Return of a Man Named PAMB and its Quotes

kaitie

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Someone at PA enjoys keeping authors on edge.
Did everyone see today's e-mail from PA? It's an "advance alert" for us to be on the lookout for a special announcement later today or tomorrow morning.

PA...what are you doing to us? We're all going to have ulcers...or at least short fingernails.

And lighter wallets.

Oh good lord. Let's see how good Kaitie's psychic skills are today. I'm going to put my money down on:

Good news, Authors! Your wishes have been heard. Because of the great demand for softcovers, we'll give you one last chance to stock up before the switch goes into effect. That's right! This weekend only, you'll have the opportunity to buy your book in softcover for 50 (FIFTY!) percent off! Minimum order ten books. Just use the coupon we'llsuck50yearsoutofyourlifewiththisnonsense when you go to check out. Hardcovers excluded.

:tongue
 

Marian Perera

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More on prices

I've checked and my books continue to be their original price, but, I am bracing myself for the increase in prices.

PA resembles, not HB Marcus's "mighty pirate ship", but the kind of vehicle into which they strap crash test dummies before they propel it at high speed into a wall.

Repeatedly.

I purchased (at a discounted price) my own book and I sold out of my current book and I ordered and just received 20 of my first book. There is no way I am going to be able to order my current book at a discount, this is going to be a killer for me to have them on hand. And, I'm getting ready to move, because rent is too high on my home...ugh!!! This couldn't have come at the worse time for me.

The next royalty check is due in a couple of months, but that won't help either.

I'm not going to complain too loud. I will still enjoy writing.

I enjoy writing too. But I enjoy it even more when people whom I don't know buy my book, and when I get paid well for that.
 

Marian Perera

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And here's the reaction to the latest news.

At first it was good.

Thats great! Lower prices mean our books will be more accessible to costumers. The higher prices have always been in contension with people.

Then a new loyalist pointed out one small problem...

This is a wonderful marketing strategy, however it dosnt involve the PA authors from outside of the USA..... ?!?!

...and another.

It is a great idea but I just got the announcement and the catch is you have to buy copies of your own book in order to get your book produced in the lower priced paperbacks which I can not afford to do right now.

Seriously, at this point you have to be really trusting to not expect a catch.

I am sure many of us can't afford to buy nine copies of our books at this time. I spent hundreds of dollars over the last three years buying copies of my books with the deep discounts they used to offer. Can PA be more fair to us and produce the lower priced paperbacks without getting us to invest in more copies of our books?

I think the question you need to ask is, "Can PA do anything without trying to make us buy our own books?"

I guess I will be left out on this deal also because I cannot afford to buy anymore books either. Short lived excitement!

The email also stated that the PAperbacks were for US authors.... as a Canadian author the shipping for my books is very expensive and to be excluded from the new opportunity is a dissapointment for myself and the other authors from Canada and around the globe..... not sure what this all means for us..... I am pleased with my book however the marketing is proving to be a real challenge.... best of luck to all!

That's why real publishers have marketing departments. They would rather writers do what they're good at, writing.

This is good news/bad news! As many of you probably did, I just ordered some books under their "Final" paperback offer! Now this opportunity comes along! I wish they would put the whole "menu" of options out on the table! This piece-meal approach to authors for ordering books sucks! (excuse the -$&&!)

That was exactly what PA hoped you would do.

No one seems really happy this time around. One author made it clear she would "have to wait", perhaps to see what the next special offer is, and another said,

Of course I will have to sell some plasma or something to be able to afford 9 books. LOL.

Finally, there's an interesting question.

Now I get that I have to use the coupon. Does that mean the 9 books I purchase are 9.95 or the regular price? Any help would be appreciated.
 

Jersey Chick

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I'd slam my head into my desk, but since I'm running a fever, I'm afraid it will kill me.

You know how many "buy your own book" emails I've gotten from my 3 publishers?

None. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I don't have to buy x amount of my digital releases in order to get them in paperback. I don't have to pay x amount in shipping because my publisher sends them to me at no cost. I don't have to worry about ads for books not even in my genre appearing in the back. I don't have to win an auction to have ads for my book placed in the last pages of other books IN MY GENRE.

