Authors Press
Thinking about publishing with Authors Press? Here’s an independent, sourced look at whether it’s a legitimate vanity press or one to avoid — measured against the IBPA hybrid-publisher criteria, the ALLi Watchdog, and Writer Beware, and last checked on 2026-06-09.
Key findings
- Not recommended — meets 0 of the 11 IBPA hybrid-publisher criteria.
- ALLi rates it Watchdog Advisory; Writer Beware lists it.
- Author pays: $899–$4,999 per publishing package.
- Distribution: online retailers only.
- Watch for: implies false affiliation (e.g. with amazon), operates under rotating names, overseas boiler-room operation.
Our assessment
Authors Press (authorspress.com, Pittsburg CA) is a pay-to-publish vanity press and the current trading name of a Philippine-based alias cluster that has also operated as Greenberry Publishing, Westwood Books Publishing, Book Vine Press, Ink to Script LLC, and Boundless Script Inc. (per the Writer Beware scam archive), with Maribelle Birao documented as a principal across entities. Writer Beware explicitly documents the cluster as "Westwood Books Publishing (formerly Greenberry Publishing) (aka Authors Press)" in its Army of Clones article (Jan 25, 2018, updated Feb 16, 2023).
WritersWeekly.com published a dedicated complaints article detailing unsolicited cold outreach, false claims that Amazon "recommended" authors' books, and "TV interviews" that are merely YouTube videos. The BBB lists Author's Press with a D- rating, not accredited, with 6 complaints to which the company failed to respond; predecessor entity Greenberry Publishing held an F rating.
The cluster's Book Vine Press alias carries an ALLi Watchdog Advisory for concerns across Transparency, Quality, Marketing, Service, and Other. Publishing packages are priced from $899 to $4,999 with no publicly disclosed royalty rate.
Books are placed on Ingram at only a 5% retailer discount (confirmed via Absolute Write investigative thread), making physical bookstore stocking impractical. The claimed US address traces to a location unaffiliated with publishing operations; actual operations trace to the Philippines.
The company meets none of the 11 IBPA Hybrid Publisher Criteria.
This is Glass Elevator’s assessment based on the sources listed below. Facts are attributed; opinions are the watchdogs’ own.
IBPA hybrid criteria
- Defines a clear mission & vision
- Vets submissions (is selective)
- Commits to truth & transparency
- Provides a negotiable, clear contract
- Publishes under its own imprint & ISBNs
- Publishes to industry standards
- Ensures editorial & design quality
- Manages a range of rights
- Provides real distribution
- Demonstrates respectable sales
- Pays higher-than-standard royalties
Watchdog ratings
Writer Beware documents the alias cluster explicitly as: "Westwood Books Publishing (formerly Greenberry Publishing) (aka Authors Press)." The cluster also includes Ink to Script LLC and Boundless Script Inc. per the Writer Beware scam archive. The operation is covered in the "Army of Clones" article (Jan 25, 2018, updated Feb 16, 2023) about Author Solutions copycat operations. WritersWeekly independently published a dedicated complaints article covering both Authors Press and Westwood Books Publishing. Book Vine Press — a confirmed alias of the same cluster — carries an ALLi Watchdog Advisory with concerns across Transparency, Quality, Marketing, Service, and Other.
Observable red flags
- Charges authors to publish
- Money required upfront
- Solicits authors via cold outreach
- Implies false affiliation (e.g. with Amazon)
- No real trade distribution
- Vague or hidden pricing
- Aggressive upsells
- Operates under rotating names
- Overseas boiler-room operation
Terms
- Typical cost
- $899–$4,999 per publishing package
- Royalty to author
- Not publicly disclosed
- Author keeps rights
- Unknown
- Distribution
- Online retailers only
- What you get
- Pay-to-publish package including basic formatting, cover design, and listing on Amazon/Ingram; marketing add-ons (website design, YouTube videos marketed as "TV interviews") sold separately. Books listed on Ingram at only 5% discount to stores — well below the 40–55% industry standard — making bookstore placement effectively impossible.
- Website
- authorspress.com
Authors Press: frequently asked questions
Is Authors Press a legitimate hybrid publisher or a vanity press?
Glass Elevator's assessment is "Not recommended." Watchdog advisories, serious red flags, or membership in a known bad network. We do not recommend it. It meets 0 of the 11 IBPA Hybrid Publisher Criteria, and ALLi rates it Watchdog Advisory, and Writer Beware lists it.
How much does Authors Press cost?
$899–$4,999 per publishing package Always get the full, itemized price in writing before you commit.
What royalties does Authors Press pay authors?
Not publicly disclosed
Does Authors Press take your rights?
We could not confirm the rights terms. Ask for the contract and check the rights and reversion clauses before signing.
Is Authors Press on Writer Beware or ALLi's watchdog list?
Writer Beware lists Authors Press. ALLi has issued a Watchdog Advisory for it. See the sources on this page for the listings, and research independently before paying anything.
Should I publish with Authors Press?
That's your call, but here's the basis: Watchdog advisories, serious red flags, or membership in a known bad network. We do not recommend it. Compare it against the IBPA checklist and watchdog ratings above, get every term in writing, and remember that traditional trade publishers pay authors rather than charging them.
Sources
- WritersWeekly – Complaints about Authors Press and Westwood Books Publishing (writersweekly.com)
- Absolute Write Water Cooler – Westwood Books Publishing / Authors Press (formerly Greenberry Publishing) (absolutewrite.com)
- Just Publishing Advice – Book Publishers to Avoid and New Author Scams (justpublishingadvice.com)
- Writer Beware – Army of Clones: Author Solutions Spawns a Legion of Copycats (writerbeware.blog)
- Writer Beware – Scam Archive (Overseas Scams, Philippine publishing cluster) (writerbeware.blog)
- BBB – Author's Press Profile (Pittsburg, CA) (bbb.org)
- ALLi Self-Publishing Services Watchdog (selfpublishingadvice.org)
- Authors Press – Official Website (authorspress.com)