You are mistaken and misleading in your statement that the contract are null and void or "don't exist".
The contracts signed are clearly maked Author solutions. In the first paragraph of the document as a matter of fact.

How can you blame and slander/libel a company when you clearly didn't take the time to read a legal document?

Author Solutions is the parent company.

Also, just a curiosity, in what field do you hold your doctorate?

Thank you for that post, Fred. There are far more people satisfied with 1stBooks/Author House than there are those who are dissatisfied. The website that has been set up by a disgruntled author to discredit the company borders on libel. If the person who posted it is smart, he will dismantle it post haste.

_________________
Carol Kern - Author of "All Kinds of Heroes" - a tale of life, love and survival following a devastating act of cyber-terrorism that shuts down all electrical and communication systems across North America in the dead of winter.

Thanks carol. I'm just wondering where this unabiding anger comes from in her.

Cheryl,
If you would put this energy that you're wasting speading false propaganda into healthy pursuits you'd be much happier. You claim to "hate" first books yet you still allow them to sell your book. They make money every time you do. But I guess it comes down to a matter of principle.

If you had such a horrible experience cease the relationship and put it behind you.

If you check their information they have sold over 2 million books...off of there website alone. This isn't counting retail sales. So thats an average of 80+Retail sales! Ask Amanda Brown or Tom Hargrove their experience with 1st Books/AuthorHouse. Both have had movies made out of their books published through 1st Books.

If you wish I will continue to evaluate your site and in an effort to spare you from a lawsuit point out false and misleading data.

God Bless

Just once I'd like to read an online debate that didn't involve someone mentioning lawyers and lawsuits...it's getting a little old.

Cat

Cat, unfortunately we live in a litigious society. I don't like to see people put themselves in a situation where that is likely to happen, if at all possible. Using the word *fraud* in connection with a company can certainly be considered libelous. There are certainly things I don't like about the company either, but I do not feel they are fraudulent. The only altercation I had with them was over my book cover, and it was due to the fact that I was using the term *clip-art* in a generic sense, while the author assistant was referring to *clip-art* as being copyrighted material. When he told me they did not use *clip-art* he felt he was being honest, and technically he was. I told him his response was less than honest, and my book cover was changed without further charge.

The web page that was put up also infers that authors will be lucky if they ever see any royalties. I have received my royalties regularly and have so far received more than I knew had been sold.

_________________
Carol Kern - Author of "All Kinds of Heroes" - a tale of life, love and survival following a devastating act of cyber-terrorism that shuts down all electrical and communication systems across North America in the dead of winter.

ALL POSTS BY "ROSE FLOOD" HAVE BEEN DELETED BY WRITERSWEEKLY.COM.

THE PERSON POSTING UNDER THIS NAME, WHATEVER THEIR REAL NAME IS,
HAS VIOLATED OUR TERMS OF SERVICE BY FAILING TO PROVE HE/SHE HAS A BOOK PUBLISHED BY THE PUBLISHER IN QUESTION (SHE/HE REFUSED TO GIVE ME THE NAME OF THE TITLE) AND HAS OFFENDED OTHER USERS WITH PERSONAL ATTACKS. THIS USER HAS BEEN BANNED FROM THE FORUM.

In addition, this user sent a fax to WritersWeekly after being banned, threatening to sue us for telling lies about him/her in this posting. He/she even sent us a birth certificate, demanded an apology and also demanded he/she be allowed to continue to posting to our forum.

The name on the birth certificate is Rosalie P. Flood.

The name on his/her emails to us is: Rosalie Nie

The fax was sent to us from an R&R Publishing fax machine, which is run by Dick C., who was previously banned from this forum for violating our terms of service and for calling me a c-u-n-t along with several other choice names. Dick C. is the person who got angry with me because we wouldn't promote his 1stbooks-fraud website on WritersWeekly.com.

Neither Rose Flood, or whatever his/her name is, nor Dick C., nor anyone from R&R Publishing will ever be permitted to participate in this forum.

[quote="cowgirlcarol"]Cat, unfortunately we live in a litigious society.

Really? What part of the province are you in? Even in the USA to sue for those reasons you have to prove damages and that's all but impossible. It's just a bunch of foolish posturing people who are unable to effectively convince others of their way of thinking use in desperation. "I"m going to sue you". Feel free, here's my address. It's no coincidence that as Angela Hoy said, lawyers are the most impersonated group of professionals out there. These people who are so great with false threats of legal action want the power, but don't want to put their money up to actually do what they say they'll do; rather than lose face, they pretend to be a lawyer. Just like a little girl playing princess or a little boy in his cowboy suit.

