From: Angela Hoy
To: publisher@familydigest.com, famdigest@aol.com, mobleyworld@msn.com, questions@familydigestshow.com
Subject: COMPLAINT about Family Digest magazine / familydigest.com
Date sent: Tue, 09 Jan 2007 20:37:21 -0500

January 9, 2007

Family Digest - publisher@familydigest.com, famdigest@aol.com
P.O. Box 342374
Austin, TX USA 78734

Darryl Mobley - mobleyworld@msn.com, questions@familydigestshow.com
P.O. Box 3728
Danville, CA 94526
P(925)838-4800

WritersWeekly.com has received ANOTHER complaint about:
Family Digest Magazine / familydigest.com / Mobley Entertainment /
Family Digest Show / Darryl Mobley

WritersWeekly.com is a publication that publishes information for and
about freelance writers. The publication is the largest-circulation
freelance writing ezine in the world.

As part of that information, WritersWeekly.com publishes a Warnings
section on its website and in its newsletter. This warning section
contains reports about publications that are unprofessional in dealing
with writers, have refused to pay writers money owed to them, who have
not abided by their contracts, or who have unfair contract terms. These
reports are used by WritersWeekly.com's subscribers to decide which
publications they should and should not work with.

Your firm has been submitted to us for inclusion in the
WritersWeekly.com Whispers and Warnings section.

Step one of our investigation of this report is to gather all relevant
correspondence between your publication and the person submitting the
complaint so that we can piece together that person's side of the story.
Step one of our investigation has been completed.

GG (name not published here, but was, of course, provided to
the publisher) alleges you owe her $675.00 and that you
are ignoring her correspondence. See complete allegation
under my signature.

We have a previous complaint about you posted here:
http://www.writersweekly.com/whispers_a ... amily.html

-----------------
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
-----------------

The second step in our investigation is to send this communication to
your firm to get its side of the story. If you have evidence disputing
these allegations, or would like to make your own statement about these
allegations for publication in our report, please email
angela@writersweekly.com within two business days.

***All correspondence for our investigations must be in writing and is
subject to publication.***

If you do owe this person money, we strongly suggest you read
this article before responding:
http://www.writersweekly.com/the_latest ... 8_09132006.
html

Our report on your firm is scheduled for inclusion in our publication
next Wednesday.

If there is no response to these allegations, WritersWeekly.com will
still publish this complaint, but our readers will not be able to read
your side of the story.

We appreciate your prompt response in this matter.

Angela Hoy
Publisher
WritersWeekly.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE COMPLAINT
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From: GG
Subject: Whispers and Warnings
Date: Sat, 6 Jan 2007 10:45:58 -0500

Dear Angela,

I have been trying to expedite payment from Family Digest for assignments
completed and published in the summer and fall 2006 issues. I've been
told that this check would be mailed since 14-Aug-06. I have made several
attempts to collect this money - which totals $675.00 for 4 different
pieces:

Ask the expert Summer 2006- $150.00
Ask the expert Fall 2006 - $150.00
Mr. Mobley's Fall family getaways Fall 2006 - $250.00
Sleep's effect of studies Summer 2006 - $125.00

I'm disappointed as I worked with this publication regularly for more than
2 years, but since the end of the summer have not received a response to
my routine requests for copies and payment. Any assistance you can
provide would be greatly appreciated. I feel bad having to resort to
this, as I don't want to 'burn a bridge', but feel since I completed the
assignment on time, I should be paid on time. I have attached copies of
the assignments given by Ann Burnett, Editor as supporting documentation.
I also have copies of the completed assignments if needed.

Thank you for your consideration and assistance.

[GG]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----- Original Message -----
From: [GG]
To: publisher@familydigest.com<mailto:publisher@familydigest.com> ;
famdigest@aol.com<mailto:famdigest@aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2007 10:37 AM
Subject: 2006 issues

Hi Ann,

Just checking in to see if you have been able to get a copy of the issues
and payment in the mail. Hope all is well with you. Please let me know if
you need anything from me and have a nice weekend.

[GG]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----- Original Message -----
From: [GG]
To: publisher@familydigest.com<mailto:publisher@familydigest.com> ;
famdigest@aol.com<mailto:famdigest@aol.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 9:07 AM
Subject: Recent issues

Hi Ann,

I haven't heard from you in a while and I hope this finds you well and
ready for he holidays. I can't believe it's already 'that' time of year.
I'm trying to catch up on paperwork and realized I still have a few things
open with you from earlier this year. I was wondering if I could get
copies of the summer & fall issues? Also, do you know when payment will
be issued for those pieces? Please let me know if you need anything from
me or content for upcoming issues.

Thanks for your continued consideration.

Happy and Healthy Holidays!
[GG]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----- Original Message -----
From: [GG]
To: publisher@familydigest.com<mailto:publisher@familydigest.com> ;
famdigest@aol.com<mailto:famdigest@aol.com>
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 2:57 PM
Subject: Re: Family Digest

Hi Ann,

Hope this finds you well. I was wondering if I could get a copy of
the last two issues for my files? I always like to have clips from such a
respected publication in my files. Please let me know if you need
anything from me and Happy holidays!

Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving!
[GG]


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----- Original Message -----
From: [GG]
To: publisher@familydigest.com<mailto:publisher@familydigest.com> ;
famdigest@aol.com<mailto:famdigest@aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 12:16 PM
Subject: Re: Family Digest

Hi Ann,

I hope this finds you well and enjoying fall. We really dodged a
'snow' bullet a few days ago with the snow that hit Buffalo. I just
thought I'd check in to see in you needed content for upcoming issues and
to check on how the show is going. Hopefully it's great!

