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Intermedia Publishing Group / Whalin Literary Agency, LLC (Terry Whalin)

CaoPaux

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More pointedly: Posting such correspondence while in current litigation is a Very Bad Idea. Please consult your counsel for guidance as to what your public/online presence can/should be until this is resolved.

ETA: As Jim suggested elsewhere, be sure to send it to Writer Beware and/or local law enforcement for their records.
 
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HapiSofi

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It's a dreary task, but if anyone's interested, they could check the Amazon info and ratings of all the books IPG lists on their site.

Yes, I know, we don't buy books from Amazon any more. The Amazon rating system is still one of our few mechanisms for checking actual sales.

If you want a shorter and less dreary task, check out who published Terry Whalin's books, and how many copies they've sold.
 

Kevin Peters

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This is really sad. I have known Jim AKA "Max" for sometime. I am the one who referred him to Terry Whalin because we did not feel comfortable working on his book. First reason is it was written so poorly, secondly it was and is a very controversial topic about another problem he had, that we did not want to put our name on. Of course he threatened to sue me and my partner and said we were being paid of and he yelled, screamed and cussed at us too. "All in the name of GOD" of course. In addition to Jim (AKA, Max,) we referred three other people to IPG and all accept Max or JIM, have been very, very happy. I read Jim's book AKA, "Max" book and I must say, Intermedia did a fine job of raising the quality. Instead of it reading at a 3rd grade level which is where it was over a year ago when Jim first asked my firm to try and sell it, it now reads at a 12th grade level. Instead of being 600 pages where it was when I first read his manuscript, it is now a very easy read at 244 pages.

From what I understand, Jim AKA (Max) is simply trying to extort money from Intermedia Publishing Group and this is what we feared when Jim brought his book to us to try and sell for him. Thank God we did not do the job and I am so sorry for the guys at IPG and Terry Whalin who by the way to all of you who may be interested, they are the most stand up people in publishing and we will continue to send people to them. And to anyone wanting to buy Max's book AKA Jim, his book will show just how well they do work with people and how they can raise the quality of a product from junk which Jim's book was, to a product that is not only readable, but also sellable, if you don't know the real story the book is about. I would encourage you to buy it so you have a better understanding of just who Max is.

To the moderator of this blog, it shows just how sad people are to tolerate this kind of trash. I hope you get sued. Allowing some angry person who goes around trying to destroy good hard working people who do their very best to make an honest living. All Jim is doing is trying to extort money out of people the same way he tried to extort money out the town he used to live in and I till do. This is the kind of stuff we as a community had to endure while Jim lived here. See for yourself. http://tinyurl.com/yfywthc

As for Terry's partner/associate, I have heard nothing but great things about the people at IPG from my clients that I referred there.
 

M.R.J. Le Blanc

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To the moderator of this blog, it shows just how sad people are to tolerate this kind of trash. I hope you get sued. Allowing some angry person who goes around trying to destroy good hard working people who do their very best to make an honest living.

I haven't read through this whole thread, but this pissed me off. There's a little thing called respect that we aim to practice, and people who post here are also expected to practice. If you want any of it, I suggest you give it also. Mac and the other mods work their asses off to make this place informative where people can freely discuss and debate without fear of undue censorship but also prevent anyone from making wrongful accusations or spreading libel that could put people in jeopardy. Have some farking respect for their efforts. If you don't like it, you know where the door is.

And by the way, this is a forum not a blog. I suggest you learn the difference if you want people to take you seriously.
 

BenPanced

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This is really sad. I have known Jim AKA "Max" for sometime. I am the one who referred him to Terry Whalin because we did not feel comfortable working on his book. First reason is it was written so poorly, secondly it was and is a very controversial topic about another problem he had, that we did not want to put our name on. Of course he threatened to sue me and my partner and said we were being paid of and he yelled, screamed and cussed at us too. "All in the name of GOD" of course. In addition to Jim (AKA, Max,) we referred three other people to IPG and all accept Max or JIM, have been very, very happy. I read Jim's book AKA, "Max" book and I must say, Intermedia did a fine job of raising the quality. Instead of it reading at a 3rd grade level which is where it was over a year ago when Jim first asked my firm to try and sell it, it now reads at a 12th grade level. Instead of being 600 pages where it was when I first read his manuscript, it is now a very easy read at 244 pages.

