The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica / America Star Books Thread

Gillhoughly · Sep 7, 2010

Hey, it's all public knowledge! Use it! Use it!

As for whether the writers care or not about Miranda's past, I cannot say.

Once a wingnut always a wingnut, unless you work really, really hard to improve yourself.

Her unprofessional "tone" mails indicate she hasn't changed a bit since college. I supposed she did learned one lesson: don't fake hate crimes or it can screw up your soap opera-watching schedule.

Many writers tempted by the PA sales pitch are willing to think all the bad press about PA is "out of date." They WANT PA to be exactly what they claim on the website, and we all know people tell the absolute truth on the Net. Just check how things are in any singles chat!

When it comes down to it I have NO idea who is running the show at my various publishers. I suppose if I bothered to do google fu I could find names, but it's not that important.

Does the publisher have books in the stores? THAT'S important.

If so, then *someone* is doing their job right.

My editors don't have to struggle to remember my name. They're a cheerful lot and promptly return calls and emails.

Oh, yeah: Since I started selling in the 80s, not one of them has sent me mails urging that I buy copies to "have on hand."

Ilovepensandpaper · Sep 11, 2010

How does being a LLC benefit PA?

I read on quicksprout.com about what an LLC (what PA is) is:
Beginner's Guide to Corporate Entities. Not sure I understand all the business talk. How does being a LLC benefit PA?

AlexPiper · Sep 11, 2010

I'd think that to some extent, it shields the individuals behind PA from being held individually responsible (i.e., out of personal finances) for any debts and liabilities incurred by PA.

Don Davidson · Sep 11, 2010

AlexPiper said:
I'd think that to some extent, it shields the individuals behind PA from being held individually responsible (i.e., out of personal finances) for any debts and liabilities incurred by PA.

Yes, it shields the owners' personal assets from liability for PA's debts, judgments against PA, etc. The owners cannot lose any more than what they invested, with only very limited exceptions. As for the difference between an LLC and other types of corporations, I'll have to defer to an attorney who knows more about that area of law than I do.

Don Davidson · Sep 11, 2010

Just for fun, I looked at PA's best-sellers tonight and started clicking on the links. Of the 20 non-fiction books listed, 1 of the links took me to an entirely different book, and two of the links did not work--a 15% failure rate.

I got similar results in the list of 20 best-selling PA fiction books--three of the links did not work, including their #1 best-seller. Again, the failure rate was 15%.

If this is how PA treats its best-selling authors, that speaks volumes about the quality of "publisher" PA is. Then again, that list of best-sellers is probably there primarily to stroke the authors' egos and make other PA authors envious. I doubt that PA makes two sales a month to the general public from those lists.

brianm · Sep 12, 2010

Ilovepensandpaper said:
I read on quicksprout.com about what an LLC (what PA is) is:
Beginner's Guide to Corporate Entities. Not sure I understand all the business talk. How does being a LLC benefit PA?

PA is not a limited liability company (LLC). It's a limited liability limited partnership (LLLP).

AlexPiper said:
I'd think that to some extent, it shields the individuals behind PA from being held individually responsible (i.e., out of personal finances) for any debts and liabilities incurred by PA.

Correct.

~brianm~

narcolepticgi · Sep 12, 2010

Gosh!!

You mean that don't stand for "legally liscensed liar"? Fooey darn!

brianm · Sep 13, 2010

A story about PA that we read far too often. Even with all of the warnings on numerous sites, newbie writers still sign on with PA because they know it will be different for them, but it isn't.

Patti August 31, 2010 at 2:52 pm · Reply
I am published by P.A. and I know now the mistake I made. Here is my take on my ride with P.A.

When you first get your contract, you are so excited that no one can tell you any different. You read the sites bashing P.A. and you feel like they are bashing you personally. Your 2 free books come and you are so proud of yourself! You are elated that you are now a published author. You show everyone, from cashier at the grocery store to your garbage man. You defend P.A. and other authors you befriend on the private P.A. Author only board. Nothing can come between you and your publisher! They are going to make your dream a reality!

Days come and go and you can not stop talking about P.A. You sign up for a website and you send out your “I’m an Author!” emails to friends and relatives. You stutter a bit when you are asked over and over again why your book is so expensive, why it can’t be bought “in” store and how come no one is interested in you doing any signings in store. But you don’t despair, P.A. has already answered these questions for you and you find yourself repeating them over and over again to friends and family. Over and over and over…

Months go by and you know your first royalty check is just around the corner! You imagine what you are going to do with it! How about a new car or a trip to some far off land, maybe even a shopping spree! Then the check arrives and you open it with shaking hands. You have to read it a few times before you realize that it is not a mistake, you have really only made enough for a cup of coffee at the local donut shop. So now, after you have made more excuses to yourself, you beef up your public relations and book promotion because after all, P.A. will blame you for “your” lack of promotion. So you make more web sites, send out books you purchased with your own money for reviews and call friends and family to beg them to buy a book. After a few months you realize that:

1) You are not a book promoter.

