I'm still here. Still not very active.
Life is just rearing its ugly head, repeatedly, it feels like. I won't sit here and lament and complain. That's not why you read this blog.
Plus, lots of personal stuff I simply don't want to share at the moment.
Needless to say, I'll be out of town for another 2-3 weeks. Depends on how well "things" progress. So even if I wanted to hop back into my normal routine, I couldn't just yet.
I've been writing down things in my notebooks, still trying to sort some story ideas. It keeps me occupied and still involved in writing. I've taken some of my short pieces off of Writing.com and put them up as notes on my Facebook author page. I might list them here as well, or at least, put in links to those pieces. I do try to write off of prompts from WDC (Writing.com) to keep things fresh in my mind.
One other reason I hopped on here today, was to inform any new authors out there to be aware of a company called American Star Books. It is Publish America. They've had so many issues and lawsuits, they have changed their name, yet again. How they keep slipping through the legal loopholes, I'll never know.
I've been told that I can now have my rights returned to me from when I first published with them, as long as I pay them $99. I was also told that my contract automatically renewed if I didn't respond within a certain amount of days of being told I could buy back my rights. Apparently, it was stated in my contract, yet I couldn't find that fine print.
But with their history of dodging lawsuits, it would be a huge waste of time and money I don't have. Maybe someday.
So there is my public service announcement for the year. I hope you are all doing well. I may hop around to some of your blogs, I'm so out of the loop, though. Feel free to update me on your book progresses in my comments! I'd love to hear from you and hopefully, I'll be back soon.
4 comments:
Mel, sorry you're going through some issues and stuff.
Makes you wonder how that company survives.
Sorry to hear about your problems. Have a feeling that American Star Books aka Publish America are trying to con you over your rights re the $99. Read that there is no basis to their scare tactics. Have you checked out Writer Beware run by Victoria Strauss for the SFa? They keep on at the fraud publishers and expose them She has good advise and can be reached at http://www.victoriastrauss.com/writer-beware/ - check her out... even contact her.
Sorry to hear about your problems. Have a feeling that American Star Books aka Publish America are trying to con you over your rights re the $99. Read that there is no basis to their scare tactics. Have you checked out Writer Beware run by Victoria Strauss for the SFa? They keep on at the fraud publishers and expose them She has good advise and can be reached at http://www.victoriastrauss.com/writer-beware/ - check her out... even contact her.
Thanks Alex and Roland. I'll muddle through as always.
And Roland, I will most definitely contact her! I have kept up on their scare tactics, all of their issues. I learned a lot about them through AbsoluteWrite.com in their Water Cooler forums. I know it's just a scam to get more money out of me. I just don't want them to continue publishing *that* book. If she can help, that would be awesome. Thank you again!
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