According to her mailing list and a posting on her website, Dara Joy is ready to put the publishing fiasco with Dorchester behind her. The question is whether her career can survive the black mark that was put on it by the fact that she took money from fans for a self published book and didn’t deliver until said fans threatened to report her to the Attorney General. The full text of the mailing and posting can be seen in the comments and I republish a portion here for your benefit.
Dear Readers,
Wonderful news!!!
For those who haven’t heard, yes, Dorchester and I have reached a settlement agreement!!
…
Get ready, the stories you have been waiting for will be coming your way soon! Within the next few months, I will have more great news for you concerning the release dates of my upcoming novels, which will be brought to you via traditional publishing channels.
To add to the celebration, I have an special Valentine for my readers. I know so many of you have been waiting really, really patiently for another Matrix story and I do not want you to have to wait any longer . . . so, as of today, I am immediately releasing a brand new Matrix of Destiny story called:
DEATH BY PLOOT PLOOT!
. . .And from the bottom of my heart, thank you again for all your prayers and hugs!
Love Always,
Dara
I’m not sure what “traditional publishing channels” she is referring to. I am guessing it is not Avon nor Dorchester. Could it be Kensington though? Who knows. My hope is that Ms. Joy has fulfilled every single order that was made to her. And that she finds someone else to title her books. “Death by Ploot Ploot?” Sounds like a digestive disorder. edited to add: The special Valentine will cost the reader $4.50.
I got this e-mail this morning and to say chutzpah might be understating it. She puts out these substandard books and supportive fans give her their money. The first book is barely a story. The next one she doesn’t put out until forced. You did not include the very best part of her very special Valentine’s Day gift to her readers of Death by Ploot Ploot. It will cost you $4.50 to get the gift. I don’t know or care where her next books are coming from but I for one will not be buying any of them.
Seriously, Death by Ploot Ploot? That’s a joke, right?
I’ve never read Dara Joy, nor will I probably, but seriously… that title. I can’t get over it.
Wow…the gonads, they are large.
Also, I really have amazement that there are already peoples saying they are going to buy from her! To me it just looks like a ploy for more money.
But I am cynical that way.
That can’t possibly be a serious title. Right? Right?
Um, honestly, I am not going to spend a penny in any book from her UNLESS it is a book that I can actually get at a bookstore. That’s all I have to say. I am glad I didn’t go for her second self-published book after I read all the problems her fans had. Thankfully, I had decided not to get it as I was disappointed with the first… and I found the cover of the second outright repulsive. *shrug*
I wonder how many words that book is. No comment on the book cover.
And I notice she said the website was “redesigned” but the same blind web designer is apparently still doing it. That’s a great example of one of the worst websites ever and it so frustrates me that she’s had all these years to improve it and she hasn’t.
She calls it a “lengthy novella or story”. (Is she really what Romantic Times Magazine deemed “an electrifying talent”? I don’t know; never read her stuff.)
Well, it makes some of those HP titles seem tame, doesn’t it? Death by Ploot Ploot: a tale of love and toilet training gone bad
What I don’t understand is why she just didn’t give this story away as an ebook. Wouldn’t that perhaps be a good way to assuage some bad feelings and give her “loyal” readers something back for supporting her through the self-publishing nightmare?
I will admit, I believed from the snippet included above that the “Valentine” was in the way of a gift for her loyal readers. And I thought that was a nice idea. Then I clicked through and saw it costs $4.50 to get this Valentine. Now I’m simply puzzled.
For me, the word “Valentine” implies a gift. If someone asks me to be his Valentine, he does not, (I hope!) expect me to buy my own chocolate and roses. So like I said, puzzled.
It’s A Trap!
I also call an uncanny resemblance to the Futurama episode where they land on Amazonia, and the men are taken captive, then sentenced to…
“Death by Snu Snu”.
Which is, of course, sex. I wonder if “Ploot Ploot” is sex. But I’m not curious enough to buy it.
This, this amuses me. It’s not like a “cart” where you buy and get a download. You pay and then you have to…wait for it to be sent to you. Oh. Dear.
And the link to their FAQs on the marketplace page? Doesn’t work.
Is she really what Romantic Times Magazine deemed “an electrifying talent”?
Could they mean as in Shock Therapy?
Not quite Death by Ploot Ploot but oh !
Dang it, there was supposed to be a link to a lolpic at the end there.
How wrong is it that I laughed–howled, really–at that title? I even clicked through, just to make sure it wasn’t a joke. I mean, Death by Ploot Ploot? Really? That’s the best title she could come up with?
