The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

to HConn...

Again, thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions...I will start over...and eventually, hopefully, prevail.

HConn, thanks for your adivce...my agent actually sent me all the rejection letters, so yes, she kept me apprised. I know who she sent it to and why it was rejected...

I am so grateful to all of you...and tot Dave for his email...man, what a beehive I almost walked into!!!

I'll be baaaaaaaaaaaaack

Re: PA

Molly, whatever you choose is fine by me. The important thing is that you be in charge of what happens to you and your work. In the meantime, get well.

The New York Times/PA "partnership?"

Anything new on this widely heralded PA achievement lately....:rofl

Re: It always amazes me...

<makes it so tempting to post "Boo!" just once>

:rofl That is so funny

I went to this site this morning and there were no posts listed. I feel so bad for this lady. She's so terribly afraid.

S.B.

Never despair. It's what they want you to do.

Molly, I'm so sorry to hear about what's happened to you. I remember when you were a fervent and hopeful new author on the PA boards.

The profession of writing has its griefs, sure enough; but what you've run into is something much worse. It's not your fault for not spotting this beforehand, but PA is a scam through and through. They're also specialists in handing out emotional abuse to authors who stop being true believers. They'll tell you you're stupid and unrealistic and a drama queen, and that the real problem is that nobody wants to read your book. They say that to everyone. They lie.

It's true that a lot of their authors aren't really ready to be published -- and by the way, there's a serious shortage of substantiation for their claim that they reject 80% of the books submitted to them. But in your case, you had a traditional publisher interested in an idiosyncratic midlist off-category book, which is impressive. Never lose track of that.

PublishAmerica will screw over a good book just as thoughtlessly as they will a bad one.

I know you play poker with an attorney, and that's a truly useful thing, but you want to make sure you consult a lawyer who's familiar with publishing law. It's a very specialized field, and even when it's completely honest it tends to befuddle lawyers from other areas of practice. If your poker buddy doesn't happen to know anyone who works in publishing law, try asking these Lawyers in the Arts guys, or John Savage, who does a weblog about publishing law.

*Sigh* I was one sucked in

I *really* wish I'd done my homework on PA before even submitting to them.

I first heard about them because I live in Frederick. I was looking in the paper to help my husband with his job search when I saw that PA was looking for an editor. Of course, I'm now using that term loosely.

It was also about this time that I'd been posting some short stories to a message board, and everyone kept telling me that I was good, that I should be published. So, I collected some and sent them off to PA thinking that I'd found a publisher.

Wow, if I'd just come here first.

Writing for me is a hobby. I have a "day job" that I won't be giving up no matter what. Long before I read all of the posts here, I had decided not to send my next book to PA. I kind of doubt it'll ever see the light of day, and right now I'm so discouraged that I don't want to write anything else.

I never expected to be a huge success or anything. Heck, I can't promote myself, much less have the desire to do so, so I know I won't have book sales. Of course I bought the 50 copies, in fact my mother is still trying to sell the ones I sent her. The sooner they're gone, the better. This is almost something I'd now like to forget. I don't care if I get out of the contract or whatever. (wow, I'm really negative.)

This has all been a learning experience. I'll discourage people from PA. I didn't publish for vanity reasons or anything else. I didn't want to self publish, and if I'd known that's what this was, I'd have run away. Ugh.

Re: Hopefully someone will post my reply

first, I hope and pray that Molly's health keeps on improving - never discount the power of a good attitude in healing yourself and others around you.

second - if nothing else, Molly's experience should illustrate what every PA author has to deal with and has to face in the way of problems and lack of support from PA. I followed her story on the PA boards while she suffered through a lack of editing, misprinting, hiring a publicist, and the final indignity of receiving that royalty check. If I still could post on the PA boards I'd put up her letter as a huge example of how the average author is almost guaranteed to fail because she did EVERYTHING RIGHT according to PA. And she still hit the wall of the stigma.

HB and his ilk can yelp and scream and point fingers about how upset authors didn't do what they were told; that they didn't understand how to market, but Molly's story is a perfect example of someone who did everything she was asked to and still was let down by PA in the end. I dare HB to come here and try and defend PA after the horrible treatment they gave this woman.

I dare him.

HB, you listening? Come here and defend PA's treatment of Molly Brent if you have the balls for it. Or are you too busy mortaging the house again to buy more copies of your own book?

cowards, the lot of them.

grr.

