ComplaintsforPage Publishing

• Initial Complaint

  08/06/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have received literally zero royalties from my book sales from these people (let alone they just didn’t tell me when or even the fact that **** ***** ******** ** was no longer being printed by them) in years, as per the attached. When I ask them if they sent it via wire or check they’re just evasive, shady, or don’t answer. Please help!

  

  Business response

  08/07/2024

  We respectfully disagree with *** *********** complaint. The author’s complaint mentions that he received zero royalties from his book sales. This is simply untrue and we do have a financial record of all sales and all royalty checks that have been sent (and cashed) thus far. Our records indicate the author received his last royalty check in June 2022 for both books. Our records also indicate the author cashed that royalty check (please see attached). Unfortunately since then, he has not earned at least $100 in royalties for him to have another check sent. According to his signed agreement, when the author makes at least $100 in royalties, another check for those sales will be sent at the next quarter. *** ********* was reminded that his book Deep State Defector II was expired (please see attached), since *** *********** contract expired with our company we will issue *** ********* a check at the end of August when royalty checks are sent out. You will see that this was explained to *** ********* from his attachments on August 5th where we also explained to him he will either receive the monies owed to him via check or ACH depending on if he signed up with the ACH company. We do not have record that he did sign up for the ACH transfer so he will receive his check via mail.We believe we have addressed all of his concerns at this time but we would be happy to have a Senior Accounts Manager reach out directly to the author as well.

  Customer response

  08/07/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  These people routinely lie or obfuscate, and that’s why we included our attachment of our latest email exchange. So this “response” above is the first time hearing at least 3 pieces of data (thanks BBB). Perhaps if these people also would have told me they discontinued printing my book (they call it “expiration of contract”) maybe I would have actually HAD a royalty check after June 2022. I can and should sue them for this. Anyway we have transferred all 6 of our **** ***** ******** **** series to new publishers XLIBRIS, Author Solutions, and Media Excellence with publisher *** ******* who actually treats her authors and their books with respect, unlike Page Publishing. 

  
  Regards,
  
  ***** *********

• Initial Complaint

  07/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired this company last September to publish my book. They have vandalized and tampered with my manuscript from the start. And now they refuse to print the cover even though they have all they need to do just that. I sent them the editable files of the front and back cover as requested. I stated in writing that I agreed to the terms of the AI waiver form. I filed a complaint against them before through you and you did absolutely nothing. I offered all the emails proving the veracity of my claims and you didn't want them. They lied to you and I could have proven that as well but again, you didn't care. Why is the truth not being sought out? Why do you not want the facts that I offered to provide? Why? Is it corruption? No doubt about that. Is it because you don't care? No doubt about that either. You're jyst another crooked corrupt government institution that is owned by big business. And when I take page Publishing to court there will be a co defendant. Guess who that will be if you don't get my book cover done so I can begin with my marketing. That's another reason they are holding me up. They know I hired someone else to market and promote my book. They stopped work altogether on my book when I informed the BBB the first time and I have that in an email.But you refuse to look at the facts.

  

  Business response

  07/17/2024

  We are sorry the author’s experience did not match his expectations. However, we respectfully disagree with his complaint.

  *** **** mentions that we have vandalized and tampered with his manuscript. This is not true. We have followed *** ****** *nstructions each time his corrections have been sent to us. *** **** did approve of his book throughout both editing and page design which indicated he was satisfied with the services and completion of his manuscript that we have provided to him. *** **** mentions that he was requested to sign an AI waiver, which is true and we did receive the waiver. However, we have asked *** **** to provide us with the correct files to print and we have continued to receive files that we are not able to use due to text being placed on the cover and most recently, there is a big box that is included as well. While we would like nothing more than to move *** **** along, we still have protocols we need to follow in order for him to reach his desired outcome for his project. Unfortunately, by not receiving the correct files, this has led to delays. *** **** has mentioned that he has hired someone else to market and promote his book and that's a reason he believes we're holding up his project, that is not true. We are more than happy for *** **** to find a marketing company that suits his needs. In turn, we are not holding up *** ****'s project, we are only requesting the correct material from *** **** in order to move forward with his book.
  

