The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica / America Star Books Thread

Just an observation

I went out to PA facebook page and saw a couple of people that had complained about PA and its treatment of its authors. I commented (putting my 2 cents in) and within 2 days all the bad comments on facebook page vanished. So it seems they delete comments on facebook as quickly as they did on their webpage. I would love to know how many facebook accounts the three stoogies have which of course they hit the like button with each account and praise themselves.

Most of the most vocal supporters are still "honeymooners". A fair number of them have just signed on and not seen what will happen with their book. Some have just gotten their book in hand and are still surrounded by the golden glow of that moment. A few have had their books for a little while, but still believe that if they just do everything right, their book will sell thousands.

And then there's the non-vocal majority--those that have seen the shoddy editing (if any) and covers that are even worse. Those whose books sold in the 15-20 copy range, if they were lucky. They feel ashamed to have been duped and stay silent out of shame. They don't yet realize that they were taken in by people who are good at what they do and good at taking advantage of people's hope. I hope those authors realize someday that they're victims in the truest sense of the word and have nothing to be ashamed of. And I really hope that they keep on writing.

Then there are those who got slammed with Cease and Desist orders from PA's pet shyster. I know of two, there will be others.

But they can't shut up Rip Off Report:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/directory/publish-america

I love the complaint placed in April calling the writers out as being the scammers. It's recent enough to be from a honeymooner. Let's see how he feels when he gets his first royalty statement.

Gillhoughly said:

I love the complaint placed in April calling the writers out as being the scammers. It's recent enough to be from a honeymooner. Let's see how he feels when he gets his first royalty statement.

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May I never be defended by anyone with that level of literacy. I had to read it several times just to figure out if he was still taking about the same thing. Maybe I don't get it because I'm sitting at home lazily instead of driving to Oprah's house.

soo, here is an idea. How abouts we all write crappy fiction books (Shouldn't be too hard remember, fiction writers just make it up as they go along.) Sell them to PA and buy 10 copies. And when the royalty check says 4 or something like that we SUE them.

Rinse and repeat until no more PA.

alas, they probably have a way out.

Gillhoughly said:

Then there are those who got slammed with Cease and Desist orders from PA's pet shyster. I know of two, there will be others.

But they can't shut up Rip Off Report:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/directory/publish-america

I love the complaint placed in April calling the writers out as being the scammers. It's recent enough to be from a honeymooner. Let's see how he feels when he gets his first royalty statement.

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It does sound like a typical honeymooner, doesn't it? Reality will hit sooner or later and, with any luck, they'll find us. I'm still confused about people "using PA Backward"; I still can't figure out what they meant by that. *looks sorely confuzzled*

Nivarion said:

soo, here is an idea. How abouts we all write crappy fiction books (Shouldn't be too hard remember, fiction writers just make it up as they go along.) Sell them to PA and buy 10 copies. And when the royalty check says 4 or something like that we SUE them.

Rinse and repeat until no more PA.

alas, they probably have a way out.

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They don't pay royalties for books the authors purchase.

allenparker said:

They don't pay royalties for books the authors purchase.

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They should if the authors purchase them in the guise of customers (or via third party customers). I suspect that is what was meant.

--Ken

FluffBunny said:

It does sound like a typical honeymooner, doesn't it? Reality will hit sooner or later and, with any luck, they'll find us. I'm still confused about people "using PA Backward"; I still can't figure out what they meant by that. *looks sorely confuzzled*

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I think he means signing with PA assuming it is the END of the process (you wrote your book, you got it published, yay!) instead of the BEGINNING (market, market, market! Sit in front of Harpo studios until Oprah agrees to talk to you!)

He still buys the line about how if you market enough, your badly-published, badly-priced, badly-edited book will sell big.

PA's Automatic Renewal Provision

Terie said:

Be sure to review your contract and follow it to the letter when it comes to not renewing the contract. It used to be that both parties had to agree to renew or else it was automatically expired. Now it's the other way around: you have to inform them in writing that you don't want to renew or else it automatically DOES renew.

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And read the contract carefully. I first sent PA an email telling them I wouldn't be renewing, but then noticed that the contract specified that the notice had to be sent via U.S. mail. So I sent them another one. Now I just have one year to go and I'm free!!!

My contract states to send letter 3 months prior to end of contract if you wish not renew. So my contract ends in feb 2017. So will be sending not renewing contract in before November 2016.

here is the quote from my contract... I bolded in red the action I need to take to get out of this horrible contract in November 2016.

The Author and the Publisher agree that this agreement is renewable upon the date of its expiration and will remain enforceable during an additional and successive period of seven years, on the same terms and conditions as specified hereinafter, unless either party to this agreement shall decline such renewal in writing at least three months prior to the date of expiration as hereinbefore set forth.

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Hope this helps, but I don't know if they changed verbage since 2010.

