Whispers and Warnings For April 13th

Published on April 13, 2005

This Week:

• The Writer's Desk - They'll pay you for your article...IF they sell 50 copies of the pub. Ha!
• Terry Porter, agent - Ouch!
• St. Mary's Today - Receives $435K settlement after accusing county police of seizing copies of the paper to suppress unflattering stories about two county officials.
• Winners of the Muzzle Awards Announced - The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression publishes this year's list of winners.
• The All State, the Austin Peay State University campus newspaper - Reports disappearance of 1,500 school newspapers that reported unflattering information about their leading basketball scorer.
• The Beast, a bi-weekly Buffalo, NY newspaper - Tom Cruise's attorney sends a retraction demand.
• Inland Valley Daily Bulletin / MediaNews Group Inc. / MediaNews Group Interactive, Inc. and four of their employees - Sued Wednesday by Bo Jackson over article claiming he used steroids.
• The Globe - Editor acknowledged sending investigator photographs of his long-dead mother but denied it was an effort to pressure the detective.

Whispers and Warnings For April 6th

Published on April 6, 2005

This Week:

• Consumer Reports / Consumers Union - Taking renewed aim at a popular air purifier two month after manufacturer paid the magazine $525,000 in legal costs after a judge dismissed a libel suit against the publisher.
• The Howling Pig, an online newsletter - The Student Press Law Center has filed brief on on this pub's behalf with U.S. Court of Appeal, asking that all criminal libel statutes be declared unconstitutional.
• General tips about avoiding/dealing with scammers
• Adrian Streather, Literary Agent - More than one negative comment here!
• PublishAmerica.com - Author says they terminated his contract because he complained about quality.
• VNU Business Media / Billboard magazine sued for $29M for racial profiling

Whispers and Warnings For March 23rd

Published on March 23, 2005

This Week:

• FYI Television - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• GLUBE.COM - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Transitions Abroad Magazine - Writers report good experiences.
• Garden and Hearth - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Bookman - Writer asks us to disregard anything positive or negative he said previously. Says, "They said they would do a lot but after a year I have given up on them."
• Academic World - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?

Whispers and Warnings For March 16th

Published on March 16, 2005

This Week:

• InstantPublisher.com - publisher responds
• Associated Content - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Atlas Variety Publishing - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Transitions Abroad Magazine - Writer says payment arrived.

Whispers and Warnings For March 2nd

Published on March 2, 2005

This Week:

• McKenna Publishing - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• BookAnnouncements.com - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• FirstWorks Publishing - Publisher responds to inquiries.
• Artist First Radio - Writer claims they wanted a "donation." Anybody else worked with them?
• Filbert Publishing - Writer retracts last week's post. This is a reputable firm and did not sp*m the writer.
• Grammatika.com - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?

Whispers and Warnings For February 23rd

Published on February 23, 2005

This Week:

• Filbert Publishing - Reader claims they spammed her.
• Publish America / PublishAmerica - Now has an unsatisfactory rating with the Better Business Bureau here and here.
• TheReadersNook or EbooksontheNet - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Peter Lang Publishing - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?

Whispers and Warnings For February 9th

Published on February 9, 2005

This Week:

• Deveraux and Deloitte - Publisher posts "Official Statement" and readers respond
• ST Literary, aka Sydra Techniques - Reader says agents who pay for ads should be avoided
• Peter Lang Publishing - inquiry only. Reader rec'd their proofreading test. Anybody worked with them?