  We have offered *** **** multiple explanations, why he needs to sign the AI waiver, how long our processes take, etc. Moving forward, we ask that *** **** have patience, as the publication process is not an immediate process; there are several steps we must take in sequential order, in order to produce and distribute the book as needed. We request *** **** work directly with our team for any future concerns while following our policies and procedures.

  We have attached the correspondence between *** **** and his publication coordinator requesting the waiver from him along with his responses.

  

  Business response

  07/17/2024

  Please see attached files with our Senior Accounts Manager asking to submit the proper files.

  Customer response

  07/18/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]
  
  Regards,. This is a pack of lies as usual from this company. Ask them why I can't speak to my editor? Ask them why they inly do 1 of the 4 necessary edits to ensure the book is the best it can be. Ask them why the retaliated against ne fir contacting you the first time which is a definite violation of the whustleblower act. That's a crime. And I can prove all of ir with emails sent to me from them admitting they woukd not work on my project as long as the investigation by the BBB went on. THATS A CRIME. 
  
  **** ****

  

  Business response

  07/24/2024

  We continue to dispute *** ****'s complaint. In his most recent response, he mentioned: "Ask them why I can't speak to my editor? Ask them why they inly do 1 of the 4 necessary edits to ensure the book is the best it can be. Ask them why the retaliated against ne fir contacting you the first time which is a definite violation of the whustleblower act."

  As part of our policy, we do not allow authors to speak with our editors. If we did, this would take away from their task at hand; editing the book. This policy will not change because our editors need to focus on the editing of the book and all communication or questions *** **** had could've been/were relayed to the publication coordinator who would've/did let the editor know. In regard to his complaint about our style of editing, this is stated in the agreement before *** **** signed on. He was aware of the type of editing we complete before he moved forward. Lastly, we did not retaliate against *** ****, we offered him options through the BBB and via email on how he wanted to move forward with the publication whether that was moving forward with the publication or being released from him agreement. In turn, we were at an impasse until *** **** decided what he'd like to do.

  *** **** did not provide a desired settlement in his complaint. We would be more than happy to connect *** **** with our Senior Accounts Manager to further discuss his concerns. If this is something *** **** would be interested in, he can make this request to his Publication Coordinator and they will ensure this is set up.

  Customer response

  07/24/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]

  
  **** **** **
  Attachments
  Jul 24, 2024, 4:42?PM (15 hours ago)
  to me
  
  This is the itinerary I was given. Under book cover it states it woukd take between 20 and 30 days for them to design the cover. They were given a cover to use so this should have taken hours and not days. They are holding up my marketing firm by playing these games. I need the cover and publication date so we can continue with our marketing/promotional plan. Please put their games and blatant retaliation against me for contacting you to an end. Thank you. 

   As per the first complaint I sent you about this company, please look to their response. The owner himself states that the editing is done by a computer program. I did send in questions for my editor and never recieved an answer from the publication coordinator. I can prove my work was tampered with at every step of the way during editing. I will send emails showing this. I am also contacting my bank and disputing all charges by Page as they have not held up their end of the agreement. 2 to 4 months is all it should take to complete a project like this. Ask any publisher and they will agree. There is only 1 payment left and until I recieve the cover its not going to be made. The marketing part of my plan is more than this one payment and I should not be paying it until the marketing is  being done. They have lied to you from the start. Look at their response. The owner himself states they use the computer program for editing. There is no human editor. That's another lie. Anyone who knows anything about Publishing will tell you the author and editor work together very closely to ensure the best book possible. And I didn't know there were 4 necessary edits for printing a good book. This company us scamming customers with their lies. They only do the copy edit and that is spelling and punctuation. Word program does this as well. All I want is my cover to be finished as not having it ir a publication date us holding up the marketing/promotion firm I hired. This is another reason I am being retaliated against. I chose to pay a different firm and not theirs. Please tell them to finish my project. I want nothing more than to be done with this company as they have no clue how to publish a book as I have been told by people in the same business. 

