author

Sean's story

I signed with PublishAmerica back in November of 2003, so I’ve been with them for a couple of years now. Taking pride in my work, I devoted much care in preparing my manuscript, Wyverinia Chronicle, for publication.

The result of seventeen years’ work, Wyverinia Chronicle became a laughing stock because its cover, one of the worst I have ever seen in my life.

PublishAmerica’s editing was also substandard, but the cover took the cake. I had originally sent PublishAmerica a rough sketch which I had hoped an artist would use as inspiration for a professionally-painted cover. PublishAmerica proceeded to paste my rough sketch onto a light-brown background and surrounded it with a scroll. This they tried to pass on to me for approval.

Needless to say, I was not a little upset.

Nevertheless, I continued to work with my book and tried to market it as best I could. But it was hard work, and the number of brick-and-mortar bookstores that ended up carrying my book was all of one: one bookstore agreed to carry one copy on consignment.

That said, I did not become completely convinced of PA’s ill intents until I saw how they treated other authors who asked honest questions and wanted honest answers. I witnessed PA’s ‘Infocenter’ treating authors, on a public message board, like children and even worse. They banned people for even suggesting PA should treat their authors with a little bit more respect. Using ‘tone’ letters and expecting immediate apologies, PublishAmerica showed me that they hold no respect, whatsoever, for their writers.

The final straw came in March of 2005, when I received my first royalty check. I knew it would be small, but I figured small by the standards of the real publishing industry. I was not expecting a paltry check for a measly $7.71. When this happened, I decided I would no longer support PublishAmerica. I attempted to get out of my contract.

PublishAmerica refused to let me have my own work back. To this day, they continue selling me book with a substandard cover, in trade paperback, for the unheard-of price of $21.95 retail.

I love my book, but I now am resigned to the fact that Wyverinia Chronicles is pretty much dead.

I have not given up hope on my writing career, however. And I would never suggest to anyone to give up. A situation like the one PublishAmerica put me through is not all that uncommon, but it can be overcome. Certainly, I shall never send them another submission. This I promised myself some time back. PublishAmerica will never own another one of my works, after I have struggled to put it together and make into excellent reading.

If I can say anything at all to anyone out there who might be contemplating PublishAmerica as a possible publisher, I would say “Consider what happened to my own book.” Most publishers would regard PublishAmerica’s shoddy workmanship, in producing Wyverinia Chronicles, as inexcusable.

If you care for your work, and how it is treated by your publisher, I urge you to pass PublishAmerica by. The one-dollar advance and the poor treatment of both your book and you as an author are, in this writer’s humble opinion, not worth the electricity needed to turn on your computer and send the submission through cyberspace.