Author Solutions, LLC

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to investigate Mr*** ***’s design and book order concerns. Mr*** has requested a partial refund for his publishing package, including $he spent to purchase photos from an outside individual. He has also requested that the book
order he placed be expedited. Mr*** purchased a Pinnacle publishing package from AuthorHouse on January 30, 2013. He submitted his manuscript in January 2014. Both Mr*** and our Content Evaluation Department had concerns about the amount of quoted material in his book, so he made revisions to the manuscript and submitted a revised version in July 2014. As no editing services were included in his publishing packages or purchased as an aservice, the project moved forward to the Design process on July 31, Design Approval and ResubmissionDuring Design, Mr***’s book underwent three rounds of revisions, due to an inconsistency in the font size in the original manuscript, and a lack of a thorough inspection by AuthorHouse representatives. As these errors were due to an error by AuthorHouse representatives, the corrections were performed at no cost to Mr*** and a new galley sent for his review. With his signed approval on November 18, 2014, copy attached, Mr*** authorized the release of his book to print and distribution and acknowledged that subsequent changes, modifications, alterations, or corrections to his cover and interior files would incur additional fees in addition to a resubmission fee. After the book was published, Mr*** discovered errors in the final product. On December 19, he purchased a Resubmission service in order to make changes to some of the text in his book. He received a 25% discount on the resubmission and a 20% discount on the revisions costs. Mr***’s revisions were completed and a revised interior proof was sent to him for review. Mr*** then discovered that some of the corrections provided before the book was complete in November had not been completed. Although these errors were evident in the version of the book Mr*** had approved in November 2014, AuthorHouse completed them at no cost and the revised galley was sent for his review. Mr*** sent his signed approval on January 14, (copy attached) and the work was re-released January 20, 2015. Burnett’s package was for a black and white interior book yet some of the images provided for use inside the book were in color After the book was re-released, Mr*** discovered that some images in his book had not printed well, although they appeared correctly in the single author proof he had received. A review found that with the conversion from color to grayscale, some of the images appeared darker and did not print well. Because Print- on- Demand technology can produce slightly different results from one print run to another, these images may appear suitable in another print run of the book. In order to resolve this issue, Mr***’s book underwent another Resubmission service at no cost to Mr***, and the images were adjusted for higher contrast. A copy of the email sent to Mr*** regarding these images is attached for your referenceThis second Resubmission service was completed with his approval (copy attached) and released again on February 19, 2015. Refund RequestMr*** has requested a partial refund for his package price, including $for the photos he purchased for his book. The publishing services included in his publishing package have been fulfilled, with several rounds of revisions provided at no charge, including changes during the first Resubmission that should have been noticed in Mr***’s review before its initial release to publication As a result, the publishing services have been completed and are ineligible for refund Mr*** placed the fulfillment of the marketing services in his package on hold pending the completion of the resubmission of his book Our last communication to him regarding the removal of the hold was on March We have allocated the necessary resources to complete the marketing services and await Mr***’s authorization to remove the hold. The photos Mr*** submitted were purchased from a photographer unaffiliated with our company see attachment “email images review”. As the author accepts responsibility for the materials submitted for inclusion in their book, per the services agreement, AuthorHouse accepts no responsibility for reimbursement for purchases made by the author for such materialsAs stated earlier, images supplied were provided in color although his package was for black and white interior printing. In such cases color images will appear in grayscale Accommodation was made to Mr*** with the work done in the second resubmission of his book, completed at no charge to him Book OrderMr*** has stated that he was promised his book order on March 12, but we have no record of that date having been quoted to him. While his book order was placed on January 27, his second Resubmission was not yet complete at that time. After the Resubmission was complete, the order was processed at the printing facility on March 6. It was shipped on March via UPS with the tracking number 1Z2458820317475781. This order consists of the softcover and hardcover copies included in Mr***’s package, additional complimentary copies of the softcover edition, and softcover copies purchased by Mr***. As of March 17, the tracking information indicates that Mr*** has arranged to pick up the packages at a UPS facility. CommunicationMr*** states that his calls about his book have not been returned. Attached is a log of all calls to and from Mr***’s two phone numbers on file. The call log shows that all calls were returned promptly, until March and 12, when Mr*** left more than fifteen voicemails with our representatives in a two-day time period. Global Director of Author Satisfaction Eugene Hopkins spoke with Mr*** on March 13, explaining that we had received his messages as well as this complaint and would be replying via the Revdex.com. In conclusion, Mr***’s project has been approved for publication and revised several times undergoing a number of complimentary revisions, in order to resolve publisher errors and improve the print quality of his photos, as well as discounted revisions to make changes requested by himAs his publishing services have been fulfilled with his approval they are ineligible for further compensation The marketing services portion of his package was placed on hold by Mr*** in February and we await his instruction to release the hold AuthorHouse accepts no monetary responsibility for materials purchased by the author for use in his or her work Mr***’s book order has been shipped and he has made arrangements to pick up the packages at a UPS facility.We trust this information illustrates the steps we have taken to address Mr***’s concerns.Sincerely, Elaine H***Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Ms***’ concerns regarding the refund of her publishing packageOn November 15, 2016, Ms*** purchased the Bookstore Premier Pro Publishing Package from iUniverse for the reduced price of $She elected to pay in monthly
installments which added a non refundable Payment Plan Fee of $making her grand total $She agreed to and returned the Services and Distribution Agreement the same day (copy attached)On December 1, 2016, Ms*** requested to cancel her publishing package and a refund request was entered into our systemUnfortunately, the refund request was never submitted to our finance department causing a delayPer the Services and Distribution Agreement, as no materials were submitted, Ms*** is due a refund of the package purchase price less a Setup Fee of 10% of the purchase price ($188.93)At the time of the order on November 15, 2016, Ms*** made an initial installment payment of $No additional payments were made. After the Setup Fee and Payment Plan Fee are deducted from the amount paid toward the package, the amount of refund is $In closing, we apologize for the delay in completing Ms***’ refund for her publishing packageOn January 20, 2017, a refund in the amount of $was credited back to her credit card, transaction ID ***Sincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
