Paranormal Romance Guild: Scamming Authors Who Pay in Good Faith
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Paranormal Romance Guild: Scamming Authors Who Pay in Good Faith

Paranormal Romance Guild Scamming Authors

Note to authors who’ve paid for membership in the Paranormal Romance Guild: check to see if your reviews of the last few years are live on the site. If not, email the PRG.

Be aware that the board members of the PRG will launch a vicious personal attack against you if you point out that you paid for a service which they abruptly dropped without notification. Ask yourself if you really want to do business with a group whose idea of customer service lacks respect and courtesy and instead depends on ad hominem attacks.

**Update: The PRG board made a big fuss about how they are a volunteer organization. However, the Vice President is paid $400 per month. Did the PRG cut author services in order to pay the board? Is the board using the membership fees as their own private slush fund?**

I have been a member of the Paranormal Romance Guild for several years. As an author who is both traditionally and independently published, I seek always to publicize and promote my novels. This is imperative because I can write the best books in the world but if no one knows about my books, no one will buy them.

It isn’t always easy to promote a book. There are many book PR sites and companies that promise a lot and deliver little. I scour the internet for opportunities to introduce readers to my novels. Readers are usually glad to have found my books–I get a lot of good reviews online and I receive regular complimentary emails about my books. Anyone can check Amazon or my website to see what I mean.

So several years ago I discovered the Paranormal Romance Guild, probably through a book publicist. They started running reviews of my novels, especially my dystopian novels Fallen, Cold Light, Far Shore, and Blood Sky.

In 2011, a PRG reviewer submitted Fallen for a Reviewer’s Choice Award, and I rallied my family, friends, and readers to vote for Fallen. Fallen Won! Yay!

I started paying for membership to the site. It wasn’t a lot but it was something, and there were two tiers, and I budget carefully for book promotion. I bought the membership in good faith that my awards, books, and reviews would stay live. That’s what I’ve been paying for. I’ve been paying every year. I’ve been paying in good faith.

A month ago, the founding member of the PRG who was also a former board member and webmaster sent out a disturbing email. This email spoke of her experience of being unceremoniously dumped from the PRG, a book review site that she had helped to build.

She had devoted a great deal of time and energy to the PRG over several years and they arbitrarily dumped her.

Her email made me uneasy. Of course there were two sides to the story, but it seemed that she had been treated unfairly. I will copy her email to the bottom of this post.

Then a few days ago, I, a paying member of the PRG, discovered that the reviews of my award-winning books had been stripped from their new site.

I emailed to inquire and was told that this was a decision by the PRG. There was a lot of condescending hooey from the PRG in the emails that followed.

The bottom line is that the “new” Paranormal Romance Guild arbitrarily cut the reviews of my award-winning novels without even telling me that would happen–despite the fact that I am a paying member of several years.

This is a way to scam authors. It’s bait and switch: taking money and then suddenly changing the terms.

The Paranormal Romance Guild has behaved disgracefully.

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Letter from the founding member dumped from the PRG:

Many of you know me fairly well by now. I am a founding member who helped create PRG 7+ years ago. I was webmaster, a former President & VP, and a board member, who worked all these years as though PRG was my 2nd job, even though for most of the time I was an unpaid volunteer. My largest fault has been that I work too hard and want things done right – because I believe that if we expect authors to pay for membership, they deserve a site that is done well and looks professional. I have taken great pride in all that I’ve done for PRG.

I have just been informed that I have been unceremoniously removed from my roles in the organization today. After 7 years of hard work (and friendship, I thought) I was not given a phone call for discussion of this major change, nor was the Board of Directors given opportunity to vote as they properly should have. This decision was made by President Kelly Abell & VP Fred Feeley because they have “decided to go in another direction”. I was not given an opportunity to speak on my own behalf about this important change and the Board was insulted by having this decision made for them as though they are incompetent for the roles they were elected to and their opinions are worthless. I did not even receive a professional email informing me of this executive decision until 10 hours after I was unexpectedly locked out of the PRG Reviewer’s Choice Award preparations I was working on for all of you. 

I have only ever wanted what was best for PRG. Our recent webhost problems were beyond my control, but I had prepared a new website and worked hard to ensure our members would experience minimum interruptions in service. A webhost change may ultimately be deemed necessary, but as elected WebMaster I had hoped to be part of the conversation and transition, rather than stepped over and kicked to the curb. Our elected Officers and Board Members are supposed to have opportunity to voice their opinions, and changes are supposed to be voted upon as a group – because we created a community founded upon group spirit. Please be aware that apparently, that is no longer the case in PRG.

I am disappointed that the organization I worked so hard to help create and grow over the years has so mishandled this transition. For all the times I dropped everything to quickly help members and co-workers with problems, or help with emergency site changes and review postings…for all the times I put my own writing career aside to help better PRG, this is an extremely unfair and cruel turn of events. In 7 years of emergencies and last minute projects, I have never let PRG down. However, PRG has let me down terribly. 