Let me know if you need anything and have a great weekend!

Best,
[GG]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----- Original Message -----
From: [GG]
To: publisher@familydigest.com<mailto:publisher@familydigest.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 6:36 AM
Subject: Re: Family Digest

Hi Ann,

Great. No problem. I'm trying to keep up on my paperwork
better...UGH! Best of luck with the show and let me know if you need
anything for upcoming issues.

Best,
[GG]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----- Original Message -----
From: FamilyDigestPublisher
<mailto:publisher@familydigest.com>
To: [GG]
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 11:13 PM
Subject: Re: Family Digest


[GG]:

Sorry to be slow in responding. Life here is crazy with the tv
show launching.

The fall issue isn't available yet, but I will send summer.
Thanks!

Ann

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------

From: [GG]
<authormom517@msn.com<mailto:authormom517@msn.com>>
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 18:23:26 -0400

Hi Ann,

I hope this finds you well and enjoying the last few weeks of
summer. I was wondering if you could possibly send me clips from the
summer and fall 06 issues? I like to keep my files up to date especially
when I have clips from such a great publication!! Also, let me know if
you have any upcoming content needs or assignments. I appreciate your
consideration, it's always a pleasure to work with you!

Best,
[GG]

PUBLISHER RESPONDS

From: "FamilyDigestPublisher" <publisher@familydigest.com>
To: Angela Hoy
Subject: Re: COMPLAINT about Family Digest magazine / familydigest.com
Date sent: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 11:47:35 -0500
Send reply to: <publisher@familydigest.com>

1-19-2007

Hello Angela:

As you can see from [GG]’s own email trail (that she sent you
and you sent us), the first time she notified us of an issue getting her
payment was by email on December 14, 2006 (as you can see from her own
email string of messages), not August as she states. As you can also see
from her email trail, she asked in August about any other needs we had and
stated that it “is always a pleasure to work with [you].” There was no
mention of payment by her or us. Sometimes things slip through the cracks.
That appears to be the case here.

By the way, her payment was sent prior to you contacting us. She emailed
us during the beginning of the Xmas holiday break. We paid once management
returned after the holidays.

Had we been contacted about a payment issue as Ms. [GG] implies, we would
have dealt with it appropriately. We work with many, many writers for our
magazines, TV show and radio shows. Clear communications are always
helpful. Bottomline – she could have just mentioned it to us and we would
have caught it early on. It is unfortunate that after the long and
positive association we had with her, that she could not just pick up the
phone and call us. We wish her the best in her future work with other
publications.

Ann Burnett

WRITERSWEEKLY RESPONDS

From: Angela Hoy
To: "FamilyDigestPublisher" <publisher@familydigest.com>
Subject: Re: COMPLAINT about Family Digest magazine / familydigest.com
Date sent: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 12:22:42 -0500

Hi Ann,

The writer contacted me yesterday and, contrary to your claim,
she has still not been paid.

Angela Hoy
WritersWeekly.com

WRITER RESPONDS

From: [GG]
To: Angela Hoy
Subject: Re: COMPLAINT about Family Digest magazine / familydigest.com
Date sent: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 12:29:53 -0500

Hello Angela,

Ms. Burnett is absolutely lying. I've sent her numerous emails and just
kept adding them onto each other as to illustrate the point Of multiple
attempts). Furthermore, in the email I sent to you, there is something
from Ann (in mid August) acknowledging they've fallen behind. Interesting
yet suspiciously, they're finally responding as I sent a fax to Ann, Susan
Benjamin and Mr. Mobley last night and CC'd the Better Business Bureau. I
also left voice mail messages for all of them yesterday as well. Funny
how the very same address used to submit assignments doesn't receive
requests for payment??

The check has not been received and I'd bet that she'll use the same
excuse as she did the last time the payment was late claiming she sent it
to my former address (I moved a year and a half ago).

Additionally, I tried to maintain a cordial and polite relationship with
them as I hoped that this matter wouldn't escalate to the point of not
doing business with them in the future. Obviously a mistake on my part.
please advise Family Digest, no payment has been received and perhaps they
should check with their bank to see that the alleged check has not been
cashed.

It is very sad that an editor has to stoop to these levels. they should
not need to be reminded to pay writers for assignments that ran more than
6 months prior.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

[GG]

COPY OF EMAIL SENT BEFORE DECEMBER 12TH WHERE WRITER ASKS WHY PAYMENT HAS BEEN SENT.

----- Original Message -----
From: [GG]
To: Ann Burnett<mailto:publisher@familydigest.com> ;
famdigest@aol.com<mailto:famdigest@aol.com> ;
Sent: Thursday, December 1, 200 6:45 AM
Subject: Past due payments

Hello Ann,

Just checking on the summer and fall issues and payment. I know you've
been busy with the new show but haven't received them yet. Please let me
know if you need anything from me and thanks for your continued
consideration.

Happy Holidays,
[GG]

WRITER FINALLY RECEIVES PAYMENT FROM FAMILY DIGEST!

From: [GG]
Subject: Interesting Mail
Date sent: Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:08:22 -0500

Hello Angela,

I owe you a HUGE round of applause!! Ironically, guess what arrived in
today's mail??? A check from Family Digest! No copies of the issues as
also previously stated by Ann Burnett, but I'm happy to have been paid in
full. Ironically, the envelope was post marked Friday so it must have
spent a lot of time in their mail room since she claimed it was mailed
almost three weeks ago!!

Thank you so much for all your help. I hope I don't have to call on you
again as this can get so unpleasant, but I'm certainly appreciative of
your diligence to help writers!

Have a great day and again, many thanks!

Hugs!!
[GG]