about fame and fortune...
There is a lot of talk on the publishamerica message board that the people who are not happy with publishamerica are ones who didn't get the quick fame and fortune that they thought they would get.
I would like to say to you PA people that are reading this, (and I have a lot of email today telling me that a lot of them are reading this), a lot of what is being written is sour grapes, and I understand, but in that what about this; a lot of people here reporting on PA are not even PA authors. They are just people who look into things and are down right mad about the people, good people who are being scammed with publishamerica.
The one's who are outspoken about publishamerica that have been published with them have good reason to be speaking out, it's because they have been treated bad, cheated out of royalties, (I believe that is getting ready to happen to me also, if you want to know my idea of how they will do this, email me at
[email protected]),
they asked to be let out of the contract and have been told no. The ones who come out and tell the truth are the ones who are getting books published with other publishers, real ones, not POD.
I was welcomed here, no questions asked. Everyone has been nothing but nice to me here, they do read the PA boards, so they have to have seen my comments. It's OK though, I'm welcome, none of my posts have been deleted, even though I deleted one that I shouldn't have posted.
These people are here because they understand that something wrong is being done to good, honest, decent people,and they aren't the kind of people who say, "oh well, too bad for them." They are the kind of people who, when they see you are about to be bitten by a snake, they tell you!
Yes, I was banned from the PA public and private boards, but that was AFTER I came over here, not before. I don't have to be here either. I can preach and sell my books just the same as every other preacher who is publishing their own books, and my books would sell just the same as theirs would. But I have been on the boards long enough to get to know so many of you, your honest hopes and dreams, and I get sick and tired of seeing PA play on those hopes and dreams. I got weary of trying to be encouraging to you knowing that you were going to go out there, and bookstores would turn you away.
Anyone thinking of going with publishamerica, their reputation is such that you won't get anywhere with this company, unless you just want a cook book for your church members, or memories for your family. Unless a box of books under your bed would mean the world to you, don't go with them.
It's heartbreaking to see these good people over on the board consoling one another that everything will be just fine, because it won't be. It will never be alright. Every time you are turned down by a bookstore, you will remember what you read here, each time it will get harder and harder until finally, all you do is talk on the message board and dream that " tomorrow" things will change.
Truth is always best, even when it's hard, which I know this is.
I don't think there are any big name publishers who are afraid of publishamerica, they see them for who they are, in fact, I think a poster here works for one, and they have been very helpful in giving information.
Please think about all of this and weigh you comments on the PA board carefully before posting, you sound silly defending what you know to be a lie, (anyone who's been there for a year knows that the paper was telling the truth).
Sorry for the long post...there is so much more I could say. Knowing what I know now from reading this site, getting to know these people, and digging for information for myself, I wish I could physically get to you all and drag you out of there.
Chris Bartholomew
) and the person "Joe" in the Joe Shmoe Show" is based on. (BTW not a copyright infringement as he was writing the book and submitting it before the show ever was on-air, also not spelled the same and the concepts are completely different. So you can lay that one to rest.)