I just got a letter from Sweet Promise Press reverting the rights to my three “No Brides Club” books to me. The publisher is closing its doors. <Sigh>

It’s not the first time this has happened to me. In fact, it’s become a pattern.

My first four books were all published by Avalon Books. Avalon no longer exists, having been bought by Amazon some time ago, although this was well after my time with them. That came to an end when my then-editor left and the new one didn’t like my writing so much.

A few years later, New York publisher bought one of my books. Within weeks, though, they closed down the line I was supposed to be part of. I got paid, but my book was never published.

I then sold a number of books to four small-press publishers. Not one of those publishers still exist. Rights for all but two of those books have reverted to me. I’ve mostly released those myself since then. My two fantasy novels were an exception. They were originally published by one of those now defunct companies, but ImaJinn Books acquired the rights and republished them. ImaJinn is now a branch of Belle Bridge Books, but those two are still in print with them.

About ten years ago, I sold the first of my Market Center Mysteries, A Gift for Murder, to Five Star/Cengage for their mystery line. They produced a beautiful hardcover book that sold pretty well to the library market. A couple of years later, I sent them the second book in the series, Wired for Murder. The editor accepted it. I waited for the contract. And waited. And waited. Almost a year later Five Star announced they were closing their mystery line and reverted all rights to the authors.

And now, this. Another in a long line of publishers I’ve worked with is closing its doors. I’m glad to have my rights back, but disappointed that an enterprise started with such high hopes has crashed.

I’m not giving up on those books, though. Some of the other No Brides Club authors and I are hatching plans to republish the books ourselves. Stay tuned.