The Newer Never-Ending PublishAmerica / America Star Books Thread

Don Davidson

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Thank God for this site and for P&E. I found PA just like everyone else. I searched Google for publishers, and there they were, first or second on the list. I sent them the query, and got an email back telling me they wanted to publish my manuscript. Found some of their books listed on Amazon, but none were in stock, and the prices seemed a bit high. I read their contract, and had several problems with it. Then I found this site. Thank you all for saving me from this sham of a company. I'd rather not be puiblished at all than to be under contract to PA. And kudos to everyone else for dodging this particulaer bullet.

Welcome, GothicKnight. :welcome: Stories like yours make my day. I think the thing that unites everyone on this thread (OK, almost everyone) is the desire to save people like you from the clutches of PA. Count yourself smart and blessed for avoiding that trap. (I was not so smart.)
 

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Seen over on Facebook:
Dear Author:

Today and tomorrow only.
Authors only.

Buy 5 books, get 20!
That's a lot of books for FREE!

Buy five (5) books, and we will ship TWENTY (20) books to you. Fifteen (15) of those are FREE. Plus we SHIP the FREE books to you for totally FREE.

Also, if you want to make a limited number of text changes to your book, you can do that now, for FREE . The books you order today will contain the revised text.

Go to publishamerica.net, find your book, click on it, then add to cart, indicate quantity, and use this coupon: MayFree. Then click Recalculate and finish the transaction. Minimum order volume is 5 copies.

Note: the free books don't show in your cart, but the MayFree coupon automatically triggers their free printing and free shipping!

Example: if you order TEN (10) copies, we will print FORTY (40), of which THIRTY (30!)are FREE. Plus shipping for all those FREE books is free!

Want to change a few things in your book? In the Ordering Instructions
field, write Text Yes. We will contact you and inform you as to how to
submit your text changes. Please follow the instructions carefully so
we can make the changes at no cost to you. Changes are limited to spelling, grammar, no major overhaul.

Offer expires the day after tomorrow.
Which is actually today.
 

GothicKnight

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If I was doing a store signing, I suppose I'd buy some copies of my book, but only if the store in question either had none or only a few copies. I admit, I know almost nothing about the protocol in such a situation. I must point out, however, that I refuse to buy a copy of my book for myself. If the publisher is so cheap as to not provide the author with a copy of his/her own book, that's not a publisher I want to have anything to do with. But maybe that's just me.
 

JulieB

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I had one signing once where the books didn't arrive. The shipping company lost the box, as I recall. There was a scramble to get some books, and everything worked out in the end.

That was the only time that sort of thing had ever happened to me, and it was just one of those odd things. It was a major publisher and they'd made an effort to get the books there well ahead of the event.

That's why it's a good thing to check to see that the books have arrived ahead of time - even if you're with a big publisher. Chances are they can get some books to you if they have enough lead time.
 

Gillhoughly

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Here's how pro writers do signings:

Months in advance of my book's release--two months is usually enough, but three is better:

I contact the manager or community relations manager of the biggest, busiest bookstore in my area.

I let her know my book is NOT with Publish America or any other vanity/POD operation.

You can see the relief in their eyes when I drop that one. Suddenly they relax and smile, they know they're dealing with a pro.


I let her know when my book is to be released, the publisher, the genre, and she checks her calendar to see if there is a date open, usually on a Saturday in the early afternoon.

If there is, she puts it in the system, and an order is placed with the distributor (or publisher) for copies to arrive well before that date.

I do not buy the books. The store orders them through the usual channels and sells them at cover price. This so they can make a profit.

They do NOT like writers supplying their own books. They cannot make a profit from those sales. The writer is taking up floor space and time the store needs for its own bottom line.

The big stores have a newsletter and send emails to an extensive list of their customers. The signing will be a big thing. There will be signs printed and in the windows.

I send out e-mails to friends to please show up. A) it's good to have bodies coming through the door; B) your friends will likely buy *other* books while they're there. The store LOVES that kind of thing.

