The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

AND.. that is the number I called on Friday and spoke with a gentleman (name posted earlier) and confirmed everything that letter said and to absolutely refute what PA claims to be the truth. I too am a recently "Published" PA Author and I still have many friends who have books through PA.

As was stated so eloquently earlier by T-42 this is not an attack against PA writers it is a question of deceptive business practices and fraudulent claims in marketing/promotion and advertising. (I'm trying to be nice cus it's technically Easter Sunday).

Happy Easter to everyone here I am privelaged to be among you.

Sincerely,

Greg B aka Sparhawk

Welcome, PAers

If you've never been here before (or you have, but never knew quite what we were about), please do take some time to have a look around and meet us. The rumors you've heard about the "bashers" do not apply to us.

A quick briefing:

-We do NOT support the creep/s who've left bad reviews on Amazon, signed guestbooks with nasty messages, etc.

-We are made up of a big mix of writers-- some current PA authors, some ex-PA authors, and many pro writers with long and prolific careers with major presses. This is not a case of "whiny writers who didn't read their contracts and don't want to promote." This is a case of many authors who were more than willing to spend time and money promoting the heck out of their books, but found out that they were up against brick walls due to several unfavorable PA policies (no returns, lack of editorial gatekeeping, poor discounts to bookstores, no catalog, no sales force, poor editing, overpricing, etc.).

-Our aim here is to help current PA authors, warn potential new authors, and try to get PA to be honest about what it does and does not offer.

-No one here wishes you ill. We are not allowed to explain or defend ourselves on your boards, and anyone who's spoken up to defend us over there has been banned.

There's more, but if you're interested, please just take some time and read. You might learn a lot around here, and we could always use more friends. Check out this thread, but check out the rest of the forum, too-- there are about 35 boards here for every type of writing you could imagine.

Uh-oh, it got later than I realized. Happy Easter to you, too, Greg, and everyone else who's still awake!

Yeah Jenna everyone~


Happy Easter!

Jenna,

Well said. You might consider taking your post and making it a sticky on top of the "neverending" thread (or just below it) and putting a title on it to catch the attention of any PA author checking the board?

-Jeff

For anyone who is currently signed with PA and has found their way here.

You did NOT do anything wrong.

You were tricked by a trio of people who have gotten good at this con.

I consider myself a pretty good researcher. I was sure I was going in with open eyes. That I was getting a real contract with a real publisher. That I was getting everything that was promised in writing on PA's site (which has changed...and changed...and changed). I was lied to and I bought the whole story.

When I realized what PA really was, I was embarrassed. I had only told my family about finally being accepted by a publisher, but it was a hard pill to swallow when I had to admit the truth. This was very difficult as my family has not been very supportive of my career choice and had mocked my ever being published. After I told them my publisher wasn't real and that there would be no book (I hadn't planned on buying any copies or doing any marketing so anyone else would know about it to buy it) I got a lot of grief-which I'm not looking forward to more of during our Easter gathering today.

Its not right. Its not fair. But it happened.

I was lucky in that I found AW. I read. I learned. I Kept Writing.

I have my book back. But everything I lost during my experience with PA almost makes it not worth it. Had PA told the truth about how they [don't] edit and how they have no Author Support for any aspect of publishing-like Marketing-I would not have gone with them.
Alas, I can't go back and get my time and energy from PA. What I can do is move forward. I have written another book. I have made some nice friends who support me.

There is life after PA.


Hi. I'm Joy. I was a PA author.

I am still a writer.

PA Convention

Alphabeter said:

How many current AW posters/lurkers attended the PA convention in February 2004?

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I was there.

First Day,

-Badly organized check-in (PA gave the wrong check in time at the hotel). Sheer Chaos.

-Met my friend and roommate-Lynn Price-for the first time in person. I had already signed a contract with her publishing company for my second novel. PA put us together in the same room, interestingly.

-Hanging around meeting PA authors in the conference room--a few snacks.

-Had to go out for dinner (not enough refreshments).

-PA author-run seminars. The seminars overlapped so it was impossible to catch them all. Armed security guards were present at most of the seminars (the ones I attended). I understand that at least two seminars (which I did not attend) degenerated into arguments over the lack of return policy. I attended Shemps seminar, "How to Write Comedy"-he was nervous, ill-prepared and barely audible.

-Hanging out in the tiny hotel bar. Shemp bought Kevin and I shots. I mugged for a pic with Shemp's arm around me. Met some more very nice people.

-Got to bed around midnight.

Second Day

-Got up early to go to breakfast (not sponsered by PA).

-Bought some refreshments as we didn't think we would get lunch on the day's planned excursion.

