Lightning Source to Spark complete failure Total Spark database failure -- in an attempt to save money, we switched from Lightning Source to Spark, having had assurances that it would be seamless. It wasn't. Beginning on 5 March 2024 we tried to upload new covers for two of our books that we'd entered under the LS regime. Spark wouldn't take them, claiming "Imprint name already taken." Surprise! It's OUR IMPRINT THAT WE'VE BEEN USING SINCE 2011. But somehow, Spark's IT folks have been unable to flip the bits necessary to tell the Spark side that (all) our Saddle Road Press books belong to us. This has caused problems -- do I even need to say that email help has been, so far, useless? No answer, no fix -- and it's the 15th -- ten days of an unfixed problem. Two authors need review copies and we're unable to produce them. It's causing trouble. This is just nuts.

Clown company Clown company. Their book-building tool is a joke. I added an image to the rear cover of my book, and several times during the publishing process the tool kept removing it. When it came to approving the final proofs the picture was removed. I asked for assistance and was told to ignore it - and the books arrived with image intact. A couple of weeks later I corrected an error in the text, and ordered more copies. I didn't touch the image. The books arrived without the image attached. I complained and was blatantly lied to. They insisted I had removed the image (why the hell would i??) and that their tool was unimpeachable. Clowns.

Totally nonexistent customer service Totally nonexistent customer service. I placed an order for advance copies of my book, and paid extra for rush service, which should have printed in 3 days. Now more than 2 weeks later I can't even get an estimated time to ship. Multiple requests to customer service go unanswered. I'm having a book release party with no book to actually show.

Unbeatable Service! I have never experienced a faster and friendlier service from a publisher this big, and with so much to do. You really do make this experience as easy as it possibly can be. Thank you!

Great distribution and printing, less than ideal UX Great distribution and printing quality. I’ve moved away from Amazon print on demand as Ingram spark’s physical product is better. the user experience could do with some love (e.g hard to decipher error messages), and it would be great to have some marketing options incorporated other than adding the book to a newsletter (e.g. google ads).