Only thing I can think of is that she confused Valentine’s Day with April Fools Day.
And, Robin, I’m potty training my daughter so I *totally* agree with your comment. Ploot, ploot indeed.
I think some brave soul should Google the phrase ploot ploot. I’m afraid I might not have the stomach for it…unless it’s a new euphemism for, uh, y’know, spunk.
I remember reading the Matrix of Destiny series years ago and loving it. Like many others, I was bummed by not getting Traed’s story, but not so bummed that I snapped up the self-pubbed stuff. And after borrowing Ritual of Proof from a friend…I gave up.
I hate not finishing a series (Anita, anyone?) but there’s no way I’m buying a book called Death by Ploot Ploot that doesn’t have Seth MacFarlane’s or Matt Groening’s name on the cover.
K. Z. said:
You had to issue a challenge while I’m at work, didn’t cha? There’s an Urban Distionary reference to ploot that came up in the Google search that I had to quickly surf away from, and they’re not talking farts.
I shudder to think what a “ploot” is? Sound like it should be in an episode of Star Trek.
So sad, since I was a big fans of hers with Knight of a Trillion Stars and Rejar.
No ploot for my thank you very pooting much. *G*
*shakes fist at Seressia* I’m scarred for life thanks to you and Dara Joy. Ewwww!
Oh no, no, no. That cannot be what she meant, truly.
My work here is done…
“Ploot, ploot ,fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is!”
heh heh
Is it wrong that I laughed out loud at this?
I just HAD to go look up PLOOT… I will NEVER get that word out of my mind… ICK
Ha, now I’m thinking about that scene from Along Came Polly where Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s character (grown, has-been child actor) explains the fine art of “sharting” — oh, Dara, what have you done?!
I remember reading the Matrix of Destiny series years ago and loving it. Like many others, I was bummed by not getting Traed’s story, but not so bummed that I snapped up the self-pubbed stuff.
Ditto on loving the Matrix of Destiny series, but I DID try the first self-pubbed book, and, well let’s just say that is showed A LOT of strain in the writing.
Oh, no, maybe straining isn’t the right image here. There are just too many bad jokes to be made here, lol, a la ploot.
Oh. Dear. God.
Ploot ploot?
My thought, however harsh, is anyone who buys that deserves that.
Some are born plooted.
Some achieve plootdom
Some have ploot thrust upon them.
And some buy it for $4.50, plush shipping.
PLUS! Where is the edit key?
I confess to some sordid interest in the story.
Heh, I thought the “plush” was intentional … you know, like flush.
Or one too many swallows of wine in an attempt to recover from the ploot.
Oh, hell yes! Something tells me she won’t be sending out ARCs, though. How long do you supposed we’d have to wait after forking over our 4.50?
Oh my god. Ploot ploot? *laughing hysterically*
I love DJ’s (traditionally published, because I haven’t read the others) work like crazy, but I can’t say I’d ever have picked any of them up if they’d had Ploot Ploot in the title.
I’m also insanely curious — but fearful it’d never be received.
I’ve never heard of this writer nor her work, but you guys are cracking me up so terribly, I now have to go look at this website. Thank you very much. :D
(But definitely not to buy.)
How long do you supposed we’d have to wait after forking over our 4.50?
I don’t know. If history foretells anything, only after a couple years and a few legal threats.
Oh no! I just went to Urban Dictionary.
*cries* I didn’t think anything could be worse than the toilet version of ploot, but that is.
For those who have a not-so-fresh feeling. (YouTube link)
I enjoyed Dara’s books a great deal and was miffed that the final one didn’t follow.
Maybe one day she will do a true follow up and meet her fans halfway with something wonderful!
I googled ploot, too, and I never knew. Yikes. She cannot know what it means at all or why would she title it so?
Jessica
To save time, you could send your money to Dara *and* contact the Attorney General on the same day.
I rather like ploot shipping, myself.
Jessica said:
Perhaps she does and this is her attempt at romantica?
Okay, you guys must review it now! I would offer to, but there’s a distinct possibility that I might not make it through enough of it to be able to write even a DNF review.
Ploot Ploot- sounds like a potty commercial !!!!! I have no words.
I loved her Matrix of destiny series – but I have a feeling if a publisher picked her up after this, I dont think she can regain that old magic. And I really didn’t like how her readers were treated with that self publishing fiasco- I am glad I never fell for that and those covers were horrid, worse than some of the e-pub stuff.
Ploot no, I’m not reading it. Especially if I have to send them money and then wait for the plootin’ thing. Now if they offered us a review copy….no, not even then.