Whispers and Warnings For February 2nd

Published on February 2, 2005

This Week:

• Overdrive / ContentReserve - Author claims non-payment
• Heritage Media Corp. - Has the firm we've rec'd so many complaints about started yet another new company (heritagescholastic.com)?
• E-Spirit Holdings, LLC / Female Entrepreneur Mag - Celeste Miranda sentenced to 6 years for real estate scandal

Whispers and Warnings For January 19th

Published on January 19, 2005

This Week:

• Books to Film / BookstoFilm.com - spam accusations
• Xlibris - author claims they're telemarketing
• 2005 BookAdz Award - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Robert Smith & Associates PR - They're spammers
• Book Connector / bookconnector.com - Spammed some forum members
• Quantum Muse / quantummuse.com - Writer rec'd payment; another write claims withdrew story and rec'd "snotty" response.
• Write for Cash - Inquiry brings in quite a few positive comments about this firm.
• Dorrance - Are they getting authors' names from copyright office?
• Midwest Foodservice News - Paid author and finally agreed to use her legal name!
• Xtreme Detroit Magazine - Writer claims publisher contacted her, used profanity, and more.

Whispers and Warnings For January 12th

Published on January 12, 2005

This Week:

• Midwest Food Service news - more writers post their opinions about this publisher's practices
• ExcellStyle Magazine - another complaint
• Ripe Magazine / ripemagazine.com - Writer claims they're once again posting ads for writers, but charging writers to submit.
• American Book Publishing / american-book.com - Contract contains a jaw-dropping clause
• Magic Graphic / MagicGraphix.com - Editor claims they stole her copyrighted material.
• WritersUniverse / BookstoFilm.com / John Weaver - Publisher responds to a post here, a post here and a post here.

Whispers and Warnings For December 29th

Published on December 29, 2004

This Week:

Whispers and Warnings For December 22nd

Published on December 22, 2004

This Week:

• Deveraux and Deloitte / deverauxdeloitte.com - WritersWeekly's correspondence with this firm. Don't miss this one!
• Midwest Foodservice News - Writer claims publisher refused to allow her to use her legal name (and posts unprofessional email received from publisher).
• PoetryScams.com / Literaryescape.com - Publisher responds and reader posts publisher's email. Warning - email is very offensive.
• Ottawa Life magazine - Writer claims non-payment
• Lifevest Publishing - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• 982Press / 982Press.4t.com - Writer claims they threatened to sue her after she posted complaint to the WritersWeekly forum. You can read the 982Press email in her post.
• Filbert Publishing - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Greenleaf Distributors - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Booksurge / GreatUnpublished - Author claims they tried to contact her 13-year-old unsolicited
• Prairie View Publishing - Author posts her negative experience.
• Contra Costa Exclusive - Writer claims non-payment

Whispers and Warnings For December 8th

Published on December 8, 2004

This Week:

• Elderberry Press, LLC - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• The Independent Pen / theindependentpen.com - Writer claims they owe her money. Publisher posts confusing response.
• Bookman Publishing / Bookman Marketing / bookmanmarketing.com - reader says they're still sp*mming.
• Xtreme Detroit Magazine - Writer alleges no publication or payment for three assigned articles.
• Robins-Agency, Chris Robins - two complaints
• StoryCraft.org - Reader complains about product, says others are complaining on the company's message board.
• PublishAmerica / PublishAmerica.com - More negative press.

Whispers and Warnings For December 1st

Published on December 1, 2004

This Week:

• Quietpoly Agency Services - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• PublishAmerica - Publisher's Weekly published articles about authors' allegations
• EssaysDone4u.com / courseworksdone4u.com / dissertationsdone4u.com - Writer claims they owe $960

Whispers and Warnings For November 17th

Published on November 17, 2004

This Week:

• Narrative Magazine / narrativemagazine.com - Interesting debate going on concerning pubs that charge reading fees.
• Cape May Ads - Writer waiting for payment. Anybody else worked with this pub?
• Prairie View Publishing - author posted interesting follow-up
• Vendor Pro / VendorPro.com - Media Coach posts her complaints about this firm
• WritersUniverse.net
• EnglishLoft.com - Alleged copyright violations - material on their site lifted from a competitor's site?
• Trident Media - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Dream Jobs To Go / Intellectua.com - Publisher responded and another writer posted her negative experience.
• Clinical Inspiration - Writer claims they were rude and unprofessional
• At Your Service Literary Agency - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?

