Newsweek got it all wrong. So says Sarah Williams and Joseph Ternes of Chronicle Books.

On Publishers Lunch Sarah Williams said “Chronicle Books will not receive a referral fee for recommending Blurb.com to aspiring authors or artists.”

She also said:

“Chronicle will provide a landing page from our website to which our editors may refer authors or artists whose works they feel are a good match for Blurb.com. For their part, Blurb.com will offer us discoveries they might make in terms of online trends, notably how consumers are finding books online. There are many self-publishing options in the marketplace, though far fewer for illustrated book authors and artists. As an independent illustrated book publisher in San Francisco, Chronicle Books felt an affinity for the locally-based Blurb.com and the quality of the product it is offering the public.”

On a number of blogs Joseph Ternes said, “The information in the Newsweek article was incorrect. Chronicle Books will not receive a referral fee for recommending Blurb.com to aspiring authors or artists.” Sorry, did you just have a moment of déjà vu?

He goes on to say:

Just as from time to time our editors refer authors or artists to other trade houses, Blurb.com presents another option if they consider it an appropriate choice. This option will not be part of our response to every author submissions. There are many self-publishing options in the marketplace, though far fewer for illustrated book authors and artists. As an independent illustrated book publisher in San Francisco, Chronicle Books felt an affinity for the locally based Blurb.com and the quality of the product it is offering the public.

Bravo. I’m glad no money will be exchanged.

However…

I would have preferred to hear that they don’t recommend self publishing services to anyone (this is nothing against Blurb. I’m sure they create beautiful, high quality products for their clients) and instead just direct all rejected authors to other trade houses.

I guess it’s unnerving how traditional publishing is becoming entwined with self-publishing. I’m glad that when I received rejections as an aspiring author I had editors who just directed me to another house so I could sell my work to them. And that’s what I did.