Count me in on the class action suit when it happens

Alessandra Gelmi's Whose afraid of red and Ring of fire are metaphors for a sexually transmitted disease she passed to numerous men throughout her life. Do not read these books and do not support this publisher.

I first published my EGG NANNY TALES with Publish America in March 2008. I was satisfied.

Then I sent them my second book, STORIES TO AMUSE THE KIDS in March of 2009. There has been nothing but trouble since. They refused to send me the final editing copy. They insisted that they had sent it. I never got it. Finally I bought a few copies. Along with them came in separate packaging, the author's copy on April 27; more than a year after I signed up with them.

The book looked good, except that THERE WAS A TABLE OF CONTENTS; BUT NO PAGE NUMBERS. We went back and forth about that. They denied any responsibility; but did eventually send me an opportunity to PAY them to fix any errors. I did not take them up on that offer.

The company required that I send information for advertising--I did. Nothing ever came of this.

STORIES is an illustrated children's book of 54 pages; folded over and held together with one staple. PA offers it for $26. I said that was way too much. They pooh-poohed me, saying THEY were the professionals, and knew what is best. My book royalties on this book was nothing. Nobody bought it. Except me.

In June I ordered 30 copies of STORIES on sale. It is supposed to take 3-6 weeks for delivery. Today is Aug 2, just past that deadline. I asked them about it and they said they were working on sending me 4 books; and the 5th would come later. I said I had ordered and paid for 30. They said that colored illustrated children's books did not apply. I reread the sale. Too bad I hadn't used a microscope the first time. That disclaimer was there; but very hard to read. So I am out $120 for 5 books--if I ever get them!

I am retired and on a limited income. I cannot afford these games.

What I want is complete rights of both of my books, so I can try them with an honest company.

I am writing this to warn all my fellow writer’s out there some advice about the so called publisher Publish America .com. I, just like many new author’s out there was extremely excited about the thought of my book being published that I foolishly signed the contract with Publish America. I was so happy, all my dreams were coming true. I was a published author, or so I thought. It wasn’t until after my book was published that I learned my book was not available to book stores. The book stores had to buy copies of my book to put on their shelves and I don’t know a single book store that would order the insane amount of books that Publish America wants before they sent out books, what book store is going to buy 120 copies of a book by a new author up front. That is just 1 of my issues I have many others as you will read. I am trying to spread the word about the scam that is Publish America.

1. Yes there are many inscepancies between the Publish America web site advertising and the actual contract.

2. Breaches of contract.
A. My official book date release was supposed to be Augest 22 2009, and was not made somewhat available until the end of September, and even now it is still not available where it should be (eg. Amazon.com, chapters.com).
B. Was told that if I bought a certain amount of copies of my book then I would get the royalties from that sale. I wasn’t given any.
C. Publish America in their contract stated that they would issue a press release-that was never done.
D. I was also told that my book would be available for my local book store to order and as of today my local book store is still unable to order copies.
E. was also told that I would receive 8 % in royalties in Febuarary and Augest of each year for copies sold. I have receipts from family and friends who bought the book through the Publish America website, yet I just received a statement informing me that I have sold 0 copies of my book.

3. No my book did not make it to Barnes & Noble book stores.

4. No the shoddy editing was not accepted. I paid $50.00 to fix the errors that they made and the book still is full of them.

5. The overall presentation of my book wasn’t too bad, but I was asked what I would like to see the cover look like after I told them they gave me something totally different then what I wanted.

6. Yes customer / author services are extremely unsatisfactorily. I am still waiting almost a year for answers to questions.

7. My book is very over priced.

8. My book is very under marketed.

9/10. My royalties also have been extremely unreported. I know for a fact that my book has sold at least 50 copies to family and friends through there website, yet Publish America states that 0 copies have been sold.

11. Sales statistic’s on my book are not accessible to me, because the whole sellers of Baker & Taylor along with Ingram still don’t have copies of the book and there for are not being sold. All the books that were purchased by family and friends were done so through Publish America’s website.

12. As far as I know my book is not for sale or advertised under a different name.

13. The only e-mail’s I ever receive from Publish America are one’s in which they are trying to sell me copies of my own book. And yes I feel very pressured to by copies. If I buy (X) amount of copies then that same amount would be donated to my local school’s, library’s, and book stores. The latest deal was they would send a copy to Stephen King.

14. Yes I was asked to provide Publish America with a list of people to announce the release of my book to, but they didn’t follow through and nobody received a single e-mail.

15. I am right now trying to break my contract with Publish America and to get my rights back.

16. I have not found the publishing credit’s to be attributed to anyone besides Publish America.

All I want is for my contract to be null and void and to get the rights back for my book along with monies owed to me. I just want to start over, am open to suggestion’s and or advice anyone might be able to give me.

My pen name is Kimberly MacEachern. my e-mail is [email protected], and the name of the book that I had published with Publish America is a children’s fantasy book called
Tales from Areallia: The Keeper’s.

I have published five books with them and in the past, received 5 complimentary copies. A sixth manuscript was recently accepted but that contract offered NO copies, despite the fact that on their website, under AGENTS in AUTHOR INFORMATION, it STILL clearly states, "AUTHORS ARE GIVEN COMPLIMENTARY COPIES, FREE OF CHARGE." I recently TRIED to communicate with PA to find someone with whom I could negotiate this contract, considering the fact that my almost-1, 000 sold copies have made PA a considerable amount of money (and me very little). I received NO response to that request other than to be told that my title was to receive no free copies, no reason given, no response to why I couldn 't "talk" to someone with the authority to amend that contract. I am through with PA. They are a scam of the first magnitude. The only reason to deal with them is to have your ego stroked by seeing your name on a book. P.S. Despite my communications with them, the statement about complimentary copies is still on their website.