I'm not bashing, but . . .

Shelagh wrote:

To add insult to injury, if you set the price in pounds sterling, the book will sell on amazon.com for the same amount in dollars. This isn't just Forever Friends. This is hairymob's latest book selling on amazon.com for the same price in dollars that he set the price on Lulu.com in pounds sterling (£6.94)

How does this work out when it comes to authors getting paid? With Amazon having their cut, and Lulu presumably skimming a bit off the top, how does the author not end up owing money for selling the book?

I'm expecting a bill any day now. I hope Amazon are not expecting me to pay it. They will be disappointed.

I wish I had a dollar. . . wait a minute PA sent me advance pay for two of my books. I have two dollars where will I spend my fortune.

I never get those messages from PA, but Alice always forwards them to me so I don't feel left out. I have not purchased books in a couple of years.

I agree with Shelagh. Lulu does not seem to be as efficient as others have said it was in the past. My book still isn't up on amazon after a couple of months and the lowest price offered is way too high. They did give me an ISBN and the book is beautiful, but still too high priced and the whole thing cost me much more than PA did.

Perhaps these changes are just signs of the times.

Carol

Well, the kids at PA must read this forum. After I posted the information here from my recent contract offer from PA, I received a terse email from "acquisitions," not even a name attached, rescinding the offer by PA to publish my manuscript, "Affairs of Life" and suggesting I find a publisher who will more likely meet my needs. Period. No further embellishments. I was taken aback, but will move forward. I wonder if I was also banned from the PAMB. Their contract was signed by them.............

I was disappointed. While I find the publishing contract at PA changing in ways I find less desireable than when I originally contracted for Arirang: The Bamboo Connection, I still believe they have a nitch in the marketplace for some publications such as my "Affairs of Life." I was looking forward to working with PA again.

I guess you need to mind your mind if you wish to continue in the PA family.

I am sorry to hear of that. I can think of several niche publishers that would suit you. Check out Preditor and Editors and just go through and list the ones that you think might fit. Read their guidelines, submit, wash, rinse and repeat.

And yourself a huge favor: Don't mention PA in any query letter.

And good luck!

Dick Stodghill wrote:

I don't think I understand, Carol. With Lulu you set the price. The prices of the few things I've used it for are far below PA's.
For writers outside the U.S. it isn't as good a deal as for those here, but the results for me have been excellent. I have used both the "published by Lulu" for two local sports books and, because I didn't mind buying the ISBN, the "published by you" for another.
Lulu is great for making workbooks you don't place on the market and for such things as the photo book I made for Jackie for Christmas, an 8 1/2 by 11 printed on glossy photo paper.
Amazon's Book Surge does their printing and that is why a "published by Lulu" book is only on Amazon. As it is necessary to buy ISBNs in blocks of 10 from Bowker, paying for a single one through Lulu is a good deal. Another great feature is that "live" help is available online if you have a problem.
Lulu pays royalties twice a year.

It is changing, Dick. I have had all kinds of problems with the anthology that I did not experience with The Power of Persuasion. I won't be using Lulu again. It may work for you but it does not work out well for everyone.

What a shame, DK!! Just keep on keepin' on! The spies are everywhere, so beware. Evidently if one is not backing up the other two, they are out looking for piddly things to pick on.

Since my book was 8 1/2 by 8 1/2, there were some restrictions on paper, etc., and I didn't get a lot of help in resolving them. I ended up using expensive paper and could not get the price down below $18.40 which was much more than they had originally stated. I tried communicating with someone about cheaper paper and they told me I had to go with the more expensive paper.

As with Dick's book for Jackie, these books were meant as gifts. I made two orders and in one the cost was $15 a book and in the other it was $12 a book. I couldn't find on Lulu where it stated how much a book would cost for the author regarding the quantity purchased.

My sister-in-law who did the artwork was also working on this and found it frustrating as well, and she is a professional graphic artist and works with printers and publishers on line in her job.

But we also decided that next time we would know what we were doing. I think that's always the case. I must say I know more of what I am doing than when I put my books with PA. But those books are beautiful as well as are many others on this board.

I think it is the business plan, and business plans have to change from time to time. If PA published fewer books they could give each author more attention, but that is not what their business plan is. There are those who say that the most dangerous time for a business to fail is when it is growing too fast, that it is difficult to keep it under control.

Dick, that was a nice gift for you to give Jackie.

