@simmerplayer27.bsky.social
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This week's video tackles the disturbing way in which language is being rewritten on YouTube. The platform coerces creators into volunteering their compliance and the result is increasingly absurd censorship that benefits the worst people.
Hell of a way to end my 10yr streak: youtu.be/mo2FdoGndsM
Hell of a way to end my 10yr streak: youtu.be/mo2FdoGndsM
How YouTube Coerced Its Way Into Rewriting Our Language
YouTube video by Stephanie Sterling
youtu.be
July 14, 2025 at 2:09 PM
This week's video tackles the disturbing way in which language is being rewritten on YouTube. The platform coerces creators into volunteering their compliance and the result is increasingly absurd censorship that benefits the worst people.
Hell of a way to end my 10yr streak: youtu.be/mo2FdoGndsM
Hell of a way to end my 10yr streak: youtu.be/mo2FdoGndsM
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As someone who has been tracking, writing about, nerding out about publishing news for over 15 years, I can't think of a worse scandal especially in terms of the money owed to authors.
And, if the theft from staff pensions proves to be true, then fuck me, this is truly a massive scandal.
And, if the theft from staff pensions proves to be true, then fuck me, this is truly a massive scandal.
Thing is, it feels on Bluesky like EVERYONE knows about this Unbound scandal now. But they don't. In the grand scheme of things - the grand scheme of UK book lovers, even - what this publisher has done to its authors is still relatively little-known. Coverage like this is an important step.
I was invited onto BBC Radio 4's You And Yours today to talk about Unbound, who owe me and their other authors around £650,000 in total, which is not even taking into account the readers they have refused to refund. You can listen to it here (begins around 19 mins in): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
June 4, 2025 at 5:12 PM
As someone who has been tracking, writing about, nerding out about publishing news for over 15 years, I can't think of a worse scandal especially in terms of the money owed to authors.
And, if the theft from staff pensions proves to be true, then fuck me, this is truly a massive scandal.
And, if the theft from staff pensions proves to be true, then fuck me, this is truly a massive scandal.
Reposted
Thing is, it feels on Bluesky like EVERYONE knows about this Unbound scandal now. But they don't. In the grand scheme of things - the grand scheme of UK book lovers, even - what this publisher has done to its authors is still relatively little-known. Coverage like this is an important step.
I was invited onto BBC Radio 4's You And Yours today to talk about Unbound, who owe me and their other authors around £650,000 in total, which is not even taking into account the readers they have refused to refund. You can listen to it here (begins around 19 mins in): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
You and Yours - Fried Chicken, Contested Wills and Unbound Authors - BBC Sounds
How fried chicken is going upmarket.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 4, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Thing is, it feels on Bluesky like EVERYONE knows about this Unbound scandal now. But they don't. In the grand scheme of things - the grand scheme of UK book lovers, even - what this publisher has done to its authors is still relatively little-known. Coverage like this is an important step.
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Gonna burn some bridges and talk about Unbound, since it's unlikely that they'll sue me at this point. They seem to have spent money that was supposed to go towards royalty payments, expecting money to come in, which then didn't bsky.app/profile/laur...
(thread)
#unboundless
(thread)
#unboundless
The TLDR as I understand - the company expected an incoming investment for a magazine project, took money out the author royalties account to pre spend the investment, the investment fell through, author money can't be repaid by investment.
That's my good faith understanding of those events.
That's my good faith understanding of those events.
May 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Gonna burn some bridges and talk about Unbound, since it's unlikely that they'll sue me at this point. They seem to have spent money that was supposed to go towards royalty payments, expecting money to come in, which then didn't bsky.app/profile/laur...
(thread)
#unboundless
(thread)
#unboundless
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If you want to help in a practical sense, you can support my work with a small recurring donation on Patreon.
Patreon.com/laurakbuzz
Patreon.com/laurakbuzz
Get more from LauraKBuzz on Patreon
creating Podcasts, Videos, and Long Form Articles
Patreon.com
May 31, 2025 at 10:49 AM
If you want to help in a practical sense, you can support my work with a small recurring donation on Patreon.
Patreon.com/laurakbuzz
Patreon.com/laurakbuzz
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So yeah, a window into six months of financial stress on what should have been passive income from books I published.
If you've bought Gender Euphoria in the past year, I basically got paid zero for your purchase.
If you've bought Gender Euphoria in the past year, I basically got paid zero for your purchase.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
So yeah, a window into six months of financial stress on what should have been passive income from books I published.
If you've bought Gender Euphoria in the past year, I basically got paid zero for your purchase.
If you've bought Gender Euphoria in the past year, I basically got paid zero for your purchase.
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I'm a writer working paycheck to paycheck, I can't just magically act like this amount of money isn't a big deal.
