WestBow Press review: Misrepresentation and deceptive practices 65

From experience, and as a publishing consultant, I can tell you there is almost NEVER a reason to go with a publish-on-demand or vanity publishing company. They either get your money up front with no way of knowing if there is any return on your investment, or they get your money in royalties with no evidence of a return on your investment. You even lose on your royalties by the time bookstores and Amazon like places pound their royalties and commissions out of you. The only people who benefit are the publishing companies and lawyers. Where there is a breach by the publisher, yes you can almost always get out of the contract by taking your complaint public and to the social networks. You are entitled to a financial accountability, the print ready file - unless you signed away your ownership rights, then you own nothing; and the distribution and listings should be yanked from all places claiming commissions and royalties under the name of the publisher.

For the unestablished, and sometimes to an established, author the world of publishing is intimidating, confusing and overwhelming. There are a multitude of different types of publishing houses and sources in which to use. Which is right for you? What happens when you go with a less than honorable vanity or print on demand publisher? What steps are involved in the writing, printing, publishing, distribution and marketing of a book? How does an author proceed safely with their dream? How does an author determine what is the best course of action for their book? As an author, writer and publishing consultant my goal is to help the author determine what their best course of action is and sometimes how to undo a bad choice and how to start over. www.janethorton.net

I also had a book published by WestBow. While some of the experience is positive since there are SOME pretty good people who work there, here are the negatives:
1) I narrowed my book publisher potentials down to two. The retail price of the book was a factor in deciding which one to sign up. WestBow's rep. told me a final retail price and at my urging, double checked with his boss. The price they were both sure of was not the price used. Both reps had different stories as to why this happened.
2) My initial marketing manager was probably the most belligerent person I've ever dealt with in a customer/business relationship. If he could have gotten his hands around my throat, he probably would have choked me until I agreed to buy a website from him. Fortunately, I was on the phone many miles away. He made me sound as if I was a complete idiot for not buying a website from him. I found out later that he gets a commission for marketing packages he sells. Their website is definitely not worth the money even if I wanted a website.
3A) Since my book is coffee table picture book with supporting pages of text, the images are vital to any success the book may have. The images were printed on uncoated paper without any real blacks in them. So they look flat and dull as compared to the original and compared to a Blurb copy I did myself. It is not at all the quality people expect in a picture book. So my Blurb book is far superior to WestBow even though Blurb is hardly a top-notch publisher. This may be an inherent problem with POD and not just with WestBow. Nobody should use WestBow if image quality is important. While WestBow touted their color publishing on their website, nobody there mentioned this major problem before I signed up.
3B) I expressed my unhappiness with the book quality so they offered to sell me a 3000-book offset run for $12, 000. That is a little like getting a tiny, burnt-up steak at a steakhouse and having the waiter offer to bring you a much better steak if you'll give them $100 more. Hardly a solution to their quality problem.
4) The back cover text was supposed to be checked by a proofreader. If it was, their proofreader is in the 7th grade and stops by after school to make a little extra money. They used a paragraph twice that was not repeated in the info I gave them. Also, the title of the book was not italicized. These two boo-boos in a very small amount of text must indicate 7th grade (or less) work.
5) I was suckered into spending $500 for the buy-back option so that bookstores could purchase a load of books and sell them back to WestBow if they didn't sell. Unfortunately, bookstores don't seem interested in buying a load of POD books so this was a complete waste of money for me. I can't speak for all other authors but can speak for what I've found out.
6) At the beginning of the process, I sent them a link to my Blurb book to show what I had done with the material on my own. I thought this might help them in some way to design my book. It REALLY helped them it turns out. They copied my book design and might should have sent me a check for my help. I think my design is a pretty decent one even though I have never designed a book before. But they are supposedly the professional book designers and should have at least been able to embellish my design. From the results, I can easily deduct that the designers are entry level designers that might hope to work for Thomas Nelson many years down the road.

Published Man - do you have any hope of getting your book back from these people? And your money? because they so blatantly did not comply with your requests. From what I see from my internet sources, they are a vanity publishing house that is generally NOT recommended. That being hindsight. I also see that with them and the many names they operate under, there may be some discrepancy as to actually "owns" your book and cover. Out of the kindness of their heart they may pay you an occasional royalty but there is no incentive on their part to try to sell your books, because they have already made their money. Good or excellent quality "coffee table" books would be printed using a high quality and qualified off-set printing process. Your low-end vanity press printer is probably not capable of doing this. If it were me, I would probably fight to get my money back and the ownership rights to the book, the cover, and possession of the digital file. Then start over using a reputable off-set printing company and forget the self-publishing direction all together.

