The New Never-Ending PublishAmerica Thread (NEPAT)
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"Jessica Lewis, an employee at PublishAmerica wrote in her closing paragraph, “I am informing you herewith that we have currently no copies of your book in stock. All rights under the copyright are herewith returned to you.”
It is so good of Jessica Lewis to return the rights to your copyright to you, however, who actually signed the rescind order? Jessica Lewis is not listed as a partner of Publish America LLLP, and judging from her overuse of the word "herewith" and her misuse of the word "we" when she should have used Publish America LLLP, in the quoted missive, she is just a typical PA semi-literate nonentity who might not have any legal authority to cede your copyright back to you.
Please check your certificate. It has to be signed by a partner for it to be valid.
Very Respectfully
Stan Jozwiak
It is so good of Jessica Lewis to return the rights to your copyright to you, however, who actually signed the rescind order? Jessica Lewis is not listed as a partner of Publish America LLLP, and judging from her overuse of the word "herewith" and her misuse of the word "we" when she should have used Publish America LLLP, in the quoted missive, she is just a typical PA semi-literate nonentity who might not have any legal authority to cede your copyright back to you.
Please check your certificate. It has to be signed by a partner for it to be valid.
Very Respectfully
Stan Jozwiak
not really - he's buying into the classic "Bookstores have 90 days to pay us!" tripe that gets spewed out every now and then by other PA authors.
they truly are their own worst enemies at times.
*sighs*
they truly are their own worst enemies at times.
*sighs*
Wait a minute. PA doesn't have anything to do with the copyrights of any of their books. The copyrights belong to the authors. PA only had certain publishing rights.Jessica Lewis said:
I'm no longer a PA Author!
I am no longer a PA author in any regard! My certified letter contained three letters which released me from all three of my books from PA!
Each letter read:
February 15, 2006
Dear Ms. Sutterer,
I am informing you that, as per your request for termination of your contract, that we are discontinuing the publication of your book The Contingency of Power as of this day.
Your final royalty statement will be sent as usual. All rights under the copyright are herewith returned to you.
Sincerely,
Jessica Lewis
Publish America
All three of the letters were exactly the same other than the change of title for each book. This is rather surprising since my poetry book was just listed as a new release a couple of weeks ago. They also gave me a 100 dollar advance for this book which I have already received and spent! I guess that means I got 100 bucks for nothing! My poetry book was not even all the way done being produced! Isn’t that nuts! I told them way before they sent me the advance to just drop the contract and save that money, but nooooooooo! They sent me a tone letter instead! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!
No more PA! No more Author’s Support!
Now all we want is the same letter for Argile’s book! I’m hoping that we will get another letter for him soon!
Tracy
I am no longer a PA author in any regard! My certified letter contained three letters which released me from all three of my books from PA!
Each letter read:
February 15, 2006
Dear Ms. Sutterer,
I am informing you that, as per your request for termination of your contract, that we are discontinuing the publication of your book The Contingency of Power as of this day.
Your final royalty statement will be sent as usual. All rights under the copyright are herewith returned to you.
Sincerely,
Jessica Lewis
Publish America
All three of the letters were exactly the same other than the change of title for each book. This is rather surprising since my poetry book was just listed as a new release a couple of weeks ago. They also gave me a 100 dollar advance for this book which I have already received and spent! I guess that means I got 100 bucks for nothing! My poetry book was not even all the way done being produced! Isn’t that nuts! I told them way before they sent me the advance to just drop the contract and save that money, but nooooooooo! They sent me a tone letter instead! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!
No more PA! No more Author’s Support!
Now all we want is the same letter for Argile’s book! I’m hoping that we will get another letter for him soon!
Tracy
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Congratulations to all those who have just won their freedom. I hope for many, many more such announcements to come.
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Yeah, that last statement makes no sense (in the letter) "All rights under the copyright" ???
What does that mean? You bought the copyright, and even if you hadn't personally done it, a real publisher would have take one out in your name. There are no "rights under copyright". They have purchased rights from you under contract, the right to publish. I don't get it.
Yeah, even when they're releasing people they can't get it right.
What does that mean? You bought the copyright, and even if you hadn't personally done it, a real publisher would have take one out in your name. There are no "rights under copyright". They have purchased rights from you under contract, the right to publish. I don't get it.
Yeah, even when they're releasing people they can't get it right.
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ASA reply
Okay, I sent a note to the ASA about PA. I was thinking that they might be able to force some notice on the company's website. Here's their reply (edited for line breaks only).
Thank you for your e-mail to the Advertising Standards Authority.
The ASA’s remit is limited to looking into complaints about advertising material only. We are unable to investigate complaints about general business practices.
The ASA's remit on the Internet extends to advertisements in paid for space only - not generic information on a company's own website. The remit includes:
* banner, pop-up and other advertisements
* the contents of commercial emails
* sales promotions anywhere online
For complaints about the trading practices of the company you could try speaking to your local trading standards department for advice – www.tradingstandards.gov.uk.
If you would like to make a complaint about the advertising material distributed by Publish Atlantica please complete our online complaints form at www.asa.org.uk. Alternatively, you can contact our complaints team at the address, fax or telephone number below.
Regards
Debra Quantrill
So, if anyone knows of any Google adwords or any other paid advertising for Publish Atlantica, please follow the link Debra gives above.
Okay, I sent a note to the ASA about PA. I was thinking that they might be able to force some notice on the company's website. Here's their reply (edited for line breaks only).
Thank you for your e-mail to the Advertising Standards Authority.
The ASA’s remit is limited to looking into complaints about advertising material only. We are unable to investigate complaints about general business practices.
