It's not my habit to post and run, nor to be deliberately rude, so please let me respond.
Steve, I'm not going to post the comments that made me feel it was suggested that I leave. I think QoS knows which ones I mean. I accept her statement that it was based on an assumption that I don't post here much anymore.
Jersey, my comment about the board being inhospitable for PA or former PA authors was not directed at everyone. I am sorry if you took it that way.
I stopped posting here on a regular basis quite some time ago. One reason was that I've been working on a series of books, and another is simply that PA is not the center of my existence. Another is that the negativity here is often overwhelming.
I'd really like you to understand that when you jump a new member the way you did Mr. Stodghill it really does offend a lot of people and many of them are people who might want to discuss some of the issues you bring up, but are afraid to approach you. In creating that situation you are defeating your own purpose.
Everyone has to start somewhere if they want to be published. I was referred directly to PA by one of their other authors, and I know it sounds absurd in this day and age, but in 2003 I wasn't aware of all the resources for investigating reputability of firms on the Internet. Even if I had known the information was there, how is a person inexperienced on the Internet going to know how to judge the vast amount of information thrown at him/her?
I'm going to bet that the vast majority of PA authors find themselves in the same situation. They are not dumb, and they are not bad people, but ladies and gentlemen you are really, really hard on them.
This is a forum for WRITERS for God's sake. Words are powerful, but they don't have to be vicious, and in my humble opinion they are far more effective when used judiciously.
Marie
QoS, Your comment about not my not clarifying what statements you have made in error was quite fair. I'll clarify that for you in private and I will provide you with documentation to back it up, but not this evening.