I'm not like the Boundless CEOs, who can brag about how they're going to simply not draw a salary for a while.
This is my livlihood, as it is for so many other authors.
I'm not like the Boundless CEOs, who can brag about how they're going to simply not draw a salary for a while.
This is my livlihood, as it is for so many other authors.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
I'm a writer working paycheck to paycheck, I can't just magically act like this amount of money isn't a big deal.
I'm not like the Boundless CEOs, who can brag about how they're going to simply not draw a salary for a while.
This is my livlihood, as it is for so many other authors.
I'm not like the Boundless CEOs, who can brag about how they're going to simply not draw a salary for a while.
This is my livlihood, as it is for so many other authors.
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It's them deciding that a second batch of royalties is ALSO not their job legally to pay, and waiting until the day of payment to vaguely hint at that rather than even directly state it that broke me.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
It's them deciding that a second batch of royalties is ALSO not their job legally to pay, and waiting until the day of payment to vaguely hint at that rather than even directly state it that broke me.
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If they had paid that payment plan on time, I would have been upset but willing to put this behind me.
If they'd said "we can't pay repayment part 2, but here's your May £4.5K", I'd have been pissed but kept quiet.
If they'd said "we can't pay repayment part 2, but here's your May £4.5K", I'd have been pissed but kept quiet.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
If they had paid that payment plan on time, I would have been upset but willing to put this behind me.
If they'd said "we can't pay repayment part 2, but here's your May £4.5K", I'd have been pissed but kept quiet.
If they'd said "we can't pay repayment part 2, but here's your May £4.5K", I'd have been pissed but kept quiet.
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But if I ever want to see that £8k, I need to play nice. If I demand my rights reverted so I can move to a different publisher, I feel like I'll be moved to the bottom of the list to ever see that missing money.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
But if I ever want to see that £8k, I need to play nice. If I demand my rights reverted so I can move to a different publisher, I feel like I'll be moved to the bottom of the list to ever see that missing money.
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They are very clearly in breach of contract.
Boundless never got authors to sign new contracts when they formed, so I think there's a solid case they don't own my book assets, and that I'm not under contract with them.
Boundless never got authors to sign new contracts when they formed, so I think there's a solid case they don't own my book assets, and that I'm not under contract with them.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
They are very clearly in breach of contract.
Boundless never got authors to sign new contracts when they formed, so I think there's a solid case they don't own my book assets, and that I'm not under contract with them.
Boundless never got authors to sign new contracts when they formed, so I think there's a solid case they don't own my book assets, and that I'm not under contract with them.
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So as of today Boundless owes me around £8K for 12 months of book sales, minus the partial payment they made a few months ago.
I have no promise that will ever be paid.
I have no promise that will ever be paid.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
So as of today Boundless owes me around £8K for 12 months of book sales, minus the partial payment they made a few months ago.
I have no promise that will ever be paid.
I have no promise that will ever be paid.
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"Also, surprise, we also consider the May 31st royalties to also be past debts, and as such we are making those a "goodwill gesture" situation, and won't be paying those on time either".
Play nicely, we might pay you this money some day if we like you enough to feel goodwill and want to do a nice.
Play nicely, we might pay you this money some day if we like you enough to feel goodwill and want to do a nice.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
"Also, surprise, we also consider the May 31st royalties to also be past debts, and as such we are making those a "goodwill gesture" situation, and won't be paying those on time either".
Play nicely, we might pay you this money some day if we like you enough to feel goodwill and want to do a nice.
Play nicely, we might pay you this money some day if we like you enough to feel goodwill and want to do a nice.
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Yesterday I should have received the remainder of my owed overdue royalties, but did not.
I chased up Boundless, and got an email that boiled down to the following.
"We can't afford the other half of the repayment".
I chased up Boundless, and got an email that boiled down to the following.
"We can't afford the other half of the repayment".
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Yesterday I should have received the remainder of my owed overdue royalties, but did not.
I chased up Boundless, and got an email that boiled down to the following.
"We can't afford the other half of the repayment".
I chased up Boundless, and got an email that boiled down to the following.
"We can't afford the other half of the repayment".
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They paid the first partial repayment of the 2024 funds, so I assumed things were getting back on track. My money had been delayed and fucked around with, but at least the nightmare was going to end.
Until yesterday.
Until yesterday.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
They paid the first partial repayment of the 2024 funds, so I assumed things were getting back on track. My money had been delayed and fucked around with, but at least the nightmare was going to end.
Until yesterday.
Until yesterday.
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So Boundless puts a payment plan in place - mine in essence was "some of the missing money in March, the rest May 30, and your next royalties May 31st".
This would have been around £12k total and put me back on track.
