Ebook

[Lordsofmd]

Questions: In my projects it says that all download files shall be converted into ebook on Sept. 27th. Since this use to be an additional project does this mean I no longer have to bother converting to an ebook? Also my cover is set up for a single photo type, will this be an ebook issue?

[Maggie]

I think you accidentally posted under suggestions.

[wolfsinger]

Oh great here we go again - what if we DON'T WANT THEM CONVERTED - I want those files left as .pdf download files.

[wolfsinger]

Spoke to a rep in live chat - assured me I shouldn't have the same problems I did with the conversion to epub - so fingers crossed.

[Ken Anderson]

I bet that the Deputy Sheriff is ecstatic. 

Yes download PDFs of a hard copy book will be converted to eBook PDFs. 
A possible advantage if that they can benefit from  DRM.

I don't know yet but I guess that this will make the book available as two different projects and may not appear in the same Spotlight.

Watch this space............. 

[Ken Anderson]

After some investigation things look good.

Lulu Quote "Starting September 27th we will begin migrating all Download products to eBook Products"

In a project where one had a hard copy and a PDF download the PDF Download is now converted to a new project - an eBook PDF that can be downloaded.

Thus in a users project list there will now be 2 projects - one for the hard copy and one for the eBook.

In the New Author Spotlight  there will now be 2 projects - one for the hard copy and one for the eBook.

In the New Author Spotlight for each of the 2 projects the other project will be referred to. That is in the hard copy there will still be a link to the download but that takes one to the eBook and the eBook will be a link to the hard copy.

The only possible downside, although it may be an upside to some, is that if the content is revised then both projects would have to be revised.

I can't speak for the Deputy Sheriff    but this appears to be a positive step forward as far as I am concerned. 

[wolfsinger]

Morning from this side of the pond Ken.

If you saw my other posts - you know I'm not exactly estatic about this - but if it is nothing more than just basically seperating project types, as it appears to be, then no issues.

However, if stuff starts getting converted to epub and distributed without authorization - then we have another issue.

[deemarie]

On my weekly rounds of checking out the reviews of my novel on various book selling websites, to my surprise, I discovered that my printed novel had been “magically” transformed into an ebook for the Nook.

What bothers me the most is that the ebook LuLu created was listed as "published by LuLu." Further more, I never received an email that the conversion of my novel from PDF download to ebook had taken place.

I do not recall giving LuLu permission to publish my novel as an ebook, and I know for a fact that I never gave anyone at LuLu permission for LuLu to be listed as my publisher.

My publishing company put months into perfecting the “printed edition” formatting of my novel. Furthermore, the staff of my publishing company has worked in the field of publishing since 2004 (on a major publication). When they decided to branch out on their own, and go the POD route, they went with LuLu strictly as a printer and distributor. Never to be listed as the publisher!

I personally have been working non-stop over the past year to create an ebook that would meet both my publisher, and my own, strict ebook formatting requirements.

When my novel was published, my publishing company purchased a globalREACH ISBN from Lulu to make sure the printed version of my novel was distributed to all markets. Also, I am very willing to purchase an “ebook” globalREACH ISBN of the ebook that I create … that also meets my formatting standards.

Questions to management:

1. What do I have to do to get LuLu off all of my ebooks as publisher?

2. For existing ebook sales, what will my revenue be from LuLu for each book? Also, I was not consulted as to the price of my ebook, which lists on B&N for $8.99.

3. I had plans to give my ebook away to those serving overseas in our military. If my ebook is now listed under LuLu as the publisher, will I be able to “give” copies of my ebook away?

4. I purchased a copy of my ebook from Barnes and Noble, and I was not pleased with the formatting, plus a B&W map, which is convention for a historical fantasy, was not included in the LuLu published ebook. I can only assume that the map did meet LuLu's conversion standards?

I've been with LuLu since 2007,  LuLu has been great for printing and distribution, but from the start, I never intended LuLu to be used as the publisher of my works.

Lastly, please do not advise me to look through the forums' previously posted queries for answers to my questions. Once the forums were a helpful well-organized source of information ...  now the forums are an unorganized mess! 

Dee Marie

ID 885352

[wolfsinger]

DeeMarie,

If your publisher uploaded the book under their account they should have received an email back in May about the epub conversions coming up. There was an email address to reply to to opt-out of such conversions - however as has been shown - those opt-out emails were ignored by Lulu - I had the same thing happen with several books.

Alert your publisher - so they can go in and remove the ebook from all distribution channels and also retire the project. They should also check the rest of their books to make sure no others have been converted and put on sale - odds are if it is on sale through Nook - it is also on sale through the iBookstore.

If the book was uploaded thorugh your account here at Lulu - you can remove them from sale and also retire the epub version on the project screen.

Like you I am very concerned that Lulu thought they could co-opt being publisher of record on books where there is no PUBLISHING contract between parties.

Once you get this version out of distribution and retired - you should have no problems with your own version as it will have t's own unique ISBN - just make sure all links and promo point to the correct version.

I will point you to one forum - where I had my rant about this infringement on the part of Lulu - if you want to take a look - http://connect.lulu.com/t5/ISBN-Distribution/Getting-LULU-to-Stop-OPTING-ME-INTO-STUFF/td-p/94439

[deemarie]

Thanks Carol.

You were a huge help.

Dee Marie