The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

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CaoPaux

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reph said:
No doubt that person doesn't understand why people need to have their books bought by a stranger, either.
My thought exactly.
huh.gif
 

bluwinteryfox

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Ann said:
I hate to bust in on the fun, gang, but I have a couple of serious questions. I know these questions have been discussed to a degree, but need to refresh. To those who have lately sent a certified or registered mail to PA, what was their genreal "tone" when responding? The usual? And how did you address yours? To the so called CEO's or an individual?

Thanks!
Ann, I sent mine in Nov. and I addressed Willy boy. The email I received wasn't as nasty as I've heard others got. If you want/need more info you can email me or pm me.
 

MariahJ

First, let me thank everyone for welcoming me. I am an unpublished author, or I guess that would be writer until I someday get published, and feel happy to learn from the unfortunate mistakes of others.

I guess the entire story here is too long to read and, unless you lived it, it probably is best to take the highlights and move on.

I hope to become more active here as time permits.

Thanks again for the welcome!

MJ
 

DaveKuzminski

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Sheryl Nantus said:
the second is the classic "I didn't win a Pulitizer!" thread - however, someone does point out that the standings on Amazon mean nothing since his royalty check was so small... and the PP guy is now debating that, since there's NO WAY that PublishAmerica books aren't selling.

It's only a matter of time before he concludes that if his books are really selling according to his Amazon standings, then PA must be shortchanging him and other PA authors.
 

lindylou45

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Oh, you've done it now, Linda. Kev's going to be after you big-time for calling Purple a dog

Kevin,

I do apologize for desecrating the image of the Purple Pony. I can only say my heart was in the right place. Speaking of the Purple Pony, is there any way that I could put that story on my new website? It's sure to Pi$$ off Perennially Abhorrent! If you wouldn't mind sending me the story in your own words so I can post it. I'd even be glad to post your picture, a link to your website, a bio for you, anything you want me to put up there, Kev, I'll do it! R Rating is allowed! (Although Sher2 is in charge of putting pictures on the site because I am an idiot and can't figure it out!) :confused:

The site is looking good. I'm hunting for my e-mail editing battle of the wits. Well, there was one wit involved. I may slap it up there.

Thanks, Sherry, but you are the one doing the pictures! I'm having lots of fun with it. Uncle Jim made up the Create a PA Press Release Game and that's on there, plus there's lots of info about Preposterous Acquisitiveness!

If anyone else would like to have your PA story put on my website, please PM me your story, a small bio, and even a picture if you'd like. And don't forget about the contest! The Pickler and I think it's going to be fun! :D (We've got to get a pickle smilie, guys!)
 

lindylou45

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Ann said:
I hate to bust in on the fun, gang, but I have a couple of serious questions. I know these questions have been discussed to a degree, but need to refresh. To those who have lately sent a certified or registered mail to PA, what was their genreal "tone" when responding? The usual? And how did you address yours? To the so called CEO's or an individual?

Thanks!

Ann,

I addressed mine to Miranda Prather, Larry Clopper, and Willem Meiners.

They didn't give me any tone -- they simply ignored it completely -- which I've since found out is a very good thing! :hooray:
 

Patricia

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bluwinteryfox said:
Ann, I sent mine in Nov. and I addressed Willy boy. The email I received wasn't as nasty as I've heard others got. If you want/need more info you can email me or pm me.

Fox, they replied to certified mail by email?
 

Patricia

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lindylou45 said:
Ann,

I addressed mine to Miranda Prather, Larry Clopper, and Willem Meiners.

They didn't give me any tone -- they simply ignored it completely -- which I've since found out is a very good thing! :hooray:

Lindy, me thinks so too! :Sun: Thanks!
 

Sher2

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lindylou45 said:
Ann,

I addressed mine to Miranda Prather, Larry Clopper, and Willem Meiners.

They didn't give me any tone -- they simply ignored it completely -- which I've since found out is a very good thing! :hooray:
Pugnacious A**wipes.

I'm in now, Linda, and I'll do pictures, I promise.
 

lindylou45

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Sher2 said:
Pugnacious A**wipes.

I'm in now, Linda, and I'll do pictures, I promise.

