The Fake Book Project

With all the hoo-ha in the news about PublishAmerica lately, I find this tidbit more than a little interesting. I can't believe I missed this project back when it was proposed, but then again, the signal-to-noise ratio on SFWA newsgroups can be pretty gruesome at times. This is not an official SFWA endeavour, but rather an initiative of like-minded individuals acting on their own to expose Publish America as the fraud that it is. The following, in all its glory, comes from James D. Macdonald:

Now it can be told.

Do you all recall a year ago, when I was looking for chapters for a Bad Book, to test to see if PublishAmerica really was selective about what they bought?

Several of y'all helped that project by providing chapters--without knowing what the other chapters were, whether the chapter was first, last, or somewhere else in the narrative, what time of year it was, or much of anything else.

PublishAmerica bought the book.

If you want to reveal yourselves, you may. If not, pat yourselves on the back in private.

I've modified the manuscript in the following manner: I've redacted the "author" name. That individual, who actually submitted the manuscript, can identify himself if he cares to.

I've modified the acceptance letter as follows: I've redacted the "author" name.

Othewise, they are exactly as submitted and received.

You can read (download) the manuscript at
ftp://ftp.sff.net/pub/people/doylemacdonald/sting/StingManuscript.rtf

You can read the acceptance letter at
ftp://ftp.sff.net/pub/people/doylemacdonald/sting/Sting_acceptance.rtf

You can read the sample contract at
ftp://ftp.sff.net/pub/people/doylemacdonald/sting/Contract.pdf

Never again let it be said that PublishAmerica is "selective" in what they accept. Never again let it be said that they reject the majority of the manuscripts they receive. Never again let it be said that they are anything other than a vanity press.

This is poetry in motion, people. A book so bad that it may well rival The Eye of Argon in macro-suckitude. Naturally, I am heartbroken that I missed out on contributing. But perhaps my awful prose doesn't rise to the level of wretchedness required for this effort?

I'll leave you with one final piece of trivia about the bad book in question, provided again by the talented Mr. Macdonald:

The main characters in this book are:

Penelope Urbain

Bruce Lucent

Isaac Stevens

Henry Archer

Margaret Eastman

Richard Isaacs

Callie Archer

Irene Stevens

Andrew Venice

Arthur Nance

Isadore Trent

Yvonne Perrin

Rory Edward

Steven Suffern

Note that their initials spell out:

PUBLISHAMERICA IS A VANITY PRESS

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