PAMB and its quotes

tlblack · Feb 1, 2007

The PAAAA eh? That sounds like a baby sheep in need of his daddy.

You're right, neither idea would ever work. PA would never agree to setting up any kind of page, or link. (that would constitute actual work)

zizban · Feb 1, 2007

tlblack said:
The PAAAA eh? That sounds like a baby sheep in need of his daddy.

You're right, neither idea would ever work. PA would never agree to setting up any kind of page, or link. (that would constitute actual work)

How dare those heathens to think their publisher would help them.

James D. Macdonald · Feb 1, 2007

The idea to come up with a PA Author Driven Marketing Department is one of the ones that comes around on the PAMB every six to nine months, as the old posters leave and new ones come along trying to figure out how to sell their books.

As to the PAAAA, the poster is trying to independently re-invent http://www.meetup.com/

That person would be better advised to set up a bunch of PA Author Meetups using the existing site. This could work, and be fun. Also, when PA authors get together and compare notes, out of sight of InfoCenter ....

spike · Feb 2, 2007

James D. Macdonald said:
The idea to come up with a PA Author Driven Marketing Department is one of the ones that comes around on the PAMB every six to nine months, as the old posters leave and new ones come along trying to figure out how to sell their books.

As to the PAAAA, the poster is trying to independently re-invent http://www.meetup.com/

That person would be better advised to set up a bunch of PA Author Meetups using the existing site. This could work, and be fun. Also, when PA authors get together and compare notes, out of sight of InfoCenter ....

I wonder if these people have any idea of what a publisher's marketing department does?

spike · Feb 2, 2007

PVish said:
This is so not gonna work:
http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19377

Quote:
I was working my 9 to 5 today and I was thinking quite freely about of Marketing Strategies and I have come up with a plan or pulled it out of my rear or from the air whatever the analogy. So I want to run it past all of you.
I have found out from my last signing party that book stores would rather host larger signing parties just because the Authors present would not only be representing their own work but their genre.
I am starting a Database for all the PA authors according to where they reside. I intend to list them by region and if anyone wants to help me out with this I’d appreciate it. The PA Family will thrive if we work together. I have a name for this organization I want to start, “Publish America’s Author Alliance Association.” If we could get PA to install a button on their site and label it “Book stores wanting to host signing parties” they would click on the state they are in and it would direct them to a “Signing Party Manager or Host” for that region. That manager or host would pull up the PA Author’s in that region and email them of a signing party in their area and to see if they are willing to participate. The “Signing Party Manager or Host” could have that author’s profile with their ISBN’s, their Genre and how far they would be willing to travel for a signing. This would increase our visibility to the public and draw business to the Bookstores. Together we will open the eyes of the world with public appearances, increase PA profits and increase our own Royalties. I haven’t fine-tuned all the questions that might pop up so email me and I can iron it out for all of us. . . .

Click to expand...

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19208

Anybody want to explain to the enthusiastic newbies—or maybe to the lurkers—why these ideas are doomed?

Doomed? That post is gone already.

Uncle Jim, you were on to something. PA doesn't want it's authors getting together.

JimmyD1318 · Feb 2, 2007

He put it back up...

He reposted his idea again....

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19381

I wonder how long before it goes POOF again? He'll get banned soon if he keeps this up.

James D. Macdonald · Feb 2, 2007

If someone is in touch with him, tell him about meetup.com

He can get a meetup going in his area, and suggest to other PA authors that they can do the same in their areas.

rihannsu · Feb 2, 2007

JimmyD1318 said:
He reposted his idea again....

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19381

I wonder how long before it goes POOF again? He'll get banned soon if he keeps this up.

I'm wondering, since he's stirred up 4 other people and those people will probably start wondering where he went when he does go POOF, how does PA handle that?

Do they just delete him and his posts and never answer to the inquiries from the other posters? Just leave them to figure out what went on? Or do they come into the MB and post some BS to cover their butts?

zizban · Feb 2, 2007

I bet they delete him and his posts and ignore emails about it.

