The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

Dolan · Apr 28, 2005

My fellow PA authors, there are two things the "beat the crap out of the manager until he stocks your book" experts are not telling you. These are the most important tips that you will ever receive re getting your books stocked.

You have to get your PA face on, before you go in that bookstore. I like to get my face set in what might be called a Jack Nickleson, Ice T look.

Then there is the voice. Lose that whimpy voice. I try to sound like Roseanne Barr imitating Lee Marvin.

This has never failed. PA authors, try this. It will work.

Ed, I think that you might be right about Pier. The posts just don't sound right. Wonder what is going on. Anyone have an idea?

Kate StAmour · Apr 28, 2005

Dee, Congrats to you and Brian! 1053! Woo Hooo!

lizziepants · Apr 28, 2005

Ed Williams said:
Finally, and this will sound totally crazy, but I swear I think that someone else is posting as "Pierrette" over on the PA boards. I might be totally wrong, but these new posts do not read at all like her old ones did. Someone messaged me about this earlier, so went over and took a look for myself - could there be a Pierrette imposter on the PA boards?

Ed, darling. You're so clever. I was studying this earlier (mainly because I'm hungover and can't focus on anything productive) -- this can't be the Pierette that I know and love. The lady I've come to know is suave and polished -- if this is her, she's highly medicated or summat.

<insert random flirtation with Zaz here>

James D. Macdonald · Apr 28, 2005

Ed Williams said:
Ummm, how can PA counter the truth? And think about this - if PA refutes any of this, the NY Times will, in all likelihood, assign a reporter to delve deeper into the story to see if PA's responses hold up.

Later in that thread, we read this:

What would it take? Even an English major just out of college can do the job of watching for these articles and correcting the articles e.g. that call us a "vanity press".

Well, the English majors just out of college are all "editors," and they have their hands full. But where would PA find an English major just out of college who could possibly spin this? Someone with that kind of talent would be able to get a job with a national political campaign.

Listen up. PA is a vanity press. They'll accept darn-near anything that you send them (limited by the number of "editors" on staff divided by the number of hours in a day), and their business plan is to sell their books to the author himself. There's no getting around it.

The truth is getting out. Every new author that PA signs is another voice against them a year down the road.

And Phase II is underway. E-mail Ann or Victoria if you aren't already in.

postshy · Apr 28, 2005

I agree with you Ed---

Has anyone else noticed? That does not sound like Pierrette.
It's not her style. It sounds like someone imitating her style.
Not trying to sound critical, Pierrette. Your style is distinctive
and, although I may not agree with you in regard to PA, I admire you for standing up for your opinions and speaking out when necessary. Just a thought!

James D. Macdonald · Apr 28, 2005

postshy said:
Has anyone else noticed? That does not sound like Pierrette.

Perhaps she got one of Willem's emotionally-abusive "don't take that tone" letters, threatening to permanently cut her off from her on-line friends?

DaveKuzminski · Apr 28, 2005

I've noticed that Amo seems to be stepping up to the plate as the spokesman for the PA forum. Unfortunately, his information is inaccurate. For that, he should feel some shame since he owes it to the others to give reliable information and not just intake the PA scam lines. If you're going to take those in, all you need is a mirror and a straw. It's too late to look at yourself in the mirror, Amo, if you've already sucked in the lines.

Sher2 · Apr 28, 2005

postshy said:
Has anyone else noticed? That does not sound like Pierrette.
It's not her style. It sounds like someone imitating her style.
Not trying to sound critical, Pierrette. Your style is distinctive
and, although I may not agree with you in regard to PA, I admire you for standing up for your opinions and speaking out when necessary. Just a thought!

No, it really doesn't sound like her. Maybe it's an impostor (Larry, is that you?), maybe Willem did the Stepford thing with her, or maybe her tone underwent a sudden, dramatic change. Her style was, as you say, distinctive, and this just doesn't look like it.

James D. Macdonald · Apr 28, 2005

Gratian Gasparri said:
I just got back from the Chapters located at South Keys in Ottawa. I had gone to pick up a book on Terry Fox. While there I asked the customer service rep to check for any PA books in the store. They did not have any PA books in stock.

Y'know, this is something that we can all do, every time we enter a bookstore over the next couple of weeks, and reporting back here on our results.

zizban · Apr 28, 2005

I actually did this last weekend and go the same result at Barnes and Noble here in Pittsfield, MA. They said only stock POD books if the item is red hot. They had Atlanta Nights on the shelf under 'humor'.

