Preditors and Editors ™
A guide to publishers and publishing services for serious writers
News Flash!
5/11/09: P&E wishes for readers and writers to consider supporting the writers of INSIDE OUT: VOICES FROM NEW JERSEY STATE PRISON. Please read it. Please recommend it to others. We can't all visit a prison to make a difference with training and support programs, but we can still support efforts to improve the lives of those who are in prison and better society at the same time. Please be aware that "Prison authorities have not allowed the publisher to send a copy of the book to the 43 inmate/authors!"
Help Defend P&E
Unfortunately, there are those who do not like P&E or its editor because we give out information that they would prefer remain hidden from writers. Usually, they slink away, but not this time. P&E is being sued and we are asking for donations to mount a legal defense in court. Please click on the link below and give if you can to help protect P&E so it can continue to defend writers as it has for the past twelve years.
Thank you.
Other sites are welcome to copy the code for our donation button and place it on their pages with an appeal on behalf of P&E.
Michele Lee's Road to Print blog is offering a choice of web buttons like the following example for those who would like to show their support for P&E against these lawsuits or have a more customized button in place of the standard donate button provided by PayPal.
I want to thank everyone who has donated. At present, I am not sending out individual thanks because I don't want your names learned by the plaintiffs, one of whom has amended her complaint to add new names to it. For the same reason, I advise the use of caution in posting any comments for the time being about either of the plaintiffs on your own sites or in forums. Nonetheless, your donations are deeply appreciated. Sincerely, Dave Kuzminski
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009's
Maryland Attorney General's Question
P&E wants to know why Maryland's Attorney General isn't taking action against a publisher based within its jurisdiction for fraud? After all, the December 2005 arbitration hearing between Phil Dolan and PublishAmerica (PA) established that PA maintains two sets of accounting books and has not been operating in good faith. Furthermore, P&E is posting more evidence to the fact that PA is not operating in good faith. Where is the integrity that should belong in the Maryland Attorney General's office?If you're a writer or publisher, please ask the same questions on your web page. Writers and legitimate publishers are entitled to answers.
Better yet, they're entitled to action on the Maryland Attorney General's part. Now wouldn't that be a good present for them to receive in December from the Maryland Attorney General? (Editor's note: we were hoping for Christmas 2004. Then again, this is the same state that's permitted Poetry.Com to prey upon child writers for decades.)
So, how about it, Maryland? Isn't it time to initiate a suit against PublishAmerica for deceptive trade practices?
Jones Harvest Publishing
Complaints are emerging that this strongly not recommended publisher/promoter is failing to produce according to its promises and contracts. Furthermore, the cost to writers taken in by this company are in the thousands per writer. P&E strongly urges writers to avoid this publisher and to encourage other sites to list this information so that it receives the widest distribution possible.
12/31/08: Lately, this company has taken to name calling and issuing false information claiming some of its critics are publishers.
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009's PA question is:
How many PA books are carried nationwide on the shelves or in the racks by any brick-and-mortar chain bookstores or other retailers? Does anyone find it strange that after over seven years of operation, PA has yet to place one of its over 10,000 books in any of those yet?
P&E really wants to know. If you have a bookstore in your area, contact the manager and ask how many PublishAmerica books are available right now on that store's shelves based on efforts by PA. If you find a bookstore that does have their books in stock, email P&E so we can post it here because writers have a right to know how good a publisher is at placing their books where those can be purchased. Remember, physical bookstores still account for most book sales.
- ?
- ??
- ???
- ???? Gosh, this is abysmal that PA can't get their books in four bookstores on their own efforts, let alone in just one.
Also, PublishAmerica claims, "PublishAmerica books have the same chance of making it onto a bookstore shelf as do the books of any publisher." So, why haven't any sightings of PA books stocked on the shelves of other bookstores been reported yet? Do you think PA needs to learn more about how to market its wares?
By the way, Miranda, how come you don't know how many PublishAmerica authors have a trade presence in bookstores around the country? Is it more than none? Really, I expect a company executive to know that kind of information or have a good estimate at hand.
