The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

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Sheryl Nantus

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From one of the newest PA victims...

One of the new eager beavers says:

"My best friend's wife is a buyer for Barnes and Noble in my area. So I see that I will have zero problems with selling thousands of books."

oh, Lord... this ain't gonna be pretty.

I can't begin to imagine how that relationship is going to go downhill when his book is released.

:p
 

KellyS.

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Diana Hignutt said:
The interview went well, though I was a little more nervous than I usually am with these things. Still, I made most of the points I wanted to on PA and as a surprise bonus...I got to plug my new book as well. I wasn't expecting that.

diana
(gotta run, I've got a million things to catch up on at work from leaving early yesterday--one day, I'll just sit home and write, but today is not that day).

Happy that it went well for you and that you were able to plug your new book!
WTG Diana!!:hooray:
 

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Dolan said:
Golly. My PA cult pals are eating each other's brains. There is gore everywhere.

When the cult is served up, what does one get as side-dishes?

Some of my pals are hardcore. Mean as snakes. I'm too shocked to see this continue. Someone make it stop.

Dolan, it might surprise you to see a lot of those people away from PA and not talking about their PA books. I have likened what happens to some of those writers as very similar to multiple personalities. Many of them are quite nice ordinary people with whom one can have a good conversation. But inside the PA fold, they seem to resemble rabid dogs more than average human beings. That's what cult indoctrination does to people. It just makes me sad. I'm as sad for them as for the people who suffer from the attacks.

I haven't read the PA board in months with the one exception pointing to the avatar. I can't handle reading it anymore.
 

Sparhawk

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You nailed me to a tee : )

Thanks for your suggestion. That wasn't snooty sounding at all. I am a beginner and will take all the constructive guidance I can get. I will definitely get it this weekend. Fortunately someone I know proof reads my chapters and catches most of my poor grammer and spelling and typos. I will pick up the book you recommended at Barnes and Noble this Saturday or order it on line. (Awesome
smilehooray.gif
, one post and I've already obtained good advice.)

I am happy to be here.
smilehooray.gif


Very Respectfully

-Greg B aka Sparhawk


JennaGlatzer said:
Welcome, Book Maven, and thanks for the links! Going to check them out in a minute.

Welcome, Greg, and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us! I hope this doesn't come off sounding snooty, but may I suggest that you pick up a copy of a grammar book like The Elements of Style by Strunk & White? I know several writers who can tell an excellent story, but get stuck in the grammar/spelling end of things, and it deeply handicaps them when they seek publication. (Or maybe you already have someone who copyedits your work.) Just an observation... I know that writing on a message board isn't anywhere near as "formal" as writing a manuscript, but to be honest, it was hard for me to get through your message.

What you said about feeling proud when you saw your books, though-- no confessing needed. You *should* feel proud of yourself. Setting out to write a book (let alone two) is a big goal, and it's terrific that you accomplished it.

One quick note-- you said that you'd have to basically quit fathering and become a full-time promoter to make your book successful. I know this sounds crazy, but even that wouldn't work. We have at least 2 or 3 people here who put in a *tremendous* amount of time, effort, and money promoting their PA books, and still saw only modest sales. No matter how much work you put in, you're still going to come up against the brick walls that PA has erected-- no returns policy, poor discounts to bookstores, lack of editorial gatekeeping, etc. Thus far, even having an excellent book and major publicity hasn't helped any PA author acheive significant success or national bookstore distribution. Most of the "bestselling" (read: sold more than 500 books) PA authors I know are the ones who are now the most disenchanted with the company and have moved on to other publishers.
 

James D. Macdonald

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They don't have a contract with any accountant, and no accountant is allowed in their building?

Finally, something from PA that I can actually believe!

(I wonder -- are accountants who become aware of illegal acts by their clients required to report them?)

Meanwhile -- see another PA sockpuppet at work!

Look for Bill Rumfeld here. (He first shows up on March 14, 2005, 09:07 PM.)
 

