Xlibris Publishing review: No royalty book payments, class action lawsuits 66

Hi there! My name is Patricia and I have also been scammed by Xlibris. Please put my name forward as I have lost a considerable lot of money getting 6 books published, paid advertising and book fairs, plus paid a lot of money to Book Avenue to republish 2 of my best stories. My pseudonym is Trish Rinia. I would like to get a reimbursement of all monies spent including bank fees. Patricia Rynja is my real name and my email address is patriciarynja@outlook.com

How can I join this Class Action Suit? I have also been ripped off by Xlibris. Please advise.

Hello! My name is Lenora Palminteri, and I am a first-time author. I wrote an autobiography back in January, and after researching online for a book publisher, I decided to go with Xlibris to publish my book. I spoke with a Sid Wilson, a consultant, and decided on their Basic Package for $899, for which they gave me a $300 discount. I had asked if the cost was a one-time fee that would cover everything, and he said yes. About three weeks after, I received a call from a Tony McMillan, who is a marketing director at Xlibris. From that time until April, he talked me into paying exorbitant amounts of money, which included, among several things, advertising my book in the N.Y. Times (which I am still waiting to happen), including my book in various book fairs around the world, and being sold on Amazon, and in well-known bookstores, such as Barnes and Nobles. In one of my conversations with Tony McMillan, I mentioned holding off on the payments since in lieu of the present pandemic, the upcoming book fairs would be cancelled. He said no, that that preparation for these events had to be made way ahead of time! Everytime that Mr. McMillan called me, it cost me more money I didn't have! As a result, I had to use my credit cards to make the payments! I expended over $10, 000 to cover the marketing and advertising costs. Please note that three of the book fairs were postponed until sometime in 2021 due to Covid-19! So far, only one copy of my book was sold. A friend purchased my book for $17.90 from Amazon, and much to my chagrin, I only received $2.59 out of the $17.90! As far as I'm concerned, Xlibris is a rip off, and I wish to be included in the lawsuit against them! Thank you for your time in reading my complaint!

My name is Lenora Palminteri, and I would like to withdraw my complaint against Xlibris Publishers. I spoke to the Marketing Director yesterday who explained the process of having a book published, advertised and marketed. He asked that I give it some more time, as there is a step-by-step process which has to be followed in order to ensure a successful publishing and marketing of a book. So, I have decided to give Xlibris the time it requires to give my book a chance at a successful publishing! Also, I wish to add that I had no intentions of giving the two employees I mentioned in my complaint a bad name or reputation! Therefore, as I requested above, please remove my original complaint! Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter!

How would one join this class action lawsuit. I have email correspondence from them indicating what they’ve done

Hey my name is Roland Butsitsi I also been scammed by Xlibris .i was coerced into buying into their marketing package $8500, they did a very poor job on the editing of my book which came out full of grammatical errors . My book been published in April 2019 still haven’t received a dime in royalty. 90% dissatisfy with them

Yes me too spent a lot of money got three checks for total 12 dollars

I too am a victim of Xlibris, I have spent $4, 500 so far & I have NOT seen a penny yet! They called me today telling me that they would promote my book for an ADDITIONAL $5, 900. I told them to F off, I will not pay them another dime. I told them that they need to do what they promised for the $4, 500 I already paid for publishing & marketing. I would like to be a part of the law suit. My name is Kathryn Bryan, email Bryan.kathy13@yahoo.com

Yes, well I wondered if all the trouble I am having with them was due to the pandemic. But perhaps not all of it, as paying for services you don't get even 9 months later should not be affected by the pandemic. I wonder what gives. I would join a class action suit... campoponies@yahoo.com

My name is Keith D. McSwain Sr, and for over six years Xlibris had eight of my books. I recently requested them to take my books off the market. I am simply adding my displeasure with the rest of you, and if a class action or even better; a though investigation into their company is warranted, then I am all in. My e:mail is keith_mcswain271@yahoo.com. As writers/artist, they tend to forget that in a sense, they're working for us and not the other way around. I confess that the fault is mine: no one put a gun to my head and forced me to trust them; however, we deserve better, and should not be subjugated for mistreatment or fraud simply because we want to share our gifts with the world. I look forward to hearing from anyone with a similar determination for closure and justice.