From what I understand, Jim AKA (Max) is simply trying to extort money from Intermedia Publishing Group and this is what we feared when Jim brought his book to us to try and sell for him. Thank God we did not do the job and I am so sorry for the guys at IPG and Terry Whalin who by the way to all of you who may be interested, they are the most stand up people in publishing and we will continue to send people to them. And to anyone wanting to buy Max's book AKA Jim, his book will show just how well they do work with people and how they can raise the quality of a product from junk which Jim's book was, to a product that is not only readable, but also sellable, if you don't know the real story the book is about. I would encourage you to buy it so you have a better understanding of just who Max is.

To the moderator of this blog, it shows just how sad people are to tolerate this kind of trash. I hope you get sued. Allowing some angry person who goes around trying to destroy good hard working people who do their very best to make an honest living. All Jim is doing is trying to extort money out of people the same way he tried to extort money out the town he used to live in and I till do. This is the kind of stuff we as a community had to endure while Jim lived here. See for yourself. http://tinyurl.com/yfywthc

As for Terry's partner/associate, I have heard nothing but great things about the people at IPG from my clients that I referred there.
That's nice.

Please keep your personal grudges off this board.
All I'm saying.
 

CaoPaux

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Yeah, ya gotta admire the irony of declaiming against Mods directly after a Mod's request to keep it off the board.
 

brianm

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This is to inform everybody that we sent a letter (March 10, 2010) to Larry Davis and Terry Whalin of Intermedia Publishing stating we had terminated our contract, which should have ended a very difficult year of dealing with these men.

Does your contract allow one party to the contract to terminate the contract at any time?

~brianm~
 

Carlene

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Intermedia Publishing Group

Just received an email from a Doug Barnes at Intermedia Publishing Group offering to help me become a PUBLISHED AUTHOR! Oh, be still my heart,

I'm not sure where he got my name/email or why he chose me for this honor, especially considering I've already published ten books through royalty paying publishers.

Anyhow, else hear from them?

Carlene
 
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Intermedia Publishing Group - Doug Barnes

Dear Herman,


Please allow me to introduce you to Intermedia Publishing Group(IPG). IPG is one of the fastest growing small press/independent publishers in America, based in Phoenix, Arizona. Our approach is unique and very effective. We not only design your cover, edit your manuscript, design your interior, and print your book; but we also stay with you to market it successfully. What you have to say is important, so let us help you be read. We make your book available on 16,000 online stores, available to all major retailers, wholesalers, and distributors. We market your book to our proprietary database of 35 million email accounts. We also make your book available in the top 5 ebook formats and available to all e-retailers. You can also choose to attend and sell your book at our 200 company sponsored events across the country. Our company will also market and distribute one of your existing books. We, of course, guide you in the process for the best results.

Listed below are our websites and I’m including an attachment for you to review as well. I welcome the opportunity to prove to you the difference we can make for you and your book.

www.intermediapub.com

www.intermediapr.com

www.obsidianprinting.com

www.obsidianreader.com

www.imprbooks.com


Thank you for your time and I look forward to any questions you may have.

Regards,


Doug Barnes
Vice President

Intermedia Publishing Group
P.O. Box 2825
Peoria, Arizona 85380

office 602-385-6469 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 602-385-6469 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
cell 602-369-3882 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 602-369-3882 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

www.intermediapub.com


www.imprbooks.com



*****


That is the whole, straight up email message.
It is unsolicited email, I have never heard of Intermedia nor Doug Barnes.
I certainly haven't queried them now or any other time.


"We make your book available on 16,000 online stores, available to all major retailers, wholesalers, and distributors. We market your book to our proprietary database of 35 million email accounts. We also make your book available in the top 5 ebook formats and available to all e-retailers. You can also choose to attend and sell your book at our 200 company sponsored events across the country."


