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Leaf Books

edited April 2013 in - Resources
Just like to warn folk about this lot (Leaf Books). I'd seen them around for a few years and get the newsletter (when they send one out). Last year, I entered two competitions, Memoir and Blogging. These, I think had end of Sept and Oct closing dates. As I speak, there have been no winners announced yet they are advertising new competitions.

If you check their Facebook page, there are beginning to be a few complaints coming in. Basically, looks like Leaf are taking the money and running. I had a similar situation with Fiction Garden. Ghost Story Competiton was Oct 2011 and there has been nothing announced as to winners, since. The site hasn't ben updated for a year.

Nick

Comments

  • I've entered one or two Leaf competitions in the past, although I never did subscribe to their newsletter - shame if they're not keeping on top of things.
  • Is there an address, Nick, not an email one, but one which could be visited? Are they in this country?
  • I also entered the Fiction Garden competition, Antony. I noticed the site says, "judging is taking a little longer than anticipated". They're not kidding. And I expect we'll never get the results.
  • I entered their diary comp last year and they took ages to judge it, I had to email and ask about it.
  • I entered one last year. I won't again, no results for months and months, until I emailed to ask.
  • Sounds awful.

    Who is it who organises it? I mean, I know it's under the name of Leaf Books, but what person do you all send your entries to? And where?
  • Leaf Books are a limited company. Their accounts for last year have been filed and they lost money, but not as much as for the previous year.

    The company hasn't folded, but they have no assets and, in theory, no way to clear the creditors. They had assets, but disposed of them (little more than office equipment from the value).

    Nothing more to say - other than I wouldn't pay a penny to them.
  • I remember sending something to them about a year or so ago. Never heard another thing about it.

    *crosses Leaf Books off Christmas card list*
  • I think I remember... if it's the right company.. that they had a new team start a couple years ago and it seemed to go downhill from there.
  • A friend of mine got a story accepted for one of their anthologies a few years ago. It was produced, more or less on time, and seemed okay. However, as Jediya says, that was before the 'new team' took over.

    I've always regarded them with a degree of suspicion because the entry fee for their competitions was relatively high compared to the single prize for the winner. Also it was never clear who was judging the competitions and what their credentials were.
  • edited April 2013
    Their last update on FB was in January.
  • And what did they say in their update, 'be back soon'?
  • Thanks Anthony - I used to advocate Leaf Books at my writers' group - not any more.
  • If anyone wants to advocate a writing competition, then please feel free to advocate those found at

    http://erewashwriterscompetition.weebly.com/


    also on Twitter @EWGCompetition


    also on a blog http://www.writingworkshopsandcompetitions.blogspot.co.uk/



    Thanks.
  • [quote=dora]Is there an address, Nick, not an email one, but one which could be visited? Are they in this country?[/quote]

    They appear to be based in Wales - looks like they've moved a couple of times. Their website is a bit of a mess and it's not clear how up to date the information is - but has anyone actually asked them what's going on with their competitions?
  • I've not, as I've never entered their comps.
  • Seems to be linked to this

    http://www.deadstarpublishing.co.uk/news/
  • Quite a few are asking for money back via the Facebook site. I've asked politely when they are announcing winners. They have not given an update since January 21.
  • What's the link to the facebook page, please?
  • http://www.facebook.com/Leaf.Magazine?fref=ts
  • http://www.facebook.com/Deadstar.Publishing
  • They seem to have two Facebook pages. The other is https://www.facebook.com/leafpublishing?ref=ts&fref=ts
  • http://www.facebook.com/leafpublishing?ref=ts&fref=ts
  • How do you get the links to appear?
  • Had to remove the s from https - but I don't know why.
  • [quote=Antony N Britt]Quite a few are asking for money back via the Facebook site. [/quote]

    I had a look at that link and they haven't addressed these issues. I think it's pretty shocking. Isn't there some sort of body that the people who have paid to enter their competitions can make a complaint to? How does anyone 'report' a web-based company for what is beginning to look horribly like fraud?
  • There's Watchdog, on the BBC?
  • As the company is UK based, then it's worth reporting to Trading Standards. Might even be worth writing to the Welsh parliament...
  • edited April 2013
    Just got a new newsletter from them today with the following lead off:

    "LEAF BOOKS NEWSLETTER APRIL 2013

    What has happened to Leaf? That’s the question that seems to be on everyone’s lips. Where have they gone, and what are they doing? The answer is complicated and a little lengthy but I hope to keep things as concise as possible."

    And then of course the answers which I haven't read yet. If anyone wants to read it (and it isn't available on their website) I'll c&p it in a whisper or can forward in an email.
  • I received the same e-mail, Jediya.
    [quote=Jediya]The answer is complicated and a little lengthy but I hope to keep things as concise as possible."[/quote]

    His answer was extremely lengthy! The upshot seemed to be saying that the future of Leaf lies with the writers and their response. :rolleyes:
  • I did too. Got bored reading it.
  • edited April 2013
    Sally Quilford has just commented about this re the newsletter on a Facebook post.

    "I'm sorry to say this, but I would actually advise people to think carefully about entering their outstanding comps. There are too many unresolved issues."
  • edited April 2013
    [quote=claudia]His answer was extremely lengthy![/quote]

    I had to read it in stages cause the first time I tried I just went .... urgh *close*

    [quote= polar bear]I did too. Got bored reading it. [/quote]

    Indeed. Tbh, it felt a bit excuse-y and repetitive at times.

    I was match/general secretary for my old football team during debt and various issues and I understand all the pressures and trials that come from inheriting something but in the long run, sometimes if it doesn't get resolved or looks like you can't find ways to do so, it ends up feeling like flogging a dead horse. Although, my old team folded mainly because everyone just gave up because we weren't getting paid and it was affecting our own lives - even though IMO we just needed a year out of competing/fully running to get back on our feet. But hey-ho, I've wandered and prattled off point.
  • For anybody curious about what they've said (and who hasn't had the email), it's here: http://ymlp.com/zE0n5x

    I feel sorry for him in one sense, but also it's hard to be too sympathetic when somebody over-stretches themselves so much. Although I don't doubt they never intended to mislead anybody, there is something very unappealing about a competition that only needs 17 entries to cover the entire prize fund (£6 for a chance of winning £100).
  • edited April 2013
    Not a lot of sympathy from me - it seems the main problems started when they hadn't backed up properly and lost a lot of work- then did it again on another system!! Not much learning going on there. Glad I was only looking at it out of noseyness and not as an interested party.

    And I agree about the comp prize vs entry fee. They also publish runners-up with no prize, which is a pet hate of mine.
  • Didn't read it all. Can't help thinking it'll be taken out of his hands. Limited companies have to be run to strict rules and if he's traded whilst being insolvent, the company will be dissolved.
  • If it is losing money month on month, then the last thing he should do is continue with the existing competitions- that will just add to the workload and competitors see it as being done just to get the entry fees.
  • Time to close that book before it affects him personally - although it sounds like that's already happened. Never, ever plough money into a limited company - there's no way back if the company has no assets. And according to Companies House there aren't any.
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