If, after all of this nonsense, people still refuse to see what PA is, I have no more sympathy. None. You can't help people who refuse to help themselves.
 

Chris P

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If, after all of this nonsense, people still refuse to see what PA is, I have no more sympathy. None. You can't help people who refuse to help themselves.

This "business model" relies on a constant influx of new blood, similar to a pyramid scheme. On Queen of Swords' link, I saw only one non-mod poster who had been there over 2 years, about half joined in 2010, and most posters had under 100 posts on that board. It's not that people are refusing to help themselves, it's that these particular posters aren't fed up yet. The percentage of active posters compared to all who have posted over the years is likely very small. Those who are fed up helped themselves long ago.
 

Jersey Chick

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Or they don't post there anymore.

But the new influx, those who google and decide that all the information out there is "too old" or "jealous bashers" - I have no more sympathy left. It's too easy to educate oneself even on the basics of publishing (and I hardly consider myself an expert as it is.)

And actually, there are quite a few people who have moved on to other boards. They're still out there, and what's more, they will happily steer people to PA.

The information's out there - you* just have to look and check your ego at the door if you don't like what you see about a company.


*general you, not you-you.
 
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Chris P

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But the new influx, those who google and decide that all the information out there is "too old" or "jealous bashers" - I have no more sympathy left. It's too easy to educate oneself even on the basics of publishing (and I hardly consider myself an expert as it is.)

Oh, I agree totally there. If they've done their homework and still think PA is the best option, then I don't know what else to say. I wouldn't have chosen them if I had done my homework.

I'm willing to bet PA gets 90% (possibly more) of the money they get from an author within the first year. A hit-and-run that relies on new blood. That's the reality we're dealing with. How to reach the new blood with factual information is the challenge. Blood sugar's low; I hope that makes sense. I better go eat.
 

Chris P

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The honeymooners - PA's favorite target. The PAMB gets very depressing around September and March, once those royalty checks (HA!) go out.

I laughed all the way to the bank with my $1.45. I bought a Diet Coke, but had to come up with change to cover the sales tax.

Now that I'm well fed my point above is that we shouldn't be surprised (well, in a perfect world we should be) at the number of people who don't do their homework or who make strange decisions despite being informed. That's what we're up against in these situations.
 

Marian Perera

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And actually, there are quite a few people who have moved on to other boards. They're still out there, and what's more, they will happily steer people to PA.

I once spoke to two authors who had moved on from PA - they were now with CreateSpace, Lulu or some other self-publishing service. Both had been fervent PA loyalists in the past. I asked if they would recommend a publisher for my first novel.

Both advised me to go with PA.

Perhaps they felt it wasn't so bad. Perhaps they felt that since they had "paid their dues" and bought their books when they didn't know better, there was nothing wrong with getting a new and (apparently inexperienced) writer to do the same thing.

Thankfully there are many more writers who move on from PA, learn better, tell the truth about it and try to save others from such a pitfall. I'm very grateful to those writers.

A few more less-than-happy reactions from the PAMB...

Well I may have spoke too soon! What a bummer we have to order to get our books into the lower priced softcover. A little hard to do these days. So our books really won't be available unless we order? That is frustrating!

I feel the same way. They have a lot of good ideas and marketing strategies but they are only useful if you can afford to purchase your books every time!. I believe PA should have some other way of considering books for promotion. Maybe having contests, by lottery or forum participation.

Whoa, that last suggestion makes me think of Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery".

It just seems that a lot of marketing effort and time is going towards the authors themselves.

That's because the bulk of PA's money comes from the authors.

And that's because PA is a vanity press.
 

DreamWeaver

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:idea:
It just seems that a lot of marketing effort and time is going towards the authors themselves.
I love reading those light bulb moments. Hopefully this padawan will keep thinking and come to the logical conclusion.
 

PVish

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Another PA author is seeing the light:

I got the e-mail about the new PAperbacks. I would like to
know just what the difference is between the old softcovers and
the new PAperbacks? When one of my fellow authors purchases
some of the new PAperbacks and receives them, please let me
know what the is the look and feel of the new books.

According to the e-mail, the size, paper, and cover are the same.
Besides the price and ISBN, what are the differences.

