How Estorytellers Helped a Texas Thriller Author Regain Her Royalties and Creative Control

The Challenge

Emily Hart, a thriller author from Texas, contacted Estorytellers after discovering that her publisher was keeping 70% of her royalties.
Her debut novel, Silent Trace, had moderate success, but Emily had never received accurate payment statements. When she inquired, her publisher blamed “distribution deductions.”

Her royalty cheques stopped altogether after six months.

Emily wanted her book back, but she didn’t know how to start.

Our Approach

Estorytellers’ publishing consultants performed a full contract review.

1. Royalty Clause Analysis:
   We found that her contract included multiple “deep-discount” clauses, allowing the publisher to slash payouts by 50–70% for bulk orders.

2. Rights Reversion Strategy:
   Our legal advisors drafted a rights reversion notice, citing breach of transparency clauses. Within 30 days, rights were formally returned to Emily.

3. Reissue and Relaunch:
   Estorytellers reissued Silent Trace under a new ISBN and designed an updated cover better suited for the U.S. thriller market.

4. Marketing Relaunch:
   We implemented a targeted ad campaign focused on female thriller readers in Texas and neighboring states.

The Outcome

• Emily regained 100% ownership and 85% direct royalties through Estorytellers’ transparent model.

• Within four months, her reissued title outperformed her previous edition by 3x.

• Her book was featured in two local Texas bookstore events and earned a spot on the “Top Indie Thrillers” list on Goodreads.

The Takeaway

Emily’s case highlights the importance of knowing what’s in your publishing contract.
With Estorytellers’ transparent structure, authors receive real-time royalty tracking, verified reports, and long-term ownership—everything traditional vanity setups fail to offer.

As Emily said,

“For the first time, I know exactly what I’m earning, where my book is selling, and who’s buying it.”