Triskelion Publishing Closes
An email went out to the authors of the Triskelion Social loop early this morning announcing the closing of the publisher effective July 2nd due to bankruptcy. Several authors saw this coming and successfully had the rights to their books returned. Others feel as if the elevator crashed to the bottom without a flicker of warning.
Truth be told, this was inevitable. I knew I didn’t want anything more to do with Triskelion last summer when the publisher jerked my chain. I intended to let my books die a natural death and resub them at Aspen Mountain Press when they were free.
Several authors have lost thousands of dollars in promotional items, interviews, ads and the like. Most don’t know what the effect of declaring Chapter 11 banruptcy really means to their stories and contracts. Nearly a dozen spent a thousand dollars or more at a poorly organized Romantic Times luncheon intended to build their name and that of Triskelion.
I am not sad for Triskelion, but my heart hurts for those who’ve been hurt by a company who refused to communicate and changed their contractual agreements without proper legal documentation, had hideous covers and who constantly berated the authors as to not promoting their work…
That however, is a topic for another discussion. The bottom line is that every Trisk author who did not have their rights returned to them prior to the start of 2007, and maybe even July of 2006 could have their stories tied up in the bankruptcy proceedings.
Every author at Trisk needs to do two things 1) seek the advice of a competent bankruptcy attorney, preferably one with experience dealing with intellectual property and 2) continue to write.
In the long run, number 2 may be more important than anthing else.
June 23rd, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I really feel sorry for the authors. I know what it’s like to work for a place that takes bankruptsy. I work for two different factories that took bankrupty, one of those factories I worked at for over 20 years. They came in one day and told us that they were closing the next day due to bankruptsy. Lost vacation pay and everything. It sucks!!!
June 26th, 2007 at 8:49 am
I pulled out with Triskelion about the same time as you, Cyn. The best damn decision I ever made. I’m now published with Five Star and am so happy with the professional rapport they have with their authors. Like you, my heart goes out to the authors who are the victims of one of many unscrupulous “publisher’s.” They worked hard on their manuscripts, spent money and went into debt with promotion and marketing, felt they were safe because they were with an RWA “recognized” publisher, and in the end, got hurt.
July 6th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
April,
What story do you have with Five Star? I believe they are a Colorado company, correct?
Cyn