Who has the money and time to waste over something so silly?

Discuss the issues. People who are really going to sue someone don't go announcing it all over the internet, first.


Cat

Since I do not intend to go back to the site in question I cannot tell you exactly where to find the inference that authors may not receive their royalties. However, I am not imagining that the inferrence was made. I read everything on the site ... it is there.

Also, I have never referred anyone to 1stBooks/Author House to have their books published. The reason I will not now, or ever, do so is because of the payment for referrals. I find that very sleasy ... one of the things I don't like about the company.

As far as there being more satisfied than dissatisfied customers, I don't feel there is any need to look for concrete statistics. One only has to look at the hundreds of repeat customers at 1stBooks to make that determination. Disgruntled people are very vocal about their dissatisfaction, while people who have had a good experience generally say nothing until a disgruntled person brings up the topic.

I will probably not use 1stBooks services for my next novel because I have learned that there are several other options that would be much better. However, I do not feel in any way defrauded, misled, or taken advantage of by the company. I have no idea why some people have had a very bad experience, I can only state that I have not.

_________________
Carol Kern - Author of "All Kinds of Heroes" - a tale of life, love and survival following a devastating act of cyber-terrorism that shuts down all electrical and communication systems across North America in the dead of winter.

ALL POSTS BY "ROSE FLOOD" HAVE BEEN DELETED BY WRITERSWEEKLY.COM.

THIS USER HAD BEEN BANNED FROM THE FORUM.

You do not have to prove damages to sue somebody. You have to prove damages as part of financial compensation. There are punitive damages as well as financial loss. That is why you can sue somebody for millions of dolars for defamation. And you don't even have to have a case in order to sue. You have to have a good case to win the suit.

And you're right, people who are going to sue don't announce it all over the internet. AuthorHouse hasn't made such a claim. They offered cheryl a peace offering in order for her to stop her vindictive rhetoric.

For someone who doesn't want to hear all of the legal talk you sure do keep coming back to this post. Which is here to help Cheryl realize she is treading dangerous waters. She has a right to her opinion. She has a right to spread her opinion. She doesn't have a right to slander and defame someone else.

If you don't want to hear the lawsuit talk don't come back to this posting or post anymore to it. I think you are just looking to espouse your opinion to anyone that will listen. What background do you have in U.S. law? In which state do you practice? How much experience do you have in slander/libel litigation? I would like to know of your qualifications to direct the rest of us on these points of law.

Actually, I'm Canadian, and I'm not the one threatening people, why don't you tell me where it is you practice law?? I think a discussion about problems with the publisher may or may not have merits, but threatening legal action is silly.

And the reason I mentioned damages is because I spent most of yesterday morning giving a statement to a lawyer in Rhode Island on just this very issue, only concerning another publisher. The lawyer seemed very knowledgeable and I have no reason to believe you over her, especially since she gave me her real name..lol

ALL POSTS BY "ROSE FLOOD" HAVE BEEN DELETED BY WRITERSWEEKLY.COM.

THIS USER HAD BEEN BANNED FROM THE FORUM.

Rose,
I would be more than willing to discuss our recent rebranding efforts with you, personally. Please contact me at 800.839.8640, ext. 337. I believe posting the entire dialogue and reasons on a message board would be too cumbersome.
R. Michael Johnson
Manager
Promotional & Pre-Publication Services
AuthorHouse

_________________
R. Michael Johnson
Manager of Promotional & Pre-Publication Services
AuthorHouse
800.839.8640 ext. 5337
812.334.5337 (direct line)

ALL POSTS BY "ROSE FLOOD" HAVE BEEN DELETED BY WRITERSWEEKLY.COM.

THIS USER HAD BEEN BANNED FROM THE FORUM.

FRED WROTE:
If you wish I will continue to evaluate your site and in an effort to spare you from a lawsuit point out false and misleading data.


Sorry "Fred", you are definitely the one who used the word lawsuit. I didn't need to read my thoughts into it, you actually wrote the word. I can find nothing that even resembles your recreation of the statement in your subsequent posts, though. How can you spare someone from a lawsuit, by the way? It's all fine and dandy to dress up as a "fred" or a cowboy, or even pretend you're a lawyer, I guess...but please don't drag me into your silly games.

Cat