Return of a Man Named PAMB and its Quotes

tlblack

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Every royalty statement I ever received from PA, (that actually showed a sale), showed at least a 40% discount; some more but never less.
 

Terie

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A $1,500 small business loan for marketing and publicity?

How many bookstore sales would he have to make to justify the cost? $1,500/$1.52 = 987 copies (rounded to the nearest copy).

Does anyone here think that $1,500 worth of promotion will sell 987 copies of a book through bookstores, particularly when those books aren't shelved to start with?

I can't find the original post, but IIRC, the situation was much worse than that. The $1,500 was only the amount he was budgeting for advertising. He was applying for a larger loan for all his promotion activities.

Like I said, it hurt my heart to know someone was planning to go into significant debt for their PA book. I hope the bank declined to make the loan.
 

Gillhoughly

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Of course, he might show a copy of the book to the banker.

If it's a typical PA product (shoddy as hell) that will be another reason to turn him down.

We can live in hope.

Dear PA writer,

We don't want you to fail, but going with PA is epic fail.

I promise you, you will NOT earn back that loan, however hard you promote. PA just is NOT up to the simple task of printing books and delivering them on time.

As a publisher--well, they're NOT.

As a printer, they're inept and unprofessional. You want a book in hand? Take it to Kinkos. No waiting for months with them.
 

ctripp

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"For what it’s worth, my book was published by PA in August of 2004. Like many, I read and understood my contract before signing. Publish America did a fantastic job with publishing the book, and have fulfilled the contract to a ‘T’. Since then, I’ve done extensive research on other publishing companies and successful authors. Perhaps I had visions of grandeur in thinking that all that was required was to write a great, marketable book and the publisher did the rest. How wrong I was. You won’t find a better deal from any publisher."
June 7, 2010 --Kevin James
Author of: Surviving the Single Dad Syndrome



We've had thousands of compliments about PublishAmerica,
so we needed a special database just to hold them all!


Found this poor guys "extensive research" quote plastered on PA's web site.
Yes, PA needs a special database to hold all their compliments (love and blessings) but the sheer enormity of the database that would be required for all the complaints and hate mail would crash the site!
 

Marian Perera

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The Tango and the Quick Step?

Hi everyone. I am a first time author and just published my book <title - description> PA was great to work with and completed it in record time!

I'll bet.

The cover they chose is just perfect -- all in all it has been a great experience!

But I am confused as to what the Release Date meant as PA told me it would be in July and I have already received the books I ordered...Does release mean to Amazon online etc.

It seems so wrong to me that these people work hard writing their books and yet don't even get a box of free copies to give to their families and friends.

I remember how pleased I was when a friend told me that she'd preordered my book as soon as it appeared on Amazon. The thrill would have been less if I had had to make the first purchase, before anyone else could have a copy.

Although I understand that there is a new clearing house uploading all titles and nothing has gotten onto Amazon as of yet. Does anyone have any clarification on all that?

Also, I see some authors know when there book is selling. How can we get that information from PA?

And finally, what advise can you give about all the special deals with ordering books? Do you all take advantage of these, such as the Tango and the Quick Step? I would really appreciate any input on this.

Seriously, is that what two of those deals are called? What a farce.
 

Swordswoman

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I'm sorry, gang, I'm going way over the top here, but I'm suddenly switching onto overload.

This:

The $1,500 was only the amount he was budgeting for advertising. He was applying for a larger loan for all his promotion activities.
Like I said, it hurt my heart to know someone was planning to go into significant debt for their PA book.

hits the nail on the head. It hurts your heart, Terie, because you're a kind, decent human being and these indescribable offal who run PA could never understand you in a million years.

And this:

"Surprise! Today we are preparing to ship to you a free copy of [TITLE REDACTED]. You should expect it on your doorstep before too long, because the book is now ready for release! [...] This is an important moment in an author's life. To see your own book for the very first time is an unforgettable and unique experience, one that on behalf of all of us at PublishAmerica we wholeheartedly congratulate you on. Many authors tell us that they make it a day of celebration, befitting a life-long dream that has come true. We hope that you do, too! [...] And now, hang out the flag. Today is the day you can really say, "I am now a published author!" Congratulations!"

makes me vomit.