I turn up on the big day, dressed nice, with a big cheerful attitude and a bowl of Hershey Minis and bookmarks to give away. No one likes a pretentious Gloomy Gus playing "Tortured Author". If you're happy to be there, then people will come up and chat.

Publish America SUCKS at getting books to signings.
We've seen this again and again on their message boards. Disappointed writers have to cancel signings because the promised books just don't arrive.

The authors are out the cost of the undelivered books and the bookstore manager--who put time and money into promotion of the event--is never going to forget the embarrassing screw up, and will understandably, if unfairly, blame the author.

The posts about the non-delivery (or "why don't you answer my emails??") are quickly removed by Miranda Prather, because *everything* is always perfect at PA. They never make mistakes, it's always the writer's fault.

With my signings I usually call up a couple of my writer pals and ask if they'd like to do a joint signing. Three writers are better than one and at one event there were five of us. My friends also have mailing lists and a big local fan base. The store gets crowded with bodies and sells LOTS of books that day and not just the titles by those writers.

Big Name Writers will have signing tours set up by their publishers. These are the pros who have been selling for years and are on the NYT bestseller lists.

A new writer, pimping a first novel, won't get a tour. When I mentioned doing one for my first novel to my editor she was very kind and didn't laugh, but I did hear a choking sound. I was very green back then. ;)


GothicKnight--You need to get to a library, dive into the 808 section and read all the books there about writing.

Read the books by other writers about how THEY did things.
I picked up all this information back when I was 12 and my first sale was decades down the road in my future.

I found out I didn't have to reinvent the wheel, the blueprints were already there.

Surfing the Net can help, but there are too many strangers with candy who are only too ready to LIE to you to get your money. PA is a prime example.
 

Marian Perera

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If the publisher is so cheap as to not provide the author with a copy of his/her own book, that's not a publisher I want to have anything to do with. But maybe that's just me.

Nope, that's me as well. Actually, I asked for more free copies when I got my contract. :)
 

Christine N.

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I do keep a stash of my own books, ONLY because I do many events a year that are apart from bookstores - festivals, local community events, invitational stuff.

It's not my main source of sales. I have had people recognize me from one event to another, and someone who bought my book two years ago at the one time I was at the Philly Book Festival remembered buying one of my books and then bought the sequel. So it can help a little with local sales doing stuff like this.

It's not the publisher's main source of my book sales either. I've done store events and the stores get the book.
 

Sepisllib

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If I were John Grisham ----- I would be more than Pi#$&d off about this.

*******************************************************

Dear Author:

Let's ask bestselling author
John Grisham to endorse your book.

We are scheduling to actually meet the bestselling and movie-making author during the Book Expo America in New York later this month. And we are going to make sure that we bring your book to John Grisham's attention. We will ask for his endorsement of your book.

Celebrity endorsements are printed on a book's back cover, and advertised bright and clear on the front cover.


Here's how we do it:
Go to www.publishamerica.net, find your book, click on it, then add to cart, indicate quantity, and use this coupon:
JohnDiscount. Then click Recalculate and finish the transaction. Minimum volume is only 2 copies.


In the Ordering Instructions field, write "John Grisham". Your order
of only 2 or more copies will ensure that we ask John Grisham to read
and endorse your book.


Hurry! Offer expires this Wednesday. Full-color books and hardcovers are included!

Thank you,
PublishAmerica Author Support Team



*******************************************************

It's really sad to have dealings with such a low life company. I hate it.

God Bless

Bill
 

ResearchGuy

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If I were John Grisham ----- I would be more than Pi#$&d off about this.. . .
I picture him rolling his eyes, saying something to the effect of OY VEY!, and getting back to whatever he was doing. PA would be as a gnat on a gorilla's patootie to Grisham (more of whose books, which I can find in ANY bookstore, right on the shelves, reasonably priced, I really must read . . .).

--Ken
 

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We are scheduling to actually meet the bestselling and movie-making author during the Book Expo America in New York later this month.

So is everybody and his Uncle Judy and Aunt Lars who are attending, I'm sure.
And we are going to make sure that we bring your book to John Grisham's attention. We will ask for his endorsement of your book.
Celebrity endorsements are printed on a book's back cover, and advertised bright and clear on the front cover.
And it also means the celebrity in question has actually taken the time to read the book.
 

