Another PA Author Needs Advice

Welcome Janet

(I am not a lawyer, and I'm basing this on what I've seen of PA's tactics.)

For years PA did everything they could not to release authors from their contracts, but this year (and since PA lost a couple of arbitration cases) they've released a large number of people.

Keep asking to be released and make yourself as big a pain to them as possible, would be my best guess. I would recommend getting a lawyer who is an expert in literary law (it's a very specialised area) and going to arbitration if you possibly can. Even threatening to do so may be enough to get PA to release you. Be very clear to them that you will not buy any more of your books, and neither will your family and friends.

To be honest, I think their response to your email will be rude and dismissive, because that's routine with this abusive company any time an author steps out of line. It's bullying designed to make sure you shut up. So you could post their responses here.

Keep writing. While you're waiting to get your book released write a new one. You'll have learnt a great deal from writing the one you sent to PA, and chances are, it will be even better. But remember PA will publish any book, the great with the not so great, and their publishing you does not say anything about your work or your ability as a writer.

I'm not sure if PA authors have succeeded in getting their PA books published with someone else. I do know that there are quite a few authors who left PA and are now published with legitimate commercial publishers.

I hope you get your release soon

Hi, Janet. Welcome to AW. There is a fair amount of information from authors who were released by PA, but you'll have to do some searching. Unfortunately, the board just lost some data from the last few weeks, but there should still be plenty on what you're looking for. Concentrate your search in the NEPAT (NeverEnding PublishAmerica Thread).

The authors who were released received their release letters via registered mail. As best I remember, PA continued to send them nasty e-mails saying their requests were denied right up until they actually sent the releases. PA also tries to tie the release to your signing a non-disparagement clause; there's more discussion on that and why it's a bad deal for the author that you may want to search for, too. What you want is an unconditional release.

The most successful way to get a release, it seems, is to start arbitration proceedings per your contract. PA's got a history of coming out badly in arbitration, and they get relatively cooperative when faced with another.

Best of luck.

Yeah, having the police come to my home was bazaar. It was also a bully tactic to get me to shut up. The charge was bogus and PA and their lawyer, which they must have gotten out of a crackerjack box, knew this. They harassed me plain and simple. I just hope PA knows that those crackerjack toys are a choking hazard.

I kept asking to be released. Got the ammended contract and refused it. Kept asking and finally, after almost two years, got what I wanted.

Janet, also when you ask tell them you refuse to purchase any of your own books or have your family and friends pay the high price they tag to a paperback book. That helped some authors get out of their contracts. It did me when I got released. If you like, PM me and I will send you a copy of the letter I sent them when I got my release. First I was banned from the PAMB, then I noticed my book had been pulled out of thier bookstore. After that I recieved my regestered letter in the mail. Good Luck

Oh crap. This means we have three Janets on this board who've had experience with PA. There's janetbellinger, Janet, and now janet weikel.

I suggest you read NEPAT. I've recovered most of the recent stuff from the past month, so there should be plenty for you read up on. Welcome to AW, Janet.