The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica / America Star Books Thread

What Gill said. It's up to the managers. My local B&N has carried PA books by authors who live in the area.

I keep seeing pity shown for new PA authors who have high hopes - and I agree - I have pity for them, too. Thing is... no matter the blows, the majority still hangs on to a snippet of hope because they've heard one or two "success stories." Take me, for example. My first two books - I consider them gone - not much to talk about there. However, my third one (also through PA) was picked up by an organization I'm involved with, because of the targeted audience. About 100 copies have been sold through them, and it's still selling. My book has been advertised in their annual flier that goes out to about 30,000 people in the US. I, myself, have probably sold 50 copies, and I know of sales to Canada and Australia. (Hey, even my first book was donated to a library in the Philippines.)

If I really wanted to boost my ego, I could say I'm an internationally known author (my book has a very nice review from someone in Australia - a review I did not ask for or even know about until I happened across it on the internet). I could say that my book has been directly advertised to tens of thousands of people in a direct mailing not of my own. According to this other organization's sales numbers of other products, my book is one of their top book sellers! I've received numerous comments from people (some of who I am not closely associated with) who say they weren't able to put it down, they enjoyed reading it so much. I'm an internationally known author, loved by my readers!

...Back to reality. 150 copies sold? 200 if I push it. Big deal, right? Certainly not to many a commercially published author. But how about to a PA newbie? When I was a newbie, considering ten sales was huge! 150 would have been too high to aim for!

So here I am, warning others against PA and telling them the truth of the matter. But all the while, some hopeful author could look at me and think I've done very well, thanks to PA!

The internal conflict arises when I want to take pride in my work and be proud of my accomplishments. So a couple people in a different country bought my book and liked it. On one hand, who cares? On the other hand, cool! But how do I enjoy the coolness while at the same time, tell other people to stay away from it? It's a tough balance.

PA newbies will continue to show up until the business folds. Once a newbie has signed on with PA, there's nothing anyone can do. I wish there was a better way to educate authors before they make that step, but I don't see how any more can be done that what has already.

I don't even know where I was going with this rant now. Maybe I just needed to vent after all the ridiculous PA emails lately. At any rate, I guess I'll just be available to authors who fall, and make sure that I state the truth to those who ask me about PA. I may have sold a few copes of my book, BUT...

And the story goes on.

JulieB said:

What Gill said. It's up to the managers. My local B&N has carried PA books by authors who live in the area.

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Yeah, my local B&N carried a couple of my PA books for a while and even hosted a book signing - they even bought the books themselves.

PublishAmerica's print shop
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23872&id=100000962252451#!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?a...52451#!/profile.php?id=100000962252451&v=wall

Neil Larkins said:

She got a B&N book signing? How? When my book came out, I was told by the director of all the Barnes and Noble stores in the Phoenix area that they did not carry pod books nor held signings for them. This was, according to her, a company-wide policy, no exceptions. When I asked her to look at my book, she said she wouldn't because doing so would not change the company policy.
So...has B&N's policy changed, or is it determined by each store manager? Maybe because this is a franchise B&N with greater latitude? Just don't see how this happened.

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I've mentioned this before, it seems that the managers do have some latitude in signings. Self published and POD authors can get their books on the "Local Authors" shelf in my area. They have to provide the books on consignment. They can get books signings, as long as they bring their own books.

I believe the reason is the competition in my area. I have 3 B&N, 2 borders and 2 Indie bookstores within a 30 drive from my house. A 2 hour drive will get you close to 400 bookstores. Before you question this, I live about 90 miles from NYC and 60 miles from Philadelphia.

All of the local store managers seem to have the philosophy of not pissing anyone off and generating goodwill. Now if you live in a less densely populated area with less competition, I'm sure they do avoid the POD books. But not everywhere.

Gillhoughly said:

AGAIN--we are not here to slam the PA writers.

If the author happened to google-search her name and found this thread I doubt she would be happy about it or trust any of us to help her if she decided she needed it.

You have a valid point about B&N not hosting vanity title signings, so I rather think the author bought her own copies to offer to that particular store at a discount (losing money herself).

Managers have some latitude. For all we know they're old buddies from school.

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I have suspected this for quite some time that it all depends on where one is. Independent book stores would likely hold signings, if one provided the books and there were any conveniently located to me. Over in Phoenix, about 40 miles from me, there are a number, but only one of any consequence that I know of closer and it's 12 miles away. Okay, there is one here in town that sells and trades used paperbacks but you can see where a book signing there would go. I realize that personal promotion for me is one of location. Nice for those who have a promotional apparatus in place and for them PA actually works. Get your book published for nothing and you have all the control, with the exception of price. Even then, if you have a large volume of sales, you get a better price. But that is a very narrow area. The vast majority of authors who go with PA have nothing like that at all. So great for those who do; lousy for those who don't. Too bad we all didn't find out until too late.