I would like to have accurate records provided to me by XLibrisI do not feel that the records that they are reporting for my royalties in the 3rd quarter are accurateI also know of at least ebooks, via itunes and Kindle, which were sold to *** ***, *** ***, *** ***On the document that Xlibris provided, it says that only two ebooks were soldI count three.For the 4th quarter, I have reviewed your document that you have submitted in your last response I have further evidence as to or more sales, which were not reported for the 4th quarter*** *** purchased soft covers on Amazon.comI have one of her receipts, which I've attached for of the booksShe purchased another in a separate Amazon order*** *** purchased on amazon as wellThese are just the number of people who have informed me that they purchased the bookI know that the book is being sold and I would like to see accurate records from your companyPlease provide me with accurate records and please research missing royalties from the 3rd and 4th quarter (and include sales made via Amazon, itunes, Kindle, etc).I have done my part in marketing this book, paying for advertising, and sending out the copies I purchased, to bookstores nationwideI know that the book is selling and I am confused as to why I am not being provided accurate documentation from XlibrisI find it odd that after Xlibris is confronted, they magically produce more records, though are still lacking in accuracy.In addition, Xlibris has a policy where they will not cut a check for the author, if the the total revenue for royalties is under $dollarsI want the check for my royalties, regardless of what the amount isIf I have a royalty check for dollars, or any other amount, I want it direct deposited into my bank account, as was set up with XlibrisSo, if Xlibris says that they will cut me a check for the $royalties which they claim, then they need to do just that (after researching the missing ebook and any other sales)
Regards,
*** ***

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Ms***’s request for a refund of her publishing packageOn December 27, 2017, Ms*** purchased the Black & White Professional Publishing Package from Xlibris for $She elected to pay in automatic monthly installments
which added a non-refundable payment plan fee of $for a grand order total of $At the time of the order she made an initial payment of $She signed the Services and Distribution Agreement and the Installment Payment Plan Agreement on December 30, (copies attached)Ms*** has several previously published titles currently in print with Universe and XlibrisXlibris and iUniverse are separate imprints/brands with their own unique services and specialties; however, they are owned by the same parent company, Author SolutionsAll manuscripts and materials submitted to any Author Solutions imprint must undergo a mandatory Content EvaluationContent Evaluation is the process in which we assess all submitted materials to ensure that they meet our standards for publishingWe review every manuscript for issues that could potentially put the author at risk for copyright or libelSection of the Services and Distribution Agreement states that we reserve the right to perform this Content Evaluation and that all work submitted must comply with our content guidelines (these guidelines are on our website at the following link https://www.xlibris.com/faq/Content_Evaluation.aspx#contentguidelineslist)On January 5, 2018, Ms*** was notified via phone and e-mail that the Content Evaluation for her manuscript found possible libel issues as well as some images that may be copyrightedShe was informed that she would need to revise her manuscript to meet the content guidelines and provide written permissions for any copyrighted materialMs*** had similar issues with iUniverse because, as stated above, the same content guidelines are in effect for that imprint as wellOn January 6, 2018, Ms*** emailed that she would not make any changes to her manuscript or provide permission for the images she included; she asked for a refundOn January 9, 2018, a refund request was entered into our system and her publishing package was cancelledPer section of the Services and Distribution Agreement that she signed, if the agreement is terminated because the submitted materials do not comply with our content guidelines, we will refund 100% of the purchase price of the publishing package less a Content Evaluation processing fee of $(see attached agreement)Because Ms*** has only paid $towards the cost of her publishing package, no monetary refund is due to herOn January 8, 2018, she filed a chargeback with her credit card company against her initial payment of $The bank notified us of the chargeback on January 10, and we submitted our rebuttal response to them on January 22, as directedWhen a chargeback is filed, the bank recalls the disputed transaction from the business. They then review the claims of both their client and the business to determine to whom the monies belongDuring the investigatory period, the funds remain in the bank’s possession and they have up to days to make their determinationShould the rule in favor of Ms***, any reimbursement will come from her bankIn closing, Ms***’s publishing package was cancelled as requestedIn accordance with her Services and Distribution Agreement and her cancellation request, she is subject to a Content Evaluation fee of $Because the payment she has made toward her package is less than the Content Evaluation fee, she is ineligible for any monetary refundThe disposition of the chargeback filed with her bank has yet to be determined Sincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
[First, at the time of my contract for both books the royalty threshold was $Plus, I have checked all the emails over a 2yr periodOver a period of several months - from February until June I repeatedly expressed my frustrationEach month I was told that the department had new software and the royalty checks were delayed - but would be paid at the end of the monthWell, it is now almost months later and still no royalties have been transferred to my bank accountHad it been a problem with my bank, why did someone not contact me re this? I do have an account with another bank and with Paypal.If the company have changed the royalty threshold to $in the meantime it is of debatable importanceI terminated my contract with Xlibris by the requested letter of intent on March 13th I was told this would take thirty days to filter though the networkReasons? Failure to provide the services promisedThe only contact from members of Xlibris staff were when I was being urged to purchase something elseMarketingI received a list of stores in Western Australia - many of them were 2nd hand book exchangesI paid for display of *** ** *** at the Miami Book Fair I was there*** *** *** had won a reader award and I attended*** ** *** was not displayedI found three copies of the books dumped on a shelfI know one copy sold, because I sold it when I called by at the stallTwo days later I checked again and still the books were not displayedI have found my association with Xlibris to be 'lacking' to say the leastTo be honest I believe I should receive a full refund of all the moneys I spent.However, at the moment I request that the royalties be paidMy association with Xlibris ended march/April and the moneys should have been transferred as settlement of the association
