Return of a Man Named PAMB and its Quotes

James D. Macdonald · Feb 14, 2012

What baffles me is why PA is charging 29.95 for e-books. It would be just as easy for them to charge $2.99, and possibly sell some. Some PA books are genuinely good, and the rest aren't spectacularly worse than most self-e-published books. They'd still send only 14% of net on to their authors, but they'd get to keep the rest.

Unless they're so inept that the bookkeeping would be beyond them?

Gillhoughly · Feb 14, 2012

It's flat out greed.

They know what they're doing.

It's like a kid with a lemonade stand who sells for 100.00 /glass. All he needs is one thirsty customer.

Shrouded · Feb 14, 2012

Larry and Miranda have 'phantom' bank accounts and horses to contribute to while Willie has to make sure his wife has enough petrol to keep the 'hello'copter aflight.

kaitie · Feb 14, 2012

James D. Macdonald said:
What baffles me is why PA is charging 29.95 for e-books. It would be just as easy for them to charge $2.99, and possibly sell some. Some PA books are genuinely good, and the rest aren't spectacularly worse than most self-e-published books. They'd still send only 14% of net on to their authors, but they'd get to keep the rest.

Unless they're so inept that the bookkeeping would be beyond them?

Maybe it has to do with the idea that they're trying to get authors to buy their own books? If ebooks start selling for a lot less and authors and their friends and family are able to buy it for only $2.99 (and it's not really likely that the books would sell many more), then it means PA is out of the money they would have made when the author buys print books to resell for much more.

I think it's about their bottom line, and cheap ebooks would potentially eliminate their main source of income. Considering the lower price isn't guaranteed to sell more books legitimately, selling fifty books at $2.99 versus $29.99 makes a huge difference.

ETA: Don't most of the sales to author also have clauses in them that state the author's aren't paid royalties as well? That could be another reason. If they keep the author's as their main clients, it also gets them out of paying that 14% net.

Arkie · Feb 14, 2012

kaitie said:
ETA: Don't most of the sales to author also have clauses in them that state the author's aren't paid royalties as well? That could be another reason. If they keep the author's as their main clients, it also gets them out of paying that 14% net.

Kaitie is dead on. They don't want to sell books to anyone other than the author. I don't believe they have the staff to track royalties.

kaitie · Feb 14, 2012

I know I've seen reports of royalty discrepancies on the boards before, but it's hard to tell how much of that is people being disappointed by the lack of sales and how much is really PA being nefarious. Though, I'd never rule out PA being nefarious. They're pretty good at that.

James D. Macdonald · Feb 14, 2012

kaitie said:
Though, I'd never rule out PA being nefarious. They're pretty good at that.

I'd be more inclined to think bone-numbingly incompetent. Given that their staff is folks that they hire from ads in the local Pennysaver, and the staffers are fired the minute they come up for a raise (those who don't quit first), I doubt they have anyone who can even do the work, let alone do it right.

DeadlyAccurate · Feb 14, 2012

I'm not willing to rule out maliciousness either. By pricing the books beyond reasonable, they can make sure no PA author will ever become the successful author they could never be.

allenparker · Feb 15, 2012

kaitie said:
I know I've seen reports of royalty discrepancies on the boards before, but it's hard to tell how much of that is people being disappointed by the lack of sales and how much is really PA being nefarious.

My educated guess? Both.

PVish · Feb 19, 2012

On PA's FB page, an author asks:

Why does PA offer specials on books (low prices) but then slam it to you on shipping? I had a chance to purchase my children's book for "less than the price of a gallon of gas" with a minimum purchase of 7 books, which was something I could finally afford. Then, when I put in the shipping cost it was over $43 for shipping!!!! Hell, the post office offers flat rate priority mail shipping...I can send them an envelope that would easily hold all 7 paperback books and would only cost $5.20 to ship! So sad
Also wondering when they mail out the royalty checks? Isn't it supposed to be Feb and Aug???
I'm thrilled to have my book published but sad that I cannot donate copies to my daughter's school, her old preschool, and a few other children, like I wanted to because I just can't afford it.

. . . and PA answers:

We offer books for very cheap in a variety of ways. The offer you didn't like would have had your book printed, carefully wrapped, shipped and home-delivered on your doorstep for under $10. Ignore the breakdown; the total amount, that's all you want to look at. You can't get it any cheaper anywhere.

A real publisher would have given her a box of free author copies. (FYI: The author's 24-page children's book is $24.95 on Amazon.)

saphirablue84 · Feb 19, 2012

PVish said:
A real publisher would have given her a box of free author copies. (FYI: The author's 24-page children's book is $24.95 on Amazon.)

I almost have a heart attack every time I see the price of a PA book. I'm so glad for this forum. Whenever I have someone wanting to get into bed with PA, I just send them here.

Jersey Chick · Feb 19, 2012

With my last Samhain release, I negotiated ten extra copies into the contract, basically just because I felt like it. They agreed to it like that *snaps fingers* and about a month before the print copy was released, they sent me that boxful of books, via UPS. My cost? Zip. Zilch. Zero.

DeadlyAccurate · Feb 20, 2012

I like how they make "carefully wrapped" and "home-delivered" sound like unique features of their products. "We package our products so they don't get damaged, and then we have a company deliver them right to your door! Who else would do such a thing?"

Um...everyone?

kaitie · Feb 20, 2012

But they package them in rare, gold-plated carbon fiber mesh to protect it and be stylish! Why else would they need to charge $43?

Marian Perera · Feb 23, 2012

From the Facebook page:

Received email from Publishamerica about my Childrens book being overpriced at $24.95 for an 18 page book. Their response? For $199 they will reduce the price.

I'm only surprised it wasn't $199 plus shipping and handling.

