| Author |
Message |
    
Sheryl Nantus
Awareness Member
Post Number:
15
Registered: 02-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 12:54 pm: |   |
ah, I gotcha now Laurel... my apologies for having misunderstood that in the first place.
I still think a lot of it is that many PA authors rush to MBR for a review, assuming that it'll be positive and validate their book - no matter how bad it may be - unfortunately tarring MBR's rep in the process in some people's view...
jmo, ymmv.
|
LaurieAnne
Unity Member
Post Number:
1228
Registered: 12-2001
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 03:26 pm: | |
Replying to Dennis' question waaaaaaaaaayyyyyy up there a ways...
Thank you for thinking of my financial affairs, Dennis. However, after thoroughly inspecting samples from various POD sources, questioning the training of individuals operating the machinery, questioning their paper purchasing practices concerning grain of the paper used, and fully investigating the cost per copy of printing, distribution, royalties, etc, I don't feel that POD technology has come as far as it should to be cost effective for a small publisher.
As I have stated in the past, I am investing in each author for the long journey. I don't expect my authors to sell just a few hundred books. I expect each author to sell at least 2000 copies. Between the combined efforts of AIB, the author, and my small-but-efficient team of support staff across the country, if we cannot sell 2000 copies per book, then we are not performing our jobs with enthusiasm and gusto. I will gladly store some copies in a warehouse (meaning my home-based office space) and know that I spent at most $3/copy than to order only 50 books at a time at a cost on average of $5/copy.
(That's the LONG way of saying, "No POD here. I use offset printing only.")
LA
www.authorsinkbooks.com
LaurieAnne
|
John Laurence Robinson
Hsympothai Member
Post Number:
500
Registered: 01-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 06:20 pm: | |
I'll second Claudia's kudos and give a hearty "yowza" of my own to both MBR (Laurel, you sweetie!) and myshelf.com for their glowing reviews of Sock Monkey Blues. And I don't say that just because those reviews WERE "glowing"; if they'd have said my poor little book stank worse than Brittany Spears' singing (which we'll all agree is horrid), it would have stung, but I would have taken it as honest opnion...and that makes their nice words that much more satisfying.
'Nuff said.
John |
Deejay (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 24.0.45.234
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 02:42 pm: | |
Well, I had a book reviewed by MBR (thanks again, Laurel) and my Nancy Mehl at myshelf and I was very pleased with both reviews. I never thought the reviewers were nice to me because they know me - they don't. I post here every now and again and at one time Laurel very generously sent me a copy of one of her books (I offered to buy one from her, but she said no), but they certainly don't know me so didn't feel an obligation to offer "good" reviews. I also had another book reviewed by MBR - that one was sent to them by the publisher so there are people who take these reviews seriously. I know I did (do).
Deejay |
Laurel Johnson
Unity Member
Post Number:
2670
Registered: 01-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 03:42 pm: | |
I know very few of the authors I review personally, at least when I first review them. Sometimes I get to know them better as time goes on, but the majority are totally unknown to me.
Yes your book is one that is not easily forgotten, Deejay. It was fiction that read like non fiction. Very well done. |
Fred Dungan
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
604
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2004 - 09:15 pm: | |
Did someone mention Britney Spears? She doesn't have to sing to rate the 9 this dirty old man gives her.
Vigilantes - hear it, see it, read it as I write it
http://www.fdungan.com/vigilantes.htm |
Deejay (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 24.0.45.234
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 05:48 pm: | |
Laurel - Thank you so much for the compliment. I haven't done anything with the PA book in ages, in fact, I don't even know if it's still selling anywhere because I don't bother to track it. I didn't get a royalty check this time around so that may mean the book isn't even out there anymore. Instead, I am doing the agent search for a new book - ugh!! I hate this part so much.
Deejay |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.98.105
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 06:01 pm: | |
Sigh... MBR gives nothing but "happy" reviews and is one of few to review vanity POD books, hence is completely unobjective. No traditional publishing houses or anyone affiliated with them gives any credence to an MBR review. |
Todd Hunter
Unity Member
Post Number:
1183
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 06:07 pm: | |
Good thing reviews are for the general public to mull through (and decide to buy a book), and not meant for winning over publishing houses...