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have
reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Although I received the check is was for 320.00 dollars not (Amount shown on my receipt.) I notified the company about the mistake, and have not received a response acknowledging that they will correct their mistake
Regards,
*** ***

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for the opportunity to explain the pre productionand production process of Mr*** project. Attached is a document that outlines the pre production andproduction timeline for Mr*** project. The timeline begins with a package purchase on July 25,
andcontinues thru July 20, As the timeline shows, Mr*** projectprogressed at a pace, despite the stopping and starting that occurred frequentlydue to Mr*** recurring requests to cancel when he did not understandwhat was being asked of him. Forexample, 1. After receiving a lengthy but informativeintroductory email from Ms***, but despite having submitted nomaterials or asking her any questions, he emails Ms*** that he wantsto cancel because his questions were going unanswered.2. After speaking with Mr*** about fair use andcopyright issues associated with the biblical text he wanted to use and beingasked to compile his manuscript into one continuous file, Mr*** emailed tocancel. 3. Despite being sent an email by Mr*** aboutthe next stages of the process, Mr*** called the next day upset that hedidn’t know what was going on and that no one had been in contact withhim. Mr*** called Mr*** toclarify the email that was sent to clear up the confusion.4. The same day Mr*** emailed Mr***,requesting clarification of the corrections sent, Mr*** called to cancel.5. Two days after Mr*** let Mr*** knowthat he was unable to download his proofs, he speaks with Mr*** upsetabout the project and that we won’t proceed with unclear corrections.There were no long or unexpected delays on the part ofWestbow Press staff. Mr*** writes that “Thiscompany repeatedly ABSOLUTELY REFUSED to put me in contact with otherdepartments that were to handle other portions of the publication.” We believe “the other departments” Mr***is referring to the audio book department. First, there is no audio book department for authors to speak with. Second, Mr*** was never denied theability to speak with another department. He was told, twice, that the audio book fulfillment would not beginuntil after his print book was complete. Mr*** has had all of his correspondence answered in a helpfuland timely fashion by Westbow staff. Throughoutcustomer support has worked with Mr*** to accommodate and assist him withthe technical requirements of his project. He has been guided thru submitting materials online by support staff viathe author center portal. Mr***has emailed the proofs to him on several occasions, at his request and he was allowedto send corrections in the body of an email rather than on the modificationform to make it easier for him. Mr*** never let any staff member know that he had a setdeadline or timeline that he was trying to adhere to. While it is unfortunate that his competitornow has an audio book out, there is no fault on the part of Westbow staff, asthey had no knowledge of this.Desired ResolutionMr***says he would like the “project finished or a full and complete refund.” If Mr*** would like to proceed with the project, heneeds to send his desired corrections to Mr***, preferably on the attachedmodification form. If he cannot use theform, he can type out the corrections into the body of an email to Mr***,using the same format as the modification form. As Mr*** has told Mr***, the production process cannot goforward without Mr*** sending the corrections he wants made.Since the interior design has been done but Mr*** hasyet to sign off, if he would like to cancel, per the signed Terms andConditions of his publishing package, attached, he is eligible for a refund of 25% of the publishing package as outlined inSchedule A, Section Refunds. Mr.*** purchased the Online Platform package at the discounted price of $3,199.20;25% of the purchase price is $799.80.Mr*** will need to let us know which option he choosesso that the appropriate staff can be alerted.In closing, Mr.*** project has been moving forward, despite his continual requests tocancel when he doesn’t understand what is asked of him. His project has been at a standstill sincethe beginning of June, as Mr*** has yet to send clarification on thecorrections he sent to Mr*** as requested. In order to move the project forward, Mr*** will needto send the needed corrections to Mr***. If Mr*** would like to cancel, he is due 25% of thepublishing package price or $799.80. We await Mr*** decision on the course of action heprefers.Sincerely, Elaine***Manager ofAuthor Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com:
Thank you for the opportunity to further clarify for Mr*** his concerns regarding his bookWe have addressed each of his points below in the order they were listed in his rebuttal filing
Payment Plan Agreement
As stated in our original response Mr*** affirmed both in writing and verbally his purchase of services to be paid in five (5) installments
Xlibris received from Mr*** the signed Payment Plan Agreement document included in our original response a few hours after his purchase on October 14, 2015, affirming his agreement to the terms of the installment payment for his accountAs stated in our initial response; the initial payment, outstanding balance, number of installments, number of recurring monthly payments, dates and the amounts are specified in the agreement and were reviewed in the phone conversation between our Finance representative and Mr*** that day
Mr*** references “see attached”; however, the only attachments in his file at the Revdex.com are those we submitted. For your convenience we are again attaching a copy of the Payment Plan Agreement
My book did not go live on 12/18/
Under our Self-Publishing Services Agreement with Mr***, Xlibris was hired to provide creative, publishing, marketing, distribution and promotional services subject to the provisions of the same agreementNone of the services mentioned above is performed by Xlibris without a written agreement affirming understanding and concurrence to the provisions of the agreement
Mr*** continues to question the publication date of his bookWe have explained in our previous response that based on Section of our Publishing Services Agreement; Payment Precedes FulfillmentXlibris is not obliged to fulfill the Services set forth in each Service Order until after the full payment for such Services has been receivedThe complete payment was received on December 18th and based on our publishing timelines, the title setup, file ingestion and registration period with resellers is completed within 60-days from the book’s approval for publication dateWe would like to reiterate though that while the distribution setup was ongoing, the book could be ordered through the Xlibris Book Order Department by calling us at 888-795-or through our online bookstore: www.Xlibris.com/Bookstore
Borders is out of business; why is it listed as one of the sites for selling my book
All books listed under Borders remain available with the acquisition of its trademark and customer list by Barnes & Noble.
Color of book cover
Jumbled Words in Cover Design
Cover and interior proofs created by Xlibris are based on author’s instructionsBoth the cover and interior proofs are submitted to the author for their review, modification if requested and approval before they can be released to print
Per the documents submitted in our original response, the cover design and color that appears in the finished product was approved by Mr***.