Whispers and Warnings For November 10th

Published on November 10, 2004

This Week:

• onlinealgebratutor.com / hometeaching.com - person praising this company after complaint posted was using same IP address as the publisher himself. Hmmm...
• Hereafter.com - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• PMA Literary - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Buckskinner Magazine - publisher responds to complaint
• Book Builders / the NYC packager - numerous accusations in this post
• Narrative Magazine / narrativemagazine.com - Don't pay $20 to submit your manuscript to this pub!
• National Writers Union - billing issue posted by writer has been resolved
• Cafe Press - Writer claims they sp*mmed but offer no viable way to stop receiving their junk

Whispers and Warnings For October 27th

Published on October 27, 2004

• Christ Healing Network - Don Lavende - writer claims non-payment
• Clarity Editing / clarityediting.com - Editor claims they copied and published part of her website.
• The Writing Circle / thewritingcircle.tripod.com - Editor claims they copied and published part of her website.
• Pen Knife Press / penknifepress.com - Writer says they're sp*mming her and won't stop
• PublishAmerica / PublishAmerica.com - Author says they're still ignoring her requests for royalty information
• HelpPublish.com - Editor claims they stole part of her website almost verbatim
• Tetler Boutique / tetlerboutique.com - Want writers to upload articles with no mention of payment...and horrible grammatical errors in their ad.
• Content Reserve / Overdrive - Publisher claims they changed contract, haven't sent payment

Whispers and Warnings For October 20th

Published on October 20, 2004

This Week:

• e-Marginalia / e-margaux.com - Writers respond to pub's excuses for hiring writers to support this "hobby"
• Stelorproductions.com
• Family Digest - writer finally got payment
• Janet Kay & Associates - update. They're supposed to be in court this week.
• Pabd.com - author doesn't think royalties are accurate
• Whatcharockin.com - Writer claims non-payment and posts editor's emails.
• The Reference Works / Harold Rabinowitz - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Apex CoVantage / Impressions Book and Journal Services - Writer claims many haven't been paid
• Living Together / living-together.com - writer claims non-payment
• Your Workplace Magazine - One writer claims no response to correspondence; second writer claims their check bounced
• lulu.com - writer says they're letting people download her books for fr*e and won't fix the error

Whispers and Warnings For October 6th

Published on October 6, 2004

This Week:

• Champion Press, Ltd. in Fredonia, WI - serious accusations by three authors. Don't miss this one.
• The Creativity Workshop / CreativityCourses05.com - spammed WritersWeekly.com, then sent lame emails trying to say their email wasn't spam. The person emailing Angela at WritersWeekly didn't seem too bright. All writers are urged to NOT do business with spammers!
• Family Digest - two more complaints about non-payment
• 1stBooks / AuthorHouse - another complaint
• Magnifi Creative in San Diego, CA - writer posts several allegations, including non-payment
• eLitAgent.com - author alleges only one sale listed on site but no publisher mentioned; says owner of site also owns a publishing company.
• Girls Gone Stupid - Writers discussing publication dates being moved back
• Noble Literary Agency - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• GOM Publishing - another complaint
• Buckskinner Magazine - Writer says they reneged on their agreement to buy her article, after it was submitted and they accepted it.
• Outskirts Press - OutSkirtsPress.com - Spammed WritersWeekly.com. All writers are urged to avoid doing business with spammers!

