mysteries and motorcycles

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Ga-ga-googling


Hmmmm.... I guess this has been floating around in cyberspace for five years now but I just found it the other day while "googling" my name. I've been told that it pays to check yourself out on the internet from time to time and I have done so at somewhat irregular and infrequent intervals. Not often enough, that's for sure. Maybe that's why I've missed this posting for half of a decade.

My first publisher, a thinly disguised POD house had apparently listened to my constant whining about their no return policy and obscene pricing schedule, and when my sales began to approach that of a legitimate author with a legitimate publisher, they decided to act. They introduced a brand new imprint called Independence Books and told me that I would be part of the inaugural run. What I didn't know was that I would be the first.

Well... nice try. Close but no cigar. There was no significant upswing in sales and no call from Oprah.

Here is their press release from 2003.

PublishAmerica Launches Independence Books with The Unreal McCoy
PublishAmerica has added Dennis Collins' The Unreal McCoy to its Independence Books Imprint.


Frederick, MD -- September 18, 2003 -- PublishAmerica is proud to announce that it will re-release The Unreal McCoy, by Dennis Collins, under the Independence Books imprint.
The Unreal McCoy is a well written and crafted contemporary fiction. Detroit police Detectives Albert McCoy and Otis Springfield take on the unlikely roles of guardian angels for rookie private investigator Michael OConner. OConners lack of street-smarts and inexperience land him in the hospital, a victim of a brutal beating. That is were Detective McCoy finds the private detective. While investigating the crime, the police detectives work to fill in the gaps in the ex-insurance investigator's real-world education. Battling a vicious murderer who is head of a ring of jewelry thieves involved in insurance fraud and OConners inexperience, the three are led to the woods of Northern Michigan and an unlikely suspect.

According to Editorial Director Miranda Prather, We were first drawn to The Unreal McCoy because of the sizable handicaps the characters must overcome to solve the case. PublishAmerica primarily publishes works by, for or about people who face a challenge in life, and who overcome it by turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones. In addition, we found that Mr. Collins fast-paced mystery had strong, believable characters and plenty of action to hold readers interest."
The Unreal McCoy was originally released by PublishAmerica in March of 2001. After showing strong sales and marketing potential, PublishAmerica chose Mr. Collins work for the new Independence Books imprint.
The Independence Books imprint was founded to recognize those PublishAmerica books that have achieved marketing success and sales milestones. Independence Books will initially feature softcover books with re-designed covers.
Most of PublishAmerica's books are written by new and previously undiscovered talent. A traditional publishing company, PublishAmerica pays advances and royalties while offering a distinct alternative to authors who would most likely be overlooked by larger, more commercial publishers simply due to their lack of experience in the industry. For more details about this book and author visit www.publishamerica.com.
For more information, please contact Miranda Prather at pratherm@publishamerica.com. You may also contact Dennis Collins at theunrealmccoy@aol.com

Posted by The Unreal McCoy :: 11:46 AM :: 0 Comments:

Post / Read Comments

---------------oOo---------------