I have many wonderful memories from my time with PRG and have made great friendships that will continue on. I do not know what new direction The Paranormal Romance Guild will be taking in the future, but I wanted to let you all know that I will not be taking part in it, because for an organization to treat a hard working, loyal, founding member this way is disgraceful.

Two New Reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING
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Two New Reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING

Two New Reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING

The last several news cycles seem to have been dominated by politics. It’s been hard to get some traction with my new novel THE YEAR OF LOVING.

But early this morning a gracious email arrived from a blogger whose reviews I really enjoy. Her name is Jen Thorpe and she writes for No Market Collective. She said she wanted to capture the emotional quality of the story without giving away too many details about it. The link to her review was attached.

What a great review! She wrote, in part:

The Year of Loving is what I would describe as a romance novel with a drama rolled into it. There are some hot sex scenes to look forward to. Some situations are presented in quirky, amusing, ways, which made me giggle. (The “meet cute” at the start of the book had me laughing!)

In addition, the book includes some painful moments, any of which could set the reader off on a “good cry”. The story runs the range of emotions, which makes the book feel a bit like a sample box of chocolates. We all have our favorites, but the ones we tend to avoid are good, too.

This was a really fun and thoughtful review. I especially loved the comparison to a sample box of chocolate, and anyone who’s read the novel will get the sly humor….

Midwest Book Reviews also featured THE YEAR OF LOVING on their Small Press Bookwatch page. I was really happy to see that–Midwest Book Reviews is a quality review outlet.

The review read:

Critique: A deftly crafted and compelling read from beginning to end, “The Year of Loving” clearly showcases author Traci Slatton’s genuine flair for storytelling. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Contemporary Romance & General Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that “The Year of Loving” is also available in a Kindle format ($4.99).

I appreciated the inclusion of the business of book selling!

So two new reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING, excellent ones!

Two New Reviews of The Year of Loving

Recent Author Events and Book Reviews
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Recent Author Events and Book Reviews

Recent Author Events

I’ve enjoyed getting out and promoting THE YEAR OF LOVING and my other novels, too, of course.

Book Club

Early in February the Women’s Novels of New York Book Club hosted me at a dinner downtown. What a great group of women! They asked meaty questions and offered insightful comments about The Year of Loving. They reminded me why I am a novelist.

That’s right, books are the keepers of soul, and novels enrich people’s lives! Novels entertain, amuse, provoke, incite, and open the doors to the mind. I was touched and honored to sit with this thoughtful, kind group of readers. Also, the food at Gloo was delicious.

Book Blog Reviews

Two book review blogs posted excellent reviews of THE YEAR OF LOVING.

CTRL, ALT, BOOKS! is run by Layna whom I’ve known for a few years from other blogs. She reads and writes with keen intelligence. I love her well-written, deeply observant reviews. She serves as one of my ‘test’ bloggers; if she doesn’t get what I’m trying to do, then I haven’t done my job as a novelist. She’s that good.

Layna started her review with these words: “Traci L. Slatton is one of the most underrated authors I have come across. I have yet to read one of her works that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy and The Year of Loving is no exception. It was beautifully written and evoked a wide range of emotions.”

In conclusion, she wrote, “The book is written in such a way that you really connect with all of the characters, whether you like them or not. I had to keep reading to know what happened next in Sarah’s life, even if that meant I lost a little (a lot) of sleep in the process. Truly a great story and a must read!”

Layna’s review prompted me think–which a good review does. I had to ask myself, Why am I an underrated author? Because I think Layna is on to something. I sent her a note saying so, and thanking her for the review. Seems like I have some work to do within my own consciousness…

CTRL, ALT, BOOKS! review

Also, Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers published a review. What a treat to find a new review blog! Gina R wrote the review:

On the surface, we have a woman (Sarah) caught between ages, pulled two ways by desire, and struggling to make all the pieces fit one big puzzle in an effort to reach happily-ever-after.  At its heart, it’s a story of one woman truly finding her way back to herself.

Did I agree with all her choices?  No…in fact, I was actually very surprised by the ending… I was thinking something completely different, but then again, that resistance to fit what I think, or what anyone thinks for that matter, is what makes Ms. Slatton’s character that much more real. The way Sarah struggles to deal with her friend’s illness…, the constant battle between her and her daughters (let’s now even mention the ex) to find some common ground let alone agreement on pretty much anything, and even the yoyo not-a-relationship status she puts herself and the two contenders in, all add up to one independent, not-perfect-but-still-trying-mightily woman that will capture your attention, if not your heart…

I enjoyed this review and the openness with which Gina related her experience of the novel.

The Year of Loving Book review

Library Event

In addition, just yesterday I did an author event at the Riverside Library in NYC. It was good fun, with attendees who asked probing questions about THE YEAR OF LOVING. The lovely librarian Ms. Gomila helped out in various ways. A great experience!

Recent author events

The Portsmouth Review on THE YEAR OF LOVING
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The Portsmouth Review on THE YEAR OF LOVING

The Portsmouth Review on THE YEAR OF LOVING

Rebecca Skane at The Portsmouth Review is one of my favorite book reviewers. She writes elegantly and her reviews are thoughtful, salient, and relevant. I am a huge fan! I always send her a copy of a novel as soon as I finish it–immediately if not sooner.