DaveKuzminski

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Dolan, email them back with the reply option and include sending the email to someone in the local DA's office in Frederick, MD as well as the media in Frederick, the FTC, and the BBB. Show them that you're an author and they're supposed to be author support.

Why the media in Frederick? Because we want anyone in that vicinity who's even thinking of working for PA to know just what's in store for them.
 
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AnneMarble

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James D. Macdonald said:
They don't have a contract with any accountant, and no accountant is allowed in their building?

Finally, something from PA that I can actually believe!

Right! Accountants cost money! Even worse, they might detect, oh I dunno, ... discrepancies... They can't allow those things to occur, can they? :Wha:

James D. Macdonald said:
Meanwhile -- see another PA sockpuppet at work!

Look for Bill Rumfeld here. (He first shows up on March 14, 2005, 09:07 PM.)

From Bill Rumfeld on Atlanta Nights:
"Tell me that book is not driving down the quality of the writing market."

:ROFL:
 

T42

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Phil, (Dolan)
Contract:
page 3 # 11 The publisher agrees to keep and maintain true and accurate records relating to the distribution of copies of the said literary work, including reports of all sales and collections therefrom. (LIE)
Page 4 # 12 ~~Author may, upon giving sufficient notice of no less than seven days, examine publisher's records and accounts to the extent that such records and accounts are relevant to the publication of the said literary work, which shall be done at author's expense. (Does not state that you cannot bring someone to the party)
I would have the sheriff deliver a certified letter stating that you wish to examine the records and then in seven days show up with your accountant and a sheriff if need be. (maybe you could borrow their fake cop)
 

Ed Williams

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Uncle Jim...

Meanwhile -- see another PA sockpuppet at work!

Look for Bill Rumfeld here.
...this guy isn't just a PA sockpuppet, he is the Mack Sock Daddy for the Entire Land of Poz!

Don't people realize that when you post material to bulletin boards that tested professional writers frequent that your spelling and word usages had better be up to par? The article in question here is laughable, and I hate to say it, 'cause I know there are some excellent books that PA has roped in, but I could tell it was someone affiliated with PA when I read it. It's a joke, and the bad thing is, the person writing it has no idea as to just how skill deficient they are. It's like that old adage we've all heard, "It's one thing to be a fool, it's another to open your mouth and prove it." Folks, what flows from our fingertips can be just as revealing as what flows from our lips, and then some.

And J. H. Mull is making a bid to become the next Mack Sock Daddy:

http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/general/2197.htm

I predict he will be pushing our man Bill for the title soon...

And over in another province in the Great and Mighty Land of Poz, we find that the PA/WWE thread has mysteriously vanished. Gad. Such goeth another day in this fine and noble land....

Robert Hoover:
Uhhh. Larry Kroger? All in favor?
Deltas: Who cares? Yeah! We need the dues.
Robert Hoover: Good. Larry Kroger is now pledged to Delta Tau Chi.
 

Moondancer

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T42 said:
Phil, (Dolan)
Contract:
page 3 # 11 The publisher agrees to keep and maintain true and accurate records relating to the distribution of copies of the said literary work, including reports of all sales and collections therefrom. (LIE)
Page 4 # 12 ~~Author may, upon giving sufficient notice of no less than seven days, examine publisher's records and accounts to the extent that such records and accounts are relevant to the publication of the said literary work, which shall be done at author's expense. (Does not state that you cannot bring someone to the party)
I would have the sheriff deliver a certified letter stating that you wish to examine the records and then in seven days show up with your accountant and a sheriff if need be. (maybe you could borrow their fake cop)

I have to agree with Dave on this one, it's definitely one to send to the orgs he named. I would add the IRS to the list. I also suggest sending this little snippet from the contract with the other information.

Include full headers on the email from PA as well.
 

Christine N.

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Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

We find this thread...

http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/lounge/8433.htm

In which HB says people have been giving him bad reviews on Amazon. For which, if they were malicious in intent, I am sorry for. Usually posted by imbeciles and people of smal mind. But then he goes on...

Actually I'm a big nobody who gives it to people straight and they usually get very pissed off at me for it. Sure, I may speak from informed OPINION and I can even change my mind. But for some people they decide that their opinion is more important because they can get a gang together. You see, safety in numbers is how cowards operate.

