Comments on: Reversion of Rights

By: Catherine Underhill Fitzpatrick

Catherine Underhill Fitzpatrick — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:11:47 +0000

Wonderful blog, and just the information I need.
I do have a reversion of rights letter from the small, struggling publisher of the print edition of my novel. I own the digital rights and, now, the print rights, too.
I have an amazing marketing opportunity at this time, in that PBS is introducing a special television series tonight (3/31/13) that parallels the theme of my novel. Their story is set in England, mine in America. If actively promoted, sales of my book should see a nice increase.
Do you know how, whom, or the department I should contact at Amazon and bn.com to get the print edition taken off their sites?

By: lynnpricewrites

lynnpricewrites — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:01:36 +0000

Hard to say without seeing the contract. Lots of contracts have clauses whereby all rights are reverted should the publisher go belly up. But if your book is still showing up as live in the online stores, you really need that reversion of rights letter in your paws.

By: SandySays1

SandySays1 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:44:40 +0000

My human went through this – His defunct pub’er did the “right thing.” Is my canine logic clouded or is the inclusion of a reversion clause in the author/publisher contact viable.
http://www.sandysays1.wordpress.com

By: Kathy Porter

Kathy Porter — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 23:40:07 +0000

Your a blessing to have around Lynn – thanks! I will get right on it.

By: lynnpricewrites

lynnpricewrites — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 23:21:37 +0000

Hi Kathy. Is your book still showing up as active on places like Amazon and bn.com? If you have your rights back, your previous publisher can’t legally sell your book and must remove it from the internet stores. Problem is, they often don’t give a rip. Out of sight, out of mind.

The end run is, I won’t take a book that’s now OP but still showing up as active in the online stores. Reason being, I don’t want to compete with the previous book – it confuses readers on which one to order.

Your first order of business is to get your book off the internet, or make sure it shows up as inactive.

By: Kathy Porter

Kathy Porter — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 23:08:38 +0000

Hi Lynn,

Okay I understand if your publisher disappears – get your rights back ASAP. My question is what if you and your publisher have parted ways and you now have your rights back – is this also a situation we should have the book taken down from sales?

My book is not on publishers website bookstore, or in their distribution chain any longer, but the publisher still barely exists.

Since I am actively looking for a publish would this be an issue?

I’d love your insight on this.

Thanks,
Kathy Porter

By: lynnpricewrites

lynnpricewrites — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:16:08 +0000

Sorry, Nic, I must not have made myself clear. When talking about the Smashwords/Epub Dub debacle, I was referring to how authors need to check themselves out online to make sure there’s nothing wonky.

By: Nicola Morgan (@nicolamorgan)

Nicola Morgan (@nicolamorgan) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:09:05 +0000

But Lynn (I may be missing something here), when you publish via Smashwords they don’t have the rights so there wouldn’t be a reversion. (Obviously, in the case of a publisher going bust, you DO need that reversion letter.) But in the case you mention, surely this is a clear case of copyright infringement? (Apologies if I have missed something – I am v tired!)