The New Never-Ending PublishAmerica Thread (NEPAT)

Status
Not open for further replies.

nancy sv

30 months on a bicycle...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 2, 2007
Messages
1,198
Reaction score
127
Location
Currently in Boise, Idaho and loving it
Website
www.familyonbikes.com
Oh, dear. Does that mean they won't appreciate the last page of my website?

http://www.loreleiarmstrong.com/EIGHT.html

I don't if it's like this on all screens - but I can't even read what you've got posted on that page. At the top of the page the background is so dark that I Can't make out the words at all, and the bottom part is very distracting and hard to read.
 

Don Davidson

Theophilus
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
466
Reaction score
50
Location
Texas
Website
p7.hostingprod.com
I finally made it back!

I'm glad to find that the Absolute Write Never-Ending PublishAmerica Thread is still up and running. I couldn't get back on it for several days, and when I Googled it I found something that said it had been taken off-line by the internet provider on two hours' notice. Anyway, to answer the questions in #8248, I am well down the line on the "publishing" of my book. I've been through the "editing" process and received the two complimentary copies, which actually came out pretty nice, as well as my first royalty statement. Since I haven't bought any of my own books, and since I refused to give PA the names and addresses of any of my friends or family members (after learning that PA is a rip-off), there were no sales and no royalties. I've been biding my time, hording information and trying to figure out a way out of this mess. I really like the idea of publicizing this scam on my web site (christianityforthinkers.com)--especially since I have been careful to keep hard copies of everything PA has sent me and everything I have sent them. But I'll keep checking this site for other ideas (preferably ones that don't require spending a lot of money I don't have). Thanks for the ideas, folks. Bless you.
 

Don Davidson

Theophilus
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
466
Reaction score
50
Location
Texas
Website
p7.hostingprod.com
PublishAmerica exposed on another web site

I've added "The Truth About PublishAmerica" to my web site, christianityforthinkers.com, and have provided links to many of the relevant documents from my own experience with PA that show how PA really operates, including the many solicitations they've sent me during the past 9 months, inviting me to buy my own book. I also posted a letter I sent them today, telling them to stop soliciting me and asking them what they are trying to do to sell my book to the public. (Nothing, I'm sure.) I'll also post the reply, if or when I get one.
 

Marian Perera

starting over
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
14,332
Reaction score
4,576
Location
Heaven is a place on earth called Toronto.
Website
www.marianperera.com
I've added "The Truth About PublishAmerica" to my web site, christianityforthinkers.com, and have provided links to many of the relevant documents from my own experience with PA that show how PA really operates, including the many solicitations they've sent me during the past 9 months, inviting me to buy my own book. I also posted a letter I sent them today, telling them to stop soliciting me and asking them what they are trying to do to sell my book to the public. (Nothing, I'm sure.) I'll also post the reply, if or when I get one.

Interesting reading, Don. Thanks for making all that available. I especially like the response they have to your first letter of concern - it's a long cut-and-paste spiel of promotion that doesn't actually address your questions and is inaccurate to boot (eg. that complaints from PA come mostly from vanity presses). And PA seems to send out a solicitation email once a month on average.

Seems like you've also noticed the weasel wording in the contract. The relevant clauses say "may" - the Publisher may distribute, copies of the said literary work that may be used - or "at his discretion", meaning PA has no contractual obligation to market and promote the books.

Let us know about any responses.
 

Don Davidson

Theophilus
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
466
Reaction score
50
Location
Texas
Website
p7.hostingprod.com
Update on The Truth About PublishAmerica web page

I'm continuously updating the web page (located at my web site, christianityforthinkers.com) as PA and I exchange verbal barbs, and will update some more tonight or tomorrow with the latest. PA and I have exchanged several emails the past couple of days, and I am posting copies of them on the web page. As you can see, their emails are very evasive concerning my requests for information about pricing/marketing, and they repeatedly ignored my request that they stop sending me email solicitations to buy my own book. Yesterday they offered to terminate my contract if I would pay them $300. (I declined.) I tried to post a message on their "Testimonials" page, but doubt that it will actually be posted. I plan to send out an email to virtually everyone in my address book to warn them about PA, with a link to the web page. Any other suggestions?
 

