Purchasing Your Book Rights Back From PA

[Yellow Rose]

Hi. I've paid PA for my bookrights to be returned, but after a month nothing has shown up at my home and they won't reply to my emails.
Help!! What now?

[Kewii]

Did you pay by credit card? I'd start by filing a charge back. I've heard that can get their attention.

[merrihiatt]

Welcome, Yellow Rose. I paid to have the publishing rights returned to me last fall and received a signed letter in the mail within two weeks. My book was removed from the PA bookstore within days. I hope you printed out a copy of the order confirmation or took a screen shot of it. With PA it's important to document everything (that's good advice in general, actually).

If I were you, I would:
1. Go to the PA page that states you can get your rights returned and make a copy of it now.
2. Make a copy of an e-mails you received from PA stating that you could get your rights returned for a fee (how did you find out about the rights reversion fee in the first place? Did PA send you an e-mail about it? That's what happened to me.)
3. As Kewii said, check with your credit card company or bank (if you used a debit card to pay the fee) and see if PA has processed your order and if they have been paid.
4. PA stressed that you had to select a shipping option back when I paid the fee. If you didn't select a shipping option, your order won't be processed.
5. I know it's time consuming and seems to take a long time, but keep calling and e-mailing PA.

Good luck!

[Yellow Rose]

Thanks for the info. I forgot to copy the confirmation number from the screen, but I did do the shipping option. I am also going to contact my credit card provider to see what they can do.
have a good day.

[Sepisllib]

Originally Posted by Yellow Rose

Thanks for the info. I forgot to copy the confirmation number from the screen, but I did do the shipping option. I am also going to contact my credit card provider to see what they can do.
have a good day.

I would certainly "stop payment" with my credit card company at this point.

Originally, many months ago, I offered PA $100 each for both of my book rights back. They declined, many times, over the next year or so.

I noticed the $99 option a few weeks ago and checked it with the $149 option and it appeared the same thing to me.

Since the $99 option is nearly identical to my original offer I opted for that and ordered both with the shipping (which is a certified letter really). On the 27th of January I sent them their electronic payment, then yesterday (02/04/11) the mail man delivered me a certified letter containing both of my releases.

PS - I have been watching the time line closely. Had I not received my releases by the 17th of February I was planning on calling the credit card company to file the contest of payment. Not that I don't trust PA - but plainly put, they are less trustworthy than thieves.

Some refuse to pay them - I decided it was worth the money to just be DONE with them. Never again will I fall into such a trap, they are the most evil of evil in the business world. I think you all know where their destiny will be when they stand up in front of Him and plead their case ----- they likely will face the "second death."

I'M DONE.

God Bless

Bill

[DreamWeaver]

Originally Posted by Sepisllib

...yesterday (02/04/11) the mail man delivered me a certified letter containing both of my releases...

Congratulations, Bill!!!!

[Scribe4264]

Originally Posted by Sepisllib

I would certainly "stop payment" with my credit card company at this point.

Originally, many months ago, I offered PA $100 each for both of my book rights back. They declined, many times, over the next year or so.

I noticed the $99 option a few weeks ago and checked it with the $149 option and it appeared the same thing to me.

Since the $99 option is nearly identical to my original offer I opted for that and ordered both with the shipping (which is a certified letter really). On the 27th of January I sent them their electronic payment, then yesterday (02/04/11) the mail man delivered me a certified letter containing both of my releases.

PS - I have been watching the time line closely. Had I not received my releases by the 17th of February I was planning on calling the credit card company to file the contest of payment. Not that I don't trust PA - but plainly put, they are less trustworthy than thieves.

Some refuse to pay them - I decided it was worth the money to just be DONE with them. Never again will I fall into such a trap, they are the most evil of evil in the business world. I think you all know where their destiny will be when they stand up in front of Him and plead their case ----- they likely will face the "second death."

I'M DONE.

God Bless

Bill

Is there a link for this $99 purchasing back your rights? I originally asked if this could be done and got ignored by PA. Offered again with my cease and desist demand, figuring they'd rather have my $99 than fight a lawsuit, but the refused to even accept my letter.
I gladly pay them the $99 just to be rid of them for good.
Did you get that Larry?
I'll give you the $99 just tell me how.