  Regards,
  **** ****

  Customer response

  07/25/2024

  **** **** **
  2:05 PM (46 minutes ago)
  to me
  
  **** * *************
   
  Could you please tell Page Publushing to supply me with the cover of my book now. Lincoln writes is my advertising/promotion company and they are being held up on account of Page and their deliberate delaying of my cover. This should have taken 2 hours at the most and it's been 10 days. This is wrong to do to anyone. And all because I called them out on their illegal behavior and I reported to the BBB. Isn't that a violation of the Whistleblowers Act? I do believe so yet the BBB allowed it. 

  

  Business response

  07/25/2024

  Once again, we respectfully disagree with *** ****'s claims. Our agreements include a copy edit and state: “Publisher will assign a copy editor to extensively review the Work to ensure proper syntax, word usage, sentence structure, and consistency in adherence with the standards of the Chicago Manual of Style.
  Implying that we use some type of software to edit our books is defamatory and simply untrue. Page Publishing employs actual human beings to complete all phases of the publication process – from transcription to editing, to page design, to cover design, etc. It is all done by humans employed at our company. We do not, and never have, used such software.

  *** **** attached his itinerary to the dispute and as you will see this states that an initial cover design will be completed within 20-30 days. *** **** sent a completely different cover to have us use and there is work involved in offering this courtesy to *** **** such as, applying it to the template, adding the barcode, ISBN's, etc. *** **** sent his new cover to us 10 days ago and he will receive it back once the artist is completed with the cover.

  At this time, we have explained all the options to *** ****. If he would like to discuss his concerns further he may speak with his publication coordinator.
  

  Customer response

  07/25/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID 21973036, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  

  And once again they are lying to you. If you look at their response to my first complaint made months ago you will see they acknowledge the use of computer software or programs to do their editing. Now you have caught them in a lie do something about it

  
  

  *Why does the consumer have to sign an AI waiver if no such software is used?  I think this needs to be answered by the business.

   

  Regards,
  

  **** ****

  

  Business response

  07/26/2024

  We respectfully disagree with *** ****'s complaint that we ever mentioned we used software. As stated previously and in all other complaints from *** **** that Page Publishing employs actual human beings to complete all phases of the publication process.

  In regard to *** ****'s question, "Why does the consumer have to sign an AI waiver if no such software is used?  I think this needs to be answered by the business." This is because *** **** supplied the cover design himself from an AI generated company. This was not a cover completed by Page Publishing. Therefore the AI waiver is needed and states, "The undersigned author agrees to waive cover art services as outlined in the Publishing Agreement. AI images provided by author will be the final rendition for the cover and will be processed as is. Page Publishing will not alter the image in any way. If the supplied image file(s) is not at our recommended resolution and/or color setting, then any issues regarding the printed quality is solely the responsibility of the author. The author is aware that these issues may arise, and they confirm acknowledgement of these issues and wish to continue knowing this. "

  Lastly, *** **** received his cover design back this morning and told his publication coordinator, ""That cover is perfect. Amazing job......I love it." and "That's wonderful. I'm so excited right now. It's been a process for sure but you guys made it happen. Thank you."
  

  We look forward to moving forward with *** ****'s publication and are happy that he is satisfied with his cover.
  

  Customer response

  08/06/2024

  **** **** **
  Aug 5, 2024, 1:17 PM (20 hours ago)
  to me
  
  Now they are claiming the books have been printed and marked out to me yet they refuse to supply a tracking number. All packages have a tracking number.