Now call me a skeptic but is this a spam email proposal to send 35 million unsolicited emails out in your name?

I do note thw current VP has changed from two names associated with this company prior to this, so is it genuine reinvention of itself or is it scam progression?
My circumstances haven't changed much in the last 15 months. I am writing more, living in the SYW forums and I haven't queried my work in that preceding 15 months so it can be a stray approach I don't remember have made.
I don't/haven't published my email anywhere at all, it is available thru my profile, unless some "friend" has tried to help me and submitted me as someone with work to offer. Possibly a very good hearted writer/helper with all intentions honourable.

So, to all you wise owls out there, I have a 29 k word intended eBook. What do I risk with having this "publisher" be involved with this one, limited option?
I can assure you that if they are out to skin me clean, they are 15 years too late. I got a serious, chronic illness 15 years ago and having never worked since, I exist on govt welfare checks. So I truly have no cash to send anyone. I am somewhat long in the tooth and the glitz and glamor is what motivates me, a true potential of widespread publication of a meritorious novel is all that interests me.

***
So, all you knowledgeables out there, what do I risk if I have them publish my eBook. I want the eBook published in this manner/style, but what is the down side?
BTW, I do note that they acknowledge my previous published works

"Our company will also market and distribute one of your existing books."

This is very generous of them and clearly they have done their homework. The dog ate the homework. I am unpublished, as of today. So I am just getting the slight premonition that this is an unsolicited publishing scam of some hind. Call me old, silly, grey, a long haired git, but don't call me late for breakfast or someone who came down in the last shower.
I am prepared to risk something with these people, the affore mentioned 29 k word eBook BUT what do I risk if I do get involved with them, even with this one work, and one publication?

I post this for myself, but also for those who may have got the same or similar unsolicited email and may be considering signing up their ONE prized possession they have worked on for 10 or 20 years.
If we can pick holes in it, please do to help me, and others still being processed.
 

C. K. Casner

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You may want to send copies of these unsolicited emails to Victoria and Anne at Writer Beware.
 

Momento Mori

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Herman Munster:
So, to all you wise owls out there, I have a 29 k word intended eBook. What do I risk with having this "publisher" be involved with this one, limited option?

You've answered your own question by identifying them as a "publisher". They're not going to do anything that you couldn't do yourself by putting it up on your website as PDF document.

There are decent epublishers out there if you check out the Forums here and it's worth while checking out Duotrope to see if there are publications that will take a novella in print format in addition to ebook format.

MM
 

writer4God

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I had to say something about this...

This is really sad. I have known Jim AKA "Max" for sometime. I am the one who referred him to Terry Whalin because we did not feel comfortable working on his book. First reason is it was written so poorly, secondly it was and is a very controversial topic about another problem he had, that we did not want to put our name on. Of course he threatened to sue me and my partner and said we were being paid of and he yelled, screamed and cussed at us too. "All in the name of GOD" of course. In addition to Jim (AKA, Max,) we referred three other people to IPG and all accept Max or JIM, have been very, very happy. I read Jim's book AKA, "Max" book and I must say, Intermedia did a fine job of raising the quality. Instead of it reading at a 3rd grade level which is where it was over a year ago when Jim first asked my firm to try and sell it, it now reads at a 12th grade level. Instead of being 600 pages where it was when I first read his manuscript, it is now a very easy read at 244 pages.

From what I understand, Jim AKA (Max) is simply trying to extort money from Intermedia Publishing Group and this is what we feared when Jim brought his book to us to try and sell for him. Thank God we did not do the job and I am so sorry for the guys at IPG and Terry Whalin who by the way to all of you who may be interested, they are the most stand up people in publishing and we will continue to send people to them. And to anyone wanting to buy Max's book AKA Jim, his book will show just how well they do work with people and how they can raise the quality of a product from junk which Jim's book was, to a product that is not only readable, but also sellable, if you don't know the real story the book is about. I would encourage you to buy it so you have a better understanding of just who Max is.