Receipt of Complimentary copies
Contrary to Mr***’s claims, his complimentary copies were shipped and delivered on January 15, The expected delivery was disclosed to him by our Print Department Supervisor when he contacted Xlibris about the orderThe UPS shipping was upgraded at our expense as a courtesy to Mr***Please refer to the delivery details below
Tracking Number: ***
Delivered On: Friday, 01/15/at 9:A.M
Left At: Front Door
Number of complaints listed by Revdex.com
The Revdex.com accepts complaints from consumers who allege a downfall in the marketplace performance of a company with whom the consumer has a business relationship. The Revdex.com lists Xlibris LLC as one of the companies of Author Solutions LLC. The number of filings posted by the Revdex.com represents a cumulative total for a month (year) period for all of the Author Solutions companies. Since Author Solutions services over 100,unique customers each year, the accumulation of plus complaints in that year period represents a very small percentage of its clients
Breach of contract
See A, D, and E above. No breach of contract has occurred
Delivery of complimentary copies
See F above and Delivery of Books section in our original response
Online Preview options
Mr*** objects to having excerpts of his book available for viewing online yet does not specify what site or sites he is referring toWe call his attention to section of the Self-Publishing Agreement signed by him (copy provided with our original response) where he assigned us the right to allow previews of his book on the websites of retailers such as Amazon, Google and Apple in accordance with their criteria
The online reseller controls the listing policies for their site and places a limit on the percentage of pages of a book that will be sampled. These previews offer the online book shopper the opportunity to view a sample of random pages of a title and mirror the experience they would have if shopping in a physical bookstoreIn a store the consumer can look at the front cover, turn the book over, read the back cover and then look inside to get an idea of the writer’s style and the book’s content before making the decision to purchaseHaving the opportunity to “browse the book” online is an important tool for online book buyers, booksellers and book’s author
In the absence of specific references, we reviewed the major booksellers Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com to determine if their preview criteria had been exceeded. We found the following:
At Amazon.com his title’s “Inside the Book” feature appears only on the Kindle e-book listing. The paperback and hardcover versions show only the front and back covers.
The Kindle preview feature includes the front matter (Copyright Page, Table of Contents, Dedication, Preface, Letter to My Readers, and Introduction) plus the untitled first chapter, totaling thirteen (13) pages
Amazon’s default viewing limit for titles on their site is 20%
His page book is sampled at around 15% which is in keeping with Amazon’s sampling criteria
At Barnes & Noble.com the “Read Inside” feature is available on the paperback and Nook e-book versions of his book.
It samples only the front matter portion described above and totals seven (7) pages.
Here the preview is under 10% of its total page count
Mr*** states he disagrees with the use of preview opportunities. Since the preview feature originates thru the e-book version of the book, in order to guarantee removal for the preview sampling, he must choose to remove the e-book versions of his book from distribution
The preview feature originates thru the e-book version of the book.
Breakdown or Explanation of the 35% fee they are charging for the sale of my book
In his filing, he fails to specify the context of this statement. We found no stipulation, provision or mention of a 35% fee for the sale of his book in the Services Agreement, in the 100% royalty program he is enrolled in or on his royalty statements
If he is referring to royalty earnings we refer him to the 100% royalty program document available online, the form sent to him on January 5, and provided as an attachment to our original responseThe program provides to the author percent of all Net Proceeds related to the sales of the BookNet Proceeds are the selling price of the Book less any;
•Industry-standard Trade Discounts taken by wholesalers, distributors, or online retailers,
• Distribution Costs including printing, shipping, other costs related to distribution of the Book and sales tax of each book (when applicable)
Within the document is a chart that lists the retail price and corresponding royalties based on the page count of the title
If he is referring to what he pays for copies of his book, we again refer him to the 100% Royalty program document, specifically the ordering copies sectionMr*** receives a 65% discount off the book price when he orders copies thru his Xlibris book order consultantThis means that the remainder (35%) is his purchase price and covers the costs for printing and the administration of the order
To address his question further we will need the context of his statement
L. Electronic Signature
Electronic signatures are legally binding in the United States and many countries around the worldXlibris employs Docusign, an industry leader with unparalleled hashing and encryption standards, retention and storage practices and data security ensuring the document can only be accessed, read and executed by designated users for the signing and recording processOnly Mr*** was given the code and access to execute a signature on the agreement
Refund Eligibility
Mr***‘s book was released to print in December with his approvalHis complimentary copies were delivered in January 2016. In accordance with Section of the Self-Publishing Agreement he is ineligible for refund.
