Ask Daphne! Is this for real?

Bizarre shoes for Ryan, who writes:

Hey, I don’t know what to do here. This guy is asking to see my MS, he has published six books, and says he runs the publishing company that published the books. His name is [Redacted], but…we’ll he’s not really an Agent, and I guess he’s sort of a publisher…his publishing company is [Redacted] Books. Your in the business, WHAT SHOULD I DO???

Ryan, I’m not here to do your research for you, but I since you’re writing to me with your concern, I think you can trust your instinct, and ask more questions. Now, there are legitimate, well-respected small publishers out there, and you may have found one. But there are also self-published authors who think the way to bring respect to their books is to publish other authors’ works as well. Again, I can’t say for certain which type of person this is, but I highly recommend you do some more research about this guy and his publishing company.

Search for more information on Absolute Write, Writers Beware, Predators & Editors, the Blue Boards, the SCBWI, and anywhere else you find authors talking about their interactions with publishers. Check him out on Publishers Marketplace — has he listed any recent sales or acquisitions?

You’re right to be leery — not every house or agent is going to be a household name, so do your research and figure out for yourself if this guy is legitimate or not.