Episode 100 • • 9:30 - 12:06
100: A Squirrel Walks Into A Bar
Book Publishing Dummy Contracts and Cross-Collateralization
Publishers often present "dummy contracts" to new authors that include cross-collateralization clauses, allowing the company to withhold royalties from a successful book to pay off debts from a failing one. An unnamed agent in the computer book industry reportedly gained favor with publishers by convincing authors to sign these disadvantageous agreements.