The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

Re: ThaNavigator

For the curious: The Adelphia IPs did not match the person I suspected. They did, however, match HB's IP (as used when he posted here), as has been previously mentioned. This isn't a conclusive answer-- merely more info.

"us vs. them"

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>I also don't think that anyone should pay for multiple copies of their own books.<hr></blockquote>

Uncle Jim, I've been reading your thoughtful and insightful replies for a long time now, and I just want to clarify one thing. As a small publisher, we can't afford to give our authors unlimited quantities of their books. Knowing you, I'm going to assume (yes, yes, ugly word, indeed) that you mean authors paying for books as the only means of marketing is bad.

When we have a title come out, we, too, offer our authors percentages off their books if they would like copies on hand. We can't afford to hand over tons of free copies. Our business plan is strictly based and dependant upon our marketing dept. booking signings, brow-beating the V.P. of small presses in the bookstores for national placement, radio and media interviews.

<shudder> I'd hate to be lumped with others...

Re: "us vs. them"

Exactly, Lynn -- authors who buy their own books by the case to place in a handful of local stores on consignment, or to peddle them out of the trunks of their cars ... that's vanity press.

I'm not saying that you (or anyone) should give authors an infinite supply of free books. For me, with my various publishers, I get a contracted-for number of free books on publication. (And my agent gets a bunch of free copies too, to try to peddle to Hollywood and overseas, and to subrights vendors....) Any thereafter, I have to pay for, again per contract.

The way it works, I get the books from the publisher at cost, and with free shipping, but the price of the books comes out of my next royalty check. (Yes, I do promote my own books, but I don't spend every waking hour calling bookstores trying to arrange signings. And the books I get from my publishers are not for re-sale. I give 'em away like candy. (In fact, one Halloween I gave away copies of one of my YA horror novels to trick-or-treaters instead of candy.))

So, no, there's nothing wrong with authors buying extra copies of their own books -- until that becomes the publisher's business plan.

(A confession -- I once bought one of my own books. Retail! There I was, a couple of hundred miles from home and my cartons of books, when someone asked me for one. I nipped over to a bookstore, bought it, and handed it to the guy, without mentioning where I'd gotten it.)

For authors there's a difference between giving copies of your book to Mom and Dad and Uncle Bob, and selling copies of your book to Mom and Dad and Uncle Bob.

Re: "us vs. them"

When we have a title come out, we, too, offer our authors percentages off their books if they would like copies on hand.

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Lynn,

The difference here is that you're not expecting your authors to go out and try to place these books in bookstores and sell them where ever they can.

Re: NO, no, no they've got it backwards

They did, however, match HB's IP

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That just doesn't make sense to me. I mean, I understand the posts at Mindsight, but I find it hard to believe he'd go so far as to sell out some of his fellow authors by deliberately slamming them. I guess I understand the backwards logic of it, too, but it seems a bit ...excess.

Who knows what goes on in the minds of some people. Yikes.

Re: "us vs. them"

Uncle Jim wrote:

In fact, one Halloween I gave away copies of one of my YA horror novels to trick-or-treaters instead of candy

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lol. That rocks.

Re: NO, no, no they've got it backwards

*shrug*

who knows?

all we know now is that HB is not as sweet a fella as he plays himself to be... wonder if the PA peeps know that?

well, they do now... he is NOT your friend, folks - anyone who plays this sort of game isn't anyone you want to be associated it in any way...

Re: "us vs. them"

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>The difference here is that you're not expecting your authors to go out and try to place these books in bookstores and sell them where ever they can.<hr></blockquote>

Yes, this is true. We basically expected authors would want a few copies to personalize for friends or family.

Re: NO, no, no they've got it backwards

There's no proof at all that the person who's showing up in the various guestbooks and signing himself "Mr. Book" is the same person as the one who showed up at Mindsight and signed himself "Mr. Book." It could be anyone, trying to muddy the waters.

What it is, is reprehensible.

HB

Makes perfect sense to me.

Last year, when HB was upset with a PAer who "left the fold," he went around putting this guy's book in the "instead of" recommendation slot on Amazon - on PA authors' pages. He did it just to rile things up. He admitted it on the PA board. To this day, some PA authors still blame the other guy - even though HB admitted it.

HB considers himself to be very clever. If he thought he could cause a bigger rift between current and ex-PA authors, he would do it in a minute. I'll bet a lot of those negative reviews are his also.

PA authors who think he is on their side are fooling themselves. If you play with fire...expect to get burned.

Nancy

www.nancymehlbooks.com

Re: "us vs. them"

James,

I could be wrong, but Marti had said on the PA forum (which was subsequently erased) that someone who'd had their guestbook signed got the IP address and then posted it, which was the same as the one on the Mindsight forum. I know for my guestbook I can go into the control panel and see the info on each person who signed it. I can also block them from signing again. If I am wrong, though, I'll be the first to send a big, fat "I'm Sorry" to Mr. Marcus.

