A word about 1stbooks dot com...and is this how they conduct business...my question to you all...

As many of you know I'm working on several projects, many will be e-books, and others like THINK AND REACH PAR I hope to use the NEW publishing model, Print On Demand...

I've been checking out several publishers and 1stbooks looks promising.

As most of you know by now, I'm a time NUT. Disrespect my time and I won't have much to do with you.

All that I ask from anyone else is the same respect I give to their time.

So, this morning I was waiting for a call from
Chris Rennie
Associate Director of Author Services
1st Books Library

I'm going to post our e-mail exchanges below.

Mr. Rennie made the appointment. He chose the date. He asked for a window of TIME.

He said he would call.

Now, I'm ready to go to the golf tournament and I wait, and wait, and wait...long after the "window of time" that Mr. Rennie asked for came and went.

So, I sent him an e-mail. Went to the course.
Had fun, more on that later.

He answered my e-mail...and I got "pissed" off. You don't hear me talk like this that often.

So you tell me, do I have an "attitude" as Mr. Rennie states in his reply.

Here are the whole series of e-mails.

Subj: RE:1stBooks Contact Form
Date: 8/14/00 11:16:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: [email protected] (Chris Rennie)
To: [email protected]

Gordon,

I would be happy to mail you out our publishing plan, with a copy of our contract and our submission guidelines. Once I have this mailed to you I will be calling in 2 weeks to go over everything with you and to answer any questions you have. Please reply with your mailing address and your daytime phone number and I will get it mailed right out.

Chris Rennie
Associate Director of Author Services
1st Books Library
2511 West 3rd St, Suite #1
Bloomington, IN 47404
1-800-839-8640
[email protected]

Subj: Re: 1stBooks Contact Form
Date: 8/14/00 12:08:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: [email protected] (Chris Rennie)
To: [email protected]

Gordon,

The info will be mailed out tomorrow. Because I can get very busy around
here I alwasy set aside time to follow up on the info I mail. I would like
to be able to call you on 8/24 so we can go over everything. Please reply
with your phone number and I will make sure I have to the time to call you
on that date.
Thank you

Chris Rennie
Subj: Re: Thursday Aug. 24 is fine, can you give me a window of time?
Date: 8/14/00 12:19:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: [email protected] (Chris Rennie)
To: [email protected]

Gordon,

Between 9 and 10 EST will work for me. It will probably be around 9:30
when I can make the call.

What is your phone number?

Chris Rennie

And I sent him my phone number. Then I waited today, because he set the appointment.

I waited. Giving him the benefit of the doubt. Be courteous to him and allowing him the "window" he asked for.

Here are the follow-up e-mails.

Subj: When can reschedule our talk?
Date: 8/24/00 10:24:35 AM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Gordjalexa
To: [email protected]

HI Chris,

You wrote:

Gordon,

Between 9 and 10 EST will work for me. It will probably be around 9:30
when I can make the call.

What is your phone number?

Chris Rennie
Associate Director of Author Services
1st Books Library
2511 West 3rd St, Suite #1
Bloomington, IN 47404
1-800-839-8640
[email protected]
www.1stbooks.com

Let me know when we can reschedule our phone chat, I do have some questions and want to get my books submitted as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Gordon J. Alexander

Here is what I got back:

Subj: Re: When can reschedule our talk?
Date: 8/24/00 1:06:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: [email protected] (Chris Rennie)
To: [email protected]

Gordon,

I have had my hours at work changed . I now work 12noon - 8pm. My number
is 1-800-839-8640. I hope you will be available to call me during these new
hours. Let me know when.

Thanks

Chris Rennie

This is what pissed me off. I already let him know. I was waiting. If he had his hours changed, he should have contacted me.

And I called the 800 number to tell him that.
BUT, Chris was away from his desk. So I left a voice mail to that effect.

Here is his response to that:

Subj: Re: Tried to call, left voice mail.
Date: 8/24/00 4:10:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: [email protected] (Chris Rennie)
To: [email protected]

Gordon,

When I was leaving work on monday I was told about my hour change and was
told to begin my new hours on Tuesday. I had no time to tell anyone about
this change before it went into effect.

If I had your attitude with every author who says they will call me , and
don't, I would have no one left to speak with. I understand your position
because I am told to 'expect a call next week' all the time and the calls
don't come when they should. It is fustrating, but not something that would
keep me from working with anyone.

I get feedback from authors who have dealt with many of our competitors
and they tell me it is so good to actually get to speak to a human on the
phone because most other companies handle all queries and questions via
E-mail.

I currently have over 1737 authors in my database who at different times
need my assistance. I am very busy myself but if you do get back to me , I
will make sure I get back to you at my convenience.

Chris Rennie

My FINAL response to Mr. Rennie and probably 1stbooks for that matter was this:

Subj: Sir, regarding my ATTITUDE...
Date: 8/24/00 4:36:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time
From: Gordjalexa
To: [email protected]
CC: [email protected]

Chris,

YOU made the appointment, NOT ME. But thanks for responding,

Is Carmen Jacobs still taking on writers?

Perhaps you could refer me to someone who isn't quite as busy as yourself to work
with at 1stbooks.

I really resent YOUR attitude.

I'm going to post the entire series of e-mails you and I had, along with this most
recent remarks at my forum, so other budding authors can get a glimpse of
what they have to work with or not, in the e-book publishing world.

You may criticize your competition all you want regarding their use of e-mail
contact, but it is the Internet.

I wouldn't be so upset about this except for your attitude. It is obvious that you and
I are not going to be able to work together, but I'm willing to work with someone else
at 1stbooks. If you could provide a referral, it would be appreciated.

Gordon Alexander

ALONG WITH WHAT WAS POSTED ABOVE.

I made an inquiry to 1stbooks.

Chris Rennie responded.

He set the parameters. He made the rules. I obeyed and I've got an 'attitude'...

Yes Sir I do.

Now before I go on and on about this, I'd like some level headed feedback.

Should I accept this as how business is conducted today?

Should I assume that Chris Rennie, with all those other people and no time, is probably not the right person for me to work with?

Should I just find someone else?

What would you do?

I'm mad. Which is why you are reading this.

Calm me down. Give me some cool reason. Some forethought.

Thanks for YOUR time and attention.

MY time meant NOTHING to 1stbooks or at least to their represenative, Chris Rennie...

should I take my business elsewhere?

Respectfully,

Gordon Alexander