FountainPenn
FountainPenn Enterprise
“I feel all these setbacks were tools for me to learn from. I used them as stepping-stones and didn’t see them as failures. A failure is when you stop trying, and I never did that.”
-Tom Monaghan, Founder of Domino’s
To Our: Customers and Writers
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your patience. We are approaching our first year anniversary. We had our ups and downs. This has been a great learning experience for the both of us. When FountainPenn was originally established back in 2001, we self-published our first book, Under Surveillance and our second book Middle School Cool Vol. 1. After reading and hearing stories about writers who were not able to get their work published and plagued by the possibility of never becoming published authors, we decided that it would be a wonderful idea to help writers get published.
Eventually, we received an abundance of orders from writers. Danielle designed the book covers, the website and helped me with the proofreading and editing. Then we suddenly received insurmountable requests for changes with authors’ book cover designs and manuscripts. At the very last minute, the author would want to add more chapters or change the direction of their book. This set us back dearly.
Danielle and I have worked in the corporate worked for over 10 years with top companies such as Cablevision, Chase Bank, Sprint PCS and Verizon. At these fortune 500 companies, we have been taught that the customer comes first. So, at FountainPenn, we focused on each and every customer not realizing that we were falling behind and deadlines where quickly approaching.
Sometimes, Danielle had to stop in the middle of a project and take our own customer service calls. At one point, we felt like we were back in the corporate world. We were deescalating calls left and right. We felt like calling out, “Supervisor!” but there was no supervisor to take over our calls. This is when we decided to deal strictly with customers online. Customer requests became easier to handle although we were still behind on our projects.
Danielle and I had a meeting over lunch one day and decided to hire a couple of people to help us out. We even took on freelancing projects to help us raise money so that we could increase our staff because we could not handle the heavy work load. We eventually were given the opportunity to work on a couple of large projects. We had to hire a staff of writers to help us complete these writing projects in a timely fashion. We thought that by hiring writers, they would help us write articles for these writing assignments and that would be it. We would pay them for their hard work and take the funds that was left and put it back into FountainPenn to hire experienced personnel to help us reduce the work load. Meanwhile, was quickly winding up.
We began receiving work from writers. We reviewed and edit the work and some of the work came back from copyscape as ‘plagiarized’. A couple of our clients refused to pay for the work because it was copied and pasted and there was no time to re-write the work. Whether the writers’ works were copied and pasted intentionally, we will never know unless they confess in doing so.
The largest project that we had was an Interior Decorating writing project; this time when Danielle and I received plagiarized work we had the software capabilities to track it down and when we ask the writers who did plagiarize to re-write the work, so that it would pass, some of our writers cooperated with us while others became irate and would demand to be paid at that very moment. Some writers even threatened to exploit us and tell everyone that we were scammers.
After explaining to our writers that their payments would be processed once they handed in ‘original’ work, I wouldn’t hear from them ever again. So, Danielle and I would be left with bad articles that needed to be re-written. Meanwhile, the deadline for our publishing projects where approaching.
When we finally finished our writing assignments, days would pass and we would have to contact our clients regarding over due payments. Some of our clients paid promptly while others did not. Our large Interior Decorating writing project had an outstanding debt. We kept constant contact with this client but they were taking forever to pay. In the meantime, our writers where becoming frustrated and began to wonder if they were being scammed. Danielle and I only collected half of the overdue payments; the remainder of the outstanding debt is in collections.
Danielle and I both spent the majority of our days and nights trying to get publishing projects completed and at the same time worry about receiving payments from our clients and deescalating our ticked off writers. Ugly rumors began to penetrate the Internet like an exploding ink pen. One writing group called Absolute Write Water Cooler, an Internet gossip forum, started a thread written by WVU Authors. WVU, one of our former authors who requested publishing services, had trouble getting his book published because he needed to get special insurance coverage. Danielle went out of her way and designed 2 book covers and we both made phone calls to various insurance agencies to find insurance for him, we even offered to pay the insurance for him. Of course WVU Authors never mentioned that in the Absolute Write Water Cooler forum. Absolute Write Water Cooler tracked our every move. I was beginning to feel like the characters in our novel ‘Under Surveillance: A Family’s Dilemma’. They did everything but go through our garbage and junk email.
