Do you enjoy experimental fiction and poetry? Are you an
admirer of DIY and independent publishing? Are you a yet undiscovered or emerging
fiction-writer or poet looking to publish your work? Do you lament the
shrinking of the experimental writing publishing market? Are you a feminist,
disappointed to see sexism in art production? Do you look to small press
publishers as well-read, highly accomplished mentors who push with keen, well-trained eyes for what's
great? Do you maintain a hope that small press publishing might be free of some of the greed abd dehumanization of money-driven corporate publishing?
Sadly, Sputen Duyvil Books in its current state might be the last place to find the kind of literary integrity you are searching for.
To be clear, Spuyten Duyvil has published some good books, and even a few great ones.
To be clear, Spuyten Duyvil has published some good books, and even a few great ones.
So why do we, a small and expanding coalition of SD writers worried about the crisis level of "publisher" tt feel the need to issue this alert?
We recognize that women writers no longer have to tolerate misogyny in book-publishing.
We know Tod Thilleman is not honest about financial matters with SD writers.
We know that tt has a past history of punishing SD authors who cross him/depart from other presses. In the past, he has made it very hard for writers on SD to move to other presses for second printings. Because tt is aging, probably untreated for his mental illness and because we fear his psychiatric disorder may be escalating and know that substance abuse/addiction such as that tt suffers from tends to be a progressive, we wish to protect our works.
We feel that he is suffering from a serious personality disorder. We know that he has engaged in credit card fraud. We know that he has used his position as "publisher" to punish writers who depart from his press.
Though tt's pathologies are acted out from a position of power, most people who know Tod Thilleman personally knows he suffers from a feeling of powerlessness. Currently he has no permanent residence. He has no paying job ( and has a three-decade history, allegedly ,of disinterest in working for a salary. He is an able-bodied white man who lets family and friends bring home the bacon.) Most of tt's friends have detached in the sense of refusing him a place to stay, loans etc.
We feel that tt's main interest in publishing books by other writers extends (allegedly) from his wish to publish books he is written. It is fine to want to publish one's own work. We think publishing one's own work can be a fine, fine thing. But working as a publisher should be first and foremost about respect for authors and desire to put out worthy publications that might not otherwise find audiences.
It is no secret among SD writers that tt is not a talented writer.
SD writers have joked about it for years. Not everyone is born with talent and tt, because he has never really worked gone to college, involved himself in any kind of activism or community service, has been unable to bring his work along.
We believe that full of merit as SD is, tt used the press as part and parcel of a confidence game. He wanted to be an artist. he became a con artist instead.
Con artists, generally speaking, are charming, at least borderline sociopathic, street smart and fast-talking. Tod Thillemann has no formal education, reads little beyond manuscripts sent to him as sumissions. We have proof that he does not even read submissions in their entirety.
Thilleman conducts himself in his literary life as someone with a broad familiarity with literature and languages other than English. We know, we KNOW this is illusion. Con artists are often driven by delusions of their own grandeur.
We won't waste your time or our own describing tt's writerly deficiencies here. Google him. See for yourself. Read the ponderous, sophomoric, masturbatory solipsistic texts of writer whose only publication credits are obtained via reciprocity and logrolling
tt has long used his position as "publisher" to get his own sub-standard writing into print (With a few exceptions, he is mostly self-published, has won no awards,and is published almost exclusively by writers seeking to have their own books printed by him.)
Start your tour of tt's elaborate hackery by reading Spuyten Duyvil mission statement. Do you know what he's talking about?
Neither does he.
Once more: Spuyten Duyvil has published many good books and a few great
ones, but tt, the "publisher," has engaged /continues to engage in the kind of misconduct most artists are
unlikely to expect from independent "publishers."
Look at tt's "fund-raising" page:
It speaks for itself. That tt has raised only $4000.00 in
one month for an operation run out of NYC (sounds good, but not really.tt has neither a residence, nor a work location in NY) which has printed hundreds of books. $4000.00 is not a lot of money given tt's 20 plus years of "work" as editor and publisher. The publicity for this campaign says much about
the level of confidence SD's "publisher" has inspired.