Sparhawk · Feb 2, 2007

I swore after I got my rights back that I'd never scan the PA message boards again. I, of course, broke that pledge shortly after I made it, there was some scandal going on I just had to check out. (I think it was the Cancer book)

But I just finished a quick check and it seems, well, sad. Where is HB Marcus cheering on the blind leagues of the faithful? Where is the controversy and the R rated nightgown pics of yesterday? <<Weep!!>> I'm actually nostalgic for the golden glory days of the PAMB.

What I see are desperate people that have been duped and sadly don't realize it. I see reincarnations of posts that have been up and deleted over and over again by authors gone by. Doesn't anyone ever wonder where all the "Verterean" PAvidians are? Are they not suspicious that the only posters are those who just have their book out or just got their acceptance or their <<CHOKE>> mighty dollar advance ?

I confess I was once a Pavidian, but after reading some posts here and learning the facts it was evident I made a foolish error in judgement. There's no shame in admitting that; I was taken, hustled, conned etc. I bought the whole PA line. Three years later I'm wiser for the lessons learned.

Denial is a very dangerous thing and that's all I see over there; a bunch of writers living in denial and a scant few who know better but continue feeding the dream. I feel saddened for those who were legitimatly suckered and will catch on after a few short months. It's a painful lesson I don't wish on anybody.

rihannsu · Feb 2, 2007

Sparhawk said:
Doesn't anyone ever wonder where all the "Verterean" PAvidians are? Are they not suspicious that the only posters are those who just have their book out or just got their acceptance or their <<CHOKE>> mighty dollar advance ?

I confess I was once a Pavidian, but after reading some posts here and learning the facts it was evident I made a foolish error in judgement. There's no shame in admitting that; I was taken, hustled, conned etc. I bought the whole PA line. Three years later I'm wiser for the lessons learned.

Denial is a very dangerous thing and that's all I see over there; a bunch of writers living in denial and a scant few who know better but continue feeding the dream. I feel saddened for those who were legitimatly suckered and will catch on after a few short months. It's a painful lesson I don't wish on anybody.

I think in their denial they're telling themselves that the "Old Timers" are too busy writing their 3rd, 4th bestselling book to stop by and post a while. It makes them feel better to hope that's the case.

That comes from someone who spent most of her life in denial and would be posting on that MB if I hadn't stopped over here first.

I was just 2 clicks away from being in the same boat as these people and I know where they're coming from. My heart aches for them.

CatSlave · Feb 2, 2007

JimmyD1318 said:
He reposted his idea again....

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19381

I wonder how long before it goes POOF again? He'll get banned soon if he keeps this up.

He's still there

VGrossack · Feb 2, 2007

The PA phrase that has always bothered me the most is the one in their acceptance letter: "give your book the chance it deserves." The irony is that the authors take the phrase with a positive spin, while PA must know that so many of the books don't deserve chances. The worst, of course, is for the few that do.

Victoria
www.tapestryofbronze.com

Sassenach · Feb 2, 2007

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19381

Remember! “We are One”

Creepy. And culty.

zizban · Feb 2, 2007

Sassenach said:
http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19381

Remember! “We are One”

Creepy. And culty.

I'd say.

stormie · Feb 2, 2007

First there's this question: http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19387 "How many books does PA release a week?"

Then this answer:

Yep, about 95-100 each week. Hundreds of unknown/unpublished authors are lucky to have PublishAmerica releasing their works. The major publishing companies reject about 97% of inquiries and of the 3% they contact for more info, etc. they reject about 90%. Why? Because they pay big bucks for space in bookstores, etc., heavy overhead costs,etc. and only break even on about 5 of every 10 they finally publish, making all of their big bucks from about 3 of every 10 they publish. Thanks, Publish America.

J.S Greer · Feb 2, 2007

Yep, about 95-100 each week. Hundreds of unknown/unpublished authors are lucky to have PublishAmerica releasing their works. The major publishing companies reject about 97% of inquiries and of the 3% they contact for more info, etc. they reject about 90%. Why? Because they pay big bucks for space in bookstores, etc., heavy overhead costs,etc. and only break even on about 5 of every 10 they finally publish, making all of their big bucks from about 3 of every 10 they publish. Thanks, Publish America.

