| Author |
Message |
    
Fred Dungan
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
411
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 09, 2003 - 09:26 pm: |   |
After claiming I did not earn any royalties, Publish America sent me a check. It pays to complain.
http://www.fdungan.com/bushwhacked.htm |
HBMarcus (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 24.54.101.115
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 10, 2003 - 03:40 am: | |
Folks, I was making a joke about being thought to be CB.
Deejay, I was just saying that vanity press is no option for a newbie without funds.
Todd, I getting things cooking with THE JOE SCHMOE SHOW at the time so I ignored it. I remember reading something about the announcement but I didn't pay it any attention because I had a mess of writing to do at the time. |
Todd Hunter
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
901
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 10, 2003 - 05:06 am: | |
Oh, I pretty much ignored it too...I didn't have enough money to buy that many copies of my own book...especially for the chance to earn $500 in royalties I would have made anyway...I'd rather have spent that kind of money on lottery tickets...odds would have been better...
I was just running through my old e-mails recently and noticed that letter...
thought to myself "I wonder who finally ended up getting the $500 from April..."
If one had the time or the energy, it would be interesting to run through some of the books on the bookstore shelves, and see how many of them have been there longer than 2 months...I'm not completely sold on the idea that such things happen (they get yanked that quickly)...
Myself, I have neither... |
Victoria (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 24.60.187.36
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 10, 2003 - 07:32 am: | |
>>If one had the time or the energy, it would be interesting to run through some of the books on the bookstore shelves, and see how many of them have been there longer than 2 months...I'm not completely sold on the idea that such things happen (they get yanked that quickly)...I'm not completely sold on the idea that such things happen (they get yanked that quickly)<<
Well that's good, because that idea is a myth. A myth. A MYTH!!!!! There, I've said it.
- Victoria
Writer Beware
http://www.writerbeware.com/ |
pacwriter
Unity Member
Post Number:
1043
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 10, 2003 - 08:27 am: | |
Go to any bookstore - other than a specialty - look for Moby Dick
bet you that book has been on the shelf for months. Might sale one a year but it is available taking up shelf space.
http://www.pacwriter.netfirms.com/ |
Fred Dungan
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
417
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2003 - 01:20 am: | |
Hate to disappoint you, but Herman Melville's works are bestsellers, primarily because high school teachers assign them to their students. They have to buy them somewhere and that's why you find Billy Budd and Moby Dick on the shelf in bookstores. However, they have been known to gather dust between terms.
http://www.fdungan.com/publish.htm |
Todd Hunter
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
906
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2003 - 05:09 am: | |
Next time I go in to check how my own books are selling through a local store...
(pause for effect)
I'll have to take a look at some of the other books located on the sci-fi/fantasy shelf, and write down a few titles and authors...then perhaps I'll take a look at Amazon to take the "thermometer" view of how well they're selling...
Might as well take a scientific approach, instead of this "is so, is not" method... |
Gloria Marlow
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
488
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2003 - 06:48 am: | |
I often buy a book by someone I've not heard of. If I like it and I realize that that person has written previous books, I always go back and by some of their earlier books. I usually find them, although, I'll grant it takes a while at times. I've never had to special order one, though.
|
C. E. Winterland
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1232
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2003 - 07:52 pm: | |
I often get drawn to a book by the cover. Have a whole bookshelf filled with them, many of them have cover art by Michael Whelan...
I once got drawn to a series by a guy named Dennis L. McKiernan - First Signet Printing of the paperback of the Iron Tower Trilogy in 1985. Got sucked in by the cover art (which was front and back, with a spine window showing a partial of the front scenes). The detail of the border wrapped around a set of truly horrific scenes of demonlike creatures just grabbed me, and I bought the trilogy, and have bought most of McKiernan's books since. I still have book one of that series that I bought in 1985, though I have loaned them out many times and lost track of the other two... that cover art still inspires me - no artist credit. What a bummer.
I wonder who did the cover art... anyone know?
ROC recently re-released the Iron Tower as a single book (the way it was originally written) and it's sequel, The Silver Call (originally printed as a duology), and I don't like the cover art nearly as much, but I bought them to replace the lost originals. I do enjoy McKiernan's storyteller voice though, enough to keep me going back to Midkemia and having adventures with the many different folk that live there.
Wow... quite a tangent.