I 100% agree with all the complaints herein. Though, I used Trafford, one of their many names. Something has to be done about this "Umbrella" of a company stealing our hard earn money. I know for a fact that I've sold copies from friends, family and fans informing me. But I still get nothing. We have to take a stand and put a stop to this thievery.

I have worked with photography and design clients for 35 years and have never had an experience so terrible as with WestBow Press. I paid $3, 999 up front. I had written a 160 page book of poetry and short stories with a finished manuscript and I had finished artwork for the cover. WestBow Editorial took it and completely changed text, titles and punctuation, but I thought fine that is their suggestion. I specified I did not want the text changed, not the fonts or interior text design and it went to WestBow Design. They altered every page and changed my cover design, scrapped my spine (when I had told them I would adjust it according to the width they would specify). This went on and on for 7 months until they refused to allow me to submit a brighter color cover (because RGB to CMYK had dulled the images). I had no choice but to walk away without any refund. I have never in all my professional photography, graphic design and writing career had to deal with a company like WestBow.

I Got conned into using Westbow Press. As an author looking for help with my first book I approached them and they appeared on the surface to be enthusiastic. When the book was ready and launched I received a call from a publicist who wanted $13500 to promote my book, he sent a huge package email with what he would do for the money, as he felt it was a really great book. I said that if he felt it was so great he and Westbow should do it for nothing and if it took off then they could take half the royalties. They declined.
At the beginning of the process they wanted my bank details, to withdraw the equal amounts out over a three month period. No problem but I am based in the UK. Not a problem they said. However my book didn't do as well as I liked (those are the chances you take) they sent me a royalties check via mail. It was going to cost me twice as much in bank fees to clear the check, from US$ to GB£, I returned the check with a letter complaining about the fact that they can withdraw money from my account but can't put money into my account even though I pointed out that other so called international companies operating in the states such as Amazon and Create space do so. To date while appearing apologetic they have not given me a clear reason on why their royalties department cannot put money directly into my bank account. No information was given on withholding tax from the US Dept of Revenue despite the fact that through my details and bank account prove I am not a US citizen. All this is yet to be resolved. The silence from Westbow is deafening. My second book is ready for launch I will not be using Westbow.

My co-authors and I read the publishing agreement and submitted a check to WestBow press. We were then asked to sign an electronic contract that contained information we had never agreed to, and they had already cashed our check! I immediately asked for our money back and was assured that it would be returned. We are still waiting. I worked with three different people there and none of them were professional. Look elsewhere.

i'm in the beginning of this publishing process. i've never published anything before. i received a phone call from "Kathy Lester" but couldn't take the call. she left a message saying she'd call back. she sent me an email containing the contract options, which i read and set aside until after i actually talked to her. today, i received a "form" email advertising special publishing prices during november. i wrote to "Kathy" and said i wanted to talk to her, since we'd never connected by phone. her first email contact began with "it was wonderful speaking with you today." (the first red flag) i wanted to know if WestBow would be interested in publishing a journal covering personal Christian growth and psychological healing from childhood abuse. i wouldn't sign anything until this question was answered. she wrote back immediately and never addressed this question. she asked if i read the options available to me. her gross misuse and abuse of the English language in this email was a huge red flag for me. this is typical of scam artists. i wrote back and said i wouldn't sign anything until i had personal contact with her or someone from her company. i wrote that "at this time, you seem to me to be a scam artist." now that i've read all these complaints, i'll have nothing more to do with her. thanks for the warning!