Jersey Chick · Feb 23, 2012

**facepalm**

Marian Perera · Feb 23, 2012

Plus, they don't say what they will reduce the price to (or for how long the reduced price will last). Maybe it'll go down to $20.95, but another $199 will bring it to $16.95 and so on.

allenparker · Feb 24, 2012

Queen of Swords said:
Plus, they don't say what they will reduce the price to (or for how long the reduced price will last). Maybe it'll go down to $20.95, but another $199 will bring it to $16.95 and so on.

Or, it could go from $29.99 to $29.97. That would be a reduction. In some cases, it would be a double reduction.

Marian Perera · Feb 27, 2012

This one is both sad and frustrating. From the Facebook page:

Hello Ryan and Publish America,
Sorry but I have no one else to go to...

I received my first copy of <title> on January 23rd 2012. The errors that were suppose to be corrected were not corrected. The errors where still in the book that I paid for. I spoke to Candy on January 23rd, 2012 in support, because it's the only number we are given.

When I explained that the book still had the errors, she told me she couldn't help me. I told her that this is the only number we have to contact Publish America and asked if there was another number that I could have where someone could help me, she said no there isn't. I asked her how can I get help with this. She told me to send a support e-mail from the website. I told her I did this already, but it didn't help. She hung up on me.

I waited until today Feb 8, 2012; to see if I get a response from the support website, which was sent on January 23, 2012, but so far, I have not received a response. I don't know what to do anymore. I can't promote and market my book with the errors still there. I did not make those errors, Publish America did.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This is the e-mail I received on Sept 8, 2012.

Dear <author's name>:

Thank you for your response and please accept our apologies. It does appear as though many of the changes you note were publisher errors which we have always fixed when brought to our attention.

Our Design Department will be correcting any existing errors in your book using the list you have provided. Again, please accept our apologies and we will look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship with you as one of our authors.

Please feel free to contact us should we be of any further assistance.

Thank you,

PublishAmerica Support
[email protected]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I had requested quite a few times, if I could receive the proofs once the corrections were done, but I was told, no. They don't provide the proofs at this stage of the process. I asked how will I know if the changes are done. Candy told me they will send an e-mail indicating that the changes are done. I received that e-mail, but I still didn't know if the changes were done. Candy told me the only way to know is to order your book. I did order my book, waited 8 weeks, and the changes were never done.
I have not heard back from Ryan since Feb, 10, 2012, When he sent me this e-mail.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For more information, please contact our Author Support Team by going to http://www.publishamerica.com/support

Thanks!
Ryan
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have not heard back from support January 23rd, 2012.

I have tried over and over to contact someone from Publish America. I keep getting doors slammed in my face. This is so unprofessional and sad that nobody is willing to do the right thing. I can't market and promote my book, because the promise Publish America made was not done, and my many e-mails and support e-mails are being ignored.

Just a reminder....the errors that are in my book were not on my manuscript that I sent in. The errors in my book were created by Publish America.

I am more than willing to send in another manuscript, so it can start off clean without any errors, again; which I mentioned to the support team from the website.

What can be done, and how long will this take. Who can help me?

This is the part I don't get. The author knows her "publisher" made errors in the book - probably a significant number of them, if they're going to interfere with her promotion and marketing efforts. She was given the runaround. She was hung up on. She knows she has no way of finding out if changes are made other than ordering her own book (and if the changes aren't made, too bad so sad).

Yet she is "more than willing" to risk all this again.

Terie · Feb 27, 2012

Queen of Swords said:
This one is both sad and frustrating. From the Facebook page:

This is the part I don't get. The author knows her "publisher" made errors in the book - probably a significant number of them, if they're going to interfere with her promotion and marketing efforts. She was given the runaround. She was hung up on. She knows she has no way of finding out if changes are made other than ordering her own book (and if the changes aren't made, too bad so sad).

Yet she is "more than willing" to risk all this again.

That's soooo sad.

But as far as the 'more than willing' goes, she's talking about sending them a fresh, error-free manuscript of this book. That seems, in the circumstances, to be a perfectly sensible thing to be willing to do. The book is contracted, and she wants it to be right. Working from a fresh copy of the manuscript is more likely to make it happen.

From the quoted post, she doesn't say anything about being more than willing to go through this again with a different book. I sure hope she isn't willing to do that!

Marian Perera · Feb 27, 2012

Terie said:
But as far as the 'more than willing' goes, she's talking about sending them a fresh, error-free manuscript of this book.

I thought "another manuscript" meant "a different manuscript", but "another copy of the original manuscript, before errors were introduced" is more sensible.

It's a shame that she's so willing to give PA another chance when there's no guarantee this mess won't happen all over again, but as you said, the book is contracted and she probably feels like there's no other choice.

DeadlyAccurate · Feb 27, 2012

Thank you for your response and please accept our apologies. It does appear as though many of the changes you note were publisher errors which we have always fixed when brought to our attention.

Our Design Department will be correcting any existing errors in your book using the list you have provided. Again, please accept our apologies and we will look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship with you as one of our authors.

Well, there's a PA employee who won't be working there long. I didn't think the words "sorry" and "our apologies" were even allowed on their computers.

Gillhoughly · Feb 27, 2012

Yes, those words are used at PA--by writers groveling to Miranda and Larry.

Blake M. Petit · Feb 27, 2012

This is still the part I just don't get. Of all the outrageously stupid, incompetent, and just plain evil things PA does on a regular basis, how do errors get ADDED to a book so damned often? We know there's no editorial process, they just take the file and print it. So what the hell? Are they deliberately going in and inserting mistakes to force poor suckers to pay for fixing them?

Richard White · Feb 27, 2012

Welcome to editing by spell check (identify, accept all changes) and then hitting print.

Return of a Man Named PAMB and its Quotes

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