Even before we got a chance to send in this man’s work, he pulled out of the deal and demanded his money back. At that point, his money had been eaten up by the labor that was done for his cover and finding the insurance for his book. I guess the only way he could take out his frustration was to begin a thread of rumors about FountainPenn. Meanwhile, Danielle was checking up on me and running back and forth from the nearest WiFi hotspot to log onto her laptop to run FountainPenn in my absence. At this point, we could have given up, but we kept on pressing towards the mark of excellence.
While in the hospital, there were people who went and filed complaints at the Better Business Bureau. When they found out that we weren’t registered they immediately assumed that we were a scam. At that time, we were less than 9 months in business plus we were and still are an Internet based company.
There were even people who we trusted in, who we asked for prayers from, turned their backs on us. That’s when we suddenly woke up from our ‘pizza and fairytale dreams’ and realized that Jesus Christ was turned against several times by people, even the day of his crucifixion, Peter betrayed Him. Why should we be exempt from being turned against from people?
But through this process, God was holding our hands, guiding us on what to do and what not to do. He even revealed certain things and revealed the people who were turning against us. It was as if God sat us down in a movie theater and forced us to watch a movie about what was going on behind our backs. If Danielle and I weren’t connected with the Lord at the time of this ordeal, He might not have shown us the mess that was going on behind our backs but when you are right with God, have the Holy Ghost and when you are ‘prayed up’ he will reveal the deepest of secrets.
There are only a hand full of people who stood by our side and never gave up on us and I would like to thank them for this…it will never be forgotten. (Now if I forgot to mention your name, please contact us and we will add your name to the list. This is a list of those who know and who were a 100% supportive to FountainPenn.)
Mark Breau: Patient even though we were late with publishing his book. I’m sure he was frustrated….I know he was frustrated. There are times that I wondered if Mark was part angel. I felt like I was Jimmy Stewart in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and Mark was the angel. Mark is Heaven sent.
Teresa Stanisha: Even though we owed her funds for her administrative services, she was willing to accept a payment arrangement. She has also been patient with her order of books. She is patient and a prime example of a Godly woman.
Lavinia Masters: Has enough patience for ten people. She always encouraged us and kept us in prayer. There were days that I felt like throwing up my hands and giving up. I would read some of the emails that Lavinia sent to Danielle and that gave me the courage to never give up hope. Lavinia is also an example of a Godly woman.
Brett Mccloe: Brett could have easily given up on us and demanded his money back. Brett has the gift of patience. He sends us suggestions on how to improve our business. He has given us the support that we need to keep on going.
Dorothy Jenkins: Although Dorothy and her husband were on the verge of giving up hope in us, they stood by us and kept us in their prayers.
Stuti: She is one of our writers. She is like Danielle’s prayer partner. Stuti comes onto our Instant Messenger at least 3 times a week. One day, Danielle and I were at our lowest. As Danielle was finishing up a project, Stuti came on and gave us encouraging words and volunteered to place us on her church prayer board. Stuti is lives in India.
Mom: Mom always kept us in prayer and gave encouraging words. ‘Mom you will be rewarded’. Many mothers would have been a discouragement to a Son who decides to go into business for himself. I love you Mom.
This goes for my Dad who passed before FountainPenn was even a thought; he always encouraged me while at Hofstra to never give up hope.
My Late Father in Law and Late Mother In law: Although we didn’t always see eye-to-eye, my father in law always encouraged Danielle and I to work hard and he encouraged us to, ‘Seek ye first the Kingdom of God’. Danielle’s mother that I never met, I’m sure if she was alive, she would have been a great encouragement. She would have developed strategies to help FountainPenn succeed.
Nana: Nana always encouraged us to keep God first and to never give up. Although she worries about us 24 hours a day, she always kept us in her prayers. She is our second customer to read Under Surveillance and knows all the characters in our book and she is close to 90 years old.
Aunt: Deloris- she kept us in her prayers and was an encouragement. When we went to visit NY for my film rehearsal, Aunt Deloris and my cousins were very hospitalic during our official first month in business.
