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aka eraser

Re: PA's celebrity authors

If PA finagles a different (better) deal for their celebrities and does get them into brick and mortar stores how will that sit with their rank and file authors?

Some may well bask in the reflected glow from the new veneer of respectability but I have a hunch others might mutiny.

It'll be interesting to see how it shakes out for those of us hooked on this long-running soap.
 

Ed Williams 3

My bet would be...

..that Mr. Bly would have a pretty savvy literary agent, and that the guarantees that are put into his contract are far different than what the typical PA author gets. This is actually pretty smart marketing - it makes it easier for PA to get more shills if they can point to a few celeb authors on their roster. Only problem for them is, what happens if one of the celebs gets disenchanted and goes public with it? The resultant publicity could be the thing that sinks our good friends over at PA.
 

DaveKuzminski

Re: tchokes

But aren't most, if not all, writers crazy and special?
 

DaveKuzminski

Re: mensches

Well, thank you for the compliment. That and a fan letter I received two days ago have done much to make me feel like I'm accomplishing something.
 

SimonSays

you're welcome

I am not the type of person who writes fan mail. But I really do admire what you do - although you may not have realized that in the heat of our...... debate.
 

priceless1

Not in a million years

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Only problem for them is, what happens if one of the celebs gets disenchanted and goes public with it?<hr></blockquote>
This would be bad. However, there is no way in a million years that any 'name' will be treated like the rest of the cattle. No sireee, they will be the new PA royalty. A very good move on their part, I might add.
 

Betty W01

Re the threat of a renewed presonal DK/DJ battle on here...

No. Not gonna happen.

Can someone help me out here? I cannot find the post in which the ground rules were laid down under which DK & DJ would be allowed to continue posting. I'd hate to see Jenna ban either of them, so I think another reminder (via a repost of the rules) may be in order. But I can't find the original post!!

If you can, please post the URL, with the subject line, RE: Dave & James, so I can find it again. Thanks...
 

DaveKuzminski

Re: Re the threat of a renewed presonal DK/DJ battle on here

Try p197.ezboard.com/fabsolut...D=74.topic and scroll down near the bottom of the first page for what you seek.

However, it appears that someone has totally removed that particular remark that violated Jenna's ruling.
 

FM St George

back to Bly..

I do think that if his agent referred him to PA that either a) he has a VERY bad agent or b) PA has cut him a deal where he gets a decent advance and gets to do the "look at me!" routine while plugging PublishAmerica to all and sundry... I'm willing to bet that he may have a special return policy already being set up for his books.

however, I"ve yet to see the Farrs' book anywhere but on the PA website.

oh, if you want a giggle - check out some of the responses to the welcome given to Mr. Bly - some of the PA authors are making comments like "he has high standards to live up to here!"...

:p
 

CaoPaux

Re: back to Bly..

What tickles me pink is that one of the core mantras of the self-published is that only celebs get good treatment from publishers. So if PA grants Bly special favors, won't they be confirming their authors' worst fears? And more laughably, proving that even with PA, only celebs get the goods?

The mind boggles. :\
 

DaveKuzminski

Re: back to Bly..

That was part of why I made my earlier statement about them taking a risk by burning the fingers of some celebrities. This is a situation where it might look like a winner for PublishAmerica, but it's actually a lose-lose scenario regardless of which way they go. PA is actually providing ammunition for its critics.

As CaoPaux pointed out, if they give the celebs special treatment, then they undercut their previous efforts at proving they're not like the other publishers who do. If they don't, then sooner or later as I pointed out, a celebrity who signs with them is going to realize he's been screwed by PA without so much as a goodnight kiss. Problem is, celebrities usually have lawyers on retainer who like nothing more than going after someone who might have deep pockets. We've all heard about frequent lawsuits against the tabloids for making up or incorrectly reporting stories about the celebrities. PA certainly isn't immune even if they think their contract will keep them out of a real court. All it takes is for one celebrity with contacts to use those and force PA into a criminal court to face charges of fraud.
 

Betty W01

Re the threat of a renewed presonal DK/DJ battle on here

Dave, thank you!!

Anyone who has questions about how the Dave & James Show came to be canceled :ssh (and how come DJ's most recent post was removed :eek ) can refer to Jenna's last word on how things were to be done from that point on. As Dave posted, it's at p197.ezboard.com/fabsolut...D=74.topic

Any complaints, questions, or other backchat about it should be addressed to the management, not posted here. :wha

Thank you... ;)

Carry on...
 

