Rising from the Ashes - Another Battle Against PA

Gillhoughly · Mar 10, 2010

narcolepticgi-- Checked over your website, good job.

If I might suggest, have people Google "PublishAmerica + scam" rather than just "PA" alone.

And that person "Hanna" that Clopper sicced on you?

That will really be Miranda Prather. NOTHING goes out by email from that office unless she passes it through. She's got a long history of having soon-to-be-fired underlings signing their names to her emails. (They have mass firings when it comes time to pass out automatic raises. Read what ex-employees have to say. One guy got fired for refusing to be rude to a writer!)

Look her up on Wikipedia. It could be another entry for your link page!

narcolepticgi · Mar 10, 2010

Thanks Gill!
And thanks for the link to the person who posted the link to the fanstory site.

circlexranch · Mar 10, 2010

Nice job on the website!

I am glad to see 'Paramedic to a Prince' as a member. This writer had a really unique story to tell and it was swallowed up by the PA machine.

Keep it up!

kaitie · Mar 10, 2010

Gillhoughly said:
narcolepticgi-- Checked over your website, good job.

If I might suggest, have people Google "PublishAmerica + scam" rather than just "PA" alone.

The interesting thing is you know how when you type into a search engine and it it'll give you suggestions for what you're typing? When you type Publish America into Yahoo, the third suggestion is "Publish America Scam." When you type it into Google, it's the first. I can guarantee that if I was typing a publisher into an engine and saw it's name followed by "scam" as one of the top entries (or at all!), I would be clicking that one and seeing what happened.

DeadlyAccurate · Mar 11, 2010

kaitie said:
The interesting thing is you know how when you type into a search engine and it it'll give you suggestions for what you're typing? When you type Publish America into Yahoo, the third suggestion is "Publish America Scam." When you type it into Google, it's the first. I can guarantee that if I was typing a publisher into an engine and saw it's name followed by "scam" as one of the top entries (or at all!), I would be clicking that one and seeing what happened.

I think they start with "book publishers" and forget to double-check the results from there. My current results come up with 1) Random House, 2) Harper Collins, 3) a site listing publishers, 4) AuthorHouse, 5) PublishAmerica.

My guess, for authors who know little of publishing and aren't as Internet-savvy as some (read: suspicious of everything they find on the Internet like I am): after the author checks on RH and HC and finds they don't accept unagented work, they may or may not skip the listing site and go to AuthorHouse. AH lists their prices, and they don't want to pay, so they move on to #5. Oh, that one's free! But instead of backing out and typing "PublishAmerica" (which is all you have to do to find complaints on the first page), they stay on the PA site.

narcolepticgi · Mar 11, 2010

Halaleuah!(?sp)
Just got off the phone with the FBI and they want all of you guys to forward the "Hatai relief" e-mail solicitations to the following e-mail address.

[email protected]

I also filed a verbal complaint while I was on the line. I got the phone number from an FBI bulletin I receive updating frauds and scams. Anybody interested?

CatSlave · Mar 11, 2010

narcolepticgi said:
Halaleuah!(?sp)
Just got off the phone with the FBI and they want all of you guys to forward the "Hatai relief" e-mail solicitations to the following e-mail address.

[email protected]

I also filed a verbal complaint while I was on the line. I got the phone number from an FBI bulletin I receive updating frauds and scams. Anybody interested?

Hallelujah!
Yes, please post the phone number.

Little1 · Mar 11, 2010

YAY!!!!! WTG narcolepticgi!

ResearchGuy · Mar 11, 2010

narcolepticgi said:
. . . [email protected]

. . .

FWIW, see http://www.leo.gov/ -- leo = Law Enforcement Online. Interesting development. THIS has some interesting potential.

--Ken

merrihiatt · Mar 11, 2010

I didn't receive the e-mail from PA or I would be glad to pass it along.

I saw today on another site where two new PA authors were able to get the rights to their books back. There is hope!

CatSlave · Mar 11, 2010

ResearchGuy said:
FWIW, see http://www.leo.gov/ -- leo = Law Enforcement Online. Interesting development. THIS has some interesting potential.

--Ken

Whoa!
It certainly does.

tlblack · Mar 11, 2010

narcolepticgi said:
Halaleuah!(?sp)
Just got off the phone with the FBI and they want all of you guys to forward the "Hatai relief" e-mail solicitations to the following e-mail address.