-8:00am or maybe 9:00am-Bus trip to Gettysburg. It was interesting as I had neve been there before. No food was offered (remember we left at 9am at the latest and it was an all day trip (we got back at 4:30pm or so). There were three or four buses, if I remember correctly. Lynn Price and I supplied the back of our bus with pretzels, cheese and crackers, and some kind of candy. Most authors were starving--really looking forward to the banquet's bounty.

-a half an hour to check in at home and get changed for the banquet.

-5pm-buses leave for the banquet.

-Banquet-(I've described this somewhere else on this thread in detail). It was cold, there was not enough food, Larry Clopper made a speech in which he admitted to PA having 7,000 or so happy authors, there were armed guards, long lines for booze (cash bar). Less than an hour into it they ran completely out of food. People were outrageously hungry. Even Shemp looked miserable. A fire alarm sounded and we had to evaculate--as Larry and Meiners laughed. Buses took us back to our hotel about 2-3 hours early.

-Party in our room. We had a good twenty or so people crammed into our room. We even supplied booze and snacks. Went to bed around 2am.

Day Three

-Got breakfast on our own again.

-Attended another PA Author presented seminar.

-Got ready for booksigning.

-Book signing event. The event was in a mall. I was placed next to AB Wallace (who was very nice). PA gave us ten books to sell for whatever we wanted to--many authors just gave them away or kept the books.

-After a couple of hours, I said my goodbyes and headed on home.

-A week or so later I was banned on their messageboard, labeled a traitor for signing with another publisher (curiously the mysterious "Bellman" who provided this information only posted on that day--never having posted there previously).

That's the timeline as I remember it.

diana

PA Authors - We are not your enemies!

Welcome to any PA Authors who may be lurking here.

I just want to reiterate that despite what you may have been told - we mean you no harm. However, your publisher has lied to you, misled you, and is taking advantage of you. On the PublishAmerica messageboard we are often characterized as whiners who didn't want to work to promote our books, or people who are jealous of your success. I'm sorry, but you have no chance of success because of your publisher's policies.

I was a PA Author. I worked darn hard at promoting my PA book. I believed that if I just worked hard enough "getting the ball rolling locally" then PA would keep their promise to market my book nationally. Yes, they promised me that. Well, I did several booksiginings, was interviewed in virtually every major newspaper in the Philadelphia area (Including The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Courier Post, The Gloucester Coutny Times, The Philadelphia Gay News, and the cover story of Philadephia Weekly). I was reviewed in national and international publications, and on countless websites. I bought the flyers and posters and bookmarks that PA told me I needed. I had them professionally made at considerable expense. I was interviewed on three national tv shows including The O'Reilly Factor. I bought books and sold them at cost to bookstores (in a few cases I sold them at a loss). I paid a lot of money for ads in Radio-Tv Interview Report and as a result did interviews boradcast on hundreds of radio stations across North America. My book received much critical acclaim (though usually the bad editing was mentioned) and was even nominated for a major fantasy award (PA ignored rrequests to provided review copies for the award consideration).

I did everything that I promised to do. Few PA authors have even come close to the amount of publicity I obtained. Few PA authors have sold more books than I have. Some who have are here. PA doesn't keep their promises. Their practices sabotage their authors efforts at every step. Working harder doesn't help. With all of that work, I sold about 700 copies of my PA book. I am not a whiner who didn't want to work on promotion. PA did nothing to help market my book. In fact, their no return policy, bad discounts, lack of catalog, lack of sales forces, bad editing, hindered my efforts. PublishAmerica is considered a bad joke in the publishing industry. The results that I obtained are now impossible to replicate because word of PA has spread.

I'm sorry to tell you this, but it is true. You have been duped. You have been lied to. You now have two choices: 1) forget your PA book and write something else and try to get it legitimately published, or 2) get a lawyer and get your book back.

I fought and got the rights to my book back. If I was a whiner who didn't want to work-would I have bothered.

Meanwhile, my second book was accepted by a new, small publisher. They got it reviewed by Publishers Weekly, they include my book (prominantly) catalogs-mailed to bookstores across the country. They arrange my book signings, they attend the BEA and other industry conventions. OH yeah, they edited completely too.

My former PA book has been accepted my a legimate publisher and is currently in the editing process. It is scheduled for release this fall.

We are not your enemies. We are not whiners or jealous of your success. We are here to spread the truth about PA so others won't fall into their trap, and so you can begin to climb out of it.

MY best ot you.

Happy Easter!

diana

tinasamuels said:

Atlanta Nights should be Macon Mornings

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I can agree with this. It's a definite eye opener when you're still waiting on the coffee.

