Oops, I was wrong! Thanks for the info though, Gwyn.

Hello Caro, you're welcome, hope it helps. I'm curious now though, which one is in Wendens Ambo?

That's PaperBooks - they are a small independent too, who look very good but are rather slow with submissions!

Just had a look at the website, and as far as I can see Melrose Books aren't a conventional publisher, in that they ask for money from the author, which is not the usual arrangement.

Emma

Hmm. Are melrosebooks.com and melrosebooks.co.uk the same company? The logos look pretty similar, but the .co.uk is quite open about being self publishing oriented, whereas .com looks more 'normal'.

Melrose Books is an independent book publisher established by renowned international publisher Melrose Press.

The websites are terribly similar, aren't they. Nothing on the '.com' version about submissions or anything - I wonder where they get their books, if not via the vanity press side at .co.uk?

Emma

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I'm not sure I'd agree how open they are about being self-publishers, at least not to the un-initiated. There's a lot about how they'll decide to 'select' your book, and they don't say anything unambiguous about the author paying...

Thanks for the name Gwyn. Now I see why you were being a little circumspect
melrose.com is their ordering site for published books, while melrose.co.uk is the publishing site.
As Snowbooks pointed out they are in the self-publishing and POD market. Nothing wrong with that, they seem like an open and above board lot.

- NaomiM

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Crossed with EmmaD. Well it seems pretty obvious to me, even if they don't spell out the costs up front.

Maybe it's something tutors should include in CWC courses - how to spot the traditional publishers from the new boys in town ;)

Anyway, not a discussion I want to get into...

Yes, if you nose through the site it does become a bit clearer. And I agree, I don't have any quarrel with legit subsidy publishers who are honest about how it works, and firms which offer self-publishers the technical services they need. I suppose you can't expect them to say on their own website, 'You must realise this isn't the same as being taken on by a real publisher who hopes to make money out of your books, not out of you.'

It's the ones which pretend to be conventional publishers, smother the writer in flattery and assurances of fame, and then ask ripoff sums of money, that are really wicked.

'You must realise this isn't the same as being taken on by a real publisher who hopes to make money out of your books, not out of you.'

I think that's exactly what I expect them to say! Otherwise, it's all a bit murky and the only thing that happens is that people get confused, then disappointed. Much better to be clear and honest and not to overpromise.

Sorry everybody, I honestly didn't mean to cause such a stir.

As an editor/typesetter for many years, I've worked with a variety of publishers and have seen the pros and cons to both sides (self-publishing and mainstream).

I honestly didn't mean to upset anybody, and I certainly wasn't trying to deceive anybody, all I can say is that there are quite a few authors who have used Melrose and were happy enough to have several books put through them. I was just trying to be helpful.

Maybe I ought to just slope off back to where I came from and not interfere.