Neil Larkins said:

I have suspected this for quite some time that it all depends on where one is. Independent book stores would likely hold signings, if one provided the books and there were any conveniently located to me. Over in Phoenix, about 40 miles from me, there are a number, but only one of any consequence that I know of closer and it's 12 miles away. Okay, there is one here in town that sells and trades used paperbacks but you can see where a book signing there would go. I realize that personal promotion for me is one of location. Nice for those who have a promotional apparatus in place and for them PA actually works. Get your book published for nothing and you have all the control, with the exception of price. Even then, if you have a large volume of sales, you get a better price. But that is a very narrow area. The vast majority of authors who go with PA have nothing like that at all. So great for those who do; lousy for those who don't. Too bad we all didn't find out until too late.

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But PA doesn't work. Even if you can book signings or shelf placement. You still have to act as the distributor (buy the books and deliver them to the bookstore, then wait for them to sell to get paid). But you get the paltry royalty. PA treats the writers as if they were self published, but keeps the money as if they were a commercial publisher. It is a system designed to only reward PA.

And I never get the "Get your book published for nothing" argument. Authors don't get published for free...Authors get paid.

spike said:

But PA doesn't work. Even if you can book signings or shelf placement. You still have to act as the distributor (buy the books and deliver them to the bookstore, then wait for them to sell to get paid). But you get the paltry royalty. PA treats the writers as if they were self published, but keeps the money as if they were a commercial publisher. It is a system designed to only reward PA.

And I never get the "Get your book published for nothing" argument. Authors don't get published for free...Authors get paid.

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I'm not defending PA in the slightest. Only using the comparison of the person who is looking for a cheap and easy way to see his or her book in print. Period. Because that's all that happens with PA: You get two books (or at least in my case) printed for nothing. The trouble is, like you have said, this is not what authors are seeking. This "works" only if the author was interested in a vanity press and doesn't want to shell out any money or doesn't have any to shell out to same. And it "works" only if the author is fully aware that this is exactly the way it will be, that you will pay on the back end rather than on the front end. But the great majority of authors, like me, didn't or don't understand that this is the way it will be. If PA explained it to authors exactly like this, that you WILL pay, only not up front, they would get far fewer authors but probably a higher number of satisified ones. They have chosen the former.
Neil

Neil Larkins said:

I'm not defending PA in the slightest. Only using the comparison of the person who is looking for a cheap and easy way to see his or her book in print. Period. Because that's all that happens with PA: You get two books (or at least in my case) printed for nothing. The trouble is, like you have said, this is not what authors are seeking. This "works" only if the author was interested in a vanity press and doesn't want to shell out any money or doesn't have any to shell out to same. And it "works" only if the author is fully aware that this is exactly the way it will be, that you will pay on the back end rather than on the front end. But the great majority of authors, like me, didn't or don't understand that this is the way it will be. If PA explained it to authors exactly like this, that you WILL pay, only not up front, they would get far fewer authors but probably a higher number of satisified ones. They have chosen the former.
Neil

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Of course you and I--and most wannabe authors--didn't understand how PA really works, because PA doesn't want us to. That is why they spice their web site with half-truths and outright lies like, "We want your book, not your money." If they explained up-front that authors will get no promotional, marketing, or distribution support, that the books will be badly overpriced, that customer service will be virtually non-existent, that PA makes its money primarily off of sales to its own authors, and that the author has to do all of his/her own self-promotion and buy his/her own books for that purpose, very few would sign up for that--especially for 7 long years. PA stays in business through deception and the ignorance of its authors. That is why I call PA a scam. Most con artists prey on their victims' greed, but PA is a little different--PA preys on its victims' hopes and dreams. It still sickens me that I fell for it.

I'm not defending PA in the slightest. Only using the comparison of the person who is looking for a cheap and easy way to see his or her book in print.

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I could have anyone's book in their hands and permanently available on Amazon for anyone to order at a reasonable price for about $5.00 anytime I want. No strings attached, no contract, and no hassles. I'm working on two for an illustrator as we speak.

Yours is not any reason for anyone to go with PA.

Frankfurt Book Fair 2010

https://en.book-fair.com/networking/search_find/companies/result.aspx?PageRequestId=2c3b6519-e27d-4a0a-b6d0-0669e4c65a28&dosearch=1&TCompany.CompanyName=PublishAmerica&TAddress.City=Frederick%2c+MD&TAddress.Country=1444bc62-cd99-419f-bfda-16b9bde55862

Looks like the PublishAmerica marketing team is going all out to dazzle the European market with their innovative approach to publishing.

Not.

Marie Pacha said:

Frankfurt Book Fair 2010

https://en.book-fair.com/networking....Country=1444bc62-cd99-419f-bfda-16b9bde55862

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"Wir wollen Ihr Buch, nicht Ihr Geld." (Translation: "We want your book, not your money.")