2) Your publisher does not stand behind your efforts and does not give a flying moneys butt how hard you are working to promote your book.

3) You will get no deals or breaks on the cost of your book unless you buy a train load.

4) You are never going to get a store to stock your book from a company with such a bad rap.

Days go by, then months, then the next reality check comes and it is no bigger then the first. You are tired, burnt out and wish to God you never heard of P.A. or “not a vanity press” or “brick and mortar book stores”.

You finally take off your rose colored glasses and smash them up against the wall. You go back and re-read the thousands of posts about P.A. and only then do you realize you have been scammed, worked over and betrayed. But now, there isn’t much that can be done but ride out the contract or email them constantly and ask for your rights to be returned.

Personally I would advise that no one to publish with them. They are out to make money off unsuspecting people and it makes me sad that even though there is so much written about them, we still see people signing on. I know, I have been there. I read all the negatives and still asked “why not?” I read every bashing post and still thought that maybe with me, it would be different.

The only thing I would tell people who are still wanting to sign that contract, after reading everything negative about P.A, is that you must make up your own mind. And that you can not blame anyone but yourself when you realize that you have been, like the rest of us, scammed by the P.A.

Bold by OP.

~brianm~

M.R.J. Le Blanc · Sep 13, 2010

Ouch. I hate reading these stories, they're the worst. I saw something else this morning that was almost as sad - reality starting to hit for a PA author. She posted on her FB that basically despite contests and things like asking what your fave character is from the book and asking readers to send pictures of them with the book she's feeling disheartened by the lack of feedback. Now she's not sure about finishing book two and is wondering if her book sucked. And next month she's supposed to be having a catered book party.

ResearchGuy · Sep 13, 2010

M.R.J. Le Blanc said:
. . . feeling disheartened by the lack of feedback. Now she's not sure about finishing book two and is wondering if her book sucked. And next month she's supposed to be having a catered book party.

I've been reading a bio. of Sinclair Lewis. That man's relentless dedication, year after year after year, to improving his work, studying people, researching locations, and polishing manuscripts (to the point of rewriting pretty much every line of Babbit after completing the draft, for example) would either inspire or utterly discourage an aspiring writer. Writing is a very, very tough business in which to excel. The (fleeting, for most) illusion of ease given by PA and its ilk does not contribute to the necessary diligence and persistence, and it sabotages those who have been diligent and persistent and yet have fallen into the trap.

--Ken

merrihiatt · Sep 15, 2010

Just noticed this on PA's New Releases page.

Below is a selection of books released the week of August 30 - Septepmber 5, 2010

Not only is there a typo in September, but it hasn't been updated since September 5th. Could it be that PA hasn't had any new releases or is it more likely they just didn't update the page?

CatSlave · Sep 15, 2010

They must have a new cover designer; a couple of the books look noticeably less amateurish than the rest.

Too bad the general public will never see them.

Gillhoughly · Sep 15, 2010

I'm getting a vibe from the Force that they may be doing another "collection" book for charity.

This being a "send a recipe and we'll use it and mention your book!"

I don't know if it's PA, but the theme is suspiciously familiar.

One may assume they will vigorously encourage the writers to buy a copy to have on hand.

Seeing that the last "charity" was Willie "donating" 200K to himself, I have no faith that the proceeds from such a project will go anywhere except straight to PA's bank, just like the last time.

~~Anyone else hear anything on this or is it another vanity house playing copycat?~~

Never mind, it's true. Sadly true.

I just saw a FB post --

Submitted my favorite recipe for the Publish America Author's cookbook! Wooo Hooo!

*sigh*

DreamWeaver · Sep 15, 2010

someone on the PAMB said:
Wooo Hooo!

So sad they even have typos in Boo Hoo

AlexPiper · Sep 15, 2010

You know, there's a small part of me that thinks it would be fun to write a book /entirely/ about how PublishAmerica is a scam, and submit it to them. Let them put it up on their site, and see how long it takes them to notice.

I mean, people had to point out Atlanta Nights and Purple Pony, no?

Don Davidson · Sep 15, 2010

AlexPiper said:
You know, there's a small part of me that thinks it would be fun to write a book /entirely/ about how PublishAmerica is a scam, and submit it to them. Let them put it up on their site, and see how long it takes them to notice.

I mean, people had to point out Atlanta Nights and Purple Pony, no?

It would have to be subtle enough to get by the word search, since I have heard--on this site, no doubt--that they do a quick word search of each new book for such words as "scam," "PublishAmerica," etc. And the title could not be obvious, either.

Thus, no one would know it was a plant until the cat was let out of the bag publicly, and then PA would jerk it off the web site in a flash. So it seems like a lot of work to go through for a momentary thrill.

AlexPiper · Sep 15, 2010

Don Davidson said:
So it seems like a lot of work to go through for a momentary thrill.

This is why it's only a /small/ part of me with the urge to do that.

