The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica / America Star Books Thread

brianm

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But "We have figured out a way to get your books stocked in the airport bookstore" and "We will put your books in the airport bookstore" is making a promise they can't keep.

Crazy.

It is crazy.

With all that we are reading on the PAMB about how books are not being delivered, one hopes even the truly gullible will think twice about this one and begin to realize PA is only interested in picking their pockets.

Maybe I'm wrong or it's wishful thinking, but I still think these offers are last ditch efforts to get as much money out before PA-tanic sinks into oblivion.

~brianm~
 

darkprincealain

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This will be true for pretty much any bookstore. No retailer will accept an unauthorized shipment.

Theoretically... but receiving departments aren't all they're cracked up to be. I've got quite a bit of experience of this. However, if it is "received" and they discover it's not supposed to be on shelves, the next stop for it is the dumpster.

Which may not even matter. There's no proof that PA is sending books to the promised interests in these offers. If they are sending via UPS, there is a return address on the label, so the origin will be right on there. Unsolicited status would be the real problem.
 

Don Davidson

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A disillusioned PA author recently forwarded to me an email he received from PA after he asked, among other things, why the BBB rates them so poorly. The complete email exchange is now posted on the PA page of my web site. But here is an excerpt from PA's final response:

"Stop the whining already. We don't know why other websites rate PublishAmerica the way they do, nor do we care. We are too busy servicing our 40,000 authors. . . . If you don't like that, that's too darn bad. If you have nothing better to share than these so-called concerns, get out of our way."

If you are considering giving your book to PA, think about whether you want a "publisher" that treats its authors like this. And that's not the worst of it, by any means. Your hopes and dreams--and your book--mean nothing to PA. They only want your money.
 

BenPanced

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PA Tone Letter said:
We don't know why other websites rate PublishAmerica the way they do
Yes, you do.
nor do we care.
Obviously not.
We are too busy servicing our 40,000 authors
That's a polite way of putting it.
If you don't like that, that's too darn bad. If you have nothing better to share than these so-called concerns, get out of our way.
Wow. If I ever replied to a customer like that, I'd be fired within an hour. But then again, I work for a compay that has scruples.
 
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Stephen H. Segal

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Hi. I've read the forums many times before, but I just signed up today to report a fact that may or may not be interesting. I currently live in Frederick, Maryland, and this week I noticed that the PublishAmerica building has had the sign taken down and there is a "FOR LEASE" banner hanging in the window. So, for whatever reason, they seem to be moving.
 

bhall87

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Dear Author:

PublishAmerica is giving away plane tickets for two to London!


THIS WEEKEND ONLY: Here's your best odds ever of winning two FREE plane tickets to Britain's capital. Tell us in which hotel you want us to place your book, use the special coupon (see below), and your name may be drawn from this weekend's coupon users to go visit London* together with your spouse, a friend, or anyone else you choose. See all the splendor and history of the Queen's hometown!

You're not the lucky winner?

We'll draw another author name! You may still be lucky! This time it's two FREE plane tickets to

Las Vegas**!

That's right, PublishAmerica also enables an author to fly to America's Playground for FREE, and the winner can bring a travel partner. Remember, what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas!


The keyword is Hotel. We will put your book in your local hotel (any hotel you choose), and if you're a winner, we'll put you in a plane to London or Las Vegas.

We are donating your book to your local hotel, as many copies as you choose. They may offer your book to their guests any way they want! Most local hotels would love to have you over to sign copies of your book.

Here's how we do it:

Order any number of books you want to have on hand, and PublishAmerica
will match the order. We will donate the exact same number of books to
your local hotel. Example: you order and pay for 15 copies, we print 30. We
ship your 15 copies to you, and the same week we ship the other 15 books
to your local hotel, for FREE. And you receive a 40 pct discount!

After the weekend, we'll draw and announce the winners from authors
who use this weekend's coupon ("Hotel40"). One will go to LONDON,
the other will go to LAS VEGAS. Both receive TWO plane tickets.
How many PublishAmerica authors will participate, 100? Maybe 200?
Either way, your odds of winning are jolly good!


