Light Goes out at Light Sword

73537Victoria Strauss at Writers Beware is reporting the long-expected news that sham publisher Light Sword, which defrauded authors and was run by the talentless Linda Daly (pictured on the left) and the convicted felon Bonny Kirby, has filed for bankruptcy. Daly has also filed for bankruptcy, but it may be a lame move to keep her sham publishing operation going:

Daly's personal bankruptcy petition, which Writer Beware has seen, makes no mention of her interest in LSP Digital, or of the contracts in her/the company's possession. Also, while the bankruptcy petition for Light Sword Publishing (which Writer Beware has also seen) claims that Light Sword has had no income for the previous 12 months, LSP Digital was only incorporated last June. So what happened between December 2007 and June 2008, when Light Sword was still Light Sword, and was still publishing and selling the books that are now with LSP Digital?

Is Daly hoping that she can solve her personal and corporate credit problems by declaring one publisher bankrupt while continuing to operate the other? I can't help but be reminded of literary scammer Martha Ivery, who declared bankruptcy for her vanity press Press-Tige Publishing, but attempted to shield Press-Tige's assets by transferring them to a "new" publishing company called New Millennium. The bankruptcy trustee in her case wasn't fooled.

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Let's hope the same is true with the trustee in the Light Sword case. But it won't be too hard for him to see the truth. Daly is so inept that the web address for LSP Digital is Lightswordpublishing.com.

Bonny Kirby, Daly's publishing partner, is also the advertising director at Affaire De Coeur Magazine, which heaped glowing praise and cover stories on Light Sword …without any reference to her personal and financial connection to the sham publisher. These ethical lapses are exactly what you'd expect from a woman who is currently on probation for writing bad checks and third-degree felony theft.

I hope the fall of yet another POD scam will teach aspiring authors to be more careful about who they get into business with.

12 thoughts on “Light Goes out at Light Sword”

  1. The bottom line is that if ANY “publishing entity” asks for money to do anything, from copyright costs to editing costs the author should run. But the REAL, REAL bottom line is that any publisher who pumps the author’s ego into investing, is more than likely criminal. Of course, that falls within the philosophical question, “if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound”? If a publishing company offers great deals and no one takes them, do publishing companies still scam?
    Not only is the nation facing a finacial crisis, but the publishing business is as well, books are not exactly necessary staples. When major houses are refusing to accept new manuscripts and are being scammed by authors who make “non-fiction” claims on fictional books (most recently), then smaller publishing houses without experience will face these problems as well. When authors scam publishers, even the large publishing companies, they too fall victim. The criminals are winning on both sides which will cost us all as crime usually does.
    Long-standing, private book stores are closing and major chains are on the “ropes”. Where has the market gone? According to a recent New York Times article, “to the internet”. And not in the way that one would first think, “ordering from Amazon” but to companies that offer books for sale at pennies on the dollar, predicated on the consumer’s ability to wait a few months after a book’s release. Might get an offset print book that way given the sheer number of copies that are released which drives that particular market. Or is LSP Digital only digital printing or offset…I’m confused. Or, if not to hide original LSP assets, then why would a LSP type company go “digital” when that’s what it always was?
    So, apparently, the way to make money in the book business is to “fake it” like the Linda Daly’s and Bonnie Kirby’s of the world and unscrupulous authors. Given the perception that somehow the “literary world” is above “plain old criminal activity”, authors will continue to be scammed. If there are just enough idiots out there that want to believe that some literary “pixie” is protecting their work, then the criminals will win even more.
    The 2 sides of the brain are not mutually exclusive, even for authors, but are very handily connected. That means that for all us “creative” types, we CAN and NEED to understand the “dirty ol’ business world” out there. If a publisher promises “moonlight and roses” and the author does not check and recheck those promises based on research, then the author most likely will lose or can buy into “la-la land” a la Daley/Kirby ventures.
    By the way, has anyone got an idea when there will be government bailouts for stupidity? Or is that called bankruptcy?

