[TimTheEnchanter]

Here is the backstory. My friend who is not even that close to me or a real friend (actually he is my boss) has started writing his book. Unfortunately, he is not a good writer nor a very savvy editor/publisher. He is 75ish and just retired.
He has been very good to me through the years at work and we became friendly. Since I am a small time publisher, amateur writer, he has been asking me about publishing etc. He also told me, actually showed me his book a while back. (I publish public domain and I have no facility to share/account for royalties, so I seek no client.)
Yesterday, he called me in and there was his book (kind of a memoir - his baby for the past 3-4 years - a "new born" . I look inside and the layout is all wrong! Editing, non-existent. I asked him how much he paid. He said; "$5000" he said the guy an Xlibris told him that his manuscript was perfect as a world doc. High school kids have layouts/editing formatting papers better than the book my boss has. Xlibris is a crook (well at least the guy who sold him this deal was).
The kicker is; the cover has a face, close up with tears in the eye. My boss; "do you know, who that is?" Of course I knew! He took a picture of himself close up, with tears in his eyes. He has bone cancer. His book is a way to leave something for posterity.
I have tears in my eye as I am writing this.

I asked him why did you not ask/call me? He said "You weren't here" (true, I was sick for 2 months I had eye surgery) but he could have called me or FB message me...
I am sad and angry at the same time.I have told him to hire an freelance editor and I would do the layout(I have InDesign/templates) for him for free.

Sorry for ranting and I am just a little too emotional right now....

[MickeyCheeky]

I'm not sure I have entirely understood the situation.. but I'm sorry you're feeling so bad Feel free to vent as much as you want.

[TishaBuv]

Yes, someone who charged him $5,000 ripped him off. But maybe he feels good about seeing his story as a book. He's dying. Does the money matter?

[Unrigged64072835]

So sorry to hear about your boss. That really sucks. Glad that you're helping him out.

[Out There]

I'm so sorry this has happened and how you are feeling. It's quite vile to rip anybody of at any time but especially under these circumstances. But your Boss may not feel as you do and may be happy he has his story in print for what it means to him - whether it's not aesthetically pleasing or grammatically correct does this really detract from it ? And it's how the person concerned feels about it truly.

[amandalouise]

I am sorry your boss went through this though.

no offense here but isnt Xlibris a .....self publishing.... company which means they supply the computer software on a website and you pay for using their website to edit and format your own manuscript into a book then after you submit it to them the company prints the book off as is in what ever ways it appears in print according to how the writer has it set up... the software includes templates and editing for the writers usage and people who know how to use the software that can explain how to use the software if needed but they dont do it for you. with self publishing you are paying for the usage of their software and website and then the paper, binding, glue, ink, hard covers or soft covers and such of the actual number of books you order printed off.

if its the company I am thinking of then the company didnt do anything wring. I know a few people who for their careers used Xlibris, some were very happy because they understood what the company was....a self publishing (writer does everything) firm. others I know who were not satisfied because they thought because the word editing was on the website and they did not read the actual description stating it was editing software for the writer to use to customize their own book and that the professionals were there just explain how to use the software not tell you what to edit in or out of your writing. not to correct spelling and such. I know a few that have tried to prosecute and get their money back but the judgement was in Xlibris favor because they are not mis representing their self... they can charge what ever they feel their website and software usage is worth and their time with keeping their website in working order and for the costs of the printing of a writers finished product as is because its a self publishing (writer does everything) firm.

[TimTheEnchanter]

XLibris is a big company at one point there were affiliated with Random House but they are a vanity press of the worst kind. I know, I have seen his book. My friend said that they told him that there were nothing wrong with his bookblock (i.e. pdf)
This is what they sold him;
http://www.xlibris.com/PublishingPac...executive.aspx

Originally Posted by amandalouise

I am sorry your boss went through this though.

no offense here but isnt Xlibris a .....self publishing.... company which means they supply the computer software on a website and you pay for using their website to edit and format your own manuscript into a book then after you submit it to them the company prints the book off as is in what ever ways it appears in print according to how the writer has it set up... the software includes templates and editing for the writers usage and people who know how to use the software that can explain how to use the software if needed but they dont do it for you. with self publishing you are paying for the usage of their software and website and then the paper, binding, glue, ink, hard covers or soft covers and such of the actual number of books you order printed off.

if its the company I am thinking of then the company didnt do anything wring. I know a few people who for their careers used Xlibris, some were very happy because they understood what the company was....a self publishing (writer does everything) firm. others I know who were not satisfied because they thought because the word editing was on the website and they did not read the actual description stating it was editing software for the writer to use to customize their own book and that the professionals were there just explain how to use the software not tell you what to edit in or out of your writing. not to correct spelling and such. I know a few that have tried to prosecute and get their money back but the judgement was in Xlibris favor because they are not mis representing their self... they can charge what ever they feel their website and software usage is worth and their time with keeping their website in working order and for the costs of the printing of a writers finished product as is because its a self publishing (writer does everything) firm.

[TimTheEnchanter]

You are right in a way. The issue is not the money but he wanted something for posterity and got garbage for 70 years associated with his name to live on.

Originally Posted by TishaBuv

Yes, someone who charged him $5,000 ripped him off. But maybe he feels good about seeing his story as a book. He's dying. Does the money matter?

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

XLibris is a big company at one point there were affiliated with Random House but they are a vanity press of the worst kind. I know, I have seen his book. My friend said that they told him that there were nothing wrong with his bookblock (i.e. pdf)
This is what they sold him;
Executive Package | B&W | Xlibris Self Publishing

Im not questioning the fact that the publisher told him the book was ok. you see sometimes when people write books they want their books to sound uneducated, full of mistakes, in the book world thats called setting the mood. well publiishers when they see a book full of mistakes they of course are going to tell the writer yes the book looks ok to me. they are reading it from the point of view of maybe the author wanted it to sound this way. they are hired to say this is horrible and lose out on that customer.

my suggestion is if this boss of yours feels he has been over charged and did not get what he paid for then he can take legal action by petitioning which ever court in your location that takes care of this kind of thing. your boss can either hire a lawyer or represent himself in the court case. your boss can also go to this company and say hey why did you tell me that this book was ok when I am not satisfied with it,,,,

the bottom line is I know that you feel for your boss, and you feel like he has been taken advantage of but only your boss can say whether the book is not up to his own satisfaction and whether your boss feels he was taken advantage and your boss is the one that must decide what to do if he wants to do anything...

I went back and reread the started post in this thread. from the sounds of it your boss is happy with how the book turned out and is so happy about the outcome that he proudly showed the book off to his employees .

taking a guess here that you may be upset about the outcome of .......the boss's ........ business adventure because its not the way you would have wanted it to be if you had written a book and got it published. which is ok and normal. I too have friends that have business adventures that dont turn out the way.......I ..... would want them end with, but in reality all that matters is whether my friends are happy about their business adventure, and from the sounds of your beginning the thread post your boss was happy and proudly showed off his book.