Re: Hopefully someone will post my reply

<Come here and defend PA's treatment of Molly Brent if you have the balls for it. Or are you too busy mortaging the house again to buy more copies of your own book?>


Given sufficient time, PA will turn the lot of them into PAupers.

Re: *Sigh* I was one sucked in

I was looking in the paper to help my husband with his job search when I saw that PA was looking for an editor.

Click to expand...

What kind of qualifications did they require? Did it say?

I'd love that job (so I can get an inside look.) Too bad I live in the "other" Washington. Commute will kill me.

DC

Re: *Sigh* I was one sucked in

I don't remember now, it was over a year ago. What with hindsight being 20/20, I wish I'd copy and pasted it for times like this.

Ref PA

To Molly Brent:
Not long after we submitted to PA, a friend of mine and I were researching PA. We had heard a few scary stories and were trying to find out if they were true or if it was just a handful of unhappy authors.
It was your story that finally opened my eyes. I can't tell you how sorry I am for all you've been through. I hope that your life, as well as your health, improve daily and you'll get justice for all you've been through.
I just wanted you to know, that while I didn't hear of you soon enough to stop me from signing with the devil, your story has had a bearing on me.
Bless you, Molly. You'll be in my prayers for a long time.
S.B.

Re: Uh, Jim?

As for things, they are going great. I'll have some good news for you in (hopefully) less than a week.
Still up for buying 10 copies of my books should you find them on a shelf of your local randomly picked store?
Or was that only if PA was my final stop at publishing success?

Hey there, Canada.

The ten-book offer was for your PA book -- but tell you what, if I see a copy of any other book by you in my local bookstores I'll definitely buy one. Let me know the title?

Re: *Sigh* I was one sucked in

and right now I'm so discouraged that I don't want to write anything else.

Click to expand...

It makes me sad to hear that from you, but I've heard it from many of the PA authors who have been taken in. It not only makes me sad, it makes me angry that these people can make a person question their capabilities so thoroughly that they give up their dreams.

Writing for me is not hobby, it is something that I've always wanted to do. They made me question my talent, they told me my book wasn't in bookstores because it wasn't good enough to be placed, they told me I am stupid and they told me they expect an apology.

I've gotten over questioning my talent and I will continue to write and submit my work to reputable agents/publishers who I have thoroughly researched and checked out on P&E before I submit. (I, unlike PA, think Dave knows exactly what he's talking about).

I now know that my book isn't in bookstores because PA does not have a return policy. I cannot afford to buy hundreds of copies of my book and place them myself with a guarantee to the bookstore manager that I will buy them back. I am disabled and can't go from bookstore to bookstore and plead with the manager to place my PA book. Regardless of how good my writing is, it will always have the stigma of being poorly written and edited because it was published through PA.

I am only as stupid as the other 7,999 PA authors who fell for PA's scam. PA knew what to say and how to say it, both on their website and in their contract. I did do research before signing with them, unfortunately, I didn't come across this board at that time. Had I done so, I certainly would have run (well, wheeled actually) as far and as fast as I could. It doesn't make me stupid, it makes me gullible.

And as far as PA getting an apology from me - As soon as Hell freezes over and pigs fly I'd be happy to! Until then, I guess they're going to have to muddle on without one.

Molly's story has to be about the worst one I've heard. I hope and pray you are doing better soon, Molly. The fact is that it just proves that PA couldn't give a flying fig for any of their authors. Once the money stops coming in, they will keep the rights just to make life difficult for the author. PA says they are professional - but they don't indicate what they are considered professionals of. I can plainly see that it's not publishing and it sure as hell isn't customer service.

So should we join forces? I don't mean class action suit

As some of you may know, we are proceeding with litigation to have the rights to our PublishAmerica book revert back to us. PA will be sent a letter by our law firm within a few days. It will be the last letter and if they still refuse to cooperate, they will be served -- wouldn't it be a hoot to have the process server show up at the PA Hemingway convention and serve Meiners et al right there in front of all the happy authors.

Anyway ............. I was thinking, I know a ton of reporters (including editors of the Business Journals from about 20 cities) from our business consulting days. I can query the editors and reporters and give them a brief description of the PA "situation." I would think it would make a juicy story.

What I need to have available is a list of authors that have had problems with PublishAmerica and are willing to be interviewed and quoted. Perhaps even provide copies of the nasty PA correspondence.

