But where are these happy authors coming from?
Since I was a PA author, I think I can answer this question.
Say you're Jane Doe and you've written a few short stories and maybe some poetry. Your friends and family think you have a great way with words and have said many times, "You should get your work published." The thought has crossed your mind, but you have no idea how to go about it. Where does someone even begin to get published?
You love reading and happen to be a fan of the romance genre. You grab a couple of books on your nightstand and check out the publishers: Harlequin and Avon. You do a quick Google search and find out that some of the larger publishers require you to get an agent to submit your work. How the heck do you do that?
You decide to type the word publishers into a Google search and see what comes up. Dozens and dozens of sites pop up. PublishAmerica is very close to the top of the search. You click on the link and visit their website. It seems tailor-made for you. There's no cost and they say your book will be available to bookstores from sea to shining sea (you read that as books will be available IN bookstores and don't think for a second that PA won't want books to actually be IN bookstores).
You search around the PA site and find glowing testimonials. Even their message board is full of authors saying how thankful and grateful they are to PA for "giving their book the chance it deserves." Heck, it's better than having your work sit in a drawer, right? (Wrong, but I get the logic behind this thought).
You submit the manuscript and receive a response from PA almost immediately (within 24 hours). Who said publishing was a long, drawn out process? It all seems so easy. PA offers you a contract and you have a brief moment of "Hmmm... this all sounds too good to be true." Then PA sends you the author questionnaire with several tasks for you to do and you think, "How will I get all this accomplished in two weeks?" You are completely distracted by this "busy work" and any qualms you had about PA go by the wayside. Your contract arrives in the mail, you sign it and return it, and start searching for a photo that shows you in at least somewhat of a good light so it can be placed on the back cover of your book. Omigosh! YOUR BOOK! You imagine one day typing your name into an Amazon book search and wa-la, YOUR BOOK will pop up.
Then, you wonder who else has signed with PA and you do a Google search to learn more about the company.
By this time, you've posted your "Hi, I'm a new author and I couldn't be more thrilled that PA wanted to publish my book" post on the PA message board. PA is quick to snag that quote and place it on their testimonials page.
You're caught up in a whirlwind. You tell everyone you know that YOUR BOOK is going to be published. Everyone is excited for you and can't wait to read what you've written.
Cue sinister music, storm clouds, and the end of the honeymoon period. Your research reveals things about PA that you didn't notice. Wording on their website, and in the contract you so excitedly signed, that now has a false ring to it. A softball sized rock begins to form in your belly and you have a sinking feeling that you made a very big mistake.
You did make a mistake, but the story doesn't have to end there. You can realize where you went wrong, educate yourself, do more research, and move forward. PA only wins if writers stop writing.