The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica / America Star Books Thread

Marian Perera

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Two more replies, the first from a honeymooner:

Got the same email, and the same sense of, "Uhh, that doesn't sound good." I just have to point out... surprises and me, do not mix well. The OCD in me, does NOT enjoy this lack of control... or the sense of chaos that comes with it.
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And now, as if I didn't spend enough time stalking my mailman... I'm off to stalk to my email....

The second is from the die-hard loyalist who tells people that Stephen King started off the same way they did and advises them to make doorhangers.

I also received that e-mail. I checked my book price and low and behold it went up from $24.95 to $29.95 so it has me wondering about that mysterious e-mail tomorrow or some time soon.
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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I was thinking something more along the lines of some stupid hairbrained excuse why they can't pay authors or send books or afford to send books. Or maybe they're going to ask authors to donate, sort of a 'help us in our time of need or we can't give your book the chance it deserves!' type thing. Though probably they'll be selling one more dream that'll never come true the way authors think it will.
 

Sarashay

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There's some kind of psychological trick at work here. Why would they want to build anticipation for this announcement? Why not just TELL THEM?

The future of your book at PublishAmerica--not that any of these books really HAD a future, mind you, by virtue of being in PA's clutches.

I wonder if they took a dark tone so it could look like good news when they pile on the latest scam. Though I would honestly be surprised if they went from that to "buy a bunch of books and we'll pretend to send copies somewhere important-sounding!" They may be idiots, but they're not idiots to THAT level.
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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I don't know, I've seen them do some pretty stupid promos. Not to mention sueing LSI wasn't too bright either. I really think they think they're at a point where they can pull off anything.
 

kaitie

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It sure sounds like it, doesn't it? I have a feeling someone is right, though, and they're just playing with the authors.
 

ether

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I just checked and both my books have gone up in price too from $21.95 for my second to $27.95 and from $24.95 for my first to $29.95. I wonder why they raised the prices and how long are they are going to remain that way. Is it realy prudent to raise prices in these tough economical times? It can be hard enough to get people interested in my books. Possible this is what that email wer all got yesterday is going to be about, an explaination as to why the price raise.

Yeeeah, I'm thinking it's pretty obvious the ~big announcement~ will have to do with prices, given the number of PA'ers who've noticed a price jump of several dollars overnight.

I have to hope, if this is the case, it prods some people into rethinking their opinion of PA. Books now for $29.95?? I can't think of any newly released book in the world I'd pay that much for!
 

brianm

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Infomonster's response.

PublishAmerica is announcing in that message that it is discontinuing most of its softcovers. Hardcover-only for tens of thousands of books.

If I am not mistaken, PA's contract calls for the books to be produced as trade paperbacks. If they are changing that term after the contract has been signed, they will need to get every authors' signature on an amendment/addendum to their contracts in order to alter the contract. If the authors do not agree to this change, PA can't make it and must abide by the terms of the contract or release its authors from their contracts,
unless there is a clause in the contract that allows them to unilaterally change how the books will be produced.

~brianm~
 

DreamWeaver

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Better start an "at our discretion" search.

My first reaction was, there will be a spate of offers to print the authors' books in trade paperback *this one time* if they order x amount of hardcovers before midnight.

My second reaction was, the brouhaha with B&T isn't going to be resolved, the company-owned printing machine has broken down for the last time, but they still have some means of printing hardcover.
 

Cyia

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Brillig in the slithy toves...
Why is it discontinuing the soft covers? They tend to be more affordable to people. What is their strategy? What are they hoping to accomplish by discontinuing them?

Good questions. IF the pattern holds, they'll be off the board before anyone else can read/ask them, too.

This makes no sense to me. Wouldn't hardcovers be more expensive/harder to produce??

Most likely whoever prints up the HC books is still willing to work with PA, unlike LSI
 

Jozzy

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Why is it discontinuing the soft covers? They tend to be more affordable to people. What is their strategy? What are they hoping to accomplish by discontinuing them?

"They tend to be more affordable...."

She answers her own question.
 

DreamWeaver

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"They tend to be more affordable...."

She answers her own question.
Good point. This could get rid of the last of those pesky consumer purchases [/sarcasm]. One gets the feeling PA has always seen having to 'make books available' to consumers as an annoying and unnecessary expense.
 

CaoPaux

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(In light of this being a Major Development, I've moved this discussion from PAMB to NEPAT. As you were.)
 

Gillhoughly

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I bet Bouncin' Bobby is watching this meltdown at PA.

With 40K writers about to get stuck into a major cluster***k courtesy of PA's mismanagement and greed, he's gonna be drooling and rubbing his hands at that potential customer base.

:popcorn:
 

tlblack

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Unless PA removed the clause from their recent contracts, it used to state that they had the right to produce the work in any and all formats. (and yes, the contract specified trade cover for the initial production) Personally I'm hoping they removed that clause and will have to regain signatures on new contracts. That would be the out a lot of PA authors have been looking for since finding out the truth about PA.