Check out PA's promo gimmick for "your book in Scotland." The Edinbugh International Book Festival objected to PA trying to associate itself with the Festival to sell a gimmick offer to their authors. They sent PA a C&D letter and here courtesy of Paula Commerford is PA's response to the ceast and desist letter. Doesn't look like your book is going to Scotland, does it?
July 26, 2011
Andrew Coulton
Edinbugh International Book Festival
5a Charlotte Square
Edinburgh, EH2 4DR
Re: Cease and Desist: “Braveheart”: your book in Scotland
Dear Mr. Coulton:
I am an attorney for PublishAmerica, LLLP (“PA”). I have been directed by it to respond
to your July 25, 2011 cease and desist letter. In that letter, you accuse PA of implying that there
is some sort of relationship between PA and the Edinburgh International Book Festival Ltd.
(“EIBF”). Please be advised that your claim is without merit because you have distorted the plain meaning of PA’s advertisement.
According to you, PA implied that it was associated with EIBF by misrepresenting that
there were “meetings scheduled between . . . representative[s] of the parties. . . .” However, the
advertisement is totally devoid of any language capable of supporting such an interpretation. The only contact PA promised to make with EIBF was to send EIBF a catalogue. It never mentioned any meetings at all.
Neither did PA promise that “inclusion in the ‘Scotland catalogue w[ould] result in
attention from the Festival and/or publishers” or “participation in the festival.” All it did was
state that “[b]ig publishers are everywhere. Newspaper reporters are everywhere. The famous
Guardian newspaper is a top sponsor.” All of these things are true. In fact, the festival is known
as a “potent magnet for publishers, the media, agents and others.” Additionally, journalists are
everywhere as you can see from the dozens of articles written about the festival each year.
Similarly, the Guardian is an important sponsor of the festival. “The Guardian Sponsors
Edinburgh Intern’l Book Festival, Guardian, June 8, 2011. Furthermore, none of these things
imply any results from inclusion in the catalog. Thus, your characterization of PA’s
advertisement is unsubstantiated; PA is simply not promising any level of attention by EIBF.
July 26, 2011
Andrew Coulton
Page 2
In this light, PA cannot comply with your demands. There is nothing to clarify with PA’s
authors because PA’s advertisement is not capable of supporting your construction. Since PA
claims no association with EIBF, it would be a waste of time to notify its authors that no such
association exists.
Sincerely,
Victor E. Cretella III
For Publish America, Inc.
Victor Cretella
Great letter Vic! Way to go! Authors check this with PA's Scotland gibberish at http://www.publishamerica.net/online_bookstore.html In fack check this statement by PA in a later gimmick offer re the London Review: "We will bring your book to the attention of the London Review of Books staff when we meet them in Scotland next month, and urge them to review your book. Our delegation will report back to you how the meeting went as soon as they return from Edinburgh.
Your book will be among the very first to be presented to the London Review of Books!"
Contrary to what Vic claims doesn't this seem like PA IS having a meeting in Edinburgh?
Oh, there is one more thing. The following is PA's original offer, not the edited Scotland offer, on there website. Looks like they changed a few things after getting that C&D letter.
"Dear author:
We're going to the land of kilts, bagpipes and Sean Connery. We're attending Edinburgh's International Book Festival in Scotland.
Your book. In Scotland. Next month.
Edinburgh is famous for its annual August downtown book festival where it is all about authors, writing contests, literary Nobel prize winners, and the general Scottish audience who come to see who and what is new in the English language. Big publishers are everywhere. Newspaper reporters are everywhere. The famous Guardian newspaper is a top sponsor.
PublishAmerica is at the festival, promoting our best authors.
Put your book on the map in Scotland. Go to www.publishamerica.net/Scotland.html to activate. We will promote your book in a beautiful full-color catalog that we will present to the festival. Let's show the Scots what your book is all about!
Go to www.publishamerica.net/ScotlandPriority.html, and your book will be among the very first we'll present, larger and with more space than the others!
Go to www.publishamerica.net/ScotlandTwoOnly.html, and your book will be promoted in its full glory, in beautiful full-color on a half page! That's a big exposure, no sharing space with five or seven other books. PLUS we will mail your own complimentary copy of the beautiful catalog to you!
You will receive latest-news progress reports before, during, and after the Festival.
And you know something? We're telling Sean Connery about your book too!
We'll let you know how that goes.
Must choose a shipping option to activate. Valid for one title at a time. No use of coupons allowed. Mention the title of your book in the Instructions Box.
Thank you,
--PublishAmerica Bookstore
Bt the way, Sean Connery isn't from Scotland...lol
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