More news. No film at 11, though.

Here is the most recent response I received from my friend (I emailed her back consoling her on her misfortune). It's here word-for-word. Only the names have changed to help project the innocent. Yes, project. Not as in PRAH-ject, but proh-JECT. Whee!

First, the email I sent:

Uh, this is Andrew, by the way. Sorry.

Yes, I've been recently discovering new and interesting tidbits on PA. I already knew about self-promotion, as you told me such. That you were cheated out of royalties is shocking; but goes in line with what I've read on the various groups (Google and Usenet, so far). As far as I know, I've only "sold" maybe 10 books. I've told everyone from this point on to NOT buy the book. I'm just going to print it freely online I guess. Sad. And, like you, I intended PA to be a stepping stone to other mainstream avenues. Don't know how that's going to pan out.

Good thing is, I have a completely different series in the works. So if it has any value, maybe that will be published by a reputable publishing house. We'll see.

Anyway, sorry to hear you had such a raw deal from PA.

Andrew

[Side note: "reputable" as in has a better reputation, which PA apparently does not have]

This is her response:

Hi Andrew,
Sorry 'bout that!!! Thought you were @#$()&*%. Anyway, yes PA isn't a good place to go. !$*(_)?? had his published through there as well but just so it was published. The editing was so bad that he just sells it online and does get some takers. He bought 50 of them when they had a special for authors. Actually mine would make a great movie and I am thinking of doing a screenplay, but also am sending it to Sandra Bullock who does read books sent to her, as I thought of her all through the writing of it as I could see her as my protagonist.

Do hope your new project pans out for you. And don't go near them again.

I was not the only one that was screwed, blued and tattooed from them. Many people have had the identical problems. However, they are very rude when called and also online, so it's hard to deal with them.

Best of luck, and hi to your father for me.

The last part of her email also supports what I've been reading lately.

I'd like to put some kind of witty and/or sage editorial-style comment here at the end, but words fail me as of late. I'm still baffled not by the fact that they apparently suckered my friend, or me for that matter. Or the rest of the authors allegedly victimized by PA. I'm baffled by the fact that if they don't get their act together, they're going under. Maybe they don't care. They made their money, right?

Everything above (my comments anyway) are all tempered with an "allegedly." A. because I haven't witnessed personally the rudeness, swindling and everything else reported on the 'net, and B. as a standard disclaimer in case some of these allegations ARE false. I am not a libellous person, and would like to avoid spreading unfounded rumors (albeit there seems to be a lot of them that corroborate one another).

I wonder, outside of PA's own website, where I can find stories of people who feel they were treated properly by PA. This is one side of the story I have NOT heard.