| My story is that an author who'd done online | | | | changed my gender, the result might resemble |
| writing for such dot gones as Themestream, | | | | Lisa. North of Sunset is fun, about a Hollywood |
| Written By Me, and The Vines, someone trying | | | | producer and his temporary secretary, showing a |
| hard to have fiction, poetry and nonfiction in print | | | | good deal of what I presume is reality. It is |
| for real, recommended PublishAmerica. She | | | | written with the omniscient viewpoint, which I |
| claimed it was a traditional book publisher. I was | | | | dislike, but it held my interest regardless. "I'd |
| struck with their slogan, "We treat writers the old | | | | discovered through an upset PA author on the |
| fashioned way - we pay them." Wasn't that what | | | | messageboards, which I read on occasion, that |
| publishers were supposed to do?But since my | | | | someone was complaining about PublishAmerica. |
| novel was just sitting on the DiskUs Publishing site | | | | Discovering the Absolute Write Background Check |
| and doing nothing but supplying me with enough | | | | area I spent several hours reading, at the time, |
| money to buy a pair of skate laces every three | | | | more than 40 pages of complaints about |
| months, I thought maybe it would have a better | | | | PublishAmerica. Authors not receiving books in |
| chance over at PublishAmerica where it would be | | | | time for booksignings that they set up |
| available as a trade size paperback both on and | | | | themselves. Bookstore owners/managers refusing |
| off-line.So this author, Ellen Du Bois, had a big thing | | | | to stock their shelves with unedited |
| on her Geocities site about books being available in | | | | PublishAmerica titles. Writers unable to get their |
| brick & mortar bookstores & they'd have ISBN | | | | books reviewed.Doing a search on LexisNexis, the |
| numbers and be online and all that stuff. Also had | | | | reputable online legal research system, for all |
| her full size book cover up so I sat there for 5 | | | | PublishAmerica books receiving newspaper |
| minutes waiting for the damn thing to appear. Not | | | | reviews, I saw that from July 2002 to June 2004, |
| impressive, but she liked it. Ellen was a | | | | only 24 books had been reviewed nationally. |
| cheerleader for her book and sent reviews from | | | | Papers in Syracuse NY, Tulsa, OK, Fort Pierce, FL, |
| a weekly community rag and she bulk e-mailed | | | | Wilmington, NC and Lakeland, FL were |
| several pieces of correspondence during those | | | | represented. Only Salt Lake City's 'Deseret |
| heady days when her book was in prerelease, | | | | Morning News', the 'Tulsa World', 'Pittsburgh |
| then release stage in the summer of '03. I broke | | | | Post-Gazette' and the suburban paper, the |
| down and bought a copy from Amazon - took | | | | 'Chicago Daily Herald' were actually major |
| almost 3 weeks to get. And I struggled to read all | | | | newspapers. Evidently, the 'New York Times' or |
| 176 pages. Tripe. Clichés abounded. Spelling | | | | the 'Los Angeles Times' were not reviewing |
| grammatical errors weren't there at least. But the | | | | anything by PublishAmerica's authors. According to |
| writing was thin. The story moved too quickly. | | | | the PublishAmerica site in the Facts and Figures |
| The main character was the most realistic as it | | | | section, "Fact #3: Again, unparalleled among all |
| was most likely based on the author. The dialogue | | | | traditional book publishing companies, each day an |
| was okay. The descriptions were minimal. Had | | | | average 15 times a PublishAmerica author appears |
| there been a real editor, the book could've been | | | | in the news media, in newspapers, magazines, |
| very good. I wrote to Ellen and told her the | | | | radio or TV." Yet even mathematically challenged |
| positive things about the story, avoiding the | | | | folks can determine that by using the LexisNexis |
| negativities. She'd been an online correspondent | | | | search statistics, we learn that the average is a |
| for almost two years, yet after I didn't review | | | | paltry once a month that a PublishAmerica book |
| her book on and Barnes & Noble she didn't | | | | gets mentioned in a newspaper somewhere in the |
| contact me. Almost a year later she sent me | | | | United States.Editing - What's That?Here's a gem |
| another e-mail - to promote a book of her | | | | of a post on the PublishAmerica message board: |
| poetry. I was just someone to sell a book to and | | | | "When it came out in book form a month ago, |
| she was only interested in the sale and hopefully a | | | | my friends mentioned the editing problems in it, |
| glowing write up.A Future PublishAmerica | | | | so a friend of mine with a masters in education |
| AuthorSince I'd already signed the contract with | | | | went through it for me. It had close to a |