Be sure to try this. Go to Google or some other search engine and enter in the following phrases: "Miranda Prather" "book will quickly resonate with an audience". Be sure to include the quotes. When the search engine brings up the results, count up how many times Miranda Prather uses the same phrase to describe different PublishAmerica books she was promoting. Do you think PA needs to learn more about how to market its wares?
Lest PA think we haven't noticed, P&E wants to know where their bestsellers are? Publishers whose books sell to the general reading public and who generally have published more than a thousand books in their corporate history, and PA claims more than 10,000, can usually point to one or more books that broke into the bestseller lists. So, where's PA's bestseller and how many did it sell through retail stores? Do you think PA needs to learn more about how to market its wares?
Gosh, if a company like PA doesn't know how to market its wares, should writers trust their work to them?
It's time to look at one of PublishAmerica's deceitful claims that most book sales aren't made in bookstores. What they fail to mention is that most books aren't meant to be sold in bookstores because they're government or corporate reports, textbooks, or other such publications.
So, where do most sales occur for novelists? Why, in bookstores, of course. And how many bookstores carry PA books even if the author had to approach the retailer?
Number of bookstores known:
To carry PA books by ordering them: 1
To carry PA books on consignment: 1
To not carry PA books: 12*
The names of these stores are on file at P&E, but will not be released upon request. P&E does not want those willing to help authors who stepped in PA to suffer as a consequence.
* One store stated they won't accept special orders for PA books.
Want to help? Tell us about the bookstores in your area. Ask them if they carry PA books. Then email P&E to let us know the results of your questions.
By the way, how come PublishAmerica has yet to achieve a bestselling book despite having published almost 30,000 titles? Could it be that they're happy just making sales to their authors when real publishers target the reading market?
Michele Glance Rooney's Blazing Sales Achievements
In October 2007, Michele was listed in five top agent lists for different book categories. Since November 2007, Michele has sold the following books to legitimate commercial trade publishing houses:
Zero
Oh, come on, Michele. You must have some sales to report.
Barbara Bauer's Personal Literary Sales Tally
How many books has Bauer Literary Agency sold this month to legitimate royalty-paying publishers? Could the answer be Zero?
Gosh, gee willigers, how does she manage to stay in business then if she doesn't have any legitimate sales? Do you think that maybe she's charging her own clients? Gasp! Also a Top Twenty worst according to Writer Beware. Also believed a member of IILAA.
Aw, c'mon, Babs, it can't be that doggone difficult for you to post your sales on your site. You do have sales, don't you? Now don't take this wrong, but listing the publishers you claim you've worked with (you mean submitted to, right?) isn't the same as posting the book titles you've sold this year. After all, if you're really a good literary agent, you'll have plenty to brag about. Even Kristin Nelson posts her sales. By the way, she had 22 sales in 2007. Pretty good for a single-agent office. See, P&E doesn't even expect you to compete against big agencies. Just do as well as one far out in Colorado...if you can. Otherwise, people will think and believe that you're nothing more than a scam.
A writer has performed some research on the books you claimed to have helped publish. Um, Babs, you do mean sold, don't you? Let us know, please. "Helped publish" are weasel words. That could mean you looked at the manuscripts and then someone else sold them. Anyway, the writer came up with exactly two for 2007. All the rest are from years ago. Since those two could have earned only a few thousand at most for you, provided you actually sold them, what income did your agency survive upon for the rest of the year?
AEG Publishing Group
How many names will Sydra-Techniques Literary Agency/S.T. Literary Agency/Stylus Literary Agency/Children's Literary Agency/Christian Literary Agency/New York Literary Agency/The Poets Literary Agency/The Screenplay Agency, The Literary Agency Group, and Writers Book Publishing Agency go through before it settles on a name? The Writers Literary & Publishing Services Company (aka Writer's Literary Critique Division) and Rapid Publishing are also part of this group.
2/28/07: Let's add some more names to the mix and welcome the Writers' Literary Agency & Marketing Company which will house the brand new Writers Literary Childrens Agency, the Writers Literary Poet's Agency, and the Writers Literary Screenplay Agency et al, ad infinitum et nauseum.
