The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

Re: that PA thread

PA's having to move fast to keep up.

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jae3471
11/04/2004
13:32:10

Sherry, did they keep your book? What a waste of money and time for you, and probably for me as well.

At least B & N offered me a "group signing" with local first-time authors. That will be interesting to see what the books are that I will be signing with, as well as the authors! They said they would send me an email in April and that they were "booked" up before that. Looks like it's up to the local store what they will or will not do, and that's what PA said.

I think I will contact the rest in the area and see if they have first-time author signings as well. I'll post it if they do.

Joyce Ann

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jterru
11/04/2004
13:32:46

Danielle,

I'll continue to monitor your progress, since I haven't even seen a proof yet. I don't have a B&N store in my area, but it makes me wonder if any others (i.e. Hastings, Waldon Books) would do the same thing?

Allen: Thanks for the marketing tips; I'm sure they will help once I'm published.

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oldworldinspired
11/04/2004
14:19:51

Wow, reading this post makes me really nervous. I have heard a lot of good things about PA as far as how the books look but now I am pretty depressed. I was concerned about this early on and wrote PA a letter and got the above letter mentioned. I am feeling like I really rushed into something that I shouldn't have. I was offered a contract by **** and chose to go with PA because of the time difference in book publication. My family kept telling me that I should wait and be patient but I wrote PA several letters and was assured of certain things before I signed my contract. Now I feel as though I have put myself in the famous "We told you so" catagory. Okay, I am really bummed! (I didn't put the publisher because I didn't know if that is allowed on these boards)
Mem

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oldworldinspired
11/04/2004
14:54:03

The worst part of this is that I am one of those starving artist (okay modest, I'm not really starving) and the other publishing company offered a "nice" advance. I thought (against my husbands will) that I would be better off too get it out and about quicker. Oh Lord, somebody hang me.....

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HB Marcus
11/04/2004
15:06:57

oldworldinspired,
Being a starving artist means that you made the right choice. Without the proper amount of promotion no book can do well. Getting an advance means nothing if the book is pulled from the shelves. Most traditional publishers will pull your book from the shelves after a couple of months if it doesn't sell. If you don't promote, it won't sell.

With PA you have plenty of time to the contract in which to resonably promote your book no matter how modest your income is. Being a new name means you don't get all the promotional dollars the big name authors get with PA or the traditional publishers. With either way you go you are expected to promote your own book. The difference is that PA gives you a reasonable amount of time to do it.

You could be a 'special order only' title by now if you went the other way. It could be over. I think you made the wise choice.

DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER FOLKS!!!

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Note: oldworld’s posts were deleted about the time HB posted….

oh my gawd

HB's sage advice is that it was better for that author to forgo the advance?? Because her books might be pulled off the shelf?? WTF? PA won't even place her books on shelves. HB is an idiot.

oh my gawd

HB sounds like he is the only cheerleader and he's having to work overtime to counter the tough questions.

He may just get on the next NYT ad for his efforts for what it's worth. Maybe a nickle if that much!

Everytime PA pulls a post asking questions a few more authors wise up on the board. PA is doing a good job of tightening the noose around their neck.

On a more dire note:

I find it interesting that Behler Publications gets into the PA fray. They must have deep pockets to fend off possible tort interference in another company's operation.

P&C
Keeping my enemies close

What HB agreeing with AW?

HB wrote:

"With PA you have plenty of time to the contract in which to resonably promote your book no matter how modest your income is. Being a new name means you don't get all the promotional dollars the big name authors get with PA or the traditional publishers."

Is HB saying there is a difference between PA and traditional authors?

It appears that is what he is saying; otherwise he would have said "or the other traditional publishers"

Maybe all the overtime being the head cheerleader is getting to him!

Re: oh my gawd

P&C,
While I can not speak for Lynn or Behler I can say that since Lynn is an author, formerly published by PA, she has a personal interest in this thread. The fact that Lynn was able to take her lemon from PA and make Behler Lemonade does not mean that she REPRESENTS Behler publications on this thread.

oh my gawd

Kate,

I understand what you are saying and don't disagree with your thoughts on the subject. I watched the flame war and the fallout after Lynn left PA. She seems like a nice person who smelled a rat at PA and beat them at their own game. However, she shouldn't be signing her company's name under her name unless her pockets are deep.

To me and I'm sure visitors to the AW site who don't know any better, it implies that her company and not her as an individual is battling PA.

If I was PA, I would be talking to my lawyer and asking if there is a possible tort interference underway because they are both publishers.