[email protected]

I also filed a verbal complaint while I was on the line. I got the phone number from an FBI bulletin I receive updating frauds and scams. Anybody interested?

Sepisllib · Mar 12, 2010

merrihiatt said:
I didn't receive the e-mail from PA or I would be glad to pass it along.

I saw today on another site where two new PA authors were able to get the rights to their books back. There is hope!

Likewise - Monday I sent off my "certified" letter to PA requesting my contract rights returned. Also, likewise, I received that e-mail from PA earlier that my book sold zero copies and I know for sure it did. Working on the numbers, however I have physical proof that some sales were made.

I don't really care about the few miserable sales - just want my rights back and to that end PA shall be receiving "certified" letter request at least monthly from me until it happens.

Interesting enough - I have obtained a quote from a self publisher firm - that they will print my same book for $3.64 per copy. Long ways from the $16.95 PA wants.

God Bless

Bill

merrihiatt · Mar 16, 2010

A large group of PA authors, who do not have the brass that I have are sheepishly watching my struggle

Is it possible that some folks have chosen to express their discontent in a different way than you have? This doesn't make them "sheepish," nor does it mean that you "have the brass" while others do not. It is up to each individual to choose for themselves how, and if, they want to make their experience with PA known.

narcolepticgi · Mar 17, 2010

My sincerest apologies if I offended anyone. I'll stop spilling my guts here as well. IF I had found some reinforcement here I would feel compeled to continue my postings. For the ones who are giving me moral support You have my sincerest thanks. The battle is not over until the last shot is fired. I will keep you in the loop.

I have had a death in the family and don't have the mental energy to spare defending my words, as harsh as they may have seemed. After all literary expressions are an authors tools-of-the-trade?

BenPanced · Mar 17, 2010

That's too bad about your loss. Hope you come back when you're feeling better.

merrihiatt · Mar 18, 2010

My condolences about the death in your family. My sister died a little over a year ago and I know how difficult it can be to get through such a time.

Richard White · Mar 18, 2010

narcolepticgi said:
My sincerest apologies if I offended anyone. I'll stop spilling my guts here as well. IF I had found some reinforcement here I would feel compeled to continue my postings. For the ones who are giving me moral support You have my sincerest thanks. The battle is not over until the last shot is fired. I will keep you in the loop.

I have had a death in the family and don't have the mental energy to spare defending my words, as harsh as they may have seemed. After all literary expressions are an authors tools-of-the-trade?

From one old ex-sergeant to another, No one, I repeat, no one is upset with your goals. I think we'll all be more than happy to join you in dancing on PA's grave. It is a true blight on publishing and we HATE what it does to authors. Plus, you've found some very good information and posted it here.

What I'm suggesting to you is write your post, walk away for a few seconds and then try to find a way to say what you're trying to say without barking at people.

We are on your side and we do support what you're doing. What I would love to see is for you to keep the passion about what you're doing but post in a more "measured" manner.

What we're trying to do is to get you to focus your shot group. Keep your target on Publish America and avoid strays hitting the authors . . . many of whom are innocent bystanders or else people who're coming to realize what's happening and going through the denial stage of "OH, my god, this can't be happening to MY book. I must not understand what's really going on."

The first rule of Absolute Write is "respect your fellow authors" . . . even ones who get published by less than reputable publishers/printers/hacks/scammers/and charlatans.

Hate the scammer.
Try to educate the gormless.
Don't dis' your fellow authors for making bad decisions.

And condolences about your loss. We'll be here when you feel like coming back.

Rich White
Writer Beware

Marian Perera · Mar 18, 2010

Richard White said:
. . . many of whom are innocent bystanders or else people who're coming to realize what's happening and going through the denial stage of "OH, my god, this can't be happening to MY book. I must not understand what's really going on."

Some PA authors may also believe that if they express dissatisfaction in public, other publishers and agents will blacklist them. It's a myth, but I've seen loyalists use it to try to intimidate people into staying silent, and sometimes it works.

kaitie · Mar 18, 2010

Isn't there also often a clause in the contract saying that if it's terminated you're forbidden to speak out against the company and are at risk of being sued? I remember seeing that somewhere, and I can see that scaring people off as well.

