My Version of the Truthby Tobias A. Fox For the record, this will be my one and only time releasing a full statement about this matter. I will no longer direct my energy in this direction. Wahida Clark and I met during the summer of 2008. After discussing with her my credentials, knowledge, and experience of the publishing business she decided to contract me as a freelance editor for the two novels Thug Lovin’ by Wahida Clark and Trust No Man by Cash at a freelance pay rate of $2.50 per page. I later became employed by Mrs. Clark in October 2008 as an editor and publishing consultant to assist with the launching of her publishing company, Wahida Clark Presents Publishing, LLC (WCP). Despite discovering she was recently released after serving nearly nine years in a women’s federal detention center for fraud, money laundry, and conspiracy I still gave the idea of working with her the benefit of the doubt. Besides, she had the financial resources and a brand name by being a national bestselling author; while I had the publishing resources and the knowhow of running an independent publishing company. Prior to working with Mrs. Clark, I was already a published author, an editor, and publisher. I was offered and agreed to accept an hourly salary of $10.00 for 35 hours per week in addition to receiving a freelance editing rate of $2.50 per page to edit manuscripts selected for publication, as a way to be compensated for such a small hourly salary. I was then later approached by Mrs. Clark and asked to develop and write a business plan to attract investors and/or bankers that would help expand her business with the promise of increasing my salary annually, and making me the Publisher of her company by June 2009. As stated in her business plan. This promise was even reinstated by her seventy-three-year-old husband, Albert Dickens, who I later discovered served forty years in prison for a series of bank robberies. I was even introduced to potential investors and bankers by Mrs. Clark and Mr. Dickens as a CEO and Partner of Wahida Clark Presents Publishing, LLC. Following the release of WCP’s first title, Trust No Man by Cash, on January 19, 2009, Mrs. Clark promised a pay raise to former assistant Ka-Tira Lewis and me if the first print run of 4,000 copies were distributed to book buyers before or by 90 days. After promoting, distributing, and reaching the sale of 4,000 copies of Trust No Man within a 90-day period, Mrs. Clark fell short of her promise, acting as if she never said a thing. Instead, I was given a gift from Mr. Dickens and Mrs. Clark, a leather coat. Mrs. Lewis quit before the 90-day period was up. Up until May 2009 I had already completed the editing and publication of Thirsty by Mike Sanders, Trust No Man 2 by Cash along with the editing of The Ruthless Dictator written and published by Rumont TeKay. During the month of May, I began to experience serious financial hardship due to the small hourly pay. I spoke with Mr. Dickens about my financial difficulties. I even had to withdraw from the two courses I was taking at Essex County College in Newark, New Jersey, because I could not pay the tuition. Mr. Dickens seemed to be very sympathetic to my needs and concerns and stated that he would work on giving me a $5,000 bonus to help me with my financial problems by June 2009. Also during the month of May, I was working on the copyedit of Cheetah by Missy Jackson, and, under some pressure, had completed the editing of another novel. I was pressured by Mrs. Clark to quickly complete the editing and also asked, on some days, to leave early and even take days off to complete the editing of this new manuscript. Upon my completion, I turned in my invoice for the payment of $785.00, however, was informed a few hours later by Mrs. Clark that she did not have the money to pay me, but would do so in about two weeks. I was disappointed, but decided to accept her lack of commitment because the following week was our pay week. Several days later, I received a text message from Mrs. Clark asking about my credit. When asked why she was interested about my credit score, she stated that she would be willing to let me cosign for a loan and pay me $7,000 for doing so. I felt uncomfortable about this and told Mrs. Clark that my credit was bad due to student loans. I never heard anything else about Mr. Dickens giving me a bonus, nor did Mrs. Clark ever mention again to me about cosigning for a loan. On Thursday, June 4, 2009, a day before payroll, Mrs. Clark called me into her office around 2:00 p.m. and discretely informed me that she would not be able to make payroll. She apologized and advised me that I could (1) stick it out and continue to work for free with the promise of getting paid in a two-week period, or (2) leave with the promise of getting compensated in a two-week period. I decided to take the latter. I packed my belongings in the presence of Mrs. Clark, former intern Melody Johnson, my former assistant Nancy Thelot, and Mr. Dickens. Mrs. Clark and I even embraced as I went on about my life. The following individuals were present on June 4, 2009 during the hours of 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.:
In an email dated on Thursday, June 4, 2009, Mrs. Clark agreed to pay me in full the amount mentioned above, but has not done so to date. I did not realize that my decision to leave would come back to haunt me. It became obvious that Mrs. Clark had mistaken me as a piece of property, hers to own for such a cheap price, and would do anything to ruin my reputation with the hopes of me returning to her on my hands and knees. I would’ve never imagined that Wahida Clark would feel threatened by me. Upon leaving I informed the authors that I was working with while employed by Mrs. Clark that I decided to leave and go my separate way due to nonpayment. I even visited authors who were incarcerated, explaining my breakup with Wahida Clark. I also informed these authors that if they have no knowledge of publishing contracts, it would be in their best interest to either have a literary agent represent them or an attorney that specializes in publishing law to review their contract because the contracts that I negotiated with them were not, for the most part, industry standard. I further explained to them that the subsidiary rights split should appear similar to this:
