The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

James D. Macdonald · Mar 4, 2005

Ed Williams said:
...is going with a different publisher for books two and three...

http://www.expressseek.com/addpr/show_details.php?id=1287

I wonder just what in the devil is he thinking!

Holy moly! Wow. This is... O, gee... Oh... man alive.

Here's his press release, first of all.

The Deception, a Action adventure Novel today was listed as PublishAmerica's Best selling author. With over 11,ooo authors in there stable The Deception reached the top in just 6 months. Sold around the world this print on demand book had very little chance of any sucsess, but a good book can over come many obsticles. In the UK on Blacwell books website The Deception under Action Adventure is listed 2nd most popular title under The DeVinci code.
At Amazon.com The Deception is listed as the most Popular book under the title and the Adventure section. The book is written in Mental Visual Imageing style, in scenes rather than dialog. This new style of reading draws the reader into a new realm of reading.
Ronald J. Nussbeck has just signed a new contract for his second book, Retribution. Retribution will be published by American Book Publishing in Salt Lake city, UT. The publisher has option Mr. Nussbeck for his third book, The Coin. The Deception by vanity publisher PublishAmerica is beating the odds in a few short months. It\\\'s a story of a young man who enters the Navy on the buddy plan and ends up a Navy seal. After being wounded and discharged the true tale of deception begins. A sex for murder trade, a devilish revenge plan leaves Ron seeking help from his former navy seals buddy, Certain Death. Full of action this book delivers all a reader will ever want.

First, guys, general advice for all -- before you put out a press release, run it through a spell checker. Really, I'm not kidding. Editors at real publications notice stuff like that.

But that isn't the big thing. Look at the publisher he's gone to. C. Lee Nunn's outfit. American Book Publishing. Go over to the Speculations Rumormill -- American Book Publishing has it's own group in the Caveat Scrivener section.

All poor ol' Ronald has to do to hit a Grand Slam is sign with ST Literary.

That poor guy. Get him over here. Hand him a stiff drink. And explain a few down-home truths to him.

ZaZ · Mar 4, 2005

Harg!

KellyS. said:
You can also google Publishamerica+pamessageboard+ (whatever you are looking for)

I did this to find some of my old PA board posts. Here's some good wholesome fun:

"Have you ever seen such a collection of thin-skinned pansies?"

"I loathe you. All this positivity and up with people even if they suck royale is enough to cause one to drink."

"I don't buy it. I'm not pointing any fingers. I just wouldn't want to write a book of utter shite and have a bunch of people praise me for it. Which, I believe is what this thread is about."

"Pardon me, Sir, I didn't mean to interrupt your senseless blather but speaking with you is so monotonous that I swear I'm about to fall dead asleep. Later, loser!"

I'm the best. :Clap:

reph · Mar 4, 2005

Hello, T42. The information you asked for . . .

T42 said:
Someone had mentioned earlier “reputation points”. I can bring that box up but it just say’s reputation points are even. What was she talking about when she said she didn’t get a chance to respond to what people had said?

Click on "User CP," near the top of the page. CP means Control Panel. You'll get a page that includes a record of the points you've received, a mailbox, and some other features.

CaoPaux · Mar 4, 2005

Jaws said:
There's trademark infringement; intentional infliction of emotional distress; business defamation; personal defamation; tortious interference with contractual relations; interference with prospective contractual advantage; unfair competition; deceptive trade practices; and that's just the stuff I can think of off the top of my head, without even looking at the particular language or examples used.

There are a few "tell all" books that PA has printed (sight-unseen, of course) that I suspect will cause such difficulties for their authors.

Thanks to all for the searching suggestions. Ghod knows I need more ways to
fritter away my writing time. :snoopy:

James D. Macdonald · Mar 4, 2005

Susan Gable said:
Of course, not earning-out your advance doesn't leave a good taste in the publisher's mouth, and makes them less likely to purchase the next book.

That isn't entirely true. Books that don't earn out can still make a good profit for everyone concerned. Publishers try to set the advance equal to what they think the book's total royalty earnings will be. Usually they're pretty close. All it means if a book doesn't earn out is that the author got a higher royalty rate than contracted for.

Advances are only a small part of the cost of publishing a book.

What makes it more difficult to sell your next book is if it your last books doesn't sell more copies than the one before that. Not even a problem until you're trying to sell your third book.

