Westwood Books review: Book publishing 51

Just got off a call from them... on a Saturday. She told me I could republish my book, which she found on Amazon, for $999. BUT I could do a discount of just $599 until the end of next month. Well, I'd just gotten out of the shower and was putting my robe on while she was saying her spiel. When I got my glasses on I asked again what the company was called, she told me and I googled it. I told her, "Your company is not 100% but 1000% a scam. Get a real job," and hung up. There are so many scammers out there for us self-published authors. Hell, even the company I self-published with waaaay back in 2004 was a scam, as the last royalty check I received was under $1.00 and that was at least 10 years ago. My novels are being sold on many websites, yet I get ZERO back. Friends want to buy my book, but don't want to pay the astronomical price to a stranger where I don't get anything for it. It's a mad crazy world out there. Be safe, everyone!

I have been contacted by a representative of Westwood publishing recently. I am very cautious about dealing with Publishers that call me out of the blue, they all have the same sales pitch - your book titled so and so has been referred to us by such and such a person or company and it is highly rated, and we would be interested in partnering with you- and on and on. Many times, they are not talking about my books. In the case of Westwood, I did ask for an email with their proposal to republish a book. The proposal was poorly written, was a rehash of what all vanity publishers promise and contained much of what the company would not be responsible for. When asked to explain some of the statements made the answers were evasive and not on point. After researching the company and learning of its performance history my gut tells me that this is a company that I need to avoid.

Seems to me that all the scammed authors should join together and start a class action suit against these so-called publishers.

I have published 3 books with Xlibris and have done two Book pitch sessions. One at the Marriott in New York City, and the other at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, California. We paid $2400.00 and none of the authors story of their books were selected for a movie as a matter of fact they have never been a movie made from any of the Author solution subsidiary's. On the last Book pitch conference in Beverly Hills, the same author's that attended the book pitch in New York were disappointed and felt that they had paid a lot of money to come to a workshop, only to find out that the marketing counselors of the vanity publishers had lied to us about what the movie producers pay for a story of your book. The marketing sale counselors said that they would give an offer anywhere from $100,000.00 or more, but John Sacchi and Keith Oberman who host the sessions told us that it was an over blown figure, and the offer was $5,000.00 if your book was selected to be made into a movie. John Sacchi from Five Minutes Productions based in Studio City, California. Previously, John was the Vice President, Production at Lionsgate Entertainment and also held positions at Author Solutions told me and my wife Doroty Martinez that he was going to quit hosting the Book pitch. It seems to me that he has had enough of people complaining.

I have had numerous calls from a female from Westwood Publishing, purporting to be interested in my already published book. She told me that Amazon put Westwood on to me because my book was 5-star material.

Thanks all for your comments above. I live outside of the US and was not sure if she was genuine or not.

It is sad that scammers are in every arena and we have to be on the alert.

Sylva Was Scammed*******

Westwood book Publisher is a scam 1000%, not 100%. They were able to cheat me in many ways ... They charged me a Large amount of money for marketing only. I don’t know how I paid! … They tricked me…and at the same time, send me 2 invoices ($ 5000 & $ 9000). I contacted the bank and ordered to cancel my bank card… I read all their answers to the customers who wrote against them all are lies and scams to protect themselves … You can Email their site you will have no answers…

They cheated me the same way as others…spoiling my summer days and increasing my blood pressure. I’m 77 years old retired pediatrician and they got 3 months from my salary.

They are already advertising the cover of my poetry book 1000 poems of 1000 pages to cheat others...and the book is not published yet...they don't have a publishing company.

There are many complaints about them similar to mine and worse.

We should unite and do something ...

They can cheat others easily ... We should protect Innocent Authors from them ...

I am a human rights advocate I want to protect my Authors, my honest friends... Not to trust them...

They can chart the devil...but they will fail...

What a joke (yet again)

Not sure where they have obtained my details (no doubt stems from xlibris) long winded carry on about a book I've published, blah blah blah.

I've never published a damm book. Awaiting title of said book I'm supposed to have written. Not the first time I've had to put up with this [censored]. Roll on the next scammer they sell my details onto

My advice to all is to self-publish through Amazon KDP. You can do all the work yourself for free, as I have done with my 20+ books. Then you can go to Audible (an Amazon company) and seek out different narrators to create an audio book for you. They sometimes charge by the finished length of the recording, or settle for a royalty share. I have done this for 13 of my books, all save one for royalty share.

I just got a message from them today and I always pretend to be interested but the person got emotional about it and openly admitted he didn’t have time to scam me be because they already tried, the guy who comes up with these Fahd companies is from the Philippines and kid you not, he is actually gay and does not care about anyone he extorts money out of. He uses fake names, profiles & pictures & continues to suck people in who are desperate to get there book published.

I had just received an offer for republishing a book by Westwood's published or must I say printed by Partridge before . I am grateful for the reviews . I had a similar bitter experience from partridge. Never again do I want to go down that path.

This is my experience with Westwood publishing company. It started off good in which I publish not one but THREE books with them. I even hired their editor to make corrections as needed before the publication. They did a good job publishing the three books but that is where the good ends and the NIGHTMARE begins.

Upon their recommendation I purchase their Book Review package in which someone would read the book and write a review about it. I later found out the price was quite expensive and the person who was to read the book and give the review was from overseas, I believe the Philippines. It has been a year since the check cleared the bank and I have not received the review. I have repeatedly asked them to either refund me the money or do the review. Neither has been accomplished. The review according to Westwood would help promote the book and would be a plus factor in marketing. And I regretfully believe them.