I would avoid Westbow Press like the PLAGUE. Actually, I might entertain the plague before them! I tried to be prudent and search many publishers and get what I thought was suitable to my type of book. It is a writing that is targeting the young secular and those who are spiritual people. I planned on using the Randal House connection of placing my book in a secular setting and use my talents and contacts to reach people of spiritual persuasion. However, there was one condition that I made very clear that I would not use AMAZON as a distributor because of their anti-Christian values on God's commanded sexual behavior. That is their position and they have the liberty and prerogative to do so in all fairness. But for them to make money off of my book was something I did not want to do because they flaunted their position in front of the whole nation by the Presidents statement concerning homosexuality. But they reneged on their promise because I was too dumb to get it in writing. Even setting that problem aside there have numerous problems with their system. They only call you if you are dead! I have requested numerous times to clarify situations and they are very lax in responding at all, if ever. Take my final approval on the cover which is supposed to take 2 weeks (that must be in Money Pit movie time). I am sitting on day 35 and they have no promise to be done before Christmas! I just got off the phone with Rich Deventer for over 30 minutes to clarify 4 issues on the cover. They make your cover without any input as to how the style, color or font size of the title should be. Why would you not simply call to get some ideas as to what the cover should look like and save us both a headache? I have stated some very clear desires and instructions and simply IGNORED my requests and did what they thought was proper. Of course, I have responded with vast amounts of e-mails that they were ignoring my requests and instructions. Finally, after about 3 weeks or a month they stated that my idea was not a good idea. Why not state that from the beginning? Why just ignore what I requested? They do little and very poor listening and ignore most if not all of your desires. I guess unless you pay the 10K that they were seeking to do your book. I would recommend a PRINT ON DEMAND. I have been working with Alphagraphics in Phoenix, Az and they are much more clear, accommodating in what they are promising and delivering. Their process seems about 20 X quicker than Westbow's. Save your money and perpetual headaches and seek a local publisher. Sell a thousand or so books and look to hook-up with some national distributor. If you didn't catch my drift, it was one of the top 3 worst experiences of my life.

I also forgot to state that when I had the frustration that my book would be available to AMAZON I went hay wire. I complained, complained and complained! They even hooked me up with a Mike Laguna that fraudulently represented himself as the LEGAL DEPT. He told me that I did not have to make my book available to Amazon which was contrary to what I had been told. Later, I found out that he was just a salesman and had no authority to speak about legal practices of the company. Upon filing a complaint with the BBB the company habitually lied about their statements. Every time they say they are recording you, but seemingly never are. I asked for the intake interview with I believe a John Raynor who promised I did not have to use Amazon as a distributor and they would make sure that happened. I was told that conversation was recorded but they would not provide the tape. They are a bunch of liars!

Clem Cooper - were you able to do anything about Westbow continuing to sell your book after you cancelled the contract? I cancelled my contract in December, 2014, and signed a contract with a more honest publisher. But Westbow appears to still be selling my first version of the book.

I cancelled with them for many of the same reasons others on this post expressed. I don't know which issue was the worst for me - but perhaps the fact that I could never be certain I was actually getting paid for all the books that sold. I would hear from so many people that they read my book - strangers commenting on the book's Facebook page, etc. - but then get a tiny $75 check once every three months. I asked for an accounting, but never received one.

The reason I suspect they are still selling on-deman books is because I refused to pay the $850 necessary to receive book store discounts in 2014. In other words - there was NO incentive for a book store to stock my book in 2014. So why did I receive a $12.92 Q4-2015 royalty check today? The new book, with the new publisher, began selling in December. My guess is that due to the new marketing for the new version, people looked for the book on Amazon and found the old version? We all know Amazon wouldn't be stocking the old version. It was print on demand, and Amazon charges for stocking merchandise. Who would pay that for a year. But here it is - the Westbow version was somehow sold in December 2015. Amazing they bothered to send me the $12... but if they hadn't, I wouldn't have known they were still selling the book.

I would never recommend anyone using Westbow. They were constantly pushing me to spend hundreds and thousands more to market my book - exorbitant prices for little or nothing, saying, "if you really had faith in your book, you would do this..."

I had faith in my book. I didn't have faith in them. I made my own website, Facebook page, etc. for no cost and within a few short hours of my own time. They are not trying to market your books - they don't care at all about your book. They are trying to mild everything they can get from you, the author.

They are preying on the dreams of first-time authors.

Similarly I had a less than satisfying experience with West Bow - very slow, unresponsive, irresponsible. Recommend Xulon at this point where I proceeded to publish four additional books.

Wow! Am I glad for everyone's posts!
I was thinking how easy to have one 'Christian' company help this first time writer.

I will think again!

