hangs head in shame} Like got in the way…
David Anson so you should 😛
SusanELyonsAuthor BatmanErica JimJohnson5 once again, feel free to contact us and we will provide the name.
Question: I do wonder if Amazon kept the money from the boxed set sales in these cases. Does anyone know?
marradin not sure the details there.
Violet and JK run amazing box sets! They’re both rock stars.
marradin but whatever was paid out already was gone.
The biggest red flag is that when you start asking questions, if the organizer gets defensive and/or refuses to explain in detail – run!
Now that I remember, I did have a guy take my money and not deliver on a promise. He was a Book Cover Designer. I paid him but I never got my design. My friend was in the same boat with the guy. She wrote a complaint and blasted his name all over facebook. She took him to court but I don’t know if she ever got compensated or if the court date ever happened. Not as big as boxset but it still happened to me. I forgot about this one, Erica. I guess because the money wasn’t substantial, around $85.00.
How do you find boxed set opportunities for genres OTHER than Romance? ( I have romance Subplots, but cannot see myself writing a Romance story.)
Does this person have your social security numbers? That could cause many problems, long term.
Is there any way to create a boxed set without giving out your SSNs?
Teagirl No, you must give them your SS so they can create 1099’s for you at the end of the year.
marradin writer forums, etc. Although here’s one place on FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/348550028823413/
LivBrywood Teagirl That’s what I figured. Scary.
Teagirl only if you do a boxed set where you won’t be getting royalties. So like for exposure and the book is perma-free or you’re happy with the organiser to funnel any royalties into promoting it more. It’d be something like your first in series for sure.
BatmanErica Teagirl Or for charity?
No, no. See, paranoid me–I’m looking for any way to keep my SSN a deep, dark one. 🙂
ChrishaunKellerHanna Will do, thanks!
It says that it’s closed to new sets on their website: http://www.cityowlpress.com/p/anthologies-box-sets.html
I agree. Great attitudes about it, thanks for sharing.
Teagirl would making an incorporated company and using the EIN help mitigate it?
Thanks to the guests and the hosts!
Yes, charm and humor. Not often that cautionary tales have such charm.
Bye guys!!!! its been real!
BatmanErica Teagirl I was wondering about that. Legal Zoom, I’ve heard, is a fast, cheap way to incorporate. I haven’t balanced my personal checking account in a couple of decades, so don’t be looking for me to run a boxed set…
Austin is close to Canada?
maybe it’s as the crow flies, a drunken crow
How’d we do? Other than the audio issue >.<