The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica / America Star Books Thread

James D. Macdonald said:

But doesn't this contradict one of PA's long-standing lies, about how bookstores are Ordering Their Books, All The Darned Time?

Click to expand...

It may also go against Anti-Bookstore's Guy's favorite claim that bookstores are the worst places to sell books.

I wasnt mean mean, i just simply stated the fact, that i wanted them back because I couldnt do anything with the book since its not in the bookstores and they will not be allowed in them, so you cant sell them, because it's no booksignings to go to, and I wouldnt be buying any of my books for them to sit in the closet and collect dust. Thats mean for me, but its still all the truth.

I'm waiting them out, too. I ran out of fight. I am raising kids and fighting a dwindling economy doing so. My book is the least of my worries.

It's just a shame that after all this time PA is still up to their same old tricks. Like the pink bunny they just keep going and going. I am just thankful I no longer receive their solicitations. I would certainly ruin any good moods I might have to keep reading their BS every few days.

My rights were returned about 9 days following a courteous letter of request.

Queen of Swords said:

It may also go against Anti-Bookstore's Guy's favorite claim that bookstores are the worst places to sell books.

Click to expand...

But you see, they want to use bookstores as a place to give them away, not sell them.

--Ken

Originally Posted by Queen of Swords
It may also go against Anti-Bookstore's Guy's favorite claim that bookstores are the worst places to sell books.

Click to expand...

He's just not completing the claim: Bookstores are the worst place to sell PublishAmerica books.

Legit commercial publishers have NO prob selling *their* books in stores.

Can I ask a ? Dies arkie realy thinking that he didnt pay to get out of contract? If he bought books from them, then he did pay in around about way and thats the only reason they let him out of it nicely. wouldnt any of you agree with this. I mean we all know unless you buy them and sell them yourself thats the only way you make money, but its never a profit. You cant sell a book for more than 30..00 that you gave Pa for each book because no one will buy them! Not even Nicholas Sparks sells his for 30.00. well he might but hes a well known bestseller. A Pa authoir is unknown. Thats the differemce between having a real publisher and one like Pa that puts more thought in to scams than anything else. That was nothing against Arkie at all.

Is it just me are did he pay for the 175 books to begin, because I have never seen a book in a bookstore with pa on the back of it. So if he bought 178 books from pa he gave them more than 300.00 and thast why they let him out easily. Is it just me taht sees that and reads his email above that way. Thats not to upset anyone but thats the way its written.

wanda,

If Arkie says he didn't pay to get of his contract, then he didn't. Not everyone has to pay to get out of it, and there's no pattern as to who does and who doesn't. It's one of those "at our discretion" things. Some people get out with a simple request, others catch them on a bad day and PA refuses to let go of their books. There is no method to the madness.

ETA -- Those sales were on his royalty statements, so no, he didn't buy them himself and resell.

wanda45451964 said:

Is it just me are did he pay for the 175 books to begin, because I have never seen a book in a bookstore with pa on the back of it. So if he bought 178 books from pa he gave them more than 300.00 and thast why they let him out easily. Is it just me taht sees that and reads his email above that way. Thats not to upset anyone but thats the way its written.

Click to expand...

Let me clear this up for you. When I was published in 2004, I bought 50 books from PA and payed $526.00 including shipping. I did not collect royalties on this purchase. I sold books through various ways (mostly bookstores and libraries) in which I collected royalties for 155 books. In addition, I sold and gave away all the books I purchased except two, which I still have. My estimate of total PA books sold is 175 or possibly a little more, but I collected royalties on only 155. But the money I made was not through book sales, but through tax deductions, which is legal by the way. By having a published book, I was able to claim deductions for a new computer, printer and other office equipment, including a chair and desk and all computer paper, ink cartridges, etc. In addition, all query mailing expenses were tax deductible as well. I believe it is 3 out of 5 years, the IRS allows the author to deduct expenses related to his writing, any time over that is considered a hobby and is not deductible. I only took deductibles for two years. My books were sold through an independent bookstore as well as the Hasting's chain. I did have one book show up at a local Barnes and Noble, but I don't know if it sold or not. I sold books through Hastings for four years. Hastings ordered my book three at a time and when they sold, ordered three more. All in all through a combination of means, I cleared about $1,500 through my PA experience. I always viewed my association with PA as being self-published, and operated like other self-published authors with whom I came in contact at signings. And I never asked for a release from my contract. I SUGGESTED that release would be in PA's best interest, and they evidently agreed, and released my rights posthaste.

Arkie said:

. . . I believe it is 3 out of 5 years, the IRS allows the author to deduct expenses related to his writing, any time over that is considered a hobby and is not deductible.. . . .

Click to expand...

It is a lot more complicated than that.

--Ken

where is this Hastings group at now? god knows we all need to know so we can sell our books with them.

wanda45451964 said:

where is this Hastings group at now? god knows we all need to know so we can sell our books with them.

Click to expand...

Look here. Knock yerself out. (That is an expression. It does not literally mean to knock yourself out.)

--Ken

ResearchGuy said:

Look here. Knock yerself out. (That is an expression. It does not literally mean to knock yourself out.)

--Ken

Click to expand...

Susan G.

While it seems to be B&N corporate policy to not stock PA books, some authors have had success getting their books on the shelves of local stores. A PA author in my area has some a couple of copies of one book on the shelf at my nearby B&N. It wouldn't surprise me if they're there on consignment. This particular author has been all around the area heavily promoting the book and after a signing at one local indie bookseller ended up at the top of the bestseller list they sent to the local paper. (I don't know if that was luck or the author figured out a schedule of when the list was published and worked the signing for that week. Every weekend the paper runs the NYT list and the list from one area bookstore.) I get the impression this author has had quite a few sales locally, but it was all due to her hard work.

well she was lucky then, because everyone that I talked to here said no way no how, and that was right after it came out. I even call every once in awhile and act like a customer and ask if they have it in stock, and they automatically say no, we don't stock print on demand books, but you can order it online. Heck I know this. I just gave up and decided I will just stick out the remainder of the 5 years that i have left now. Find a new and better publisher. I am not giving anyone any money whatsoever because at 30.00 a book that you would pay Pa, you will never make any money at all.