I thought Gennita had cured me of checking out questionable things online. *g*
Ploot? ugh. Not quite as bad as Dan Savage’s definition of santorum. But close. Why in the name of all that is holy would she use that term in a title? lol. ::picturing hero’s asphixiation::
Even if she didn’t realize the term wasn’t completely made up, it’s not romantic in the least.
I’ve never read Ms. Joy’s work, and the floating weiner-dogs on her site, the one time I checked, were enough to make sure I never would.
Well, y’all just had to go and do it now, didn’t you. Death by…? Yup, it would likely do me in.
“Funk” indeed. James Brown is probably spinning in his grave.
She was full of ploot–what a romantic idea. She died a hundred ploot deaths. Death by Ploot Force. It was a whirlwind, a ploot-o-rama.
I think I could make fun of this word all day, but should likley just go somewhere to forget what it means!
Jessica
Well, I will have to let you know ;)
Since I bought a copy purely because I wanted to see the word count (hey, it’s tax deductible) I’ll offer up my copy as a review copy for the person on Dear Author who wants to review it. I think I can be trusted to delete my copy after I look at the word count, don’t you think?
Some day my curiosity will be the death of me. I just had to go look up the definition at Urban Dictionary. Yikes!
Arghhh, I’m blaming this on Vanessa and Meljean. I read the meaning of ploot at the Urban Dictionary site. Arrghhhh :::chugging brain bleach:::
I thought Death By Ploot Ploot an excellent title for
instead.
Okay, where did the pic go?
Sorry, the pic showed during the Preview…no idea what happened.
THIS BOOK as Death By Ploot Ploot
Hey, don’t mess with my ploot, ploot!
WTF?
You know the old saying, fool me once…
I’m with the ” wont buy unless it’s for sale at bookstores” crowd.
I would probably stand in there and read 3 or 4 chapters to make sure it was worth the 6.99.
I have all her previous books and enjoyed them.
OMG I just looked up with ploot is!!
Ewww…. very funky indeed.
So, who is going to bite the bullet and buy the download for review?
I nominate Jane and Janet for a dueling review. I don’t think they’ve ever done one together.
I would buy one for a review and I think Robin would too if we thought we would get a copy. So I’ll wait to see if the delivery system works and if it does, I think a Jane and Janet conversational review could be forthcoming.
Ok, I had to look. I also looked at her web site– at least the rocks don’t fall on you any more– or maybe foxfire keeps the rocks under control.
Anyway, I was totally creeped out by the idea of her attending anything dressed as Claudia “grown up at last”– Claudia was the child vampire in Interview with the Vampire, about 6 or 7 in the book, about 10 or 11 in the movie.
I once tried to tell the plot of Rejar to a friend who said it was a good thing he hadn’t landed on her bed because he would have been taken right off to the vet for shots and to be neutered.
Seressia, you are a girl after my own heart. BTW, did you know Stewie Griffin is gay? Seth McFarlane confirmed it.
Moseyed over to Urban Dictionary and… Ew! How do I undo the knowledge?
And just a thought: maybe DJ’s books with Dorchester were good (I don’t know myself because I’ve never read her) because her editor(s) worked massive amounts of OT to make ‘em good. Maybe her writing has always been as bad as apparently shown by her self-pubbed books.
Ploot wasn’t bad enough, so I went to her web site. Oh, the web designer in me cringes. So many usability rules broken!
Ploot wasn’t bad enough, so I went to her web site. Oh, the web designer in me cringes. So many usability rules broken!
Believe it or not, Ann, but it used to be worse: She didn’t have the explanatory notes on the left-navigation tabs, so it was “Tavern” and “Stables” and “Granary” with nothing indicating what those were. It’s one of the least-navigable websites I’ve ever seen in my eleven years of hard-core surfing. Not to mention laying text directly over multi-colored backgrounds. I, too, cringe when I look at it.
Oh, and Gennita? That Wildcat Arrows cover haunts my nightmares — thanks for reminding me of it! *g*
Hey Chicklet,
But you have to admit, once you look at it, you certainly know what to “die by ploot ploot” means. :grin:
*sigh* When will people learn Occam’s razor most certainly applies to web design?
Got my copy. I am still debating whether Joy knew the urban dictionary definition of ploot. The author’s note includes this reference:
So she clearly meant ploot in a sexual way . . . Anyway will read. I don’t think that Robin has her version yet but I would say that sometime within the next week we’ll have an “in depth” conversational look at Death by Ploot Ploot.