Still a Top Twenty worst agency according to Writer Beware.
5/3/08: Yep, they're changing names again. It's now Writers Book Publishing Agency and includes Children's Book Publishing Agency. Keep in mind, folks, the names may change, but the smell of dead and dying manuscripts still lingers in the air around their agency.
1/4/09: More new names include: Strategic Publishing Group, Strategic Book Publishing, Strategic Book Marketing, AEG Publishing Group, My Editor Is A Saint, Global Book Agency, Eloquent Books, and Author's Edge.
- If you're a writer, why would you want an agency representing you that has such a poor track record as this multi-named agency for the years (since 2003) it has claimed to be in business?
- Why would a writer even consider going with an agency that threatens to sue its critics for telling the truth about its lack of sales as Stylus is currently threatening to do to Writer Beware?
- Why would a writer want to go with an agency that doesn't divulge its connections with the editing and illustrating services it recommends to those who believe it is legitimate?
- Why would an agency need to change its name so frequently or use multiple names at the same time? Could it be on account of its past reputation?
- Why would an agency need to use a mail drop in a state where it's not located? Could it be on account of a desire to fool writers into believing that the agency is in the heart of the publishing district when it's clearly not?
1/29/09: AEG Publishing Group seems to have a credibility gap showing. Recent information reveals that the interview they've been claiming was by Deliriousgirl was actually written by them and not her according to her response on this page at AbsoluteWrite.
2/8/09: AEG Publishing Group loses libel suit against author James Macdonald.
3/26/09: In 2008, Robert Fletcher and his company, the Literary Agency Group, alleged defamation, loss of business and emotional distress against Writer Beware. That suit was dismissed with prejudice March 18, 2009, by the Massachusetts Superior Court. Fletcher and his companies are currently under investigation by the Florida Attorney General.
The Florida Attorney General recommends that any writers with complaints about any of the businesses comprising the AEG Publishing Group formerly the Writers Book Publishing Agency, formerly the Writers' Literary Agency & Marketing Company, formerly known as the Literary Agency Group, (be sure you mention their former names) should be reported to:
Office of the Attorney General
PL 01, The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050 (850) 414-3990
Office of the Attorney General, New York
Department of Law
The Capitol, 2nd Floor
Albany, NY 12224 (518) 474-7330
Federal Trade Commission (877) 382-4357
www.ftc.gov
BBB of Southeast Florida (516) 712-1918
www.bbbsoutheastflorida.org
(Be aware that reports to any BBB are unlikely to result in any significant action)
County Consumer Protection Offices
Palm Beach County, FL (561) 712-6600
www.pbcgov.com/pubsafety/comsumer/html/home.asp
Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act does provide individuals with a private remedy to bring an action for damages, attorney's fees and court costs. The Florida Bar offers a Lawyer Referral Service: 1-800-342-8060
Sales:
By the way, total known sales by all of the Writers' Literary Agency and Marketing Company's (aka Literary Agency Group) divisions for all of 2006 and 2007 add up to:
Zero.
So just how do they remain in business anyway?
By the way:
So far, as of July 2008, P&E has finally heard of two writers' works being rejected by any of the company names which the Writers' Literary Agency and Marketing Company uses to conduct business. Yet they still wanted to forward the writers' contact information to a publisher. Pretty selective, aren't they? On the other hand, shouldn't WLA&MC be representing those manuscripts if they're good enough to interest a publisher so WLA&MC can earn a commission? Unfortunately, this causes P&E to wonder just how WLA&MC can support itself if it's not earning a commission.
Evidently, P&E's information is not viewed favorably by Writers Literary Agency per this recent email conversation.
One last note: If you believe you have been scammed by WLA, please contact Ann Crispin at beware@sfwa.org.
Don't buy into a scam. Remember, money flows to the author.