For many years in the 1980s, before the advance of POD
(Print on Demand) SD kept secret that authors were paying for their own
books. So-called "vanity"
efforts are not eligible for prizes and awards, so authors would finance the
books and money given to tt and SD could be called "donations."POD made this deception unnecessary. While it is good that the stigma of self-publishing has lifted, it is important to know that POD made it easier for Thilleman to steal.
We all know that the state of affairs for poets and writers
is grim, and so does tt. The con artist always seeks the void. That's his hook.
Since the advance of POD, tt has been able to ask for less money from writers whose books he publishes. He can print one at a time. Some SD authors still publish the old-fashioned way--they do limited runs. If you must work with a dishonest publisher, this is the way to go.
Most poets and writers who sell on Amazon receive royalty checks. If you are selling books published on SD you should be receiving royalties. If you are not, well, now you know why.
Since the advance of POD, tt has been able to ask for less money from writers whose books he publishes. He can print one at a time. Some SD authors still publish the old-fashioned way--they do limited runs. If you must work with a dishonest publisher, this is the way to go.
Most poets and writers who sell on Amazon receive royalty checks. If you are selling books published on SD you should be receiving royalties. If you are not, well, now you know why.
The formal investigation of tt's latest wrongdoing is just
getting started. As more information becomes available we will post it here.
As things stand today, there is proof that tt has engaged in a constructive form of credit card fraud using the credit line of one SD writer and de facto co-editor (who did much of the heavy lifting at SD for several years, coinciding with what tt characterizes as an expansion of SD in the "mid 00s," in his "history" of SD. Our impression is that she worked as a partner and published some excellent fiction on his imprint while working without compensation.) We are hoping for her full co-operation in this effort, but thus far she has only been able to confirm the credit card fraud.
Thilleman opened obtained a credit card using his partner's credit line without her knowledge, against her explicity stated wishes, and he incurred $18,000.00. of debt for which she, a life-long teacher, activist and fiction writer who has always held paying jobs, is now responsible.
Furthermore, much/ most of the secret charges on this "business account" were for personal use: prescription drugs from Canada, cab rides from NYC borough to borough (most poets use subways for this.) expensive lunches, personal items. Those of you who know tt know that he is somewhat reclusive and has a drinking problem. Drunkards tend to be spendthrifts.
We believe tt's disinterest in reading submissions to SD in their entirety is a problem. We know that tt used SD funds for personal use, which is a serious tax code violation.
At present, Thilleman is being investigated by the NYPD, FBI, the bank he stands accused of (allegedly) defrauding and IRS. When judgments are made public, we will spread the (definitive) word.
As things stand today, there is proof that tt has engaged in a constructive form of credit card fraud using the credit line of one SD writer and de facto co-editor (who did much of the heavy lifting at SD for several years, coinciding with what tt characterizes as an expansion of SD in the "mid 00s," in his "history" of SD. Our impression is that she worked as a partner and published some excellent fiction on his imprint while working without compensation.) We are hoping for her full co-operation in this effort, but thus far she has only been able to confirm the credit card fraud.
Thilleman opened obtained a credit card using his partner's credit line without her knowledge, against her explicity stated wishes, and he incurred $18,000.00. of debt for which she, a life-long teacher, activist and fiction writer who has always held paying jobs, is now responsible.
Furthermore, much/ most of the secret charges on this "business account" were for personal use: prescription drugs from Canada, cab rides from NYC borough to borough (most poets use subways for this.) expensive lunches, personal items. Those of you who know tt know that he is somewhat reclusive and has a drinking problem. Drunkards tend to be spendthrifts.
We believe tt's disinterest in reading submissions to SD in their entirety is a problem. We know that tt used SD funds for personal use, which is a serious tax code violation.
