Westwood Books Publishing
Thinking about publishing with Westwood Books Publishing? 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.
- Writer Beware lists it.
- Author pays: Undisclosed upfront; authors report paying $1,000–$10,000+ for marketing and publishing packages that were not delivered.
- Distribution: no distribution.
- Watch for: operates under rotating names, overseas boiler-room operation, part of a known bad network.
Our assessment
Westwood Books Publishing (Los Angeles, CA; est. April 2018) is listed on Writer Beware's Philippine Publishing Scams archive as "Westwood Books Publishing (formerly Greenberry Publishing) (aka Authors Press / Ink to Script / Boundless Script Inc.)" — with three additional cross-referenced entries for the alias names on the same page.
The predecessor entity, Greenberry Publishing LLC, was registered at a Pittsburg, CA address with principals Maribelle Birao and Aaron Gochuico, who are described across multiple sources as originally from Cebu, Philippines. The BBB assigns the company an F rating for failure to respond to 7 complaints; the company is not BBB-accredited.
Authors filing complaints with the BBB and ComplaintsBoard describe paying between $1,000 and $10,000 or more for marketing and publishing packages that were not delivered; one BBB reviewer specifically cites $6,000 paid with nothing received. WritersWeekly documents deceptive promotional claims including YouTube videos represented as television interviews and paid advertisements described as Publishers Weekly reviews, as well as unsolicited cold outreach as a primary sales method.
Book Vine Press appears as a standalone entry on the same Writer Beware archive page and is identified by secondary sources (justpublishingadvice.com, WritersWeekly) as the latest operating alias of the same cluster, though the Writer Beware archive does not itself cross-reference the two entries. No confirmed ALLi directory listing was found for any entity in this cluster.
No evidence of trade distribution was found. The company's own website was non-responsive at time of review.
The frequent alias pattern — Greenberry Publishing to Westwood Books Publishing, with concurrent use of Authors Press, Ink to Script LLC, and Boundless Script Inc. — is itself documented as a characteristic of Philippine-based overseas publishing operations in Writer Beware's reporting. Authors are advised to avoid this company.
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
- ALLi Watchdog
- Not rated
- Writer Beware
- Listed · source
- BBB
- F
Listed on Writer Beware's Philippine Publishing Scams archive as "Westwood Books Publishing (formerly Greenberry Publishing) (aka Authors Press / Ink to Script / Boundless Script Inc.)." Three additional cross-referenced entries appear on the same archive page for Authors Press, Ink to Script LLC, and Boundless Script Inc. Book Vine Press also appears as a standalone entry on the same archive page; secondary sources link it to the same alias cluster, though the Writer Beware archive entry for Book Vine Press does not itself list the other aliases.
Observable red flags
- Charges authors to publish
- Money required upfront
- Solicits authors via cold outreach
- Operates under rotating names
- Overseas boiler-room operation
- Vague or hidden pricing
- Aggressive upsells
- Part of a known bad network
Terms
- Typical cost
- Undisclosed upfront; authors report paying $1,000–$10,000+ for marketing and publishing packages that were not delivered
- Royalty to author
- Not publicly disclosed
- Author keeps rights
- Unknown
- Distribution
- No distribution
- What you get
- Editing, cover design, formatting, ISBN setup, and marketing services are promised; multiple authors report none were delivered after payment.
- Website
- westwoodbookspublishing.com/
Westwood Books Publishing: frequently asked questions
Is Westwood Books Publishing 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 Writer Beware lists it.
How much does Westwood Books Publishing cost?
Undisclosed upfront; authors report paying $1,000–$10,000+ for marketing and publishing packages that were not delivered Always get the full, itemized price in writing before you commit.
What royalties does Westwood Books Publishing pay authors?
Not publicly disclosed
Does Westwood Books Publishing take your rights?
We could not confirm the rights terms. Ask for the contract and check the rights and reversion clauses before signing.
Is Westwood Books Publishing on Writer Beware or ALLi's watchdog list?
Writer Beware lists Westwood Books Publishing. See the sources on this page for the listings, and research independently before paying anything.
Should I publish with Westwood Books Publishing?
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
- Writer Beware Philippine Publishing Scams Archive (writerbeware.blog)
- BBB Business Profile — Westwood Books Publishing (F rating, 7 complaints) (bbb.org)
- WritersWeekly — Complaints about Authors Press and Westwood Books Publishing (writersweekly.com)
- ComplaintsBoard — Westwood Books review (complaintsboard.com)
- ComplaintsBoard — Authors Press review (complaintsboard.com)
- Just Publishing Advice — Book Vine Press / Westwood Books alias entry (justpublishingadvice.com)
- Westwood Books Publishing official website (westwoodbookspublishing.com)
- BBB Business Profile — Greenberry Publishing (Pittsburg CA) (bbb.org)