Last week, as I was researching my blog post on the troubles at YA publisher Month9Books (which recently reverted rights to 40-50 authors amid allegations of non-payment and other problems), I reached to owner Georgia McBride with some questions out. Her responses are below. Month, including missing and incorrect payments. Can you inform me more about what occurred, and what steps you’re taking to handle the problems and ensure that personnel and authors get payments due them? GEORGIA MCBRIDE: I can’t say more than I’ve already said about the accountant, and really, I favor not to concentrate on him.
What I could let you know is that I am attempting to get everyone swept up and paid completely who is owed a payment. From the countless books we’ve released, there are only about 7 roughly outstanding obligations as a consequence at this time actually. We’ve got mostly everyone paid since the author email was sent.
VS: Communications I’ve received from both writers and staff indicate that payment problems go back at least to 2013. I’ve noticed from personnel who say these were never paid whatsoever. GM: I can’t comment on what you’ve heard, since I am not privy to it. I’m also unaware of any freelancers who have never received payment for reasonable work. When we first started, I paid on the “commission” type basis where the freelancer’s income was linked with the book’s performance.
It was a good idea to encourage and encourage people, but I recognized that sometimes a publication simply will not sell later. And, if it does even, after distribution, printing, marketing, etc., there is certainly little remaining to pay the editor. So, for those social people, who may have worked on projects for little to no obligations through 2014, I paid them though I did so not have to all–even.
- Increase in the number of cross border transactions which caries its risks
- Facilitate refinement and story review classes
- Find a branch
- Portfolio planning costs
- Tommy Tune
- 1st Sunday of Each Month Noon-5pm
- Team player with capability to colaborate with fellow associates locally and abroad
Even though they agreed upon contracts stating they would get paid only after the writer is paid. In some instances it took almost 24 months to pay them all–but it was important if you ask me to do it, though I did not have to even. Of course, no one is discussing that. GM: A publisher needs content to grow. It baffles my brain how anyone who knows the business and what must be done to start a publishing company could question this. I’ve said many times, a good publisher not only has awesome books.
But a good publisher must have reliable and competent staff and a solid business foundation which include accounting and legal counsel. At various points in our brief life, Month9Books battled in every those areas. Acquiring books and publishing them is not about the cover just. If the compliance isn’t there, or there’s a complete lot of turnover in staffing, and or the accounting is lacking; you will have a BIG problem. That’s where we faulted.