The book is 18k for those who were wondering (might have just been me, though) and is a PDF that’s password protected. They send you a random password that’s your name and some numbers and you have to enter that every time you open the file.
~The book is 18k for those who were wondering~
That’s like, what? Half a novella?
A mini-novelette.
I think that only comes to one ploop.
I wonder if Candy got her copy yet…
Frankly, I’m full of morbid curiosity myself, and waiting *ahem* eagerly for your review.
Hey I finally got my email offer. I was beginning to feel left out. LOL
I agree that you don’t refer to something as a gift when you are charging for it. It would’ve worked better as a promotional gift for her upcoming work if she had posted it for free. I don’t like buying books without getting a chapter excerpt or two. Especially at $4.50 for that short of a story I would expect more than just a valentine story of a couple (book KNIGHT OF A TRILLION STAR)whose story was already told. I would be greatly curious to see what others think of the story before even thinking of buying it as I was highly disappointed with the self-published stories before.
As for her upcoming books, I would figure Dorchester is getting the rest of the books published for the Matrix of Destiny series. Anyone contact Dorchester yet? I would like to read the Traed story, but I don’t know if I will buy it or just wait for the library to get it as the interest has really disappeared for the most part.
I just sent this to Dara in response to her self-aggrandizing masterpiece of an email:
“Dara, if your e-book were the last ploot on the planet, I would not fork over one plootin’ nickel for it. Twice burned, ten times shy.
Next time, think things through before you hit “send”…a gift is a gift, a plootiful idea that you seem to have missed.
An apology is an even better idea, though I suspect it will be a cold day in Ploot before you ever acknowledge what you did to your fans.”
********** ()..()************* <<<<<<steam coming out of my ears!
The ploot thickens.
- With Familiar Touch, how far she fell.
- With Wildcat Arrows, it seemed that Cory wrote it and then put his picture on the cover.
- Death by Ploot Ploot. The 2 ploots are important, as we can not help but google it. Thus we must buy the book simply to wipe the Urban Dictionary image from of our minds.
Ok I bought “Death by Ploot Ploot”. Suprise, It was actually very good. The writing actually seemed to be Dara’s. But it was only a short story and should probably just have been put on her web site as an actual gift to lure fans back. The $4.50 price was a bit much for an electronic format of a short story.
I am not sure if you remember me, but I was the person who had the email address for those dara joy fans that had bought the book and did not get it. For six months or more I tried to assist people in getting their books and we were eventually successful. I hated having to end it because I knew there were many more out there, but I finally had to stop because of other committments. I hope I helped.
This woman, Dara Joy, will never get another dime from me. Not one cent. The fact that she actually is trying to get another cent from fans via her website does not surprise me. She continued to take money from fans when she couldn’t even send the books people bought.
What she did was fraud. What her webmaster friend Cory did was fraud. I have been mad at authors before, disagreed with some, but never have I ever seen one do what she did to fans. And she has never publically apologized for the problem, which tells me that she didn’t care.
I sent my money, as did so many other fans, to show our support for her and her talent, while she was going thru that mess with the publisher. She screwed every one of us by treating us the way she did.
I hope people remember that when they are deciding whether or not to buy her future books. I know this sounds bitter, and many finally did get their books, but that was only those who fought for them, and only those in the US. Many fans from all over the world sent money and never got their book.
When she is living in the house fans saved for her, I hope she remembers that and lives with that every day of her life.
I chuckle at all the steps taken by Ms Joy to protect her copyright.
Not only are there a number of stern warnings with the book, it is password protected with the purchaser’s name. And if that is not enough, the purchaser’s name and home address appear at the bottom of each and every page.
I think Ms Joy has forgotten that she stole from her fans … not the other way around. Talk about adding insult to injury.
PS to those who may buy — While I was warned that it was a short story, nothing prepared me for the mini page/maxi font format. It reminds of when I was a kid and I would write really big and double space trying to fool my teacher.
HI I bought wildcats, glanced through it and it still sits in a drawer somewhere, unread.
I went ahead and paid the $4.50 for the Death by Ploot, Ploot, even though her style, it is so short to make it less than satisfying. And yeah PLoot PLoot is short for sex. Deanna tells a joke.
As for any further books from Her i will wait and see. I also agree with some of the comments about her website.
It badly needs redesigning.
As for buying further books, i too will wait til they are actually in a bookstore!! where i can go glance through them and then decide if i want to buy it.
Besides i have written some stories that i am trying to publish through traditional channels, i.e. literary agent/publisher, not print on demand/self publishing way if i can help it.
