Aw, I got my first offer to publish my academic thesis as a book. Exciting, no?
Well, no, as it turns out.
Here's the e-mail I got:
Dear [My full name],
I am writing on behalf of the international academic publisher, LAP Lambert Academic Publishing AG & CO.KG.
In the course of a research at the Library of [My University], I came across a reference to your thesis on [my actual full thesis title]".
As we would like to make your work available to a larger audience, I am wondering if you may be interested in publishing your thesis in the form of a printed book.
Your reply including an e-mail address to which I can send an e-mail with further information in an attachment will be greatly appreciated.
I am looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely yours,--Ronnie AntoineAcquisition Editor
LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing AG & Co. KG
Theodor-Heuss-Ring 26 / 50668 Köln, Germany
Fon +49 681 3720-310Fax +49 681 3720-3109
r.antoine@lap-publishing.com / www.lap-publishing.com
Handelsregister Amtsgericht Köln HRA 26549Partner with unlimited liability:VDM Verwaltung AktiengesellschaftHandelsregister Amtsgericht Saarbrücken HRB 16777
Board of Directors: Dr. Wolfgang Müller (Chairman/Vors.), Christoph Schulligen, Jürgen Gerber,Supervisory Board: Prof. Dr. Johannes G. Bischoff (Chairman/ Vors.), RA Thomas Bischoff, RA André Gottschalk
Some brief Internet googling has turned up the results. It's not a scam, per se, but it is what is called a "vanity press". You tell them you want them to publish your thesis, which they take verbatim (no editing! no changing your mind either as they charge a fee to change anything after submission). You retain rights to publish journals. They then send you a free copy and allow your thesis to be purchased in full for like $60-$100. No one would buy that...oh except Aunt Suzy who always supported you, and your parents of course, and...there's the profit. If you get less than $50 royalties per month (likely) then you don't get money, you get credit towards their other publications. Other people's theses that means. The ones generally available free on the Internet (like mine!).
So I have the non-exclusive right to self publish at an exorbitant re-sale fee. This service is apparently helpful to those who want to claim they are published too. Technically true, not exactly prestigious. So, beware the unsolicited e-mails!
So sad to know I won't be submitting my author photo and my bank details (!) for royalty direct deposit! hah!
4 comments:
Ha! I got that same email...creepy to know that these folks are so efficient and organized!
Good thing you are a googler! There are so many people out there that would fall for this.
haha, I got the same email. Googled it too and came here, I don't think anyone would want to purchase my thesis, what a joke!
Yes, I got one too. I my guess is they poll journals and scrape emails and then try there plot.
Thanks for publishing the help and details. I google everything now.....there is no excuse for ignorance anymore.
My other favorite is being published with the Who's Who _________ they run a similar deal but with a submit cost.....but none of my friends they coudl name so .......
Post a Comment