Terie · Mar 18, 2010

narcolepticgi said:
IF I had found some reinforcement here I would feel compeled to continue my postings.

Another thing to bear in mind is that the vast majority of the posters here are not PA victims. It doesn't matter how much I'd like the authorities to investigate PA, I don't personally have a grievance and therefore have no grounds to complain.

And condolences on your loss.

Anon76 · Mar 18, 2010

Terie said:
Another thing to bear in mind is that the vast majority of the posters here are not PA victims. It doesn't matter how much I'd like the authorities to investigate PA, I don't personally have a grievance and therefore have no grounds to complain.

And condolences on your loss.

Terie brings up a very good point. I can see PA for what it is, but I can't do anything other than post warnings on loops like this. It's a small thing, but if it saves even one writer from being snookered, then it's worth it.

The one thing that we all must remember is that the authors of PA are the victims. And much like rape victims, each will deal with the issue in his/her own way and go through the stages of mourning at different paces. Outrage hits some sooner than others. Acceptance and moving on hits some sooner than others. There is no "right" way, just your "own" way.

So I wish to say, condolences on your loss, and I hope you come back to keep up the vigil because your voice is very important. All of our voices are very important.

narcolepticgi · Mar 20, 2010

Kindness duely noted...

For those who read the posting where I used the words "sheepishly" and "have the brass" those words were not aimed at Water Cooler posters...they were in a letter I sent to the Department of Defence Inspector General fraud hotline.

I absolutely agree that no one should ever slam another person, that would be out of character for me. I'm an engineering professional and corporate trained in "sensitivity".

I just posted (2) new websites. links to follow. Gotta' go I'm hungry!! :welcome:

narcolepticgi · Mar 25, 2010

PA mail now filtered as junk by hotmail...

> Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:31:20 -0400
> To: [email protected]
> From: [email protected]
> Subject: Noah Dillion: incoherent :rant:

>
> Noah Dillion:
> So what exactly is your question for us?
>
> Thank you,
> PublishAmerica Support
> [email protected]
>
> >Date: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:42:28 -0400
> >To: [email protected]
> >From: Noah Dillion <[email protected]>
> >Subject: FW: Contract release

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

I cut and pasted this from an e-mail I found when I went in this morning to dump my junk e-mail, something I do every time I open my mail box.

The person (Amanda?) shanged the subject line before replying, which really made me angry and insulted.

Tis is her reply to my last offer, using very straight forward statements as sugguested by "Gill". I'll cut and paste the e-mail i another posting.
After reading the e-mail again, I noticed the change in the support address. Who the heck is "support5@"

I went back and checked the names of whom I sent the "contract release" e-mail to and there is no one named "ebonie@", I made a fat fingered typo spelling an e-mail address so that one, and the one to "jcadle@" was returned.

I looked up another one and sent it to "shawn@" and it was answered by "ebonie@".

My curiosity is getting the better of me, why all of a sudden are PA
e-mails which I usually get in my regular in box being sent to my junk e-mail box. If I hadn't been scanning my junk mail for recognizable senders I would have dumped it. We'll see if any more PA e-mails are sorted and sent to junk. perhaps MSN is now considering their 40,000 e-mail ploys being sent by a bulk mailer as spam.

merrihiatt · Mar 25, 2010

My e-mail provider begins to put things in my junk/spam folder if I repeatedly delete the e-mails from a particular e-mail address without reading them. If I add the sender's e-mail address, it won't do that, even if I continue to delete the e-mails before reading them.

Rising from the Ashes - Another Battle Against PA

Grumpy writer and editor

SSSSShhhhh! I'm taking a nap!

Terri Coop has been known to write

With great power comes

Absolutely Fazed

SSSSShhhhh! I'm taking a nap!

Mah tale iz draggin.

Hakuna Matata

Resident Curmudgeon

Writing! Writing! Writing!

Mah tale iz draggin.

nothing simple here

Truth, gentle or not!

Writing! Writing! Writing!

SSSSShhhhh! I'm taking a nap!

THE BLUEBERRY QUEEN OF HADES (he/him)

Writing! Writing! Writing!

Stealthy Plot Bunny Peddler

starting over

With great power comes

Writer is as Writer does

Are we there yet?

SSSSShhhhh! I'm taking a nap!

SSSSShhhhh! I'm taking a nap!

Writing! Writing! Writing!