Whispers and Warnings For September 29th

Published on September 29, 2004

This Week:

• Teenage Buzz Magazine / teenagebuzzmagazine.com - another complaint
• WritersWorld Limited / writersworld.tv / writersworld.co.uk - appears to be spamming
• Girls Gone Stupid - Writers report lack of response to their submissions
• onlinealgebratutor.com / hometeaching.com - writer posts unprofessional email received from this firm
• Bzzagent - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Family Digest - another writer complaints about non-payment

Whispers and Warnings For September 15th

Published on September 15, 2004

This Week:

• GEM Literary - charges up-front fees?
• LoveSongCards.com - publisher responds
• Ipath Group, Inc. / LivePlanets / Hosting24-7.com - Writer says they owe her money for overcharges.
• Kaboose / Kidsdomain - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• EditorDesk.com - Editor claims they removed some of her plagiarized material, but not all.
• Writers Collection - Michelle Fitzpatrick - Writer says she asked for $1 plus SASE from people applying for job she posted.
• Textcheck - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• GOM Publishing - author has contract, but won't respond to her emails.
• Island Club Resorts, Davenport, Florida - Writer wants to know if others are waiting for acceptance or payment from them?
• IQ Magazine - Writer shares "frustrating" experience with this company
• Frontier Films - another complaint

Whispers and Warnings For September 8th

Published on September 8, 2004

This Week:

• Janet Kay and hubby George Titsworth were arrested! You saw it at WritersWeekly.com first!!
• Quebecor - accused of bad working conditions
• Robert Madsen Literary Agency
• booksjustbooks.com - inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Durban House Publishing Co., Inc. - author posts rebuttal to publisher's response
• TINTA LATINA Magazine - Writer claims non-payment, asks readers to contact the magazine and tell them to pay her.
• EditorDesk.com - Editor claims this site stole content from her site and used it as their own.
• Blacklisted! 411 - Writer finally received payment

Whispers and Warnings For August 25th

Published on August 25, 2004

This Week:

• Masstalking.com - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• The Front Page Newspaper in Culver City, CA - Writer alleges non-payment.
• Dorrance Publishing - more complaints
• Kwickee Bitesize - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• Prudent Press Agency - Inquiry only. Anybody worked with them?
• CMQ Magazine - Writer claims non-payment.
• Pabd.com- Writer alleges non-payment of royalties.

Whispers and Warnings For August 18th

Published on August 18, 2004

This Week:

• Kirkus Review - Writer says they charge $350 to review POD books!
• Nidhi Kathuria - writer states they're soliciting free articles via email (sp*m)
• Dorrance Publishing - writer complains of what appears to be sp*m from this outfit

Whispers and Warnings For August 2nd

Published on August 2, 2004

This Week:

• Clear Magazine in Detroit - writer posts complaint
• Blacklisted! 411 - writer claims non-payment
• LoveSongCards.com - writer posts complaint

Whispers and Warnings For July 28th

Published on July 28, 2004

This Week:

• Ripe Magazine - This pub not only insults writers by not paying for their hard work, but they charge $10 per submission! What a joke!! Please email info@ripemagazine.com to tell them how you feel about this horrible practice. Hey, if you can't afford to pay writers, and you have to charge them just to stay in business, go get a real job!
• pabd.com - author has complaints
• Whitmore Publishing - inquiry only. Anybody have experience with them?
• Kwickee Bitesize - inquiry only. Anybody have experience with them?
• Infinity Publishing - inquiry only.
• Publish America / publishamerica.com - another complaint
• The Celebrity Cafe - Writer claims editor threatened to "fire" her...and they don't even pay!
• CMQ Magazine - writer claims non-payment
• Tribe Communications, Inc. / Tribe Investment Partners / Tribe Media Group - Writer claims they still haven't paid her

Whispers and Warnings For July 14th

Published on July 14, 2004

This Week:

• AuthorHouse / 1stBooks - more complaints
• ST Literary, aka Sydra Techniques- another complaint
• Trade Electronics
• R Magazine and Zane Valenti - anybody worked with them?

Whispers and Warnings For July 7th

Published on July 7, 2004

This Week:

• Challengerbooks.com - cover designer says they stole her entire site
• webgrrls.com - writer claims non-payment
• unnamed pub - writer asks for help after article published without permission or payment
• Club Success Magazine a.k.a Peak Performance - Inquiry only
• Writer's Relief - another complaint
• Benoy Publishing - don't miss this one!