CEW |
Mr. Logic (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 68.1.138.161
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 11, 2003 - 08:28 pm: | |
I just have one question - how would HB have a clue as to what a traditional publisher might or might not do? Has he ever worked with one? |
Todd Hunter
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
910
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 05:13 am: | |
I often get pulled into books because I find them on the deep, deep discount rack. If I like what I read, I go and try to find more books by that author (usually, on the deep, deep discount rack)...
I imagine I'm an author's (and a publisher's) worst nightmare in that way...
Of course, eventually, you run out of older books by an author...
that's when the tough choices must be made on whether to plunk down more money... |
Victoria Strauss
Awareness Member
Post Number:
1
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 08:24 am: | |
Actually, as an author, used book sales and discount sales are fine with me, because the idea is to build readership...hopefully the discount buyers will eventually be moved to shell out money for a new book--even more important, hopefully they'll tell others about the book they enjoyed, and those people will buy books. It's all about word of mouth, and anything that can help to build it is just fine with me.
- Victoria
Writer Beware
http://www.writerbeware.com/ |
Wes (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 192.132.24.81
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 11:15 am: | |
I am not a PA author, but I have been following the debate for some time, and I am of the (obviously controversial) opinion that PA is a vanity press without the upfront fees, relying almost exclusively on "friends and family" to eek out a profit. What I would like to know, without veering off into acrimonious tangents, is how PA makes a profit at all.
It seems that PA's profit has to be a factor of three things: the cost to turn a manuscript into a book, the gross profit per book, and the number of books sold. POD is certainly one of the cheapest ways to get published ever devised, but is has to cost something for salaries and rent and other overhead, so let me throw out a figure of $200. I don't know what the gross profit per book is, but $10 seems reasonable. That leaves the key factor, the number of books sold, and using my admittedly imprecise figures net profit would not be realized until more than 20 books were sold.
I don't know what the market for thin $20 paperbacks is, but I know it isn't mammoth. Although there are certainly authors who have sold far more than twenty copies, there are undoubtedly those who have sold less. Maybe PA has great sales and is doing very well, but if I was contemplating a PA-type enterprise, I would be very nervous about investing $200 a pop in unknown authors proffering unedited product to be placed in an overpriced package (I know that will raise some hackles, but I don't think it's inaccurate). |
Laurel Johnson
Unity Member
Post Number:
2418
Registered: 01-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 11:46 am: | |
As a writer who has published with both PublishAmerica and 1stBooks - a subsidy publisher for sure - I can speak to this.
It cost me nothing to publish with PA. It cost appr. $600 to publish with 1stBooks, which was their initial upfront outlay and then some. Even if I had not sold one book thru 1stBooks, they made their money up front and were satisfied.
I have no idea how much it cost PA to produce my book, but if it was $600 or less then they made a profit on me without any problem at all. Multiply their profit margin by 3,000 authors and you are suddenly in a very nice ballpark. |
Matt Dinniman
Hunger Member
Post Number:
93
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 12:08 pm: | |
I seem to remember reading the average PA book sells somewhere around 72 copies. That includes the few 'hits' they've had that've sold into the 1,000s. I think many authors purchase a lot of their own books, too. Just from reading the PA board they seem to buy 30-40 copies regularly.
Somethingpeople don't realize is that even with the author discount, PA makes a lot of money on selling the books. I'd be curious to know what percentage of PA's income comes from selling authors and their immediate family their own books. I bet it's >75%. |
Victoria Strauss
Awareness Member
Post Number:
2
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 12:56 pm: | |
The profit of the "traditional" or commercial publisher comes from selling large numbers of books from a limited number of authors. The average "traditionally" or commercially published author can generally count on selling several thousand books at a minimum, even if s/he doesn't do any form of self-promotion--simply because commercial publishers are good at getting books onto bookstore shelves, and also are able to ensure that the books they publish are reviewed in the publications that booksellers, librarians, and the public read. Of course, with a bigger publisher push and/or diligent author self-promotion, a commercially-published author can sell many more than a few thousand copies.
PA reverses this equation. Instead of selling lots of books from a few authors, it sells a few books from lots of authors. In terms of the actual numbers of books sold, it's probably selling as or nearly as many as a moderately-sized commercial publisher; the difference is that sales don't come from 20 or 30 authors, but from 2,000 or more. So if a commercial publisher sells 200,000 books a year, that's an average of 6,000-10,000 per author; if PA sells 200,000 books a year, that's an average of 100 per author.
