PublishAmerica

DreamWeaver · Apr 4, 2009

Tora said:
I know for a fact, however, that the manager before me did order PublishAmerica books through Ingram for signings. He never ordered more than 10 at a time, but I'm still finding them scattered through the store. Some of them have been there since 2004.

Our former manager ordered in books for twenty-some PA authors for a mass signing event about three years ago. The unsold ones (at least 90 per cent of the order) sat in the back room since they couldn't be returned and the store shelf space is for books that actually sell. I think they got trotted out a few times at 75% off sales events, but they didn't even sell then. Last year we needed the storage space in the back room, so they all got trashed. Needless to say, there haven't been any more PA signings at the store, as consignment is not an option.

James D. Macdonald · Apr 4, 2009

PublishAmerica books have the same chance of making it onto a bookstore shelf as do the books of any publisher.

Click to expand...

This is true ... depending on how you look at it. Either a book is shelved or it isn't.

Take a random Penguin paperback: Either it's shelved or it isn't. Take a random PA book. Either it's shelved or it isn't. Same chance, right?

It's like my saying, "If I go out and swing at a golf ball either it'll go into the cup on the first swing or it won't. Same thing for Tiger Woods. Therefore I have the exact same chance of making a hole-in-one as Tiger Woods does."

Misleading, deceptive ... but just this side of being an outright lie.

Kaji · Apr 4, 2009

Misleading, deceptive ... but just this side of being an outright lie.

I agree. I will tell you one thing, they certainly know how to carefully word EVERY sentence they write. lol is that irony? that PA has a good writer somewhere.

( Locked in a basement ) "It rubs the lotion on it's skin....or else it gets the hose again..."

Yellow Rose · Apr 8, 2009

Copywrite

:Shrug:

Can anyone please help?
My first book about my travels in America was printed by PA and is 'stuck' as far as selling goes. It has a long Foreword about how I grew up, why I loved America, and why I wanted to visit.
However, I've just finished a second book that I'd assumed would carry on after the first with PA, but as they are NOT taking authors from outside the States and Canada now and I've read about them, it really needs the same sort of explanation at the beginning.
Can I precis (shorten) the first Foreword into the second book without breaking copywrite with PA as I am ready to approach a legit Literary Agent.

Unimportant · Apr 8, 2009

YellowRose, if you have one book contracted with PA, you'll probably want to check your contract and make sure that you are free to offer the next book to another publisher. Some publishing contracts include the "right of first refusal" or "option" on subsequent books. If your contract does have this, you'll probably have to submit your second book to PA and have them reject it before you can submit it elsewhere (depending on how that clause is worded).

You do still hold the copyright to all the text in your first book, but you have licensed certain publication rights to PA, and it all depends on what rights you have licensed.

You may certainly put an intro in your second book that covers the same ideas as the intro in your first book, as long as write new text; that should be completely safe. If you want to do a cut and paste, it'll depend on your contract with PA. Did you retain the right to sell excerpts of the first book? If so, you can cut and paste. If they hold the rights for second serial rights, excerpt rights, permissions, etc, then you probably can't do a cut and paste without technically violating your contract.

Gillhoughly · Apr 8, 2009

YellowRose, try writing PA and explaining that you are no longer able to buy copies or have any interest in promoting your book any more. If you've moved out of the country, this is an absolutely reasonable excuse. Keep it a simple as possible, don't volunteer information.

Ask if they will release you from your contract. Get it in writing.

They just might do it.

Once you get your book back you can do what you like with your own words, including reprint them with a more ethical company.

Grebbsy · Apr 19, 2009

Gillhoughly said:
YellowRose, try writing PA and explaining that you are no longer able to buy copies or have any interest in promoting your book any more. If you've moved out of the country, this is an absolutely reasonable excuse.

I think YellowRose's post makes it plain that she has never lived in the USA.

ChristineR · Apr 20, 2009

It seems like I recall one of those threads on the PA board mentioning a writer who was told that the store would need forty copies of a book for a signing, and since PA didn't take returns, the author would have to provide them. The author couldn't afford forty books, so no signing.

Now given all the books PA churns out, I can see one of them being good enough to tempt a local store manager into ordering forty books, especially if the writer is well-known in the community and the book has local interest. Although I wouldn't be shocked if the author agreed to repurchase all the unsold copies beforehand.

