The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica Thread

[tlblack]

From looking at the Twitter posts regarding PA, I'd say that their deciding to tweet only gained them more unhappy authors who are now talking to each other (kinda) and airing as much of PA's deception as they've come to experience first hand. PA's mistake was giving its authors a venue where PA has absolutely no control over what is, or isn't posted. When or if PA falls, it will be their own greed that pulls the rug out from under them, or someone in authority finally paying attention to all of the complaints, and doing something about it.

[Sarashay]

Originally Posted by Don Davidson

We can certainly hope PA is in trouble. But I seem to remember reading some of the same predictions in the Old NEPAT, and PA is still around. So I'll believe PA is in trouble when they actually go out of business. In the meantime, we can all keep spreading the truth about PA and trying to educate those potential suckers out there before PA can shake them down.

I thought the International Library of Poetry would never go down, but eventually it finally did fold. It may take a while for PA to do the same, but as long as we keep shining the lights, I have hope that their unethical business practices will catch up with them.

How much longer do you think it's going to be before the Facebook page becomes locked, the way they did with the Twitter feed?

[brianm]

Originally Posted by Sarashay

I thought the International Library of Poetry would never go down, but eventually it finally did fold. It may take a while for PA to do the same, but as long as we keep shining the lights, I have hope that their unethical business practices will catch up with them.

So long as PA's authors keep buying their books, PA's doors will remain open. That said, we can hope the current state of the economy is having an adverse affect on this vanity press/author mill.

One thing that remains a puzzlement is the fact that PA has not posted any new releases since the week of October 12-18. Maybe their state of the art "printing facility" ran out of ink or got a paper jam?

~brianm~

[DaveKuzminski]

If PA has only one printer, at least they're limited in how many folks they can sucker each week. Of course, they could hire second and third shifts if they can find enough people in need of work to keep the printer going all day and night. Otherwise, they'll have to purchase another printer and hire more workers to operate it. Personally, I just don't see either of those as viable since PA has no way of predicting just how many folks will self-purchase their own books and PA's bad reputation continues to spread and reduce the pool of prospects.

[Cyia]

Didn't think I should start another thread since there's one in the mystery forum, but it definitely needs a mention here since Mr. Stodghill was not only a fixture on the PAMB, but a member of this board. Apparently, he has passed away.

RIP Pipe.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/show...50#post4243350

[Afinerosesheis]

I heard he passed yesterday. He was a big help and encouragement to a lot of authors. May he rest in peace.

[spike]

So sorry to hear about Dick passing. I'm going to miss Mr. Stodghill, even though I didn't agree with him too often.

[Aidan Watson-Morris]

Rest in peace, Dick, although I'm new and didn't know him that well, an author's passing is a life ending.

[brianm]

I'm sorry to hear of his passing. My condolences and prayers to his family.

RIP, Pipe.

[Don Davidson]

Originally Posted by Aidan Watson-Morris

Rest in peace, Dick, although I'm new and didn't know him that well, an author's passing is a life ending.

I prefer to think of death as a door to a new, different, and better life. May God have mercy on his soul.

[wanda45451964]

i second the prayers and condolences to his family. may god be with them.

[LexiCan]

I will miss him very much. He was one of the only straightforward posters on the PAMB and was very kind to me. I was so happy when he showed up here.

Found this very nice article regarding his passing.

http://www.thestarpress.com/article/...WS01/911100330

[wanda45451964]

Well Pa as sunk to a newer low this am. Now they are sending emails stating that they will put your book in a local bookstore for 40% off, and donate ever how many copies you buy first at the above 40% off first. So if you buy 20 and thats what they are highly suggesting you do then they will send 20 to that bookstore. Just another new gimmick. Guess we know what theya re doing in their offices.

[Eirin]

I couldn't entirely make sense of your post, Wanda. Could you copy and paste the mail from PA?

[wanda45451964]

basically they are saying you have to buy 20 books at 40% off and then they will donate 20 books to your local bookstore. Just another scam. Dont know how to paste and copy to here. can you help and I will do that. would like everyone to see this new low.

[Eirin]

Same procedure as the last time Macdonald explained it to you:

Originally Posted by James D. Macdonald

(Assuming you're using Windows).

1) Highlight the text of the letter. (Hold down the Control key. Press the left mouse button and run the mouse over the text you want to save. It'll change color.)

2) Press the Control key and the C (for Copy) key at the same time. This will save the text to memory.

3) Click inside the Reply window here to put your cursor there.

4) Press the Control key and the V key at the same time. The text should be pasted where you want it.

PA isn't capable of placing books in stores. Shelf space is a valuable commodity, so bookstores won't even take most PA books as giveaways. Best you could hope for is one copy on the Local Author shelf.

[DaveKuzminski]

Wanda, please forward your email from PA to me at prededitors@att.net .