[merrihiatt]

Bill, I certainly understand how you feel. Breathe the fresh air again, my friend.

[Yellow Rose]

I paid back in Jan 6, 2011, a month ago by credit card, and PA took the money from my account on the Jan 7th, 2011. After advice from all you great people on this site, I looked back onto their link through their email they sent me in case I missed out the Option.

How about this, they charged me $149!! But when I went through their web site instead of opening up the original email, it's only $99!!!

However, they are not sending me any more emails so I know that they got my shipping option, which is International as I live in the UK, but despite my sending them quite a few emails, they won't reply. I suspect that they've put my name on their spam list.

[Sepisllib]

Originally Posted by Scribe4264

Is there a link for this $99 purchasing back your rights? I originally asked if this could be done and got ignored by PA. Offered again with my cease and desist demand, figuring they'd rather have my $99 than fight a lawsuit, but the refused to even accept my letter.
I gladly pay them the $99 just to be rid of them for good.
Did you get that Larry?
I'll give you the $99 just tell me how.

Just go to their (PA) website - it was there (both options) when I did it on Jan 27th. Have not checked today though.

Yes - to me at least, it is worth it and then make sure we all spread the word about these folks.

God Bless

Bill

[Sepisllib]

Originally Posted by Yellow Rose

I paid back in Jan 6, 2011, a month ago by credit card, and PA took the money from my account on the Jan 7th, 2011. After advice from all you great people on this site, I looked back onto their link through their email they sent me in case I missed out the Option.

How about this, they charged me $149!! But when I went through their web site instead of opening up the original email, it's only $99!!!

However, they are not sending me any more emails so I know that they got my shipping option, which is International as I live in the UK, but despite my sending them quite a few emails, they won't reply. I suspect that they've put my name on their spam list.

Don't waste any time - call your credit card company right now. The sooner you contest the sooner you will get some action. Wait too long and you may not be able to contest the charges.

God Bless

Bill

[Sepisllib]

I just checked the site minutes ago - and it is still up.

http://www.publishamerica.net/product38283.html

Good luck

God Bless

Bill

[Chris P]

Congrats Bill! Best of luck, Yellow Rose

[elindsen]

Originally Posted by Sepisllib

I just checked the site minutes ago - and it is still up.

http://www.publishamerica.net/product38283.html

Good luck

God Bless

Bill

I know we're talking PA here, but I find it so weird that they list this to buy like a book. Sends bad signals to all those people trying to be published by them. Putting aside the thousands of red flags with PA, this is a big one if I was interested and found so many authors wanted out. But like I said, just another HUGE red flag authors are ignoring in the name of being published.

[Yellow Rose]

Don't we all wish we were wiser before acting. I was soooo excited to get published, and I even had someone read the contract with me. I signed back in 2006, and it was about a month after that that a friend told me about ARWC. Reading all the threads, I was sickened.

When, despite all my efforts to contact book stores, who never, ever replied, and local papers did articles on me, my book wouldn't sell, I asked PA's advice. Ha!! They gave me all the speil about how to go about selling, everything of which I was frantically doing - but it wasn't until Waterstones (in the UK) agreed to a book signing, then stopped returning my calls, that I realised something was wrong. I found out that no bookstores would touch the book because of PA, plus the book was selling with them for a heck of a lot more money than people were willing to pay, I'd say over double!

As you all know, it got stranger when PA would then send emails saying that 'they were in contact with Barnes and Noble' etc, etc, but you had to buy your own
book(s.) That's when I worked out that being 'in contact' with B&N meant just that - they were 'in contact' (I guess that legally they can say that) - but it didn't mean that B&N would touch them. Then, even stranger, they would swamp film directors with your book - if you bought your own again (anyone fall for that one, and what did the directors think of that???) They would display your book at their book stand in Germany??? The list is endless with their efforts to get authors to buy their own book.

Luckily I realised something was wrong here, and didn't, which is when, twice, they emailed me to say I could buy my rights back as my book 'hadn't sold for a year.' This confused me as I'd tried for years to sell but was getting no royalties. Great! I could get out of the contract before the 7 years were up, but now it's turned into another complete nightmare.

I will try emailing the Govenor of Maryland as well. He must be inundated with letters and phone calls.