I can relate to the complaints against Westbow Press. I've purchased a publishing package with them. They claimed they provided author support but all they give you is a check in person who knows nothing about writing nor do they care. I was very disappointed and did not give them the manuscript for my novel, After reading all the complaints against them I'm glad I haven't given them anything yet. A few years ago, I thought self publishing was the way to go, but I've discovered most self publishing companies are scammers and all they want is the money. Maybe if enough writers complain about the unscrupulous practices self publishing companies things will change. In the meantime, my fellow writers please don't waste your money on false promises and lies told by self publishing companies, your talent is worth more than that.

I am in a quandary as to the next step. I have invested in some time, no money at this stage, as I have had an uncertain feeling- more so with the consultant. I think that there are some happy customers with the Westbow organisation. I have been emailing with a consultant who, naturally seemed very helpful and interested in my story. He had been helpful with answering my questions but similarly to many of the above comments, when I revealed that I wasn't quite ready to 'seal the deal', as I had a few more questions, I haven't heard from him since. If this is an example of the way the consultants work, perhaps Westbow needs to look into who is representing them. As a company and business, they have a higher responsibility and expectation upon them, specifically when they are advertising themselves as a company who will support upcoming Christian authors.
I'm not sure whether to pursue with Westbow but with another consultant or whether to try another organisation.
What other recommended self publishing groups are there that will support Christian literature?
Or how does one go about having a solicited manuscript?

My advice is don't sign up with a self publishing company, that charges several thousand dollars to publish your book. Several self publishing companies have major complaints filed against them for not paying royalties and deceptive practices. Author solutions and a few others had a class action law suit filed against them in 2013 for the same issues I mentioned above. Several writers I know, use Book Baby for their self publishing needs and highly recommend them. I might also add if you want your book in a Christian book store, some of them will not accept self published books in the store. If you're looking for an Christian agent check out Steve Laube agency. They have a blog with a whole list of topics about writing and publishing and their submission guidelines are also on their website.

My heart cries as I am reading through these comments. Why didn't I find this site before? I am new to the publishing world and my first book just got published and you guess it...by WestBow Press! I put my every penny into the project and now I am very wary about the project. What do I do next? Do I cancel my contract and push the second edition through a different publisher? I know I won't be publishing any of my upcoming projects through them again but it is good to know that I have learned so much just by working with them. Let's just say I won't be making the same mistakes again.

I am the luckiest fellow in the whole world. I was just making contact with West Bow and they had already started pressuring me to buy one of their packages. The biggest pull factor for me was the possibility of my book being taken over by Thomas Nelson; now I see! I am headed to CreateSpace; at least they will pay my royalties. I had a terrible ordeal earlier with AuthorHouse on my first book, and I had thought West Bow would be different, as they tout themselves as Christian Publishers. I am so sorry to hear of all these heart breaking experiences. Very sad indeed.

God must have sent me to this site. I was about to sign with WestBo, until reading most of your comments. Thanking you all in advance, and good luck!

I paid 1700$ to WestBow Press couple years ago. When I paid, within a year I decided that I will not be using their services, and my jumping in was just because they called me and used good marketing tactics. I jumped in even if my book was not started yet. The marketing guy said - if I will not start it now, I will not finish it never. And they will help me in every step.
Then I changed my mind. But they just do not give my money back. Once in a while I contact them and am asking, but they always say that their policy is that there is no returning money after 6 months. If so, I never ever want anything to do with them, because that means they will find a way how to cheat me somewhere else again, but this time with a book. Do you know - would be there any way to get my money back from them?

I had a book published by Westbow press. They make a big deal of being Christian and throw around the names Thomas Nelson and Zondervan in order to solicit business. They are neither honorable nor truthful. They have no problem going after your money while promising what they don't deliver. I have had a marketing consultant tell me he had reviewed my book and found it an excellent candidate for publisher's weekly. He then went on to tell me about movie rights. My book, is a book of Christian Poetry. It contains over 100 poems. So, how do the movie rights work. I have yet to see a poetry movie. When I was thinking of signing up with Westbow, I was told by my Rep, she had a friend with a Radio Station where I could do an author interview in order to gain exposure. Later, I called the radio station and never received a reply. These people may be Christian but they are also deceptive money grubbers. I don't know how to reconcile that.

Stephen McKee, Poet and author of Two Trees in the Garden

West bow is just interested in making peanuts from Authors who are desperate to be eventually recognized by HarperCollins. Westbow press uses the image of HarperCollins to steal from people. Author Solution is simply Author' Problem. They are criminally minded and has nothing to offer. I honestly believe that the devil himself is the editor in chief of westbow press and author solution

DO NOT USE WESTBOW PRESS, IT IS ALL A SCAM AND CERTAINLY NOT CHRISTIAN!

