Son of PAMB and its quotes

James D. Macdonald · Jan 7, 2009

Jersey Chick said:
From the proofs thread -

I think what we have here is yet another example of "Yes, but My Book is Different!"

Best of luck to him, and see him here in a year (or less).

circlexranch · Jan 7, 2009

Best of luck to him, and see him here in a year (or less).

I invited him and luckily the invitation doesn't have an expiration date. However, he has a long way to go before he can rest . . .

PVish · Jan 7, 2009

An author informs how libraries in her state now work:

Earlier this week, I spoke with a representative of the Non-Fiction Collections Department at Broward County Public Libraries. She informed me that due to the current fiscal crisis, they are have been directed to purchase books exclusively from Brodart. No more buying books just because you donate, etc. They must review the work in advance to determine if they want to add it to their offerings.

Thankfully, PA has a relationship with Brodart. I delivered a copy of my book to them for review and they are now considering adding [title] to their collection.

And the young man with a marketing plan asks:

How do you contact Brodart because I am wanting to get my novel, [title] into the Florida Library system.

to which the original poster replies:

You don't have to worry about contacting them. Publish America does that for you. My author copies came with a letter explaining which distributors were handling my book and Brodart was listed along with Ingram, Taylor and Baker... the two largest book distribution outfits in the US.
Aren't you glad you signed with PA? I know I am!

Of course, the young man and many other new authors won't be getting author copies. Wonder if they'll also get, uh, "distribution"?

Cyia · Jan 7, 2009

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=28732

[title] is selling for 598.78 on Amazon.com by one of their sellers. The book is used and there is shipping on top of that price besides. What is the sense in this?

I followed the link to Amazon, and sure enough... (though the others are closer to regular PA prices)

stormie · Jan 7, 2009

I just had to look up one of the books on Amazon from that link. OMG--it really is listed as $53.58 as stated by the second poster on that thread. Did I miss something--when did PA raise the cost of their books to such a level? And PA expects them to buy 75 of their own books--at reduced rate!--to sell? With the economy the way it is, I doubt too many will.

Marie Pacha · Jan 7, 2009

There is at least one third party seller on Amazon that appears to list as available a large number of PA books, and maybe those of other publishers as well. It's been some time since I bothered to look closely. As nearly as I can figure, they don't have those books in stock (anymore than Amazon does), but the books show available through LSI.

Since they can order them, they list them for sale.

Those third party sellers can charge whatever fee they want for the books, but I doubt many people will pay that much. The author will still only get their royalty percentage on the amount PA charges.

Gillhoughly · Jan 7, 2009

The insanely high book prices plus no author's copies?

I think it means that we're having an impact on them.

Sure, there's going to be new lemmings throwing themselves into the PA tar pit and gushing about their good luck on the PAMB, but the crazy stuff PA is doing means they're hurting.

Keep blogging, keep posting on other writing boards, keep getting the word out. You won't convince everyone, but apparently a lot of neo writers are steering clear.

YAY! :snoopy:

JulieB · Jan 7, 2009

Those books are from third-party sellers, who are free to set the price wherever they want. It looks like they essentially doubled the PA price.

I've seen several books for $498.78 and $598.78 (including used copies of mine) at Amazon. We've speculated back and forth about this, and I'm starting to agree with whoever it was who said it was probably an input error in the pricing field. Still, I'm, amazed at what some people seem to think they can charge for certain used paperbacks.

merrihiatt · Jan 7, 2009

I posted the e-mail I received from "author support" (and my response) on another blog and two people have contacted me to ask for more of the story as they were thinking about signing with PA. I started the conversation by asking what they believed/wanted PA to do for them as a "traditional publisher." I'm waiting for replies (we're doing this via e-mail). You can bet their expectations of what they believe PA will do and what PA will actually do are worlds apart.

Marian Perera · Jan 7, 2009

Go Merri! And that was an excellent way to begin the dialogue.

PA gave you lemons and you started a lemonade industry.

Christine N. · Jan 7, 2009

AAAAAAAHHHHHH!
Ingrams, B&T are WHOLESALERS, not DISTRIBUTORS! I'm so glad this woman has deluded herself into believing that PA is actually distributing her book.

Samhain has a distributor, with is OWNED by Ingrams, called Ingrams Publishing Services. Meaning SP pays IPS, and IPS sends out its little minions with bunches of catalogs, slogging to bookstore buyers all over the country, flogging SP's books for them.

Wholesalers list the book and send out copies when stores order. That's ALL. Libraries can certainly order from B&T or Ingram -I know my locals can (and have) ordered mine. But they are NOT distributors.

merrihiatt · Jan 7, 2009

Thanks, QoS.

PVish · Jan 8, 2009

Some are happy with the book price (bolding mine):

I emailed Jessi with a ton of questions yesterday and she promptly responded this morning in detail. She even went as far as forwarding a question regarding cover design to that dept. to be answered. I must say PA has yet to fail me with their prompt responses and upmost professionalism in every step of the process.

[Title] is priced at $27.95 and I am so thankful since it is 299 pages. They could have easily given me the $29.95 price tag, and didn't and I am so happy for that. I have had to rework my plans for the series which was originally 4 books, but I have no spread out to six so I can keep the books in the high 200 pg count.