Blessings.
Rhyanna
So, would someone please explain to me why the big thing on copyright? What use is the name and address of the purchaser on the bottom of the page help? I am sure those who would sell these illegally would be able to figure a way around it and it is pretty insulting to fans or readers who would actually buy it to be kept reminded of the fact we are not trusted. After the fiasco of the self-published book, I just don’t get it. Or is she mad that some sold those books they bought at a profit on ebay?
Anyone heard from dorchester yet?
BTW, thanks Brenda for letting us know how it was.
I have been a fan since the first book and was very disappointed with her issues with the publishers. My sentiments about the self published books echo those said before so I will not delve into that. With that being said, I decided to give this short story a try as a last attempt for Dara to redeem herself. If one ignores the title,this (very) short story was written more in line with the original Dara Joy I had come to love. It was a good way to reaquaint myself with the MOD characters. I am looking forward to more books from “traditional” publishers and more of the MOD. **Oh and the story did arrive within the 24-48 hour time frame by email. Score one for her (finally)!**
Well, I will buy her novel. I thinks its karmic really – because I had just started re-reading Knight of a Trillion Stars for the umpteenth time.
Now, the title – eeeww. it sounds most unpleasent. And I am concerned that readers say its so short. Nonetheless, I’m excited that she may publish an actual book that you can buy in a brick&mortor store sometime soon.
As for a sacm – does anyone know if she has another JOB? I mean, if not, this could just be a charge so that she’ll be able to get back on her feet financially now that the lawsuit is over, and while she’s writing the next book.
Also – what does DORCHESTER say? (I mean their contract was never fufilled, so what’s their story about the settlement?)
Marseille
P.S. I am soooo avoiding Urban Dictionary’s definition – not that you gals have said its nasty.
I’ve already been subject to enoough nasty images curtesy of Joy (though I still like the author) the cover of WildCats -eeww *shudder*
Hello all,
I had not reread my stash of DJ books in a while, but recently was in the store browsing and saw a couple old ones, and thought: “Hmmm, haven’t googled her to see what is up” as last I remembered she had a beef with her publisher.
WOW! Clearly while I was not paying attention, DJ readers went on a ride to a bad place. I will definitely taking this all into account in future! This all goes against the point that I would assume most romance writers like the genre and want to bring some “joy” to their readers!!!
If I thought I could get away with it I would write Traed’s story myself. What a grave injustice her former editors have dealt us in not allowing us to see what a sop of a writer this one turns out to be. Dara, rise to the challenge, come out of the shallows, and really put some exertion behind treating your readers with more respect. Here’s your devoted fan loosing her glue to stick around!
And one last thought. Has anyone seen Cory, cuz I have the sneaking suspicion that’s him on Wild. eww
HI Lizzil. I haven’t been to Wild.. and don’t know what that is.
In regards to Traeyed’s story i too am disappointed. I was not satisfied with her “death by ploot, ploot” book either, after forking out the money to pay for it.
As for paying for other ebooks from now on i am going to say no, because i am the type of person who likes holding a book in her hands.
As for Traeyed’s story, i have written my own version. well I am writing a story where the main character’s name is Trayed :)and he is a couisn of Gian, the cat world, and have cousins where an Aunt raises them all. Oh and he has a sister too..
I have a lot of that done, in the meantime i am looking for a literary agenty for my upcoming novel “The Witch of His dreams” and “A Glimpse of Time” In a Glimpse of time, grandma makes a wish to have more time with the grandkids as her son and daughterinlaw are going through a divorce.
While a young granddaughter Margery, makes a wish to be allowed to spend more time with her grandparents by herself, without her siblings cause they seem to take over their attention.
IN the Witch of his Dreams, A soon to be 40 yr old Logan has been meeting a special lady on the astral plane, where avoiding the matchmaking traps of his grandmother and mother. Soon he meets her on the physical plane, but she has a secret that she has been hiding, afraid he will not love her anymore, turn from her in hate, etc.
There are several things they need to overcome before they can settle down to wedded bliss and being bound together.. for Athena is a great-great-great granddaugther of Merlin and she is a Siren. She needs Logan’s help to break part of a curse, for otherwise, she may never be able to give him a son, she longs to give him.
blessings.
Rhyanna
I have to say I am an optimist. I was about 17 when I found her. I read every book she had. Then I didn’t see her forever. I was just surfing the net one day when I found her web sit. It was the last day to be able to buy “That Familiar Touch”. I quickly ordered it, even though it meant I was going to be eating spaghetti for a week. And I waited. And waited. And Waited. Finally after 9 months I got the book I was kinda disappointed. It had her feel to the story, but lacked a lot (I do mean a lot) of polish that was really needed. Why couldn’t she hire a private editor? Heck a college student majoring in English would have been something.