Westbow Press Publishing Co. is as dishonest as politician. There is no way in really finding out if your book is selling, or if they kept the money and said that there were no sales. After reading these comments above, I realize that I am not the only one that has been hoodwinked by these deceitful practices. If anyone starts a communitive lawsuit against them, I in. I do not believe in frivolous lawsuits, but with Westbow Press, they need to be sued into bankruptcy, in order from them scamming other innocent writers.

I published two books with Westbow in 2011 and I actually am fairly pleased with the products. However, there are plenty of reasons to be cautious about them. Every time you hear from them it's an invitation to spend plenty of money on some marketing package that includes having your book displayed at some book fair somewhere, as if that is going to do you much good. Also, they offered something called "bookstore advantage, " which allowed bookstores to return books that went unsold. It meant nothing whatsoever. A major Christian bookstore I approached required that I pay a fee to have the book in the store. This book was a re-cast version of something I had published with a traditional Christian published some years before that, in my judgment, used goofy design aspects and hyperbolic language on the book to my displeasure. I though self-publishing might be a way to get the thing in a form I liked with the appropriate (and preferred) title. So, all that was OK. But I never got the idea that anybody there was actually interested in the book itself. Recently I got a call reminding me that "it has been some time since you ordered any books." Hmmm.

My friend has just begun to sell a book published by Westbow. It had supposedly been edited before publication by an editor assigned to the project. There are dozens and dozens of problems with the text that the editor should have found and corrected. My friend is not a good writer, and she has trouble with the mechanics of English (grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation) that the editor should have noticed immediately. Absolutely NONE of these problems were addressed by the editor, and the book itself is an embarrassing disaster, not worth the paper it is printed on. These people are simply scam artists who have no interest in the quality of what they produce. Avoid Westbow.

I was about to mail a check to WestBow today for the first of three installments to publish my book. Something just told me to do a little more checking and I found these unbelievably negative and frightening comments. I'll keep looking for an honest and reliable publishing company. Thank you, fellow authors for sharing your warnings about WestBow. I have published before and my daughter works for another publishing company that is nonprofit, political not religious and I should have listened to her about all the red flags she could see that I didn't!

Westbow is the worst! I was naive and needed my full color photographs that correspond with meditations. They had me over the barrel. Yes, I fell for their sales pitch. My first royalty just came in $87.00! They priced my 88 page book at $27.95. Ridiculous. I had no say in it. So, I bought 150 or so of MY books and am having personal book signings. Selling the book for $20.00 which is what I feel it is worth.
Never ever Never trust them. They sell the book to a wholesaler who in turn sells them to other wholesaler. You are now getting about 1% of your books worth.

My book turned out fairly well, however, no sales. They keep calling me back and want me to add services or marketing. It has been over a year and no one has bought any books but me. And I had to give most of them away. A big financial loss. I published a couple on now KDP for free, but no sales there either. I thought using westbow would get me some sales.But no. I wonder if I can re-publish it on KDP myself.

I am experiencing the same problems as stated. I had been working on my book several years ago and was looking for a Christian publisher. For a year or so a pleasant man called to see how the book was coming. Last year, probably seven or so years later, I got a call from a very pleasant woman who encouraged me to talk about my book and inspired me to complete it. I signed with Westbow thinking the company was of my spiritual mien. About$23, 000 later, they are offering me the same services that I was previously offered. I am very disillusioned and yet the vision of my book is all about change for the better when it comes to heterosexual relationships, marriage and family. I am contacting all Christian-motivated organizations, schools etc., who have a personal interest in my subject. I am hoping the outcome of my book will be to begin a dialogue on how we need to face the truth of our engendered being and how Satan has turned God's beloved creatures into an emotional irrational world. The Holy Spirit inspired me to write the book and I have faith He will guide me in disseminating my vision where it will be accepted and understood.
I would like the editor of my local paper to send a nationwide warning about self-publishing and like someone said, shop locally where you are familiar or can get firsthand insight into their integrity,

Our book needs to be printed in column format and Westbow said they could do so. We paid $2500 and then they said they could not do columns. We have not received our back.