The Arizona Republic’s Erin Zlomek looks at the July bankruptcy of Triskelion Enterprises, an e-book publisher of romance and science fiction novels whose expansion into trade paperbacks proved to be its undoing. Triskelion’s bankruptcy trustee, Brian Mullen, said unpaid expenses incurred while making the jump from e-book to paperback publisher hit the company hard. Around April, authors’ paychecks either bounced or failed to arrive.
Until the bankruptcy is finalized, the copyrights to several Triskelion authors’ books are stuck in limbo. Legally, the authors are not allowed to seek other publishers for their work, nor will any more copies of their books be sold in stores until bankruptcy proceedings are over, a process that could drag on through next year, Mullen said.
The experience of Triskelion authors serves as an important lesson for all authors, artists, freelancer writers and inventors when it comes to protecting their intellectual property, said Arizona State University College of Law Professor Erik Menkhus, who directs the school’s Technology Ventures Clinic. “It is really critical to have a look at the financial situation of who you are giving the rights to,” he said. A meeting for Triskelion creditors will be held in Surprise, Arizona on September 4.