Cool, no problem. Hey, your email is screwy, did you know that? You better get all over Yahoo! :whip: :guns:
 

Literary Lola

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Sheryl Nantus said:
http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/lounge/8651.htm
http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/lounge/8695.htm

the first is the ever-loving "we'll open our own bookstore!"

the second is the classic "I didn't win a Pulitizer!" thread -
My mercy me. Seems as though Mr. Idea Man took his marbles and went home, eh? It's heartening to see that there are at least two PA authors who can sniff out a septic tank. All the others were like sad little sheep following Mr. Idea Man into the abyss. And why not? They've been scammed once, why not go for double trouble?

As for Mr. I-Coulda-Been-A-Contendah, that's just sad. Where is the glory in saying, "I was a Noble Prize entrant, you may bow and kiss my butt." A finalist is one thing, but an enrollee? Puhleeze. That has as much Wow value as getting my teeth cleaned.
 

mdmkay

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I can beat that.

I got tossed outta Brownies.
]
You guys remember the old joke about calling the suicide hotline and being put on hold?????????? I had to wait for something like 10-15 minutes on hold and then got told that it was probably just post-partum depression and since I was going to be moving to another state in 2 months that they didn't want to set me up with a councilor but they wanted me to be sure and get a therapist after I moved..............CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT???? I swear its the truth. My lord and to think back on that and I had a 2month old baby in the house at the time. What if I was one of those mothers who took their kid with them when they "went" if you know what I mean. God was playing a hand in that day though because I never had a problem getting someone to babysit for me until that particular day and I couldn't fine one person willing to watch him. Thank God I was with it enough to know that I couldn't do anything to myself and leave a newborn alone in the house for 5 hours until his daddy came home from work, or worse, what would have happened if my ex had been held up at work and had come home even later??????? Obviously I didn't go through with it or I wouldn't be writing about it but it still gives me a chill to think about what could have happened had I not been worried for my son's safety because that was the only thing holding me back.
SORRY didn't mean to bring this thread down to such a depressing subject.
 

mdmkay

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I wanted to mention something about Amazon sales rank also. I've been keeping track of my ranking and one day I went from like over 200,000 down to 75,000. I've had some real ups and downs on amazon as far as the numbers goes and then they wonder why I won't believe they only sold a total of 6 books. I've also had alot of activity on my Barnes and Noble rankings. I sure look good on paper for not selling....huh

I forgot to say that I started at over 2.2 million when I started keeping track
 

SeanDSchaffer

Well, it finally came in...

As of this morning, I have received a termination contract from PA. I would have signed it were it not for Paragraph #3. This is the 'Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Provision.' I disagree with it completely.

For one thing, PA expects my family and friends not to disparage them, as well as myself, my lawyers, my agents, my employees, etc. And of course there's the famous $5,000.00 fine for each instance.

For another thing, though, there is the 'Confidentiality' part, which does not allow me to let another Publisher know my work truly belongs to me again unless court-ordered to do so -- and then I may only show the first two paragraphs to that publisher's lawyers.

A friend of mine told me I should shred the document, as 1) I have no intention of signing it, and 2) I don't want PA to be paranoid about who might be reading the thing unsigned, should I throw it away or something like that. Being a Paranoid Schizophrenic myself, I know from personal experience what a person is capable of when excessively paranoid, as PA's head honchos, for the company's bad press, probably are right now.

I must say that I am blessed in that I have not received a 'Tone' letter from them. They have been very gracious in that respect. But if my freedom of speech is taken away -- as well as my ability to show a prospective publisher my book belongs to me again without being court-ordered to do so -- I'm afraid I can't sign such a contract. I believe it was Mr. David Kuzminski on this board who pointed out that this provision makes for no further headway with other publishers than I previously had (Not a quote, rather a paraphrase.)

So does anybody know what can be done to modify this agreement to my liking? There is a clause stating that modifications can and must be made only in 'a writing.' But exactly what 'a writing' is, I'm not sure of. Someone suggested taking a pen and crossing out Paragraph #3 entirely, putting my initials next to it, and sending it back that way. But would that be legally binding?

Also, someone mentioned an internet service of volunteer publishing lawyers. I'm a poor man, and can't afford to pay a lawyer, but if a volunteer service is out there, I would very much like to know about it so I could ask them the proper questions and that way, get the proper answers to the said questions.


Any suggestions?

Thank you all in advance for your advice.:Thumbs:
 

Kevin Yarbrough

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Linda, you can use my story if you want. I will send you an email detailing everything and a pic. Don't have a webpage, let it go.

I'll be in touch.

P.S.- Don't worry about Purple and the dog bit. For a long time I thought Purple was a giant dog, didn't dawn on me until a few months later when he never tried to hump my leg. But I do here that he gave PA a good humping though, not the good kind either.
 