To the moderator of this blog, it shows just how sad people are to tolerate this kind of trash. I hope you get sued. Allowing some angry person who goes around trying to destroy good hard working people who do their very best to make an honest living. All Jim is doing is trying to extort money out of people the same way he tried to extort money out the town he used to live in and I till do. This is the kind of stuff we as a community had to endure while Jim lived here. See for yourself. http://tinyurl.com/yfywthc

As for Terry's partner/associate, I have heard nothing but great things about the people at IPG from my clients that I referred there.

I do not know about anyone else you are talking about here, I can only speak for my self, but I also had to cancel my contract with IPG, and I didn't get any of my $4000.00 back, nor anything else! Just a lot of trouble. They wouldn't receive my certified letter to acknowledge it either. Very deceptive, rude and I would not have any dealings with Larry Davis again. I should of turned them in to the BBB, or hired an attorney, but instead I prayed for him. I will use another publisher.
 

writer4God

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Maybe I shouldn't of said anything about my experince with IPG, or LD, maybe God is working on him and I should not only forgive, but keep my quiet about him. But with so much said here, I thought it wasn't fair to do so when I had such a bad experince. I hope everyone else nothing but the best.
 

writer4God

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Does your contract allow one party to the contract to terminate the contract at any time?

~brianm~
Originally Posted by max
This is to inform everybody that we sent a letter (March 10, 2010) to Larry Davis and Terry Whalin of Intermedia Publishing stating we had terminated our contract, which should have ended a very difficult year of dealing with these men.
Does your contract allow one party to the contract to terminate the contract at any time?

~brianm~

Yes, the contract says you have to send a certified letter to terminate the contract, as I did, (The question is, will they receive it.) They didn't mine, the post office said they refused it and sent it back to me.
 

IceCreamEmpress

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Maybe I shouldn't of said anything about my experince with IPG, or LD

Sharing your experience is useful to other people who might be considering working with them. Never worry about sharing your truth on this board, whether it's positive or negative.

Thank you.
 

steve walters

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Is it just me, or does "writer4God" sound a lot like Max? I thought he was gone out of here? Notice how he goes back to where he left off? Right back to his old posts, he just has a different user name. Max or whoever you are, I think you know better than this.
 
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steve walters

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I would suggest this to all who read this. If you have any questions. call Larry or Terry. In the 18 months I have worked here at Intermedia, they have responded to every question about these false and defamatory posts by Max or whoever. In fact, I would love to speak more about why certain posts came down, but I can't. I can only suggest that you all are smart enough to put two and two together. I am proud to be part of this company and proud to do what we do. Not every author is going to be a best seller, not every author is going to be able to do all that they commit to. Our philosophy here at our company is that everything is a team effort. We work for and with our authors. It is rare that such hate, false and disparaging remarks. So with that, don't just set around and be influenced by such filth and false filth as this. Pick up the phone and call for yourself. And also see for yourself. I am very proud of our clientele. Many of our authors who fully use all the services and resources that we offer do indeed go on to sell many books. But again, the author has to work too. Becoming a best seller doesn't happen because your book in is a book store or on a web site. It becomes a best seller for many more reasons than that.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this,
Steve
 

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Damn. Where's the sockpuppet smilie when you need it?
 

steve walters

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Hi James,

Thank you for your request. First of all, thank you for all you do in the publishing community. For that matter all of you who have made positive contributions to this ever changing industry. James, I think we all know that the term "Best Seller" is a relative statement. I could go on about the many different kinds of best seller definitions I am aware of, but chances are, I will probably miss a few. I did not come here to continue this destructive debate, or slander anyone, just simply respond to one individual's continual destruction. And to invite anyone who has questions about this to not just believe everything you read, but pick up the phone and make a call. James, and to you, please feel free to do the same. I am electing to move on and press forward and hope that each of you will too. I am sure most of us would rather use our talents and gifts in a more positive way. Of course you will always have those out there who can't sleep until they gave done one more destructive and misleading act for the day.

With that, I wish each of you well and thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts,
Steve.