At present, Thilleman is being investigated by the NYPD, FBI, the bank he stands accused of (allegedly) defrauding and IRS. When judgments are made public, we will spread the (definitive) word.
In his current Indiegogo
pitch, he references a wish to hire "employees." This is of special concern to us due to tt's history of exploitation. His last "employee" who functioned as a partner, was paid nothing for years of labor and her significant expertise. tt then stole from and stalked her in the hope of extorting her further.If you
are a SD author, this unpaid employee (co-editor) may have edited your book. She read hundreds of manuscripts, handled most of the press's correspondence,
she may have organized your readings, sold your books at conferences. She was never compensated.
If you are a woman writer or a feminist publishing under the SD imprint, you may want to investigate all of this on your own.
Sadly we have discovered that the man who heads up Spuyten Duyvil has a history of combining virulent misogyny with fiscal dishonesty.
If you are a woman writer or a feminist publishing under the SD imprint, you may want to investigate all of this on your own.
Sadly we have discovered that the man who heads up Spuyten Duyvil has a history of combining virulent misogyny with fiscal dishonesty.
About 7 years ago, tt was (allegedly) the victim of a confidence game
himself.
One might imagine that a man working in literary publishing might be smart enough to avoid being cheated in this way, but sometimes people who expect honesty are the first to be cheated. A well known poet whose book tt published was running a scam that involved a baseball player. The pyramid scheme invloved payments made to support the player's training. Once the player was launched, investors could be paid. The scam got more and more expensive (for tt) as time went on. tt spent all the money he had, including an inheritance from a dead parent "investing" in this scam.
One might imagine that a man working in literary publishing might be smart enough to avoid being cheated in this way, but sometimes people who expect honesty are the first to be cheated. A well known poet whose book tt published was running a scam that involved a baseball player. The pyramid scheme invloved payments made to support the player's training. Once the player was launched, investors could be paid. The scam got more and more expensive (for tt) as time went on. tt spent all the money he had, including an inheritance from a dead parent "investing" in this scam.
Thilleman lost everything but not before running up a huge credit
card debt behind his (then) wife's back. (The wife had a day job and a credit line.)
We believe he may have made at least partial restitution in this larcenous
case, but may have more to report later or the particulars.
Shortly after untangling himself from the baseball sting he
moved on. At no point following the baseball scheme did tt get a real, full-time job.We think that tt believes he is too much of a genius for full-time work. His method of operation has, for his adult life, been to sponge off of women. We know this is part of his sickness.We want tt to get the help he needs.
tt's current campaign to raise money oozes of snake-oil sales' desparation.
Check out the Youtube and Indiegogo links.
Please, do not take our word for it.
Check out the Youtube and Indiegogo links.
Please, do not take our word for it.
Research Thilleman on your own.
Begin with the history of SD. It is incoherent and brimming with pedantic over-blown bluster and we suspect much of it is just untrue.
Mostly, tt uses way too many syllables to advance the argument that small presses can
produce important work. Isn't that obvious? Hasn't that obvious for as long as there have been writers?
This identity, along with Thilleman’s preference for understanding creative writing as what does not include the official hierarchical bequeathing of idea embedded in text, overlapped with the writing he sought to create for his own oeuvre. No matter how museum ready or out of step it appeared to be.
Do you know what
this means?
Neither do we.
Or this?
The great misquoting of such small enterprise exists when it thinks it emulates a non mainstream aspect, or dismisses its non-belonging as content that doesn’t “get it.” Both of these assessments never see the content in any actualizing context. Only through a very manhandled historical context do any of the particulars within the content come to light
Interesting use of "manhandled."
There's a reason that a writer who has achieved tt's level of literary achievementt would have several books published by presses other than his own. His writing, across the genres, is so very weak. The one scam tt has failed to pull off is one that has him actually looking like a real writer. We know how dangerous the pathology of the failed artist can be. Hence, almost no external (to SD) credits except ones gotten through logrolling and networking.)
