Return of a Man Named PAMB and its Quotes

Marian Perera

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I get to post the first quote, which is equally shocking.

After I edited my book and sent it in, I came on the forums and found this thread. I immediately emailed PA after <another PA author> graciously helped me revise my back cover summary. No answer. I emailed again. No answer. Received my book cover with 48 hour approval deadline - asked them if I could have the revision replace the miserable summary I had written. They emailed back that it would cost $99 and would have to go back to cover design. ...big sigh... what could I do? I said okay and am waiting to hear from them now. Oh well - lesson learned - try your summary out on the people in these forums and get it right the first time.

So much for PA not charging authors fees.

It's just a shame the author didn't learn another valuable lesson at the same time.
 

merrihiatt

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$99 for revising the back cover, $49 for making corrections to the proof copy, what's next? PA will print your book for free (you'll pay in the end, but that's another story), but if you want any changes at all, you have to pay for them now? That's not posted anywhere on PA's website. I wonder if this is spelled out in the contract now.
 

merrihiatt

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Well it says on the statements that any books sodl from PA directly will be on one statement and any books sold by other places will appear on another following statement.

Is PA sending out two statements then? One for books sold directly from PA and one for books sold on Amazon or through brick and mortar stores. Why would they want to pay double the postage to send out two statements?
 

ChristineR

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Merri, I read that as they were withholding royalties against bookstore returns. Obviously this would make more sense if PA actually placed books into brick and mortar stores and accepted returns. But in theory, it could happen, and if they've really sold a million books through bookstores, then they might have had someone try to return some, and they may have even accepted them.
 

JimmyD1318

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$99 for revising the back cover, $49 for making corrections to the proof copy, what's next? PA will print your book for free (you'll pay in the end, but that's another story), but if you want any changes at all, you have to pay for them now? That's not posted anywhere on PA's website. I wonder if this is spelled out in the contract now.

I do believe...that when you pay to have something like that done...you have paid to be published. But oh, wait a minute! They always say they didn't pay to be published...so it must be true. But...you paid to fix your cover...and the errors...so you must have...

Never mind...I'm getting a headache.
 

JulieB

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Merri, I read that as they were withholding royalties against bookstore returns. Obviously this would make more sense if PA actually placed books into brick and mortar stores and accepted returns. But in theory, it could happen, and if they've really sold a million books through bookstores, then they might have had someone try to return some, and they may have even accepted them.

I think they've done that for a long time. I seem to recall it's sales in the 90 days prior to the royalty statement. They do have a return policy, and someone just might decide to comply with it.
 

Christine N.

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Paying for ANYTHING is vanity publishing. PA is not even hiding it anymore. If a cover isn't right, if there are errors, it's the publisher's problem, NOT YOURS. If they're making you pay to fix it - you are not being published by a commercial publisher.

If you know that upfront and can live with it - have at it. Don't let them pull the wool over your eyes.
 

Marian Perera

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More royalty disappointment

I recieved my check today and I will be honest, I was furious, because my check was extremely small and the # of copies sold I thought was unrealistic. I have literally recieved over 25 to 30 books via mail to sign for just family and friends across the United States.

The number of sales was a complete mix-up, but it seems as I scoll through all of your inquiries that Amazon and Barns and Noble haven't paid yet?

I am confused. Can anyone shed some light on this?

I know most of my sales have come through Amazon, and even local schools have ordered enough books for in school reading in class.

I guess I expected much different. I am in hopes that there is some one out there that has been with PA for a while and are able to answer my questions.

If anyone has replied to this, it hasn't been in public. What's interesting is that infocenter hasn't bothered to delete or move this post. Perhaps because some of the new authors are too hopeful and happy to be deterred even by this.

Edited to add : Hopeful enough to pay $99 even before publication.

After I edited my book and sent it in, I came on the message boards and received advice about writing a better back cover synopsis. I immediately emailed PA asking if I could send them the revised one, no answer, wrote again. Then I waited until they sent me the cover (which I really liked) and told them it was great - except I wanted the corrected synopsis. Well, I can do it for $99 and it will be revised in cover design. What could I do? I will pay the $99. Good luck to all of you!!

How typical. Don't respond to the author until it's too late, then respond and tack a charge on.
 
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ChristineR

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Well, this one is doomed. But how poignant!

I have spent a great many years on this forum.
I made many Friends and spent most of the time sharing idea's and helping others. I hope I encouraged many new authors to keep writing.

I also hoped to sell my book to fellow authors as well as to buy theirs.
I invested a lot of time and spent many dollars buying books that were a genre I knew I would enjoy and most were a good investment for me.

However in reviewing my sales of my book published with PA
<Book Title> I see that not a single copy has been purchased of my book.

