Funny thing thought I would share

Maiden · May 14, 2009

I had mentioned that a family member had chosen to use PA to publish their first book. I won't rehash what I posted in the monster of a thread but I did remember something that I was told and thought I would share. It is funny in a not-so-funny kinda way.

The person my family member had spoken to had claimed to her that they were also the people who published Twilight. This was before I was told the name of who actually published my relative;s book. Imagine my surprised when she finally told me that PA was who published her book...

Funny is that the person she deals with made no attempt to clarify that it was NOT the Twilight by Smeyer's (which was the assumption that was made.)

merrihiatt · May 14, 2009

Interesting... guess they didn't want her to know.

Cyia · May 14, 2009

Interesting. I put "Twilight" in the search box on PA, and this is what came up.

(Edit: PA's "Twilight" is on page 2 - it's about Time Travel)

http://www.publishamerica.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?Search=Yes

(the woman in the foreground on the 2nd title is the model wearing the dress from Kaji's bookcover. Only on Kaji's they photoshopped the head.)

Maiden · May 14, 2009

Yeah, the impression that I had is they were intentionally being misleading.

But what a horrid way to misrepresent yourself.

merrihiatt · May 14, 2009

Unfortunately, it doesn't surprise me. :rant:

Swordswoman · May 15, 2009

What also isn't surprising is that magically Cyia's link no longer works. Hmm, I wonder why?

But in case poor PA really believe they can hide this appalling act of misinformation (which is illegal in the UK, though not, I understand, in the US) - the book is indeed called 'Twilight', is indeed about time travel, and is by Nicholas Stemper.

There is cynical, and there is..... PA.

merrihiatt · May 15, 2009

I tried the link last night and thought it was just my computer when the link didn't work. Ack!

I searched PA's online bookstore and it said there were no matches for the author Nicholas Stemper.

Swordswoman · May 15, 2009

Sorry, Merri, that's probably my fault - I made a typo. He's Nicholas S Stember.

He's on Barnes and Noble's site, interestingly enough.

merrihiatt · May 15, 2009

Hey, that made all the difference! hee hee I found the book by searching his name on PA's online bookstore.

Here's the link, but I'm not sure it will work any better than Cyia's.

http://www.publishamerica.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?Search=Yes

I just tried the link and it worked!

James D. Macdonald · May 15, 2009

There's nothing wrong with calling a book Twilight. Titles can't be copyrighted. (Though, at this juncture, someone would have to be nuts in the head to use the title Twilight.)

If you look closely, you'll find that PA's Twilight came out three years before the Stephenie Meyer book.

merrihiatt · May 15, 2009

The person my family member had spoken to had claimed to her that they were also the people who published Twilight.

I think it was the misleading statement that Maiden was referring to, not that there might be a book with a similar (or exact same) title.

Maiden · May 15, 2009

Yeah I wasn't saying there was anything wrong with having two books by the same name. I was talking about how the person intentionally let someone believe that it was Meyers Twilight that they were talking about. Knowing full well if they said "We also published Twilight" that anyone in the last year or so would assume that they meant the sparkling vampire Twilight. Also, why else mention a random title to someone if that was not the intent (unless I am wrong and PA's Twilight is widely popular.)

Polly · May 15, 2009

It's yet another example of PA being perfectly legal at the same time as totally immoral.

Here in the UK, advertising campaigns are banned all the time for being misleading. A car insurance company was in the news recently for not covering musicians in their policy. Of course, there's nothing wrong with that - and they never once stated falsely that they did - but the campaign was fronted by a famous musician. The implication is that musicians will be covered.

Like Maiden says, if you claim "we published Twilight", the implication is that it's the famous one. They aren't lying, and all it takes is for the customer to check the claim, but it's certainly misleading.

James D. Macdonald · May 15, 2009

Wait one minute, here!

Do you mean to say that a PA employee, acting in the course of their duties, talking to a prospective author, said, "Oh, and by the way, we're the ones who published Twilight," or words to that effect, implying that they were referring to the best-selling novel by Stephenie Myer, and made no attempt to correct the misapprehension?

That's definitely false, misleading, and deceptive. The only thing that'll save their worthless butts is their Get Out of Jail Free card. In their contract they have a clause that says:

23. The Author acknowledges that the Publisher has not made any prior pledges, promises,
guarantees, inducements, of whatever nature, either in writing, by word of mouth, or in any form,
that are not contained in the terms of this agreement.

...or words to that effect.

That means that they could put a banner across their front page that says, "Publishing with PublishAmerica will make your teeth whiter, your smile brighter, and get you a date with a famous movie actor of your preferred gender and orientation!" and when that didn't happen, you couldn't say a word because you just signed a document saying that none of the false, misleading, and deceptive text on their web page, or that they may have told you on the phone, even existed.

Get real--their entire web page is one giant inducement. But they've covered their butts. They're clever that way, the little weasels.

Maiden · May 15, 2009

James D. Macdonald said:
Wait one minute, here!

Do you mean to say that a PA employee, acting in the course of their duties, talking to a prospective author, said, "Oh, and by the way, we're the ones who published Twilight," or words to that effect?

Something like that, yes.

Ulee_Lhea · May 18, 2009

This brings back a memory:

Awhile ago, PA sent out letters bragging that poet Robert Bly had signed with them. They led their authors to believe it was the famous poet Robert Bly, author of Iron John and co-founder of American Writers Against Vietnam. Actually it was a copywriter with a similar name (Bob Bly). His book was about the history of the hot dog.

Anyone have the link to that?

Gillhoughly · May 18, 2009

Once again proving to potential PA victims that Google is your very best friend!

"Publish America" + "scam" = avoid like the plague!

Kaji · May 18, 2009

lol that was the dress from my cover. lol how funny. I have seen it used a few times in the PA cover selection. As for the Twilight. I think it is disgusting they would intentionally mis-lead a potential author in to thinking they were the ones who published S. Meyer's book. The more I read these stories about PA, the more amazed I become. Is there anything PA wouldn't do to sell a freaking book??

PS I just got ANOTHER email. 60% off and free shipping. Amazing this is their fourth attempt to sell me books, after the once and only "final offer" last month. GGAAAHH

DaveKuzminski · May 18, 2009

If you're not posting those somewhere as documentation, please do remember to always forward me any of those offers you receive from PA. I'd suggest doing the same for other publishers, but they seem more interested in reaching actual readers and not their own authors.

James D. Macdonald · May 20, 2009

Ulee_Lhea said:
Awhile ago, PA sent out letters bragging that poet Robert Bly had signed with them.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=524l&page=38 and following.

Sparhawk · May 26, 2009

Sleaze... thy name is Publish America. These people have NO shame.

Funny thing thought I would share

Maiden

merrihiatt

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Cyia

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Maiden

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Swordswoman

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merrihiatt

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Swordswoman

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merrihiatt

Writing! Writing! Writing!

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

merrihiatt

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Maiden

Polly

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James D. Macdonald

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Maiden

Ulee_Lhea

Fear no darkness.

Gillhoughly

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Kaji

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DaveKuzminski

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James D. Macdonald

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Sparhawk

Jenna's Cabana Boy