Literary Lola · Mar 4, 2005

Quote:
The Deception, a Action adventure Novel today was listed as PublishAmerica's Best selling author. With over 11,ooo authors in there stable The Deception reached the top in just 6 months. Sold around the world this print on demand book had very little chance of any sucsess, but a good book can over come many obsticles... The book is written in Mental Visual Imageing style, in scenes rather than dialog. This new style of reading draws the reader into a new realm of reading...

Oh, ouch. This is like fingie nails on a blackboard. Yeech.

May I ask just what the h-e-double hockey sticks Mental Visual Imageing style is? Goodness, be still my little red pen...

WhisperingBard · Mar 4, 2005

May I ask just what the h-e-double hockey sticks Mental Visual Imageing style is? Goodness, be still my little red pen...

Dunno, Lola, but it sounds painful.

DaveKuzminski · Mar 4, 2005

Gee, I think capitalization and word choice could also be given a glance or two.

If you run out of red ink on this one, let me know. I'll send you one free.

Literary Lola · Mar 4, 2005

May I ask just what the h-e-double hockey sticks Mental Visual Imageing style is? Goodness, be still my little red pen...

WhisperingBard said:
Dunno, Lola, but it sounds painful.

Oh, wait, I know what it means. It's the act of mentally imagining your book fully edited while trying to keep those pesky gremlins out of your wallet. Wow. Now that takes imagination. Yeah, Bard, you're right, it's painful. I'd rather drink unleaded gasoline.

Kate StAmour · Mar 4, 2005

Gratian Gasparri said:
Actually, Ed, I think this project could work if done ala Atlanta Nights.

I agree, and I have so much to say. Better still, I stand behind my statements. Can I have a chapter? Please? Please?

*Waving and winking at alleged "Junior Staffer"*

James D. Macdonald · Mar 4, 2005

matrix83 said:
National News for PublishAmerica!

That banner is still on the website. Is it me, or is that getting just a whee bit old???

Heck, how long have they had that Jamie Farr is bringing PA to Hollywood Squares banner up?

DaveKuzminski · Mar 4, 2005

If you do put together that book, I recommend it either be a parody or put together as a case study. I suspect one or both would be capable of passing muster, though both may still be on very thin ice.

I also recommend that you assign chapters in private so PA and any other parties who might be documented or parodied will not have any advance knowledge of who to target for preemptive actions.

Kate StAmour · Mar 4, 2005

CaoPaux said:
It’s rather like a high school reunion, eh? With many a gracious greeting uttered through gritted teeth?

Take comfort in your own accomplishments.

I really like what you said here and thought it was worth posting again:

"It’s rather like a high school reunion, eh? With many a gracious greeting uttered through gritted teeth?

Take comfort in your own accomplishments."

There comes a point in life when you do have to let go of old resentments. By taking comfort in our own accomplishments we can begin to trust ourselves--our judgment, again. Perhaps, after we feel whole again, we can find it in our hearts to forgive those who slammed us hard on the PA boards. Thanks for posting this wise nugget, Cao. While I’m not ready to drop my paranoia and start hugging my monitor yet, I am hopeful that I will eventually start feelin' the love.

NancyMehl · Mar 4, 2005

PA Book...

Kevin Yarbrough said:
Nancy, you have mail. And just in case it didn't go through then I want in. I really wish lawshark would chime in on if there could be any legal problems with this.

Just to make things clear - I am not putting any book together about PA. After posting (in fun) about a book, someone else contacted me who is already working on something. I am referring all e-mails to this person (who wants to remain anonymous right now). So, our resident shark's advice will have to be considered by someone else.

I don't argue with Law Sharks.... :Hail:

Nancy

James D. Macdonald · Mar 4, 2005

CaoPaux said:
What I wanna know is if Mr. Bly is still involved with them. Or that lady-with-the-tragic-story whose name escapes me.

Hedda Nussbaum. That was a very sad story.

ByGrace · Mar 4, 2005

Farr on Amazon

The imposter Travis Tea has posted his review of Jamie Farr's children's book on Amazon. One stars of course, along with bewildering comments.

NancyMehl · Mar 4, 2005

I hate Hotmail!!!

For anyone who has tried to e-mail me, Hotmail is down right now so I can't respond.

I used to like Hotmail, but ever since they "improved" their service and gave us greater storage, it has been almost useless. Sometimes I can't respond to e-mails - and I am drowning in :Spam: !!!

