Shelf Awareness reports that Author Solutions (which includes subsidiaries AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Trafford, Xlibris, Inkubook and Wordclay) are being investigated for deceptive and unlawful practices.  The investigators claim the practices include “enticing authors to purchase promotional services that are not provided or are worthless, failing to pay royalties, and spamming authors and publishing blogs/sites with promotional material.”

As self-publishing has boomed, authors have to be more vigilant than ever about the companies and individuals they trust with their projects. One of the best ways to check a company or person out is to call them directly. If you can’t speak to someone in person, or if you get kicked into a phone bank of low-paid “representatives,” you might consider whether you’re really going to receive the personal attention your book and your career deserve.