Words from an ex-employee (not good words)

KingGraham

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I was fired from PublishAmerica a short while ago and thought I would share my experiences with you. My first suggestion would be to NEVER PUBLISH ANYTHING WITH THEM EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

To start with, PublishAmerica does all their job postings anonymously and only through e-mail. Your resume goes to a generic sounding yahoo.com address. I applied for a position with a "traditional book publisher" and eventually learned that it was PublishAmerica. Now, in the Frederick Maryland area PublishAmerica has an INSANELY bad reputation as an employer. I'd heard they fire people for next to nothing, fire people right before they're supposed to get a raise so they can hire someone cheaper, etc. Literally every person I'd spoken too about the company had nothing good to say about them.

Still, I was unemployed for quite a while and took the job. I figured I could just keep my head down, ignore any office drama and just get a regular paycheck for the first time since graduating college. I really didn't believe there could possibly be a work environment so bad that I couldn't just ignore it and do my work. And the first two weeks weren't bad at all. I didn't see what everyone's problem was.

Of course, I was being hired at the tail end of a mass firing where they basically gutted an entire department on the flimsiest of pretenses. Oh, and the only people that weren't fired were people who hadn't been there long enough to get raises....suspicious, eh?

Long story short, I worked there for two weeks and didn't hate it. Then, one day, I received a very angry e-mail from a justifiably disgruntled customer. My manager, Miranda Prather, composed a response (I was too new to be trusted with writing sensitive responses, I guess) that consisted of adding two sentences of personal insults to the beginning of a form response about how great PublishAmerica is. I said I was uncomfortable sending personal insults to customers and that I couldn't believe that such an unprofessional response was actually what the owners of PublishAmerica wanted sent out.

Well, apparently it was. After a few e-mails back and forth (because no one in that office communicates face to face...probably because the managers are such cowards) I stopped getting responses. Then my e-mail access went dead. Then the HR woman came up and told me I was fired.

To summarize: I was fired for refusing to insult a customer.

At any other job I'd be promoted for bringing that kind of managerial incompetence to light, but not at PublishAmerica.

Also, the process for accepting manuscripts goes something like this:

1) Underpaid desk jockey reads a few words. If you live in the USA, are 18+ years old and can write a complete sentence then your manuscript is accepted.

2) Your manuscript is edited by an underpaid recent college graduate who has to edit 17 books a week. Just imagine how much close, individual attention is being given to these manuscripts.

All in all, it was a truly impressive experience. In this area, even having PublishAmerica on your resume is a liability, so I'm glad it was only two weeks that I wasted there. It's pretty bad to be a customer of PublishAmerica, but I assure all of you, it is far, far worse to be an employee. Especially in a job market as utterly depressed as Frederick's. You just take what you can get around here, and PublishAmerica is always hiring for something, mostly because they're always firing for unprofessional, indefensible reasons.

The only good thing I can say about them is that they did pay me correctly, and promptly (this is not always the case according to other ex-employees). So there you go. Laugh at the absurdity of this company's inner workings. It really is insane that they are even still in business.
 

Mel

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Sorry to hear about your experience, but I'm sure you'll find that not many, if any, here will be surprised. It does suck, though.

If you check this out PublishAmerica here at AW you'll see there a various threads about them. Also, there are many ex-PA authors who are members of AW. Oh, and Miranda is also a member here and does post once in a great while, along with monitoring anything we say about PA.

ETA: sorry, you did post under that link, but you still might want to look around at the other threads here.
 
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KingGraham

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Fair enough. I'll probably never come back here again, as I'd just as soon forget that PublishAmerica even exists (unless they go out of business, in which case I'm throwing a party).

Just thought someone might enjoy a new perspective on how little things have changed with PublishAmerica.

Also, Miranda, if you read this: You are the least professional person I've ever worked with. No one likes working with you. Go to hell.
 

KTC

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Good luck moving on from PA, KingGraham. Sorry to hear of your terrible experiences with them.
 

Gillhoughly

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Anyone else notice that KingGraham's post was superior in every sense in terms of content, correct spelling, grammar, and coherence when compared to the ravings Miranda spews?

Clearly, KingGraham, you were also a serious threat to her when it comes to professional qualifications.

