In a letter faxed to its publishing clients July 19, Seven Hills Book Distributors said that because of a "dismal spring season, our cash-flow situation has become so acute that we had no choice but to cease operating." The letter does not discuss plans for paying publishers, but said that any publisher that does not owe Seven Hills money can claim their books from the warehouse. The status of the Cincinnati-based distributor had been uncertain since early July, when it stopped taking calls from its clients (News, July 15).
While angry that they did not receive more advance warning about Seven Hills's problems, publishers were relieved that they could at least begin recovering their books.
Seven Hills is charging five cents per book to pack the books, and publishers must pay the packing fee before books will be released. Publishers also must arrange, and pay for, shipping their titles. Seven Hills will not ship any books after August 10. Calls to Seven Hills's attorney Norman Slutsky seeking information about Seven Hills's plans were not returned.
The demise of Seven Hills is not preventing GreyCore Press publisher Joan Schweighardt from moving ahead with her most ambitious effort to date—a 10,000-copy first printing of One Man's Leg, a memoir by Paralympic cyclist and triathlete Paul Martin. Schweighardt has lined up lots of publicity for Martin and still intends to release the title in October.