Thilleman’s undertaking, in the mid 00’s, establishing SD among larger distribution and publishing outlets met with a variety of problems. None of the problems, however, had anything to do with penetrating the inner core of a constituted literary culture. The facts were very apparent: a wall surrounds the center of mainstream artistic thought simply because the history by which that thought is recognized exists by the failures and successes of an incredibly monied or capitalized field.
His frustration with the "capitalized field" did not stop tt from stealing $18K from a woman who makes a living helping young female students to survive abuse and discrimination.
tt references the revitalization of SD "in the mid 00's." If you are an SD writer you know that it was roughly during that time that a de facto partner began to acquire, edit and promote books.
tt's exploitation of a SD comrade won him a larger audience.
Note that tt's condemnation leaves out his willingness to make maximum use of Amazon, the most demonic bookseller of all. While so many writers are condemning Amazon for its work practices overseas, for employing virtual slaves to stock its shelves and such, tt has no problem with using Amazon as his printer (they are free. He used to have to pay for them.) and distributor. This while cadging rent and office space and stealing from his authors.
tt references the revitalization of SD "in the mid 00's." If you are an SD writer you know that it was roughly during that time that a de facto partner began to acquire, edit and promote books.
tt's exploitation of a SD comrade won him a larger audience.
Note that tt's condemnation leaves out his willingness to make maximum use of Amazon, the most demonic bookseller of all. While so many writers are condemning Amazon for its work practices overseas, for employing virtual slaves to stock its shelves and such, tt has no problem with using Amazon as his printer (they are free. He used to have to pay for them.) and distributor. This while cadging rent and office space and stealing from his authors.
How ironic to see tt, a white male, able-bodied poorly-educated dilettante who
does not teach, hold paying jobs, pay rent and who steals from his authors,
complain about "incredibly monied or capitalized field."He is the ultimate capitalist, rich not in cash--cash isn't want he wants--but in narcissistic kibble and facsimiles of literary credibility he lacks.
Read the "history" page yourself. Weep. Laugh.If you possibly can.
The Mission page would be even funnier if it were not so tragic.
The mission statement references "employees." The only employee tt has ever paid is
himself. We know that tt, a man without a place of business, without a
permanent home, without a residence/postal address and without, scraping by on
donations of people who do not, for the most part, recognize how fraudulent his
campaign is. Some of these are writers so desparate to publish that they are willing to sell their work and selves to the "Spitting
Devil."
The fundraising page (link follows) speaks for itself.
Both poets and psychotics are thought to favor neologisms. See "skeyey."
Fraudulence permeates every aspect of SD publicity. tt' has published books he has not read, and he has failed to distinguish himself in any way as a writer. tt is a white middle-aged man from a middle-class family who never went to college, never published a book with a publisher other than himself and has placed a few pieces in journals but in every case journals edited by SD authors or would-be SD authors. No publisher not interested in being a Spuyten Duyvil author has every had an interest in Tod Thilleman's work.
tt is a white, middle-aged man from a middle-class family who
has a troubling pattern of misogynist exploitation and who believes it is for
others (read: women) to have jobs so as to keep him in room, board and clothing.
We get that tt is sick man. We believe that tt has an
extreme personality disorder and those of you who send time with him know that
he has a drinking problem. We want him to get help.
We recognize that tt has put some fine books
into the world and are glad for that.
We do not believe Tod Thilleman can find wellness if he does not seek help for his illness, be held accountable for his transgressions, make restitution to those he has stolen from, and allow SD writers (women especially) to leave his press with ease and without interference from him.
We do not believe Tod Thilleman can find wellness if he does not seek help for his illness, be held accountable for his transgressions, make restitution to those he has stolen from, and allow SD writers (women especially) to leave his press with ease and without interference from him.
We hope that he will get the help he needs and that as a result of that we will no longer afraid of him.
If following your own discovery you find tt's conduct as alarming as we do, what can you do?
Some suggestions.
1.If you have a manuscript
under consideration at SD, withdraw it.
2. If you have been
published by, supported by the survivor of tt's most
recent transgressions consider the
ethics involved in working for/representing tt.
