In 2009, I submitted my self-published book for an entry in the Independent Publisher's Book of the year. What they information did not reveal was that any self-published book with a print run of under 2,000 copies would be ineligible. I sent my book along with a cover letter and the $175 fee. I was not nominated in the automotive category which I selected because my print run was only 200 copies. Therefore, I should have at least had my $175 returned because my entry was ineligible. Jim Barnes kept the fee anyway. I contacted him some eight years ago. Weeks went by, and nothing. Therefore, anyone submitting a copy of their self-published book should be aware that Jim Barnes will rip you off if you do not meet the qualifications. They will keep your book and fee instead of automatically retuning them to you if you don't meet their minimum requirements.
Should I have known before? Perhaps, but there was no literature or information saying that any self-published book with a print run of under 2,000 would be returned along with the fee. Independent Publishers just kept the money, as well as my book, and who knows what they are doing with it. Used copies still in circulation are going for hundreds of dollars past the retail price, and I can accept that it has become a collectible. But Mr. Barnes should have had the professional courtesy to return my book and fee as ineligible due to the low print run. The book is called "Highliner--the Nature, Philosophy and Science of Automobile Driving," ISBN 978-0967508214. Self-publishers, beware of Jim Barnes and the Independent Publisher's guidelines regarding minimum print run!
** Should Mr. Barnes see this and make amends, then I will follow-up my post to that effect. Until then, it remains a legitimate RIP-OFF!