COMPLAINT: Page ONE Literary Newsletter / pageonelit.com

[angelahoy]

COMPLAINT about: Page ONE Literary Newsletter / pageonelit.com / John Weaver

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: COMPLAINT about Page ONE Literary Newsletter / http://www.pageonelit.com / John Weaver
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:40:27 -0400
From: Angela Hoy <angie@booklocker.com>
To: pageonelit@gmail.com

October 23, 2009

John Weaver - pageonelit@gmail.com
Page ONE Literary Newsletter - http://www.pageonelit.com
700 SW 62nd Blvd., Apt. 205T
Gainesville, FL 32607-6010
P 352.219.6832

WritersWeekly.com has received a complaint about:
Page ONE Literary Newsletter / pageonelit.com / John Weaver

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, haven't paid writers money that is 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.

-------------
THE COMPLAINT
-------------

GA (name not published here but was, of course, provided to the publisher)
alleges you owe him $250 for services never performed and that
you promised a refund, but never mailed it.

See complete allegation and copies of emails under my signature.

-----------------
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_from_angelahoycom/003628_09132006.html

Our report on your firm is scheduled for inclusion in our
publication next Wednesday, though it may appear in our Whispers and
Warnings forum before that time.

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

~~~~~~~~~~~
ALLEGATION
~~~~~~~~~~~

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Writer's lament
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:13:50 -0700
From: GA
To: Angela Hoy

Dear Angela,

I am a freelance writer with seven books published, four by St. Martin's
Press. I'd like
to ask for your help and if you cannot do so, offer a warning to fellow
writers who are seeking marketing and promotional services.

Last April, after having been out of print a decade and working with a
small new publisher, I responded to a solicitation from a known website
called Page One, edited by John Weaver, based in Gainesville, Florida.
They were offering book promotion and author interviews for their two
big websites, for a fee of $250. Having two new books out, I took them
up on this, paid my $250 via Paypal, and nothing happened. Two months
later, upon my inquiry, Mr. Weaver explained that he'd had an illness in
the family, and that he would provide a refund. This, too, never
happened. After no further responses I finally turned to the BBB and
Florida Consumer Affairs, which reported back that this business was
refusing to cooperate.

Perhaps you can help mitigate this. It's possible Mr. Weaver is simply
in a snit because I complained. But meanwhile I am out $250, struggling
to support my family, and my books could have used the marketing help he
never provided. So my damages are actually worse than just the fee I
paid.

Sincerely,
GA