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The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica / America Star Books Thread
- Thread starter James D. Macdonald
- Start date
Curious, because somebody sent an email to my web site today that is virtually word-for-word the same as what you posted from the Facebook page. But the sender didn't leave his/her name.
Googling the first few words quoted by Queen of Swords brings up more pages with the same thing copy-pasta'ed on various online fora (first two links):
http://www.ripoffreport.com/publish-america/producers/internet-internet-F0E89.htm
http://www.worldlawdirect.com/forum...atent/70238-why-publish-america-not-scam.html
The third link is:
https://www.facebook.com/PublishAmerica
under "Recent Posts by Others on PublishAmerica."
Someone's on an "antidisinformation campaign," or something like that...
https://www.facebook.com/PublishAmerica#
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Seems cruel to put that rant on public display. One should pass by with eyes averted.
--Ken
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Oh dearikins me. Same bogus defenses that we've seen for years, only expressed in a rather ... unique ... style.
I wonder if that author's opinion will change after a year has gone by.
To answer the question, PA pays around $300 per title. They get far more back than that from author self-purchases. PA's bizarre marketing schemes are pure profit.
I wonder if that author's opinion will change after a year has gone by.
To answer the question, PA pays around $300 per title. They get far more back than that from author self-purchases. PA's bizarre marketing schemes are pure profit.
Oh I hope they wasted that much on me, because they didn't get a dime of my money--and they never will. 16 months to go and I'm free!
They lost money on me, then. At $25 per book, they only need to sell 12 books to the author to make back their money. Gotta admire that, in a twisted genius kind of way.
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No, but it is quite inexpensive. The price, which, even after author discount, is still higher than the full retail price of similar-length books printed with the same technology by legitimate presses, plus the exorbitant shipping and handling charged per book, ensures that the author pays the full freight plus a handsome profit. Even if one author doesn't buy a single copy, others will have star-dust in their eyes and buy enough to raise the average back to that 75-copies-per-title that we've noted.
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Slam PA all you want, but please respect your fellow writer, whether you agree with them or not.
I just received my PA royalty statement the other day. Apparently, they've sold a book or two of mine because instead of the usual
"Your book sold no copies during this royalty period.",
it now reads,
"Per your contract your book sold under the required amount to be due a royalty payment during this royalty period."
This bothers me immensely because I have a lot of books out and they might be riding on the wave of buyers since I can't get rid of them from my lists at Kobo, B&N, and Goodreads.
Should I make an announcement on all my social media NOT to buy the book? The thought that they're making money off of my hard work makes me ill.
Anyway, my contract doesn't end until 2016, but I'm sending out my termination of contract tomorrow (have it all written up and everything and the post office is never busy on Saturdays). I plan to send it certified with return receipt requested. Considering their petty behavior, should I just send it certified?
Anyway, what do you all think? God, I'll be so happy to be rid of this sham vanity printer.
"Your book sold no copies during this royalty period.",
it now reads,
"Per your contract your book sold under the required amount to be due a royalty payment during this royalty period."
This bothers me immensely because I have a lot of books out and they might be riding on the wave of buyers since I can't get rid of them from my lists at Kobo, B&N, and Goodreads.
Should I make an announcement on all my social media NOT to buy the book? The thought that they're making money off of my hard work makes me ill.
Anyway, my contract doesn't end until 2016, but I'm sending out my termination of contract tomorrow (have it all written up and everything and the post office is never busy on Saturdays). I plan to send it certified with return receipt requested. Considering their petty behavior, should I just send it certified?
Anyway, what do you all think? God, I'll be so happy to be rid of this sham vanity printer.
A Scribe, I guess it's a mixed blessing that I've not had widespread success since my PA experience. I at one time had a link to my PA books' Amazon page when I had a short story published, and I told them to take it down. I told them the book was no longer available, which, well, might have been true as it was listed as such on the Amazon page.
My gut tells me it's up to you if you want to de-promote your book. If it were me in your shoes, I'd ask myself if I was ready to explain at length and repeatedly why PA didn't work for me, and if I was willing to put up with the "happy authors" who still believe in PA defending it. There is also professionalism to think about. Such a move can be done well or poorly, and if done poorly you might get a bad reputation. Sort of like telling a prospective employer you hate your former boss.
My gut tells me it's up to you if you want to de-promote your book. If it were me in your shoes, I'd ask myself if I was ready to explain at length and repeatedly why PA didn't work for me, and if I was willing to put up with the "happy authors" who still believe in PA defending it. There is also professionalism to think about. Such a move can be done well or poorly, and if done poorly you might get a bad reputation. Sort of like telling a prospective employer you hate your former boss.