Naturally I sent her a hot-off-the-press copy of THE YEAR OF LOVING. I waited eagerly and, yes, a bit anxiously to find out what she thought about it.

Yesterday her review appeared on The Portsmouth Review: 5 stars! Yay!

Ms. Skane wrote, in part:

Differing from most romances on a level of personal taste, there was no eye rolling. Sarah’s character development is thoroughly hashed out and delivered as a newly independent woman who wants to focus on herself and her children rather than potential suitors. But she’s human. And humans have needs. They also have faults. I found her character to be someone I could relate to and someone I would love to know in real life. She so desperately wants her independence, so much so that she won’t let Carl float her by buying more paintings after they start their tryst. I can completely understand this – she didn’t want to feel indebted, owned, controlled. Scott also threatens that independence when he drops his young children off without warning when he’s on call, and asks (no, TELLS) her to cook for him….

She finishes with, “The Year of Loving is a wonderful read for those who adore romance, intelligent women’s fiction, and steamy scenes. And as always, Slatton manages to turn any story into a literary piece with her sophisticated prose and keen eye for detail.”

Check out this terrific 5* review on The Portsmouth Review!

Also, note my upcoming author events: January 28 at 3 at the Hamilton Grange Library

January 29 at 8 pm on Mommy Interrupted radio with Kristi Beck WLINY

February 11 at 2 pm at the Riverside Library

February 16 at 9 pm on Authors on Air: The Librarian

The Portsmouth Review on The Year of Loving

Upcoming Author Events!
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Upcoming Author Events!

Upcoming Author Events for Traci L. Slatton

Guess what? I will be doing some public events around New York City. How much fun is that? I love to talk about my books!

I’ll mostly talk about THE YEAR OF LOVING but I’m sure Immortal, Broken, and Fallen will creep in…

*I will present at the Hamilton Grange Library on January 28, 2017 at 3:00 PM. The Hamilton Grange Public Library is at 503 W. 145th street.

*I will be a guest at the Women’s Novels of New York Book Club on February 2, 2017 at 6:00 PM. I don’t yet know where that event will be, but it will be fun!

*I will present at the Riverside Library on February 11, 2017 at 2:00 PM. The Riverside Library is at 127 Amsterdam Avenue.

Stay tuned for more information!

traci-l-slatton-author-event

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IA&T is Back with Director Malcom Carter
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IA&T is Back with Director Malcom Carter

Malcom Carter on IA&T

BlogTalkRadio show Independent Artists & Thinkers is BACK! On November 23, 2016 we will host Director/Producer/Writer Malcom Carter.

Are all things in the Universe really connected? How can we learn to see things differently? Join us as director, writer, and producer Malcom Carter talks about his new film THE CONNECTED UNIVERSE.

THE CONNECTED UNIVERSE is a fascinating and visually poetic journey of exploration of the connection of all things in the Universe. The film is Narrated by the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart.  It explores many intriguing ideas and features the science of Nassim Haramein and his search to understand the mechanism of connection of all things in the Universe.

The Connected Universe has a global message, and it’s the highest crowd funded documentary in Indiegogo history!  In its first two weeks of release it has been purchased by people in 104 countries  – over half of the countries in the world!

This film will INSPIRE YOU to CONNECT TO YOUR POTENTIAL… the potential of WHO YOU ARE and WHO YOU CAN BECOME.

Malcom Carter is an Award winning Filmmaker and director. Over the last 20 years his work has appeared on 544 television networks, in 155 countries, and reached a combined global audience of over 2 billion viewers. Malcom is passionate about using the power of film to make a difference in the world by communicating messages that matter. He has extensive expertise in creating compelling communications with global impact. He is also known for being able to work with visionary thought leaders and advanced thinkers to translate and synthesize their ideas in an understandable way to a wide audience.

This has lead to work with NASA think tanks, and with global humanitarian organizations.

Malcom is also known for creating cinematic, engaging, and emotionally compelling films. Films that touch the heart. Films that inspire and inform the mind. Focused on global messaging – Malcom is part of a global network of top film makers in over 40 countries that shares communication strategies, film techniques, and local contacts to truly enhance the ability to film affordably around the globe.

Malcom currently lives in Vancouver, Canada and was the Director of the Asian Winter Games for the International Olympic Committee of Asia (2011), he also is an advoccate for mental health and worked with Kaiser Foundation Films. Malcom is a member of the International Quorum of Motion Picture Producers, Billion Minds Foundation Board of Governors, and various think tanks (NASA AMES, Colorado School of Mines, Talberg Forum).

Selected Awards: 25 motion picture award nominations (Best Director, Best Documentary, Best Promotional Film, Best Public Service Film, Best Music Video, Best Educational Film, Best Program Reflecting Cultural Diversity, Walter Klein Award, FREDDIE).

Malcom Carter on IA&T

 

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