The Old Neverending PublishAmerica Thread (Publish America)

[T42]

and from a sadder part of the PA boards...

http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/lounge/8749.htm

Sheryl it's sad and probably won't last long on the thread. PA just doesn't care and these people don't get it!

 

[T42]

Quote:
Tens of thousands of people and hundreds of our authors across the nation have purchased PublishAmerica books from physical brick and mortar bookstores.

Well I wonder if the IRS knows that because the royality checks sure don't reflect it! (I know they know because I told them but I may have to keep reminding them.)

 

[Sher2]

and from a sadder part of the PA boards...

http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/lounge/8749.htm

"You'll be thrilled when you hear my story. I sent press releases to all the big newspapers in USA and as well in Canada....first Toronto star called and refused saying PA is not a reputable publishing company then...neither did any of the local newspapers did any articles or the media gave me any coverage despite my countless efforts and now I am trying to approach the local bookstores for book signing events but no one gives any heed here in Windsor/Canada. One person even returned my book saying it was not yet ready for publication and that PA does not hold good reputation...and refused doing the review. Then on top of it all the royalty check blew it all for me...having invested so much on marketing up till now from their own pocket my Parents are now not in a mood to make any further investments and I am very much depressed. I am almost done with my second book now and plan to launch it soon but am wondering how??? Obviously everone wants results....money after all does not grow on trees and such cold responses makes your hopes die down....only perhaps if you have a positive attitude...like I still do...but who will convince my folks who beleive now that the whole world is not bonkers after all."

*sighs*



hopefully her parents didn't lose too much in this folly...

That is just unutterably, ineffably sad.

 

[Sher2]

Bonnie,

May I put your song on my site? Pleeeeeaaaasssseeee?

I second that emotion. And you know what else would be great? If someone would provide a first-hand account of the ill-fated armed convention to put up on Linda's site. And what a coup if someone managed to get photos!

Kevin, do your Pickler sidekick essay. Please?

 

[Crystal Rivers]

Sheryl it's sad and probably won't last long on the thread. PA just doesn't care and these people don't get it!

You're right, T42. That post will be gone in no time at all. I'm surprised it lasted this long, but maybe the PA administrator was tired after banning several from the boards lately. It's hard work to click a mouse, you know.

I also want to say

Jackie. Hope you continue to be a part of AW and listen with an open mind to what everyone here is saying. I used to be a staunch supporter of PA, but had a reality check at almost every phase of getting my book published. If your experience with them has been a good one, I'm happy for you, but for myself, I would never ever EVER ever recommend them to anyone for any reason at any time. They cost me lots of time and money that I couldn't afford to lose. My advice to all new authors (& everyone else): stay away from PA.

Crystal

 

[Sassenach]

The PA'er are utterly clueless as to how newpaper editors work.

There's also a belief all over the PA boards that somehow a 'signed copy' is something ultra-magical.

 

[Christine N.]

I don't wanna steal Diana's thunder (again! so sorry 'bout that) but the interview was great! Diana did a great job. I admire her restraint - she was concise, calm and very professional.

The piece did give PA their own 15 seconds - they tracked down Denny Hatch, who said "you won't find a better deal than Publish America" (where's that vomit smilie?)

What they did do....

Put up the PA website and highlighted the "picky" and "we read each ms. carefully" parts, then showed you AN. And read the first paragraph of Chapter 34 out loud. I almost peed myself laughing.

They also highlighted the "available in brick and mortar bookstores" part, then said that books were available to order on line but BORDERS AND B&N SAY THEY WON'T STOCK THEM. Yeah, they called them up and asked.

All in all, a great piece. Diana, you should be proud of yourself!

And Jenna - sorry, I couldn't record it, but maybe someone else did. If not, you might be able to get a copy from the station.

 

[DaveKuzminski]

You're right, T42. That post will be gone in no time at all. I'm surprised it lasted this long, but maybe the PA administrator was tired after banning several from the boards lately. It's hard work to click a mouse, you know.

Just remember that it takes only a moment to save evidence against PA. Just go to the menu on your browser, click on Save, select the save as Text option, and then select Okay. That's a bit simplified, but you should know where those menu choices are by now. Just remember to put everything in a single directory where you can find it.

 

[Susan Gable]

It should be pointed out that this one-month window is specific to these particular lines of books. A mass market original or reprint from Harper or Penguin or one of the other biggies usually has shelf presence for several months before it's stripped and returned; a trade paperback or hardcover may stick around for even longer. And if a book sells well it may be "modeled", which means that it's automatically re-ordered whenever the last copy is bought.

The reason I mention this is because it's a popular writers' myth that all books have the shelf-life of yoghurt.

- Victoria

Right again! Harlequins are marketed like magazines, a very different approach than most mass market paperbacks. Harlequin does have some books that are trade pb and single title (Red Dress Ink, Luna, HQN, MIRA), and those don't have the same type of shelf-life. It's only the category romances that are marketed in this way.

Susan G.

 

[Patricia]

Sheryl it's sad and probably won't last long on the thread. PA just doesn't care and these people don't get it!

INFO is either new or asleep most of the time. My subtle little digs are still up.

 

[clintl]

Right again! Harlequins are marketing like magazines, a very different approach than most mass market paperbacks. Harlequin does have some books that are trade pb and single title, and those don't have the same type of shelf-life. It's only the category romances that are marketed in this way.

Susan G.