Oh well. So I continue to wait for the lawsuit to be finished and the next book to come out. I finally saw “Wildcat Arrows” and ordered 2 copies, one for me and one for a friend. And settled in for a wait. A year passed. And I tried to contact Cory. Many times. Finally got the email about “a death in the family”, in April and was told he was shipping it out. Around mid June I email again. And again and again. Finally I told him (at my mother’s advice) that I was going to contact the attorney general and the better business bureau. In mid July, after 18 months, I finally got my books. OMG! I sat down right away to read it and I couldn’t believe how bad it was. I couldn’t decide if the story was worse than the cover or the other way around.
I knew I wouldn’t be wasting my money on any more of this crap. I refuse to spend my hard earned money on books that are inferior and an author who has no qualms about treating her fans like this. I do love her books, prior to self publishing, that is. My mother even bought me the new e-book for my B-day. I didn’t let her know how disappointed I was. I will be honest. It is a masterpiece compared to Wildcat, but not up to par with her previous books. Because I do like them and I want to know what will happen I will buy her books, but never new. I refuse to give her any profits for these books. I will buy them used or not at all. I feel greatly mistreated by an author I once considered one of the best.
Great, now if she would only get rid of Cory it might make me come back to her. Still haven’t got my book Wildcat Arrows, but from the reviews I may have wasted my money anyway.
Her biggest balls were putting that unattractive putz on the cover. What, was Pee Wee Herman not available?!
Has anyone else rec’d the email from Cory—ahhhh Dara Joy, offering older books for $12 each?
There is no way that i can afford that kind of money. I think i have my Matrix books, i just need to find which box i packed them in.
The email is listed below:
Comments? So does this mean that she will not publish anymore books (new books) through Dorchester Publishing, thereby allowing, supposedly, her
“contract” with them to terminate. However, self-publishing, or over charging is not endearing herself to me nor to spend that kind of money on books.
$12 each?!? That takes big, brass ones. I hope the covers are better than her self published ones to date. Talk about suxy…
well according to the email i rec’d, these are extra copies of originals that she has that have been sitting in a storage unit-warehouse.
so these different colors will be interesting to see..
however i am not buying…
Rhyanna
I asked to be taken off her mailing list after I got an email saying she was releasing In Kirkpatrick’s Woods in ebook form. That was the short story in That Familiar Touch, and it was bad! I can’t believe they had requests for that story like they say they have.
That was it for me!
I really did like the MOD series and High Energy, still do, in fact. But I don’t see her ever getting her writing career together.
Her website is next to useless and so is her blog. You would think she’ld have some kind of information on there by now about what she is working on.
OK Now you have me curious. I don’t i read that story “In Kirkpatrick’s woods.”
I thought i had That Familiar Touch but not sure.
I think that if she has this cory person or whoever managing her, needs to be fired, and the other person asked, begged to come back.
I also feel she will have to go a long way to re-prove herself to the few remaining fans.
She certainly does, Rhyanna. It takes a lot to alienate me if I like an authors writing as I did with hers. I have a hard time finding authors I like so when I find them I stick with them.
I agree about Cory, she really needs to get rid of him. He seems to be managing the website, blog, emails and selling of the books. And it’s all a mess!
If you are going to sell ebooks, you need to make it an automatic process of buying and downloading. The security measures are crazy having a purchasers name and address at the bottom of each page, that would drive me nuts. I wouldn’t buy them for that very reason. And they are nuts if they think it will stop piracy of the books. All it does is alienate people who would happily buy her work.
At the beginning of the year when she sent out the message that she had reached a settlement with Dorichester I had real hope for her. It’s all gone now.
OK. So just got an email from Cory with a “MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT FROM DARA JOY” (yes, please begin by shouting at me).
Apparently, Dara’s next self publishing effort is TASTE OF THE DEVIL. This is a ’special, limited E-BOOK edition’ (is that even possible?) at $10.50. Cory also writes ‘Please allow us up to 2 weeks once we start shipping to send your book out, as we expect the volume of orders to be high …’
So, what does this mean exactly? Will it take them 2 weeks to email me my book? Is she still writing the book so I need to wait for her to finish so they can ’start shipping’ sometime in the future (kind of like Wildcat)?
I really loved her earlier work and want her back. Has anyone purchased the book?