Sher2

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lindylou45 said:
Cool, no problem. Hey, your email is screwy, did you know that? You better get all over Yahoo! :whip: :guns:
I don't have Yahoo; you do. It's the Yahoo mail that won't let me send you the stuff I wanted to send. Therefore, I just went ahead and did what I usually do -- did it anyway without checking with anybody.;)
 

Sher2

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JennaGlatzer said:
Sean:

http://www.starvingartistslaw.com/help/volunteer lawyers.htm

I agree totally with your assessment.

And what happened to my POD Squad Arbitration Research Committee? Jeez, a girl goes to sleep and loses her whole firing squad. Git back here! ;)
The firing squad has been at target practice all day. We hit 3 out of 15 cans. We need more practice. ;)
 

MacAllister

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Have we talked about this already?

From the Group Promotion thread on PA boards:
What we are doing is making up bookmarks with our names and booktitles. We will all print them up and take them to bookstores, libraries and anywhere else we can think of. We will leave a bunch for free for people to take. This will hopefully get our names out all over the country and generate some book sales. At least that is what we are hoping for!


It seems they want to print up bookmarks with 20 ISBNs, titles, and authors' names--10 to a side; head the thing with "Suggested Reading" then place them as freebies in bookstores and libraries. No mention of genre, fiction/nonfiction, brief synopsis or description...no real graphics, even.

*sigh*

This is friggin' awful. These people are busting their chops trying to reinvent the wheel using stone-age tools.

What on earth are they going to think when bookstores and libraries refuse to put the things out on their counters? Because a heading like "suggested reading" strongly implies that the establishment itself is recommending and endorsing the listed books.

I don't think stores and libraries are going to go for it.
 

Sher2

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SeanDSchaffer said:
So does anybody know what can be done to modify this agreement to my liking? There is a clause stating that modifications can and must be made only in 'a writing.' But exactly what 'a writing' is, I'm not sure of. Someone suggested taking a pen and crossing out Paragraph #3 entirely, putting my initials next to it, and sending it back that way. But would that be legally binding?
Sean, four words for you -- do not sign it. I know that some people have crossed out unacceptable wording and initialed it, which PA refused to accept. I haven't done it myself; maybe some of the people who have will step up and tell you about their experience.

The first shot has been fired. Expect things to heat up from here. Good luck.
 

Christine N.

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Sheryl Nantus said:
http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/main/11898.htm

"You know I never understand why people need to have their books critiqued by a stranger. I have found that after our books are out, your friends on the board will most likely will give you , a friendly and gratifying one. If you look on Amazon and other places, every P.A author there has reviews that are done by their family and friends, as I and others have."

:Jaw:
Ugh, that thread makes me queasy. Let's hear it from the Hit Parade:

Why bother with them! Most of the bashers I have heard on other websites or in E-groups have not been published in any form, as novelist. They read the same things we read and don't look to see that a vanity/subsidy press is owner of the site or group.

Those who are going to hold out for Simon and Shuster or Random House or Doubleday, all I can say is good luck and I hope you have better luck than the over one million ms. submitted.

Um.. ok, everybody on this thread who's had a book published, or is in the process, raise your hand.. one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine... Ok, so some haven't but we've also got some heavy hitters to make up for it. Yep, even some who write for those Big 'Uns mentioned.

Just the fact that they go on line to criticize other writers, ought to give you an idea of who they are! small minded, low self esteemed people who will never aspire to anything more then to rise to their own level

It's stuff like this that still makes me want to throttle that poor old woman. For the last time, we like you, writers, we HATE PA.. and if you can't differentiate between the two, then you've got bigger problems.

The motivation for bashing is always the same, "jealousy". What else would it be? If we were bad authors and PA was a publisher of bad books, then we would simply dissolve and no one would even notice.

Sigh. Yeah, I'm jealous of the author of an overpriced, badly edited book that no one will ever see. You may not be a bad author, or you may be. And we pray daily for the dissolution of PA. Someone will notice.

Like an attacking army from the Middle Ages,we're coming up to show the world,you don't have to be an elitist snob to write a book.
And they're reeling from the blow.They'll never tell you,but,believe me,they are!

Yeah... ok. I've never in my life been called an elitist snob. Thank you.

Pierrette, I agree with you and Carol. Any reply here only serves to give them further words to cut and paste.

:tongue
 
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