Yellow Rose · Sep 14, 2012

HELP!
I thought I was free of PA after getting my book copywrite back last year, but checking Amazon out of sheer curiosity when a friend told me that it was still being sold, and after contacting Amazon, it seems that PA are still selling my book to them.
Is this legal in the US as I'm from the UK. And what can I do about it?

James D. Macdonald · Sep 14, 2012

If PA had any pre-existing stock they can sell that (and not owe you any royalties). That's in their contract.

If they're printing up new copies, that's illegal.

What can you do about it? First thing is you can try to buy a copy to see if it really is available or just "available." If you actually receive a copy, then you can decide whether you want to chat with a solicitor about this.

Yellow Rose · Sep 15, 2012

Haunted to the Grave

So the Never Ending Saga of PA is going to haunt me to the grave!
I contacted the company I have the copyright with and they have basically said the same as you, but it's proving it's NOT old stock that could be difficult despite PA saying they only Print On Demand!
After informing Amazon that I DO NOT give permission for the sale of my books, they said to contact PA, so I also informed PA that I didn't give permission for them to continue publishing the book. And that I wanted all Royalties (from when their letter dated March 9, 2011 giving me my rights back.) Fat chance but worth trying.
Fighting it through the courts would be far beyond my current means and they know it!

Gillhoughly · Sep 15, 2012

Just keep pestering them. Even when they say the issue is closed, keep pestering them.

They may do what you want just to get rid of you!

DaveKuzminski · Sep 15, 2012

There is an ongoing class action suit against PA. Maybe you should contact them to see if they would like you to join them or give them information/evidence?

Yellow Rose · Sep 17, 2012

New warning about PA's tricks!

Well I sent an email to PA asking them not to sell my books anymore and of course got no answer! My friend in Cincinnatti said he can't find my book on Amazon.com, so perhaps they're only doing it through Amazon.co.uk due to infringement rights being different over here??
However, Amazon have been very, very helpful and have been advising me, and have also sent me a link to a form about reporting Infringement Rights so I'll see what happens after that.
All I can do is to warn everyone that even if they get their copyright returned to them, PA will continue to advertise their book.
And if they have, where are the Royalties!!

Yellow Rose · Sep 18, 2012

PA can haunt you to your grave!!

Are they going to haunt me to my grave?
What a surprise to find out purely by accident that Amazon.co.uk were still advertising my book after I got my rights back on March 9, 2011! Amazon of course weren't aware.
Luckily I was copyrighted and have had to complete a form to Amazon stating the infringement.
PA never answered my email, so what I want to know is, how many books have PA sold without my permission, and how much in Royalties have I lost! It's just one thing after another with them.
So if you get your copyrights back (and that turned out to be a real fight,) do check that any seller(s) who will deal with PA, have removed it from their listing.

Terie · Sep 18, 2012

Yellow Rose said:
Luckily I was copyrighted and have had to complete a form to Amazon stating the infringement.

You always owned your copyright. What you licensed to PA was the publishing rights. These aren't the same things.

Yellow Rose said:
PA never answered my email, so what I want to know is, how many books have PA sold without my permission, and how much in Royalties have I lost!

Probably none. Very few complete strangers-to-the-author will buy books at PA's exorbitant prices. A listing on a database doesn't equal sales. It's just an item on a database.

Really, I know how frustating it is, but don't lose any sleep over lost royalties. The chances that anyone bought the book are slim to none. (Which isn't meant to be a reflection on you or the book, but on PA's book-marketing practices [or lack thereof!] and pricing.)

shaldna · Sep 18, 2012

What Terie said.

Also, I would send them a recorded letter - one by snail mail that someone there needs to sign for. Of course, there have been reports of them turning away mail, so that may or may not work.

PublishAmerica

DreamWeaver

Shakespearean Fool

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Kaji

Former "Happy-Dammit" Author

Yellow Rose

America: A Dream Come True

Unimportant

No COVID yet. Still masking.

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

Grebbsy

Fearless vampire slayer

ChristineR

What happened?

Yellow Rose

America: A Dream Come True

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Yellow Rose

America: A Dream Come True

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

DaveKuzminski

Preditors & Editors

Yellow Rose

America: A Dream Come True

Yellow Rose

America: A Dream Come True

Terie

Writer is as Writer does

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.