FWIW, I sent them a letter through regular mail, a letter with delivery confirmation, a letter that required a signature and an e-mail. I then e-mailed them every day demanding confirmation of receipt of my notice of non-renewal and that they acknowledged that my contract expired on the date specified.
Took a few weeks but they finally replied and confirmed. Stinks that you have to resort to such tactics but it is better to make sure now than be sorry a few years later under a renewed contract.

What is the correct address to PA? I've seen two seperate addresses for them. I certainly don't want to get that wrong when I send them my farewell letter.

Munday Mack said:

What is the correct address to PA? I've seen two seperate addresses for them. I certainly don't want to get that wrong when I send them my farewell letter.

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I am not sure about that because they seem to change it on a regular basis. As I recall (and its been a few years) I had found three possible addresses and mailed a copy of each letter to all three. Cost me a ton in postage but it was well worth it to know there was no way they could claim I hadn't notified them.

PA's Address

Munday Mack said:

What is the correct address to PA? I've seen two seperate addresses for them. I certainly don't want to get that wrong when I send them my farewell letter.

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My contract had PA's P.O. Box address on page 1, and paragraph 29 requires notice of a change of address to be done in writing. So check your contract.

I'll vote for a letter to each of them.

When their braniac lawyer sends out C&Ds he puts a non-working PA address as his letterhead, not his own. That way one's reply goes to the wrong addy and he can say you're not responding.

You're not dealing with sane people here, not on any level. Cover your behind with double layers of Kevlar and get clear as soon as you can.

Munday Mack said:

What is the correct address to PA? I've seen two seperate addresses for them. I certainly don't want to get that wrong when I send them my farewell letter.

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go to yellow pages, www.yp.com, type in Publish America and frederick, maryland. It will give you address. I would send it to both, what is found in contract and to the address that YP gives you. make sure you send it so they have to sign for receipt of letter.

Jill Karg said:

make sure you send it so they have to sign for receipt of letter.

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Or you could just ask them to acknowledge receipt by sending you a letter or email. Don't laugh--I did that and PA actually did respond. (You can read on my web site.) Of course, if they hadn't send me an acknowledgement I would have had to send it again, via certified mail return receipt requested. But that is about 10 times the cost of a stamp, so I didn't want to have to go that route unless I had to, and I didn't have to.

On the other hand, if you are getting close to the 3-month deadline, you would want to go the return receipt route the first time.

I did the return receipt on the first attempt a year ago. I don't know if it made any difference, but I put "ATTN: Address change info enclosed" which was 100% true--I went from Mississippi to Michigan on my way to Uganda--but I also informed them of my intent not to renew in the same letter.

They confirmed via email, and of course told me what would be mine (the unformatted text) and what wouldn't be (the cover art, the layout, ISBN, etc.) but--I love those cheeky Maryland devils and their cheeky ways--I could purchase the cover art and text layout for only $500 and $250, respectively. No thanks, PA. Even if I selfpublish this title I know I can get both done fresh for way less than that.

They offered to sell you the ISBN? But ISBNs are registered to the publisher which buys them, meaning that if you had bought it and used it, your book would forever be listed as published by PA. It would be no use to you at all, once your contract with them was cancelled.

That's a really sneaky thing for them to do.

Old Hack said:

They offered to sell you the ISBN?

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No, just the cover art and text layout. Which in my opinion are equally useless to me.

Don Davidson said:

Of course, if they hadn't send me an acknowledgement I would have had to send it again, via certified mail return receipt requested. But that is about 10 times the cost of a stamp, so I didn't want to have to go that route unless I had to, and I didn't have to.

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I've sent my request to terminate the contract a few months back using certified mail / return receipt requested. I haven't heard from them since. I have received the green return receipt, signed and dated, I have printed out the USPS Track and Confirm page that shows it's been delivered, what date and what time.

That should be sufficient, yes?

Legally, yes, if you're dealing with a sane, professionally run company.

You're dealing with a tar pit of con artists who have time and again expressed open contempt for writers and positively loathe the ones who try to break free. The people at the top are narcissistic sociopaths with no sense of right or wrong. If they can get away with something, they will, and childish tit-for-tat schoolyard bully behavior is their norm.

I'd follow up with a SASE requesting a written formal statement that your rights are reverted on whatever date is on the contract.

You might put in that you absolutely need a statement from them for your tax statement. It can't hurt.

Or mention -- if that doesn't work -- that if they don't reply with the statement that you'll have to bring it to the attention of the Maryland attorney general's office of consumer affairs.

You are a consumer seeking a small business courtesy that can be resolved by a single statement in less than a minute, not asking them to dig a new Panama Canal with their collective out-of-joint noses.

Though the latter is a cheering image.

Gillhoughly said:

I'd follow up with a SASE requesting a written formal statement that your rights are reverted on whatever date is on the contract.

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Although the return receipt should be sufficient, and it would protect me legally - as you've pointed out - you are right. To be 100% certain - considering what shysters they are - I'll need a written acknowledgement from them that they have received my request to terminate the contract and to not extend beyond the 7-year period. I'll send that request and SASE out to be absolutely certain I've covered my behind.

Thanks for the rapid response, Gillhoughly.