I agree with you. This company took my book in 2014 and sent me a tax form to file but I never saw any royalties. They told me the book wasn't selling but I know several people personally who purchased my book and and I believed in this company because I was told they were good after doing research. Now the person who told me that said they never said the company was good. I would not recommend them to anyone and I have asked them to take my book off amazon and anywhere else they are making a profit on my name. Beside that, I edited the book and they wanted to make change I should have looked closer before I ok'd the print. Some of the same mistakes are still there that I told them to change and some I asked them to leave alone.

Would love to join the class action lawsuit. Diane Burke b9724@aol.com. Published in 2009. I received maybe 12 dollars

Hello, on behalf of my fellow authors on a book I edited on Anne Frank, I too would be interested in a class action lawsuit for massive under-reporting of sales and thus of royalties. I am tired of getting the same tired responses.

I would also like to take part in the class action suit.. I published my book around 2009 and I have received maybe $30. And my book is still selling. My name is ieshia strong you can reach me at ieshiastrong5@hotmail.com

My brother published two books through Xlibris in 2010. He received one check for $2 and nothing else. I know people personally that have purchased the book and I have seen sites that have given my brother's books a five-star rating so how can they not be selling. I would like to join the class action suit

My name is Osama Khatlan. I am a painter and children's author, I work and live in New York City as a street artist, and because of Coffea 19, I decided to make children's books.
My first children's book is called "The Laughing Mirror "By O. Khatlan.
My book was sent to self- Publisher Xlibris that offers to choose at half-price as a lucky deal ends July 31st with publishing my book with (VIP Premium, which is A full-service package with an extensive marketing campaign, unlimited editing, and a feature on the online magazine Book Mad) with Ray Andersen, who Publishing consultant of Xlibris. We began to change the cover of the book, which is my design. Of course, after we finished the cover of the book, I signed an agreement about the cover Electronic sign online, and she didn't send me back the final proof cover.
In the meantime, the entering pages found some grammatical errors and explained them. But I did not find an answer until after I sold a few copies of it to Prince and Nobel and published on the site about my book The Laughing Mirror, and it had grammatical errors, and I repeated several messages with Kaye Parsons, who author services representative, she sent an email (Attached are the final files you approved)
but I found the same voice for me. She urged that the errors be corrected by paying an additional $394. I received a book from a friend who found errors and paid $14.9 for the book. I wonder which Publisher is working on this disgraceful and fraudulent act of author and reader:
1- I agreed with the designer on the cover I wanted, but she changed it, and it was not on the same body that we agreed with. The cover depicted a larger size of 11 by 8.5 inches so that some animals disappeared.
2 - The errors are not working, and the book is sold, and I do not know where the share of the amount goes.
3- The interior pictures have lost their aesthetic value as the image is large.
I ask for help to protect the author and the consumer reader from this deliberate corruption under the pretext of "you signed the contract" OK, I signed the contract, where is the warranty for viewing, I asked via email, and no one answered. I need my book to be good when children read it with their parents. I ask to all authors to sent complain to Governor of Indiana to stop scam that comes out of our culture.
Osama khatlan
[protected]
NYC

Hi, my name is Terri, I became an Author in 2012 and only got 2 royalty checks so there is definitely a scam or issue going on. I work for a company that ordered books and I never got a royalty check. I have 2 books by them and one by a company that went under after getting sued, but the book is still getting sold and who's getting that money? it's just an all out scam out here. I want in on the class action suit. Please advise

I too would like to be a part of this class action lawsuit. Your email does not show fully in the main thread.
I published my book in 2010, made $8 in royalties and royalties/reporting STOPPED all together in 2016. Even though my book was still being sold.
And I have proof as well.

I too, like many many others fell prey to XLibris. My book was published, taking advantage of my lack of knowledge about the entire process, and since 2015 I have never received a single cent for it. I was amazed today to see how many places my book is still being sold. Who is getting the money? Not me. They need to be stopped and pay authors what is owed.