We trust this information illustrates the steps we have taken to address Mr***’s concerns
Sincerely,
Elaine ***
Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this response/resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
[Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]My overall complaint is that Trafford has not pushed to locate sales from the retailers such as AmazoncomI should not have to report sales to you! I have in the past and then received my royalties I cancelled my contract with YOU on May 29thYou're company does not acquire purchases as it states it would
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. But I will certainly contact the Revdex.com if this check is so say sent to mePeople that have bought packages with Xlibris and later wanted a refund have written reviews saying that Xlibris "supposedly" sent them a check and they never got itAlso, I do have a full time job to where I can't answer the phone anytime I want toI work Tues-Fri 6am-4pm central timeA call was made to me on Monday(yesterday), but I wasn't able to answerI called back immediately and the person that answered said she couldn't track who called me, and that whoever it was would call backHowever, no one called me backA call was made to me today at 2:30pm, but I was at workI've called before around 4pm central and I was told that the Refund specialist wouldn't be able to contact me because 4pm is too lateIn December I was told that my I would get my refund by January of No one contacted me with this processI had to call every time, and every time I was told that the Refund specialist was in a meetingAlso, the contract does not state that a full refund can't be issued after six monthsHowever, it does state that if no materials are sent, a full refund is requiredAt least that was what my contract stated in I didn't send in any materials, not a single word from my bookAnother thing, my mailing address should already be on file with this company. Once again, I will be awaiting this check, if not, I'll contact the Revdex.com immediately
Regards,
*** ***

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Ms***’s request for a refund of her publishing packageOn August 30, 2016, Ms*** purchased the Discovery Black and White Publishing Package from AuthorHouse taking advantage of the special price of $and adding our data Entry
Service for $to transfer her typed manuscript into a digital formatShe elected to pay for both of these services through a 3-month installment plan which added a non-refundable Payment Plan Fee of $30, making her order total $She authorized the Services and Distribution Agreement for the Publishing Package the same day and signed the Installment Payment Plan Agreement on August 31, (copies attached)Materials Submission and Acceptance On September 1, 2016, her CheCoordinator began communication with her regarding the submission of her materials for publicationAt that time she was advised by email that our content guidelines require that all works published by AuthorHouse must be at least 75% original materialThis requirement along with the rest of our content guidelines is posted on our website in the FAQ section. http://www.authorhouse.com/GetPublished/Content-Evaluation.aspx#WhatLookContentE...⇄ On September 6, we received Ms***’s manuscript and began the data entry of her manuscriptOnce the Data Entry Service was completed, the resulting electronic file in Microsoft Word was sent to the Content Evaluation Department for reviewHere, as stated in the Services and Distribution Agreement, Fulfillment of Services section, paragraph 2, a review of the manuscript is conducted to determine if the work meets all our content guidelinesUnfortunately, the review found that her manuscript contained less than 75% original content, failing the evaluationShe was notified of the outcome on September and her CheCoordinator suggested that she add more original content to shift the balance between the bible verses quoted and her original content in her favorOn September 19, Ms*** provided a prologue and the manuscript was sent back to the Content Evaluation teamIt was determined that it still did not meet the 75% original content guidelineMs*** attempted to supplement her manuscript several more times over the following days by both adding original content and attempting to delete some of the bible verses but was unable to reach the required balanceOn October 3, Ms*** spoke once again with her CheCoordinator and stated that she was unwilling to make any further changes to the manuscriptAs stated in the Services and Distribution Agreement signed by Ms***, the manuscript must comply with our content guidelines in order to be publishedOn October 7, Ms*** e-mailed her CheCoordinator and asked for the digital copy of her manuscript that included the changes that had been made as well as the original manuscript sent by regular mailThe CheCoordinator responded the same day with digital copies of her original manuscript as well as the new version which included the changesAs stated in the Fulfillment of Services section, paragraph of the attached Services & Distribution Agreement, original materials submitted to us via regular mail are not keptThey are, however, scanned and retained in the author’s fileSubsequently we were able to only provide her with a scanned copy of her original materialsRefund Eligibility Ms*** is requesting a refund of $630, the amount she has paid toward her purchaseWe refer her to the attached Services and Distribution Agreement, Termination & Refunds section for a detailed explanation of the refund policy. The policy describes the eligible amount of refund for both publishing packages and separately contracted services at specific stages and/or timelines in their fulfillment Ms*** chose both a publishing package and an individual serviceThe following excerpts from the Terms and Refunds section of her agreement apply to her refund request: “If You terminate the Agreement, or if We terminate the Agreement for Cause (as defined below) at any time or without Cause after We have fulfilled the Publishing Services and Marketing Services, Refunds will be issued as follows: For Publishing Packages: Prior to submission of Your Manuscript 0-calendar days after the purchase: 100% of purchase price, less $or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is greater“…….. “For individual Services (not included as part of a Publishing Package): After We begin fulfillment of individual Service(s): No Refund”…… The policy goes on to clarify refund terms for manuscripts that fail to meet the Content Guidelines which includes her project “….If at any time after submission of Your Manuscript, We terminate this Agreement because Your Manuscript or Your Work do not comply with our Content Guidelines, in Our sole discretion, We will withhold an additional fee of $from any Refund owed to You.” Per her agreement, she is due a refund of the cost of her publishing package less a $setup fee as well as a $content evaluation feeBecause the Data Entry Service was completed, no refund can be given for itTo date, Ms*** has made two payments toward her $purchase totaling $which leaves an open balance on her account of $Applying the refund terms, the purchase price of the publishing package was $less $in fees, leaving a refundable balance of $The $has been refunded to the credit card she used to make the original purchase in two payments via transaction ID *** and transaction ID ***. Her project and payment plan have been cancelledIn closing, we are sorry that we were unable to publish Ms***’s work as it was presented to us and despite revisions performed at her direction; she has decided to discontinue efforts to align with the content guidelines needed for publicationAs of this writing, the refund has been processed in accordance with her agreement, her contract has been canceled and the amount of $has been returned to the credit card used to purchase the publishing packageA scanned copy of her original materials along with an electronic copy of her most recent manuscript which includes the adjustments she authorized was sent to her on October 7, We trust this information illustrates the steps we have taken to assist Ms*** with her publishing projectSincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Thank you for the opportunity to explain how Authors Solutions used a highly organized system of exploitation to try to exploit Authors seeking to produce books and how they attempted to exploit me