    Reply
    • Hi I am the writer and illustrator of a children’s books from lsp digital. The book is called my best friends are tools. 8 have not received any payout for a year. I spoke with linda daly several times by phone. I did suspect that she was not stable but trusted her.how can i conlntact amazon and get out of her bogus scam. I’m very disipointed.
      Kevin S fraser
      Magnoliaandkyle@gmail.com

      Reply
  2. I am so happy to see you’ve continued to cover this, Lee.
    It’s interesting to see that Daly has followed through with the bankruptcy scenario she laid out to me during a couple of telephone conversations many months ago, while I was still under contract to Limp Sword. Her plan then was to file bankruptcy, all the while opening a new company under a new name (not particularly inventive, I must say) in an atempt to ‘protect’ her company from a takeover by litigants. She also told me that she feared Bonny Kirby would also be suing her and would take her company, given the opportunity.
    I don’t know what kind of ‘La La Land’ this woman lives in, but if she thinks a federal bankruptcy court trustee is going to miss this, she’s out of her ever-lovin’ mind. Especially when she told everyone with an ear what she intended. I can also assure you that, unless they are bothering to keep track of events as they are reported here, at Writer Beware, Preditors and Editors, and The Water Cooler, Limp Sword authors are getting a load of manure from Daly.
    I sure hope they aren’t swallowing it. They and their books could be in limbo for a very long time.

    Reply
  3. I don’t care about present Light Sword authors. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever. Anyone stupid enough to still be in business with her deserves the misery and disappoint that is in store.
    Lee

    Reply
  4. ….the Other LG, “she’s out of her ever lovin’ mind.” And so are any other authors who continue to support her. That’s the good old cult mindset which I believe has been pointed out before… “I sure hope they aren’t swallowing it.” The grape Kool-Aid or the manure?
    Pity? The person I pity is the one who not only lost her books, but the big bucks it took to bring down the scammers who are still trying to scam. She doesn’t get anything unless there are assets from LSP which I highly doubt…nevermind a group of half-literate imbiciles who continue to “believe”.

    Reply
  5. Well, I can’t help but worry. This woman reminds me of Michael Myers and the Halloween movie series. What are we up to, Halloween 84: Michael Myers Outlives His Great-Great-Great Grandchildren In Order To Kill Again?
    I wonder if Linda Daly will be sporting a hockey mask at the hearing on the 22nd?

    Reply
  6. Just an update: It’s been reported on the Water Cooler that Light Sword Publishing, LLC, was dissolved on January 21, 2009. It appears that LSPDigital, however, still has an Internet presence at least. Same horse, same rider—very muddy track.

    Reply
  7. Per my attorney, I am releasing the following:
    Author, J. G. Eastwood announces that her lawsuit against Linda Daly and Light Sword Publishing, LLC has been resolved. While confidentiality provisions agreed to by the parties prevents disclosure of the specific terms of the settlement, public records on file with United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan reveal that Daly and Light Sword’s attempt to discharge in bankruptcy a court judment obtained by Eastwood was unsuccessful. As such, the judgment against Daly and Light Sword was not discharged and remains subject to collection.

    Reply
  8. I’m the writer and illustrator of a children’s book entitled my best friends are tools. It’s been a year and no pay out and sold many books. Linda daly is selling them through amazon and avoids my email. I trusted her and am very disipoinTed. I was very suspicious and thought she seemed unstable when I talked to her.I want my book back so I can go through proper chanels that are honest.

    Kevinsfraser
    Magnoliaandkyle@gmail.com

    Reply
    • I have no sympathy for you. All you had to do was google Linda Daly to find out what you were in for if you published a book with her. If you read all of that, and went into business with her anyway, then you got what you deserved. If you didn’t read up on her, you’re a fool for not researching someone before getting into business with them. Consider it a lesson learned and move on.

      Lee

      Reply

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