Sites of Distinction
Preditors & Editors is pleased to announce the most recent recipient of its Truly Useful Site Award:
no award this month
and the recipient of its Author's/Composer's/Artist's Site of Excellence:
Janet Lane
Our visitors can view the nominated sites for the next award period and are welcome to email P&E with their opinions regarding those sites.
Please click on the heading and give these new authors a look. We also list some recommended books for writers.
New Listings
Preditors & Editors features thousands of listings within its pages. Some of our listings and information come from the following sources to whom we express our gratitude:
If your business or resource site isn't listed yet, just send P&E an email with the business or site name, address (mailing or URL), and a description of what you offer.
The following are our newest listings we've discovered or had reported to us. You can find these and other listings at the topic links:
Thousands of listings for agents, attorneys, and book packagers can be found in our main pages by clicking on the heading to this section. Below are the newest additions to those pages:
| For uniformity, P&E lists agents by first name just like businesses because businesses don't have last names.
$ - Indicates verified sales to legitimate royalty-paying publishers on record.
$ - Indicates verified negotiation by an agency when the sale was made by the author.
AAR, RWA - Indicates individual membership in organization or recognition. Lost membership or recognition is lined out. |
- 14 Jun 09 - Creative Authors: A literary agency in the UK.
- 5 Jun 09 - Evan Goldfried: A literary agent with Jill Grinberg Literary Management.
- 15 Jun 09 - Isabel Atherton: A literary agent with Creative Authors.
- 11 Jun 09 - Jerry Chip MacGregor: $ AAR A literary agent with MacGregor Literary.
- 27 Jun 09 - Keating Literary: A literary agency. Contact info unavailable.
- 23 Jun 09 - Kirk Schroder, Esq.: A literary attorney in the Richmond and Charlottesville, Virginia area.
- 2 Jul 09 - Lucinda Blumenthal: A literary agent and marketing adviser with Fletcher & Company.
- 30 Jun 09 - The Plains Agency: A literary agency.
- 25 Jun 09 - PUBLISH OR PERISH AGENCY: A literary agency. Specializes in:
- FICTION: Children’s, teen, literary, historical, suspense, romantic, ethnic, political thriller, humor, mystery.
- NONFICTION: Children’s, teen, history, politics and current events, memoir, business, self-help, sports, consumerism, humor, novelty, cooking, and sociology.
- 24 Jun 09 - Sharifi & Baron: A literary agency and law firm. Interested in fiction: Thrillers and Suspense, Literary, and Screenplays; and non-fiction: History and Social Sciences, Physical and Biological Sciences, Politics and Current Events, Philosophy and New Age Literature, and Biography. "We are particularly interested in authors on the West Coast and the Rocky Mountain area, but if a work grabs our attention, it will not matter where the author is based."
- 30 Jun 09 - Stephanie MacLean: A literary agent with Trident Media Group. She specializes in romance, women's fiction and YA.
- 27 Jun 09 - Trena Keating: A literary agent with Keating Literary.
Is the agent/agency you're interested in listed here? Click here to see more of the hundreds of agents we list.
Suggested Etiquette for Contacting Agents:
- Do not send attached files containing manuscripts to agents unless the agent's guidelines expressly state that those are acceptable within initial correspondence.
- Email messages should be kept to a length of one or two pages unless explicitly invited to send a manuscript or sample chapters.
- Authors should advise an agent where the agent was found listed. This helps them offer updates to any incorrect listings.
- Do not send synopses to screenplay
agents or movie production companies.
Some of P&E's listings offer legal services only:
- Do not send queries or submissions to legal services unless the agency specifically states it handles both literary and legal representation.
|
- 1 Jul 09 - Amourose Press: A publisher. Specializes in "Chick Lit, young teen, romance (historical, paranormal, and present day), Westerns (if along the lines of Zane Grey, Louis L'Amour, we will consider them), and paranormal mystery and detective fiction."
- 26 Jun 09 - Baal Hamon Publishers: A vanity publisher specializing in Christian religious works and academic works.
- 17 Jun 09 - Books of Desire Publishing: A publisher specializing in erotica and romance only.
- 3 Jun 09 - Dream Books LLC: A publisher specializing in mystery, science fiction, and adventure.