By the way, why isn't PA placing books in bookstores to begin with? Wouldn't PA and its authors make more money together doing it that way?

[wanda45451964]

dave, i sent the email to you, you can copy it to here, because if i do it the other way all it copies is my email addreses to here/

[DaveKuzminski]

Here is the PA email referenced above with only the writer's name redacted. All else is untouched.

From: PublishAmerica Author Support <support@publishamerica.com>
Subject: Your Book In Your Local Bookstore Next Week
To: "xxxxxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com" <xxxxxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, November 9, 2009, 3:04 PM


Dear Author:

PublishAmerica will put your book in your local bookstore!

As many copies as you determine! Imagine, Christmas shoppers flocking to bookstores, and the book they find displayed there is yours!

With the holiday sales season around the corner, we are ready to donate your book to your bookstore. We're not waiting for them to order it. They may put up your book for sale any way they want, highlighting you as a local author, stacking it on a front table, selling it next to the register, or any other way they choose.

Do you want us to donate the book to your local library instead? We're ready to do that as well.

Here's how we do it:

If you want to have books on hand, may now order any number of books
you need, and PublishAmerica will match the order. We will donate the
exact same number of books to your local bookstore. In fact, we won't
even charge the bookstore for the shipping!
And you receive a 40 pct discount!

Example: you order 20 copies, we print 40. We ship your 20 copies to you, and the same day we ship an additional 20 books to your local bookstore, for FREE.


Go to www.publishamerica.net, find your book, click on it, then add to cart, indicate quantity, and use this coupon: Bookstore40. Then click Recalculate and finish the transaction. Minimum volume is 12 copies.
Want fewer books? Then use this coupon: Bookstore30. No minimum volume requirement here. This will give you a discount of 30 pct, and we'll still donate as many books to the bookstore as you order for yourself.

In the Ordering Instructions field, be sure to indicate the name and address
of your local bookstore or library. We will ship your books there the same day
we ship your order to you. By using the coupon you are authorizing us to
match your order and donate the books. You may also request that we ship
the FREE books to you instead.


U.S. stores and libraries only. Full-color and hardcovers excluded. Offer expires this weekend on Sunday night.

Thank you,
PublishAmerica Author Support Team

[wanda45451964]

Thank you Dave for doing that. Isn't that a scam, to try and still make money. Wonder how many will fall for this one? I won't what would you do with number of books anyway? No bookstore will let you in their door whether they are donated are not with a Pa book. I know this, I ask B@N in my hometown. They said no, get a new publisher, and we will carry your book. That's what I am going to do.

[ChristineR]

Okay, I have seen many "You've got to be kidding" e-mails from PA up here. I have boggled at the thought of Miranda Prather scratching her own face to impress a woman. I have seen some hilarious posts coming and going from the message boards. But this has got to beat all. Paying somebody else to make a donation to a business?

It's like...feeding your pet alligator disposable diapers. It's like wearing your ice cream cones after labor day. It's like unlocking your coffee cake with a sponge.

[Cyia]

Notice they don't say how they'll convince the bookstore to stock said books, or how they'll convince them to give up commercial space for 20 books, or what "local" means for those with no bookstore in their hometown.

They say they'll ship the books, without order, to a local bookstore. Maybe it's me, but I see the person stocking the store to see an unordered box of 20 books from an author they've never heard of, with a maybe not so great cover, they'll call the publisher and either get no answer or an over-the-phone shrug of the shoulders and no offer to take them back. So they're stuck with 20 books they can't stock, can't sell, and can't return.

(especially for those with store policies prohibiting the manager from stocking POD titles.)

[ResearchGuy]

Originally Posted by Cyia

Notice they don't say how they'll convince the bookstore to stock said books. . .

Odds are that PA will never send any such books, claiming (if asked) that the bookstore lost them. If they DO send any, they'll be trashed or fobbed off on Goodwill or the like, as unsolicited and unsaleable.

--Ken

[wanda45451964]

That's why I wanted the email here, so that people could see these things that I get each week. Most are similar to these. I don't have a local bookstore. B@N in the next town over is the bookstore that I went in, and it's a big town where a college is. I was told that even if I bought the books myself there, I still counldn't do a book signing. They do not want their booksin their store or on their property, I am sure most think the same way that this one does, so why would Pa even offer to donate anything to a bookstore, when they know that they dont like them. Its just another scam, and way to make money off of us. I wish someone could think of something to do to Pa to show them we know this. Another Atlanta Nights. I really woud like for someone to buy 5 copies, that they know they could already get rid of themselfves to friends and see if Pa would actually donate those books there, on a certain day.

[DreamWeaver]

Originally Posted by ResearchGuy

Odds are that PA will never send any such books, claiming (if asked) that the bookstore lost them.

Since we've seen PA authors post on the PAMB about problems getting their own paid book orders, this is indeed a worry.