PAMB and its quotes

Status
Not open for further replies.

platedlizard

platin' mai lizard
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 24, 2006
Messages
51
Reaction score
2
Location
Portland Oregon
Website
platedlizard.livejournal.com
Hi! I have heard a lot of things about PA, but the only problem I've had so far is getting libraries and some bookstores to order my book (or accept it as a donation even). This is probably because they don't feel there is enough demand for the book (being an unknown author) or just because it's easier to get into PA, that means every book by them is horrible or full of errors (which most are not, by the way).

A) Not being able to get your books into libraries or bookstores is a pretty big problem.

B) I can find plenty of new authors in both places. And besides, even Big Name Authors started out as complete unknowns at one point.

C) Atlanta Nights was both horrible and full of errors, and yet PA offered a contract. (BTW, Chapter 34 is my favorite)
 

Christine N.

haz a shiny new book cover
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
7,705
Reaction score
1,336
Location
Where the Wild Things Are
Website
www.christine-norris.com
This is from that same thread...
did extensive research on the company and its people. I know, from reviews and professional advice concerning my unpublished manuscript, that The Jade Chalice would have been published by any number of publishers in the marketplace. I chose Publish America as the only publisher that I sent my manuscript to because of my prior research examining what they would do for me.

And you didn't ask this 'professional advice' what they thought of PA? My friend if you did, you need new professionals.
 

zizban

Banned
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
526
Reaction score
51
Age
55
Location
New England
Website
www.chippewapublishing.com
Unfortunately, anything you've read on this board is just a drop in the bucket on negativity. On other websites and forums, people not only rant for weeks on end about PA; but they lurk on our boards here, pick out quotes from PA authors (out-of-context, I might add), and post them on their boards. They make fun of authors, give them degrading names, argue about them, e-mail them, etc.... In fact, the only really bad thing I've encountered about PA so far, are those people. So as not to stoop to that level, I won't mention exactly who.

I think she is talking about me with the email. I emailed her a few weeks back, carefully explaining how publishing works, etc and giving her a link to this board. All I got in reply was "I know about PA, leave me alone".
 

emsuniverse

Back to freelancing again...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 23, 2006
Messages
521
Reaction score
43
Unfortunately, anything you've read on this board is just a drop in the bucket on negativity. On other websites and forums, people not only rant for weeks on end about PA; but they lurk on our boards here, pick out quotes from PA authors (out-of-context, I might add), and post them on their boards. They make fun of authors, give them degrading names, argue about them, e-mail them, etc.... In fact, the only really bad thing I've encountered about PA so far, are those people. So as not to stoop to that level, I won't mention exactly who.

I think the poster is referring to us.
 

emsuniverse

Back to freelancing again...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 23, 2006
Messages
521
Reaction score
43
From the replies to the OP:

I have a product to sell and so does Publish America. We are working together.
Not quite.

Same person:
Publish America read my manuscript, liked it and decided to publish it. It was a message I wanted to read. I signed a contract. Within months my manuscript was in print and done beautifully.
They didn't read it, they don't care about you, for God's sake!

Different poster:
I have read some of those negative posts about PA on other boards. All in all, PA's author board is by far one of the friendliest to post on.
That's because most of the posters drank the Kool-Aid.
 

BenPanced

THE BLUEBERRY QUEEN OF HADES (he/him)
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
17,864
Reaction score
4,638
Location
dunking doughnuts at Dunkin' Donuts
I know, from reviews and professional advice concerning my unpublished manuscript, that The Jade Chalice would have been published by any number of publishers in the marketplace. I chose Publish America as the only publisher that I sent my manuscript to because of my prior research examining what they would do for me.
They would "publish" your book regardless of its quality and make you do the legwork? They would make you buy boxes of your book for you to sell to family, friends, and coworkers? They would "edit" your book and print it with errors, anyway? They would regularly send you "royalty" checks for $0.00? They would find a way to make excuses when your book isn't in bookstores or libraries? They would browbeat you into toeing the line NQA?

Sign me up.
 