The Slammer

I think we're giving that clown too much attention. Everyone should just delete his guestbook entries and get on with their lives. If you got a slam review on Amazon, contact Amazon and have 'em take it down. And don't mention him again. My guess is that he thrives on causing outrage.

Re: PR firm

You're right. I'm going back to work.

Re: The Slammer

If you got a slam review on Amazon, contact Amazon and have 'em take it down.

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Also, I've heard theories that having wildly divergent reviews on a book can make people more eager to buy it, just to find out which side is right. I don't know if that's true in call cases. After all, I've seen some cases where the glowing reviews said little except "Greatest book ever," and the negative ones were the only ones giving specifics.

In some cases, negative reviews have helped me decide to buy a book. For example, I once read a one-star review of a suspense novel that said something like "People who like this book must be simpletons. I can't believe they think this is good writing. If you want a real story, read Joseph Conrad instead." :rofl

God forbid people might just want to read a suspense novel (or fantasy novel or romance novel or whatever) to entertain themselves. With a review like this, who can resist buying the book just to go to the snooty reviewer.

And don't mention him again. My guess is that he thrives on causing outrage.

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Mention who? :grin

Re: NO, no, no they've got it backwards

I never claimed to have changed.

I still do not consider myself to be on terms such that one particular individual should feel that he can address me anyway he chooses especially after I was requested to not use his real name.

Yeah, I know it's hard to prove any of those claims since he deleted his own posts. On the other hand, he can't prove otherwise, either. At this point, I really don't care.

Like I stated before. I hope he succeeds as a fiction writer.

Publishing Facts VS Fiction

It's been suggested on other threads that we list facts regarding our discrepancies with Publish America promises, and not the emotional banter from what many of us who have been published with Publish America feel. It's with that suggestion that I give my own site some reflection.

I posted my experience based on the facts I was given by PA & Industry professionals, my contract, my results from what attorneys have told me, and my opinions. Anyone who wants to add to my site...please by all means, contact me and let me know your story. I will only post factual information and not supposition, accusation or interpretation. I'll be happy to add it so that we can have one general source of factual content for authors looking for a publishing house, and considering PA, besides the information provided in P&E. Since Dave's site is not privy to contractual obligation or emails from PA. Authors can evaluate the facts and decide for themselves.

Incidentally, I will add news if anyone tells me a great success story they've had with Publish America. If Publish America has stood by you and fulfilled promises made to you, I want to post that too. Make it a promise they advertise or contract for, and have delivered on that promise.

Finally, if authors see no positive posts, we can assume that no one has stepped forward with positive information about this publisher.

rebeccaeaston.com/newpage1.htm

Re: Publishing Facts VS Fiction

Rebecca, you might want to check the link to Lightning Source. You have it spelled as Lightening which is something different.

Thanks Dave

I have the hyperlink right. I'll fix the spelling. Hey, I cannot find that Authors POD site that PA has. I thought it was authors.net...but it comes up wrong. I had it and then I changed my favorites and BOOM gone. So, if anyone has the correct site link that goes to the POD company PA owns, can you send that to me? Thank you.

Anything you want to add Dave?

Re: Thanks Dave

<a href="http://www.authorsmarket.net/" target="_new">www.authorsmarket.net/</a>

This one?

Ah! Thanks James

Nice to see you again! Wow. Did you give me some great advice, leads etc. All of it helped immensely in my pursuit of justice and I thank you, Sir! :hail

Web page/link has been updated!

Re: Thanks Dave

Rebecca, I'll be glad to help if you let me know what you need there.

That Lightning Source link still doesn't work right. There's still an e in it that needs taking out.

Thanks Dave

Okay I changed it again. Check it out now and let me know if it works for you. Worked on my PC but my server is here too.

If you check out the site, I have some pretty formal promises made by PA and refutable evidence to the right. (Notice I used the RIGHT! No political ties there. LOL)

So, if you have promises that you know of that PA has suggested, used, made or whatever and have an author who wouldn't mind me putting their info to refute it on my board, please send it my way.

For all those PA enthusiasts reading this...send me yours as well.

Geez! Have to be so fair all the time.

Re: Publishing Facts VS Fiction

Very well done, Rebecca. :clap

Re: Thanks Dave

Sure, but heck, aren't you supposed to put a link in your post so we can find it easily without having to search through our own computers' past histories?

Okay, just got back. The link is working fine now.

By the way... yeah, something else... you might want to look down a block or two where you state that PA slanders writers in e-mail. Actually, slander is oral. Libel is when it's in print, so you'd want libeled as the choice of words.

Anyway, don't feel bad. I was finding my own errors in P&E for almost six months after it came out. Still make them.

Um, could you change my email address to the [email protected] address so I'll know when it's publishing business and give it more priority?

Yes, Do I have that one?

Dave,

Do I have that email address?

Thanks for the tip. Any others pass em on!