Correct me if I'm wrong, John, but isn't your new publisher traditional? |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.98.105
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 06:14 pm: | |
Everyone knows who the reviewers are: Kirkus, LJ, Booklist et al. Online reviews are meaningless. |
Steven Shrewsbury
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
560
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 06:57 pm: | |
Funny that a nameless persona drops a word like "meaningless" on the words of folks who read and give opinions of books.
Like anyone else, one can dislike a book by another author. I was very pleased that Laurel read and reviewed 2 of my books--DEPTHS OF SAVAGERY and BULLETPROOF SOUL when they are not really in her realm of reading material. It took some salt and some drive to wade through thousands of words by a big knucklehead she never met and give an honest opinion. I paid her no cash and she had nothing to gain from giving me positive comments.
The fact that a writer and reader of romance and drama actually wrapped her mind around tales of barbarism, conspiracy, psychometry, and agents of destruction showed she has great range. Also, quote from Laurel Johnson were happy accepted by a new pub for includion in blurbs for other books. Thus, not meaningless at all. If she woulda said MAN THIS SUCKS I am man enough to accept that.
More than one guy I sent links to about BULLETPROOF SOUL was hesitant to buy it. They read Laurel's review and got interested. Thus, I got some sales...thus, not meaningless.
Many others have reviewed my material and these can be read at
http://www.stevenshrewsbury.com/reviews/index.php
|
Dennis Collins
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
637
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 07:11 pm: | |
The site that I write reviews for, Myshelf.com regularly receives requests from major publishing houses to review their products. I've done some on requests from Harper-Collins et al.
If New York doesn't consider us meaningless why should I worry about the opinion of one who hides behind a toy name? |
Deejay (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 24.0.45.234
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 07:23 pm: | |
Publius 2 - that's the great thing about this forum. Everyone is allowed to present his or her opinion - even when it's flat out wrong.
Deejay
P.S. Sorry, Dennis, but I think I'll keep hiding behind my toy name. 
Deejay |
Todd Hunter
Unity Member
Post Number:
1186
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 07:39 pm: | |
Plus, our Laurel has reviewed books for one of Tor's best-selling authors...
I'd hardly call that meaningless either...
but maybe that's just me... |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.98.102
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 07:48 pm: | |
"Plus, 'our Laurel' has reviewed books for one of Tor's best-selling authors... "
What the qualifications for reviewing? Sorry, it's one friend reviewing another. You may like it, but everyone knows what it is.
Wrong? No, I think not. Online reviews by friends is well, typical for these kinds of books no matter who wrote them. For comparison find me a critical hard review by this Midwest Book Review? What haven't they liked? |
Deejay (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 24.0.45.234
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 09:16 pm: | |
No, Publius, your wrong again. I already said that I didn't know Laurel - she wasn't a friend reviewing a book for me. I don't think I could be any clearer than that. Tor and Harper-Colllins are traditional publishers so if they ask MBR and myshelf for reviews, they must be putting some stock in them.
Deejay |
Violet Towe
Wandering Member
Post Number:
247
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 09:22 pm: | |
I believe that this Publius2 is non other than Mark York, or is that Mike York? Another name he uses is RebelWriter? He is also another person who has a book published through PA.
Oh yes, he was banned from the WritersNet site using the Mark York name but has now got back on under this Publius2 name. Funny how some people can be exposed of who they are, even when they don't use their real name. I read other message boards too. Now he's over on the Absolute Writer board and, yep you guessed it, he spouts out the same old stuff over there that he has here.
In fact on the Absolute Writer board he has said many times that the people here at Mindsight are happy PA authors who defends them. Can't imagine where he's read that from. And, if you pop over to the Absolute Writer board, you will find his messages of where he says he's coming over here and telling everyone off and how they coward down to him.
In other words, Mr. York aka RebelWriter, Publius2, you have been exposed for what you are on every message board you visit.
Now you know the rest of the story. |
Nancy Mehl
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1494
Registered: 08-2001
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 10:44 pm: | |
Violet,
You're really Paul Harvey! (I knew I'd heard that down to earth wisdom somewhere before!) LOL!