I have given many away, and bought some on my own, but I feel somewhat let down, by the friends I made and this forum. So at this time, I must say, somewhat sadly, Good bye, and thanks for the memories.

Poor lady, even if someone did purchase her book, that's no guarantee that it would make it to the royalty statement.
 

Marian Perera

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Ooh, I was just about to quote that! :)

The author who posted that is a veteran loyalist. I was reading over some of the PA threads from 2005 yesterday, and she was a fervent supporter, certain that PA would soon become a major player in the publishing industry and quick to assure honeymooners that the bashers were all wrong.
 

CatSlave

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Marian Perera

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You're right. I'm sorry if I came off as pointing a finger at her misfortune (and the smiley was because I'd been pipped at the post with the quote, not because I was pleased about what had happened to this author).

There are few if any happy endings for PA authors, and it must be heartbreaking to feel that you've invested years of your loyalty and emotional support, as well as your money, into something that's eventually let you down.
 

Christine N.

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Oh, yes, she was a fervent supporter a few years back. But, like many of those before her, she has realized that unfortunately the "bashers" were right.

There are days I wish we weren't, especially when I see posts like this. You can practically hear her heart breaking.

But we didn't do this. PA did. Do you see, lurkers? You are not the one to make it with PA, because PA doesn't help anyone but themselves. It's not you, it's probably not even your book. It's the publisher.

Sigh.
 

Marian Perera

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Another loyalist with a problem

This lady offered some free stories (30,000 words) online to boost the sales of her novels. That didn't happen. So she started a thread asking what to do about it, and a honeymooner suggested she charge for the stories. She asked how much. The reply was,

I'd go with the $4.95 if you think that would be worth it. Otherwise, $9.95. This is your creation that other people are enjoying.

I checked Samhain to see what the prices for their e-books are. For a novella of 30,000 words, Samhain would charge $3.50. And Samhain's e-books would be edited and have better artwork, too.

Either the veterans lead the newbies astray, or vice versa!
 

CatSlave

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to QoS: I wasn't pointing any fingers.
I know your dedication to exposing the truth about PA and your sympathy for the authors.
 

Marian Perera

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Thanks, CatSlave, and I know you weren't criticizing me. But your response showed me that I could have been more sensitive, and I do need to be reminded of that on occasion.

Let me have my humble moments - they really don't come around that often. :)

Edited to add : That post was deleted!

It said nothing bad about PA, only that people on the forum hadn't purchased any copies of the book. Odd how the posts about low royalties are still there, though.
 
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CatSlave

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Well, Infocenter squashed that one pretty quickly for being posted on a Sunday night, holiday weekend.

Too bad you have to keep an eye glued to the computer instead of going to the beach or having a cookout.

Too, too bad. I hope you get holiday pay.


Fat chance.
 

Marian Perera

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Is PA refusing to pay royalties?

On the 28 or 29 of August, I received an e-mail from PA saying that <title> had sold only six copies, giving me a royaltie total of $7.00 or, thereabouts so, I would not be receiving a royaltie check. Ok fine. The book's official release date was August 6, so it really hadn't had time to do much.

Say what?

Of course, the poor author bought bulk shipments of his books from PA, and now has a couple of questions about whether he's going to receive anything more in the way of royalties.

I am working on a third book at the moment, and had thought that I would stick with PA but, am beginning to wonder if it's a good idea.

Anti-Bookstore Guy responded to assure him that there might be a reason for low sales.

One more thing, dont be nieve to think that everyone who hears about your book will purchase a copy.

Poor guy.

Edited to add : Moved to the private forums.
 
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circlexranch

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Thanks QoS and Christine for saving those posts before they were wished into the cornfield by InfoMonster!

The royalty thread is pretty sad, that one guy was really depending on it and, of course, was disappointed.

No one is questioning the mighty PA. It is, (of course), Barnes & Nobles and those pesky booksellers' fault for not paying their bills. When they pay up the 'bookstore' statement and check will be huge! (of course)

Hopefully, there are a few more lurkers out there. Come on in, there's fresh paint and the carpets have been cleaned.

Yet, they are still sending in their books . . .
 

merrihiatt

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PA isn't going to send a royalty check because it will only be around $7.00??? My first royalty check was a whopping dollar and some change and they still sent it. My last one, which I just received on Friday and was going to post about it, but AW was having maintenance done, was for $6.99. If I received a check, why didn't that PA author receive one? Is there a minimum now that you have to get to before PA will send a royalty check? I would love to see one of the newer contracts from PA that discloses all these fees for editing, fees for changing the back cover blurb, and whatever else PA has thrown in there for good measure. Changes are afoot.
 

JulieB

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That author's book was published August 6. If they're still holding royalties on sales made the 90 days before the statement date, that would make sense. Or, have they joined the "you don't get paid until you have $10 worth of royalties" club? That writer should check their contract carefully.