I didn't know that about Harlequin. It amazes me that a system like that could work for novels, because that's not enough time for one to get noticed, let alone build a word-of-mouth reputation.

 

[CaoPaux]

I didn't know that about Harlequin. It amazes me that a system like that could work for novels, because that's not enough time for one to get noticed, let alone build a word-of-mouth reputation.

Ah, but the target market rabidly awaits each new release, so trumpeting a particular book isn't much necessary beyond "Next Month's Releases" in their newsletters. Romance is its own animal.

 

[Crystal Rivers]

Just remember that it takes only a moment to save evidence against PA. Just go to the menu on your browser, click on Save, select the save as Text option, and then select Okay. That's a bit simplified, but you should know where those menu choices are by now. Just remember to put everything in a single directory where you can find it.

Thanks, Dave.

 

[mdin]

Just a reminder: unless I've screwed up my time zones, Diana's intervew should be on TV right now for those in the Philly market.

 

[clintl]

Ah, but the target market rabidly awaits each new release, so trumpeting a particular book isn't much necessary beyond "Next Month's Releases" in their newsletters. Romance is its own animal.

Well, Harlequin is successful, so they obviously know their target market very well.

 

[reph]

In the land of Poz, we see this on a thread about not being taken seriously as a writer by friends and family (a problem which transcends these boards). Down the page, Saundra writes...
[something about getting published]

Rep points for everyone who can spot the irony!

Christine, I'm afraid the board won't allow you to hand out that many rep points in a day, or a week, or a month.

 

[Christine N.]

Sorry, Nav. You are about an hour late. Remember, we have Daylight Savings time out here. Y'all in Arizona don't have it, do you??

 

[mdin]

Sorry, Nav. You are about an hour late. Remember, we have Daylight Savings time out here. Y'all in Arizona don't have it, do you??

grrrrr. See that's the problem! I always get mixed up with where I am in relation to everyone else. To top it off I missed Murder She Wrote for the same reason, and it was the one with Doogie Howser on it! :roar:

 

[Susan Gable]

I didn't know that about Harlequin. It amazes me that a system like that could work for novels, because that's not enough time for one to get noticed, let alone build a word-of-mouth reputation.

Right. This is the beauty of writing for them. Their distribution (read: ability to get my books on the shelves!) and the line reputation is my biggest asset, especially as a new writer. I don't have to "do" anything as far as marketing is concerned. The readers are willing to take a chance on a new name because they have the "guarantee" of the "line promise" behind them. They know what the line stands for so they'll take a chance.

A lot of the bigwig writers of today started in category romance. Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Debbie Macomber, many more. Now, those days were different, but still, begining in category gives you a built-in audience to start with.

Susan G.

 

[akaa1a]

Get another safety net ready...this author is coming in for a rough landing!
:Cheer:
http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/lounge/8749.htm

Message:
Is it just me?
Or does anyone else feel that these incredibly sad stories should bother PA just a bit...

I take each story I read, good AND bad, and think to myself, "What would I do to either celebrate or fix this?"
I really wish, aside from the knowledge that we all are masters of our own paddleboats" that PA would give some public encouragement of authors who are having a rough go of it.

It would go a long way in promoting loyalty of the authors. NO ONE likes to hear that we, as part of PA, are not published legitably...or our publisher has a poor reputation.

As a business owner, I would never allow my staff or customers to swing in the wind.
Just my two cents...cha-ching!

 

[Christine N.]

Get it while it's hot... from the "Discouraged again" thread.

Message:
When I say don't quit Samia, don't. Take your work somewhere else which is what I meant by another route.
</FONT>lbs

4/12/2005
19:21:33

RE: Discouraged again
http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/ip.pl?ip=8749_32.lounge

Message:
Is it just me?
Or does anyone else feel that these incredibly sad stories should bother PA just a bit...

I take each story I read, good AND bad, and think to myself, "What would I do to either celebrate or fix this?"
I really wish, aside from the knowledge that we all are masters of our own paddleboats" that PA would give some public encouragement of authors who are having a rough go of it.

It would go a long way in promoting loyalty of the authors. NO ONE likes to hear that we, as part of PA, are not published legitably...or our publisher has a poor reputation.

As a business owner, I would never allow my staff or customers to swing in the wind.
Just my two cents...cha-ching!
</FONT>

Whoa. Don't know how that happened. But... ok!

 

[Christine N.]

Oops. akaa1a. We must have posted at the same time. LOL

 

[Sheryl Nantus]

just to let you all know that I invited one of the posters in that thread to come on over here and she wrote me back to say that she's definitely coming here more often for help and advice on how to move forward as a writer...

welcome!!!

and to all you other PA authors - come on over!

you won't be censored, deleted or banned... and the wealth of knowledge here dwarfs anything that you'll find on the PA boards!

 

[mdin]

Extra! Extra!

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/041205_cr_bookpublisher.html


<my response>

WTG, Diana! Hopefully they'll post the video. Nothing earthshattering in there, and they weren't all that clear about what Atlanta Nights was. They tried to be impartial, which is good. I know if I was coming into this with no knowledge, and I saw that, I'd definitely stay away... And that's what it's all about, isn't it?

12,000 happy authors now?

Overall not too bad for two minutes worth of airtime.

 

[lucyishome]

Extra! Extra!

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/news/041205_cr_bookpublisher.html

Thanks XNavigatorX. I just read the article and it was another good one.


Congratulations Diana way to go!!!!!!!!!!!