J.S Greer

Feel the power!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 2, 2006
Messages
476
Reaction score
45
Location
Michigan
Website
www.myspace.com

Prior to my submitting my book, The Jade Chalice, to Publish America, I did extensive research on the company and its people. I know, from reviews and professional advice concerning my unpublished manuscript, that The Jade Chalice would have been published by any number of publishers in the marketplace. I chose Publish America as the only publisher that I sent my manuscript to because of my prior research examining what they would do for me.

Thats my favorite part.
 

Christine N.

haz a shiny new book cover
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
7,705
Reaction score
1,336
Location
Where the Wild Things Are
Website
www.christine-norris.com
I think we all have a different view of what 'marketplace' he's talking about. It seems to me that when many of these posters run in different circles than those of us in the industry.

Just spitballing here, but I've seen a lot of them say 'Oh, they would publish my book, but wanted SO much money'. I really believe they don't understand that they're not anywhere near the real book publishing 'marketplace'.

And it's totally possible that this gentleman could have had a shot at getting his book in with a commercial publisher. There are lots of good books being held hostage with PA. And lots of bad ones, since we KNOW for a FACT, that the books aren't read all the way through before being offered a contract. "Lower acceptance barriers" and all.


What about "learning your craft"? Ack.
 

Sparhawk

Jenna's Cabana Boy
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
1,071
Reaction score
450
Location
in the state of Delusion
A good friend of mine went through Author House. The bill for publishing and promotion was deep. I don't know what "Package" he finally went with. I advised against it but my advice wasn't followed.

I checked their website and WOW!! You could rack up quite a tab with all the service fees they have for different things.
 
Last edited:

zizban

Banned
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
526
Reaction score
51
Age
55
Location
New England
Website
www.chippewapublishing.com
Here are two more quotes from that thread. They are just so mind boggling it defies any logic:

Hi, It's me, Paul C. - I received an E-mail when I first was accepted by PA to publish my book S*T*A*R, Surveillance of Terrorist Actions and Retaliation. The E-mail was from the United Kingdom and said they were former PA submitees. They went on about how PA didn't reveiw books and all. One person on the site said they typed out 30 pages of something, made several copies and submitted that to PA and was accepted. Seems to me these people are full of sour grapes. PA has made my dream come true, for now I am a published author, regardless if I sell another book or not. It's up to me to promote my book, for who knows more about it then I do. When I get these negitive remarks I just laugh, as I hold my book in my hands

Hi, it's me, Paul C. - Here's the problem, as I seeit, with all the negitive remarks about PA and this ties in with getting our books into the book stores. The people who smear PA have an agenda. They want to make it so our books are not going to sell. Unfortuneately, most people will believe all the nonsense being spewed out there about PA and even more unforunate, some of those people will be book stores. What to do? We, as authors, need to pound the pavement, as it were, and take our books to the stores to show them that they are quality material and that we are serious about our craft. I've just read some of the postings on these negitive sites and for the most part they attack the authors, not just PA. They say we're not legitimate published authors. so I think we need to prove them wrong. I am very pleased with my book and the cover. The only regret is that I was too quick in wanting to get my first book published that I opted for the # 2 option rather then choose the # 3 option. Live and learn. If any of my next books are accepted I'll know better.
 

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle
Absolute Sage
VPX
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
25,582
Reaction score
3,785
Location
New Hampshire
Website
madhousemanor.wordpress.com
I checked theirh website and WOW!! You could rack up quite a tab with all the service fees they have for defferent things.

You can rack up quite a bill with PA, too, what with buying your own books and making flyers and business cards (and tablecloths).

I wonder how much, in dollars and time, the author mentioned above wound up spending with PA.
 

Sparhawk

Jenna's Cabana Boy
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 18, 2005
Messages
1,071
Reaction score
450
Location
in the state of Delusion
You can rack up quite a bill with PA, too, what with buying your own books and making flyers and business cards (and tablecloths).

I wonder how much, in dollars and time, the author mentioned above wound up spending with PA.

Amen, Uncle Jim.