• Initial Complaint

  06/25/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired page publishing I believe it was in 2020. After seeing their commercials on Television. What caught my attention in their commercials was. “Your work stops and ours begin” I later paid them $3500 for their book editing, advertising, marketing and unlimited editing. This was all lies. Things seem at first to be going well. Until I made the last payment. Page publishing lied. Many times about my book editing being completely ready and ready to move to the next phase which was the cover design. I didn’t know that we had to check behind their editing after they said it was completed by their professional editors. Each time we went back to review my book and we found serious missed spell words. Bad grammar, and grammatical mistakes. There were so many mistakes and was unbelievable. And this company was ready to start the cover design and publish all these grammatical errors on the market. When I let them know that their editors had mistakes. Wrong spellings and grammatical issues. I was told that I needed to pay $125 for the editors to go back in and fixed the mistakes they missed. And that I am supposed to read over my book and if I find mistakes their editors made let them know. This is the reason I thought. “My work ends and Page Publishing Work Begins” This was the reason I went with this company. I didn’t want to worry about any editing. Wanted a professional company to do it. This process of me being told that the editing was completed happen 5 times. And I had to pay each time for page publishing to fix the grammar issues that their computer’s software didn’t recognize. Being that they don’t use real person to proof read. My next issue was that being that this company could not make the cover design that I wanted being that they only find images on line. They don’t have a team that can make your book cover design. They go to paid sites from images and use those. I thought they could actually make it. I had to settle for a cover. I didn’t want. Refund!

  

  Business response

  06/27/2024

  Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about your publishing journey so far. I want to address your concerns with the care and attention they deserve.

  Regarding the editing, we aim to ensure that every manuscript we work on adheres to the highest standards, following the Chicago Manual of Style. We understand that writing is a deeply personal process, and sometimes stylistic preferences can differ. Your input is invaluable in shaping your manuscript, and we appreciate the collaboration to refine it.

  As for the book cover, we strive to ensure that every aspect of your book’s presentation meets your expectations. Our team adjusted the image to fit the template size while maintaining quality. We suggested checking with your original artist regarding the magenta values to ensure the colors match your vision precisely. Since you went with an outside artist we would need the correct files from them.

  
  Our goal is to ensure your book reflects your vision as closely as possible. We value our authors and their stories, and we’re committed to providing the best service. Please contact your publication coordinator directly so we can address these issues and work towards a solution that meets your needs.

  
  Thank you for bringing this to our attention and for your patience. We hope to regain your trust and support you in sharing your story with the world.

• Initial Complaint

  06/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My aunt mailed a book written by my late cousin to Page Publishing. They offered to publish the book for $5,000. They said that they would return the book for $16.00 if she chose not to publish it. My aunt paid Phil D****** $20 many months ago, but has not received the book back. She has left him at least 4 messages, but he is not responding. I also emailed him, but he did not respond to me either. I would like the business to send the book back to my aunt and to mail her a letter apologizing for their poor business practices.

  

  Business response

  06/11/2024

  Hello ******

  We have reviewed your concern and looked into it. It seems as though your aunt said she was going to mail a check on 2/12, this check was never received. We have reached out to her literary development agent to take payment over the phone to make the process quicker. Thank you for your patience in this matter.
  

  Customer response

  06/11/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  I finally received an email from Phil D****** today after they received my BBB complaint.  He said that he responded to my aunt's voice mails and my emails.  He never responded to my emails, even when I wrote him last week and told him that if he did not respond, I would have no choice but to file a complaint with the BBB.

  He also never returned any of my aunt's voicemails.  She would remember if he did.

  I am attaching a print screen showing all of the correspondence via email between Phil D****** and I.  As you can see, there was no communication between Phil D****** and I between January and today.  You will notice that I sent him an email on June 6 asking for a response and threatening to report his company to the BBB, and he still did not respond until today after he received my complaint.

  My aunt will find the canceled check that she wrote to Page Publishing, and I will forward an image of it to you.