Based on my previous dealings with IUniverse, (I previously produced books and referred many other authors), I decided to publish a new bookHowever, I was unaware that they had changed ownership in and I was unaware of the countless complaints and lawsuits they had now engendered I Universe used to be a reputable companyI had produced three books with them from to I did not know the company was sold to Authors Solutions in They changed the whole formatIt was revealed in a class action suit by Authors in New York and California; Authors Solutions were accused of various violations of the California Business and Professional Code, and violation of New York General Business LawIt was said they make 2/3rds of their million dollar income on pushing services and fees for authorsThat’s million made on author’s fees and only million on books sales
When I decided to publish a new book in August, first I queried in an IUniverse chat that I wished to produce a book and the representative took my information and asked me the name of the bookFor the purpose of this letter, I will not name my book; I told the representative (Diane) on September 1st, the name of my book and gave a short summaryIf Authors Universe disputes these events I will go further with the naming of my book and the emails to corroborateBefore paying I contacted the representative and made sure of all the termsNo contract is afforded to you or at least it was not to me before you pay so terms are not spelled out, except for the generalized terms on the internet contractI paid my money, they promised to produce my book
On my first query and first submission in September they knew what my title was but yet they continued to tell me that they would produce my book with the controversial title
I paid my first installment of on September and was expected to pay the rest on October 15thHowever I changed credit cards and waited for more progress on my book to make sure because I started to be concerned about the delays and lack of clear communication
Here, I am including the first content evaluation resultsThe email text is in Burgundy and the important point is in bold printThe name of the book and other copyrighted work is covered over
I was asked to change the cover because it was too much like the real person even though it was a parodyThis happened in September after my initial paymentI should have been asked at this time also to change the title if the title violated their copyright standards; however they wished to string me along in an attempt to exploitNo one asked me or said I needed to change the title
They even went to point of providing me with another cover with that same title on itI started saying well maybe I cannot continue with productionThe cover photo was integral to my concept for the bookHurriedly, Authors Solutions supervisor, Tim *** provided me with another cover photo with the controversial title included
I paid my additional amount I owed and I thought everything was ok and my book would be producedYes I did not meet their content approval standards however they did not give an opportunity to say whether I wanted to change my title before they took my moneyThey finally said they wanted me to change the cover and the title two months later in early December, after I had wasted valuable time and had paid my money
They kept saying Mr*** we need you to change this or that in emailsThey would not provide an extensive analysis of what I needed to change in my work and what needed to be corrected but asked me to change a few things at a time to string time along
They knew in the beginning that the title and picture were a problem but they were trying to exploit me for more moneyThey finally admitted they could not do the book after I told them I would not pay for editing services and I was unhappy with their method of stringing me along.The following emails show when they said they wanted me to change the title and cover and my response
They messed up a good company and I believe they will eventually lose moneyI paid them a total of plus and if they had a problem with my cover or title they should not have taken my money until that was resolvedHowever their practice is hold to take your money and then try to find ways to get you to pay moreI received back dollars of the money I spentThey manipulated dollars out of meBut had I been told in the beginning they did not like my title or cover I may have not spent my money and more importantly not wasted my timeThey knew on September what my title and cover were but waited till December 8th to tell me they did not what to produce book without changing title
Again if necessary I will provide more collaborating emails and the cover they provided to prove what I am sayingThose practices were fraudulentIf you look at their practices overall, all the complaints against them and the lawsuits there is a problem for consumers at Authors Solutions and how they treat potential authors
Only after I contacted Revdex.com and the Indiana Attorney General did I even get a response back from Authors Solutions
Regards,*** ***

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for your continued assistance in this matter. Ms*** *** has again requested a refund for the Press Release service that was a part of her Edge Plus Marketing Package. Although *** *** did log the refund request in our system, he does not have the authority to issue refunds, and at no time did he promise Ms*** a refundThat refund request has been closed, and the refund will not be issued As we explained in our initial response, the Press Release service has been fulfilled, per the description of the service on the Xlibris website and the description of the service on the approval formWe have explained to Ms*** that due to limitations in our agreement with Vocus, we are unable to share the contact information of the media outlets included in her campaignVocus also does not provide to us the specific dates that the press release was sent to the media outlets, but the full list of outlets is attached again in the final report of the service We trust this information will resolve your concerns regarding Ms***’s case. Please let us know if additional steps need to be taken *** *** Global Director Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Regards,
*** ***

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to review the content evaluation progress of Ms***’s manuscript and her refund requestOur records confirm her purchase of an Enhance Publishing Package and an Editorial Assessment service on January 30, She opted to use an installment payment
plan, which added a $non-refundable sfee, making her total purchase $Her first payment occurred that day and we received her electronically signed Self-Publishing Services and Installment Payment Plan agreements the following dayCopies attached for your referenceOur records also confirm that nearly three (3) months later on April 21, 2017, we received her manuscript and endorsed it to Content EvaluationAs stipulated on our website and in the Self-Publishing Services agreement, all manuscripts and materials submitted receive a mandatory Content EvaluationThis evaluation is a review process in which we assess the submitted materials to ensure they meet our standards for publishingAn assigned reviewer looks for issues that could potentially put the author at risk for copyright infringement or libelThe author receives the findings with recommendations for revisions, accommodations or permission to use documentationContent Evaluation Timeline On May 2, 2017, she received the initial review by emailShe discussed her options with her Check-in-Coordinator and agreed to proceed with a rewrite to meet the guidelines On September 12, 2017, she submitted her revised manuscript along with a completed Submission Information FormOn October 18, 2017, she received the results of the second content review by emailAfter consulting with her reviewer, her CheCoordinator advised that the remaining issues involved the names of people and places including the pennameOn December 27, 2017, we received another new manuscriptSome questions arose and were resolved regarding the