Everything in this blog is MY opinion. Please do not take anything at its word, do your own research.
I’m going ramble, this might be really messy and unedited. But I’m emotional and just need to let it out.
I was thinking how I would do this. Technically, I could do it anywhere since I know they’re reading, but figured my PUBLIC blog would be the best. I’m going to write this and I’m hoping it puts an end to the NOW SIX MONTHS of this drama happening. This is it.
Today I received an email from my ex publishing house that threatened to take legal actions if I do not stop spreading lies. When asked what lies I’ve spread, she then emailed back that I commented on a post in Facebook. I want to remind you all that I have every person I can possibly think of blocked on my Facebook so for them to see this they would have to have someone reporting to them or watching me, plain facts. But that’s not important, the important thing. The thread I commented on was another publishing house and how they screwed their authors by not paying them. If you have a Facebook the link can be found here.
If you notice, I said “I know what’s it’s like to be cheated by a publishing house.” That is what prompted her to message me. Now, I don’t know what right she thinks she has telling what I can or can’t think or say, but that is my own fault since I’ve listened and done every demand she has asked of me. Nowhere in the post did I say anything about her not paying me. I said “cheated”. I responded to her email with those words and got nothing in response because honestly, she can’t fight it.
It is NO secret that I feel like I was cheated by them, and for VERY good reason. Since March of this year, I’ve spent endless hours worrying and dealing with dramas. I’ve lost friends, or those I thought were because of their lies and the way things happened. They still deny it all, but like I said, I have proof of everything. Not to mention other authors that say the same thing has happened to them. So I’m going to make this public FOR THEIR EYES AND EARS because I’m sick and tired of the freaking games.
Sorry I have to lump everyone in this, but no other way. I do not by any means lump every author there and it’s NOT all of them. It’s just easier than giving a list. And believe me, I could give a list so I’m being nice. J
An open letter to Encompass Ink and CHBB authors,
I commented that I felt cheated. I DID. Fully admit that, and I truly believe I was. It’s my opinion and you can’t tell me how to feel! I was cheated, damn right. I spent countless hours helping Encompass Ink grow. I spent hours upon hours pushing it, saying nothing but awesome things and even SIGNING ALMOST EVERY AUTHOR at Encompass! My mistake. Your loyalty was to a select few and what they said was all that mattered. I found that out the hard way. I did not wish to take part in the internal drama anymore. I left high school years ago, yep I’m old. So I asked for my rights back after months of this back and forth. You all know for this is true, but hide it to protect whatever it is you are.
I have my own opinions on what I think happens there. Some I know for certain and some sure is speculation, like payments. With that said. Yes, Sarah DID PAY ME ON TIME! And from my knowledge (although there was NEVER a report attached to my royalties) I got paid what I was owed. This is JUST MY OPINION, but knowing my sales from self-publishing and seeing what I make, even if she split it, I do find some of the checks she paid low, but again, just my opinion.
It was no secret that I left on bad terms. I tried to be civil but when I was publically attacked I went into defense mode. Anyone would. I don’t regret that. I had to stick up for myself and the brand I MADE!! They didn’t make me. I did. The stuff that was being said in public, I could only imagine the stuff being said in private! I know this is what they do since I sadly, and regrettably took part in it. I can’t be naïve enough to think I would be the exception to the rule. Then when I started receiving private messages, emails, and posts from authors there saying that MY NAME reviewing on amazon, that was the last straw. One of YOUR authors, Tania was her name. Yes, I’m calling her out for the first time because she is the one that of all people should issue an apology. She messaged me asking if “(blocked for privacy)” was my real name. I admitted yes. Then she said that name was reviewing her book on amazon badly. I want to remind you; amazon accounts are set to the name you pick to display. NO other information can be given and that is directly from amazon themselves. The reviews that she claimed was me was under “kindle Lover” I clicked the account… there was NOTHING there pointing to me, and for good reason I NEVER HAD THAT account. My account is under TYLER MAY. So I wrote her back asking her why she would think that was me there was NOTHING on the account(obviously). She then said one of her friends saw my name but she didn’t. Okay. So I asked her for the friend’s name WHICH she gave me, who I messaged myself and asked her. WHO told me that she did NOT see the name. DRAMA, MY FRIENDS~ DRAMA.
After going back and forth with her, admittedly she was calm and actually very nice. If I only knew what was going on in the background. Later that night ANOTHER account with my full legal name appeared. I saw it happen right before my eyes. I instantly messaged her and told her if she didn’t remove it I would contact amazon for ID theft. GOES DOWN AS FAST AS THAT. I’ll let you judge what happened 😉
Okay….. all drama. ALL the same. All high school bullshit. AND YES, I’m including myself in this, so don’t think I’m not.
That would have been forgivable except they had everyone report my Facebook page. Again, I have proof of this. God, I love loyal friends. My account took me 18 days to get back. An account I worked my ass off to make; they took in one night. The funny thing is, Facebook will not tell you WHO reported it, but they will tell you WHEN it was reported. ALL came from that night. Dispute the facts all you want. It’s what happened. Again, their loyalty was to everyone else.
After that, their authors, some I even considered friends, PUBLICALLY bantered and made fun of me. ONE of their top authors (if you want to call her that) actually threatened that I would be ruined. In her defense, she didn’t use my name, but everything else around it and comments (which I have all saved) all said me. It was too much. How can a publishing house that promises “ONE HOUSE UNITED” treat people like this? I was belittled and bullied and threatened! How can you DISPUTE FACTS? HOW? How can you tell people it was me when there are emails, pms, pictures of texts, and MORE that is PLAIN FACTS> TRUTH!!!