  At this point, it is clear that he is lying about returning my aunt's voicemails, and responding to my emails.

  
  Regards,
  
  ***** ******

• Initial Complaint

  04/21/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  So they claimed to contact me over the issue in the past but I got maybe one e-mail. Also NOWHERE in the contract does it tell the author how much money from sales each hand in the pot gets. They give this song and dance about oh you keep profits and we take $0.20 a book after you get your investment back. They never tell you all the other charges taken out of the sale of each book. Very misleading company. I reread my contract before writing this to make sure there’s nothing in there about the breakdown. Only if YOU ASK THE FOR IT will they give it to you. I may be seeking outside representation on this issue.

  

  Business response

  04/23/2024

  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns. We value your feedback and appreciate the opportunity to clarify aspects of our publishing process that may seem unclear.
  I am pleased to inform you that your book is currently yielding royalties that are greater than the typical industry range of 10% to 15% of the retail price. We know that authors always want to make more, but we try our best to position books so that the author makes the industry average or better, as in your case.
  Regarding the detailed breakdown of print costs, it's important to understand that these figures are subject to significant variations and cannot be fully determined until after the book has been edited, the pages laid out, and editions finalized. Furthermore, our distributor and printer, Ingram Content Group, may adjust their pricing due to changes in the broader printing industry, which we cannot predict or control. We assure you that omitting specific print cost details from the publishing agreement is not intended to mislead. Providing such details at the contract stage is impractical, as actual costs only crystallize once the book is completed. We commit to transparency, updating you with as much information as possible as it becomes available.
  Our staff has communicated with you about this topic as you mentioned, but we recognize that the intricacies of the publishing industry can be daunting, so we fault you in no way for wanting additional clarity about this.
  We are committed to supporting your publishing goals and ensuring that you have all the information you need to feel confident in your partnership with us. If you have any further questions or need more detailed information, I would like to arrange for a senior account manager to discuss this personally with you.
  Thank you once again for your partnership and trust in us. We look forward to continuing to work together to achieve your publishing aspirations.

• Initial Complaint

  04/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I signed and entered into a contract with page publishing to edit and produce/print book 1 in a 6 book children's series called ****** ***** ********* ****,in early 2019 , I had hand written in script and drawn out all the characters and built a book from scratch , which was never returned to me that's issue 1 ,next I was mislead into believing I was entitled to 94 % of the royalties from my book,and page publishing would only get 6% After I received the $$$ 3,845 dollars invested by myself and a financial backer , I've still not received a royalty check ,or my original book , and had I been informed that I would only be receiving 3 to 4 dollars for a book that's selling all over the world for 14,95$paperback and 9,99$ ebook ,I would never dealt with page publishing,is this a breech of contract??? what about my original book????? They just blow me off every time I bring it up!!!!! I'm just not satisfied with page publishings services

  

  Business response

  04/23/2024

  Thank you for reaching out with your concerns about your experience with Page Publishing. We truly value your feedback and the opportunity to address and hopefully resolve the issues you've encountered.
  Firstly, we sincerely apologize for any confusion regarding the return of your original manuscript. According to our records, your manuscript was mailed back to you on February 7, 2020. We understand the personal value and significance of your original work and regret any distress caused by this situation. Although we have no control over a package once it enters postal channels, we do our best to ensure each manuscript is properly packed and shipped accurately.  If you'd like a digital version of your manuscript, please reach out to your publication coordinator and they would be happy to send this along.
  Regarding the royalties, we want to clarify and reassure you that you receive 100% of the net royalties earned from your book sales. This is in line with our commitment to ensuring our authors start benefiting financially as soon as possible from their book sales. Page Publishing retains only $0.20 per book after your initial investment is recouped.
  It’s also important to note that the general royalty earned per book in the publishing industry typically ranges from 10% to 15% of the retail price, depending on various factors such as the type of book and the sales channels used. We are pleased to inform you that your book is currently yielding royalties that are well above this industry range. This success is a testament to the appealing nature of your work and the effective strategies we have implemented together.
  We realize the publishing industry can be complex, and it appears there was a misunderstanding about the royalty structure. We are committed to transparency and ensuring that all information is clearly communicated. We are here to support you through every step of your publishing journey and want to make sure all your questions are answered to your satisfaction.
  We are dedicated to supporting your goals as an author and regret that you feel dissatisfied with our services. We would like the opportunity to discuss this further and address any additional concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact your Publication Coordinator directly, or I can arrange for a senior account manager to reach out to you at your earliest convenience.
  Thank you once again for your partnership and trust in us. We look forward to resolving these issues and continuing to work together to publish your series successfully.