Irene Keyes

Again Back to Bly

I wonder if PA is actually publishing a book by Robert Bly the copywriter and has him confused with Robert Bly the poet.
 

Ed Williams 3

Another thing that will be interesting...

...is how HB will react to taking a back seat to Mr. Bly. If HB gets on the PA message boards and pontificates on his vast publishing knowledge too much, Bly might come on there and give him an education right in front of all of his fellow PAvidians. Another thing worth considering is that if PA discovers that getting traditional authors makes more money for them, HB and his flock will be forgotten faster than a gnat can blink. However it all works out, this is providing some great theatre, and it'll be interesting to see how it all plays out.

P.S. Hey Lynn, glad to see you are posting here, and hope things are well with you.
 

FM St George

Re: Two Blys?

ah... now here they are promoting him on the PA site as a poet, and he's really a copywriter?

*shakes head*

either way, I'm VERY sure that he didn't just settle for a single dollar advance and his agent getting a cut of that.
 

FM St George

Re: Again Back to Bly

actually, this IS quite hysterical...

the plug on the PA site of:

To all PublishAmerica authors:
We will soon release this news by email to everyone, but let's break it here first:

Today the world famous poet and essayist, and international bestselling author, Robert Bly, has signed a contract with PublishAmerica for his new book, The All-American Frank.

Robert Bly is a winner of the nation's ultimate literary prize, the National Book Award, which has so far only been awarded to the very greatest in American literature. His earlier works have been published by houses such as HarperCollins, Scribners, Henry Holt, and Vintage.

Mr. Bly contacted us a few months ago through his literary agent letting us know that he wanted to join the talented army of PublishAmerica authors, and we were quick, happy, and proud to welcome this legendary author into our midst.

Welcome to PublishAmerica, Robert Bly!

*************

is totally wrong...

BOB Bly, here at www.bly.com is a published author, alright - in a totally different field!!!

the professionalism of PA in putting this one out has me rolling in the aisles... only their inept staff would start trumpeting the WRONG info about an author...

Lordy, this gets funnier by the day... wait until they try to pull their own thread now!
 

CaoPaux

Re: Again Back to Bly

Robert W. Bly (Bob Bly)
Copywriter
www.bly.com/

Robert W. Bly (Robert Bly)
Poet
www.robertbly.com/index.html

:rollin :rollin :rollin

But it still begs the question why the heck Bob Bly would go with PA. Sure, he's a marketing guru, but...or did I answer my own question? PA caught him somehow, to ensure that at least one of their books got national attention?

I'm sooo tempted to email his agent for confirmation.
 

SimonSays

too too funny

Oh please CAO, wait until PA sends out a press release touting the signing of Mr. Bly BEFORE you contact Robert Bly, the poet's, agent.

That way, we can all experience the joy of watching PA publicy wipe the egg off their smug, skeevy faces.
 

DaveKuzminski

Re: Two Blys?

I'm not convinced that they're talking about the wrong individual in their announcement. Furthermore, there's little likelihood that he and HB will knock heads with each other. After all, not many celebrities spend much time on bulletin boards. For now, I recommend a wait and see attitude.
 

SimonSays

wrong bly

No Dave, PA is definitely touting the wrong Robert Bly.

The book PA is touting on its message board "The All American Frank" is listed on Publisher's Marketplace as being written by Bob Bly, copywriter extraordinaire.

The National Book Award winning poet Robert Bly, is not a copywriter - extraordinaire or otherwise. In addition Robert Bly just published his latest collection of poetry in May 2004.

The Bob Bly they signed writes a lot of "How To books on copywriting, business writing etc.

Apparently they put up the poet's achievements - but the book they are publishing is the copywriter Bly's
 

DaveKuzminski

Re: Again Back to Bly

Ah, now I see where that information came from. I couldn't help but wonder. Well, looks like PA certainly did step in it. Who wants to email the real Bly and his agent?
 

SimonSays

re: wrong bly

I say wait until PA goes Public with their newest author, before alerting the esteemed poet.

My bet is that the press release will be very similar to the message board post.

Just imagine how foolish PA will look when their forced to retract.
 
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