Thats flat out scary.

emsuniverse · Feb 5, 2007

From a poster called "BigBerthaEvans": I was shut out of the author message board? I finally got it fixed! I really miss all you! I pray somebody missed me!

What'd she say to get kicked off in the first place?

PVish · Feb 6, 2007

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19453

The corrected edition of my novel arrived in late December of 2006. Since that time I have spent 12 hours per day promoting my book in all kinds of ways. Here is what I have discovered:
1. Books A Million will not stock any PA books on their shelves.
2. Target will not stock any PA books.
3. Wal-Mart will not stock PA books. (At least this appears to be the case.)
4. I have not found a bookstore yet, including Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi, that will stock books they have to buy from PA.
Yet they have thousands of books for sale including books from numerous publishers in New York and many other places. Something about profit index.
5. The only way I have gotten books in bookstores is to give them books on consignment.
I am securing newspaper reviews (8 so far) but have to give books to drugstores to make available to the public in the towns where the reviews are located.
I know this sounds negative, but my actual experience doesn't fit too well with the PA advertising. Maybe I'm overlooking something. Certainly, I'm appreciative for what PA has done for me. But I'm so eager to make money for them that I'm running up against walls. I know this doesn't sound modest, but the truth is that the people who have read my novel rave about it, pass it along to others, and state that it is one of the best they have read. They even call the newspapers to demand that they make an annoucement or give a review.
Thanks ahead of time to anyone who can give me some advice.

Oh, dear.

Gravity · Feb 6, 2007

Somebody better get a chair ready for that lady. And a tall glass of something strong...

CatSlave · Feb 6, 2007

Gravity said:
Somebody better get a chair ready for that lady. And a tall glass of something strong...

We are commiserating with the author over on the NEPAT thread too.

CatSlave · Feb 7, 2007

new PA thread?

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=19465

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:19 pm Post subject: Just an idea for Publish America
It is the end of a six month period and we are all eagarly awaiting the results. It would be nice to know who the top 100 authors for P.A. are for the last 6 months or even for all of 2006. I do not want to know theri book sales or how much they made, that's no one elses business but their. Anyways I would like to see a string started for just those individuals should they wish to chime in and share how they wound up in that elite group.

I would LOVE to see the top 100 sales numbers. If this thread takes off it should be very interesting.

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Feb 7, 2007

CatSlave said:
I would LOVE to see the top 100 sales numbers. If this thread takes off it should be very interesting.

If any of them sold more than a hundred or so copies, I'd be amazed. I got my 1099 from them last week... I don't know who in the world bought my book last year (it came out in '05), but they claim I earned a whopping $22 for the whole year. Woohoo!

CatSlave · Feb 7, 2007

copyright question

from the PA forum:

Question:
Is it legal for we who have published with PA to sign up for the Search Inside on Amazon.com? It asks if we have exclusive rights, including copyright and marketing/production rights. Has anyone ever done this with their books?
Thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Answer:
I was told by PA support that it doesn't allow the search inside feature on Amazon because they are concerned with copywrite issues. We are the copywrite owners but they own the print, I was told.

Can someone explain this to me? Thanks.

Ken Schneider · Feb 7, 2007

I know I better Not get another check from PA for a book that came out in '04, and had the rights retunred in early '06.

I returned the last check to them and told them that since my book wasn't in stock at any of the wholesalers because I checked the day you gave me my rights. Unless, you've sold a copy illegally? They sold one. Thieves. Yup,you Lar, Mo, and the Portly Nazi.

PAMB and its quotes

nothing simple here

Your Genial Uncle

Mostly Ignored

Mostly Ignored

THE POPCORN MONSTER!

Your Genial Uncle

Mrs. Bruce Wayne

Jenna's Cabana Boy

Mrs. Bruce Wayne

Mah tale iz draggin.

bored fan with a tic

5 W's & an H

storm central

Feel the power!

Back to freelancing again...

Cat hair collector

Seen 'em come, seen 'em go

Mah tale iz draggin.

Mah tale iz draggin.

Hand? What hand?

Mah tale iz draggin.

Absolute sagebrush