With PA the costs are hidden and "After the fact."
 

spike

Mostly Ignored
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 10, 2005
Messages
1,100
Reaction score
151
Location
Bath, Pennsylvania
Website
oddgoose.blogspot.com

The PA faithful have been checking in with the reasons people bash PA. I've done a quick count:

Publishing industry doesn't like change 2
Ex-PA authors disappointed they didn't have a best seller 3
Ex-PA authors who don't read their contract/faq 1
Mainstream publishers threatened by or jealous of PA 1
Subsidy publishers jealous of PA success 1
Sour Grapes 1

It's the same old, same old. Everything bad about PA is wrong.

It reminds me of the old joke:
Parents are watching their son in the marching band during half-time.
The father says, "Look! Everyone's out of step except our boy John."
 

Christine N.

haz a shiny new book cover
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
7,705
Reaction score
1,336
Location
Where the Wild Things Are
Website
www.christine-norris.com
Yeah, the negativity around PA ties in with not getting to bookstores. Couldn't be the... books, now, could it? Or that just about everyone knows about the Atlanta Nights scandal and realizes there is no quality control at PA. Cancer boy and the Plagerized Poetry Book prove that, and we didn't even have anything to do with it.

Or that the publisher makes no effort or has no incentive for stores to stock books and make a profit.

Nah, couldn't be that. It's all us.
 

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle
Absolute Sage
VPX
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
25,582
Reaction score
3,785
Location
New Hampshire
Website
madhousemanor.wordpress.com
Unfortuneately, most people will believe all the nonsense being spewed out there about PA and even more unforunate, some of those people will be book stores.

What, do you mean that the bookstores won't believe their own eyes when they see what kind of "discount" PA is offering?
 

CatSlave

Mah tale iz draggin.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
3,720
Reaction score
620
Location
Paradise Found: Bradenton, FL
more sage advise from the PA forum

QUESTION:
Being new ~ I have a question to add to this too.... Doesn't PA set up book signings and such? In the contract it says they market the book.... I know there is always more you can do on your own, but don't they do a fair share as well??)

ANSWER:
No, they do not set up book signings but they get your book posted on all the internet bookseller's sites, send out press releases and notices to all the names you submitted. Consider the number of books published by PA and then ask yourself what more they could do for you or any other writer. PA has then done its fair share and the legwork is up to you.

Oh, the weasel words, and the weasels that promote them!
May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your weasels.
 

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle
Absolute Sage
VPX
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
25,582
Reaction score
3,785
Location
New Hampshire
Website
madhousemanor.wordpress.com
I know there is always more you can do on your own, but don't they do a fair share as well??)

No, they will market your book "at the publisher's election and discretion."

Which means "if we feel like it."

Short answer: No. They don't do their fair share.

(Compare this typical vanity press's contract with PA's contract. Sound eerily familiar?)

Just getting listed on Internet booksellers' sites: That's a function of having an ISBN. No action required from them.
 
Last edited:

Christine N.

haz a shiny new book cover
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
7,705
Reaction score
1,336
Location
Where the Wild Things Are
Website
www.christine-norris.com
Hey, they could do what every other commercial publisher does...

Publish fewer books, and spend time actually, yanno, making sure they're worth selling. Yanno, read 'em all the way through, picking ones that are the best, putting a real effort into a smaller number of books.

Nah, why would they want to do that?
 

JulieB

I grow my own catnip
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 17, 2006
Messages
2,403
Reaction score
213
Location
Deep in the heart o' Texas
I'm looking at this book fair order form for scholastic and thought that it would be good to develop a PA order form with many PA authors books listed on it to distribute like they do the Scholastic materials in school except ours would go out to the public and school.

I can speak to this one as I spent two years in charge of fund raising for the school PTO. In fact, I could write a whole essay as to why this probably won't work. And believe it or not, only one or two points would have anything to do with PA.

This poster needs to talk with a school principal and someone on the PTA/PTO board at a local school about getting their products into schools. Yes, even via fliers. Ask what kind of profit they expect. It'll be a real eye-opener.

(And I can state from my experience that parents are less likely to order books from fliers, even when a company as big as Scholastic is behind them. Not when the school has two book fairs in a year, at any rate.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.