H B???

What's the story on HB? I noticed the PA threads are gone and there's nothing new here.

Sassenach said:

What's the story on HB? I noticed the PA threads are gone and there's nothing new here.

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The section devoted to him was moved here.

P&E mentioned on PA MB

Check it out while it's still there: Personal Rant

I agree with you one hundred percent. Yes I wish PA would change a few things but they have their reasons.
I, too, have read the other sites, especially "Predators and Editors" where they continually bash PA. I fail to understand their immature sophomoric thinking. My mother used to say, "consider the source."

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I guess that even when they check out P&E they still ignore all the warnings and facts, and not ask any questions or do any further research.

But hey, a P&E mention on the PA board is still a rarity.

Happy Easter,

underthecity

Sassenach said:

What's the story on HB? I noticed the PA threads are gone and there's nothing new here.

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Jenna moved the "is he or isn't he" talk to a new thread. Its officially moot as Joe Schmoe has confirmed CBM is still alive.

The Stooges (or whoever is reading AW this weekend) then pulled the PA threads that referenced the unfortunate hoax. The last time I was able to pull up the three PA threads I had been watching and saving was around 0617 CST.

As for it being quiet, I'm taking the rest of the day off to be with my ever'lovin' famndamily. I'm hoping the alcohol-filled chocolate bunnies are more abundent this year or I'll have to make a special pixistix run. (My brain shan't be a pleasant place tomorrow!)

Happy Easter!

underthecity said:

Check it out while it's still there: Personal Rant

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Dman. Gone already. Guess they don't want anything else breaking loose this morning. Gonna be a run on caffeine in MD!

For our new friends from the PublishAmerica authors' family:

Some other links for you to explore:

The Washington Post article

The AP article

Atlanta Nights by Travis Tea

PublishAmerica: Yes or No?

San Antonio Current story

Message
Remember that childhood story......

Jacki cried "wolf" one too many times-
The result was that no one ever listened to him again.....never believed him...and certainly lost all respect for him

http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/lounge/8508.htm

THAT, to all at PA, is what your publisher is all about. Yes, maybe this poster is talking about "the one who can't be named", but PA is in this like quicksand! Open your eyes and see!
They don't listen to you or respect you...they just want your money!

Don't you think they would have had the decency to tell authors that this is a hoax? Instead they delete everything and hope nobody will notice....well, guess what PA, we ALL noticed and you are left with your assets exposed!

For PA authors who want to know the truth, we'll leave the signal crew out...:Cheer:

Happy Easter Everyone, and Welcome to any new comers and with that being said, I have to hide the rabbits for the dogs...I mean eggs

akaa1a said:

http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/lounge/8508.htm

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A poster there asks:

What more have we been duped about...answer this?

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Look around. Search the web. The answer isn't hard to find....

Keep this in mind. PA is sending out multiple versions of their letter about the proposed new contract and there may actually be multiple versions of that as well. All I know is that PA will now use this as evidence that they're trying to negotiate. So read anything carefully, share it here so we can apply multiple POVs to what it might mean or cause, and don't sign unless you're absolutely, positively certain that PA won't harm you with it. Remember, it doesn't matter if it's actually any better. What matters is whether PA can turn it into another weapon against you.

Dolan, I hope you see now that there are definite reasons to post what you receive. No one but you and PA will even know what you select, but by sharing what your proposed contract looks like before and without telling anyone your decision will certainly not come back at you. By the way, if you're hoping that PA will somehow magically convert into a good publisher, chances are slim to nothing and Slim left for the coast when he heard it was clear.

HB, I hope your latest death was a result of information I provided you. If so, don't you think it's time you came over here to fight against PA? Become a real good guy.

MacAllister said:

Heh--UTC, it won't stay there long...

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Nope, its 0911 MST and its GONE!

Julianne you have a private message

I don't care what Pa offers me. I will not sign anything with them. I already made that mistake once and I won't make it again! I will only accept a termination of my contract and all my book rights given back to me. That's it, nothing more to say about their stinkin non-exclusive contract.

well, I've gotten nothing - the last communication I had with PA was back in October when they sent me the release form that included the gag order. Ain't no way in heck I'm signing that nor anything else that's going to keep me quiet.

I notice an attempt on the PA boards now to somehow turn the HummingBarf's demise onto our backs... interesting warping of logic, but not surprising.

Hey, Marti - if you're reading this - we're not the bad guys. Look at your publisher and find the real target of your anger. And we ain't the Amazon slammers either. Get your head out of the sand and take a look at your royalty checks - you could do a lot better with a real publisher.

'nuff said.