I rec’d the same email, and i have NO Plans on buying it.
I don’t trust them anymore besides don’t have the funds, nor the wish
to download a book that if my computer crashes, i can no longer get access too!
@Julia:
You see, it will take the dwarves some time to knit a new internet. You think this is impossible? It’s just a series of tubes, after all. Very long ones. And each message has to be hand delivered by a dwarf in person, and it takes a while for them to crawl along all the tubes.
So, you see, it’s entirely likely it could take more than two weeks to send you your book. You should be grateful if you receive it at all!
I don’t think I get the emails anymore… either that or I have them filtered to land either in the trash or the spam folder. I am not spending a dime in any of her self-published books. If anything comes out from a bona fide publishing house, I may consider it, but certainly not the self-published material. That Familiar Touch was a rip-off.
Unbelievable! There isn’t even a proper description or excerpt of the book and they expect people to order it?
And someone needs to point out to them that the main beauty of ebooks is instant downloads of them.
Nope I pass!
I still recieved the same email again, about her ‘new full length’ book as an ebook. Sorry no deal here. I prefer the kind i can hold in my hand and read anytime i wish too.
Not to mention take with me while waiting at the doctor’s/dentist office or while soaking in a tub of hot scented water.
So no more ebooks from her to me….and i doubt they will listen to any complaints, we her fans make. So far it seems to me that they have ignored
any and all complaints.
Have a Happy New Years
Blessings.
Rhyanna
In contrast, Janet Evanovich is giving away the first TWO chapters of her soon to be released book on audible.com.
I guess when your good you can afford to be generous with the excerpts.
PS. I got the same email again too. Perhaps NOONE responded to the first so Cory thought he didn’t send it!
I was wondering if anyone has bought this. It’s been well over 2 weeks, but then again 2 weeks in Dara Joy time is probably equivalent to 2 months. I don’t know why anyone would buy it but there may be some super diehard fans out there. I wouldn’t mind seeing a review of it.
I just checked the site out again and they have put up a book cover and it is GHASTLY!!! The guy looks like he has a Christmas cap on.
What is she thinking? I wish she would stop this crap and find a publisher because I used to like her writing.
@Barbara: After Death by Ploot Ploot, I don’t think I can bring myself to pay good money for another Joy book.
After buying the wildcats, and never read it. i could never get into it, and then buying ebook, i won’t buy another of her books until i can see it in paperback format in the store that i can glance through before i buy it.
Barbara I agree with you…She use to be a great writer. I wonder if it is in fact Cory who is writing, designing the books under her name. I heard a rumor that she had died couple years ago, but i don’t know if that is true or not.
I also wonder if the settlement with dorchester is that she can’t publishe with another company, or another company is afraid to take her on, and they don’t like the stuff she is coming out with now.
I wish answers are forthcoming, perhaps Dara needs to make a video and post on youtube or some such place to let her fans know what the heck is going on and when she will get back to writing the good stuff..
In the meantime, i have started my own series of romance books that i am shopping for a literary agent, romance with a hint of mystery-searching for lost child, finding love on the astral plane first then meeting in person, etc.
Blessings
Rhyanna
Yeah, I got Wilcats and never read it either. Skimmed it a bit but it was terrible. I always thought when she was self publishing she should of done them via ebooks but now that she is, she’s still going about it the wrong way.
I like ebooks, I read on a portable reader, but I hate pdfs. Having name and address on the bottom of every page would drive me nuts and having to use the password every time I wanted to read it would drive me nuts.
Those are the main reasons I won’t get this. I may of chalked out the money out of curiosity if it had different formats to choose from and was an instant download. Maybe……I dunno, that excerpt doesn’t inspire me much. I feel her writing really misses a professional editor.
Goodluck with your series Rhyanna, hope you get an agent soon, good for you!
Certainly haven’t attempted the book but did take a quick look at the excerpt …
There yer have it mates.
Can’t help but wonder what the comments would be if this was posted on ‘First Page Saturday’.
Hi Julia, thanks for sharing the excerpt. Now i know for sure I WILL NOT be buying that book.
It doesn’t seem to have ‘her’ touch to it.
rhyanna
Thanks for the vote of confidence.
I have contacted several publishers that are accepting unpublished authors,
unfortunately my current completed manuscripts don’t tell stories about vampires or werewolves.