Despite this large number of authors and individual books--each of which must be formatted individually and given individual cover art--PA probably spends far less on overhead than the commercial publisher, which invests a great deal more skilled staff time in acquiring, producing, and marketing its books. The commercial publisher's profit margin, therefore, is probably tighter, and it stands to actually lose money on individual books, which I'm sure PA almost never does.
Another difference, as others have pointed out: the commercial publisher's books are mostly sold to the public and to libraries. PA's books, I'm willing to bet, are mostly sold to their authors.
- Victoria
Writer Beware
http://www.writerbeware.com/ |
Todd Hunter
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
912
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 03:56 pm: | |
I can vouch that it didn't cost me a dime to get my book published through Publish America. In the last year-and-a-half (approximate) since my book became available, however, in order to make the book sellable (for a reasonable price), I've spent out well more than I've taken in through royalties and profits. Had I not done this, the number of books sold would have been approximately half the current total (which isn't a tremendous number to start with), and a number of bookstores wouldn't have given me the light of day when I approached them for signings.
Given that almost every notice that is sent from PA to its authors involves some sort of special deal where one can buy copies of their own book at a discounted rate, it doesn't take a great leap to figure out who they're trying to sell to...
But that's just my take on it... |
Matt Dinniman
Hunger Member
Post Number:
94
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 10:20 pm: | |
This thread is a good example of what I was talking about. People are ordering several hundred copies, it appears.
http://www.publishamerica.com/cgi-bin/pamessageboard/data/main/8186.htm
(Message edited by matt dinniman on November 12, 2003) |
Fred Dungan
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
419
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 12, 2003 - 10:27 pm: | |
That's right, Todd, they are marketing their books to the wrong people, us, the writers who wrote them, at ridiculously inflated prices that makes it impossible to compete with books being produced by reputable publishers. I do believe we are being suckered.
http://www.fdungan.com/bushwhacked.htm |
Sheila Schmidt
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
350
Registered: 05-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 09:44 am: | |
Matt,
Interesting thread. Will probably get more interesting before it is over.
Sheila |
Tony (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 24.31.215.202
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 11:16 am: | |
For those who want to pay others to print/make their books, at least get the most bang for your buck. Instead of PA/Xlibris/1st Books, etc., think about setting up an account with Lightning Source instead.
At last check LSI charged about $4.80 per paperback (less than 300 pages) and $6.00 - $7.55 for hardback.
Or go to someone like Morrison Printing who can offer you really deep discounts if you have the money to order in bulk. 1,000 books for about $2.60 each. That is a lot of profit margin to play with so that offering the usual 55% distributor discount doesn't hurt you nearly as much, and you can offer a book with prices more in line with other similar books by traditional publishers.
Note: I do not believe Morrison makes hardbacks, though. Paperbacks only. |
Todd Hunter
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
914
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 04:42 pm: | |
I've definitely contemplated running with the ball myself on the second book...
There's a book manufacturer just south of here, which may make things interesting when I finish writing and editing...
But the time between now and then is a while, so things may change... |
Laurel Johnson
Unity Member
Post Number:
2421
Registered: 01-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 07:57 pm: | |
Unfortunately.....I cannot afford to be my best customer when it comes to book buying. What books I keep on hand I manage to sell, but cannot buy in volume.
My problem is that many people want my PA published book in hard copy. It ain't in hard copy and won't be probably. I'm no salesman. Never will be. Those who are.....I envy you. I wrote the book and can't afford to be the only one purchasing it and that is the straight scoop from here. Not a whine. Not a rant, just the hard facts from my financial perspective. |
Claudia Turner VanLydegraf
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
714
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 08:54 pm: | |
Laurel,
Much the same on this end. I can buy some books, but not 50+ at a time, and simply cannot wait until I sell those to recoup my money. I can sell them, but the when is a big problem for me, I can't sit on them for a few months in the hope that they eventually sell, therefore, it's a huge no-go for me to purchase a bunch and then hope, wait to get that money back. As is, I have to wait a month or sometimes more to get paid for the work that I do and put money out of my pocket for copies before I get that money back, and I need to do that to keep getting orders for documents, etc, and to do the jobs that I get paid for in the next few weeks. Financially not feasible here to put out money for books to sit in my truck awaiting sale.
Much is the pity.
BTW, I figured out what it would be to buy those 51 books for this latest promo, and it woudl be $588 and change, because I have to pay from the old retail price of $16.95 plus shipping, and not the new price on the PA board of $13.95...... go figure. And my book hasn't seen a sale on Amazon or B&N since March of 2002. Kinda hurts the process, I would think, with everyone and their brother having a Christmas sale on books, and mine hasn't seen a sale figure in 1 1/2 plus years.
