So we arrived home today to find the contract from Florida Academic Press. Two pages single spaced, a lot of typical stuff, until the very last item, which asked the author to remit $2,500, with another $1,500 guaranteed a month before publication, along with the contract.
After several emails had gone back and forth in which my husband was led to believe his submission had been selected for publication by this press in the traditional manner, this was the first we heard of money changing hands.
Upon further investigation, we found the press on Preditors and Editors, an online site designed to warn writers of vanity presses. Look it up under F in the Book Publishers section on the site.
After more investigation we learned that Sam Decalo, the publisher, appears to be an academic who once published books from Yale University Press. One would think a person with this kind of background would be above such practices.
One would be wrong.
Monda says
Oh, Steph. This is awful. It sounds like like publisher misrepresented himself and needs a little negative publicity.
God.
Cindi says
Unfortunately, not too much surprises. Last Fall, my oldest son left home for college in another state. He needed a new laptop and told us he would take care of selling his old one. To make a long story short, he was taken. He went through Ebay and was told he would be sent 1,500.00 via paypal. I looked it up and it was a world wide scam from East Africa! How could they cheat my son who was trying to do the right thing?! Well, we went to our insurance with the truth and they covered almost all of it! I wish only the best for you. Cindi
I can’t even make a complete sentence! Cindi