James D. Macdonald · Apr 28, 2005

zizban said:
I actually did this last weekend and go the same result at Barnes and Noble here in Pittsfield, MA. They said only stock POD books if the item is red hot. They had Atlanta Nights on the shelf under 'humor'.

Whoa Nelly! Atlanta Nights on the shelf in a Barnes & Noble? Woo! Up In Lights time!

Red hot! Wow! Oh, wow!

DaveKuzminski · Apr 28, 2005

James D. Macdonald said:
Whoa Nelly! Atlanta Nights on the shelf in a Barnes & Noble? Woo! Up In Lights time!

Hmmm, time for me to visit my local bookstore. If it's on the shelves, then I'll buy a copy where it will impact on distribution sales charts!

keltora · Apr 28, 2005

James D. Macdonald said:
Whoa Nelly! Atlanta Nights on the shelf in a Barnes & Noble? Woo! Up In Lights time!

Red hot! Wow! Oh, wow!

Wahoooo!!!!!!

I'll have to start checking the humor section in MY B&N

Patricia · Apr 28, 2005

realitychuck said:
The authors buy into PA propaganda that POD is the new way to go and see the truth as just a case where someone doesn't understand the new and revolutionary way to sell books.

THIS -- is a biggie. I think the reason being, is that it sounds so logical to those not familiar with publishing. Their reasoning is -- after all, we are in the age of high-tech, and eventually all will be POD. They do not understand the principals of POD. Print on Demand and Publish On Demand. PA has done a job in convincing them they are on the cutting edge of the latest, innovative ideas. And they want to be on the "ground floor" with a "great publisher."

I can remember the comments and excitement caused by this "new technology" when I first signed onto the PA boards. I did not buy into it, thank goodness. Some are thoroughly convinced that they are onto something big and do not intend to "jump-ship." I call that gambling and already know who loses.

Gratian Gasparri · Apr 28, 2005

James D. Macdonald said:
Whoa Nelly! Atlanta Nights on the shelf in a Barnes & Noble? Woo! Up In Lights time!

Wow! A real brick-and-mortar bookstore[tm]! I'm scandalized! (There goes my lifetime quota of exclamation marks) You didn't even have to resort to faking your own death and resurrecting live on vanity radio while wearing a neglige to accomplish this Uncle Jim. Atlanta Nights is compromising the integrity of vanity publishing. :faint:

Patricia · Apr 28, 2005

James D. Macdonald said:
Whoa Nelly! Atlanta Nights on the shelf in a Barnes & Noble? Woo! Up In Lights time!

Red hot! Wow! Oh, wow!

This has got to be the biggest slap in the face of PA -- ever! They have either got to "turn around" and do right. Or close the door.

People buying AN, nationwide -- possibly making it a best seller -- wow, get ready for the interviews AN authors. What a prime time thought! Then you can tell the story big time! :partyguy:

DaveKuzminski · Apr 28, 2005

If you're a PA writer or former PA writer in New York state, be sure you contact your state attorney general with your complaints about PublishAmerica. Mr. Spitzer just went after a California software firm for putting spyware/adware on private computers in New York. If he hears from you, he might go after PA. Then we might see the Maryland Attorney General find out what's in his pants.

By the way, I can see it now. Sticky labels for other individual books by those who participated in developing Atlanta Nights advertising, "Written by the bestselling expert who helped write Atlanta Nignts!"

Then you can hit PA coming and going!

MadScientistMatt · Apr 28, 2005

If PublishAnyone ran a bookstore

With all this complaining about how hard it is to get bookstores to stock PA books, maybe someone on the PublishAmerica Message Board is going to go reinventing the wheel in a few days and reviving the idea of a store for nothing but PA books. Could you imagine a brick and mortar store run by the Stooges using the PA business model? If not, here's a Top Ten list to get you started!

Top Ten things overheard in a bookstore run by PublishAmerica's management

10. What do you mean, "How much does this book cost?" Your question is barely coherrant. Please do not address us in such a tone.
9. It's almost time for the annual Halloween Special. They're going to be bringing Shemp back from the dead again.
8. Please tell me that sign saying "This way too the no fiction books" is some sort of joke.
7. It's our best-selling book! This month, it's sold four whole copies, and that doesn't even include the ones the author bought.
6. Gee, this is the first bookstore I've walked into where they had more shelf space for ads about how I can get my book published than books.
5. Asking about the cover prices again? I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave.
4. Had fifteen customers show up yesterday when we had our Thirty Author Book Signing. What a success!
3. What a coincedence! We're friends of the author too.
2. I brought the reciept! What do you mean, I can't get a refund?

