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Tide turns for The History Press

30.01.08 Tom Tivnan

Author payments are beginning to trickle out of The History Press, the publishing group formed out of the ashes of Alan Sutton's NPI Media Group.

The regional history publisher was created by NPI's private equity backers Octopus Investment on 18th December after putting NPI into "pre-pack" administration. All imprints, including Sutton Publishing and Tempus, moved to the new group. Authors and agents had been roundly criticising the Sutton business for late royalty payments and inaccurate record keeping.

Agent Meg Davies, who represents Sutton author Paul Heiney, said she had seen a shift in the new business. "We are very pleased to say we have seen some payments. We have a little way to go [in terms of] sorting everything out, but we seem to be going forward at last."

Mandy Little, of Watson, Little, said she had about 20 clients owed money by the group. She said: "Some payments have been made. I think they are making a huge effort to get back on track."

In a letter sent in early January, History Press c.e.o. Tony Morris asked authors to "bear with us" as the group went through over 10,000 contracts, but said that "royalty cheques were being dispatched with every post that leaves the building". He added: "We are sorting out royalties and payments in a phased and systematic way."

Yet while payments are being received, concerns are still being raised about the History Press' accounting practices. A group from the Association of Authors Agents had been pressing for an external audit of company, but is now understood to be in talks with The History Press about a way forward.

tom tivnan Tony Morris The History Press

Comments on this article

By spamalot

I hope the payments that seem to be going out do not have provisions made for returns. That was a trick NPI tried on me on books which did not have a returns provision clause on them. I doubt they have accurate records anyway - I know I spent the best part of six months not being told what sales my books had achieved. Every excuse was used from just ignoring requests to saying the system was down or inaccessible to more than a few people, despite the fact that a few months before my editor could give me accurate sales and to whom too. There's also been a lot of selling at huge discounts, going by the books I have seen in remainder shops. None of that is good for royalty payments either. I've had more from my PLR rights this year (at 5.5p a book) than I've earned from writing books for NPI.

30 Jan 08 20:27

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By You Are Joking?

They have no chance of pulling this off. They cannot legally 'take over' any author contract. This is all going to get very messy and before long the investors will run out of patience. Are they commissioning any new books?

30 Jan 08 22:16

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By Suttonalia

Apart from the original gung-ho letter, there have been no communications from THP. If, as they claimed, they had been sending royalty payments out on a daily basis before (and during?) Christmas, somebody we know would have received something by now. I'm afraid even such good intentions as THP might be able to muster will not make an omelette out of these particular borken eggs.

12 Feb 08 17:29

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By Optimist

this was originally on 'Judge us by' thread Hi there. Remember me with such comments as '- waiting till the end of January seems reasonable' and ' - convinced it will turn up - '. Well just to balance everything up a little I received my royalties today. And it is consistant with the conversation I had with my Editor, who thankfully is also hanging on in there. This whole episode has been a sharp learning curve for me. I now realise that it is unwise to write directly for one publisher, I am attending to that and without an agent if I can get one to represent my projects. I would like to say a big thank you to those constructive commentors on this list, your info and debate has been most informative. To those trying to whip people up -----------! I have not, however received word about my next royalty statement. I have to say my editor has been very supportive and given information as and when asked. I have a 'verbal statement' as to sales up to the end of January now. Even the accounts girls have given a frank update of the situation. So its all down to comms. I suspect many of you still waiting have lost your editors in the ensuing chaos. And if in doubt you can always pay them a visit. I always find looking someone in the eye tells you alot when you are owed money!!

12 Feb 08 19:21

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By Pessimist

Optimist, you are about the only person who has posted anything here who seems to have been paid a penny. I would say you're quite lucky and good on you for being supportive of the company. Unfortunately I'm unpaid and am about to bite the bullet and notify this company that I am assuming reversion of my rights as per clause 16 or 17 of my contract.

13 Feb 08 09:33

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By notideturninghere

This place is a mess. THP is the most unprofessional organization I have encountered in my professional career. They take advantage of their authors, making a practice of going after elderly/inexperienced authors who are just excited to be publishing a book. Their editors are inexperienced and I went through three different editors in my working relationship of only a few months. From what I could gather, these employees were being severely overworked and underpaid, and after six months were still not receiving basic benefits promised to them in job contracts. My advice to fellow authors? Stay far away.

21 Feb 08 18:45

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By daughter

Also, it seems ridiculously naive to think that without Alan Sutton things with THP will be different.
Comment edited, 25th February

21 Feb 08 18:52

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By ex employee

So "Judge us by our results" eh ? "Tide Turns for the History Press" eh ? What results ? What Tide ?
Edited, 26th February

26 Feb 08 05:42

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By Jerry Maguire

or indeed, what Royalty cheque. eh? Show us the Money! Show us the Money! Or is the lack of money at THP further eroded by its top heavy management structure and numbers of non-productive staff.

26 Feb 08 11:59

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By J Garbutt

I am still waiting for my royalty cheque - it is now over two months late. I was promised that sdomeone would look into it but no joy! I am supposed to be writing a number of books for NPI but I think not at the moment

26 Feb 08 20:06

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By Syd Sharman

I was told the lady in charge of accounts was on holiday but that she'd be back the following week - that was at thee nd of January - I'm still waiting! But as you say they never know how many books you've sold - worth £50 to check their accounts!

26 Feb 08 20:08

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By FAO "Ex employee"

Comment removed, 27th February. -PG Wodehouse

28 Feb 08 08:21

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By angry author

I spoke with the nice woman woman who handles their accounts (who is merely 'following orders' as she has told me herself) and it seems that they are sending royalty payments out every two weeks. So much for the quote above which stated that 'royalty cheques were being dispatched with every post that leaves the building'. Can't the Society of Authors order an audit of them? Tempus/NPI/THP or whatever they are calling themselves this week are and always have been a shockingly exploitative company. To this day I'm not sure if I've been paid in total what I'm owed by them for book sales, nor am I certain that I ever will be!

03 Mar 08 10:01

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By Brian Mountney

I am amazed the private equity backers have gone for more of the same. The administration deal seems fraught with legal challenges.

04 Mar 08 22:55

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