To be fair again because I like to be fair. One of the commenters in the original post did apologize to me. I’m not too sure about the sincerity of it, only because once you get screwed that hard it’s hard to trust again. But I appreciate her doing so.
I could ramble on and on about the same bullshit. It’s not getting anywhere. This is not the point of this blog post. The point is this. YES I was cheated.
My time.
My writing
My emotions
My mental health from the bullying
My trust
MY SECURITY
And yes, I’ll admit I do not think this publishing house is a safe place for anyone. AGAIN, MY OPINION. I can never trust another publishing house because of you. Although I have VERY strong opinions on how the house is ran, how you edit and promo, how you only favor certain authors. I will keep them to myself. Because that was small beans compared to the emotional HELL you put me through. SO YES, I WAS FUCKING CHEATED! Deal with it and stop spying on my page. I’m DONE with it. It’s been fucking six months. I should ONLY receive ONE more email and that should be for my tax stuff. NO other contact should ensue.
I will not hold my tongue when I sympathize with others that have been screwed over by publishing houses. I truly with my entire heart believe that Small indie presses are a SCAM. They offer you cheap, if any, editing, a cheap cover and throw it on amazon. I don’t believe for one second the amount of money you claimed was spent on me. If so, I would hope you offered your other authors the same respect! I’m pissed. I’m angry. I’m hurt. I’m done with it all. It’s been six months it’s time to let this go!
Again to be fair, the owner of this company didn’t directly do this. This was her crew of authors that did, but YOU, Sarah, didn’t do anything to help! You defended them, never once asking me for my side. I cried to the night all this happened, begging like a fucking fool for it to stop and you blatantly told me that you didn’t care. You had the chance to be fair. You didn’t take it. Instead, you listened to them. Their actions are reflections on the company. So it’s not me that is slandering, it’s them. I am only giving my truthful account of what happened. There is nothing wrong with this. I thought our last email exchange (the one before today) went well. You even admitted that it was TANIA’S fault. I was promised resolutions, apologies that never came. That email was the first time you heard my side! And you seemed, stupid me, sympathetic. Do you realize what they did? They used my full legal name. I use a pen name for a reason and that is my right as an author. It is NOT anyone’s right to tell someone and the PUBLIC my name!!! It is NOT wrong to use a pen name like Skye’s post so righteously states. I am not ashamed of my stories or genre, but I use it because I deserve that privacy. MUCH LIKE SO MANY OTHERS!! IT WAS NOT THEIR RIGHT TO DO THAT!!! So for 18 days, I had to have my name public. I had to endure emails and even threats from people because of my name. No one should take that security from me and YOUR PUBLISHING HOUSE DID THAT!! And they thought they had the right! That’s the disturbing part. I would NEVER stoop as low as post publically all the author’s real names. We use them for a reason. Fuck them in your publishing house that says different. They’re calling the kettle black!!! Two faced idiots like they are. I’m sorry, but YES I’m pissed THEY CHEATED ME OUT OF MY SECURITY!!!!!!! That is NOT okay. And not one time did I get an apology, yet you think I don’t have the right to utter Encompass Ink’s name.
I am saying what MY opinion is and what MY experience is. Most of the time, like the chat that your clan spied on, I don’t even say a name. I say “ex pub house.” Of course they know who. Not my problem. But I am not saying anything that calls for legal action. I have always clearly stated this was MY opinion. I have not pushed my opinion on anyone, but I will NOT lie. If they come to me, I will tell them what happened. I don’t care. I’ve played fair. Unlike YOU and your publishing house. You want fair, then let’s play fair.
I have done everything you have asked, everything you have demanded in email because I was trying to be fair, but in the end I’m just the one having to tuck my tail between legs and be a good person. Screw that. You have done nothing to fix this. NOTHING. I have deleted post, blogs, and much more to pacify you. BUT WHY?? I’m a fool. That’s why. But I refuse to do it anymore. What I say is none of your business. What I do is none of your business. Who I speak to is none of your business. There is NO need for contact. NONE. I am not going to stop talking about my experience. I am not doing anything wrong. I clearly state MY OPINION MY EXPERIENCE. There is NOTHING wrong with that and any lawyer will tell you the same. But if legal is what you want, bring it. I’m game!!
This is no way to run a business! Do I regret the day I signed? YES. There is nothing you did for me that I couldn’t have done on my own. NOTHING. I would have been way richer, I tell you that. Instead, I was a fool and signed a blind contract to a filler publisher. Load and reap. Works for you! You said it worked out in our favor, NO NO it worked out in your favor. And this is not to belittle anyone one or to pat my own back, but I made you the most money probably over everyone. Yes, including those that fake “buying cars and audio stuff” If you remember, I was a listener to lots of internal gossip. I know the truth. I made you money!! That is why you opened Encompass!! You saw $$$. And I was all for it. FOOL again! The only person to benefit from this was YOU. I got nothing out of it. NOTHING. I made my name. I met my readers. I did my promo. ME, ME, ME. YOU got the money. THAT IS MY OPINION. It’s a freaking scam. PS. Might want to start legally “signing” Your contracts. If this go legal, that won’t stand either. But like I said, I’ve been nice. VERY VERY NICE.
This ends HERE. No more contact!!! NONE. The only email I want from you is at tax time. After that, NOTHING.
Whoever is spying for you…. Leave me alone. I don’t give a flying freak what you do or who you sign. I feel bad for them because it’s only a matter of time when they see everyone’s true colors. I wish You the best. I hope you find power house authors and rock it out. BUT LEAVE ME ALONE!!! For the love of god, leave me alone. Who I talk to is NONE of your business. I will continue to share my story if I think it will help others and that is my right. I will NOT use your name. I will share MY story. End of story.
Now carry on with your own little world. Happy publishing and much success.
Tyler.
Tyler May - Official Website 