Claudia |
Fred Dungan
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
420
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 13, 2003 - 10:35 pm: | |
It's obvious that PublishAmerica has priced us out of the game. We can either beg for crumbs or take them to task. I prefer the latter.
http://www.fdungan.com/bushwhacked.htm |
Todd Hunter
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
916
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 05:14 am: | |
As I sit here typing, I have approximately 70 books (remaining from my last order) sitting on the floor of my office...oops.
Or, Fred, we can write another book, get it published elsewhere, and offer the proof when another publisher treats us better...
At least that's the way I see it...only my opinion... |
Thadine Quick
Awareness Member
Post Number:
1
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 01:38 pm: | |
Todd, they banned me too...
Hello everyone, my name it Thadine Quick and PA published my first Novella, "Addicted to YOU... When Saying Goodbye could get you KILLED…" To say that I'm unhappy with PA would be an understatement; but more than that, a doggon shame... I gave up a perfectly good book to them that may have otherwise done something in the literary world.
Anyway, for those of you who may remember me CE, Kevin, and Tyrone… Remember we all hit the ground running around the same time with PA? While some of our books did better than others (KEVIN) I still think that our ultimate goal was the same and that was to take this literary world by Storm. It didn't take us long to realize that we were the only ones with that literary goal in mind. Who would have thought that we would have to fight our own publishing company?
Anyway, the reason for my post is last week I tapped into PA message board to see what was going on and find out why they keep promoting this new PA book they got coming out, and also to find out why I wasn't invited to collaborate in the making of the PA book. Hell if they sent OUR BOOKS around as much as they sent this book we may get some freaking exposure. So, anyway, I'm good enough to buy the book but not good enough to share my publishing experience. Of course the "Soon-to-be-published-thank-God-PA-Accepted-my-book-Authors" are over their sucking up and kissing butt and before I could hit submit, these Authors were responding to a message that I addressed to the info center... Talk about being brainwashed! I swear to GOD if I ever see Mazoo azz out on the street it's on. LOL
Anyway, PA banned me because I told them that was messed up that they can email me to buy this new book but couldn't email me to collaborate on the making of the book. Mazoo came back and basically told me to shut the hell up PA would never do that and that my email was bleeped up. Of course you know I had to check his butt, but of course PA deleted my post. Now it's okay for him to talk stuff to me, but it's not okay for me to respond. Anyway, I was pissed after seeing that they didn't let my post clear!!!!
How dare they????? Check out their post below.
-----Original Message-----
From: Quick, Thadine
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 1:46 PM
To: 'info@publishamerica.com'
Subject: Better Business Bureau
Dear Info Center...
Is it your policy to delete everything you don't agree with on your message board? Whoever you have working that board needs to rethink his position because clearly they are being unfair.
Censorship played out many years ago.
We, as Author's do have a right to voice our opinion about your not keeping us informed about an upcoming event, or in my case about collaborating on the latest PA book, just as it is your right to dispute my opinion. It's a' shame that my message was deleted in its entirety... It makes me wonder if there was some truth to my original claim.
In any event, this letter is simply an FYI to you... Since I was unable to respond directly to the Authors on your board (who by the way have a right to know) I Bcc at least fifty of them with regards to this letter and since I'm so offended, I probably won't stop there.
I'm not sure how Willem Meiners would feel about my concerns; but I'm sure BBB, and perhaps Predators and Editors would like to know.
Regards,
Thadine
-----Original Message-----
From: Author Support Team [mailto:support@publishamerica.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 3:58 PM
To: Quick, Thadine
Subject: Re: Thadine Quick: more misconceptions
Ms. Quick,
Do not address us in such a tone. Contrary to your statements, you do not
have any such "rights" at all.
Also contrary to your earlier insinuations, our email about submitting for
the author's guide went out to all authors. The fault for your not
receiving the email is not ours. The fault is on your end.
But if we hadn't sent it to all authors, if we had been selecting certain
authors, that would not have been a problem, and it would not have been
unfair. Contrary to your earlier statement, a publishers selecting authors
for certain things does not constitute any sort of "bad business practice"
at all.
You are under quite a few misconceptions. Your facts are wrong, your
accusations are wrong, and your insinuations are wrong. There is no
"censorship", there is nothing unfair, and there are no problems at all.
We will expect your apology.
