Loose Id, LLC is ceasing operations in 2018

December 2, 2017

The email came last evening that Loose Id, LLC is shuttering the digital door on its operations. I'm a bit sad to hear that even though I only have one book there. I confess that was a strategic placement. Author Brenda Williamson pointed out to me years ago that if you wanted to know what was going on with a publisher, place a book there so you got on the inside lists. Brenda's wisdom proved true again with Ellora's Cave. Zipped into there at the end and learned a lot from the more seasoned authors. Bunches. Those authors live and breathe the publishing industry in ways I've yet to master. 

My history with LI goes back to the beginning. My alter ego had several books released by LI back in 2004-06. Then came the snarky list post when Talyss was an EPPIE finalist. Yep, that remark got posted to the author's list instead of the private owner's list. It was so "nice" to learn what they really thought of my work. I left and ended up with Amber Quill Press. When AQP closed, it was clear ebook publishers were in serious trouble. I placed the book at LI and kept an eye on what the owners were, or were not, saying. 

The overall theme of these closings is the impact Amazon has made in the publishing industry. People, readers, can go to Amazon and happily read for free for the rest of their life. It doesn't take having a great brain to realize this puts the serious, professional author at risk. 

When Amazon made it possible for anyone desiring to do so to publish a book, the quality of what is out there to read went down. If a writer was rejected by a publisher, no problem. Just go to set up an author account with Amazon and publish away. The saddest thing about that, to my way of thinking, is that writer didn't have the opportunity to learn about the industry from the inside. I learned from everyone I worked with at publishing houses, although I confess some of it was negative information. It's still good to know what not to do. 

Many wonderful, talented and serious independent authors, who are indie through no "fault" of their own, are tainted simply because they're classified as independent. No one said the world is a fair place. 

The notice from LI is very carefully worded. They plan an orderly departure. The term of my contract with LI is such I'll be there to the end. I won't ask for an early buy-out nor will I purchase the cover art used for my book. I'll just ride it out. If they send a release sooner - yea! 

So another digital publisher is going. The world does turn and not always as we'd once envisioned.   

KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com