Nancy |
Nancy Mehl
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1495
Registered: 08-2001
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 11, 2004 - 10:54 pm: | |
Mark,
I review for MyShelf.com and a large Knight Ridder newspaper. I receive books from large publishers all the time. Laurel and I both made the decision long ago to focus the small press and POD books because we believe there are many, many excellent authors out there who weren't picked up by the big houses for reasons that had nothing to do with the quality of their work. Publishers may turn down a book because it isn't what they're pursuing at that moment. Many are not interested in new authors - they want someone with a proven track record. Hard to do if you've just written your first book.
I am proud of our committment to bring attention to these authors. I am also proud to say that I've run across a few authors who have gone back into the fray armed with a review from me that gave them confidence to try the large houses again. One such author had his book picked up by a major publisher that released it into mass market paperback. Quess whose review is on the front AND back cover?
Your assertation that our reviews are meaningless is asinine. You have no clue what you're talking about.
Nancy |
Violet Towe
Wandering Member
Post Number:
249
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 05:19 am: | |
Nancy, just so you and Laurel will know, over on the Absolute Writer there's this man by the name of James McDonald (Or McDaniel) who is really saying bad things about MBR, and I think, MyShelf.
I'm not bad mouthing Mr. McDonald (McDaniel), some of the things he says are very informative, just don't know where he gets his information about the two of you. |
Steven Shrewsbury
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
561
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 05:26 am: | |
Me? Cower to Mark York?
BWAHAHAHAHAHA
All he has on me is more time in the day to waste posting on forums. If he concentrated on WRITING more than trying to gain personal status by attempting to out smart folks online, he would be better for it. |
Ohdear (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 68.63.93.167
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 05:40 am: | |
Violet,
Rebelwriter is a different person from Mark York. Mark has been banned on Absolute Write. And to show how much he learned about being nice to others, he followed up that banning by posting a bogus "review" on Amazon slamming one of the moderator's books -- then sent her a "so there" email to let her know. So, he doesn't have friends on Absolute Write either. He mostly hangs out on WritersNet because of the low moderation policy there -- he's been Marky, Bibliophile, and now Publius2. His patter stays the same: hates PA and all publishers who use POD for anything, hates women, hates religion, and responds by claiming "facts" when he's done no research at all. Spouting nonsense about book reviews is actually just part of an ongoing nonsense spouting -- he's also been known to claim all Christian publishing is "extreme niche" and doesn't count and M.J.Rose never published a novel with a traditional publishing company. He finally had to give in on the last one but honestly, no level of demonstrating his ignorance will get him to recant a stupid remark until he figures out a way to make the recant only underline his basic belief system -- POD is all bad, women are all stupid, and religious people are all deluded.
Ultimately, he spends about as much time embarrassing himself publically as Marcus does on the PA board. They just don't know how closely they are brothers under the PA patter. The sad thing is that he does such a good job of making anyone who warns people away from PA look like idiots, that he successfully undermines a lot of the efforts of the watchdogs like Victoria and Dave. Sort of the way Marcus helps warn people away from PA by making it look like a company that harbors lunatics. Poor P2 *thinks* PA is following him around and persecuting him when they are really all praying for his continued obsession and good health -- he does them more good than google ads.
But I guess the sides ultimately balance. It does make normal folks get awfully tired of seeing the foam fly when these guys post. |
Laurel Johnson
Unity Member
Post Number:
2674
Registered: 01-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 05:45 am: | |
I've admitted that I know the difference between the NYT and MBR when it comes to clout in the industry. I've admitted that I know my place as a reviewer and have no illusions. And I've explained my review rules.
Publius chose to ignore all that so I'm not sure what the agenda is. I've made my position clear on several subjects regarding reviewing. And still Publius belabors the same point.
I can't control what other people think or do, only my own thougts and actions.
Thanks to those who defended me, but Publius does not care what you say, nor is he interested in learning a new perspective.