Go to www.publishamerica.net, find your book, click on it, then add to cart, indicate quantity, and use this coupon: Hotel40. Then click Recalculate and finish the transaction. Minimum volume to qualify for having your name drawn for the free plane tickets is 10 copies.
Want fewer books? Then use this coupon: Hotel30. No minimum volume requirement here. This will give you a discount of 30 pct, and we'll still donate as many books to your favorite hotel as you order for yourself, but you don't qualify for the free plane tickets.

In the Ordering Instructions field, be sure to indicate name and address of
your favorite local hotel. By using the coupon you are authorizing us to match
your order and donate the books. You may also request that we ship the
FREE books to you.


U.S. hotels only. Full-color and hardcovers excluded. Offer expires this weekend on Sunday night.
By entering the London40 coupon participants irrevocably and unconditionally agree to the following: "*Tickets to London originate from JFK airport in NY. **Tickets to Las Vegas may originate from most major airports in contiguous USA. Winners are responsible for all transportation to and from departure airports, all food, all lodging, visa and other travel requirements, insurances, all other expenses bar none. PublishAmerica is not a travel agent and shall carry no responsibilities or liabilities of any kind whatsoever related to and/or resulting from the drawing of the free tickets, and shall draw the free tickets at its sole discretion. Travel must be completed before April 30, 2010, must include a Saturday, not exceed 7 days. Tickets are nontransferable, nonrefundable, nonchangeable. PublishAmerica may, for promotional purposes, at any time advertise winners' names at its sole discretion."

Thank you, and good luck!
PublishAmerica Author Support Team

Let the head pounding begin.....
 

pink lily

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"Dear PublishAmerica, I do not want to have any books on hand at all, but you can go ahead and make that free donation! Thanks bunches!"
 

BenPanced

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Dear Author:

PublishAmerica is giving away plane tickets for two to London!


THIS WEEKEND ONLY: Here's your best odds ever of winning two FREE plane tickets to Britain's capital. Tell us in which hotel you want us to place your book, use the special coupon (see below), and your name may be drawn from this weekend's coupon users to go visit London* together with your spouse, a friend, or anyone else you choose. See all the splendor and history of the Queen's hometown!
*snipped for brevity's/sanity's sake*

I'm thankful I just took my stomach meds.

Notice they're just giving away the flight tickets. I wonder how many people are going to miss that point...
 

Don Davidson

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A chance to win free plane tickets if you buy books. Why isn't this gambling? I've seen lots of businesses run sweepstakes like this, but they always have to say "no purchase necessary" to avoid prohibitions on gambling. Here, a purchase is clearly necessary. Is this not illegal?
 

Gillhoughly

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What the freaking HELL are those idiots SMOKING???

All that is SO never going to happen.

Kiss your cash and books goodbye, dear PA lurkers, they've gone right round the twist.


We are too busy servicing our 40,000 authors

If that's what you call bending 40K people head first over a barrel and ramming a stick up their |BLEEP|

icon8.gif
 

CatSlave

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Hi. I've read the forums many times before, but I just signed up today to report a fact that may or may not be interesting. I currently live in Frederick, Maryland, and this week I noticed that the PublishAmerica building has had the sign taken down and there is a "FOR LEASE" banner hanging in the window. So, for whatever reason, they seem to be moving.
:welcome:
Yes, they have moved to 4510A Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21703
(and NOT Adamstown, MD, 21710 as listed elsewhere).
Sneaky, sneaky.

This is a warehouse district south of Frederick off Rt. 85 and English Muffin Drive.

It's a big step down from the former office, which is a lovely three-story, double townhouse property in the historic district.
PA can run, but it can't hide. :)
 
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Sarashay

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Excuse me, but this one is ILLEGAL. You can't sell tickets to a lottery unless you're a charity. And requiring people to buy overpriced books counts. Where's their on staff lawyer?

Any sweepstakes is required to have a means to enter without purchasing (even if it's something buried in the fine print about writing your name and address on a 3x5 card.)

They nailed Al Capone on taxes. Wonder if they could get nailed on this one?
 

bhall87

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Does the legality change if this is a business-to-business thing like the Maryland AG and BBB apparently believe the PA-author relationship to be?

If not then everybody who received this email and hasn't drunk the Kool-Aid should forward it to the AG and see what happens.