Nothing like stirring up a little discussion on this board.

Keep smiling that pretty smile Kate and keep going. You have the attitude to win in this business.

P&C

Re: oh my gawd

If I was PA, I would be talking to my lawyer and asking if there is a possible tort interference underway because they are both publishers.

Click to expand...

I don't see anything tortious in what she said. I think it would take a lot more than that to get PA into a courtroom -- and subject to discovery.

Sound of Music will soon be the song of doom

From PublishAmerica

We are so excited to announce Agathe Von Trapp joining you as a PublishAmerica author!

She is the author of the book "Agathe von Trapp: Memories Before and After 'The Sound of Music'".

Ms. Von Trapp and her siblings, her father, and her stepmother Maria have been immortalized by the movie The Sound of Music. Agathe was the oldest sister in the chorus of singing Von Trapps. The movie highlighted the brave escape of her family from Nazi Austria during the Hitler years. At the time of its release, the movie was the most successful box office hit of all time, a record that remained unbroken for seven years.

To this day, almost 40 years later, Julie Andrews' career continues to be defined by her role as Agathe's nanny. Agathe is telling us what really happened behind the scenes during the years covered by the film, and on her relationship with both her father, her real mother, and her stepmother.

After a disappointing attempt at self publishing, her agent contacted PublishAmerica to see if we would provide a home to Ms. Von Trapp's book.

We did not hesitate. Agathe Von Trapp, who is in her nineties, has vigorous plans to actively promote her work, just like so many of her fellow PublishAmerica authors.

She is still giving lectures, doing book signings, and conducting workshops throughout the country.

We welcome this living legend into our midst!

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

Her agent contacted PA!!!

Dee
www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com

Re: Sound of Music will soon be the song of doom

We welcome this living legend into our midst!
******************************************
Her agent contacted PA!!!

Click to expand...

Lord, have mercy! That agent oughta be run outta town on a rail. Can you imagine this poor little old lady going door to door with a load of books on her back, begging somebody to please buy one? If she has a stroke after all the bookstores she has to contact on her own tell her "No," maybe PA and the so-called agent can be co-defendants in a wrongful death suit.

Re: Sound of Music will soon be the song of doom

Von Trapp’s book was previously published by Providence House. But I thought PA didn’t do reprints….

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www.providence-publishing.com/index.html

We Want You to Make a Profit!
The book distribution infrastructure punishes authors with excessive discounts aimed at increasing the profits of retailers. We encourage authors to sell books directly to their readers so they can reap more substantial financial returns. We have found that special sales are a much more effective method of achieving financial success. Many of our authors have been immensely successful and have returned to produce subsequent books with us—they find the process so rewarding that they can’t wait to publish their next title.

Marketing Services
Marketing requires a lot of work.
At Providence Publishing, we have learned that an author's willingness to promote his or her book will ultimately determine the book's success or failure. Our goal is to empower authors with effective marketing advice and distribution support to help them maximize their book's exposure and increase their profits.

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And here’s the PM listing: www.publishersmarketplace...ts_no=1768

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From frying pan to fire, IMO. Add that "agent" to the list. :ack

Re: oh my gawd

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>On a more dire note:
I find it interesting that Behler Publications gets into the PA fray.<hr></blockquote>
Your concerns are puzzling, P&C. Re-read my post above. There isn’t anything I've said that could be construed as libelous. The definition of libel is “a false publication, as in writing, print, signs, or pictures, that damages a person's reputation.” Nowhere in any single post of mine have I ever spoken anything but the truth based on my personal experience. How has anything I’ve said damaged their reputation? HB clearly is wrong and I have company experience backing that statement up.

I won’t apologize for having my link beneath my name. This is who I am and I’m very proud to let anyone know that there are honest companies out there who will not only treat authors with the respect they deserve but will also comment on something that is fishy and plainly wrong.

Contrary to your assertions, I have always declined to get into the “PA fray” because I’ve happily moved on. But I feel it a huge disservice to allow disinformation such as HB’s comments to go unheeded and, because of my unique position, I’m in a position to give educated clarifications, which is exactly what my earlier post demonstrated.

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>To me and I'm sure visitors to the AW site who don't know any better, it implies that her company and not her as an individual is battling PA.<hr></blockquote>
Obviously one of us has an interpretation problem. Nowhere have I ever indicated that I, or my company, are “doing battle” with PA. Doing battle suggests that competition exists between our two companies and that is simply laughable. We have two entirely different business plans of where our sales come from.

