Christmas Card Photo Mayhem!

I’ve been checking the weather without luck every single day so I was shocked when Frank woke me up on Saturday morning to tell me it was SNOWING! It was blowing pretty good so I ran through the house, waking up all the children to tell them to get dressed for the annual Christmas Card Photo! Whoo hoo! Of course, the older kids had to call their significant others so we had to wait for them, too.

Some POD Publishers Raising List Prices; Angering Authors

From a PublishAmerica Author:
Hi Angela,
It wasn’t until I read your newsletter today that I discovered my POD publisher had also increased my book’s price.
My biggest complaint with Publisher America (PA) from the beginning has always been their exhorbitant pricing. At that time, my book (a 312-page paperback) was listed at $24.99. I couldn’t sell it, even to my family members!
In the last few years, the price was reduced to $19.99 (again, they did not inform me – I simply stumbled across the price decrease). However, my book now lists (retail) at $29.99, with a $5 discount to buyers who purchase my book through PA. PA did not contact me at all for this increase. Not sure they had any legal obligation to do so, but ethically, it would have been nice.
So, Angela, I guess you can add me to your list. The real question remains: What can we authors do about it? Answer: Probably nothing. It never pays to argue with PA. Like another author mentioned in your article, PA will ban you from their message board if you dare complain about anything they do. There is no getting out of their ridiculous 7-year contract unless you pay (and it’s a lot more than $300 as per your article!), and since pricing is through the roof, only Mom and Dad will buy your books through this (company). All I can say is, I will be thrilled when my 7 years is up.
Thanks for the heads up! Once again, your newsletter was an eye-opener.
~Julie Donner Andersen
From a Lulu.com Author:
Lulu Price Jackup
My book at Lulu has gone from $9.99 to $11.21:
Wonder what’s up with that?
T.

Make Money Writing Santa Letters By Julie Engelhardt

Make Money Writing Santa Letters By Julie Engelhardt

We’ve all heard the expression “necessity is the mother of invention,” and as the days before Christmas begin to dwindle down, this mother needed to think of an invention that would bring in some extra money for holiday presents.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Work By Beth Hering

While prices may be rising, my paychecks haven’t, so I decided to approach an editor I’ve worked with in the past about the possibility of taking on more assignments. A few days later, I received an e-mail saying that she didn’t have anything at the moment but that a fellow editor was looking for somebody to write a piece on how couples struggling with infertility can cope with negative feelings stirred by images of “happy families everywhere.”

Whispers And Warnings For November 26th

RiseUp Publications, LLC. / usariseup.com / Ellis Management Marketing Group / EMMG / emmg.net / Janice Ellis / Christopher Ellis / collegeoutlook.net / – Publisher of For Posterity, Achieve, Creative Outlook, College Outlook Counselor’s Guide, The Business Kit, RX Dialogue, The Compliance Monitor, Future of Asthma, Managed Care Training, Pharmaceutical Representatives Companion, and Digest-ables – FOUR more complaints and publisher claims she’s sent partial payments to all writers who are owed money by her firm.

OUCH! Some POD Publishers Raising Book Prices TOO HIGH!

Last week, we talked about FORCED MARRIAGE: When POD Publishers Take Your Money AND Your Rights.
This week, I’m going to discuss a disturbing trend among POD publishers. The list prices of some POD publishers’ books are going up – and fast. Some of these prices are so high that authors know potential readers will not buy their books. Authors should not spend hundreds to thousands to publish a book that will ultimately be priced beyond what the market will bear!

Don’t These People Know How Ridiculous They Sound?

Hi Angela…
You’re missin’ a bet here! You should publish a collection of the “Best of Whispers and Warnings” (Oh, you know, in your copious spare time, between lounging around eating chocolates and painting your toenails…) Something like, “Outrageous excuses, dumbfounding diatribes and puerile tirades from idiotic editors, publishers and other assorted (bleeps!) who lack any understanding of copyright law, business ethics and common sense, and who ought to crawl back under their rocks — as soon as they pay their bills!”
This latest clown, “Damon”, is a winner in any ROTFLMAO sweepstakes. Don’t these people know how ridiculous they sound?
I know that lots of your past W&W entries would provide true quality entertainment for writers, as well as for students of abnormal psychology and human idiocy in general. It’s so cute how these morons seem to ignore the basic rule of holes: When you’re in one, stop digging!
This writing biz is truly amazing: Pick up a rock and the darndest things crawl out!
You guys are superheroes — THANKS for all you do!!
Purrrrs… wac
Wendy Christensen, The Cat Herder
Cultural Ailurologist, Writer, Illustrator, Photographer
https://www.wendychristensen.com
Cat problems? Problem cats? Read my book!
Outwitting Cats: Tips, Tricks and Techniques
for Persuading the Felines in your Life That
What YOU Want is also what THEY Want

BEWARE! Text Editing Scam By Cee Gee

In August ’08, an internet scam hit very close to home and I was almost conned. It started when I went looking for a job on Cleveland.com. There, I came across a posting…

What Should I Include in My Website to Promote My Book?

I purchased a two-year, 5-page, “website tonight” package from GoDaddy.com for $45/year.
I would appreciate any suggestions you might have regarding important things that should be included?

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