ResearchGuy

Resident Curmudgeon
Requiescat In Pace
Registered
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
5,011
Reaction score
697
Location
Sacramento area, CA
Website
www.umbachconsulting.com
. . .Yesterday they offered to terminate my contract if I would pay them $300. . . .
Hmmm. Interesting that they are initiating that sort of offer now. I knew that they would respond to a straightforward cash buyout of the contract.

Personally, I think it is an efficient and businesslike way to close out an error in judgment/failure of due diligence. But of course, not everyone is willing to sacrifice principle for expediency.

--Ken
 

Marian Perera

starting over
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
14,332
Reaction score
4,576
Location
Heaven is a place on earth called Toronto.
Website
www.marianperera.com
First, wow. The holding-your-book-hostage-for-$300 part is typical of PA, which won't ask for a big sum upfront but will happily settle for plenty of smaller payments in the form of authors buying their own books or authors paying to get out of the contract.

Second, I like your stance and the way you've expressed yourself in the letters. You've been direct and firm but polite. I don't think that will make any difference to PA, but at least anyone reading it will know who the better man is.

I have one suggestion, though I don't know if it'll work for you, and that is to make the posters on the PAMB aware of this. It'll get you banned from the PAMB, but if you're planning to cut ties with PA, maybe this won't matter. I also wonder if the media as receptive to "local person battles greedy vanity press" stories as they are to "local person publishes book"?
 

brianm

Brian Boru
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 4, 2006
Messages
3,170
Reaction score
976
Location
The desert of S. California and the coast of N. Ir
I think contacting your local paper with this kind of story is a great idea. They are always looking for local interest stories, although they may be reticent to publish one about PA because it would take some digging on their part to get to the truth. Then there's always the concern that PA will sue the paper, etc.

It's a vicious circle and it's always the little guy who gets burned.

You are handling this in a professional manner. Perhaps you should wait for some more emails from PA, which will include their infamous tone letters, before contacting your local newspaper. Eventually, PA will reveal their nasty side to you and that will give the reporter more fodder for his story.
 

Maddog

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
264
Reaction score
29
I find it interesting that the contract wording specifies what the author "will" do in comparison with what PA "may" do. Weasels!!!

Well done, Don. Hopefully you will be able to save someone from falling for PA and losing a bundle of cash.
 

CatSlave

Mah tale iz draggin.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
3,720
Reaction score
620
Location
Paradise Found: Bradenton, FL
They're suggesting a $300 buyout? That makes me think that my guess that they spend no more than $300 on a book (including editors' salaries) to be pretty accurate.
I think you are correct.
PA is too greedy to take any kind of a loss.
There is probably a gag order contingent with the offer, so PA can recover their minimal loss and shut you up at the same time.
 

Don Davidson

Theophilus
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
466
Reaction score
50
Location
Texas
Website
p7.hostingprod.com
How a real book publisher works

I sent an email to Barnes & Noble Customer Support and played dumb, telling them I had written a book that was being published by PublishAmerica and asking how I could get my book in their book stores. I got a nice reply with a link to some information for authors: "How to be Considered for an Author Event" and "Getting Your Book In Barnes & Noble." I will put the links on the PublishAmerica page on my web site soon (christianityforthinkers.com). Not surprisingly, the publisher plays a key role in both. For example, regarding the Author Events, it says: "National touring authors are typically organized and supported by publishers through our home office. Most store events, however, are arranged through our stores in coordination with publishers." I find it comforting to see a major book store say what we all know to be true--and what PublishAmerica continues to deny--that marketing and promotion should be done by publishers, not authors. I also submitted a "Testimonial" to PA yesterday and again today. I think they must be screening them in advance now, because the site says it takes 5 business days to post them, and mine haven't shown up yet. If they are screening them in advance, mine will never be posted, but it is something else to note on my web site. Finally, I appreciate the support I find at this site. It feels good to be fighting back against the Evil Empire for a change, whether or not it gets me anywhere.
 

