Beware of Publishers

Ann Crispin's and Victoria Strauss' blog Writer Beware gives two big 'thumbs down' to:

American Book Publishing (Salt Lake City, UT)
Archebooks Publishing (Las Vegas, NV)
Durban House Publishing (Dallas, TX)
Harbor House (Augusta, GA)
Helm Publishing (Rockford, IL)
Hilliard and Harris (Boonsboro, MD)
New World Media, Inc., a.k.a. American Book Press (formerly Washington House and Mandrill, a.k.a. Trident Media) (Alexandria, VA)
Oak Tree Press (Taylorville, IL)
PublishAmerica (Frederick, MD)
Royal Fireworks Press/Silk Label Books (Unionville, NY)
SterlingHouse Publisher (Pittsburgh, PA--imprints include, among others, Pemberton Mysteries, 8th Crow Books, Cambrian House Books, Blue Imp Books, Caroline House Books, Dove House Books, and PAJA Books)
Tate Publishing (Mustang, OK)
Whitmore Publishing Company (Pittsburgh, PA)

These are the same people who warned you about certain unethical agents last year. Now they're taking aim at publishers who charge fees, insist on author-unfriendly contracts, use misleading advertising, have conflicts of interest, are repeatedly complained about for breach on contract, provide poor or inadequate editing (a good reason to hire your own!) and who lack editorial standards. Before you sign a contract, check out the publishers with beware@sfwa.org.