Well the jokes on you
@Corty they answered this question on their website
https://www.holzerbooksllc.com/post/is-holzer-books-llc-a-scam
Check and mate! Not a scam. Because they said they aren't.
But in all honesty, these guys are more of a, you pay us, we'll print your books, type of company. So they want the author to foot the bill, and the author needs to do the rest to sell their work. I'm sure you'll have to pay for their editors to.
I could see it as some type of option to make a physical book, but if you are bringing in money from Patreon or something else you will most likely have better options.
Personally, I think you should just keep doing what you're doing
@mythosandmagic. Just build up your audience on whatever websites first. And if you're making enough money doing that then think about going through a publishing site. I still probably lean towards Amazon but to each their own.
Hey
@mythosandmagic? I just thought up one more question. How did they find your work? I'm assuming you post your work on other sites?
Also, did some Gemini AI searching. So take this with a grain of salt. But it seems that it is Holzer Books's M.O. to call unsuspecting new authors.
Got one today from Holzer Books. Same scam. Authors need to be careful out there.
share.google
Here's some authors complaining about getting calls from them on threads. I'm surprised anybody uses threads but here we are.
And this is Gemini's summary through scrubbing through the internet:
Specific authors and industry professionals have voiced strong concerns and shared negative experiences regarding
Holzer Books LLC across several platforms:
- Threads & Social Media Warnings:Multiple authors have labeled the company a "scam" or "shady."
- Allyson Rice (@allysonriceauthor) reported receiving a voicemail from a representative who claimed to have found her book through copyright registration but was unaware it had been published two years prior, suggesting a lack of genuine research.
- Tamika Newhouse (@tamikanewhouse) and Lee Gabel (@leefgabelwriter) both shared that they received unsolicited calls from the company, with Gabel warning other authors to be careful.
- Brigid Kemmerer, a well-known YA author, also shared a warning on Threads, identifying it as the "same scam" as other predatory publishers.
- The account @studiomogura explicitly advised others: "DO NOT ANSWER CALLS FROM HOLZER BOOKS LLC. SCAM PUBLISHER".
- Industry Watchdogs & Forums:
- The Authors Guild and Writer Beware provide broader context on the tactics used by companies like Holzer, such as charging upfront fees for "marketing" that never materializes or soliciting authors via copyright records.
- On Reddit and Writing Forums, contributors include Holzer Books LLC in lists of publishers to avoid, citing aggressive sales tactics and high upfront costs for services that are often free or much cheaper elsewhere.
- Contrasting Reports:
- A post on Medium by "Thecreatorsangel" mentioned receiving a call from a Holzer representative who claimed to have read their book and offered pricing lower than a competitor, though the author was still in the research phase.
- Holzer Books LLC's official website features testimonials from authors like Dennis M. and Claire E., who claim to be pleased with the support they received.