Thank you,
Author Support Team
support@publishamerica.com
Author Support Team,
I beg to differ with you and certainly your response proves me right yet again.
I can't change the way you run your business; but I can share your thoughts with other Authors and even Publishers... My original email expressed a concern about my not being able to voice my opinion on the message board without be deleted and/or dismissed. The fact that you have deleted my opinion leads me to believe that you are an unfair Publisher who would rather Author's not voice their concerns, and or share their opinion.
In any event, please continue to run your business the way you see fit, you have that right. Just as I have the right to voice my concerns. It would be interesting to see how many Authors and Publishers would be surprised to read your response to me. In fact, I think I'll post it on every literary message board I can find. Thank you for sharing your opinion... It's noted.
Thadine
Okay, enough drama on my part, what's up with you all? Thank God it's the weekend!!!!!
 |
pacwriter
Unity Member
Post Number:
1044
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 02:11 pm: | |
Welcome Thadine
No censorship here just understanding.
We have been there, and trying to move on leaving PA to do their thing.
In the process we try to warn other people about PA.
again Welcome and happy writing
http://www.pacwriter.netfirms.com/ |
Claudia Turner VanLydegraf
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
716
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 02:24 pm: | |
Hey Thadine,
WELCOME HOME GIRL FRIEND!!!! I have been here many years now, and totally since I was banned about a 1 1/2 years ago. Good to see you have finally been shown where you are wanted. Please spend time with us. You know what I am all about, and have been through, I hope that things have been better for you. Have you had any contact with KCarr lately? She hasn't gotten in touch with me for several years now. Of course, I told her in my last email that I was severing my relationship with her because of misdeeds concerning where she sent my MS to in the first place.
Anyway, wlecome home and please come back often. Your baby is the cutest little one. What is her(?)name??? I have missed you.
Claudia
http://notesfromnobody.homestead.com/book.html |
Thadine Quick
Awareness Member
Post Number:
2
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 03:34 pm: | |
Hey Pacwriter and Claudia... Whassup!!!!
Thanks for saying hello and for sure I'll tap here often and see what's going on. There are so many interested threads here at mindsights. I can't wait to jot down some of these great publishing ideas. I have been gone too long.
Claudia, no contact at all with KCarr... Sorry to hear about you two. I really didn’t know her that well. My baby-girl name is Zaria. She is 5 going on 25… I've missed you too... Hope your book is topping the charts. Mine is still struggling at the box office but I'm keeping hope alive.
Take care all, and I'll write and/or read you soon.
Thadine
|
Gloria Marlow
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
490
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 03:42 pm: | |
Thadine, So many of us disappeared from the PA board about the same time. I wonder about some of those that were there then. You. And also I think her name was Diane, the lady who had written a book about losing her daughter. I think it was "Today I Smile". That seems like a million years ago that I was on the board so excited about being published and all that I thought was to come. I have learned sooo much since then and feel like things are improving every day.
Welcome!!!
Gloria |
Todd Hunter
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
918
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 03:49 pm: | |
That sounds similar to the type of message I sent them back after they accused me of trying to "Trojan Horse" my way into promoting Mindsight on their board...heeeeee-larious...
(oh, and said message got me banned "indefinitely")
It's even more hilarious because that wasn't my intent...
if I wanted to be sneaky, I'd have found a way that they wouldn't have caught...silly people.
They were pulling my post over and over, and not telling me why...
such a common occurence, I didn't bother wondering...
Oh well...as pac mentioned, trying to move on to bigger and better things...
I attempt to distance my book (and myself) as far as possible from its publisher...I find it easier to promote in such a way...at least until I run out of books, then it's over... |
Jennifer Lynn
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
869
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 05:59 pm: | |
Heck at least you guys know why you were banned. I just tuned in one day, deciding to add a comment to some thread that actually sounded reasonable, and low and behold... my password was no longer valid! I've sent several emails asking what happened, did I type it incorrectly, forgotten it, etc? to no avail. Still haven't heard squat. If I wasn't bitter before, I am now because I have never publicly lambasted PublishAmerica.
However, that being said.. I am moving forward with my writing career. Got prelim. cover art from my new novel today, but its not exactly to my liking. The artist says he'll have something else for me to look at tomorrow. Once its decided on, I'll let y'all see it.
BTW Thadine, welcome aboard! 
Jenn |
Matt Dinniman
Hunger Member
Post Number:
95
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 06:09 pm: | |
Dear Lord Thadine, that's the cutest kid I've ever seen!