Maybe the truth about PublishAmerica hasn't made the rounds in Germany yet. After all, con artists must always be on the lookout for new victims. Can China, India, and Brazil be far behind?

Seriously, if PublishAmerica has the money to set up a booth (even a small one) at a book fair in Frankfurt, their money woes must be exaggerated. It looks like P.T. Barnum was right.

Don Davidson said:

Maybe the truth about PublishAmerica hasn't made the rounds in Germany yet. After all, con artists must always be on the lookout for new victims. Can China, India, and Brazil be far behind?

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The Frankfurt Book Fair is SOLELY a foreign rights fair. That is, it's an industry thing, not a readers' or writers' thing. To a large extent, the only writers there will be those a publisher takes along (at the publisher's expense) as part of their promotion of that author's work. And readers? Nope. That's not what FBF is about. It's about agents and publishers doing foreign rights deals.

Seriously, there's scant chance that German writers will get sucked into the PA vortex by virtue of PA's attendance at the FBF.

Don Davidson:
if PublishAmerica has the money to set up a booth (even a small one) at a book fair in Frankfurt, their money woes must be exaggerated.

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It's only 1,058 EURO to set up a stand at the Fair (http://www.buchmesse.de/en/fbf/exhibitor/), which is what - $750 give or take? That's not a lot of money and I would imagine that it's tax deductible as would be the air fare, accommodation and food/drink/entertainment costs of anyone going (presumably the Stooges).

Strategic Publishing usually sells authors the opportunity to attend these events, which I presume is an additional revenue stream for them - so it's possible that PA might try it at some point (if they don't already). I can't remember if PA has world-wide rights under its contract - if so, then it's always possible that they'll sell foreign rights to local vanity publishers for a nominal sum as well.

MM

Momento Mori said:

. . .1,058 EURO . . . which is what - $750 give or take? . . .

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Other way around. The dollar is at a considerable discount to the Euro.

Still, not a lot of money for a bogus author-fleecing opportunity for PA.

--Ken

Regarding the Frankfurt Book Fair:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000962252451&v=wall

The PA Facebook page seems to have pictures of their warehouse and their much touted printing facility.

Strange, I imagined the place would be much darker and gloomier and more e-vul, but people who murder dreams can work under normal office lighting just fine.

PubliSHAMerica pics.


Okay, let's compare what seems to be the PA printer.



With the kind of printer that does books for real publishers.



The PA one would fit in a pickup. The Heidelberg 8 needs an 18-wheeler.

Which one do you think spits out enough books to distribute to stores across the country?

I thought it got too expensive to manage. Maybe they just boot it up for picture purposes?

PA Facebook sez: ...is at the Frankfurt Book fair where ARE books have been popular with readers and rights agents alike!
is at the Frankfurt Book Fair where are books have been popular with readers and rights agents alike!

ARE books?
Or OUR books?

duh.

Sorry, I still don't have edit or qupte buttons or avatars even though I rebooted and re-signed on.

Maybe the grandson fooled around with my settings while playing MahJong on my laptop...hmmm.

Live on CNN:

Cops with megaphones close in on the PA booth at the Frankfurt Bookfair.


"Miranda and Larry! We are the Publishing Police!

STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD! NOW!"

"You have the right to remain silent. In fact, we insist on it!"

circlexranch said:

I could have anyone's book in their hands and permanently available on Amazon for anyone to order at a reasonable price for about $5.00 anytime I want. No strings attached, no contract, and no hassles. I'm working on two for an illustrator as we speak.

Yours is not any reason for anyone to go with PA.

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It IS totally faulty reasoning. Faulty reasoning is what PA preys on. That, and not completely thinking through what one is getting into. Wow, I can get my book published for nothing. Let's see: A vanity press wants a thousand or so to print my book. PA will charge me zero. Even if I know I'm going to be the one promoting it, I don't have a thousand dollars or even a couple hundred to spare. After all PA says, "We don't want your money. We want your book." What we don't know is what comes after that: "Then when we have your book, we'll have your money." Vanity press is a front end loaded arrangement. PA is back end loaded, something that no one, including me, saw through to that point.
About PA's facebook: They have 50,000 authors and only 263 friends? I guess I'm surprised they have that many. So, are 263 people keeping that outfit afloat?
Neil

Gillhoughly said:

The PA Facebook page seems to have pictures of their warehouse and their much touted printing facility.

Strange, I imagined the place would be much darker and gloomier and more e-vul, but people who murder dreams can work under normal office lighting just fine.

PubliSHAMerica pics.


Okay, let's compare what seems to be the PA printer.

With the kind of printer that does books for real publishers.

The PA one would fit in a pickup. The Heidelberg 8 needs an 18-wheeler.

Which one do you think spits out enough books to distribute to stores across the country?

Click to expand...

Wow. I've worked in non-publishing type offices that had better printing/binding equipment than that. Pitiful...but sure answers a lot of questions about quality, order fulfilment times, etc.
Neil