Here's the neat part about the basher gang: They all hang out at sites OWNED AND OPERATED BY BASHERS. So if I go there to defend myself they simply delete what they don't like. The gang part pays off because if they spot me on another site, the gang shows up to pig-pile on me until the owner of the site removes the thread.

So you see, this way the basher gang doesn't have to be encumbered by minor technical stuff like the posibility that they could be wrong.

And he takes all the sympathy I might have had for him and chucks it out the window. Since I can't post on the PA board....(or is it the PA Bored)

HB - no one will delete anything you have to say, as long as it is not personally attacking or offensive. Deleting the truth is PA's raquet, not ours. We open the doors to intelligent debate!

Are we wrong? No. And as the saying goes, I may not believe in what you say, but I'll fight like hell for your right to say it!

Can you say the same thing about your "publisher?"

</FONT>
 

Sheryl Nantus

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first, HB's a coward - I'll call him that since he never responded to my direct double-dare challenge to compare royalty checks.

he's happy as long as he stays in his own litterbox, which is where he can gather all the sympathy of the other PA authors and be the Big Boy - get him outside of his masturbatory circle and he'll have a fit. He's tried to visit a few times and run off in a panic, unable to keep up with real logic from real authors.

next, here's another literary gem from the boards - regarding selling books - yet again from a new author who's sure to be making friends when their great tome emerges (with a spline!)

"I have taken the time to buy 10 shares in Barnes and Noble and as a shareholder I am entitled to place any book of mine in any store of theirs."

I really, REALLY hope he's joking. Who wants to be taking THAT phone call on the B&N switchboard?

:ROFL:
 

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I'll tell y'all something that I have learned...

...about HB, and this is coming from someone who has posted lots of things about him in the past - if you ignore him, you're driving a knife through him. This is a man who is selling no books, and has no following to speak of beyond the PA boards. He desperately seeks attention, and anything said about him is something he'll love, trust me. Don't believe me? Do a Google search on H. B. Marcus - remarks about him on threads like ours is where he gets what little notice he does. You will note that his own website doesn't show up until the second or third page, which says it all.

Y'all want to really hurt HB where it counts? Want to make him pay for all his misleading activities and lies? Just do one simple thing...

Totally ignore him, no matter what he says or does on the PA boards...
 
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T42

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Who can say HB Marcus and PUKE at the same time?:Jaw: HB Marcus is proof that PA will take anything....He is such a coward and such scum and ignorant to boot! Someone get the fresh kitty litter:rolleyes:
 

T42

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Ed Williams said:
...about HB, and this is coming from someone who has posted lots of things about him in the past - if you ignore him, you're driving a knife through him. This is a man who is selling no books, and has no following to speak of beyond the PA boards. He desperately seeks attention, and anything said about him is something he'll love, trust me. Don't believe me? Do a Google search on H. B. Marcus - remarks about him on threads like ours is where he gets what little notice he does. You will note that his own website doesn't show up until the second or third page, which says it all.

Y'all want to really hurt HB where it counts? Want to make him pay for all his misleading activities and lies? Just do one simple thing...

Totally ignore him, no matter what he says or does on the PA boards...
:Ssh: oops...I won't say another word. Thank God I got it out of my system though before I read your post:tongue
 

Sheryl Nantus

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and another sad victim is being set up to take a fall...

"I have a question. If B&N orders books what happens if they don't sell? The lady I talked to today from there asked me whether I would bring my own books or if she ordered books from pa could she return them. I wasn't sure."

oh, honey - you're not going to sell any books there.

see, there's this NO RETURN POLICY THAT PUBLISHAMERICA "FORGOT" TO TELL YOU ABOUT...

*sighs*

it's going to be a long, hard spring for a lot of these newest victims...
 

realitychuck

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Sheryl Nantus said:
next, here's another literary gem from the boards - regarding selling books - yet again from a new author who's sure to be making friends when their great tome emerges (with a spline!)