| PublishAmerica, I wanted to cancel it after reading | | | | thousand editing errors in a 182-page book. So, |
| that trash. Now my book would be affiliated with | | | | have some who actually knows what literary |
| a company that put out just about any piece of | | | | content should be in a book, go through your |
| writing that came its way. I wasn't expecting | | | | book for you before you send the final draft |
| much what with my dealings with the extinct | | | | back to PublishAmerica. Because the final draft, |
| eNovel and RJ's eBooks, along with a tiny eBook | | | | IS!, how the book will be when it comes out."I |
| publisher named Crafts Across America where I | | | | discovered that through the misspellings, |
| wasn't paid monthly as promised. And my novel | | | | grammatical errors, and general bad writing that |
| and short story collection languished at DiskUs, | | | | just about anyone was publishable through the |
| home of the alleged Number One Best selling | | | | 'traditional' publisher located in Frederick, Maryland. |
| eBook author of all time, Leta Nolan | | | | Such postings as: "I too am not the best editor |
| Childers.PublishAmerica sent me an author's | | | | LOL! I did get my finished books. And when I met |
| questionnaire where they asked for basic | | | | with a lady that is huge in the marketing field, she |
| biographical information; cover art suggestions, | | | | told me that my book at it's length of 132 pages |
| and a long list of people who might want to read | | | | needs to have chapters." A couple of |
| my forthcoming novel."Please prepare a list | | | | PublishAmerica authors discussed editing. "I felt like |
| (names, and addresses,) of people who know you | | | | you did when I found errors, but then I realized, |
| well enough to be interested in your success as a | | | | hey people read it for the story, not looking for |
| writer: personal friends, colleagues, relatives, etc., | | | | mistakes in typo land! LOL Now I just keep on a |
| to receive a book announcement...Please limit your | | | | keepin on!"Sales FiguresQuestion: I'd really like to |
| list and your labels to a maximum of 100 | | | | know how many copies I've sold.Answer: Buy all |
| contacts. Also, please do not include businesses or | | | | of the books yourself and then count them.No |
| organizations of any kind, including bookstores, | | | | matter how naïve PublishAmerica authors |
| media contacts, or government organizations. | | | | appeared, they will eventually come to the |
| Include friends and associates only."The editing | | | | realization that PublishAmerica isn't really a |
| process of my manuscript took two weeks over | | | | traditional publisher, especially when those |
| the Christmas holidays. I was able to ascertain | | | | twice-yearly royalty checks arrived. Every few |
| that the first few pages had been read as some | | | | months or so PublishAmerica sent them an e-mail |
| minor alterations had been made, but no changes | | | | extolling their success, bragging about a big name |
| followed for another 50 or so pages. One of the | | | | author they're negotiating with, or, more recently, |
| errors that occurred was clearly the result of a | | | | doing a deal with the New York Times. On August |
| spellchecker on the part of PublishAmerica as a | | | | 17th, an e-mail bearing the proud subject heading |
| question mark appeared after the end of a | | | | 'Advertising Our Topsellers in the New York |
| statement. I'd read of real authors receiving | | | | Times' appeared in author's online |
| instructions to change chapters, alter endings, | | | | mailboxes.PublishAmerica was well named in that |
| delete numerous pages, in other words, really | | | | they want to publish anyone in North America |
| struggle to rewrite a book. Why so much effort? | | | | who has churned out a manuscript, regardless of |
| Names. Reputation. The publisher wanted to put | | | | quality. They claim to have anywhere from 9,000 |
| their name on the best quality book that they had | | | | to 12,000 "happy" authors and they want more |
| invested in. The author wanted a book that was | | | | and more of them as that obviously means more |
| saleable but also well written and something they | | | | money for the greedy owners, namely Willem |
| were proud of. PublishAmerica's editing comprised | | | | Meiner and Larry Clopper.The PublishAmerica |
| neither ideal as all they did was put the computer | | | | name and logo is seen as a joke to those in the |
| program's spelling/grammar checker into action.My | | | | media, bookstores and libraries. Books can't be |
| two free author's copies arrived in early March | | | | returned. All PublishAmerica titles lack the |
| and it was nice to see my trade paperback book | | | | necessary CIP [Cataloging-in-Publication] data, |
| in print sans a cheesy cover and stapled spine. | | | | which is necessary for libraries to order titles, and |
| 'North of Sunset' actually had decent looking stock | | | | who wants to read unedited and overpriced |