To wish to be published. To wish what you've poured your heart and soul into to go out into the world and be read by other people. To be able (perhaps after years of not achieving much) to say to one's friends and family 'I'm a published author'. To feel like something.

And then the gradual disillusionment. Perhaps the ultimate humiliation of having to say to those same friends and family 'Actually I'm not really published, I got scammed by a vanity outfit'. Imagine that, Ms Prather. Imagine it, if you can.

The Stooges KNOW what they're doing. That e-mail proves it. They know the innocent desire for recognition they're exploiting. They know it and laugh, because to them it translates as money.

PA used to present itself as a Christian publisher, and still does (unfortunately) appeal to a lot of Christian writers. To that, I can say only this:

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Dear God, I hope so. As I live and breathe, I hope so.

Louise
 

Marian Perera

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Let's get back on track with the PA quotes. Here's one from their Facebook page:

I watched my husband's labor of love working on his book...It breaks my heart to see him go from total excitement from the first correspondance with PA to total desperation once he figured out what is actually going on...PA makes their money selling to YOU the author...They don't care if your work is great or junk, as ...long as YOU buy it...they know if no one else buys it the AUTHOR WILL!!

My husband and I really did beat the path to each bookstore! We've called or met with each stores buyer or spoken with their corporate office... they DO NOT want to deal with PA at all!! They also decide they don't want to deal with you once they find out you are WITH PA! Only online outlets will list your book, i.e. amazon, barnes & noble...

Ouch. I think someone's going to have to break it to this lady that even that little may not be likely to happen.
 

Cyia

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Let's get back on track with the PA quotes. Here's one from their Facebook page:

Ouch. I think someone's going to have to break it to this lady that even that little may not be likely to happen.


These are the ones that hurt. Someone pours time and care into their book, thinks they've hit the lottery with a real publishing deal, and then can't beg their way into a bookstore. :(
 

Eddyz Aquila

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I am a first time author and just published my book Passionate Alchemy, a rather steamy story of a woman just coming out of long term passionless marriage who meets an Argentine soccer player who awakens in her the longings she never knew she had.

I bet that's really steamy...

How come PA is still in business, with the whole economic crisis and stuff?
 

Cyia

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I bet that's really steamy...

How come PA is still in business, with the whole economic crisis and stuff?

Because they don't rely on your standard business/consumer model. Their clients come with an emotional attachment that = $$$. Plus, many of the people who use PA think it's their ticket to extra money on hand, even if they don't expect to be "rich". It's a pretty common statement on the PAMB that a given poster is either sick, on fixed income, retired, struggling to feed their kids, hoping for a bit of economic relief from their writing.
 

James D. Macdonald

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It's a pretty common statement on the PAMB that a given poster is either sick, on fixed income, retired, struggling to feed their kids, hoping for a bit of economic relief from their writing.

I remember the one lady who was planning to pay her March rent with her February royalties (first royalty period) for her poetry book.

After the royalties came in she never posted to the PAMB again.
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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It's always disheartening to see the people who just disappear thanks to PA. I'm sure some could have found some level of success if they eventually got up and moved on, and saw that there is life after PA.
 

Arkie

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Poor woman must have mistaken Amazon's sales ranking for sales.

You might be surprised (although, I doubt it) at the number of new PA authors who have made that mistake. They find the Amazon rankings, come on the PAMB practically shouting out their sudden success, only to discover with the first royalty report, they haven't sold anything.
 

Gillhoughly

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Humph--if sales ranking meant books sold, then the BIG names on the NYT list would have the numbers in the million mark, while most PA writers would show only zeros.

*I* would be delighted if the sales ranking numbers for all my books were an indication of actual books sold!

I could then buy an island, hire some cheerful eye candy chef who does deep tissue massage, and live happily ever after.
 

ResearchGuy

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. . . I could then buy an island, hire some cheerful eye candy chef who does deep tissue massage, and live happily ever after.
You could afford both the chef AND the masseuse. Plus additional roving eye candy. Alas, PA royalties might cover no more than penny candy.

--Ken
 

circlexranch

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Wow . . . I take off for a couple of weeks to take care of some real-life stuff and there is an armed revolution on the PAMB.

Thanks to you all for archiving the posts before the Infomonster can move in with the board bleach.

A question, perhaps Uncle Jim knows the answer.

