This items is from the ever-useful MediaBistro site and is self-explanatory:
Dorchester Publishing Boycott Launched
Yesterday novelist Brian Keene detailed his long struggle with Dorchester Publishing, calling on readers and writers to boycott the publisher. More than 100 authors have already signed on to his campaign.
Last year the Mystery Writers of America de-listed the publisher, writing: “We have been hearing an unusually high number of reports from our members of unpaid advances and withheld royalties on their Dorchester books.” The publisher switched to an eBook and print-on-demand model in August, and a number of authors have complained about payment and rights problems. Keene has added the graphic embedded above to his Twitter feed.
Here’s an excerpt from Keene’s boycott essay: “someone asked me why we (the authors) didn’t just seek legal means. Well, I can’t speak for any of the other authors involved, but I’ll tell you why I haven’t — because I’m broke. I’m broke because Dorchester didn’t pay me what was owed, and then I gambled to get my rights back, and then they continued to f*** me.”
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This reminds me of a dealing I had with with a producer a few years ago. He wasn't paying the money he owed me and every time I inquired there was a new excuse: the bank made an error, we have a new accountant who didn't realize you were supposed to be paid, and on and on. Finally I threatened legal action and that worked but I decided never to work with that company again.
Contrast that with another production company I worked for. They also owed me money and they explained their cash-flow problem. I offered to delay taking payment until the start of the next calendar year, when they would be getting a new tranche of funding. They gratefully accepted and paid me the money the next January and I have worked with them again.
A little honesty goes a long way. Stonewalling or pretending a problem ends up in lawsuits and boycotts. I don't know what's really happening at Dorchester but from the sound of it they are not being open with their authors. That can only escalate their problems, not solve them.