"I have taken the time to buy 10 shares in Barnes and Noble and as a shareholder I am entitled to place any book of mine in any store of theirs."

I really, REALLY hope he's joking. Who wants to be taking THAT phone call on the B&N switchboard?
I assume he will be treated like the guy who gets pulled over for speeding and proceeds to tell the cop that, as a taxpayer, I pay your salary!

Works every time. You betcha. :rolleyes:
 

robeiae

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If you want to cut you-know-who out, simply stop referring to him by his moniker. I propose we rename him and use that name for all further posts.

How about: H.M. Barcus or maybe I.M. Farcus ??

Rob:whip: (ouch!...stop that!)
 

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Speaking of the cigarette-buying man and pig-piling, I would be inclined to wonder where he was when the PA board was pig-piling his best friend. Heck, they devoted two threads to bashing his all-time best PA buddy and he didn't have a single word to say in her defense. I guess he just didn't have time to "give it to them straight" when he might find himself on the wrong side of his own message board community.

One of the saddest things about the PA message board is how fragile membership in the PA collective really is. You can be one of the darlings of the board, a gal whom everyone loves, a champion of PA's cause...but if you deliver a message that doesn't set well just once, you're pig piled. And no one remembers how much you've contributed to the "PA cause." No one remembers how much you've helped others. No one remembers how you've suffered for the PA cause. Suddenly your best old buddies in the world are just too busy to post in your defense. You mis-stepped and that cannot be forgiven. And folks wonder why that message board gang is compared to a cult?

gran
 

Patricia

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Question

OK, I have a question. While I understand all the frustration and disgust at some of the author attitudes on the PA boards--I wonder about this: When we refer to an author by name and call them certain names, etc., even though they may be true, are we not opening ourselves up to libel suits? We have to remember they are gathering info on us as well as we on them. I believe they will use anything at their disposal to discredit us. Again, I agree with most of the assessments of certain authors, but am concerned about the direct references to those authors by name.

 
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ZaZ

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Na na nah boo boo

Ann said:
are we not opening ourselves up to libel suits?


I'm no attorney, although I did pass the bar in Florida. It was called One Eyed Jack's and they had a great three for one special on Thursday nights. Oof, ripped it up in that joint.

But really, to be charged with libel wouldn't one have to say something false? For instance, if I was to say H.B. Carcass was a total doodiehead, could I be sued, if in fact, he is a doodiehead?
 

James D. Macdonald

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MsRasputina said:
Aww, Teresa disemvowelled his first message -- what did "Bill" say?

He said:

Horrid,A poor stab at any comprehensible writing. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. It is a shame that writing has come to this type of trash.

Anyway ... the guy who bought ten shares of B&N is probably going to make more off his stock than he will off his PA book. I don't think it'll do much for his stocking situation, though. The fellow who's best buddy's wife is a B&N buyer -- well, that will get interesting. I wonder if he'll listen to the truth when it comes via that route?

Lessee ... JHM. Where I used to work, what I made was set by Congress, and the actual dollar amounts were published in the Navy Times. Anyone who wanted to know how much I made could look at my sleeve and tell. No biggie. These days, anyone who wants to know what I make can look in Publishers Weekly, Locus, or Science Fiction Chronicle. Want to know what I made on my latest short story? It was twelve cents a word (that was right in the guidelines), and it's about 8K words (count 'em yourself -- it's shelved in a bookstore near you).

I can answer chinook's question, though: Nickels and dimes, dude. Nickles and dimes. Same as JHM is making.

So if I go there to defend myself they simply delete what they don't like.

Know something? That guy's posts in this very thread are still here.
 

cwgranny

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The cigarette-buying man is easily confused...he made the same mistake once when he posted at Mindsight. He posted. Then someone posted in a few different threads (since the one he posted in wasn't THAT fascinating) so the new threads jumped to the top of the que. When the CBM came back to visit -- he couldn't find his posts and rushed back to the hivemind message board to hoot that Mindsight had deleted his posts. Poor thing, he seems to want so badly to be the evil villain feared by all.

gran
 
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