Roger,
I don't know you. I'm sure if I read your posts I could get to. I was just
googling myself to see if any reviews popped up. I see you for some reason
feel you want to bring me in to message boards in an accusing way. I would
appreciate some respect. I was a highly decorated Recon Marine responsible
for saving many lives that were under siege. I did evacuate the embassies
in Liberia and the Central African Republic in 96 and provided counter
sniper operations. I have service record books to prove it(from the boards
it seems everyone wants proof). I am giving you this background so you
understand why I may take offense especially after I pride myself on honesty
and hard work. I don't need other people's money or B.S. Ventures, I make
it myself.
I was a successful(opinion based on ranking at firms) stock broker. Then
chose to leave money to start an investigative agency hiring military
operatives. Through that I had chances to serve my country hear after 9/11.
Still operating, not heavily because I am pursuing the TV show hard.
Www.soginv.com
I then decided to write and publish my first book, Peeper The Kinkajou.
It's done alright. I wrote and published 2 more. My publishing company has
now expanded to other titles and services out of demand.
Www.treeoflifepublishing.com. Google my books and myself.
I work with many wildlife and environmental organizations out of my love for
nature. I give a lot back.
I am currently working on a Peeper TV show. I type slow so if you want to
talk about the production or have questions pertaining to anything else just
be a man and call. Do go put blind information out on a message board. It
was over a year ago that I left one message and said I wouldn't check back.
Sorry I just did. Give me credit it took a year and came from a Google.
Back to my brief TV explanation. Bottom line is that the creator and
executive producer from the Reading Rainbow, Twila Liggett, is now my
executive producer. She has 26 Emmys, 9 for outstanding children's series.
Back to a comment on the boards. Setting school tours is hard. I schedule
2 a day for weeks at a time and get paid to go as well as sell books through
pre-orders. The reason I mention get paid is because any author can go for
free. It is hard I would be willing to bet you could not organize touring
like that. If you could I will pay your more than you make now(I don't mean
that as an insult, but good schedulers are hard to find).
Let's rewind to what's transpired since last year. I was selling my
publishing co to focus more on being an author. The guys were morons, they
may have been some of the monkeys you guys reference all over the boards.
I pulled out and that is a good thing because we are know rolling into a shell
with a production company forming a multi-media corp. Big financing from
institutional investors and we will be public.
Noone sold my work. I never said they did. I did get good connections out
of the CLA guys. By the way, they just formed in 05 so the probably don't
have many sold manuscripts. They originally approached me. I was
published, but they liked my property and we worked on many ideas.
They do have good business sense. I don't know the guidelines of this
industry so I liked their views from a business perspective. I never told one person who
contacted me as a referral that CLA sold my work. You should see my
responses. I have also steered people away from them. I basically say that
I like their business sense and they are nothing more than mailers to
publishers who wont accept manuscripts with out an agent. I think with my
business background I'm a bit more knowledgeable about business that most
if not all on that string giving advice on success.
Maybe I think all the posts are ridiculous because I hear people whining
about being scammed for $50 dollars. I hired a publicist for $5,000 in
services and $2,000 in expenses. She did her job but I had no return on
equity. Business Lesson learned. I have paid Thousands on advertising with
no ROI. Lesson learned. The point is that the real world and success is
expensive. Being published doesn't make someone successful. Don't get me
wrong, if some one steals $5 from me I'll break their hands. Maybe just one
if I'm in a good mood. Editing is a must. The people don't have to use a
CLA reference. I have seen the email. It states they can provide one if
needed. The reason I asked to see what they send is because I don't think
it's right to strong arm someone to use your people. Providing a reference
is wrong.
I provide services so if there clients or any others want my services I will
provide them those services also. Am I bad also. I provide services in my
business model. Great printing prices if you know anyone who needs them.
This is America. I am currently working with 7 authors. One I stole from
them when she spoke to me as a reference. I didn't steal her, but she was
interested in what I did and wanted to do the same. If you want I will put
you in contact with all my authors I work with.
Every day I deal with incompetent businesses. I usually can't get timely
responses out of people. Cla always responds immediately and that means
something in my book. I also ask people who contact me about them to notify
me if something seems fishy. They do have satisfied customers I have had
had a few ask what I thought of a situation that came up and I suggested
they leave.
I also see references to others. Dorothy Walker, Ann Doro, D A johnstone
are the same person. A lovely 81 year old woman(sharp as a tack) who I
introduced to the because she has acted as a freelance agent and sold
several works incluing her own. Dorothy is her real name. Ann is her
children's pen name(Charlie the Lost Dog a best seller through scholastic,
Twin Pickle a Bill Martin book through Henry Holt, and The Missing Canary
through me). D A Johnsone wrote Trio and she got rooked by Publish America
with that one. She sold the works as a registered agent Barbara Ann Blythe.
Dorothy came to me to publish because before only the publishers made money.
She is no longer with CLA because the message boards scared her yet she was
receiving an income to do what she did. Sell books as an agent. There was
the case of a real agent scared away. An 81 year old woman was valued for
her expertise and was able to make some money. No she is nervous and
doesn't need the head aches of the message boards in her 80s. She still
heads local writers groups(for free).
I covered much of this privately with Victoria Strauss and I asked why she
only posted my first email which blasted everyone and not the others that
answered all the questions and she said it wasn't her job. That showed me
that there was some manipulating of information and for some reason there is
a buddy list on a mission to go after this agency and everyone mentioned
around them.
I guess one a year I can afford to take time to take the stand and plead my
case. I don't know why I'm on trial, but I guess that's life. If this
makes it to a message board you can order autographed copies of my books at
www.peeperandfriendfs.com.
Contact me any time. Please call this typing thing is tough. (XXX)XXX-
XXXX. Have any of you message board buddies call that want to know things.
I suggested that a year ago, but none called.
I saw some people complained that I never got back to the as a reference so
I must not be real to kiss my ***. I live down by Key West and have had 2
nightmare hurricane seasons. I own 4 houses on the water and still am
repairing. The last one end of October put our houses under a 5 foot surge
and I had my baby born in the hospital that was falling apart during
Katrina. My job isn't to refer people to the CLA. I don't mind helping
people, but I'm also extremely busy. If new authors need advice don't
hesitate to contact me, but be understanding.
(don't know which salutaion to end with),
Peter Parente
Please contact me directly and not through the message boards because it may
be another year until I look. By the way, have people every day contacting
me because they loved my original post.
Scam artists should be shot. Or better, should be scammed themselves. Let them know how it feels.