Thank you all very much for your comments. Mr. Morales, you are greatly appreciated, as always.
This is a lot to unpack. It is very disheartening, for sure.
I find it interesting how everyone seems to know exactly what my company is about, and yet, no one else submitted for the EIN, created the policies and procedures or have gone through the trials and errors of getting the company going. Nor did anyone else make notes, journal, pray and create the company how God guided. Just because something has been done one way or another for many years, does not mean everyone else will do it that way. Crossroads Publishing, LLC is my company, and it was created and based on what God told me to do. If you don't believe that, or don't care about that, it is absolutely your choice. If you think it is supposed to fit in one category or the other, that is also your opinion or choice, though has absolutely nothing to do with how the company started or is ran.
I think it is beyond ludicrous that people come on social media to drag a company through the mud without talking to the owner or even trying to understand. If you look at the definition of a vanity press, charging fees is their only option and the publisher takes a very high royalty. At Crossroads, paying fees is one of three options, not the only option, and if the author chooses that, they get the highest royalty out of all the options available at Crossroads. So that alone makes it not a vanity press. Another point is that vanity presses are not concerned about the quality of the book. There are many checks and balances at Crossroads, including the author having the absolute final say on the PDF. The authors are allowed as many edits as needed to get the book to where they are happy with it. Also, even the lowest royalty option at Crossroads, as stated in the information, is above the average across the board. Authors have three choices for publishing with Crossroads to be able to choose which one might work best for them. No one knows what that choice might be but the author themselves.
The focus at Crossroads is not making money, it's the author, no matter what anyone says or tries to spin to make it look different. Crossroads Publishing, LLC was not meant to be cookie cutter and fit into any category or it's been done this way for years mold. You don't run it and you don't see the daily workings. I don't have to run my company like all the others, because that's not what God told me to do.
Also, to say that marketing is not being done without asking questions or trying to understand the company is absolutely unreal to me. I am a Marketing Director, and have been for years. I do know how to market, and that is something Crossroads authors receive for free from me as a thank you for signing. If you don't like it, or don't prefer it, or agree with it, that is absolutely your choice.
Denmark, US or wherever, it is not a scam at all. I am an author who went through many challenges of my own and opened Crossroads to give authors a different option. Authors at Crossroads have many options and a lot of say about their books and what happens to them in the process.
Also, to accost Mr. Morales as you did when he was only sharing his personal experience or view of something was very disrespectful. He was simply saying he appreciated what has happened at Crossroads with his personal books that none of you have had anything to do with, including the process you are so highly discrediting.
(I do not and will not take kindly to Crossroads people being accosted.)
As for my answer above, I provided guidance to the one that was asking. As a publisher, with many years of experience in the field, I have the right to do that, just as you seem to have the right to run a company through the mud that you haven't asked questions about or tried to understand.
I know that in this world, with all the deceit and malice, it is hard to take anyone at their word, especially on a website or screen. The only way to start changing that is to show some patience and mercy to those you come across.
Also, I would like to see these bad reviews of my company, because I've not seen one. There are two Crossroads Publishing companies. Mine is the LLC, the other one is not. Perhaps you are getting them confused when it comes to reviews.
Finally, if I would like to answer questions people have about publishing or anything that has to do with it, or offer my email if they have more questions, that is absolutely my right as a publisher. It is just offering help so that people don't have to be so confused or misled about this process. There are so many options out there. It's no wonder authors are confused and apprehensive. There is so much more negative about publishing than positive.
Mr. Morales was simply sharing something positive. No one had to agree to like it, but that doesn't mean you accost him and run a company through the mud based on what you think you know.
As Mr. Morales says, do your homework and make the decision that's best for you. If Crossroads is not for you, that's absolutely your choice. I will pray it works out for you moving forward. However, please consider not running a company through the mud because of what you assume it is based on by what's always been done. Not every single person or company operates that way, or has any desire to.
If anyone would like to discuss anything with me at all, or these posts further, my email is ceo@crossroadspublishingllc.com. I pray everyone has a wonderful week ahead.