• Initial Complaint

  03/05/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I hired Page Publishing to publish a book for almost $4,000.00. When I contact them to see how the book is performing, they are unable to tell me. I have to wait a full month after the end of each quarter for the results. I know just from friends and family having purchased the book, that it performed better than the results they posted. The book even reached #7 on Amazon under travel reference books, yet Page claimed I sold 30 books in the last quarter of the year.

  

  Business response

  03/06/2024

  We are sorry the author’s sales have not been what she expected. However, we respectfully disagree with her complaints.

  
  Sales reports are generated quarterly, as stated in her agreement. *** ******** called in multiple times before the sales reports were sent to us. We receive the reports directly from Ingram and there are times where there is a lag on the retailer’s part. In turn, we must wait until we receive all the reports from all retailers. Hence, the few weeks after the closing date the reports become available.

  
  *** ******** also seems to not believe our sales reports, however, we can certify that the reports presented to you have been accurate according to the data that we receive from Ingram; suspected discrepancies would infer that Ingram has a flawed reporting system (something that we have never encountered with thousands of titles under our belt). Should you still believe that there is an accounting error, we will be happy to take up the matter with Ingram personally, but only with sufficient evidence. To support this argument, we would need to show that there were indeed more net retail sales than overall wholesale books sold. In other words, Neilsen BookScan would have to show more books sold since the initial publication date of your book than what we have reported as total units being sold by Ingram. Without this information, we do not have a solid base from which to file a complaint. Therefore, we have no obligation to perform an investigation on Ingram’s sales figures without some form of irrefutable evidence.

  
  We would be more than happy to connect *** ******* with our Senior Accounts Manager to further discuss her concerns. If this is something *** ******* would be interested in, she can make this request to his Publication Coordinator and they will ensure this is set up.

  
  Copies of the follow items are attached: *** ********’s sales reports, *** ********’s signed agreement.

• Initial Complaint

  02/28/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been trying to get my royalty check for about $53 for two years. Every time I called Page Publishing I got one excuse after the other about why I couldn’t get it. In December 2023 after I called again about it, they said my check had been mailed out but I didn’t receive it. It’s now late February and still no check. I know it’s not much money, but if they do this to every client, it adds up quickly. Thank you.

  

  Business response

  02/29/2024

  Dear *** *****, we do apologize for the miscommunication. When you had called in, it was before our 4th quarter close dates so our support rep must have misunderstand the time frame as to when you'd receive your royalty check. These are sent a few weeks after the close of every quarter. Your check is expected to arrive on 03/06. If you have any other questions please feel free to reach out to our support team and they will be able to assist you.