Whereas, the contracts I negotiated while employed at WCP were not always outlined as such, and if an experienced literary agent or attorney would have reviewed the contracts I negotiated they would have questioned WCP’s business ethics. I further gave them other tips in regards to the business side of publishing and apologized to them, but they had to understand that I was working in the best interest of the publisher, not the author. I’m sure this must have bothered some of the authors that I had spoken with, and I’m sure they expressed what I shared with them to Mrs. Clark. A few authors, who were anticipating to sign with WCP, then informed Mrs. Clark that they wanted to follow my lead and this must have infuriated her, because she began defaming my character by accusing me of stealing millions of dollars from her and that I was wanted by the East Orange Police Department. She had expressed this to several authors and clients who had called her office expressing an interest with working with me. This information was brought to my attention by Debra Norwood, sister of a writer who had once expressed an interest in working with me after being informed about me and Wahida’s breakup. However, for reasons unknown, this author later decided to sign with WCP. I even called and spoke with Mrs. Clark on Sunday, June 7, 2009, regarding us having a face-to-face sit down meeting to work out our differences, but that request fell on deaf ears. She stated that she would consult with her husband and get back with me; I have yet to hear from her. Mrs. Clark has also tried to prevent me from collecting unemployment benefits by having her former assistant Kenya Mosses fax a fictitious resignation letter to the unemployment office and also informed them that I was wanted by the East Orange Police Department. Fortunately for me, the person at the unemployment office was not as foolish as Mrs. Clark would have hoped. Mrs. Clark had even tried to appeal my right to receive an extension of unemployment benefits. None of her attempts were successful. You would have thought that she and I were lovers the way she was carrying on. Kenya Mosses has been terminated from Wahida Clark Presents Publishing, LLC, allegedly for theft. About a month later, sometime in July, it had come to my attention through an attorney’s advertisement letter mailed to me, signed by David S. Sussman, Esquire, of The Law Offices of Sussman & LeBoeuf that I had criminal charges pending on me in the East Orange Municipality involving Theft by Unlawful Taking in East Orange in Essex County. This accusation was not only false and later dismissed by the Superior Court of New Jersey, because Mrs. Clark failed to appear in court, but also a ploy used to avoid paying me $785.00 for the editing of the last novel I worked on and $490 for the 49 hours that I worked in the office as stated on my timesheet. She also tried to persuade others not to work with me. Apparently, Mrs. Clark fails to understand that we live in a free market, whereas, people have the legal right to pick and choose whom they want to do business with. I later received a call from an employee at WCP, stating that it was believed that I was in possession of contracts and manuscripts that “belonged” to Mrs. Clark. I put quotation marks around the word belong because I wasn’t sure if the employee was referring to manuscripts that were sent to WCP for review or if these were manuscripts that she had acquired to publish. As stated to the employee, authors’ contracts and manuscripts did not then or now serve me any purpose. I cannot use them, sell them, or benefit from them in any way. Contracts and manuscripts are easily replaceable and hold no value to anyone but the publisher and author. I am sure the authors that she was publishing would have gladly sent her a copy of any documents that she may not be able to locate if they hadn’t done so already. If I were to steal something from anyone it would be something more tangible than documents that could easily be replaced. Mrs. Clark was apparently upset with my decision to end our business relationship. I was the only in-house editor and ghostwriter for her company, and most knowledgeable employee about the publishing business. She had even planned to contract me to ghostwrite an author’s story that she had signed. By me leaving would result to her outsourcing my skills, which would increase her expenses. I tried to bring professionalism and overall business ethics into her environment. There has been a great lost on both our parts. We’ve both lost a friend and business partner, but just as all things in life, we shall continue to grow and move on. It is just a sad reality that, for the most part, the government’s tactic of divide and conquer has proven to be one of their strongest weapons against people of color and all others under their control. Instead of uplifting and supporting one another, we are constantly living like crabs in a bucket, pulling one another down. I had hoped to have a long-lasting relationship with Wahida Clark, and through her, form alliances with other independent publishers to increase our economical and distribution power within the publishing business. I was even in the process of developing an imprint under WCP for nonfiction, mysteries/thrillers, erotica, and inspirational fiction on the lines of the book written by her husband. However, by us displaying such public buffoonery and hatred towards one another we will always be looked upon as slaves. Questions, comments and concerns can be sent to: taylor@urbanbooksource.com Comments page 1 of 1:
Whoa, but I'm not surprised at all. I was going to attened W's lastest signing, but was turned off by her wanting $15, I'm happy that Tobias blew her spot. She broke. I'm would'nt be surprised if she winds up back in prison. goodbye
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