Abuzz Press is part of the BookLocker.com, Inc. family of businesses, which includes BookLocker.com, one of the first P.O.D. and ebook publishers (established in 1998), and WritersWeekly.com, one of the oldest and most respected sites on freelance writing. It has been published continuously since 1997.
Read unsolicited testimonials from BookLocker’s authors HERE.
THE OWNERS
Angela Hoy, the co-owner and publisher, started WritersWeekly as a hobby back in 1997 after learning there were no sources of current paying markets for writers anywhere, including on the Internet. (The information being published each year by Writers Digest Books was already months old by the time the books hit stores.) She also began writing, printing and selling her own books for writers. One day, she decided to try selling her books as MSWord files at reduced prices. Sales soared! She had unknowingly published one of the first ebooks – before ebook was even a word.
Angela married Richard Hoy, an Internet marketing executive who she’d worked (and fell in love) with in Texas in 1998. After moving to Maine, they purchased a tiny ebookstore called BookLocker.com, where Angela’s book, How to Write, Publish and Sell Ebooks, was the #1 bestseller. The business exploded and, a few short months later, Angela was able to “hire” Richard away from his “real job.” They have worked together happily every day since.
There were some rough patches – like the time Amazon tried to force BookLocker to pay them to print BookLocker’s books. Angela and Richard sued Amazon in 2008 and WON! Amazon had to pay BookLocker’s attorneys $300K, and promise to leave their books alone. Of course, BookLocker’s books are still on Amazon today. Many of BookLocker’s competitors were afraid to confront Amazon and they are not protected by the settlement.
Through WritersWeekly Whispers and Warnings, the Hoys warned the writing and publishing communities of scams targeting those individuals, and were subsequently threatened by criminals from all over the globe – criminals who had been outed by the Hoys.
In 2011, after a decade in Maine, Richard got tired of shoveling snow, and the entire family (including five children, four cats, Percy the dog, and a bearded dragon named Cool) moved to Florida’s sunny Gulf Coast. One of WritersWeekly’s most popular columns is News From the Home Office, where Angela details their busy life, and posts pictures.
Now, more than 8,000 print and electronic books later, BookLocker is one of the most respected P.O.D. and ebook publishers around. According to attorney Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print of Self Publishing, BookLocker is: “As close to perfection as you’re going to find in the world of ebook and POD publishing. The ebook royalties are the highest I’ve ever seen, and the print royalties are better than average. BookLocker understands what new authors experience, and have put together a package that is the best in the business. You can’t go wrong here. Plus, they’re selective and won’t publish any manuscript just because it’s accompanied by a check. Also, the web site is well trafficked. If you can find a POD or epublisher with as much integrity and dedication to selling authors’ books, but with lower POD publishing fees, please let me know.”
Abuzz Press is the new “fast and free” co-op publisher of the BookLocker.com, Inc. family.
MADE IN THE U.S.A.!
Abuzz Press is an American-owned and -operated company. Our printer is also an American firm.
No revolving customer service reps, no layers of bureaucracy to navigate, and absolutely no outsourcing to low-paying overseas call centers. We don’t use call centers or telemarketing at all. You will never be shuffled from one “customer service rep” to another because we don’t have any of those. You will communicate directly with Angela about any needs you have at all, as well as Richard (book marketing advice), Brian (ebooks and technical issues), Ali (print formatting), and Todd (our awesome cover designer).