• Initial Complaint

  02/01/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I first contacted the FTC they took my complaint & investigating but said to contact the BBB as well. November 2022 Robert Deluise from Page Publishing called me about publishing a book. I had one other than art work which I have sort of resolved that issue with them. Not fully as I believed they would pay my illustrator. they have money to pay illustrators but did not tell me if I did not use theirs they would not pay my illustrator separate Royalties. Option A In the Press release that shows a press release has a targeted priority list & that P.P also creates a webpage for that the press release links to to media that gets the press release. They claimed they could not contact my local t.v or radio or newspapers in Spokane County, Spokane Washington as it would be spam. https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/can-spam-act-compliance-guide-business If they followed the guideline FTC there is no reason they could not contact Local media. PP claims they would get fined $51,000 if they did, not true if they do it right. My contract says LOCAL area & they only released it Regionally & Nationally. I got 38 scammers instead, offering to promote my book for a 15 minute video If I paid anywhere from $800 -$4000 for that Zoom interview. I am on social security & am 74 I get $892 a month I am not a cash cow. I tried to contact local & was blocked. Page publishers needs to contact my local media & inform them I am a new published children's book author in their area.. PP refuses to do this. Contact info Media in my area; The Inlander : 509- 325-0634, Fax: 509 626-5875,Editor: [email protected]; KHQ 6 (509) 448-4656. [email protected]; KREM 2 509 838-7350, [email protected]; KXLY 4 509 324-4004 [email protected]. Getting good sales means notify via media neighbors, friends in my local area who in turn tell other people. See attachments Jen Donier 509-238-5020 Landline

• Initial Complaint

  12/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been lied to from day 1. I have been lied about(libel). I signed a Publishing agreement with them on 9/28/23. The agreement states you can cancel for a full refund if done within 3 days. They don't contact you until those 3 days expire. When you sign the contract you agree to a set cost. When you revieve your itinerary, there are additional hidden costs you are not made aware of when you sign the agreement. I have all this in emails. The being lied to, the libel committed against me and the undisclosed fees.in addition, the job isn't being done properly nor correctly. Every fiction book needs a developmental editor. This ensures the book is clear and concise with no holes in the plot. No inconsistencies discrepancies or contradictions as well. It ensures the book will read well. They don't do this which ensures your book isn't the best it could be. I believe the copy editor they do provide is nothing more than your manuscript being subjected to a co.puter program for editing. My contracts clearly states I am assigned a copy editor. When I requested to speak directly to my editor I was refused. This only confirms my believe in their use of a computer program to edit my work. When I talked to my publication coordinator (Ashley Nottingham) she said my editor was Janice. Ashley's supervisor Katy told me my editor was Lorraine. Their lies don't match up. A doctor who can't speak to the technicians who run tests can't cure the patient. A writer who can't speak to his or her editor can't fix the writing mistakes in their book. I believe there are several illegal business practices being done here. Fraud would be the most obvious. I have all the emails to prove the libel and lying being done by the the company and will gladly provide them when needed.

  

  Business response

  12/04/2023

  We are sorry the author’s experience did not match his expectations. However, we respectfully disagree with his complaint.
  
  *** ****** first statement is that “the agreement states you can cancel for a full refund if done within 3 days. They don't contact you until those 3 days expire” This is not true. Our records indicate *** **** signed his agreement on 9/28/23 and his Coordinator contacted him the very next day to set up a time to discuss the welcome material. *** ****** Coordinator has been in constant contact. (A copy of these records are available upon request.)
  
  Next, *** **** stated, “when you receive your itinerary, there are additional hidden costs you are not made aware of when you sign the agreement.” The itinerary states “Please note that once the editing process has begun, no further additions or changes to the manuscript can be accepted. Minor revisions will be allowed once the manuscript is returned to you for review, but word count additions will incur a per-word fee.” Word counts of approved manuscripts are factored into the final cost of the author’s agreement. As such, once we being editing the approved manuscript, any additional content they would like to add (if a significant amount), would incur a small per-word fee to help cover the additional editing fees for that extra content.
  