After reading what Publius and the other person said I've reached my own conclusion. This is yet another campaign to make PublishAmerica authors -
and those published by other small presses - feel bad about themselves. I hope those authors reading their posts don't allow such people to distract them from their goals as writers. |
Todd Hunter
Unity Member
Post Number:
1188
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 05:50 am: | |
In my opinion, Jim/James was simply making a blanket statement, versus trying to make specifics, Violet...and I'm pretty sure his statement was just about MBR...don't recall anything being said about MyShelf (but I could be wrong)...but I do know he wasn't making specific comments about Nancy or Laurel...
There's a big problem with making blanket statements...
The same trouble comes when folks say things like "All PA books are crap."
It's simply not true...it may hold true for a great number of them (not for me to say, since I haven't read but about 10 or so...and the majority of those were quite well done...that's the beauty of screening excerpts before you run out and buy a book, because you'll see what the book looks like), but you have to watch yourself when making blanket statements, because there will always be those who don't fall under that statement...
Who's to say that some of the things Jim/James said doesn't hold true for other MBR reviewers? It's quite possible...but, blanket statements hold that problem...
Just pointing that out... |
Violet Towe
Wandering Member
Post Number:
251
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 05:52 am: | |
I stand corrected, Ohdear, and I appologize to Mr. RebelWriter for my assuming he was this Mark York. I suppose the reason I drew that conculsion is they write about the same and sound about the same in the messages. But, like I said, I stand corrected.
You have told me something I didn't know, that Mark York was Bibliophile, wonder why I didn't catch that when I read his garbage over on WritersNet? I agree with you on your comparison of Mark York and HB Marcus, I think they were found under the same stump.
Thanks for correcting me on this matter, and come back to visit us more, I like what you have to say. |
Violet Towe
Wandering Member
Post Number:
252
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 06:37 am: | |
Todd, I have no way of knowing WHAT Jim/James meant to say, and neither do you, I only know what he wrote. If what you are saying is ture, then why didn't he say, some of the reviewers at MBR, but not all of them, are this or that way. That's not what he wrote, so I can only take what he said at face value.
Anyone can read between the lines of any message that is posted on any message board, and come up with the wrong answer. So, with that in mind, I take him for what he said, not what I think he meant to say. |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.98.16
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 11:02 am: | |
True on Rebelwriter, (she is the only other writer to file a complaint against PA)false on the rest. James Macdonald is the author of the statement on MBR. I just happen to agree with him. Too bad if the guilty parties don't agree. The world knows the difference even if you don't.
York fights off PA shills all the time at writersnet and did so at AW until the easily-offended ex-PAers complained about the messenger. Let's get this straight: PA isn't under investigation because of the people who paid off the company to get out. It's because one person had the gumption to call them on their deceptive business practices.
If you doubt Mr. York's conviction and legitimacy ask Ann Crispin. I beleive she made a statement on the matter just yesterday that refutes everything you folks have said here today with your en masse ad hominems. I'll take her word if you don't mind. Wake up and smell the coffee. |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.98.16
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 11:33 am: | |
That reference would be right here.
http://pub43.ezboard.com/fabsolutewritefrm11.showMessageRange?topicID=209.topic&start=361&stop=380 |
Todd Hunter
Unity Member
Post Number:
1189
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, March 12, 2004 - 10:21 pm: | |
"Todd, I have no way of knowing WHAT Jim/James meant to say, and neither do you, I only know what he wrote. If what you are saying is ture, then why didn't he say, some of the reviewers at MBR, but not all of them, are this or that way. That's not what he wrote, so I can only take what he said at face value."
But in his statement, he did not single out Nancy or Laurel...that was my point...he made a blanket statement...
If he had said it the way you'd written it in the last part of this statement, it wouldn't have been a blanket statement...a blanket statement covers everyone/everything (thus, why it's referred to as a blanket statement)...
To expound on this, there have been many instances where folks here at Mindsight have been the victim of a blanket statement (by those on other boards)...by someone saying that everyone who posts here:
a) is only mad at PA because their books aren't doing well.
b) don't want to do any real work in promoting their books (and thus, 'a' comes about.
c) is pulling food out of kids' mouths.
