Return of a Man Named PAMB and its Quotes

Most of the books sent in will have been done on MS Word as a .doc file.

When it's converted to a PDF the hidden html stuff surfaces and plays hob. You wind up with text the wrong size, different fonts, italics gone wild, screwed up justification, all kinds of stuff.

I had the problem when trying to ready a file for a book on Lulu. I know how to avoid it now, but back then I learned the hard way that Microsoft doesn't play nice with other formats. PA doesn't give a flying fart. Once the contract is signed they move on to the next victim.

The spelling errors are the least of a writer's worry with PA. Many of their books have that disclaimer in the front saying that the book is exactly as the author presented it to them. It gets PA off the hook. The author didn't change anything, the reformatting did.

When the author wants the errors fixed, she better be ready to cough up 300 bucks and possibly an apology for ruining Miranda's coffee break.

Gillhoughly said:

...When it's converted to a PDF the hidden html stuff surfaces and plays hob. You wind up with text the wrong size, different fonts, italics gone wild, screwed up justification, all kinds of stuff.. . . .

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Interesting. I never have those problems in going from .doc to pdf, whether via PDF995 or Acrobat itself.

--Ken

I had to paste the whole book into Notepad to take out all the hidden junk, then reinsert all the formatting that I wanted like italics, smart quotes and paragraph indentation. I've since found faster ways to do this, so no one derail the topic with tech help for me, okay?

PA doesn't bother. They have 100 titles to process every week to keep Willie in HelloCopters and to feed Miranda's racehorse. I don't know what Larry does with his money. He could shove it up his arse, but his head's already there.

Probably both. It was already whisked away to the cornfield.

Unimportant said:

Uh-oh. Let's take a vote: will this get sent to the cornfield or will it generate a tone letter?
Quote:
Why is my book 'Not currently Available'?

People are visiting my website and inquiring and have been for some time now.

I am disappointed in communication with Publish America.

Family members have purchased my book and I have not seen one check reflecting those sales

Can I please have an answer 'this time'?




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I checked out the author's website, but not only was there no readily available contact information, music started playing. Sorry, author.

Caught this one this morning.

I have 4 books published with PA.

I sometimes, see them listed as used on Amazon and at Barnes and Nobles. But my statements show no sales.

I was wondering, are they just described wrong on the websites. Do stores get free display copies, and then resell them as used.

I am just curious if anyone has seen this on their books.

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Free display copies from PA? Actually FREE anything from PA?
Who is going to tell this poor author the truth? I hate seeing this kind of post. Makes me relive the illusion I was under many years ago.

I'm curious where B&N and Amazon comes up with used PA books. My old PA book (2004) is listed with B&N for $1.40 used, and Amazon, .14 cents, used. Of course the shipping is about $3.50 per book. I have seen the book on some site that sells used books for as little as one cent plus shipping. A real bargain that.

Arkie said:

I'm curious where B&N and Amazon comes up with used PA books. My old PA book (2004) is listed with B&N for $1.40 used, and Amazon, .14 cents, used. Of course the shipping is about $3.50 per book. I have seen the book on some site that sells used books for as little as one cent plus shipping. A real bargain that.

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Those used books are generally sold through third party vendors. Of course, the catch is if they REALLY have it in stock. I've had better luck with Amazon and B&N vendors than with other places when I've tried to buy out-of-print books.

ETA: I did buy one used PA book online (PA had reverted the rights back to the author and removed it from their site), and the book bore a price sticker from a large used book chain. The vendor had bought it there for cheap, marked the price up, and didn't even bother to remove the price sticker.

Just saw this on Facebook:

I should have mentioned that my favorite email from PublishAmerica to date is one I received a couple of weeks ago offering to send me a report of how many of my books have sold - FOR A FEE!!! Really?

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You mean, for a fee plus shipping and handling, right?

Looks like PA is displeasing its customers even faster than it used to:

It has been over 6 weeks now and I still have not received my first order of books. How long does it take? does anyone know?

I have set up book signings and will need them here real soon or I will have to reschedule.

How long is a reasonable time to expect them?

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A loyalist — or as close as the PAMB gets these days — responds:

All orders I have submitted by phone or online have arrived on schedule and without delay. (KNOCK ON WOOD!)
I don't really agree with the shipping cost but it is what it is! Good Luck try giving them a call. I haven't had a problem so I have no direction to send you. Just wanted you to know someone was listening.

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"Knock on wood" is probably about right: given the general tenor of many participants on the PAMB these days, this writer was probably indeed lucky to get her order of books quickly and without error.

These posts were deleted from PA's Facebook page (all made by the same author):

Hi : I have been waiting on a statement for the sale of my book and I have not gotten a responce for no one at your company .

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Where is the statement that the contract said I would get ? I did get one last year and was told all the sale's was not in and thay would be on this statement and I did not get a statement.

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I spent over $500.00 last year to help the sale of my book and I would like to know how that afected the sale of my book before I invest any more money and time.

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I also want to know what your company did last year to help the sale of my book and the statement should reflect that.

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Over five hundred dollars. What a waste.

Wouldn't a non-response indicate what PA really did was nothing? After all, they can't report they did nothing since that would provide legal evidence against them and if they give any other reply, then they'll have to prove they did what they claimed in their response or admit they're not qualified to do more than wield a mop and even then leave streaks on the floor. My apologies to any real janitors who work at PA. If it helps, they should take pride that they know more about their jobs than the people at PA who claim to be publishers.