Hi there, I'm not surprised seeing how Xlibris have taken advantage of so may people. I'm one of them and would also like to join a class action.
I published two children's books with them in 2017 and am totally dissatisfied with their service and constant badgering asking for more money for advertising campaigns, New York Times adverts or apply for possible movie contracts.
To date royalties for the last 4 years are listed as being $54.00 - don't believe this. I cant claim any of this at the moment because I need a US tax file number. Every time I sent a form in, it was rejected for one reason or another, different from earlier and Xlibris were very misleading with what I needed to do.
I believe they are getting numerous sales and they are not being recorded on the website.
Last year I asked for everything to be cancelled and my book templates etc to be forwarded to me.
I haven't completed a final letter yet, because I need to check what they need to return to me. I asked for all the online bookstores links to be removed - but they are all still there.
Just recently a Tony Adams sent me an email -Getting rid of your books? Asking "Why are you cancelling the books you paid us to build and put into stores for you?
Is there anything wrong with the print quality of the physical copies of your books?"
I replied with the obvious reasons and then I received two long emails mentioning multiple phone hangups and how I have set everything on my end as do not communicate.
There were no hangups as such, but short answers, as phone calls were always around dinner time when I was cooking and had a lot to do. Their calls were harassing and always demanding, end point is to get you to pay more money for useless campaigns, I didn't want to hear from them again. They put the blame on you for poor sales, need to spend money to invest on sales. Right, spend more money only to make more money for Xlibris. Why are they advertising.
A sale means they receive profit from the printing, and commissions .

Me too, published in 2014,. https://www.amazon.com/Harry-Hippo-Hassled-Lockie-Douglas/dp/1499023049

Same issues as you all have mentioned. Total scam.

My name is Gladys Robinson. I’m a scam victim as well! 2009 paid Xlibris over $6,000 for publishing service including video trailer and never receive anything until I just ordered my own book for $19.99 last month January 2022 and they posted a $5.00 royalty payment but come to find out my book is online everywhere. I definitely want to join in on a class action lawsuit! My email electsourcenow@gmail.com. I complained and all I’m hearing is to pay for more service to promote my book with their expensive campaigns $2,000 and $2,500 with discounted so called promotion discounts offers if I pay now. Now their complaining to me that I haven’t done enough to promote my book and not to listen to other publishers calling to promote because their rip offs. And I’m coming against millions of authors competing and they will post banners on Amazon and other sites to get so called front line attention. I really trusted and felt in 2009 I found the right publishing company but became so disturbed I had to give it a long break in hopes my book will get out there and now finding it’s every where family members told me and to my surprise it is so who’s making the money because I’m not! I do not want this company handling my book and want it pulled away from them asap along with the theft profiting! I’m still waiting for the back office royalty report their suppose to call or email me back on since last month but unfortunately looks like I’ll be the one calling again. I believe many copies of my book “IN THE TEST OF TIME by Gladys Robinson” was sold around the world but just need the proof! God inspired book and one way or another God will get the Glory, Amen!

Stephen Kellison ( A Dream Believer)

I too was scammed by this company. In 2012, i spent approximately $4000 to publish the book.. It is being sold all over the world, in all formats. I have received no royalty payments. In September of 2021, I went on Amazon and purchased two of my books to see if the sale would be posted on my sales page in Xlbris account. To this day it has not posted. So if there is a lawsuit against this company, please include me. Also published another book with Christian Faith Publishing in 2018 ( Their Final Weeks). This company is worse than Xlbris.

Stephen Kellison

(stephenkellison01@gmail.com

It seems as if I am not the only one who is dissatisfied with the services provided from this company.

They take your talent and exploit you, always asking for more money to promote the book and I have yet to receive a single dime for all of my efforts. I see that my book is now being sold for over $15.00 on Amazon. It is a shame how this company works at exploiting the innocent writer who only wants their books to be read by millions.

Count me in. abigailbutler509@gmail.com

For those who are new publishers

Congratulations to everyone who publish their book. My name is Dr. Getu mindaye the author of the book Female Genital Mutilations The Story Of Kedra” Xlibris was my publisher. I am writing this message for you to advice you not to spend any of your hard working money promoting with this company because 1. You are going to be ripped off by them, 2nd you are not going to be paid a penny from the sale of your book unless you are UK citizen. 3. I paid $12k to Xlibris to have my book physically in a book store and that never happened, someone from Xlibris told me it’s in some book store which was a lie. So you are free to call me if you want, but I am advising you from my heart. I have the letter Xlibris sent to me asking me if I have a UK bank account after I spent $60k, they even indirectly owe my copy right license that I paid for. Please share to people. I call to the higher person in this company to talk but my call was ignored and they called me yesterday to let me know that if I have a friend or relative with UK bank account xlibris will deposit into that account for that person to take that money out and sent to me, isn’t that funny?

