July 25
Today I tried filing another complaint against Publish America. The last few days, I have been bickering back and forth about obtaining my rights back on two novels I published with them. My books are under contract for 7 years. I even took it upon myself to find lots of information to back up what I had to say, but they were very defensive, and still refuse to give me my rights back.
In one of the emails, they wrote: often allow authors out of contracts, when they present a valid reason.
So I have sent them many valid reasons which include:
1. I can't get my books stocked on the shelves in Canada, unless I pay to have this done. This is turn, causes me to lose money, by purchasing the books myself.By the time the store takes their cut, I'm left with nothing. The stores don't stock PA books.
2. My royalty checks, since signing with them in January have been next to nothing. The grand total of what I've made so far, is $3.36. Is it worth it for them to keep the rights? They're not even advertising my book.
3. Most bookstores I've contacted find the prices of their books too high.
4. My books are sequels. I want to rewrite parts of my previous works, and submit my new and old manuscripts to other publishers as a package deal. I would have a better chance with sales, if I could have my rights back.
5. They never did a press release as promised. I even called my local paper to find out, and PA never contacted them, with neither one of my books.
6. I've heard from other authors who easily got out of their contracts, while others had to fight tooth and nail to obtain their rights. Why do they discriminate?
7. My royalty statement says I've only sold 3 books since publishing with them, but when I look online, I found 12 used copies. Why is there a difference?
8. Some of the publishers I've approached, won't look at authors who have been published through PA. Just check out the website on Preditors and Editors.
9. I don't see the point in them keeping my rights for another 5 years, when they've done nothing in the last 2.
I feel this company has let me down by not properly promoting me, like they promised in the contract. These are only just a few of the reasons I want out of my contract.
Do you think my complaints have merit?
I'm going to contact the Better Business Bureau, because I don't know what else to do.
Charlie
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
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