If you're interested send me an email at mailto:[email protected] I won't disclose your name to a reporter without your permission. I will tell you who the reporter is and for which paper.

Dee

Dee Power
www.BrianHillandDeePower.com

Re: PA

Meiners et al are professional (and sociopathic) con artists. I only hope that Molly and others take heart from the fact that by enduring what they have and telling their stories they're performing a valuable service.

We know of several people who have not signed with PA because of what they've read here and elsewhere. I suspect many times that number have made the same decision and not told us of it.

Courage is one of the necessary attributes of a successful writer and you possess it.

Re: Bobbleheads

Speaking of bobbleheads, here's the latest.

"Message:
I think what the bobbleheads want is credit for their handiwork. What we need to do is give credit to someone else. As cleaver as that last reveiw is (on my book), it is possible it is written by a ticked off cop instead of a bobblehead. So I choose to give the credit to the cop, which can't be pleasant for the bobblehead. )

Just please don't ask anyone to delete my bad reviews. I intend to get as much milage out of this as I can.

Yours truly, the ever thinking, ever plotting Marti.

What are they so afraid of? See a special message just for you at www.casewatchers.com"


And here's the "special message":

"What are they so afraid of? ..... A nasty campaign has been launched to lower the rating on Marti Talbott's book,"Colorado Cold Case.".... Don't be fooled, a one star review, even disguised as an apology, lowers
the rating. ... Are they cops who don't want you to know
what's in this book? ..... How far will one cop go to protect
another? ....... Click on Read the Reviews"

Hope she's careful with that cleaver.

Re: Uh, Jim?

"The ten-book offer was for your PA book -- but tell you what, if I see a copy of any other book by you in my local bookstores I'll definitely buy one. Let me know the title?"

No worries Jim. I still owe you for the advice, so I'll make sure you get a free copy. I don't really have to worry if friends or family (if I have my way they won't need to) buy a copy or not.

As for the title, I'll let you know. Not sure what the editor will let me keep.

D. James (who really does dodge 'em!)
www.members.shaw.ca/writeguy

Dave - Question?

What is the link to Marti's new forum site? Do you have it?

Re: *Sigh* I was one sucked in

Count me as another reader who'd love to hear anything you can tell me about PA's editors.

New link?

The old link still worked the last time I used it. There was only a single message there from someone regarding a missing person's case. If Marti has another site, I'm unaware of it. Hopefully, PA will leave her alone.

For Hapisofi -- PA editor qualifications

There is an article at fiction forum which includes the qualifications of Miranda Prather, executive director, Jaime Long, Editor, Sarah Becker, Senior Editor, Walter Chalky, Editor, (but I don't think he's with PA anymore) and Marie Raeders, Acquisition Editor.

www.fictionforum.net/writ...ew-pa.html

Dee
BrianHillAndDeePower.com

Clicked on it Dave.

Did not work. Can you cut and paste again?

Re: For Hapisofi -- PA editor qualifications

Ironic - the PA interview is on the same page as the Truly Useful Site Award from Preditors and Editors.

Quick Note

If the Amazon Slammer is reading this, I have a message for you.

Knock it off.

First of all, the PublishAmerica authors aren't the bad guys. They're the victims. Their books may even be good ... but if you haven't read them (and based on the slams you've posted as "reviews" on Amazon, you haven't), you wouldn't know.

Second, the slams play right into Meiners' hands. If the PA authors' books sink without a trace (as they will, all on their own, due to the high prices, non-standard discounts, and non-returnability, combined with PA's inability to fill orders and general incompetence), the authors will (correctly) blame PA -- unless you give them an alternative explanation: "My book would have been a best seller if only the Amazon Slammer (a disgruntled former-PA author/Dave Kuzminski/a bobblehead) hadn't sabotaged me! Curses! PublishAmerica is the greatest publisher in the world because they gave me a chance, but the Slammer took my chance away!"

This slamming borders on insanity.

Wait a minute ... maybe Meiners is the slammer. Maybe he's attempting to distract the authors from the very real problems that his business model has with this false trail.

Be that as it may -- the slamming detracts from the truth about PA. It's stupid, it's counterproductive, it's wrong.

Cut it out.

Re: Quick Note

>>maybe Meiners is the slammer.<<

That was my theory a while back.

- Victoria