And the number one thing commonly overheard in that bookstore is:

1. Ready to check out? Did you bring your Author Discount Card?

Memphis Ed · Apr 28, 2005

Ed Williams said:
Finally, and this will sound totally crazy, but I swear I think that someone else is posting as "Pierrette" over on the PA boards. I might be totally wrong, but these new posts do not read at all like her old ones did. Someone messaged me about this earlier, so went over and took a look for myself - could there be a Pierrette imposter on the PA boards?

Guys, this is getting scary. We are messing with something we need to stay away from...people are popping up over there, disappearing, and then coming back as something different. I think the POD they keep reffering to is code for the "pods" like in Invasion of the Body Snatchers. I am afraid....

I am worried about our former PA author buddies over here. Did we get them before the abduction or after? What about this guy Ed Williams, who APPEARS to be such a good guy, but just may be the new birth of an abducted PAer? Could the Ham-dog be the source of the potion that begins the metamorphisis to pro-PA? Does this explain the sudden absence of Pierrette, Shemp, and Frank Weaver?

Lock your doors and keep a flashlight handy at all times. Terror is in our midsts.....

T42 · Apr 28, 2005

James D. Macdonald said:
Perhaps she got one of Willem's emotionally-abusive "don't take that tone" letters, threatening to permanently cut her off from her on-line friends?

Are you all talking about the welcome back Pierrette thread? If so, I think that she is being cautious and a bit afraid of getting bounced off again. She also has a lot going on in her life right now and may be a bit distracted. She has a lot to think about right now. I would never put it past Pa to do something like an impostor but I think if this were going on, Pierrette would be screaming to high heaven and I'm sure I would hear about it.

Sher2 · Apr 28, 2005

DaveKuzminski said:
If you're a PA writer or former PA writer in New York state, be sure you contact your state attorney general with your complaints about PublishAmerica. Mr. Spitzer just went after a California software firm for putting spyware/adware on private computers in New York. If he hears from you, he might go after PA. Then we might see the Maryland Attorney General find out what's in his pants.

I know what it is -- it's just a rolled-up sock. Meanwhile, I know a few NY exPAtriates who are about to get rallied here in a few minutes. Maybe if he gets the ball rolling, the rest of us won't have to worry as much about what our states' Attorneys General are made of.

T42 · Apr 28, 2005

I just read the news about Pierrette thread and it sounds like her to me... :Shrug:

Sher2 · Apr 28, 2005

Memphis Ed said:
Guys, this is getting scary.

Lock your doors and keep a flashlight handy at all times. Terror is in our midsts.....

I ain't scared of nothin' any more! I've already had a book printed (and wasted) by PA. What could be worse than that? Except maybe zobmis.

James D. Macdonald · Apr 28, 2005

NY Times Book Review and PublishAmerica the thread continues.

However, in saying that, there seems to come a time when a business of any kind, needs to stand up and show some sort of aggressiveness, rather then passiveness to its creditability.

Don't you recall when the Paula Span and Hillel Italie articles came out? Remember PA's aggressive (not to say frothing-at-the-mouth) "rebuttals" on their front page? They're gone now.

What can they say? "Yes, we are a vanity press, but at least we don't eat babies. Ummmm, that is, we only eat small ones. They wouldn't have lived anyway."

Remember PA is fairly new company.

says another poster.

I'm sorry, PA Author. The company isn't new. You are.

Besides any publicity is good at this point. It gets PA's name out there, there are tons and tons of folks who know nothing about this company.

Sure, I can hear a restaurant owner who finds the name of his establishment in the headlines after a visit from the Board of Health saying that.

The problem that Larry and Willem and Miranda (and Janet, and Jessica, and Michele) have is that now tons and tons of folks do know about this company.

Patricia · Apr 28, 2005

keltora said:
Hey, Ann, thanks for your comments on my chapter of ATLANTA NIGHTS...

Yes, I tried to make it as dull and lifeless as possible.

Huh? You talking to me or one of the other Anns? I don't remember addressing anything to you directly, Kel.

The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

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