  Lastly, *** **** mentioned “…the being lied to, the libel committed against me and the undisclosed fees.in addition, the job isn't being done properly nor correctly. Every fiction book needs a developmental editor.” The signed agreement will show the editing services included. Please note, a copy edit is different than a developmental edit. A developmental edit is done prior to an author submitting their work for potential publishing. A developmental edit is an editing process where editors fix the plot, flow, focus, and other book elements. As the name suggests, developmental edits are the most extensive edits done during the development phase of the content.
  A copy edit, on the other hand, is one of the levels of editing that focus on language errors and vague language. A copy editor does not perform comprehensive editing during this level of editing. Instead, this type of edit will look for grammar, syntax, spelling mistakes, etc.
  Our agreements include a copy edit and state: “Publisher will assign a copy editor to extensively review the Work to ensure proper syntax, word usage, sentence structure, and consistency in adherence with the standards of the Chicago Manual of Style.
  Implying that we use some type of software to edit our books is defamatory and simply untrue. Page Publishing employs actual human beings to complete all phases of the publication process – from transcription to editing, to page design, to cover design, etc. It is all done by humans employed at our company. We do not, and never have, used such software.
  *** **** did not provide a desired settlement in his complaint. We would be more than happy to connect *** **** with our Senior Accounts Manager to further discuss his concerns. If this is something *** **** would be interested in, he can make this request to his Publication Coordinator and they will ensure this is set up.
  
  Copies of the following items are attached: *** ****** provided itinerary, *** ****** signed agreement

  Customer response

  12/04/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  

  **** **** **
  Thu, Dec 7, 6:34?PM (5 days ago)
  to me
  
  these people in their response said i was contacted the very next day after signing my contract. i signed the contract on september 28. september 29 was my birthday and i received no calls from them. i contacted verizon after checking my phone's call logs to verify the fact that they didnt contact me until october 2. verizon confirmed this over the phone and mailed me the call log from the day in question.this nullifies their entire statement as it proves they are not a reliable or honest witness. they provided you with the contract. as you can see as per the agreement there is a set total cost. i want in writing from them that this is the total cost and no additional charges will be assessed to me.  i dont think its legal to add more charges once a contract has been signed and agreed upon that already has a set total cost

  Regards,
  
  **** ****

  

  Business response

  12/13/2023

  As stated in our initial response to his BBB complaint, *** **** signed his agreement on September 28, 2023. His assigned Publication Coordinator, Ashley, emailed him the very next day. She emailed him requesting to let her know a good time to discuss the welcome material and itinerary. *** ****** Coordinator did not receive a response to said email on September 28, 2023, so she attempted to reach him again on Monday, October 2, 2023. She was able to reach him via phone; *** **** started the call with his Coordinator to go over the welcome material/itinerary but was unable to complete the call in its entirety at that time due to time restrictions with his schedule. *** ****** Coordinator worked late that evening as a courtesy to complete the welcome call and introductory material. The following day, October 3, 2023, *** **** spoke with a Senior Accounts Manager to discuss dissatisfaction/concerns he had regarding the publication process and our policies. Our policies and procedures were explained, which *** **** did not care for. These policies and procedures are the same for all authors across the board, and we do not deviate from our standard publishing process and procedures.
  We have offered *** **** multiple explanations, as well as a one-time offer of a 100% full refund and early release from his agreement, but he declined. Moving forward, we ask that *** **** have patience, as the publication process is not an immediate process; there are several steps we must take in sequential order, in order to produce and distribute the book as needed. We request *** **** work directly with our team amicably for any future concerns while following our policies and procedures and we will be happy to assist.

  Customer response

  12/13/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]

  I have definitive proof I was not emailed September 29 as they claim. There is no such email. The first email I recieved was October 2, 2023. The latest email I was sent informed me my work would no longer be worked on due to my reporting of these actions to the appropriate agencies. The whistle-blower act protects me from such retaliation.  In addition they are still charging me my monthly fee as was just charged to my account December 3 or 4. They are being paid yet refuse to provide the service as per the contract. They have lied to me and are now lying to you. Their last response stated Ashley contacted me via a phone call. Now they say via email. I can prove both their statements to be false.
  
  Regards,
  
  **** ****

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