DreamWeaver

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I can't imagine the PA reps taking either a stack of books or just a list of authors & titles up to John Grisham and asking for his endorsement. It's just not the style they've shown in their previous actions. It is, however, an offer that no-one can ever check up on, so no-one will ever know if they actually did it. I hope PA authors are getting tired of being asked to spend money in situations where their investment is completely non-accountable.

Not to mention the incredible unlikelihood of success, even if PA actually fulfills its promise.

But then, I can't imagine the PA reps even manning a booth. I won't be surprised if there's a report from attendees that the PA booth is display only. Or their participation is cancelled at the last minute, and there's no booth at all.

Do we have any attendees here?
 

Gillhoughly

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I sent a note to Random House with that email included, and hope to heck they forward it to the right department and not dismiss it as being a really bad joke.

I doubt PA will hold up their end and print any books.

And what's Grisham going to do? His time there is sewn up. He's there to sell HIS books, not PAs.

PA Lurkers--the time to get a cover quote from a more famous writer is BEFORE the book is in print.

Jeeze Louise--I just imagined how *I* would react if Miranda's morons descended on me at a Book Expo booth with boxes of PA titles and big hopeful grins.


I don't know exactly why this happened, but it started over at
Gillhoughly's booth about the time the Betty Crocker publisher began
giving away pies to promote a new pastry cookbook.
I heard some maniac screaming, "I'm only giving them the chance
they deserve--a running start!
"

pie+fight+2.jpg

 
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CatSlave

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"We are scheduling to actually drive past 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue while waving your book out the window,
so you can announce that your book has actually been seen at the White House."
 

GothicKnight

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Usually, I step in it. This time, I got lucky and found you fine folks who helped me avoid PA. I cannot express how grateful I am. As a would-be writer, I am at a loss for words. Guess all I can say is, THANK YOU!!!
 

Don Davidson

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I think it is significant that PA does not state HOW they will ask John Grisham to endorse the books. They don't even say they will provide him with a copy of the book. My guess is that they will simply send him a form letter mailed with a list of books attached, if it happens at all. I cannot imagine Grisham giving them any of his personal time to allow them make such a pitch, whether or not at the Book Expo, and if they tried it, surely he or one of his handlers would cut them off quickly. Of course, I doubt that the gang at PA have any inclination to personally approach Grisham on such a mission, since it would likely result in humiliation for whoever tried it.
 

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.


If I want a cover quote from a NAME WRITER I don't know I ask my editor or agent to look into that for me. I can trust them to go through the proper channels, not waylay the writer when he's heading for the john.

1) I doubt PA will print the books in the first place
2) I doubt any one with PA will be allowed anywhere NEAR Grisham.


PA Lurkers, when legit publishers want a cover quote, they talk to the the writer's editor. Going up to the writer while he's busy promoting his own works is just NOT done and everyone in the industry knows it.

PA certainly knows that. Again, they want you to buy books. Does this not give you an idea of the absolute contempt they have for your intelligence if they think you'll eagerly fall for this one?

Here's how writers get quotes:

Last month I was asked for a cover quote. The editor wanting it e-mailed my agent, who forwarded the mail and left it up to me to decide if I had the time. On another occasion, my editor phoned directly to ask if I might have the time, then mailed me the MS.

I read the books, sent out the quotes. Everyone's happy.


When I wanted a cover quote for one of my books I directly contacted the writers--by email. I knew them all personally or had worked with them.

I first ask if they might have the time to read my book and be willing to do a quote. If not, no prob. Most had the time and were glad to help.

I did not muscle up to them in a line and drop a Xerox of the MS in front of them.

That happened to an editor friend of mine. A clueless newbie approached her in the hall of the convention hotel and shoved a 400-page single-spaced manuscript into her hands. "I know you'll love it!"

The newbie scampered away.

My friend--who is NOT an acquisitions editor--turned the MS over to show the blank side of the pages and shook her head. "Darn it, now I can't thank her for all the free scratch paper."

.
 
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