Ask tt to "do the right thing."
3.If you are an SD
writer who wishes to move to another press, please
spread the word. We believe that presses,
especially ones run by
feminists will seek to create literary harbor for women
feminists will seek to create literary harbor for women
who do not wish to be associated with a flagrantly misogynist publisher.
We caution women who do challenge tt in any way, to
proceed
with caution. We have cause to
believe he may be violent.
His stalking is well-documented.
His stalking is well-documented.
4. If you wish to buy
SD books by friends writers
you admire, please, wherever
possible buy them from the
authors themselves. Another way to purchase books by SD authors
is to buy used copies (Reviewers sell hem on Amazon.)
Then tt can't steal your roytalties.
is to buy used copies (Reviewers sell hem on Amazon.)
Then tt can't steal your roytalties.
5. When possible,
boycott SD readings and events.
6. DO NOT CONTRIBUTE
TO tt's crowdsourcing fund. THilleman owes $18K.
He is applying for an American
Express card currently and has not paid
or shown any good faith in repaying
any part of the debt to the
former SD partner/survivor. If you DO contribute money to any campaign
mounted by Thilleman DO NOT ALLOW HIM TO ACCESS
TO YOUR CREDIT INFORMATION OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!
mounted by Thilleman DO NOT ALLOW HIM TO ACCESS
TO YOUR CREDIT INFORMATION OR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!
7. If you are tt's
friend, you probably know that the psychiatric disorders plaguing him
are not easy to treat. Narcissism Personality Disorder like tt's
causes sufferers to experience acute denial and to strenuously avoid treatment.
Please try to get him into treatment so that he does not victimize anyone else.
are not easy to treat. Narcissism Personality Disorder like tt's
causes sufferers to experience acute denial and to strenuously avoid treatment.
Please try to get him into treatment so that he does not victimize anyone else.
8. Do your best NOT
to support this press any more than you think absolutely
necessary to support the writers in your life and SD writers you esteem
until tt is cleared of wrongdoing, enters treatment and makes restitution
to all of the SD writers in his stable he has cheated.
necessary to support the writers in your life and SD writers you esteem
until tt is cleared of wrongdoing, enters treatment and makes restitution
to all of the SD writers in his stable he has cheated.
9. If you have given
or pledged gifts via tt's indiegogo campaign, and wish to
reconsider, you can conteact Indiegogo directly. It is our understanding
reconsider, you can conteact Indiegogo directly. It is our understanding
that there have already been a
number of complaints filed with
Indiegogo. If you DO decide to support tt in this way, please bear in
Indiegogo. If you DO decide to support tt in this way, please bear in
mind that you are providing funding to a man
who has engaged in at
least two documented cases of unofficial credit card fraud (using
women's cards without their consent). Ensure that your credit
least two documented cases of unofficial credit card fraud (using
women's cards without their consent). Ensure that your credit
card information can not be
forwarded directly to tt for your
protection. We
suspect that most of the donors to tt's
Indiegogo campaign are not aware of tt's history of fraud and
confidence schemes. If you have friends on this list, consider warning them.
A list of contributors appears appears on this page:
Indiegogo campaign are not aware of tt's history of fraud and
confidence schemes. If you have friends on this list, consider warning them.
A list of contributors appears appears on this page:
10. If you are a
friend of tt's, please try to get him into treatment.
11. Look for more information about a move to Occupy SD. We believe that a the best solution to the problem at hand would be to get tt into treatment, require him to face the consequences of his crimes and have a committee of SD writers take over the basic running of the press until the time tt is able to resume his duties in a forthright way.
11. Look for more information about a move to Occupy SD. We believe that a the best solution to the problem at hand would be to get tt into treatment, require him to face the consequences of his crimes and have a committee of SD writers take over the basic running of the press until the time tt is able to resume his duties in a forthright way.
LINKS OF INTEREST
SD IndieGogo
Conwoman (tt's writer
picture-painter page)
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