You can prevent a thief from getting your money!
Before you do anything, please research it very carefully.
Here is a truthful, unfortunate story to illustrate why you should do this.
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How it all started
Shortly after I wrote my first book last year, I searched for a publisher. I reviewed each publisher on the internet, with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and by speaking with other writers who had used each publisher.
I chose Next Century Publishing (NCP).
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What a mistake!
I should not have chosen NCP as my publisher! NCP turned out to be a thief!
Ken Dunn owns Next Century Publishing, a self-publishing company, as well as a new publishing company called Rebel Press and GoRead.com. Rod Larrivee is part owner in at least two of these businesses. At the time, I found nothing negative about Next Century Publishing, Ken Dunn, or Rod Larrivee on the internet or at the BBB and the company had an A rating at the BBB.
NCP turned out to be very unprofessional. Several important tasks were not completed on time and the first launch date was extended by months. In February of this year, less than 8 weeks before the second launch date of my book, NCP editor Simon Presland emailed me and blamed me for the delay in the launch date, because I “f’ing” say full-color print”.
There were other issues with NCP. NCP’s salesman, Prentice Tenney, had told me that NCP has goread.com, a website that allows writers to connect with other writers. I could use goread.com to market my book.
After I signed up for goread.com, I had to pay $29 a month. I also had to buy a book every month and was eventually required to spend $20 each month for goread.com’s own onsite pay-per-click advertising. Goread.com was supposed to give me money each month for the “profit shares” I had earned that month by writing and sharing my articles and doing some other things on goread.com.
Goread.com did not pay my shares until I threw a fit about not getting the money. According to other writers, Goread.com still does not pay shares in a timely manner.
I moved my book from NCP to a different publisher. Ken Dunn and Rod Larrivee have refused to refund the $8,000 I paid NCP to publish my book.
Then I found out through careful research that Ken Dunn had started an MLM company that failed. Also, his Better Business Bureau rating fell from A to “Not Rated”.
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How to really do research!
I should have researched NCP in a different way.
Here is the best way to research a company you are considering contracting with for services:
- Find the owner’s name.
- Google the owner’s name plus “other companies”, and any other words you can think of to look for.
- Do not just google the name of the company and the names of the owners!
- Look beyond the company reviews!
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I truly wish I had done more careful research before hiring NCP to publish my book!
I write to help others, and this article is my way of helping others to not make the same mistake and waste a large sum of money as I did!
Let the encouraging words in these bobbiejrae posts help you
soar like an eagle above life’s storms.
Are you sad?
What do you treasure?
Here are some flowers for you.
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View Comments (3)
I feel empathy for the thousands of people who have been taken by Dunn, Larravie, and their companies. Breach of contract and fraudulent claims are the norm. My list of bad experiences with them is enough for a book on the subject.
In fact, I ran across some posts on a website called whoscammedyou.com listed under Next Century and Rebel Press which closely mirror my experiences.
I would like to thank the people coming forth to educate the public to what I consider to be criminal fraud. Now named Rebel Press and GoRead.com, these are by far, the worst companies and individuals one could choose to publish or market a book.
I found a post on whoscammedyou.com that mirrors my experiences, almost to the letter, concerning Rebel Press, Next Century, goread.com, et. al.
I know for a fact that there are thousands of people who have been taken by Dunn and Larravoe. Breach of contract and failure to perform are their trademarks.
I would like to thank those coming forth to educate the public about these people and businesses which I personally consider criminal fraud.
My dad cannot get his royalties from his book he published. Thank you for your information. I'm legally coming after him. I'm a pittbull.