on Jane Friedman site:
It began with that heart-fluttering feeling of acceptance after so many rejections. My second novel was going to be published!
It was the end of August 2020. The world as we knew it had been upended. We were getting deeper into the pandemic, with fear, illness, death, and uncertainty ravaging the world. When New York City–based Adelaide Books offered me a contract to publish Painting Through the Dark, it set my heart racing in a good way. It was a promise.
The contract looked good: 20% royalties, paperback and ebook, quarterly reports, approval over the design and cover art. The marketing plan also sounded excellent: pre-publishing editorial review, all pre- and post-print marketing tools and services, design and maintenance of author’s website, magazine promotion and interview with author, social and blog posts, book video trailer, book giveaways to bloggers, and consideration for various literary competitions. Plus two free books for the author, and further books could be purchased at a 30% discount.
Then came this sentence: “All we ask of you is to pre-purchase 45 copies of your book (at 30% discount) upon signing the contract as a token of your support for our publishing endeavor.”
That’s when the happy heart flutter turned anxious. Was this legit?
Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog 
You suffered from unlucky timing as well as an unlucky publisher. Covid did mess up absolutely everything, so some of your experience may have been legitimately due to the pandemic. Your example is a good lesson, though: Don’t let the need for validation as an author lead you to accept bad contracts. Any publisher that regards its authors as customers – and there are more than a few out there – are best avoided.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s shameful the way some prey on hopefuls. Take care and good luck.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wish every would-be author out there could read this post. So glad to be Indie.
LikeLiked by 2 people
If you’ve been published by Adelaide Books LLC and have questions, you are invited to join our Facebook forum. https://www.facebook.com/groups/208340360248358/?multi_permalinks=877862503296137%2C877720283310359%2C874492083633179%2C874462463636141¬if_id=1678655830093990¬if_t=group_activity&ref=notif
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Kim's Musings.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yep, I had one of those with my first book. Never, ever, again.
LikeLiked by 4 people