Please, hang out here, read some of the past PA threads, and know that your comments are welcome. You've served time in a hell hole, and if you want to vent, we'll be glad to listen.

:welcome:
 

CatSlave

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Thank you for posting this. It's interesting to see the inner workings of such a company. Sorry you had to go through all that, but with your post, you're helping others to understand how PublishAmerica really (doesn't) work.
Thank you for sharing your story.
There are many people on this forum who have been burned by PA in one way or another.
BTW, did they make you sign a confidentiality (gag order) agreement?

I hope you hang out with us and vent if you want to. :)
 

thecraftteens

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Thanks for posting, Graham.

I think you should join the fight against PA, to warn others about their unfair practices and inner workings. PA will eventually crash and burn, just wait and see.

On that note, I think we should send a spy to get a job at PA, so we can know all their inner workings (Miranda will probably take a closer look at who she hires now that I've said that).
 

Marie Pacha

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KingGraham,

I appreciate the honesty and integrity it took for you to post your messages. I've been the recipient of PA's correspondences; although I was informed mine were sent from someone higher than their executive director.

Dave?

KingGraham said in his post, "In this area, even having PublishAmerica on your resume is a liability, so I'm glad it was only two weeks that I wasted there." That comment may be of some use to you.
 

talps

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I did notice the superior writing skills. I'm surprised he didn't set off an alarm walking in the door at PA.

Fully agree with that.

Thank you for sharing this, KingGraham, and best of luck putting your talents to use somewhere more deserving!
 

sassandgroove

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King thanks for posting. I hope you don't leave though. There is a lot about PA on here and your perspective would be like a bright shining light, but AW is also so much more than that. YOu obviously have writing skill. Are you interested in writing? Why not lurk and see all that AW has to offer, since you bothered to register and all. Thanks for sharing.
 

DaveKuzminski

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KingGraham, I hope you'll see fit to write up a more detailed description of what you endured at PublishAmerica and share it with me at Preditors & Editors. Also, if you still have contact with any of the other employees, encourage them to also communicate with those outside and to document what takes place in the PublishAmerica offices.

By the way, how many employees are currently working at PublishAmerica?
 

Rose colored glasses

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Thanks for posting this. Now if I feel any twinges of guilt for speaking badly about PA, I will get over it quickly.
 

CatSlave

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KingGraham, I hope you'll see fit to write up a more detailed description of what you endured at PublishAmerica and share it with me at Preditors & Editors. Also, if you still have contact with any of the other employees, encourage them to also communicate with those outside and to document what takes place in the PublishAmerica offices.

By the way, how many employees are currently working at PublishAmerica?

Dear KingGraham,
I encourage you to communicate with DaveK.
Everyone here knows he is a major force in exposing scams like PublishAmerica.
You can trust him to keep your name confidential if that's what you prefer.
Any little bit of new information will help him build his dossier on PublishAmerica.
And thanks again for coming forward with your story.
 

Afinerosesheis

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Graham, it is a brave and good thing you have done by posting this information. I am one of their authors. Many days I wish I wasn't. But I am glad to say I have learned so much from the experience. I hope you will join us again. We are here to help and support each other through trying times.
 

ByGrace

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KingGraham,

PA released me from my contracts in 05, thank the Lord! I had back in the earlier days visited their office. You spoke of a mass firing. There were a few people there that I liked and have always been concerned about. Are they gone? I hope they quit and moved on.

Christina
Lynn
Andrea Higgins
 

Glenda

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Thanks KingGraham for sharing. It is nice to hear from someone from within. We all know how bad they treat people. They show no respect to the very people that make them money. They don't care to sell to customers, just authors. In addition, they only want the authors that have no self-thought. (You know like little ducks all in a row, following the big duck, even to destruction). It is nice to hear how bad they are from the inside. It just verifies what we already know. Please feel free to stay here, post and emotional heal from the emotional abuse they induced on you. Again thank you for giving us this.
 

overfiend

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Well to put it better: beautiful flowers don't stay in mud for long so i think your firing is a blessing in disguise.I think if you consider yourself a good person KingGraham then working at PA for a long time would have robbed you of your soul.I think you will find another great job soon.Good luck