It relates to none (or very very few) PA books showing up "in stock" on Amazon and B&N. When PA went from LSI to B&T wouldn't they have had to submit to a pretty rigorous credit check since B&T has to produce and ship the books and then bill PA?

I don't get books printed, but my deal with my printer is typically 'net 30 days' payment in full after delivery. When I had a sizeable check from a customer bounce, causing me to miss my payment, my printer got a little testy and threatened to put me on a cash-only diet. My net-30 deal was AFTER I had submitted three credit references and my credit line is only $1500.

If so, methinks PA has not met that credit standard and may be on a 'cash and carry' deal where until they put the cash upfront, B&T won't print the books.

That coupled with the previously mentioned demands of B&T's Textstream standard may have kludged the deal completely.

Any thoughts?
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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PA can't go on forever like this....can they? Eventually too many people are going to start complaining about not receiving books for PA to just keep quiet about it.

Or do you think they'll just give up, lock the doors, lay low for awhile and then start again?
 

Marian Perera

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From a PA author's guestbook:

One is the rah-rah PA post:

PA is the greatest publisher in the world because it does what no other publisher does. It give us new writers a real opportunity to become published authors.

This author is what I think of as "career PA" - he's posting now what he posted in 2006.

But the trade off is we must do the promotioning. Normally it takes a bout a million dollars to effectively launch a book

I would really like to know where he got that number from, and how it breaks down.

and for most first time authors it takes several years for that book to really find a following. I don't have amillion dollars so i had to actually call folks and send out e-mails and even carried a bag of my books into the grocery store with me just to generate a little attention.

Yes, when I'm in the grocery store, I study the bags and packages of other shoppers very carefully to see if any of them are selling books.

But what a thrill when someone finally bought one and then asked me to sign it for them. I just loved knowing my words were finally being read even though it is still a little scary to think its "out there" for total strangers, the whole world to judge and critize. But them I still get goosebumps everytime I see my bookcover with my name on it. That's worth more than anything. One thing I will tell you, PA is the absolute best at what they do. I'll stand my book, the quality of of its bindings, the cover art, the printing, next to any other book on the mass market with absolute pride and confidence and you will too.
Again all the very best and get out there and promote promote promote. The better any one author does the better we all do.

The owner of the guestbook has posted on the PAMB to mention that her book is not available online and that she has lost sales because of this, so it's not clear what further promotion promotion promotion will do for her. Then a less happy author (PA author, not AW member) followed it up by posting:

By now you should realize that PA is struggling financially, nickeling-and-diming all the people who had the misfortune to sign up with them, and treating them like dirt.

The only comments left in the message boards nowadays are legitimate complaints by very frustrated authors. Most of them are quickly deleted and the authors banned.

PA is not a publisher, it's a very slick criminal organization.
 

Gillhoughly

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Yes, there are few thrills to match seeing one's name on a book cover!

It IS ever so much bigger and better when the book may be found in stores across the country, not just the ones in my town.

I would love to know if store managers in your area have asked you to stop bothering their customers when you wander around with your bag of books looking for an opening. That's not "promotioning", that's called begging, and what you're getting are called "pity buys" and they're hoping you will go away if they buy something.

Good grief, do you honestly think--and I suppose you must--that someone like Rowling wandered around Scotland like a book vagabond and talked people into buying copies of her first book until it "took off"? It is to laugh.

She wrote well and sold to a legit publisher. That's how she is different from you and all the other PA victims. She didn't spend a million in ads, nor did the publisher. Her writing and the publisher having distribution is what did the trick.

Please do NOT drop in on my favorite store, be it Wally World, the grocer's, Lowe's hardware or B&N and accost me with your bag of books.

You won't like the result.

If I'm in a *mood* I'll simply report you to the manager for soliciting without a permit and get you kicked out.

If in a bad mood--and the mention of PA usually puts me in one--I will tell you what a lousy choice you made going with them and demand you point out all the other PA titles in the store you didn't put there yourself.

If in a REALLY bad mood, I will critique your book page by page in a loud voice until we're both kicked out by security.

And if in a good mood, I will do all three.
 

TheTinCat

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it is still a little scary to think its "out there" for total strangers, the whole world to judge and critize.

Yeah. I wouldn't worry about it.