Sorry people, carry on.
Matt Dinniman
http://www.mattdinniman.com |
Fred Dungan
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
421
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, November 14, 2003 - 08:21 pm: | |
Welcome, Thadine. Might as well get comfortable and stay awhile.
http://www.fdungan.com/publish.htm |
Todd Hunter
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
922
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, November 15, 2003 - 07:13 am: | |
Glad to hear some good news, Jenn...
Hope the cover art turns out to your liking... |
Thadine Quick
Awareness Member
Post Number:
3
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 17, 2003 - 11:24 am: | |
Hey everyone, thanks for the welcome... Feels great! I just sent Spike Lee a copy of my debut novella, "Addicted to YOU." Here's hoping that my book get lost in the holiday cheer mail and actually makes it to his desk. Pray for me!!!!
Anyway, if you all are really serious about getting your book out there, order some books and send them out... I'm doing that now... Let's see, I have on my list Oprah, HBO pictures, Showtime Original Pictures, ABC, NBC, Fox Executives, and Will and Jade Smith... Did I miss anybody? Now I just have to rob the bank and get the money to buy my own book... Dag my work is never done. Anybody know Queen Latifah number?
Love
Peace and
Soul...(Sorry all, I watched soul train this weekend...LOL)
Thadine |
Mary Gibbs
Hunger Member
Post Number:
86
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 17, 2003 - 02:59 pm: | |
Thadine,
Howdy! I'm one of the "old school" PA authors. I was published by them in October of 2000. Fortunately for me, after complaining about them on another message board (I'm sure some of you oldsters remember that one...pre-Mindsight...hee hee), I was "kicked out" of the PA circle. They gave me my rights back after a severe (ha ha) tongue lashing. I'm sooo upset about that, can you tell? :0) Hey, maybe if you complain enough they'll give you yours back to!
Anyhoo...I love your upbeat attitude. Keep it. May you have all the success you can handle!
Oh yeah, & what's it with little girls? Mine is 19 months going on 19 years. She's crazy!
Mary |
cb (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 198.81.26.175
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2003 - 05:33 pm: | |
I have 3 books out with Pa and have never bought any from them for my own use or to sell them, maybe a handful for gifts...therefore, low sales, of course, though one did sell a few hundred.
I submitted a 4th recently only because it was novel based on a true story after my sister died earlier this year...but I also indicated on my submission that as a multi-author, I hoped for a chance at some promotion for this one, as it means so much to me.
Of course I never even heard back from them!
Probably, it was never even looked at, since I "dared" to make such a request... |
Deejay (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 129.107.36.114
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2003 - 05:41 pm: | |
The same cb who outed Todd and I on the PA boards? How interesting.
Deejay
|
Gloria Marlow
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
495
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 18, 2003 - 07:39 pm: | |
Deejay, I think it's a much different one...
|
K Johnson
Awareness Member
Post Number:
1
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 12:21 am: | |
I never posted on the PublishAmerica board. I tried to get an account and I was never able to. I began complaining once I learned the cover price of my book and I was blacklisted before it ever came out. I never heard a single thing from them ever again except when they sent me my copies. It was a very bitter experience and at the time I decided to forget it but it won't go away. At the urging of my husband I set out to see if others have been mishandled by PublishAmerica. I am so surprised there's so many out there. Why doesn't anyone do something?
K Johnson |
Jennifer Lynn
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
887
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 12:52 am: | |
Hi K.. welcome to the board.
I hear your pain, really I do. It seems PA manages to barely stick inside the letter of the law, so doing something isn't as easy as one would think. For me, I signed my contract after having heard some bad stories, but I was so darned anxious to get published that I plunged in anyway. I have five more years to my contract to go, and my PA book has virtually died because I don't have the time or the energy to promote it anymore.
My advice is to move on. I know it's a hard pill to swallow, but nothing is going to come of being bitter because PA just doesn't give a damn. Since my PA experience, I've gone on to another publisher and have a new book out, with another due out in the spring. There IS life after PublishAmerica. They've already stolen your book, don't let them steal your dreams.
Jenn
(Message edited by jenniferlynn on November 19, 2003) |
pacwriter
Unity Member
Post Number:
1049
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 08:25 am: | |
Hi K
There are things being done and there have been things done. through the efforts of people at Mindsight and Writer Beware and others, contracts have changed, people are being warned and PA has made some concessions. It is a slow go but the effort to create change at PA is still going on.
http://www.pacwriter.netfirms.com/ |
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