Secondly, I purchase the webpage package from them. They sent a copy of a webpage already published and I thought it was pretty good. After months of waiting they finally produce an excellent webpage but it would be published under authorrdaxmaurice.com. When I googled it, it would not come up and the Internet noted that it was not published. I repeatedly request them to finish the job and to publish it under author r dax maurice what was never done. I have for months tried to find my webpage but it is nowhere to be found.

There is some references to the three books that I publish with Westwood on the internet but the books are unavailable. There is no way you can purchase the books. It has been months that I have tried to eliminate this problem so my friends could order my books. It begs the question, if they made the order would they actually print it and send it? Also, my marketing scheme has been put on hold due to their negligence.

And finally they have tried to seduce me into buying a package that would promote my book. I told them I believe it was a scam because they did not fulfill the two already paid for obligations of the book review and the publishing of my webpage, how can I trust them to fulfill this new promise. I have tried communicating with them regarding the book review, the webpage, and the publishing of the website, but my request fell on deaf ears.

I also read the fine print in the contract and it said that I cannot sue them for any reason except in Florida. So if you are a distance from Florida I would recommend NOT signing the contract because it will cost you dearly in monies to go to Florida, hire an attorney, and the anguish of what I am going through. I believe they know this because they repeatedly ignore me. So if you are contemplating publishing with Westwood, good luck, but for me it has been a NIGHTMARE. My recommendation is DO NOT DO IT.

Did anyone realize that there are no royalties or income from sales if the order is placed and fulfilled directly by Westwood. Has anyone obtained an answer about how to get 100% royalties if one never learns there has been any sales ... and certainly Westwood is not the business of trying to make the author rich and famous ... with nothing in it for them ... which is the meaning of 100% Guaranteed Royalties ... but only for the books you order and pay and sell yourself.
Anyone with an explanation I would appreciate it ... otherwise what they have in the contracts seems pretty reasonable?!?!? You are invited to write me at my last name and first initial on yahoo mail. Thank you

Ostlern Neal Ostler

I contracted Lester Grant of Westwood Books Publishing early this year for my "Artful Parenting" book's promotion. I signed up for a book trailer which was so expensive but I believed in him so I went on with it. A couple of weeks later, I did not hear anything from until one day he called me and explained he was in Florida and he'll be returning to California after two days. He did call and that horrible background noise in his end has almost driven me up the wall. Then he continued talking to tell me I will get a royalty. And oh wow! surprisingly, I received a royalty check of $8.00. So, I had to close my eyes and think- this can't be real! Ironically, he even told me that my book was recognized by Simon & Schuster and that they were interested in republishing my book. From then on, I started to feel something's not right.

I've paid about $10, 000 to this company but I never have gotten sales as I was told. I believe it should make sense as they are Con artists in the literary world. I will never work them again. Nonetheless, I wouldn't recommend them to other authors.

Westwood Books Publishing LLC is a bunch of bandits. I worked with them since June of last year for my Contemporary book. As a neophyte author, undeniably I sincerely needed a marketing firm to turn to concerning promoting my book. Getting a call from Remy Rodriguez was how this most horrible nightmare has started. She called me about my book explaining that it was recommended by Amazon for it didn't have any five-star reviews online. I was told that getting my book on Amazon is just basic but getting it to book fairs or signings is half the battle. Being instructed by someone; whom I thought was a leader in the field, joining the Miami Book Fair was my first move. A week later she called me to get a book review. Remy told me how realistic that review was. Getting trust and credibility for my book from readers is the significance of that review, so I went on with it. The next two weeks were a bit dreadful. I rang this company to check on the projects I paid. I was advised that I was listed on their official entry for the Miami book fair and to expect copies of marketing materials such as bookmarks, flyers, and all that stuff; which they are all subject upon my approval. So I waited for it patiently.

The whole months of August and September were horrendous. Remy; a woman which she once had claimed herself to be, but with thorough investigation came out to be a demented pathetic insane gay from the Philippines. Sexual orientations and preferences are things I have no qualms with. What has distressed me is his incessant rationale their company has gone all along. Like seriously? Comes November; when Miami Book Fair has way passed, I never received that photo documentation or any sort of reports informing me of how did the event go. Not even getting those copies of promised marketing materials. Now, what's even more ridiculous, this idiot called by towards the end of November saying I was enlisted for the event in Arizona and Los Angeles- which means another investment of $1, 500 for these events. So I was like, what's going on with you people? Are you guys for real?

A good friend of mine; who is also an author from Charlotte North Carolina happened to have worked with these crooks last year. That friend sent me some articles online uncovering the true colors of these bandits. I know that conducting a thorough investigation for Westwood is what I should've done. I felt I was being deliberately conned, and trying to get my fee back financially is something I don't think I deserved. I can't believe they are still in operations and are still able to prey money to self-published authors. Ruffling authors feathers and hitting their precise egos are some of the tactics they're doing. I was wondering what BBB had thought of doing to suss them out and persecute.

If you do get calls from this company, Westwood Books Publishing; professing to have operated in Los Angeles, let this message of mine to sound you an alarm. They are nothing but a clone. I still thank and appreciate that God showed me a blessing out from such hard breaking experience. I have learned my lesson. Spending my precious time on the phone with self-publishing companies is definitely what I would not do ever again.

I have paid $ 38, 000 to a publisher and they have not given me any payment for my sales for 3 years this company is called. XLIBRES