LexiCan said:

Caught this one this morning.

Free display copies from PA? Actually FREE anything from PA?
Who is going to tell this poor author the truth? I hate seeing this kind of post. Makes me relive the illusion I was under many years ago.

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I think the fact that the author has FOUR books and NO sales should be telling her something. Sadly, some people just don't want to listen.

Queen of Swords said:

Just saw this on Facebook:

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I may be wrong here, but don't they have to provide this information by law? Isn't a royalty statement, which is what a report on your sales is, just an invoice?

More royalty statement problems on Facebook:

I have not received a royalty statement on all 3 of my PA titles (email or hardcopy) since February 2011. I would like to see an updated statement ASAP.

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This author posted not long ago about sending PA the manuscript for her fourth book.

The reply to the royalty statement question, when the author confirmed her email address had stayed the same:

In that case you should check your spam filters. No author is ever left behind re. royalty statements.

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The author responded,

I think the issue arose when we moved. I sent our new mailing address several times but I have never gotten any correspondence at this address. I think it is all getting sent to my old address. I know copies have been purchased so I would no just be receiving email statements.

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A newer author asked,

Just curious here: Right about October- my Co-Author and I had our book published- <title>. I have been wondering if there is a way to find out how sales have turned out with in the last 6 months and when I can possibly be expecting a royalty check.

My husband has been prompting me on a bit of an annoying scale to ask questions and if anything- I would rather not be a pest as it were- but I would like to know. If there is an email address or phone number that I could use as a means of contacting someone with my questions- I would greatly appreciate it.

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You are not being a pest to ask for a royalty statement! You have a right to receive that.

The author probably didn't $ub$cribe to the royalty reporting offer.
Shipping cost not optional.

Spotted on Facebook:

Check your calendar and leave one day open for the summer, for the release of the must be read [title redacted] which will be published by Publishamerica. Be among the first 5000 worldwide to buy the book either in hard copy or electronically and be qualified to win $ 10,000.00. yes, that is right, 10,000..... have a bless easter...

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1: How much did the author pay PA to get in on this?

2: What are the chances the author has 5000 friends and family willing to buy an overpriced book?

3: Note that "be qualified" doesn't mean PA will actually shell out the cash. They can always claim that some unknown buyer "won."

4: It's safe to say that this poor writer's title will never sell 50 copies, much less 5,000 copies, so PA won't have to award a dime. They can always cook the books in their favor should a miracle happen and the author has real world success.

That's why I think the author had to pay to get in on this "deal." PA has to score something out of this effort.

Willie, Larry, and Miranda -- your heads smell funny from being shoved up your asses all the time.

The question is, whose head is up which one's ass?

What next? A PA calendar?
They can't compete with the South Florida Firefighters Calendar (google it).

CatSlave said:

What next? A PA calendar?
They can't compete with the South Florida Firefighters Calendar (google it).

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Careful Cat. That was my idea way back in about 2006. If I can find it, I'll repost here.

There's a satisfied customer on the PAMB:

I received my order today and I am very happy with my books. PA did an awsome job on them.

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Well, PA had plenty of time to do an awesome job — the same writer was complaining about having not received her order after six weeks back on March 12th.

Richard Falk said:

There's a satisfied customer on the PAMB:



Well, PA had plenty of time to do an awesome job — the same writer was complaining about having not received her order after six weeks back on March 12th.

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By way of comparison, I have never had to wait longer than four days to receive a proof copy or an order of books from CreateSpace.

Stooge #1 (Willie the Wanker) attempts to explain the high shipping fees, his lame wordage being a steaming pile of #2.

http://www.publishamerica.net/ceo042612.html

We need to charge the $8-$10 end amount if we want to generate enough of a margin to be profitable.

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Which is made ever more profitable because they cut no break on bulk orders, charging anything from 3.99-6.99 PER BOOK.

Last time I made a bulk order for my Createspace title (needed some to sell at a convention) the cost for shipping 20 copies (350 pages each) was 13.00.

That same book using PA's shipping? 3.99 x 20 = 79.80 to 6.99 x 20 = 139.80.

Of course that's for a self-pub title. My titles with regular commercial houses? Since they send me 2 dozen free copies, I've never had the need to order any. As stated previously, my hall closet is overflowing.

Dear PA Author -- crunch the numbers. PA is not your friend. You want to help Willie the Wanker pay for another yacht or 'copter? Perhaps another paid vacation to Europe? Keep on buying your own overpriced books. He loves that you don't know who wrong that is.

Gillhoughly said:

Which is made ever more profitable because they cut no break on bulk orders, charging anything from 3.99-6.99 PER BOOK.

Last time I made a bulk order for my Createspace title (needed some to sell at a convention) the cost for shipping 20 copies (350 pages each) was 13.00.

That same book using PA's shipping? 3.99 x 20 = 79.80 to 6.99 x 20 = 139.80.

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When two of my US paperbacks went out of print, I ordered 150 of each (that is, 300 books). They came in 7 boxes. The cost of shipping those 300 books overnight from the US to the UK? Around $400.

That's $1.33 per book for overnight, overseas shipping.

By way of comparison, when PA charges $4.99 per book for domestic shipping, that $400 would pay for 81 books.

PA lurkers, don't let the Stooges fool you into thinking that their high postage costs are anything other than a huge profit centre. Most of the money you pay for shipping goes straight into the Stooges' pockets.