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>If I was PA, I would be talking to my lawyer and asking if there is a possible tort interference underway because they are both publishers.<hr></blockquote>
Tort interference? Where? To suggest that I’m not entitled to an opinion because of my firsthand experience as both an ex-PA author and current co-owner of a fledgling publishing company is iniquitous. I have a wonderfully unique vantage point in which to dispel the untruths a misinformed author is trying to spread. My link is prominent only to verify my legitimacy. Nothing more, nothing less.

Relax, P&C, I have no agenda with anyone other than to help educate authors and clear up fabrications wherever they arise.

P&C Are you fishing?

It just seems odd, your posts.

Fishing for comments that might be construed as, well, litigious --in response to yours?

The bait you offer seems tasty and hard to resist. You trawl it through the waters.

I also believe I saw a misspelling here on this board that was the same as on the PA public board. Perhaps you and that person are the same?


Dee
www.BrianHillAndDeePower.com

Re: Did I miss something?

Personal for JD Russell:

The answer to your question about that letter from the B&N vice president is <a href="http://p197.ezboard.com/fabsolutewritefrm11.showMessageRange?topicID=209.topic&start=1061&stop=1080" target="_new">here</a>.

<HR>

Note for everyone: This is a long thread, true, but lots of good stuff is buried in the preceeding hundred-plus pages. Take an evening and read 'em.

Did I miss something?

Thank you Jim. I was slow. Maybe it was that morning coffee I ran out of. Hey, I printed all the pages. Good advice.

P&C Are you fishing?

Ms. Power,

Why the thumbs down? You hurt my feelings :cry especially when what I said was a correct observation.

I like your detective work. Analyzing posts down to words in a sentence. You have too much time on your hands.

You guys know I'm right about what you are referring to even though no one steps up to the plate to agree that it doesn't look good for a professional publisher to appear to be in the PA fray regardless of Lynn's response. It reduces the professional level of her company and makes it look like she is advertising.

Send your guess to ********* and I might just give you an answer.

I respect that you didn't just start guessing names and wind up hurting someone's reputation.

I almost told Mr. McDonald one time since I trust him but it was too much hassle going through the ezboard to reach him.

Never mind about the guess, I would have to worry about you telling your buddy, Lynn. Someday I might need to submit a book to Behler Publications. LOL

I'm definitely not submitting a second book to PA.

As I said earlier I'm staying at PA to keep my enemy close. I can do more good in the long run by not saying who I am.

You know PA and the cheerleader(s) can't stand that thought. They already turn on each other trying to guess by naming authors in emails to each other. Right out of the McCarthy(sp) era.

P&C

Re: P&C Are you fishing?

Hi again, ProandCon. How's tricks?

Y'know, I'm not much into guessing games, but if I can play for a minute, are you the person JackiJo thinks she's identified? (I'm not asking you if her guess was right, I'm asking if you're the one she was talking about.)

If you do want to contact me for any reason, clicking on my name to the left will take you to a place where you can, or your can punch [email protected] into your regular email.

For whatever my word is worth, I'm pretty good about keeping confidences.

Now on Lynn's use of the Behler adress in her sig line -- you may be right. (And Lord knows anyone can sue anyone for just about anything. Winning a suit is a different question.) But (I am not a lawyer) I'm pretty sure Meiners isn't going to do anything that would open him up to discovery, so she and her company probably aren't going to get sued, at least not by him. There's even less chance of Meiners suing if PA is as strapped for cash as some rumors have it. Lawsuits are expensive. Especially if you lose.

Oh -- minor housekeeping -- please spell my name right, okay?

Re: oh my gawd

At the risk of getting slammed - I have to say I agree with Pro&Con regarding Lynn's postings on this thread.

Not because of the possiblity of litigation, but because I find it somewhat unprofessional.

As an individual - Lynn has every right to express herself regarding PA. But she has identified herself as the head of Behler, and she does put the link to her company on all her posts - so she is in fact representing the company and her role in the company and not just herself as an individual. Unlike Dave, Anne & Victoria - who's business ventures include being writer's advocates. Behler is a publishing company not a watchdog group and I think it is in questionable taste for a professional publisher who aspires to establish itself among the very best to be engaging in attacks on a forum like this - no matter how valid those attacks may be.

Expressions

I disagree. Lynn has as much right to express her opinions and positions as everyone else. Furthermore, I see nothing wrong with her including some of her credentials in her sig line. Yes, I see those as credentials and not advertising.