Aunt Gloria & Diane was an encouragement to us on Christmas. Aunt Gloria gave us tips on how to help establish FountainPenn; she gave us business prospects and telephone numbers of people from her church. Aunt Gloria was a great encouragement to Danielle about starting her own business.
Uncle Leroy and Vernetta- Always kept us in their prayers. They are not only family but mentors. Every time I feel discouraged about FountainPenn, I think about how God blessed them with their day care centers. They also inspired us to start our own business.
Uncle: Joseph and Aunt Sheila: They are a great inspiration and they always kept me and Danielle in prayer. When I felt kind of down, they always gave encouraging words and never discouraged Danielle and me about our dreams and goals. Joseph prayed for our first novel before it was even published. When he came back from Iraq, God blessed us to get our first book published.
Cousin Kisha: Although Kisha doesn’t know about what Danielle and I went through yet. She was always an encouragement. She is entreprenual minded. Kisha is family and a friend.
Cousins Desiree, Brittany and Verneice: You all are great encouragement. (We have new jokes now). They made our Christmas of 2005 special.
Cousins: Manrick & Ella Mae Were a great inspiration to Danielle and I visited their lovely home in early 2006. When our portable printer broke, they went out of their way to drive us all the way into town so that we can pick up a new one.
Pastor Hutchinson and His Wife: Was there for us when we needed prayer and invited us to his home for New Years Eve.
Ritu Saxena: Thank you for helping us with our customers’ book cover designs and our logo design as well as other projects. You will not be forgotten.
To the Cast and Crew of Waiting for Valiant: Thank you for believing in me.
To Kinko’s: Offered uninterrupted friendly atmosphere while we worked on our computer for hours
Borders, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks and Northern Light: To the friendly staff of locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey who offered good customer service while we worked on various writing projects and delicious coffee, pastries and beverages.
To the Media: WVU Authors Absolute Writer Cooler, and Freelancewriting.com: There is no animosity. I forgive you. Your negative comments and distorted information is only fuel to the fire of our success.
God knows that Danielle and I always valued having a good reputation. We are not new to rumors and lies. When Danielle and I married in 1997, we moved up the wedding date, a rumor went on among family and friends that maybe it’s because they had sexual relations and Danielle is pregnant, if her mother knew, she would turn over in her grave. It didn’t matter that Danielle and I were virgins when we married. Satan’s hobby is to distort the truth. Danielle and I have been married for 9 years with one miss carriage in 2001. Quite frankly, I’m glad that the Lord hasn’t blessed us with children yet…this life is not easy. Right now, our baby is FountainPenn.
Recently, people have volunteered their time to help us get FountainPenn a well oiled machine again. We are grateful to be blessed with a wonderful volunteer consulting staff. We have also found a more reliable printing company based close to our home in Pennsylvania. For those who were concerned or confused about our constant updates with the website, please understand that when our web designer is not available, Danielle is the one who is doing the updates on the website to better serve you. Our official web site will be launching in a few days. You can visit our sister site until the work is complete.
Those who have book projects that have been delayed; we apologize for the delay and will get your book published and available before Christmas. This month we celebrate the following author book releases: Mark Breau, Lavinia Masters, Teresa Stanisha and Literally Speaking and Literary Loves Company contributing authors. Those who have decided to go to another self-publishing company will still receive their order of books. Those who have requested a refund on your deposit, you may contact me for payment arrangements if you haven’t received your refund yet.
To our writers: if you haven’t received pay for any projects please contact me so that we can make arrangements with us.
Danielle and I are no longer accepting any unsolicited manuscripts. We are only accepting 1-3 book projects per year not including our own. All manuscripts must be accompanied with a query letter. If we decide that your book is something that we would be interested in publishing you will be contacted through telephone or email. If your book is not published by us, we will direct you to a reputable company that will help you to get your book published. For further information, contact us for our new writer’s guidelines.
FountainPenn will be coming out with our monthly company newsletter which is in lieu of our magazine, FountainPenn Ink which will be a celebration of our first official year in business.
I truly believe in Tom Monaghan’s statement about setbacks and failures being stepping stones. With God’s help, we are making it!
God Bless,
Roberto Lee Davis
President/Founder
Danielle-Kim Davis
Vice President
Creative Director
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