Thanks Chris P
I get what you're telling me. My problem is, the title of my book is very appealing to just about everyone who reads it, and those who buy my other books buy just about everything I write, so I'm sure P(os)A is benefiting from that. I'll take what you say in serious consideration. Thank you for taking the time to respond. You always come through for me, Chris P.!
I get what you're telling me. My problem is, the title of my book is very appealing to just about everyone who reads it, and those who buy my other books buy just about everything I write, so I'm sure P(os)A is benefiting from that. I'll take what you say in serious consideration. Thank you for taking the time to respond. You always come through for me, Chris P.!
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No one in commercial publishing will think badly of you if you slag off PublishAmerica. Those who have heard of it at all know it's a laughing stock.
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IF they've even heard of it.
Some years back I was at an event hanging out with some of the top brass of St. Martin's Publishing and mentioned PA in passing, assuming they knew of it. Instead, they all said, "What's that?" When I explained "An author mill in Maryland with 30,000 happy successful writers" they snorted and shook their heads. They were hard pressed to believe that anyone could ever mistake PA for a legit commercial publisher.
So much for PA's "David" shaking up the Goliath publishing industry, as claimed by Willie the Wanker's book.
PA isn't even a blip of bird poo on that radar, however much of it Willie spews.
Thanks, James.
I was thinking the same thing, but Chris P gave me food for thought. I don't mind any pro-PA authors trying to go on the attack. I really don't care what they think. But I was wondering how those people who have read my other work would react to it, and Chris P presented that perspective.
It just irks me that they've been able to sell a few copies (or even one) of a book they've never paid for. That $1 dollar advance check disgusted me so much that I tossed it somewhere and it got lost in a stack of old paper so I didn't even get that.
I was thinking the same thing, but Chris P gave me food for thought. I don't mind any pro-PA authors trying to go on the attack. I really don't care what they think. But I was wondering how those people who have read my other work would react to it, and Chris P presented that perspective.
It just irks me that they've been able to sell a few copies (or even one) of a book they've never paid for. That $1 dollar advance check disgusted me so much that I tossed it somewhere and it got lost in a stack of old paper so I didn't even get that.
My point was just to act a like professional. There are many good examples of successful authors right here at AW who are telling the truth about PA in a professional way. It's when you act an ass that you do yourself a disservice; not saying that you would, but some have. Like my job analogy: being honest about leaving a bad job is one thing, being a dingus about it is another.
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Absolutely!
I know it wouldn't help me on iota if I cut my nose to spite my face, and for better or worse, it was my own ignorance that hung that seven year contract around my neck and exposed me to scam artists like P(os)A. So I'll be extra careful how I word my advice against purchasing the book. I know I have to take a lot of responsibility for finding myself in this mess. I should have been more vigilant in my research of this outfit. I know that.
I do intend to have the book professionally edited and copy-edited, with a fresh and far more professional-looking book cover to boot, once the contract is terminated. And I will offer it as a free download to e-readers. That word "FREE" will usually do the trick to inspire a lot of people to wait a little while longer rather than shovel over $24.95, right?
I know it wouldn't help me on iota if I cut my nose to spite my face, and for better or worse, it was my own ignorance that hung that seven year contract around my neck and exposed me to scam artists like P(os)A. So I'll be extra careful how I word my advice against purchasing the book. I know I have to take a lot of responsibility for finding myself in this mess. I should have been more vigilant in my research of this outfit. I know that.
I do intend to have the book professionally edited and copy-edited, with a fresh and far more professional-looking book cover to boot, once the contract is terminated. And I will offer it as a free download to e-readers. That word "FREE" will usually do the trick to inspire a lot of people to wait a little while longer rather than shovel over $24.95, right?
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Okay, today it actually became available on Amazon.
The price? 24.95. For a forty page book. Yikes. I paid that for a five hundred page academic volume, once.
I wonder how the authors feel about this. On PA's web site, under the caption, "Children's Choices Under $10," two books are listed. Surprised that PA would sell any book for that price, I clicked on the books. One has a list price of $24.95, and the other is $29.95. And when I clicked "Add to Cart," the prices were, yes, $24.95 & $29.95.
Here's An Idea
Hey everyone.
There's a petition to shut down PublishAmerica. If it gets one hundred signatures we can probably get rid of its business license. Go here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/524/357/593/get-rid-of-publishamerica/ to sign the petition. It closes in October.
Hey everyone.
There's a petition to shut down PublishAmerica. If it gets one hundred signatures we can probably get rid of its business license. Go here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/524/357/593/get-rid-of-publishamerica/ to sign the petition. It closes in October.