penname choiceOn January 8, 2018, she received the results of the third evaluation. In it, the reviewer requested written clarification that the names used were not identifiable through any information discussed in the workShe writes, “The final denial also informed me that since their content team had reviewed my material three times, if I was unable to resolve the content issues with my next submission, they would not be able to move forward with my book.” The same day she replied by email to her CheCoordinator with a written statement addressing the reviewer’s concernsHer CheCoordinator responded on January 10, 2018, explaining that he had forwarded her statement to the reviewer as evidence the names used satisfy his concernMs*** is correct that she made no new changes to the workHowever, her response to her CheCoordinator addressed the missing link in the reviewer needed and her CheCoordinator advised her that he was forwarding her email to the reviewerHer statement satisfied the reviewer’s concerns about the names in her work, resulting in approval to proceed and prompting the “surprise” congratulatory email she mentions in her filingRefund eligibility Section of the Self-Publishing Services Agreement lists the terms and conditions for refundsRefunds …You shall be entitled to a refund of the amount paid for the Publishing Package as follows: aPrior to submission of the manuscript: 100% [less a $(USD) setup fee] bAfter (a) above and prior start of interior design work: 50% cAfter (b) but prior to final sign-off 25% Irrespective of (a-c) above, after six (6) months from the Effective Date no refund is due to You Ms*** purchased her package in January 2017, submitted her manuscript in April and requested a refund in January Since her request came after the six (6) month refund eligibility, she is no longer eligible for refund Reader’s Digest and LifeRich Publishing In today’s business climate, it is common for companies to expand the scope of their businesses by forming partnerships with other businessesAs a publisher, Reader’s Digest recognized the trend in the publishing industry toward self-publishing and chose to expand into that areaThey formed a partnership with Author Solutions, the leader in the supported self-publishing arena, and named the new imprint, LifeRich PublishingFor additional information regarding these businesses, please access their individual websites In summary, per the terms of her signed Self-Publishing Services Agreement, Ms*** is no longer eligible for refundHowever, her project has met the content guidelinesShould she desire to proceed with the publication of her book we will honor the services of her package and the Editorial Evaluation add-on We trust this information illustrates the steps we have taken to address Ms***’s concerns Sincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com:
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and for the opportunity to present our side of this case
Ms*** has requested to no longer be contacted by Trafford for any publishing opportunitiesMs*** *** was initially contacted by
Trafford in September after she contacted us to express interest in self-publishingTrafford provides free consultation to assist potential authors in selecting the right self-publishing option for them and guide them through the publishing process
Upon receipt of this complaint, we conducted a review of Ms***’s communication history with Trafford. We were able to confirm that the representative who received Ms***’s do-not-call request was not able to forward it to the appropriate department for processingWe apologize for the recent contact attempts made by our consultant to Ms***As of this writing, Ms***’s account has been flagged as “do not contact” and she will receive no future calls or emails from our consultants
We hope the information provided in this letter illustrates the steps we have taken to address Ms***’s concernsPlease advise if additional steps need to be taken for an amicable close to this case
*** ***Global Director-author satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr***’s concerns regarding royalties for his book, *** ***, published with AuthorHouse(ISBNs: softcover ***, hardcover *** and e-book ***)As no inventory exists for print-on-demand titles, only
when a book is ordered is it printed and is eligible for royaltyWhen his title was cancelled in 2014, the files for all his AuthorHouse ISBNs were removed from our printer’s files and distribution network and his title was designated as no longer available for print or download. Royalties and Used books Mr*** states that he found numerous copies of the AuthorHouse publication of his book listed for sale as used books and claims he is due royalties on themIt is important to understand that royalties are paid only once on the sale of book. A “used” book is not eligible for multiple royaltiesMr***’s book was published on March 15, with AuthorHouse and remained live until he requested that it be cancelled in August of Sales data for copies of his title printed during that period were validated and royalties paidA breakdown of the sales and royalties for his title is attached. He sold eight (8) softcover copies, seven (7) hardcover books and two (2) e-books, making a total of $in royalties (this is the gross amount, before tax withholding). Our investigation into his claim found that a reference to the cancelled hardcover ISBN of his AuthorHouse title appears on Amazon.comIt is posted on the Amazon marketplace portion of the site and shows two (2) “used” hardcover copies from two (2) different vendors. As previously noted, Mr*** has been paid for all the hardcover copies printed of his AuthorHouse ISBN and the files are no longer available for printing *** *** Publishing An investigation into his claim found that in May of 2015, a softcover version of *** *** was published with *** *** *** and the title is currently available for purchase under ISBN ***See attached screenshot taken from the *** *** websiteThe sites he lists in his filing, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and eBay all list only the *** *** publication and its ISBN as the one being offered by them for sale as a paperback in both “new” and/or “used” classifications Neither AuthorHouse LLC nor AuthorSolutions LLC or any of its imprints are affiliated in any way with *** *** ***We suggest that Mr*** contact *** *** directly for more information regarding the sales and royalties for the ISBNs published thru themIn closing, after a thorough review of Mr***’s account, we can confirm that he has been paid all royalties due to him by AuthorHouseThe majority of books currently for sale as “used” are the version published by *** *** ***Because AuthorHouse is not affiliated with this company, we are unable to offer any royalty or sales information regarding the *** *** *** version of the bookWe suggest that he contact *** *** *** regarding the sales and royalties of the publication of his title with themIn Mr***’s self-publishing services agreement was completed and released to print with his approval, rending it ineligible for refundWe trust this information illustrates the care taken to address Mr***’s concernSincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