I too have been scammed by Xlibris! Had to pay 2,500 to receive royalties 100% and still have not received them. Many people have bought the book from Barnes and noble and I don’t get royalties for that. They are shady. And the whole process with them was a nightmare. I paid more money to them, and was looking to get out of xlibris ASAP. Upon finding this though, I see I wasn’t the only one completely screwed over by them. Please add me to the this class action lawsuit. Email- paola.roa2hb@gmail.com

I too have been scammed by Xlibris! I published two books with Xlibris. Although numerous family, friends, associates and others have purchased my books, the royalties received, for both books and over a 7 year period totals less than $10.00.

Please add me to the this class action lawsuit. Email- bluenovember2@yahoo.com

I too have been scammed & hurt by this company. Please add me to the class action lawsuit.

I have also been scammed my book came out in February 2011. I only received close to five dollars. Have heard nothing from them since 2012. My book is being sold all over the world and on over 20 websites. Been having other companies calling trying to get me to redo my book or make a movie. I spent thousands any never made part of what I spent back. Don't know who is legit Don't have no more thousands for donations. I would like to be added to the lawsuit. Book is Sinfully Seduced, Cynthia Campbell-Kirk my email is bowmanb9944@gmail.com

What can we do? To get our book out of there hands?

my book was/is distributed by XLIBRIS, I received" instructions" on how my royalties will be distributed. I needed authentication that I was actually communicating with XLIBRIS' accounting department. Although I was told my royalties was $6.70 I still would like to know how to collect. No one calls me back. Marketing person with XLIBRIS calls from time to time leaving voicemail messages as to how I can market the book. Any suggestions as to the process of receiving " royalties? The name of the book is The Violations of a Moral Code.

Please I am open to suggestions. My email address is bwilliamsmmsc@yahoo.com

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-violations-of-a-moral-code-camille-pierce-m-msc/1138657746?ean=9781664125049

I’m an author my name is Michael Watson they ripped me off too sold thousands off copies & told me they sold non. My number is +[protected]

I wrote Dynamics Allegiance Development

Steppingstones Of Reason

Please reply & advise ASAP thanks 🙏

Several years ago, i published my book titled, Author of the storm by bloodhive through Xlibris publishing.

This company made all types of promise's, but failed to deliver . i am not going to elaborate on the amount of garbage this company and its affiliated publishing companies have put me through. Most writers that got ripped off by this company, feel like they have been raped again and again. I am a Christian and have prayed that God will deal with each individual that is involved. swift justice is coming . . christians are commanded to forgive one another and to llove their enemies. I love my enemies but pray that justice will be served for all the wrongs that this company Xlibres is doing.

I'm in the UK and posting this on behalf of my 96 year old mother, Terry Tregear, with her full authority so to do!

This comes in two parts: Firstly, in the last year my mother was pressured by a female Xlibris tele sales person to part with thousands of pounds to write a second book, a book she is now unlikely to ever write. The "pressure" was witnessed by my brother, who on one occasion actually took the phone and spoke to the tele sales person. Unbeknown to the family, the tele sales continued and mother eventually succumbed to the pressure and parted with the money. The stress contributed to my mother being hospitalised.

I am in the music/publishing business and had told mother I would arrange things for her in the UK, when she had written her second book. But sadly, due to her age and memory, she forgot this.

When we realised what had happened with Xlibris, I emailed them, explained the situation and that they were dealing with an old lady, forgetful and dare I say, slightly vulnerable.

It is important I state clearly that when I got copy of the contract my mother had signed, it was just outside of the the Xlibris 90 day 'cooling off' period.

I was polite in my dealing with Xlibris and indeed explaining the situation and that they were dealing with a frail old lady who at the time of writing was seriously ill in hospital and that part of the heart condition had been brought about by the stress of the Xlibris issue.

I hoped that Xlibris may look upon this from a ‘moral' standpoint and perhaps consider some level of refund, especially it was very unlikely there would ever be a book!

I had a courteous reply advising that the matter had been passed on and that ‘someone' would get back to me within a few days. That was 3 months ago!

I have emailed again several times but have had no response.

Part two: My mother did have a book published through Xlibris 10+ years ago and during that time all she has ever received are a handful of cheques for amounts so small they were less than the cost of banking a $ cheque in the UK!

She had to pay for 200 books from Xlibris, all of which she has sold in the UK though my distribution contacts. I find it strange that Xlibris sold so few as to only send cheques for under $10 over a period of more than 10 years.

I wanted to discuss a way that monies could be accumulated to an amount, say $50, before a cheque was sent to actually make it worthwhile for my mum to actually bank a cheque.

So that’s my mum’s story with Xlibris.

Please contact me for any further information.

David Wright