An open invitation to be sued by JKR?

lauralam

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I actually walked through Frederick, Maryland in June. Had I known PublishAmerica was based there, I would have found their office (if they even have one) and egged it. Or at least slipped them a covert middle finger.

My stepfather ended up being conned by them. Serves him right, though--talk about doing zero research.
 

James D. Macdonald

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Product Description
We will bring your book to the attention of Harry Potter's author next week while our delegation is in her hometown, and ask her to read it and to tell us and you what she thinks. Tell her what you think: in the Ordering Instructions box write your own note for JK Rowling, max. 50-100 words. We will include your note in our presentation for her!

What makes them think that JKR's people will let these clowns past her front door?

And what in the world would make her want to look at unsolicited vanity-published books, given that she's already been sued for plagiarism two different times by vanity-published authors?
 

CatSlave

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From the JK Rowling official website:
[FONT=Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif]Press and Publicity

Because of the enormous size of J K Rowling’s weekly postbag, and her existing charitable and work commitments, she regrets she is unable to:

• Sign copies of the Harry Potter books for individuals

• Send out autographs or signed photographs

• Answer individual questions or comment on specific topics from readers

• Read or comment on writing, stories, ideas or artwork.

Please also note that J K Rowling does not undertake paid conference or public speaking appointments.

For requests and enquiries please email:

[email protected]


J K Rowling’s PR is handled by:

Nicky Stonehill and Rebecca Salt at StonehillSalt PR
Tel: 01620 829 800

and

Mark Hutchinson at Mark Hutchinson Management
Tel: 07904 359339

All rights reserved JK Rowling.
Site by Lightmaker
[/FONT]
 

CatSlave

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And for $10 more, a mere $59.00

Product Description
Priority Option

Your book will be among the very first that we will bring to JK Rowling's attention next week while we are in Edinburgh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And for a multiple-book author we offer

JK Rowling Multi
by: PublishAmerica


Price: $69.00


We will ask the world's very bestselling author to look at all of your books next week.
 

realitychuck

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This is mind-boggling. PA seems to be coming up with more and more of these scams all the time. I suspect that they're getting fewer submissions and are trying to sucker those they suckered before.
 

Chris P

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Meh. They've done this before and will continue to do so. Supposedly (based on posts here at AW), Nora Roberts was plenty upset. Being that nothing came of that, there is either nothing actionable about what PA is doing or it's not worth anyone's time to go after PA. Sorry to be a wet blanket, but this is just the latest in a series that is unlikely to go anywhere. Now Willem's tax troubles or his defamation/libel case against Synthyia Darkness will bear watching.
 
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I'm willing to get the train down there and go all special forces on them if you guys like?
 
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Oh man, PA do not stand a CHANCE against me in full flow. I'll tear them each a new arsehole.
 

LauraAnnSwanson

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I actually walked through Frederick, Maryland in June. Had I known PublishAmerica was based there,.....

Is that where they are? That's like a 20 minute drive for me. Hrm. Next time I have to drop the kids at one of those annoying bouncy place parties there I may have to do a drive by.

(not in the gun toting sense, more in the egg throwing sense)
 

Old Hack

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As I understand it, JKR doesn't live in Edinburgh any more, nor is she attending the EIBF.

How exactly does PA intend to hand these books over to her?

I have a friend who is heavily involved in the running of the EIBF. I might ask her to comment on this.
 
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She lives a bit nearer to me than Edinburgh, put it that way. Maybe I could pay her a call.
 

lauralam

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Is that where they are? That's like a 20 minute drive for me. Hrm. Next time I have to drop the kids at one of those annoying bouncy place parties there I may have to do a drive by.

(not in the gun toting sense, more in the egg throwing sense)

They've got a PO box based there, so I'm guessing they run it mainly from someone's house, or they know that they'll get harassed if they post the actual address...
 

Chris P

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They've got a PO box based there, so I'm guessing they run it mainly from someone's house, or they know that they'll get harassed if they post the actual address...

Nah, they have offices and such. Someone posted either the physical address or linked to Google maps a while ago. It's in an industrial park on the (I think) southeast part of town. If I remember the street view correctly, there is nothing on the building identifying it as PA. It said something, but not "Publish America." I looked at Google Maps just now, but nothing looks familiar.

ETA: Whatta you know? It's actually labeled in Google Earth. Here's the same location in Google Maps. It's the building labeled as "Concrete Jungle," which makes simulated stone countertops, but it's labeled as Publish America in Google Earth. I was looking at the wrong building before.

Google Earth also provides a PA address downtown, across from the Post Office.
 
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