I'm ready to :Hammer:

!!!!

I'll try again tomorrow.

Good night! :faint:

Nancy

T42 · Mar 4, 2005

Thanks reph

Ed Williams · Mar 4, 2005

Kate....

I agree, and I have so much to say. Better still, I stand behind my statements. Can I have a chapter? Please? Please?

...after reading your heartfelt query, and given your qualifications, the editorial board for our bashers book, Zaz, Kev, and I, have decided to include a submission from you into our epistle. We like your writing style, and your last name gives a touch of eros to the book, which always helps sales. If your chapter has one or two steamy items in it, we might very well reduce your $50 submission fee to say, $49.50.

And Uncle Jim asks:

Heck, how long have they had that Jamie Farr is bringing PA to Hollywood Squares banner up?

Uncle Jim some things are just not meant for us to understand, but if I hazard a guess it would be for longer than Willem has run vanity presses...

James D. Macdonald · Mar 4, 2005

T42 said:
Someone had mentioned earlier “reputation points”. I can bring that box up but it just say’s reputation points are even. What was she talking about when she said she didn’t get a chance to respond to what people had said? I don’t see anything about people saying something. Can someone tell me what this is all about? I asked sometime last week but I didn’t see any comments on it.
Thanks.....I'll check back later

Go up to the top left of the page -- you'll see a blue bar. Far left, you'll see a link called "User CP." Go there, you'll see your reputation points, who gave 'em, and any comments that came with 'em.

writerjenn · Mar 4, 2005

Ed Williams said:
If your chapter has one or two steamy items in it, we might very well reduce your $50 submission fee to say, $49.50.

...

Heck, I write romance and can dash off a sweaty scene or two... Not sure how I can include it in a PA tell all story unless I tell that story of the unwitting editor/spell checker walking in and catching two of the PA principals doing the funky on a certain mahogany desk.

Would that rate ME a discount too?

Jenn

Deleted member 42 · Mar 4, 2005

NancyMehl said:
For anyone who has tried to e-mail me, Hotmail is down right now so I can't respond.

Please, don't use Hotmail; Hotmail is essentially a training ground for script kiddies. It's not only not secure, it's hazardous. Yeah, I know, email isn't exactly secure period, but Hotmail is an invitation to disaster.

If you want a free Google email account, send me a message, and that goes for others as well as Nancy.

Lisa Maliga · Mar 4, 2005

Writing-World.com spreads the word...

...about PA in their POD area. http://www.writing-world.com/publish/index.shtml

This is for anyone who just happens to wander over from PA and they can read all about book publishing there, as well as here. There is just so much valid information from reliable sources both online and off-line that there's no excuse to sign with PA.

Hope this helps!

Dolan · Mar 4, 2005

Uncle Jack

I know that this story doesn't belong here but I have to tell it.

My uncle Jack is a little guy and is 83 years old. He was (is) a WWII Marine scout/sniper. Highly decorated and twice wounded during the Battle for Okinawa. To most people he is and was, "just an old farmer". To me, he is a hero and the subject of my PA book.

Day before yesterday, he had a heart attack and was taken to the VA Medical Center in Kansas city. He took one of my books that he wanted to give to a special nurse. While he was having an operation, that nurse passed the book around and it was somehow decided that Jack was a celebrity. There are heros all around the KCVA but no celebrities. He said that after the operation he received, "the royal treatment".

See, those folks don't know the difference between PA and Doubleday, nor do they care. Jack had a book written about him and that made him famous to them. The hospital's Public Relations Director finally got hold of the book and has scheduled a book signing for April 18. Not for me but for Jack! The VA is buying the books for him. (That is if they can get them.) They are also talking about some ceremony to be scheduled next fall for WWII Vets and Jack will be featured somehow. He wasn't very clear on this last thing.

Uncle Jack got famous and he is really excited about it. I'm kind of moved by it.

writerjenn · Mar 4, 2005

That is VERY cool! And I'm glad your Uncle Jack came through the surgery all right.

Jenn

The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

Your Genial Uncle

Fig of authority

Mostly Harmless

Your Genial Uncle

Wary...and weary

Preditors & Editors

Woooo Chaaaa!

Your Genial Uncle

Preditors & Editors

Woooo Chaaaa!

She Who Resonates...

Your Genial Uncle

She Who Resonates...

Herb Lady

Your Genial Uncle

Deleted member 42