I, *** ** *** reject the response from Life Rich Publishing/Balboa Press/Author Solutions for many reasons, the first being, that this publication company have unethical, unprofessional, and unsavory behaviors and practices. I was initially impressed by Steve C*** because of his polished presentation (gave me the impression that he was there for my best interest, but later realized he was like a car salesman, pitching the best possible offer to get my book published, which I didn't submit). For the most part, I only spoke with Steve C*** and he was very persistent (excessive calls) in gaining my business and my trust (proclaimed to be a Christian and wanted to do right by me). The quoted price for the submission of my cookbook was $3299, but was later discounted of a price $1975, with my first installment payment of $taken from two different prepaid credit cards, both being Visa credit cards. Contacting Steve C*** before I signed the contract, the day I signed the contract was extremely stressful and unprofessional but we still spoke, and after I signed the contract, our conversations went responsibly well, until I cancelled the contract on January 26, 2018. From the moment I terminated the contract, it went from bad to worse. The worst business I've ever encountered and I've had some bad interactions with several companies in my life time, but nothing like this: termination of contract on 1-26-2018, didn't speak with Steve C*** much after that because in my opinion, he felt jilted, maybe even angry because I terminated the deceitful contract. With every email and call I made, the responses were either none existent or vagueSteve C*** stated, "If it was up to me, you would get all your money back ($instead of $325) including the $but you are aware that we will not refund the $75.00." Each Life Rich representative stated that several times, "The $processing fee is non-refundableAnd if you cancel the contract before the day window, you'll receive a full refund." The $deduction was not mentioned in any of the conversations with Steve C***, Kate L***, MrN***, or any of the customer reps on the phone until I mentioned my lawyer, and *** *** mentioning it to Steve to tell me about what I signed. In my opinion, this is not a legitimate business and they're only in the business of promising hopes and dreams, and taking the money with no conscious.I read the contract three times, my management team read it several times, our lawyers read the contract as well, and stated to me that I deserved a refund, that the contract was sketchy and ambiguous, and I should seek the assistance of the Revdex.com for resolution. Life Rich Publishing sent the same response to my lawyer to you and the lawyers, stating I signed the contract, that I was aware of the terms and conditions of the $fee, and that isn't trueI knew of the terms of the contract, but they always confirmed and stated that I would indeed get all my money to my credit card with the exception of the $75.00. Once I terminated the contract, I had to call relentlessly to get my complaint in to Steve, Kate L***, *** ***, and whoever would listen, and each time I was told they're on a call, left for the day, called in sick, in a meeting; they offered their voicemail, and no one ever responded, except maybe once or twice from Steve, spewing the same rhetoric about the page laying the full refund, $or 10% whichever is the larger amount per contract package price. Steve C*** forwarded to me a vague email telling me my refund has been put back on my card, but he didn't give the amount of the refund. I found the refund amount when I looked online. If they had explained that from the beginning, I never would have signed. Each person I spoke to didn't go over the contract as they claim. Their claim was a smooth transaction and transition from writer to published authorThat was not my experience at all. This company is a fraud and based on further research, Life Rich Publishing has very little affiliation with *** ** *** *** (I had a recipe published with *** ** *** *** in 2015). I was deceived, taken advantage of, and money taken from me that they don't deserve and didn't earn. I felt an enormous amount of stress, embarrassed, and humiliated. Steve was an okay guy, but he didn't fight for me like he had when he was trying to get paid. Steve said, "Well those are the rules and my supervisor said you signed the contract, and it's out of my hands, and there's nothing I can do. I wish well in your health." He hung up very quickly! I was in tears while this was happening but his tone was hurtful, unprofessional, and sarcastic. I just wanted and still want my full refund that they promised me $for no services rendered, unprofessional customer service, didn't comply with the contract for claims to getting my cookbook published, unavailable reps like Geoff S***, *** ***, and the supervisors and managers (never available to have a conversation over the phone), and Steve C*** throwing the finance department and other reps under the bus so he could look like the good guy or hero in this mess. I pray with assurance and expectancy that this is issue is resolved and settled with a refund of $back on my prepaid credit card.
Regards,
*** ***

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Ms***’s concernsMs*** is correct in stating that Cover Design and a Personalized Back Cover were included with her Embark Publishing Package that she purchased on December 30, Descriptions of these services can be found at the following links: http://www.balboapress.com/Servicestore/ServiceDetail.aspx?ServiceId=BS-and http://www.balboapress.com/Servicestore/ServiceDetail.aspx?ServiceId=BS-The service in question is the Cover Copy Polish, a separate service where the author’s front and back cover texts are reviewed and critiqued by an editorThe complete description can be found here: http://www.balboapress.com/Servicestore/ServiceDetail.aspx?ServiceId=BS-The Cover Copy Polish service is typically only included with the highest level publishing package (Amplify Package), and carries a cost of $when purchased as an add onA comparison of our publishing packages can be found here: http://www.balboapress.com/Packages/CorePackages/Compare.aspx The order for Ms***’s Embark Publishing Package was entered into our system by the Publishing Consultant showing the Publishing Package with a cost of $and the Cover Copy Polish with a cost of $(a screen shot of how the order items appear in our system is included)After reviewing the communications between Ms*** and her Publishing Consultant, we have determined that there was some confusion between the Cover Design that is included with every package, and the Cover Copy PolishBecause the meanings of some statements in these communications seem to be unclear, we will adjust the refund amount as if the Cover Copy Polish was included with the packageAfter this adjustment, the package price would be $The $non refundable payment plan fee makes the total $899, which is what Ms*** was charged for the orderA complete copy of the Payment Plan Agreement, referenced by Ms***, is attachedRegarding the guarantee that Ms*** highlighted in her response, we reviewed the full text of the e-mail she referenced and found that the guarantee her Publishing Consultant was referring to was the refund policy in a situation where Hay House elects to pick up her title from us for publishingWhile we do offer refunds for other reasons, they are pursuant to Section of the Self-Publishing Services Agreement (copy attached)Ms*** signed this agreement on May 22, As stated in our previous response, this section reads: “You may be entitled to a refund of all or a portion of the amount You paid for a Publishing PackageThe refund opportunity is exclusive to the amount paid for the Publishing Package as referenced in the Service OrderAll other Services are non-refundable after purchaseYou shall be entitled to a refund of the amount paid for the Publishing Package as follows: aPrior to submission of the manuscript: 100% [less a $(USD) setup fee] bAfter (a) above and prior start of interior design work: 50% cAfter (b) but prior to final sign-off: 25%” Because her book has been submitted, interior work and Cover Copy Polish completed, she is due a 25% refund of the cost of the publishing package, which we have adjusted to $In regards to the possible refund amount of $749, this figure did not take into account the fact that the $payment plan fee is non refundable, and that the progress on Ms***’s book fell into category C of the policy listed aboveIn closing, we granted Ms*** a partial refund of the cost of her publishing package in accordance with the Self-Publishing Services Agreement that she signed and returned to us in May of A refund of $was credited to Ms***’s credit card on January 8, 2016, transaction ID ***After reviewing the correspondence between Ms*** and her Publishing Consultant and finding that there seemed to be some difficulty in clarification of the services being provided, we are offering Ms*** an additional refund in the amount of $If we operate under the conclusion that the Cover Copy Polish was intended to be part of the publishing package, the total price of the package is $A 25% refund on $is $for which she has already been reimbursed $The additional amount of $was returned to her credit card on March 30, via transaction ID *** Sincerely, Elaine *** Manager of Author Satisfaction