Two Book Contracts At Once.

[Triceratops]

Well, I was rather flabergasted to receive two LOIs (Letters of Intent) to publish my SF novel Word Wars, along with an an urban fantasy Felicity Fortune. I wasn't expecting a double whammy, and naturally I'm going to get in touch with my agent to see what he thinks about this. In case you're wondering, my agent is pushing another title and allowed me to sub to some of my own smaller gems out there with the other books

It's Rain Publishing of Canada, and I was wondering if anybody had any thoughts about them. They seem to be a straight up POD operation with LOC, returns, deep discounts, 35 books in backlist, nice cover art, and pay 12% on gross. Alas, no advance, as can be expected with a Poddy sometimes, but everything seems on the up and up.

I seem to be their choice to fill the SF and Fantasy slots in their genre list, since everything else has been filled.

They're shooting for a target date of publication of around May or June of Next year. Does that seem a bit rushed to you for two books?

Anyhow, it was nice to wake up the news this morning and find that in my email.

Triceratops, red-shifting outta here.

[SpaceShip]

Oh, well done Tric *green with envy*.
Not being Canadian I really couldn't say anything about them but, as you say, you'll have a word with your agent and leave the blood, sweat and tears to him. Again, well done!

[Triceratops]

Thanks, Spaceship (I see you performing light-speed manuvers around here all the time). Yeah, my agent doesn't go after them with a knife in one hand and a money bag in the other, but he can do some red-pencil slash and burn on rights clauses.

These people want movie rights. Since my agent has two studio connects, I don't want to give those up, so I told him.

I'm not Canadian either, and I was a tad suprised that they'd open their doors to a yank. Many of them don't, because they reserve those slots for their countrymen. And hey, there sure isn't anything wrong with that!

I'm totally ignorant about how Canadians distribute their books, and who their major chains are. I'll have to do some reading up on them. Either that or pack my bags, wot?

Cheers,

Tri

[Pointfinder]

Congrats! Keep us posted on the developments.

[SpaceShip]

Originally Posted by Pointfinder

Congrats! Keep us posted on the developments.

Ditto! ...

[the_faery_queen]

welllll done!
and no, i don't think it's that fast. it depends on how they work really. my publisher seemed to work on the, book a month, system. so they'd work on one book at a time, and get that out. which i guess made it quicker for the books at the head of the que (i wasn't, im at the back) and longer for those they accepted last during their submission period. perhaps yours works like that?

[Dean F. Wilson]

Congrats!

6 months sounds like a nice healthy time to me (some writers actually write a novel in that time, so why shouldn't the publisher be able to get it out in that time too?).

Now, 6 months for two books... hmm, not sure, really - especially since they don't know if you'll sell or not, so I'd have immagined they would have taken one first and seen how that goes. Then again, they're a small press, so they have much more freedom to bend the rules.

Again, congratulations!!!

-D

[Triceratops]

Interesting point. I always thought one book at a time was the standard MO for most publishers. If I have two different genre books coming out at the same time, I figure they would end up competing with each other.

The news so far, from my agent, indicates that it's a tad worse boilerplate than we thought. They want all rights for three years, copyright in their name, and first refusal. If a movie deal comes around then they adjust the royalties accordingly, they say.

Say what? Uh uh. Royalty on film deals, and all other rights--foreign, electronic, and others should be laid out in the contract in advance and favorable to the author. We'll give em something, but not everything. Might have to get the red-pencil agent of doom sword out and really start cleaving, me thinks.

Any hoo, have to huddle with agent on the phone in the next day or so and get a game up.

Tri--red-shifting

[Lacedaemonian]

Ask John Jarrold on these boards, he is the man best placed to anserw your questions. Oh and congratulations mate!!

[Triceratops]

Oh, thanks for that. That's right, John would know these things, since i understand he is an agent.

I've never heard of a Letter of Intent to publish that has a five-day limitation on it, and aftewards make it null and void if not responded to. Heck, hardcopy mail takes six-days to travel both ways.

Tri

[John Jarrold]

In normal circumstances, a publisher would look at publishing books by the same authors 9 to 12 months apart. Have they said WHY they want this sort of schedule? If not, I imagine your agent will ask them. And publishing novels in two different genres by the same author is also unusual - certainly in mainstream publishing terms...

[Triceratops]

Thanks, John. You confirmed a few of my concerns. I looked at their website and found that the only genre slots that they had open were for SF/F. All the other slots had products. Could it be that they wanted me to fill two slots in one fell swoop? I would have thought that I would assume one genre and another writer would fill the other. Unless they didn't find anything they liked.

They haven't been forthcoming about why they offered such a deal. They should answer my inquiry soon, I'm hoping. I also note that their LOI doucument contains the phrase "Null and void after five days." That is a very short time for an agent and author to jump into a huddle and make a decision. Three days have already elapsed, and I don't even know if we'll come to a decision within that limited time frame.

I was also advised to eliminate ALL brand names from the text of one book. Dang. Even clothing brand names. I paint no manufacturer, company, or organization in a bad light, and mention them only once in passing. Alas, if I'm required to do that I'll just supply generic or fictioous tags to all.

Thanks for your help,

Tri

[Dean F. Wilson]

To be honest, the 5 day limit makes me a little wary, as, like you said, it doesn't give you and your agent much breathing space, and sounds like a bit of a ploy like the ones used to sell things (on sale for only 5 more days! buy now!).

A quick "Find & Replace" can sort out those brand names for you

Good luck!

-D

[Triceratops]

Okay, I got an extension and they'll send a contract so we can examine it. they also stated that they don't use digital at all. They're offset only. That's funny, their books look like expensive PODs. I'm probably wrong, since Quality Trade Paperbacks CAN an often our done on offset gear.

Tri--red-shifting