| cover art of a few silhouetted palm trees, a | | | | tomes other than the author's cronies? Oh yeah, |
| noticeable font, and a spine where the book title, | | | | and while PublishAmerica claims that they're a |
| publisher and author's name was apparent. It | | | | 'traditional publisher' why on earth do they have in |
| would look good on bookstore shelves, I | | | | their main page keywords list the term 'self |
| imagined.Reviews - What Reviews?What was | | | | publishing' three times? And in their site's |
| Publish America doing to make sure my book was | | | | description, they brag: "PublishAmerica, Inc., a |
| reviewed? Nothing. I decided to contact local daily | | | | traditional publisher, accepting and publishing |
| and weekly newspapers by e-mailing a press | | | | manuscripts and books at NO CHARGE to the |
| release. The only responses I got were two | | | | author. Royalties paid to writers, books sold in |
| e-mail autoresponders announcing the editors | | | | stores. Manuscript submissions by mail and |
| were on vacation.I spent $40 on copies of my | | | | online"In the beginning of September I received a |
| book's galley and mailed them to three national | | | | royalty check. To my surprise, I was not only |
| newspapers and the Library Journal magazine. | | | | able to afford to buy a pair of laces for my |
| Then I phoned a book reviewer at the 'San Diego | | | | skates, I shelled out the $12 it cost to sharpen |
| Union-Tribune' and asked if he'd be interested in | | | | my blades. Who knew that this company would |
| reviewing my book but before I could even | | | | provide extra income enabling me to continue |
| describe what it was about, he asked who my | | | | participating in my recreational skating hobby? But |
| publisher was. I told him. "We don't review books | | | | it cost me more than the $160 in author-bought |
| by that publisher," he stated.I called all the local | | | | books, the $40 for galleys, which were probably |
| bookstores and spoke to the managers and/ or | | | | plunged into a recycling bin, the $87 color business |
| community relations people about my book, | | | | cards, $20 press release -- and the countless |
| including a couple of stores who were physically | | | | hours building and rebuilding my website so people |
| located on the street I'd written about. An | | | | would happen across it and buy a book that was |
| independent bookstore owner told me that since | | | | only available online--like any other |
| PA didn't have a return policy she was unable to | | | | eBook.PublishAmerica allows the myth of being a |
| stock my novel. Another said that I could sell my | | | | 'traditional' publisher, a term not used before the |
| book on consignment. The chain stores of | | | | advent of the Internet, to fester. The lie is |
| Borders and Barnes & Noble said my book would | | | | perpetrated in those HTML source codes that |
| be available through Ingram if anyone chose to | | | | search engine spider robots deliver; the future |
| order it.Tried getting PublishAmerica to send | | | | authors led to the promised realm of publishing, an |
| review copies out and it took them weeks to do | | | | internet web of woven myths fanning across |
| so. Had to call and make sure on two occasions | | | | cyberspace. PublishAmerica resembles most other |
| that the books had been mailed. Maybe quoting | | | | ePublishing companies promising tales of bestselling |
| one of their enthusiastic promoters on the | | | | books and authors. PublishAmerica is just another |
| message board, a guy with a natural genius for | | | | scam, just another future dot gone.If you are a |
| marketing and the budget to back it up, got three | | | | PublishAmerica author, or know of one, who is |
| books sent to reviewers.Then I sent my book to | | | | unhappily published and will tell your story, please |
| Piers Anthony, noted sci-fi and fantasy author of | | | | contact:Federal Trade Commission |
| more than 100 books. I'd been in touch with him | | | | attn: CRC - 240 |
| since 2000 when I alerted him to the fact that | | | | Washington, DC 20580 |
| eNovel was a rip-off. Although the action in his | | | | FTC Consumer Complaint FormFrederick County |
| books usually took place in alternate time periods | | | | Board of County Commissioners |
| universes, he didn't mind reading a mainstream | | | | Winchester Hall |
| Hollywood novel. He did so. "North of Sunset by | | | | 12 E. Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701 |
| Lisa Maliga. She's the one listed in my Survey as | | | | Telephone: 301-694-1100 |
| I'm a Published Novelist Ha Ha! Ha!, a pertinent | | | | Fax: 301-694-1849 |
| warning for starry-eyed aspiring writers. Her web | | | | L. Thompson, Jr., President |
| site is worth checking similarly; she tells it as it is. | | | | Winchester Hall |
| If you took a few decades off my age and | | | | 12 E. |