Arkie, thank you for letting us know about your personal experience with PA.

I'd like to reiterate what Cyia said, there is no rhyme or reason as to who PA decides to return rights to.

Some PA authors have promoted their book and pounded on every bookstore door and have had success at getting their book on the shelf. I don't think we can lump all PA authors into the same boat. Each experience is different and each author has their own reason for writing in the first place (although I am assuming that each author would like people to read their book!).

Wanda, a PA author doesn't pay full price for their PA printed book. There are tons of "special offers" and the basic PA author discount of 30% when you order 20 or more copies (PA authors check your contract, as your PA author discount may be different).

I think it's crucial that when we post here, we try to be as accurate as we possibly can be. It is our goal to have other writers read the facts about PublishAmerica and the experiences writers have had with them. If someone chooses to sign with PA, that doesn't mean they have done anything wrong. They may see it as a viable option for their book, and it may be. That is up to each writer to decide for themselves. Making absolute statements about anyone's PA experience (other than your own) isn't helpful, in my opinion.

I can't imagine a set of circumstances when signing with PA would be an even remotely okayish choice.

There's the seven year contract, poor production values, added errors, exorbitant pricing, unreliable delivery, nonexistent customer service, lies and deceit, author abuse, and, perhaps most damning of all, the horrible reputation of PA and PA books in general. It's not good company for a defenseless book to be in.

Eirin said:

I can't imagine a set of circumstances when signing with PA would be an even remotely okayish choice. . . .

Click to expand...

A few years ago, there were some such circumstances. (Bearing in mind that "remotely okayish" is a low bar.) But with PA's accelerating spiral downward into gimmicks, costs, and exploitation, even under those circumstances I'd be hard pressed to make the case.

But let's face it, some people will always make very, very suboptimal choices, and it's their life.

--Ken

Eirin said:

I can't imagine a set of circumstances when signing with PA would be an even remotely okayish choice.

There's the seven year contract, poor production values, added errors, exorbitant pricing, unreliable delivery, nonexistent customer service, lies and deceit, author abuse, and, perhaps most damning of all, the horrible reputation of PA and PA books in general. It's not good company for a defenseless book to be in.

Click to expand...

When I was doing business with PA, Lightning Source was manufacturing PA books and L.S. turned out a good product. Since PA prints their own books, from what I've read, the quality of the product has deteriorated. I've not seen any of their recent books. And for the life of me, with all the information now available on the internet, I don't see how PA can continue to get prospective authors to sign seven-year contracts.

Arkie said:

. . . I don't see how PA can continue to get prospective authors to sign seven-year contracts.

Click to expand...

P.T. Barnum offered insight on that.

--Ken

What is really wrong here

merrihiatt said:

I think it's crucial that when we post here, we try to be as accurate as we possibly can be. It is our goal to have other writers read the facts about PublishAmerica and the experiences writers have had with them. If someone chooses to sign with PA, that doesn't mean they have done anything wrong. They may see it as a viable option for their book, and it may be. That is up to each writer to decide for themselves. Making absolute statements about anyone's PA experience (other than your own) isn't helpful, in my opinion.

Click to expand...

Signing with PA is not wrong. What is wrong is that PA prevaricates about what they are and what they do, and by the time the poor author learns the truth he or she is stuck in a 7-year contract. If PA were just honest and above-board about their business model and business practices, I would have no problem with them. Of course, if they were honest and above-board, they would be out of business before the end of the year, because, like any good con artist, their business model depends on lies and deception.

Arkie, my book was published year and I got a great cover, that's as good as I can say about Pa, the inside they added extra words and symbols, and who knows where they got them at. It wasn't in my final draft. I looked. My contract states nothing about a discount at all at anytime. I guess thats what ever they decide to give each week, with what ever hair brained scheme that Miranda and Larry have came up with. One of my friends is waiting on her free book to show up at her door this week, because she asked for a free copy so many times they decided to send her one. We are waiting to see if it shows up. I hope so for her sake. Maybe that's how you get a free author copy these days.

wanda45451964 said:

Arkie, my book was published year and I got a great cover, that's as good as I can say about Pa, the inside they added extra words and symbols, and who knows where they got them at. It wasn't in my final draft. I looked. My contract states nothing about a discount at all at anytime. I guess thats what ever they decide to give each week, with what ever hair brained scheme that Miranda and Larry have came up with. One of my friends is waiting on her free book to show up at her door this week, because she asked for a free copy so many times they decided to send her one. We are waiting to see if it shows up. I hope so for her sake. Maybe that's how you get a free author copy these days.

Click to expand...

It seems to me that PA would best be served by providing a couple of free copies, especially if they expect authors to buy their own books, and they do. I don't think many authors would want to make a large purchase without first getting a look at the finished product. But PA is not known for making logical choices and has acquired a long-time reputation for adding errors to galleys that the author has taken pains to correct. An error (among others) of adding a word in the upper-left margin on page 13 of my book galls me to this day.

I had it published year, and got two copies. I still haven't figured out how they words to something that I spent two months, editing myself. I do mean two full months doing this, and then for it to come out like this. They stopped giving away the authors copies. thsi girl just kept asking them for one. I think she is trying to see mistakes in it . She said that it is some in there. I dont put anything past them. Can you pm me later on Arkie.