Re: oh my gawd

Needless to say, I disagree with Simon. Sig lines ... can be anything. All this one does is identify this Lynn Price as opposed to all the other Lynn Prices in the world.

I agree with Lynn, Dave & James

No worries or need to justify Lynn. Professionalism is in what you say and the support you lend. I have never found anything you type to be false or out of line. There is an absence of negative "tone" in your replies too. You've built yourself quite a respect among these boards and that will continue, no matter what one or two lonely writer's believe. Keep telling the truth. Your credentials only add to the credibility needed to drive the truth home.

God Bless.
eace

I agree with Lynn, Dave & James

Ms. Easton wrote
"no matter what one or two lonely writer's believe"

The slamming begins and under of all things God Bless.

Why the name calling on a legit observation?

If something is posted Ms. Easton that you don't like, should I always expect name calling from you? The name calling is beneath your status as a leader of the exiled PA authors.

Please remain professional. I know PA has you seeing red but please stay balanced and avoid the tags on your response. Just take a deep breath before you start typing.

Mr. Macdonald,
I apologize for not spelling your name correctly!

P&C

Re: About Lynn and her company

Okay, I have read these messages about Lynn and I have a couple of things to say.

First, Lynn has never posted a message asking anyone here, or on any other board where she posts, to submit to her publishing company. If she had done this, THEN and only then could someone say she is out of line. I have never read on any message board where she has ever stooped so low to do that, so that ends that.

Second, what's the big deal in Lynn adding a sig link to her publishing company? I see no difference in that than an author having their web site in their sig line. One could say they are advertising their books here or anywhere else to make a sale.

That's my two cents worth.

Violet

Talk about being a little sensitive...?

Geez. I try hard never call anyone a name. I wouldn't and attacking me as "Unprofessional" just because I post my point of view is downright wrong. I hear a lot of people on these boards throw judgment around. I do not. If I offended you with my off the cuff comment. I am truly aplogetic. I was merely trying to make Lynn feel welcome to use her credentials.

Additionally, please remember that these posts are without the lightness of tone or the evenness of mood. It is merely text on a board. I wish you would not assume that I am "emotional" or "irrational" in my thoughts. It's simply not so. I just disagree with your POV. Period.

Now, the peace was for a reason. I was calm, still am so will post it again.
eace

Professionalism.

For me the issue is not necessarily what Lynn says as it is where she has chosen to say it.

PA has consistently proven itself to be totally unprofessional, petty and meanspirited. There is no question about that. And although Lynn, personally does not appear to do so - the fact is the discourse on this particular board often degenerates down to PA's level - with all the speculation, microanalyzing of every word, the reposting of things from the PA message boards and some making fun of their naievete, the insults, meanspritedmess and flame throwing. There's northing wrong with any of that - that's what these boards are for.

And while the regulars on this board, may not have a problem with it. Many come to these boards to actually do background checks and due diligence. These people are looking for publishers. They probably don't read every post, but cannot be blind to the tone that permeates many posts. And if they google behler and are led to this board and see all that, they may not take Lynn as seriously as she would like. I know it has turned me off somewhat.

Lynn is free to do whatever she wants. But it is advisable to dress for the position you want - and most business leaders would not be engaging in dialogues on boards such as this as representatives of their companies. And no matter what you say, by having her link in her signature - she IS representing her company.

I think it would serve her better to remain above the fray. And find a more dignified venue to express her opinions.

Professionalism.

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>I think it would serve her better to remain above the fray.<hr></blockquote>
People, this has taken a rather ridiculous tenor. I find it fascinating that some deem it necessary to inform me as to what my best interests are. This has the odor of one who is more interested in stirring the pot, and, yes, this is where I bow out, as it serves no professional purpose to me.

As I stated before, I am not involved in any fray, nor would I waste the time. I post only to dispel misconceptions about the publishing industry. My experiences give me every right to set the record straight when I see people who have erroneous information, as was displayed in the PA thread where HB claimed bookstore managers are liars. I still fail to comprehend how this makes me unprofessional. I go on the credo that knowledge is power. If my being involved with trying to educate authors turns you and P&C off, I guess I’ll have to see if I can live with that.

My link remains proudly underneath my name only to give credence as to my qualifications. Otherwise, one might scratch their head and wonder from where I speak.

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>And find a more dignified venue to express her opinions.<hr></blockquote>
I beg your pardon? I find this board to be quite dignified. The people who lurk and post here are quite serious about their craft and if I can, in some small way, help authors gain facts about the industry, I’m very proud to do so. I thank you for taking such exhaustive care with my and my company’s well being.