[Yellow Rose]

Hi Sepisllib, and everyone else who was kind enough to answer me.

A letter has gone off to my Credit Card people today with copies of my bank statement showing the money taken, a copy of PA's original "no strings attached / buy back your book rights," plus copies of all the emails I sent to PA asking what was going on. I also sent an email to PA from my other email address in case they put the one I was using into their SPAM box.

I'm not sure how things work between the UK and the USA - I will just have to keep my fingers crossed! Thanks to everyone for their contribution!!

[AC Crispin]

I ran into a staffer at Governor Ehrlich's office once (actually, she was a student at one of my AACC workshops) and she said that every year there are hundreds of letters of complaint about PublishAmerica received by the MD Governor's Office.

Unfortunately, the laws of the State of Maryland favor writing scams. Sad, but true.

I looked 'em up, being a Marylander myself. In my opinion, when PA was looking for a location, back in the days when they were Erica House, etc., the fact that Maryland's laws are written the way they are was a factor in choosing this state as their home.

It's not just unfortunate, it's shameful.

-Ann C. Crispin

[Cyia]

Read your contract. Are there any penalties assigned for non-fulfillment of terms on your end?

[merrihiatt]

Welcome, oneluv.

My suggestion would be to not give PA any new poems. Simply say your creativity stopped. There's no controlling a muse! I don't remember the minimum page requirement, but if it doesn't meet it, PA may not be able to publish it. This is GOOD NEWS for you!!! Poetry books aren't the easiest books to sell in general, so going with Lulu or CreateSpace would be a better option than PA.

I know it sounds crazy, but I really hope PA rescinds the contract and you are set free. You may have just dodged a bullet that you didn't even know was aimed at you.

Good luck!

[Terie]

If they don't rescind the contract, you can just send them any old junk you have lying around that you've written and never intend to see the light of day, and use a pseudonym. If you never tell anyone it's there, it's highly unlikely anyone will ever buy the book, so it's no skin off your nose, and it saves the current work for you to use elsewhere.

[Josh1971]

So has anyone purchased their rights back from them and had success with it? It's terrible to read this crap that Yellow Rose has gone through, but if it can get me separated from these worthless, criminal scumbags, I'm willing to make a one time payment and have done with it.

I've got a new illustrator/cover art guy, and want to do some revisions and get them really published.

JB

[Sepisllib]

Originally Posted by Josh1971

So has anyone purchased their rights back from them and had success with it? It's terrible to read this crap that Yellow Rose has gone through, but if it can get me separated from these worthless, criminal scumbags, I'm willing to make a one time payment and have done with it.

I've got a new illustrator/cover art guy, and want to do some revisions and get them really published.

JB

I received my letters reverting/returning my rights approximately two weeks after sending them their money.

I felt it was worth the few $$ just to disassociate myself and take my books and have them edited by a professional.

Unfortunately, because of being associated with this "low life" there will always be a permanent stain on me - the smell will fade away with time but it will always be there.

Good luck

God Bless

Bill

[merrihiatt]

Originally Posted by Josh1971

So has anyone purchased their rights back from them and had success with it?

One of many things I realized through my experience with PA is that my book really wasn't ready to be published. I believed PA would be doing a line-by-line edit (as noted on their website at the time, but that wording was NOT in the contract that I signed, which is what really matters). I didn't expect the book to be published "as is." Before I would even consider getting it published elsewhere, it needs to be rewritten and edited by a professional editor. Even then, I'm not sure if the time spent would be worth it. As is so often said here at AW, "Write a new, better book." I believe that is sage advice.

Good luck to you!

[Josh1971]

Yeah, mine really wasn't ready at the time either, but during my quest to get the rights reverted and such, I have given it a thorough re-write, and will be having it read by editors as well.

I'm not willing to just scrap it- especially since it's the first of a series- but it has increased in length by about 1/3, and will have a new title. I'll have to change all that with the copyright. It will all get sorted out, but it's good to know that PA will give you back the rights. The $200 I'll have to pay will work out to be worth it, I think.

[Bartholomew]

Originally Posted by Josh1971

The $200 I'll have to pay will work out to be worth it, I think.

Ow. So sorry to hear you've got to do this. I think I'd weep. I hope you manage to sell it.