The multi-state law firm of BYRD CAMPBELL, P.A., has filed a class action on behalf of romance writers and publishers across the country against romance-specific online book distributor and publisher, All Romance E-Books, LLC, and its principal, Lori James.
Previously offering romance eBooks on its websites www.allromanceebooks.com and www.omnilit.com, All Romance shocked the romance writer world by abruptly announcing on December 28, 2016, that the online operator would close its websites and refuse to pay commissions due to its writers and publishers. The Complaint, filed in the Circuit Court in Pinellas County, Florida, in the case styled, “Brenda Cothern Books, Inc. v. All Romance E-Books, LLC and Lori James,” Case No. 2017-000247-CICI, seeks damages for unpaid commissions, as well as injunctive relief to enjoin the defendants from misappropriating the eBooks which had been entrusted to them.
Brenda Cothern, owner of the lead plaintiff, Brenda Cothern Books, Inc., and a prolific romance writer who distributed eBooks through All Romance, said, “Sadly, over the last few years too many companies like All Romance have taken advantage of independent authors and small publishers by not paying us for our work. Hopefully, this law suit will give other companies pause before they try to take from authors.”
According to lead trial counsel, Tucker H. Byrd, “The goal is to have a class certified so all romance writers and publishers affected by the Defendants’ actions can obtain justice. There is a decided strength in numbers through a class action.”