This would have been around £12k total and put me back on track.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
So Boundless puts a payment plan in place - mine in essence was "some of the missing money in March, the rest May 30, and your next royalties May 31st".
This would have been around £12k total and put me back on track.
This would have been around £12k total and put me back on track.
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At this time they were also doing a bunch of other BS, including cancelling books that had preorders without refunding those who had put money down etc, fucking over authors who encouraged people to invest in their projects etc.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
At this time they were also doing a bunch of other BS, including cancelling books that had preorders without refunding those who had put money down etc, fucking over authors who encouraged people to invest in their projects etc.
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Boundless now considered the owed 2024 royalties/ Unbound debts "historic debts" they didn't legally owe us authors.
But they're oh so kind, so they would instead consider them "legacy goodwill payments".
Nothing legally forcing them to be paid, but if we are nice they might pay them some day.
But they're oh so kind, so they would instead consider them "legacy goodwill payments".
Nothing legally forcing them to be paid, but if we are nice they might pay them some day.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Boundless now considered the owed 2024 royalties/ Unbound debts "historic debts" they didn't legally owe us authors.
But they're oh so kind, so they would instead consider them "legacy goodwill payments".
Nothing legally forcing them to be paid, but if we are nice they might pay them some day.
But they're oh so kind, so they would instead consider them "legacy goodwill payments".
Nothing legally forcing them to be paid, but if we are nice they might pay them some day.
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Then it happened - Unbound went into liquidation, unable to pay its debts.
But wouldn't you know it, a new company called Boundless just happened to spring up, who would automatically honour all Unbound author contracts as though nothing had happened.
Well, except the debt...
But wouldn't you know it, a new company called Boundless just happened to spring up, who would automatically honour all Unbound author contracts as though nothing had happened.
Well, except the debt...
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Then it happened - Unbound went into liquidation, unable to pay its debts.
But wouldn't you know it, a new company called Boundless just happened to spring up, who would automatically honour all Unbound author contracts as though nothing had happened.
Well, except the debt...
But wouldn't you know it, a new company called Boundless just happened to spring up, who would automatically honour all Unbound author contracts as though nothing had happened.
Well, except the debt...
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They strung us along with promises that lapsed payments would be made by late Jan / Early Feb, which then slipped to mid Feb, then further.
Every time a new promised date. Just manage until this date and we will sort you out.
Every time a new promised date. Just manage until this date and we will sort you out.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
They strung us along with promises that lapsed payments would be made by late Jan / Early Feb, which then slipped to mid Feb, then further.
Every time a new promised date. Just manage until this date and we will sort you out.
Every time a new promised date. Just manage until this date and we will sort you out.
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Unbound was incredibly patronising at the time, sending lengthy emails that never said sorry, or took seriously the impact of delayed payments right before Christmas, but they did repeatedly "thank [us] for [our] patience"
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Unbound was incredibly patronising at the time, sending lengthy emails that never said sorry, or took seriously the impact of delayed payments right before Christmas, but they did repeatedly "thank [us] for [our] patience"
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The TLDR as I understand - the company expected an incoming investment for a magazine project, took money out the author royalties account to pre spend the investment, the investment fell through, author money can't be repaid by investment.
That's my good faith understanding of those events.
That's my good faith understanding of those events.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
The TLDR as I understand - the company expected an incoming investment for a magazine project, took money out the author royalties account to pre spend the investment, the investment fell through, author money can't be repaid by investment.
That's my good faith understanding of those events.
That's my good faith understanding of those events.
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In late November 2024 I was owed close to £7,000 in royalties for book sales by Unbound. That payment did not surface.
In early December, it was made clear Unbound had fucked up majorly, they could not afford to pay author royalties.
In early December, it was made clear Unbound had fucked up majorly, they could not afford to pay author royalties.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
In late November 2024 I was owed close to £7,000 in royalties for book sales by Unbound. That payment did not surface.
In early December, it was made clear Unbound had fucked up majorly, they could not afford to pay author royalties.
In early December, it was made clear Unbound had fucked up majorly, they could not afford to pay author royalties.
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I have resorted to this as this is the only power I have left.
I have spent the past six months trying to let them quietly sort things, and the situation has only gotten worse as a result.
I'm done believing that I'll likely ever see any of the money I am owed.
I have spent the past six months trying to let them quietly sort things, and the situation has only gotten worse as a result.
I'm done believing that I'll likely ever see any of the money I am owed.
May 31, 2025 at 9:33 AM
I have resorted to this as this is the only power I have left.
I have spent the past six months trying to let them quietly sort things, and the situation has only gotten worse as a result.
I'm done believing that I'll likely ever see any of the money I am owed.
I have spent the past six months trying to let them quietly sort things, and the situation has only gotten worse as a result.
I'm done believing that I'll likely ever see any of the money I am owed.