Return of a Man Named PAMB and its Quotes

[James D. Macdonald]

Originally Posted by Gillhoughly

Yanno, most of their victims could have avoided all of this by reading just a couple books from their library's 808 section to learn how publishing is supposed to work.

You know that, and I know that, but most ordinary folks-on-the-street? They don't know that. Besides, PA (practiced scammers that they are) have superficially plausible answers to most of the common objections to their scheme.

[Gillhoughly]

So yesterday in a bookstore I see a guy about my age counting lines in a book. I made a Sherlockian deduction that he was attempting to figure out how many words are required to fill up a book.

Having gotten his astonished attention, I gave him this site and the SFWA site for writing help online, then said, "When you're done in store you go down the street to the library. Read everything you can find in the 808 section."

His jaw dropped. "The library?"

"They have the books you need so you can learn how to write and publish."

"They DO?"

I was in a good mood so I didn't bounce any hard covers off his bean. "They do."

I'm still not sure if he believed me, but he seemed happy.

Strangely, he did know NOT to go to PA. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that one.

[callalily61]

Gill, you are an angel in a black-and-blue halo.

[Gillhoughly]

Sometimes it strangles me.

[Richard Falk]

An author queries when he or she will get paid, and Infocenter replies:

Per your contract, royalties statements are sent twice a year, in February and August. The good news is that the August royalties reporting period is just around the corner!

I wonder how much "good news" August's statements will bring for PA's happy band of authors?

[Gillhoughly]

Plenty, but only for PA, not their writers.

[kullervo]

The follow-up question was ominous, asking whether checks would arrive at the beginning or the end of August. The author did not suspect the "not at all" option.

[Blake M. Petit]

My mother heard back from her cousin who fell into the PA scam -- they're offering her a special 20% off "introductory price" on his $24.95, 170-page paperback.

[DaveKuzminski]

Originally Posted by Blake M. Petit

My mother heard back from her cousin who fell into the PA scam -- they're offering her a special 20% off "introductory price" on his $24.95, 170-page paperback.

Gosh, they might not make any profit by going that low!

[DreamWeaver]

Originally Posted by DaveKuzminski

Gosh, they might not make any profit by going that low!

Nice sarcasm, but you know it *is* a worry...if by "not make any profit" one means "not make a few hundred percent profit" .

[Unimportant]

PA authors continue to wonder how to get their books to sell -- and, contrary to PA's claims, they realise that it requires their books actually being in bookstores:

I need to hear from an PA author who has taken advantage of the offers given by PA so I will know if this is a good route to take. There are millions of readers out there and I've sold maybe 50 copies . . . not even a drop in the bucket.

I agree it would be nice to walk into a store and see someone just look at your book. I would be happy to see it on the shelf, which I haven't seen.

[kdesanges]

This whole PA mess is very, very sad. Poor unsuspecting authors put their heart and souls into their books only to get scammed by this pathetic company. I rather get a million rejections from agencies - at least that's an opportunity to keep honing my skills - then to have someone rip my dream from me and hold it hostage for several years.

I really pray their tyranny ends soon. It's about time!

[Richard Falk]

Now you can live for 1000 years just by changing what you drink! It's official — a new PA book says so!

The new-molecular South-spun Fluid Concept now dove-tails w/ the famous Seven Year Cellular Rebuild Cycle in your own body. Now you can remain in the physical form for up to one-thousand years by remembering FIRST to correct the molecular-spin in the fluids that you drink each-day.

The trajectory of this particular book could really be one to watch.

[JulieB]

Two things:

1. That book has been out for a few years.

2. Remember the Number One Rule.

[Richard Falk]

No, his post gives the impression that this is a follow-up to his earlier tome.

As for not disrespecting writers, I don't consider it either disrespectful or unreasonable to state that this may not be good science and the book may not deliver its promised benefits to purchasers. It also indicates the particular nature of PA's business model, as I doubt a commercial press would risk publishing something like this unless the book's claims could be fully substantiated and had been peer-reviewed.

[DreamWeaver]

If you check out the New Age, Health, and Diet sections of your local bookstore you'll find lots of books by commercial publishers with claims almost as unbelievable. IMHO, in the case of 2012 end-of-the-world apocalypse books, just as unbelievable.