CatSlave · Sep 15, 2010

Another great sting manuscript: Crack of Death by Sharla Tan

PA is wise to the sting manuscripts. Getting another one past them would be difficult.

It's more fun to let them wonder...

:evil

Neil Larkins · Sep 15, 2010

Gillhoughly said:
I'm getting a vibe from the Force that they may be doing another "collection" book for charity.

This being a "send a recipe and we'll use it and mention your book!"

I don't know if it's PA, but the theme is suspiciously familiar.

One may assume they will vigorously encourage the writers to buy a copy to have on hand.

Seeing that the last "charity" was Willie "donating" 200K to himself, I have no faith that the proceeds from such a project will go anywhere except straight to PA's bank, just like the last time.

~~Anyone else hear anything on this or is it another vanity house playing copycat?~~

Never mind, it's true. Sadly true.

I just saw a FB post --

*sigh*

So what about this latest: Yesterday's x-rated email from PA said that they intended to present an award to Oprah honoring her achievement in helping new authors get recognized...or something to that effect. Just buy 3 of my worthless books and my name will go on that award, along with a donation to Oprah's Angel Network. Question: How do we know that all the money supposedly earmarked for the Network gets to it? We don't because we aren't even told how much it will be. Maybe after the fact we will be, but I've never received an email to that effect. Do they even announce the amount somewhere on the PAMB or in the "news" section? I'm sure they make a big deal about having made "a donation" but how much is it really...or has there even been actual donations?
Oh, all these silly questions. I'm going to bed.
Neil

Terie · Sep 15, 2010

Neil Larkins said:
Question: How do we know that all the money supposedly earmarked for the Network gets to it?

Actually, Neil, it's perfectly easy to predict how much money will be donated to Oprah's Angel Network: precisely nothing.

As Marie Pacha pointed out here, Oprah's Angel Network is no longer accepting donations. From this link:

"However, as of May 24, 2010, the Angel Network will no longer be accepting donations and we plan to dissolve as a 501c3 public charity, after final disbursement of funds has been completed."

(bolding theirs)

Take a look at that date: May 24, 2010. And the PA offer came in mid-September 2010.

That's about as scummy as a scammer can get, ~~pretending~~ stating they'll send a donation to a charity that stopped accepting donations several months before.

ResearchGuy · Sep 16, 2010

Terie said:
. . .
Take a look at that date: May 24, 2010. And the PA offer came in mid-September 2010. . . . .

IMHO, PA has skated well out onto the thin ice of outright, unambiguous, actionable fraud. THAT may be something that would interest the authorities.

--Ken

Gillhoughly · Sep 16, 2010

Report Internet crime here:

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

This has to be directly from someone who's gotten that email from PA, no third party.

How to Report Fraud in the State of Maryland

To report fraud or a scam in the state of Maryland, contact the Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau or one of the Federal, state or local agencies listed.

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General: Douglas F. Gansler
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-576-6300
888-743-0023 toll-free in Maryland
TDD: 410-576-6372

File Complaints Online
File a Consumer Complaint
File a Health Care or Medical Complaint

Also:

http://www.spamlaws.com/charity-fraud.html

Or forward the PA mail to Oprah. We all know she has more power than the MD AG.

CatSlave · Sep 16, 2010

Contact Oprah: Click here

Jill Karg · Sep 16, 2010

Gillhoughly said:
Report Internet crime here:

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

This has to be directly from someone who's gotten that email from PA, no third party.

How to Report Fraud in the State of Maryland

To report fraud or a scam in the state of Maryland, contact the Attorney General, the Better Business Bureau or one of the Federal, state or local agencies listed.

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General: Douglas F. Gansler
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-576-6300
888-743-0023 toll-free in Maryland
TDD: 410-576-6372

File Complaints Online
File a Consumer Complaint
File a Health Care or Medical Complaint

Also:

http://www.spamlaws.com/charity-fraud.html

Or forward the PA mail to Oprah. We all know she has more power than the MD AG.

I haven't received an email from them in over a month now. I'm a bad bad girl it seems.

scully931 · Sep 16, 2010

CatSlave said:
Another great sting manuscript: Crack of Death by Sharla Tan

PA is wise to the sting manuscripts. Getting another one past them would be difficult.

It's more fun to let them wonder...

Right. I submitted a sting manuscript a few months back. It's in production now.

OR DID I??????? :evil

The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica / America Star Books Thread

Grumpy writer and editor

Come...Tell me about it

Wayward Wordsmith

Theophilus

Theophilus

Brian Boru

SSSSShhhhh! I'm taking a nap!

Brian Boru

aka Sadistic Mistress Mi-chan

Resident Curmudgeon

Writing! Writing! Writing!

Mah tale iz draggin.

Grumpy writer and editor

Shakespearean Fool

Wayward Wordsmith

Theophilus

Wayward Wordsmith

Mah tale iz draggin.

Writer is as Writer does

Resident Curmudgeon

Grumpy writer and editor

Mah tale iz draggin.

So many WIPs which one to work on

So you're suggesting what? Bigfoot?