Now, obviously, that can't hold true for everyone...because I know for fact I (and many others) worked (and some are still working) hard at promoting the books we've written...and there are probably a great number of people around here who have other major beefs with PA...and unfortunately, the third statement is so ludicrous as to be laughable...
But there may be others posting here (which I doubt, but it could be) that fit all three (except 'c', of course) criteria...there may be a majority of them around (again, I doubt, but it's possible)...that's the problem with blanket statements...they will never hold true for 100% of the people they mention.
wow, that was rather long-winded...hope I didn't lose anyone in all that verbage... |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.98.12
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 09:24 am: | |
Jim meant what he said. It concerned the company MBR and all the reviewers. It may be a blanket statement to those who believe in a parallel universe of credability and who earns it and how. What are the criteria for a reviewer and for a book to be reviewed? That's what he meant. Those are the facts that the real publishing world uses not the weekend book club of Topeka. |
C. E. Winterland
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1372
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 09:38 am: | |
Publius and Ann,
Just to be clear... The Maryland Attorney General's office has seen many more than simply 1 complaint regarding the afforementioned publisher, and LONG before anyone had ever heard of Mark York, by the way.
I have all of the documentation resulting from my own such letters to various organizations, including the AG's office.
Do they not keep those records, I wonder?
CEW |
Gloria Marlow
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
628
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 01:49 pm: | |
I thought quite a few people long ago wrote the Attorney General's office. I also didn't realize that letters to the Attorney General were made public record.
Besides that, what in the heck do complaints against PA have to do with MBR or other book reviewers?
Gloria |
Todd Hunter
Unity Member
Post Number:
1202
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 02:02 pm: | |
I've been trying to figure that out myself, honestly, Gloria...
nice new pic by the way... |
Gloria Marlow
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
634
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 02:58 pm: | |
Thanks, Todd.
I read the post by Ann three times to see if I was missing how it pertained. How did it prove "Mr. York's conviction and legitimacy" about MBR being a bogus reviewer? How did her statement "refute everything you folks have said here today with your en masse ad hominems"
It didn't even mention MBR or reviews. But you know I'm just a dumb Southern girl who is blinded by geographical naivete and idiocy. I guess I just don't know how to connect the dots. |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.97.203
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 06:17 pm: | |
The dots lead to the Maryland AG's complaint not MBR. Macdonald addressed that somewhere else. CE I understand that they tossed the old ones out. Mine is a new claim in writing to that office. I recommend you send them again.
The FTC is separate idea. I also turned them in to the ISBN authority at Bowker. |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.97.203
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 06:27 pm: | |
To my knowledge only one other PA author Rebelwriter filed the FTC complaint with me. That makes two total. I guess she never bothered with the Maryland AG, but Ann told me to write in snail mail. So I did; it's there and has been for a few months. Meiners gets away with it because folks think only of themselves and sign the gag order, hence they get away with it. It's not right. |
Gloria Marlow
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
639
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 06:53 pm: | |
I am sick to death of hearing about this gag order and all the money people paid to get out of their contract. Do you have a contract? Have you gotten out of it? Oh, yes, I forget that you wrote a "fake" book and sent it to PA. Isn't that what you told us several months ago when you visited? Isn't that deception, Publius? Isn't that all anyone freaking needs to sue someone they enter a contract with? Maybe PA will sue you....
Maybe a little civility and sanity would go a long damn way to getting you released or whatever it is you want. But you don't just want a release right? You want revenge. That isn't healthy.
You say you just want to help everyone else but I think that is a lie. Your contempt for all of us and everything shows in every post you make.
I don't know what it is you want from us or from PA. You say you won't stop until their doors are closed, etc., etc. That they are a menace to society or something. I honestly don't see it that way. PA does a service for people. They do publish books. I don't agree with all their policies and I came to realize that they give anyone and everyone "a chance". But they are a door that people can go through for whatever reason. For me, having my book published did build my confidence, it did open doors to a traditional publisher, it did me a service. Yes, there are things I wasn't happy with about my book and PA. On the other hand, there are people who are completely happy and do not feel the way I do about PA. Who am I to decide that the opportunity and experience PA gives them should be snatched away? Who are you to make that decision?