[Unimportant]

Originally Posted by Richard Falk

I doubt a commercial press would risk publishing something like this unless the book's claims could be fully substantiated and had been peer-reviewed.

Atria Books of Simon & Schuster published Masaru Emoto's The Secret Life of Water.

[Richard Falk]

I think the difference with the PA book is that it is presented not as spirituality, or as a combination of science and new age mysticism, but as pure hard science. It also makes some very specific and very ambitious claims (in particular, that it can extend human lifespan by an average of 925 years). Further, on another site, the author claims that his theory can cure cancer and reverse the effects of heart attacks, which, unlike the life extension theory, are easily testable hypotheses.

When his suggested therapy has healed the scar tissue from a heart attack – generally considered irreversible – in a fully controlled, peer-reviewed scientific study then I will of course give his theories full credence. Until then, I'm afraid you'll have to count me among the sceptics. As a footnote, my first career, for more than 20 years, was as an advertising copywriter, and consequently my view is that any product must fully live up to the marketing claims made on its behalf.

[Torgo]

In the UK. the Cancer Act 1939 specifically prohibits publishing any kind of advertisement "containing an offer to treat any person for cancer, or to prescribe any remedy therefore, or to give any advice in connection with the treatment thereof" - I wonder if a book counts?

[JulieB]

If you'll plug that phrase into a search engine, you'll find he's been using a variation of that for a few years.

Actually, he could have published this himself or gone through Lulu, Createspace, Author Solutions, or whatever. The folks who run those services would have cared about the subject matter as much as PA.

[Richard Falk]

Possible Kool-Aid overdose over on PA's Facebook page.

An author notes how fortunate he is to have published with PA after receiving a contract from Tate and spotting the $4000 publicity charge. Whilst I don't doubt that Tate is an even worse choice for most aspiring authors, this part of his comment really caught my eye:

There were other things about their contract that I didn't like as well. Their royalty schedule was only one tiered. 15% for every book sold period for EVER. No graduated scale like Publish America has which is based on the more copies sold, the more the author receives.

Whilst I don't doubt that the author will end up better off with PA than he would have done with Tate, how can a sliding royalty scale from 8% to 12.5% be more favourable than a flat rate of 15%?

[James D. Macdonald]

Originally Posted by Richard Falk

how can a sliding royalty scale from 8% to 12.5% be more favourable than a flat rate of 15%?

Of royalties based on net....

Particularly when the chances of selling enough to get off of the 8% rate are between slim and none.

[Unimportant]

On the PAMB, 'waiting to hear':

I sent Tina a response to her email asking about new manuscripts that are ready for review. I waited a month and there was no word, so I sent another email asking if she had received the first email. I still have not heard anything from her.

Three weeks ago, I sent a query letter via the PublishAmerica website, and still, I haven't heard a word. I have several books published with PA, and I have never had to wait this long for a reply. Anyone out there having the same difficulity?

My first assumption was "Tina's probably the latest in a long string of ex-PA employees." But then I wondered if this is an example of "silence = you didn't buy enough copies of your own books."

[Gillhoughly]

Poof and gone.

All is well in Kool-Aid land.

Move along, nothing to see here.

Pay no attention to the Stooges hiding behind that grinning jackass shyster.

[Khazarkhum]

Originally Posted by Richard Falk

I think the difference with the PA book is that it is presented not as spirituality, or as a combination of science and new age mysticism, but as pure hard science. It also makes some very specific and very ambitious claims (in particular, that it can extend human lifespan by an average of 925 years). Further, on another site, the author claims that his theory can cure cancer and reverse the effects of heart attacks, which, unlike the life extension theory, are easily testable hypotheses.

When his suggested therapy has healed the scar tissue from a heart attack – generally considered irreversible – in a fully controlled, peer-reviewed scientific study then I will of course give his theories full credence. Until then, I'm afraid you'll have to count me among the sceptics. As a footnote, my first career, for more than 20 years, was as an advertising copywriter, and consequently my view is that any product must fully live up to the marketing claims made on its behalf.

Well, here's the test---is he 1000 years old? If not, then maybe it's not quite as good as he says.