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May 24, 2005 If you search the archives of this forum you will find many past articles in which I tried to deflect and defend that publisher against criticism. It was a valiant fight and I thought that it was a good cause. After all, they did publish my Memoir – and my book is listed in all cyber space booksellers' websites. However, after the Easter Weekend Holocaust / 2005 on their Public Message Board, I chose to reflect and rethink my association with PublishAmerica. I am a strong believer in being proactive in all business associations and transactions. It is not in my nature to be passive and believe it is my right to question business policies which appear objectionable. Although PublishAmerica is privately owned and operated, I feel that by virtue of my book being published by them – I am a stockholder. The public persona of PublishAmerica was, and still is, a deep concern of mine. I feel that this company is cruising in the wrong direction. Through e-mails and a telephone conversation with various staff members of PublishAmerica, I realized that placation and misdirection was their strategy to quell discontentment among its many authors. Aggressive, antagonistic, adversarial and demeaning e-mails received from PublishAmerica by this writer, are tactics which are deployed to diminish an author's self worth and intelligence. It is beyond my comprehension why a publisher who "values" their author's contribution to the literary venue would cast aside their suggestions to improve PublishAmerica's image. It is also disturbing to this writer that PublishAmerica would continually support an individual who had caused great emotional harm to its members. This individual faked his death on the public message board and was resurrected a short time later. This individual also is a current spokesman for PublishAmerica. It should also be noted that anyone who chides or exposes that individual on the public or private message boards, is immediately banned from posting on PublishAmerica's message boards. There is an enormous amount of discontentment growing among PublishAmerica's supposedly "happy and satisfied" eleven-thousand contributing authors. There are many questions relating to PublishAmerica's accounting practices being raised by intelligent individuals, and governmental agencies. Many authors who have been banned from the PublishAmerica's public and private message boards have expressed their concerns on other public message boards, and there are growing movements to have PublishAmerica reform its business practices. In the big picture, the general public could care less about the politics of the publishing industry, and the plight of a group of authors who feel that they are being abused by a small publish-on-demand (POD) company. In fact, many readers have never heard of PublishAmerica. When they do come across a book published by PublishAmerica – the price of that Trade Paperback repels them from purchasing it. My Memoir is 325 pages and is listed for sale on bookseller's websites for $24.95. If an individual searches long and hard enough, they might find the book for a buck or two - less. Don't forget the shipping and handling costs borne by the purchaser. Wow! The author must be making money hand-over-fist! The truth is that the only business entities making the big bucks through the sale of these books - are PublishAmerica and booksellers. After PublishAmerica takes their cut and the booksellers take their piece of the pie, the author is left with a mere pittance in Royalty payments. The rude awakening for PublishAmerica's authors – is that most brick and mortar booksellers will not order or stock PublishAmerica books, due to the fact that the books are over priced and non-returnable. The majority of PublishAmerica's authors must resort to buying their own books from PublishAmerica, leave the books on consignment with the bookseller. That is, if the bookseller agrees to have that book on its shelves – to begin with. Marketing? What marketing? The author bares the full cost of running Media Marketing campaigns to hawk their book. PublishAmerica will not open their wallet to assist in that venture. PublishAmerica does indeed publish books at no cost to its authors – like most publishing houses. However, that is where PublishAmerica's ends its interest. A 'Traditional' publishing house - PublishAmerica claims to be? Traditional publishing houses at least spend some money on promotion and grease the wheels of distribution channels to induce brick and mortar booksellers to stock their books. Okay, I may sound like the American Colonies before they broke ranks with England – and began a Revolution. PublishAmerica claims that it is "Revolutionizing" the publishing industry. However, I forecast that the only revolution will be a rebellion of PublishAmerica's authors – in the Spirit of Seventeen-Seventy-Six. One day, there will be a Media report concerning PublishAmerica exposing their business and accounting practices. It will reverberate throughout the publishing industry and all over the World. That day is coming. It will not be long before present and former author's allegations against PublishAmerica will be investigated, and validated. Something about "Ten Percent of Nothing," ring a bell? ------------ Email Argile Stox: argilestox@gmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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