9:41 A.M. - Sunday, Dec. 21, 2008
Our wonderful world of Scams
I keep going back to the message board that is set up for authors that have or are in the midst of being published at the place that offered to publish my book. There are numerous posts from many authors that are pleased with the publishing company�some are absolutely thrilled with them and are in the process of submitting their second�third book through them.

For every negative comment posted on the web has there are people that dispute it. I read where several authors had book signings at Barnes and Noble stores. I did some cross checking through the book store and indeed they were there and some of the books are signed and in physical form at those stores. (Barnes and Noble requested them from the author and he left them there.) There is a book signing scheduled at a Barnes and Noble for February�again I checked the store it was supposed to be at and they have it listed as an event in February 2009.

When re-reading the letter from my lawyer (without tears clouding my vision) I saw where she did not advise me not to sign the contract�she wrote, �I�m not trying to take the wind out of your sails and I feel terrible to have such negative feedback on this but I feel obligated to be frank with you about this. I would tread very, very carefully if I were you. I would definitely explore every other option for publishing this book before even considering publishing it with **.�

I read on the message boards words of caution to new authors��be sure your work has been carefully edited and checked numerous times before excepting the final draft before it goes to print.� The entire process from date of signing to the actual printing of the book is 4 to 8 months. Depending on the complicity of the book, books written about actual events take the longest as there are many forms and releases to be filled out and sent in.

I can�t explain why I continue to read about this company. One thing that caught my attention was an article in the New York Times in response to a disgruntled author, �For an unknown author planning to sell a cookbook, or a family elder passing her memoirs around to the grandchildren, a vanity or POD press makes sense.� The publishing place that offered me the contract are �pretending� to be a publishing place but are in fact a self publishing place that doesn�t openly admit it. That is what most the negative comments are about.

What they do different is absorb all costs and hold rights to the book for seven years. If there were to be a movie deal�not likely but if�they split the proceeds 50/50 with the author. Self publishing places costs are any where between 200 to 7,000 dollars, depending on how much help you want editing, formatting, if you want an ISBN # etc. But again there are negative links all over the internet concerning these places as well calling them a scam, hoax....etc. One writer is trying to sue a self publishing company after spending 7,000.00 dollars and receiving a �hack job� on his book. He�s pissed.

The law suits and petitions (one that has 130 signatures) are generated by claims that this publishing company is �a hybrid that uses POD technology but identifies itself as a "traditional" publisher. This place doesn't charge authors to produce their books, so authors wary of vanity presses feel reassured.�

So far only one author back in 2001 won a law suit and received an undisclosed amount of money. There was no mention on what the law suit was about.

What it boils down to is what a writer anticipates for the future. If they want to make a living writing, self publishing might not be the best idea�go the traditional route get an agent or try being your own agent and send proposals to publishing places that are well known. This as many admit is a shot in the dark if you have never been published�but not impossible.

I felt terrible when I sent an e-mail out to my writer friends telling them this place was a scam and got a response back that a good friend of one of them has been published by this publishing place. (Opps) He was thrilled and is submitting a second novel. His experience was so positive he has recommended it to other authors. His book can be purchased at Barnes and Noble on line or on sale at Amazon. (I sat here last night tasting crow.)

So when is a scam�not a scam? Scam for one but not another?

My friend very tactfully wrote me about how this book generated interest from family and friends; the author was thrilled to have it in print. He has done well with sales and felt no pressure trying to sell his book to people with no interest. He like me had limited funds and could not �self publish,� and after years of rejections being an unknown he felt his dream come to life when this company offered to publish it. Several others submitted to this place and their manuscripts were turned down. (They did receive a nice note of rejection.)

So I sit here with my thoughts in over drive�what is it I except from the publishing of this book? What are my future plans for writing?

For now I will mull, chew, contemplate, but do nothing�except write an apology to the one that is happy with his publication and wish him well on his next book.

I found this statement during my continued research��Former Random House editorial director Jason Epstein, for instance -- have predicted that POD is the likely future for all publishers, that one day there will be ATM-like kiosks where readers who order books via the Web can pick up their nicely bound copies, eliminating warehouses, sales forces, shipping and returns.�

It appears if I sit long enough I will not have to think of what is in the best interest�one day I�ll just stop by the ATM and purchase any book.

You just have to love this new world evolving around us�leaving us all to wonder when is a scam not a scam?

Sandyz

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