I contracted with Mr. Mike Canu and Kristina Canu of "The Empty Canoe Publishing House" in September. They were paid $4500.00 to find a quality writer for my book, publish and distribute it and provide limited media coverage. They did interview me by phone several times but I was suspicious of them from the beginning. They had just moved from Colorado to Washington and had numerous phone numbers. They were sloppy and didn't call when appointed to do so. They didn't send out contracts in a timely fashion and were generally disorganized.
When I called the number on my credit card receipt a person on the other end of the phone said "this is a scam, you've been scammed." It was NOT a number in WA but Colorado! I immediately called the publisher and they provided me with WA licenses, etc. And I felt a little better.
Several months later my book manager, was fired and I wasn't notified until I called the publisher to pay him an additional $2000.00 to get on the 'fast - track' to have my book published more quickly.
The publisher, Mr. Canu, took over my project yet NEVER provided me a quality writer. He continued promising me a new writer and materials that were being reviewed. He sent me e-mails to the effect that he had "reviewed some materials and would send them out asap or, he had 200 pages to send or, 110 pages to send me... I have not received a book to publish!
After two months of waiting and being strung along, I KNEW something was wrong. My attorney sent them a letter which they never answered.
I sent them numerous materials/documents, pictures to use in writing the book that I NEVER had returned to me. Other authors had done the same thing and they were never returned to them either.
When the company phones were gradually disconnected and no contact was forthcoming and E-mail messages were also not addressed. Therefore, I hired a local P.I.in Oak Harbor, Washington in mid August.
The house on 4403 Krieg Lane had been vacant for ONE YEAR! And, the realtor handling the rental home (three stories of almost all glass overlooking a beautiful bay) threw my P.I. Out when he went to obtain any information about the publisher. Mr. Canu and his wife had been telling all of us that he WAS in that home and frequently remarked that he was "overlooking the bay."
I contacted the Oak Harbor, WA. Police and Sheriff and they met with the local prosecuting attorney who has deemed this a civil matter... It isn't... It's fraud! These people have dumped at least 10 authors! They have not paid royalties to 14 people who did get published. And the writers the publisher hired have all complained about a lack of payment. At this time there are 31 people who have complained to the WA and CO Attorney General and FBI.
These people took money from authors as late as April maybe later and NEVER intended on publishing their books.
They have left town... But before moving up to Washington, they had 5 or 6 addresses in Colorado. They had numerous phone numbers in Washington and several addresses there... The address they told ALL of us was a fake! And, the mail was re-routed to a P.O. Box elsewhere.
This publisher has seemingly VANISHED! At this time there are 31 agrieved authors, writers and published authors... Maybe more!
Some of these good people spent TWO years working with The Empty Canoe Publisher and cannot obtain their money back. Some published authors had purchased books from them and they were never delivered.
I didn't want to think that these people were scammers... But, it is now my belief that because of the numerous lies and interstate moves and poor business practices, they are! In looking back at an advertisement in they listed 44 clients in their pool of authors... This was a lie. They have only published 14 books! Their advertisements were false and misleading. And, they promised writers who were already published authors... This too was never provided. Many of the authors complained that they basically had to write the books themselves and that many of the writers were substandard.
Please do not do business with Michael T. Canu or Kristina Valocchi Canu if a clone of this business surfaces in another fashion.
Thank you for listing my complaint.
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