I am not ashamed that I was released from my contract with PA. I didn't do anything to be ashamed of to get out of it. I didn't sell anybody out. I guess when it comes right down to it, I'm not anti-PA, I'm anti-ME&PA.
If you think that makes me wrong, so be it, but I don't need to hear anymore of your snide comments about it.
To each his own....
Gloria
|
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.97.187
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 07:38 pm: | |
And I'm entitled to my view on the matter. I don't work for you. Meiners is scammer and I and many others don't like what he does. Explain yourself to the others who've been ripped off by this crook. I didn't write a fake book. I wrote a real one, but "Dateline" wrote a fake book. People were blackmailed here in this deal. So you weren't. Good. Others weren't so lucky.
You may be ashamed of what you did deep down, but I'm not. I'm thinking about someone besides myself. That's the damn difference. It's called altruism. |
Gloria Marlow
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
641
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 07:42 pm: | |
Okay... |
Literary Consultant - Donny Ray (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 172.192.155.103
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 07:47 pm: | |
Wow.
I think Gloria just said it all. We are all sick and tired of "annonymous" people coming on the board and defending ME & PA and whatever else bullcrap publishers are out there.
For all I know, there are NO legit P.O.D.s or vanity publishers that treat their writers like actual people. They have made victims out of those of us who fell into their trap by being desperate to get into print.
For the annoymous posters, try being yourself. Show us who you really are and what you're made of and what you've accomplished, instead of wasting our precious bandwidth.
As for Laurel, she does not go seeking out writers to review their books. In fact, she has writers that ask her to review their books. She does not ask for money up front or any other nonsense. Leave her alone, and let her review the damn books.
Enough said. I need a drink.
Donny Ray - http://www.literaryagent.2ya.com |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.97.187
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 07:56 pm: | |
Hey buddy who's defending ME & PA? Not me, I'm the guy putting them out of business. And I don't think much of any vanity press. That's from experience. Sounds like you've already had a drink or two from this translation of what I've said. Try it again. |
Gloria Marlow
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
642
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 08:01 pm: | |
That is ME, as in me, as in Gloria Marlow, me. I accidentally capitalized the m and e....
|
Victoria Strauss
Awareness Member
Post Number:
19
Registered: 11-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 08:08 pm: | |
About the AG complaints...the person Ann talked to a couple of months ago told her they'd received just one complaint. I talked to a guy maybe a year and a half ago, and he told me he'd received 8 complaints, but that the AG's office wouldn't be looking into them because no money had changed hands upfront.
There does seem to be a discrepancy here. Maybe they discard old complaints, or file them someplace and forget about them. Or maybe it's just a question of complaints being inefficently routed to different people who don't communicate with one another. But one complaint or eight, I don't think anyone should hold their breath for the AG to take action.
- Victoria
http://www.victoriastrauss.com
http://www.writerbeware.com |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 65.54.97.187
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 13, 2004 - 09:22 pm: | |
Right, that's the story I remember. I put about as much faith in the AG as the Bowker ISBN issue. It's the deception clause at FTC that I find the most valid route. And I've heard from them directly. |
Laurel Johnson
Unity Member
Post Number:
2687
Registered: 01-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 14, 2004 - 05:24 am: | |
Thank you, DR. Correct, I do not get any money up front or any other time.
I'm an unpaid reviewer versus, say, a reviewer on the NYT. But that does not mean I don't respect the unpaid job.
I'm just ingenuous enough to think I've gained more than I've given during the experience. |
Publius2 (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 204.30.131.240
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 14, 2004 - 08:53 am: | |
It doesn't mean you don't personally respect the job. It's that the publishing world doesn't consider you to be an authority on books, hence a review from you isn't as valid as the one from the NYT , Library Journal, Kirkus and so on. It's no more valid than the online reviews by friends at Amazon. When Publisher's Weekly calls you let me know. By the way, this is an excellent reource for learning this business. |
keviny (Unregistered Guest)
Work-in-progress guest
Posted From: 24.171.65.80
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 17, 2004 - 02:45 pm: | |
I had my book reviewed at MBR by Stephaine Simpson-Woods. I didn't know her, but yet she reviewed it.
Kevin |
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