The ASA's remit on the Internet extends to advertisements in paid for space only - not generic information on a company's own website. The remit includes:
* banner, pop-up and other advertisements
* the contents of commercial emails
* sales promotions anywhere online
For complaints about the trading practices of the company you could try speaking to your local trading standards department for advice – www.tradingstandards.gov.uk.
If you would like to make a complaint about the advertising material distributed by Publish Atlantica please complete our online complaints form at www.asa.org.uk. Alternatively, you can contact our complaints team at the address, fax or telephone number below.
Regards
Debra Quantrill
So, if anyone knows of any Google adwords or any other paid advertising for Publish Atlantica, please follow the link Debra gives above.
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I think this means in their twisted collected evil minds that you now have your rights back. However, there remains one tiny caveat. They still have the right to illegaly sell it.
On the flip side-congratulations are still in order, Tracy
It's not supposed to make any sense, so don't bother trying to figure it out!
On the flip side-congratulations are still in order, Tracy
It's not supposed to make any sense, so don't bother trying to figure it out!
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Play on words, Dave. Of course they don't have the right. That's why I refer to them as nothing more than a pack of thieves
or evil, lying criminals.
Yup, that's what PA is: criminals
But lurkers want to continue to believe in these fools? Can't for the life of me understand why. If they do, whatever. Reminds me, got a phone call to make...
Yup, that's what PA is: criminals
But lurkers want to continue to believe in these fools? Can't for the life of me understand why. If they do, whatever. Reminds me, got a phone call to make...
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Christine N. said:
Perhaps they finally did wind up printing something like the next Unabomer Manifesto, if Pavel's that unglued.
TracySutterer & ArgileStox said:
I'm so happy for you, Tracy! Here's hoping that the next post will bring you Argile's freedom too.
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POSTAL INSPECTOR'S PHONE NUMBER
Anyone w/ a grievance against PublishAmerica who wishes to be heard:
please call: Mr. Earl Bundy
Washington Division Postal Inspector
410-347-4392
I'm sure he's looking forward to hearing from all 17,000 unhappy authors. Unfortunately, there is no toll-free number. For this, our government apologizes.
Anyone w/ a grievance against PublishAmerica who wishes to be heard:
please call: Mr. Earl Bundy
Washington Division Postal Inspector
410-347-4392
I'm sure he's looking forward to hearing from all 17,000 unhappy authors. Unfortunately, there is no toll-free number. For this, our government apologizes.
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MadScientistMatt said:
You know, that would make a good novel...Scam-publisher scams a disturbed and unbalanced writer, who goes after him with a perverse and manic homicidal rage that makes the movie "Saw" look like the Sound of Music.
Any takers? Not my genre
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Just a thought
Congrats to all who escaped from PA's clutches.
Wait two or three months and try to order your book from some online sources (and maybe even from PA). Just to make sure. . . .
Congrats to all who escaped from PA's clutches.
Wait two or three months and try to order your book from some online sources (and maybe even from PA). Just to make sure. . . .
Congrats, Tracy. I hope Argile's comes soon so he could start getting better without all the hassle. After all, the stress from PA made him have a heart attack so he could use that in arbitration. It wouldn't be a good thing for the arbitrator to hear that PA is trying to kill their authors with stress induced myocardial infarctions.
I know I am looking into arbitration myself. Them sending the cops to my house on a bogus charge, the tone letters I still have saved in a nice file. The letter I got from Vic stating that Purple was a fraud when he knew it wasn't. It should be more than enough to get my book rights back. Not to mention it is tax time and I got some money and now I can afford it. Yeah!!
I know I am looking into arbitration myself. Them sending the cops to my house on a bogus charge, the tone letters I still have saved in a nice file. The letter I got from Vic stating that Purple was a fraud when he knew it wasn't. It should be more than enough to get my book rights back. Not to mention it is tax time and I got some money and now I can afford it. Yeah!!
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Or read a (reliable, professional) review or hear a personal recommendation or already know and enjoy the author's work. Dunno about other folks, I but I have bought many books on the basis of published reviews, some on the basis of friends' recommendations, and a few as a result of Amazon reader reviews (assuming I am already looking for something on the topic and just needed to make a decision on that book). Some I have bought sight unseen because they were cited in notes or bibliography of a book I was reading and I needed to pursue the research further. Browsing is good, but it is not all there is.rekirts said:
--Ken
Just some info on PA
Publish America, LLLP is the enity most of us refer to as PA. It is the publisher. It is owned by Publish America, Incorporated.
Publish America, Inc. is a closely held stock corporation located at 208 Crestview Court, Frederick, Maryland, 21702. William Meiners is the chief executive officer and Larry Cloppers is the president. Their legal connection with PA is as officers of the company that owns PA.
PA is operated on a day-to-day basis by Miranda Prather. Her official title is managing director.
When I worked at a big corporation I signed letters for the corporation that were legally binding and I wasn't an officer or director. I believe any employee can be given authority to sign on behalf of PA.
Vic Cretella is the resident agent of both PA and Publish America, Inc.
Dee
Publish America, LLLP is the enity most of us refer to as PA. It is the publisher. It is owned by Publish America, Incorporated.
Publish America, Inc. is a closely held stock corporation located at 208 Crestview Court, Frederick, Maryland, 21702. William Meiners is the chief executive officer and Larry Cloppers is the president. Their legal connection with PA is as officers of the company that owns PA.
PA is operated on a day-to-day basis by Miranda Prather. Her official title is managing director.
When I worked at a big corporation I signed letters for the corporation that were legally binding and I wasn't an officer or director. I believe any employee can be given authority to sign on behalf of PA.
Vic Cretella is the resident agent of both PA and Publish America, Inc.
Dee
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PA is a public corp?? I wonder who the stockholders are? Perhaps the stock dropped, considerably, and that's why all the releases?
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