Carol

Unbelievable that they would do that, DK. As Turkel said, try elsewhere. Hope it works out for you.

Shelagh wrote:

It is changing, Dick. I have had all kinds of problems with the anthology that I did not experience with The Power of Persuasion. I won't be using Lulu again. It may work for you but it does not work out well for everyone.

An online pal published her book through Lulu about a year ago (I think). It was selling very well until about July, when all sales stopped. Amazon said they couldn't get the book any longer. Lulu took right up until the end of November to do anything about that. Then they raised postage costs to Ireland after promising to cut them, so she's having to look elsewhere. She said it all started out so well with them, but she's well ticked off that her first Christmas sales were so badly affected.

I just wanted to stop by and say hello to everyone. I hold good thoughts and memories to many of you here. This looks like a nice board, I think Abe invited me here awhile back, but I have not participated on boards as much as I used to. Tax season is coming up again and that will definitely not leave much time for fun. =(

The kids are growing so fast. Little Man is 14, and his sister is 11 now. I remember when they were little and I had to keep an eye on them every minute. But as they grow watching them is replaced by wondering how the he// a teenager's mind works. I am learning, slow but sure. Little Man is waiting for winter's end so he can run track and then play baseball again. This is the sport he really loves and has played for many years. My daughter's forte is basketball. She's pretty good and can be even better if she'd grow and inch or two. She inherited her height from her momma.

I have not been writing much at all except for an occasional blog. It isn't something that I have given up on. I just feel there are more important things in my life right now.

I apologize for derailing the thread. I couldn't start a new post without joining. As far as the true spirit in this thread, I just wish PA would do more to make all PA's author books competitive with other houses. My book is retail 27.95 now, and that's just too much for an unknown, lightly edited PB book. And I have received no less than thirty solicitations from PA since summer. They are annoying.

I wish everyone the best, and hope your new year is everything you would wish it to be.

Mel

Nice to hear from you, Mel. Even though you are busy, you should sign up.

As for Lulu, after reading these posts it seems that the major problems are with those living outside the U.S. It has been great for the few things I have used it for, the latest of them three weeks ago.

Mel,

Welcome. I hope you sign up!

Dick,

I think I would try Lulu again. I have some more writing for family, kind of a legacy, not that I'm going anywhere, however. My sister-in-law and I had a great time collaborating and might do it again. I like the workbook idea also as I have a lot of miscellaneous "stuff" that I might want to put in a workbook.

This morning I was "forced" into viewing another Hoosier Hotshots YouTube presentation. This time it was something like "You Can't Love Two" and included the phrase "you can't love five and be alive." My husband loves those guys. Now I'm wondering at my wisdom in giving him this Dick Stodghill book as a present.

Carol

You gave him one of Dick's books?? The humanity, I say!

Actually, that's pretty cool. Dick can tell some great tales.

The Hoosier Hotshots were a group of humorous musicians. It kind of makes one think we need more groups like those guys were.

My husband was in a musical group for several years, plays harmonica, sings and loves music. Dick's book was a very appropriate gift. I might just have to read it.

Carol

It is a shame perhaps they did you a favor. Look for greener pastures.

Hi Mel! Great to see you!

I'm wondering if any published author can post here?

-Ann C. Crispin

Hi Ann,

Guests are welcome to post and to join as members.

A.C. Crispin is in the house!

Hi, thanks for the welcome!

I'm not a PublishAmerica author, but I have been studying the company since its inception. I can confirm that they do indeed read blogs and message boards looking for negative info posted by authors about them. In some cases, they've threatened legal action as a result. This has been documented. Caution is probably a good thing.

They don't like me at all, because Writer Beware has a warning up about them, and I suspect we cost them business. We are very thorough in our research and check all documentation, so there's not much they can do about it.

If anyone has any questions about PublishAmerica and their business model, or practices, feel free to ask. I would also be happy to answer questions about the world of commercial publishing, literary agents, etc.

Happy New Year, and here's to a productive and successful 2009!

-Ann C. Crispin
Chair, Writer Beware

The message board truncated my signature. Writer Beware's website is:
and I can reached via email at: Attn: Ann Crispin
beware.sfwa.org

Thanks!

-Ann C. Crispin

I seem to have ended all discussion on this board with my post.

I am sorry for that.

Wasn't my intention.

-Ann C. Crispin