Marian Perera · Jan 8, 2009

I'm guessing the testimonial will read "I am so thankful... I am so happy".

M.R.J. Le Blanc · Jan 8, 2009

...she's thankful her book isn't a couple bucks more overpriced than it already is?

You know, I paid about $25-$30 for Anne Bishop's Sebastian. It was 10% off at the time, but retails for about $35. Hardcover. Never heard of her before, bought it based on the cover (yeah I can be that shallow :tongue

) which looks absolutely fantastic. 448 pages. Intriguing story, well-developed characters, a nice fresh new story. Well-edited. Published by a reputable house. Good quality cover. Found it in a bookstore. That is the only time and likely the only way I will ever pay that much for a book by an author I've not heard of before.

Jersey Chick · Jan 8, 2009

Oy.

You Belong to Me ~ Trade Paperback. 292 pages. On Amazon for $13.99

Eden's Pass ~ Trade Paperback, 280 pp. On Amazon (available for pre-order right now) $10.20

PA authors, what's wrong with your pictures??? $28 for a paperback?!?!?!? And you're happy with it????

**headdesk**

tlblack · Jan 8, 2009

Jersey Chick said:
Oy.

You Belong to Me ~ Trade Paperback. 292 pages. On Amazon for $13.99

Eden's Pass ~ Trade Paperback, 280 pp. On Amazon (available for pre-order right now) $10.20

PA authors, what's wrong with your pictures??? $28 for a paperback?!?!?!? And you're happy with it????

**headdesk**

My favorite part of buying books is that I can usually find them for even less than the two you listed here, and I get to thumb through them first before I buy them. On the other hand, I've shelled out more than $28 for one book that I didn't get to browse through first, but it was hard cover, by a well known author, and benefited AW. I got it through the auction. There's no way I'd pay that much for a PA book, and doubt that many over and above the authors friends and family will either.

JulieB · Jan 8, 2009

$28 for a paperback? Not for most books.

The mystery anthology that I'm going to be in is a 480-page hardback and will retail for $25.99. Amazon wants $17.15 for it on preorder right now. And I fully expect to walk into my local B&N on the release date and find copies on the shelf.

Afinerosesheis · Jan 8, 2009

PVish said:
Some are happy with the book price (bolding mine):

Ummm...the price is one of the BIGGEST obstacles in your path as a PA author. What else can you say about a post like that?

merrihiatt · Jan 8, 2009

I wonder if that PA author has ever spent $27.95 (plus tax and shipping) for a paperback book. Hard to believe she's thankful for that retail price. It will be over $30 to purchase. Do you know what I could buy for 30 bucks?

Whoops! Now that I've actually visited this thread on the PAMB, I realize this PA author is a man, not a woman. Just to clarify. =)

merrihiatt · Jan 8, 2009

A PA author writes about an agency that another believes is a scam:

Thanks for the website. I wish I had checked that before signing the contract. At least I am now aware and will terminate as soon as I am able. THey are no longer answering my emails, lovely don't you think? So I am back to the drawing board searching for publishers myself.
I was very lucky finding Publish America for my Children's Books.

Does this author believe that she wouldn't receive the exact same kind of treatment from PA if she were to question, have a concern or dare to mention that her book is overpriced?

Gillhoughly · Jan 8, 2009

She'll figure it out soon as she notices that stores won't order 'em and schools and libraries won't buy her books once they know who printed them.

Christine N. · Jan 8, 2009

On the other side, my latest novel is 248 pages (only 52 pages shorter than the PA poster's book) and retails for $13.00 - less than half the price of this guy's book! (It's on sale at Amazon - $10 something I think.)

I honestly think these people have no reference point when it comes to buying books.

James D. Macdonald · Jan 8, 2009

merrihiatt said:
A PA author writes about an agency that another believes is a scam:

Thanks for the website. I wish I had checked that before signing the contract. At least I am now aware and will terminate as soon as I am able. THey are no longer answering my emails, lovely don't you think? So I am back to the drawing board searching for publishers myself.

Click to expand...

Oh, dear! They went with WL Writers' Literary. Maybe now they'll believe warnings....

merrihiatt · Jan 8, 2009

The PA author with the marketing plan made a video for his book using www.animoto.com (another PA author posted a link to their website on the PAMB) and he posted it on YouTube. I thought it was well done. He has two comments, one of which was this:

Nice. This could really draw someone in. Too bad the book was put out through a scam vanity publisher.

Son of PAMB and its quotes

Your Genial Uncle

Terri Coop has been known to write

Cat hair collector

Rewriting My Destiny

storm central

Still a work in progress

Grumpy writer and editor

I grow my own catnip

Writing! Writing! Writing!

starting over

haz a shiny new book cover

Writing! Writing! Writing!

Cat hair collector

starting over

aka Sadistic Mistress Mi-chan

Up all night to get Loki

nothing simple here

I grow my own catnip

The One and Only Romantiac

Writing! Writing! Writing!

Writing! Writing! Writing!

Grumpy writer and editor

haz a shiny new book cover

Your Genial Uncle

Writing! Writing! Writing!