But a newbie "explains" the deal:
If you think more like someone who's in business for themselves it's actually a pretty good deal. Think about it. Most publishers would just want money to publish you up front and more money for any changes. That would exclude any materials promised to you. With PA so far you always walk away with materials in hand. It's like trading money for money. You give them money to make something a reality then you receive materials for your money then you sell the materials and get all your money back hence making the change over free of charge if you actually sell your books which should be the reason you're buying them to begin with unless you want to use them for free promotional give-a-ways, which would be your own choice. If you're not ready to buy them yet because you don't have the money or it hasn't hit payday for you then you shouldn't be worried about that either as I don't believe this deal had an expiration date on it. I didn't notice one anyway. You can always wait until you do.

Huh? My publisher (not PA!) didn't charge me a cent, gave me a box of books and bookmarks and a big poster, and paid me royalties.
 
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kaitie

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Is it just me or are these guys getting stupid?

So the new paperbacks are the exact same as the old paperbacks, except you can only buy them from PA (which we already know they're trying to get people to do because if people buy through Amazon they lose out on shipping and all that). But, in order to actually get the new paperbacks which are the exact same as the old, you have to pay money.

So essentially, PA is doing the exact same thing they used to do, but now they're charging authors to make the books available. They "changed" so that authors were required to pay for what they had already been getting.

Okay...do they really think author's aren't going to see through this?
 

merrihiatt

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I'm willing to bet PA gets 90% (possibly more) of the money they get from an author within the first year. A hit-and-run that relies on new blood.

I think it's even less than a year. Until a new PA author receives their first royalty check. Or doesn't receive their first royalty check, as the case may be.
 

Kweei

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Is it just me or are these guys getting stupid?

So the new paperbacks are the exact same as the old paperbacks, except you can only buy them from PA (which we already know they're trying to get people to do because if people buy through Amazon they lose out on shipping and all that). But, in order to actually get the new paperbacks which are the exact same as the old, you have to pay money.

So essentially, PA is doing the exact same thing they used to do, but now they're charging authors to make the books available. They "changed" so that authors were required to pay for what they had already been getting.

Okay...do they really think author's aren't going to see through this?

Wow, this is all making my brain hurt.

So, am I understanding this correctly? PA authors do not have their books available anywhere but PA anymore? They have to buy all their books through PA if they are softcovers?

What about the hardcovers?
 

Chris P

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So, am I understanding this correctly? PA authors do not have their books available anywhere but PA anymore? They have to buy all their books through PA if they are softcovers?

What about the hardcovers?

My book is still listed on Amazon (not available, will ship when ready) and Powell's (backorder) in softcover. I don't know what would happen if I tried to place an order. It's not listed on Barnes and Noble. The price at Powell's is about $5 higher than PA's price, and Amazon's is about $5 lower (unless you buy it used for $81.93! I never understood that). It is listed on various foreign websites, mostly Indian, South African, German, and Spanish. I'm sure those overseas sites list the book from some common source (ultimately PA, of course, but it seems somehow PA books get listed on some service mirrored by others).

There is no hardcover option on the PA site for my book.
 
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Chris P

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I don't like the peer pressure e-mails from PublishAmerica. "All the other authors have taken advantage of this deal and you should too! They've purchased over 10,000 books this weekend, why haven't you?"


Peer pressure only works if you believe it. 10,000 books is 100 authors buying 100 books each in two days. PA claims 100 to 150 orders come in on an average day. Nearly every one of those orders would have to have been for 100 books.
 

Cyia

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Am I the only one who finds it creepy that they jumped on this new "development" and labeled them PAperbacks? That's just... weird.
 

Marian Perera

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With the latest development, some smaller problems have fallen through the cracks.

Hi I am new to this forum, so I wasn't exactly sure where to post this so bare with me. I am just curious, are there any new authors on here that have had their book released, but not gotten their 2 free advanced copies? My book, George Monkeys Around, was released on June 22nd, and I still don't have my copies. I've contacted the Author Support several times, but no responses.

Any suggestions or similar stories?

This was quickly whisked away before anyone could provide "similar stories" of author non-support. No response to this post either.

I was informed by Brandon from PA that my book, <title> will be released on 30th June 2010 but as I checked the books released from June 28th to 4th July, I found out that my book is not included. Can anyone from PA tell me what's going on please.