- 19 Jun 09 - Middle Atlantic Press: A publisher "dedicated to publishing the best in regional publishing. Our goal is to publish quality nonfiction books that the residents of the Mid-Atlantic region and the residents of the East Coast of the United States can enjoy for years to come."
- 7 Jun 09 - NVF (New Voices in Fiction): Not recommended. A publisher.
- 18 Jun 09 - Pinestein Press: A publisher. P&E is not impressed by their contract.
- 28 Jun 09 - Professor Textbook: A self-publishing college textbook company.
- 3 Jun 09 - Vox Humana Books: "an independent, small literary publisher founded in 2009. The press maintains a strong focus on the publication of works by new and established Israeli, Palestinian and other Middle-Eastern writers and artists."
| Publishers must have more than one book out by more than one author to be eligible for listing in P&E unless we spot other reasons warranting their inclusion. |
- 16 Jun 09 - Conkey's Bookstore: A bookstore in Appleton, WI plans to close presumably in 2009.
- 16 Jun 09 - Shaman Drum Karl Pohrt: A bookstore in Ann Arbor is closing at the end of June 2009.
| P&E would like to hear from you if you know of a local bookstore in your area. Send us their name and address (or the URL if they have a web site) and we'll list them on P&E. |
| P&E does not recommend any contests with entry fees. |
- 29 Jun 09 - The Power of Words Conference: "Sept. 3-7, Goddard College, Plainfield, VT. –
Explore how we can use our words — written, spoken or sung — to make community, deepen healing, witness one another, wake ourselves up, and foster empowerment and transformation. Organized by the Transformative Language Network, and founded by Goddard College, this conference features experiential workshops, performances, open readings, and celebrations. Make community with others who share your passion. Keynote presenters for the 2009 conference include: Kayhan Irani, performer of the Theatre of the Oppressed and creator of Artivista, combining art and activism; John Fox, poet, author, poetry therapist, author of Poetic Medicine; Lewis Mehl Medrona, author of Coyote Medicine, Native American physician; Dovie Thomason, award-winning Native American storyteller, recording artist and author; Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Kansas Poet Laureate, author of the memoir, The Sky Begins at Your Feet; Sherry Reiter, poetry therapy pioneer and author of Writing Away the Demons. Conference features a wide range of expressive arts workshops, plus special tracks in Narrative Medicine, Right Livelihood, and Social Change. Beautiful setting, reasonable conference fees, room and board available on campus, work-study positions and scholarships available, including the Roxanne-Florence Scholarship for people of color."
- 2 Jul 09 - A. Victoria Mixon, Editor: "I write essays on the craft of fiction on my blog, while offering all levels of editing to both fiction and nonfiction authors, with an emphasis upon
developmental editing."
- 2 Jun 09 - M.G. Hardie: Not recommended. Offers literary services.
- 26 Jun 09 - The Truth About Books: An "independent book review website. We’re independent because we don’t actually sell books – we allow our users to compare book prices on the books we have reviewed, but that’s it. We encourage self-published authors and smaller, independent publishers to contact us and we like to think that we give something back too (we donate our reviewed books to local schools, libraries, etc)."
- 6 Jun 09 - MEET Grammy Award Winning ARTIST JIM WARREN at South Coast Winery,
Temecula, California, June 21st, 12 noon to 2 PM.
Orlando
4th of July Weekend July 2nd and 3rd,
Sottil Gallery ((Dolphin Hotel) 6-10 PM
July 3rd, Wyland Gallery at Disney's Boardwalk, 12-4
July 5th, Wyland Gallery at Disney's Polynesian Hotel, 12-5 PM
Orlando Special, first time ever,
Wyland on a live internet video-cast at the Wyland Galleries at Disney's Boardwalk,
July 11th, 6-10 (Jim Warren will be appearing live in person while Wyland will be live on video-cast (You will be able to communicate with him and watch him paint).
| If you have any work published and are scheduled to do signings or readings, please let us know the date, time, place, and who you are. We'll list it here so readers in that area can find you. |