JulieB

I grow my own catnip
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Messages
2,403
Reaction score
213
Location
Deep in the heart o' Texas
Welcome to AW, Don.

It's easier to set up a local signing yourself no matter who your publisher is. Bookstore managers tend to support local authors when they can. If your publisher is PA you may have to take the books yourself.

Tours are usually set up by the publisher. I've had local signings, but never a tour. I've set up my own signings, but the bookstore always provided books because they were fully returnable.
 

DaveKuzminski

Preditors & Editors
Requiescat In Pace
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
5,036
Reaction score
859
Location
Virginia
Website
anotherealm.com
Don, if you would, please forward a copy of that response to me at P&E?

By the way, folks, I've seen a copy of the email with the termination offer for $300.00 and find it interesting that it's from a Yahoo account that's signed by Darcy, Public Relations/Web, but gives her email address as Darcy@PublishAmerica just below her signature block. I can't help but wonder if she's being set up to take a fall since PA has its own email accounts and would be expected to use those. Is this an attempt to disassociate PA from any repercussions?
 
Last edited:

Afinerosesheis

The One and Only Romantiac
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 28, 2007
Messages
1,190
Reaction score
297
Location
Where Passions Lie
Website
www.myspace.com
Don, I read your site.

I'm continuously updating the web page (located at my web site, christianityforthinkers.com) as PA and I exchange verbal barbs, and will update some more tonight or tomorrow with the latest. PA and I have exchanged several emails the past couple of days, and I am posting copies of them on the web page. As you can see, their emails are very evasive concerning my requests for information about pricing/marketing, and they repeatedly ignored my request that they stop sending me email solicitations to buy my own book. Yesterday they offered to terminate my contract if I would pay them $300. (I declined.) I tried to post a message on their "Testimonials" page, but doubt that it will actually be posted. I plan to send out an email to virtually everyone in my address book to warn them about PA, with a link to the web page. Any other suggestions?

Here are my thoughts:


20,000 happy authors my foot! I bought my own books...once. I went through the ordeal of signings, promoting, biz cards and the like, but I didn't do it very long. I was banned from their message board about three times for asking questions and going against their lynching party.


My royalties were (are) very low.

No, this company is wrong. It gives the indication it will do so much and in all reality it will do very little besides printing your book. I have stopped all marketing efforts except putting my book on myspace and the like. That is more to promote myself as an aspiring writer, than my book. A book that has absolutely no chance of survival. So sad.
 

VGrossack

bored fan with a tic
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 4, 2006
Messages
641
Reaction score
109
Location
in clover
Website
www.tapestryofbronze.com
I'm continuously updating the web page (located at my web site, christianityforthinkers.com) as PA and I exchange verbal barbs, and will update some more tonight or tomorrow with the latest. PA and I have exchanged several emails the past couple of days, and I am posting copies of them on the web page. As you can see, their emails are very evasive concerning my requests for information about pricing/marketing, and they repeatedly ignored my request that they stop sending me email solicitations to buy my own book. Yesterday they offered to terminate my contract if I would pay them $300. (I declined.) I tried to post a message on their "Testimonials" page, but doubt that it will actually be posted. I plan to send out an email to virtually everyone in my address book to warn them about PA, with a link to the web page. Any other suggestions?

Write back them and ask them to pay YOU $300 for terminating the contract! Assuming that you want out, that is. Tell them that money is supposed to flow from the publisher to the author, not the other way around!
 

Marian Perera

starting over
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
14,332
Reaction score
4,576
Location
Heaven is a place on earth called Toronto.
Website
www.marianperera.com
I see that PA has graduated to demanding apologies from Mr Davidson.

Regarding the comment about the BBB, that's disingenuous. The BBB doesn't handle business-to-business complaints. Why doesn't PA say how well it's regarded by organizations that deal specifically with writers and publishers? (Answer : it can't)

That letter is an unprofessional, self-aggrandizing piece of nonsense.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.