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PUBLISH AMERICA, Scam, INTERNET
Let me start by saying that I knew Publish America was a vanity press but I thought "I'm going into this with my eyes open". I thought, as long as I'm getting my book out there I can promote it and it will sell. HA! If that is your line of thinking please read on. It is with a heavy heart and a broken spirit that I write this.
Shortly after submitting my completed manuscript I recieved an email stating the below.
Original Message----- From: PublishAmerica Pre-Production Dept [mailto:preproduction@publishamerica.com] Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 1:47 PM To: Recipient list suppressed Subject: Advance Increase for Order Offer Thank you for submitting all final materials to us, including the Completed Manuscript. At this time we are ready to put your $1 advance check in the mail. It underscores that your book is being published the traditional way -- at no cost to the author! This is to let you know, though, that alternatively you may choose to receive a much higher advance check. Here's how it works: If you opt to place a pre-order of a minimum 15 copies of your book today, we will give you an unprecedented 50 percent discount. We will add that discount amount to your advance check, increasing the check to well over $200, depending on how many copies you elect to pre-order. We will mail the much higher advance check to you within 24 hours. Here's a useful tip: many authors frame a copy of their advance check and hang it on their wall! Please let us know by email if you want to seize this opportunity. If so, we will ask you to call us at 301 695 1707 so we can process your order. The books will be the very first ones to be printed as soon as your work goes to press. If not, we will send you your $1 advance check shortly. These are exciting times! Thank you for being a PublishAmerica author!
I figured, if I'm going the route of vanity publishing I may as well go all the way and do this. So I replied to the email. One week went by, nothing, Two weeks go by, nothing. So I call. I'm told that someone will contact me when it's time for me to purchase the books for the advance increas. Ok, so I wait. Four weeks go by and two more emails from me, nothing. I call again. This time I'm told that someone would call me back withing the week. Nope. I call again, now I'm told that this offer is no longer avaible. Hmmmm......... But I explain that I already made my intentions known that I wanted to take advantage and provided my numerous email stating such. Sucess (so I thought) and I am able to place the order and happliy expecting my advance. Nothing. Weeks go by, nothing. I emailed twice, no reply. Called and left a voice mail, no reply. At this point I'm emailing and calling like crazy becuase I paid full price for 10 books and a ridiculous shipping charge fulling expecting to recive the 50% discount on my advance check (that's how it was explained to me). Now I'm growing concerned.
The release date of my book comes and goes. My book is not available for purchase anywhere but the publish american website. No online retailers carry, no book stores, no libraries-no where. Amazon doesn't have it, B&N doesn't have it, Borders........you get the idea. Now I had managed to get three news articles written about my book and set up 4 local book signings. But my book has not been released. I call and leave a voicemail, nothing. I won't bore you with the details of my attemps at contacting Publish America, if you are an author you already know I've been consumed by this matter.
Today I finally get somone on the phone. I expalined the above issues and was told that I purchased my books outright and they never offered my an advance increase. The only increase I was entitled to was $1. So I ask why I had to pay full price then if the offer was for a 50% discount and was told that I paid full price for the book and too bad about my luck. (if you know anything about PA you know they are always running dicount deals for writers to buy their own books to the fact that I had to pay full prices is a real burn) And as for the book not being sold anywhere but their website they practically laughed my off the phone and I was hung up on.
To date I have never recieve the 'advance' they promise nor is my book available for sale through even online retailers as promised in the contract I signed. To bad I have no money for an attorney.