Instead the first two involves sirens, the first one looking for, finding love.
the second in the series, the sister of the heroine, falls in love, then fast forwards to the present, where she learns that she has a twins that are missing and possibly in the hands of the evil siren, and demi-god. So she and friend, babies’s dad, go search for the truth and their missing children, with the mists of time taking them to different places. For their memories had been wiped, when the heroine attempted to use Siren’s Fire which went wrong, and the powers that be, decided to send them back without their memories.
Although Silhouette, Harlequin, Avon and a few others told me they are compelling stories, still not dark enough, or in the current theme trend they are searching for…sorry but vampires and werewolves aren’t really my thing.
However, I will keep searching, and keep plugging as i finish up several more manuscripts, a couple of them mystery-romance that i am working on now.
If someone does buy the new Dara Joy E-book, i would love to hear what they have to say about it.
I prefer books that if i can download, then i can print out the pages i want to read, as i don’t currently own an ebook reader device other than my laptop.
I also agree with you, i do not appreciate having to use a password each time, let alone see my name on pages of something i haven’t written/published.
And the downside big time for me is this…what if your e-book device crashes and you lose the document, will Cory-Dara Joy make you pay again for a copy of the book. I mean how many copies are you allowed before having to buy and then wait anxiously for it to show up.
Have a great day.
Blessings.
Rhyanna
Thanks for the vote of confidence.
I have contacted several publishers that are accepting unpublished authors, unfortunately my current completed manuscripts don’t tell stories about vampires or werewolves.
Instead the first two involves sirens, the first one looking for, love finds it on the astral plane then through several mishaps, trials finding love in the flesh, his maternal nusiances has her kidnapped, he finds her, then her grandmother sends guards after her, Yes she is a princess siren, her grandmother the queen, who tells them her sister is missing, after a thorough questioning of the male who refuses to give her up no matter what, besides adopting several orphans along the way.
the second in the series, the sister of the heroine, falls in love battles the evil siren and demigod tied to her, uses weapon on them, that almost destroys the world… then book fast forwards to the present, where she learns that she has a child, twins in fact that are missing and possibly in the hands of the evil siren, and demi-god. So she and friend, babies’s dad, go search for the truth and find their missing children, with the mists of time taking them to different places., camelot, lemuira,…he has special powers too… For their memories had been wiped, when the heroine attempted to use Siren’s Fire against the evil, which went wrong, and the powers that be, decided as punishment to send them back without their memories, which they recover, etc.
Although Silhouette, Harlequin, Avon and a few others told me they are compelling stories, they are still not dark enough, or in the current theme trend they are searching for…sorry but vampires and werewolves aren’t really my thing.
However, I will keep searching, and keep plugging as i finish up several more manuscripts, a couple of them mystery-romance that i am working on now.
If someone does buy the new Dara Joy E-book, i would love to hear what they have to say about it.
I prefer books that if i can download, then i can print out the pages i want to read, as i don’t currently own an ebook reader device other than my laptop.
I also agree with you, i do not appreciate having to use a password each time, let alone see my name on pages of something i haven’t written/published.
And the downside big time for me is this…what if your e-book device crashes and you lose the document, will Cory-Dara Joy make you pay again for a copy of the book. I mean how many copies are you allowed before having to buy and then wait anxiously for it to show up.
Have a great day.
Blessings.
Rhyanna
Well…you guys who decided NOT to buy the ebook are the smart ones! I bought both of her self-published novels and had to harass Cory (Dara’s boyfriend and webmaster) for MONTHS into sending them to me. In the case of Wildcat Arrows, it took almost a year to receive it!
After the announcement that Dara had settled with Dorchester, I thought things would get better and to tell you the truth, I actually received Death By Ploot Ploot within about 24 hours and the writing was much better than the previous two books. So, I went ahead and paid for Taste of the Devil thinking that it would be a similar purchasing experience as Death By Ploot Ploot. I paid in December and STILL have not received the ebook, even after several emails to Cory.
Get this…I just went to Dara’s website and read her blog announcing Taste of the Devil and I see my own name under the comments section….Cory made up a quote (see below) and put my name to it!!!!
Shalimar Says:
January 9th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
I will be sure to purchase several copies and also ask my nearby libraries to do the same.
Best of luck,
Shalimar
[Reply]
Shalimar reply on February 3rd, 2009:
Hi – I’m Shalimar and the quote above is NOT from January 9, 2009…it is from SEVERAL years ago, prior to the Wildcat Arrows debacle. Please immediately remove my name and quote from your website as I pre-ordered Taste of the Devil in December and STILL have not received it.
[Reply]
I am so outraged right now…I cannot believe the utter gall of this team of con artists! I no longer believe ANYTHING that Dara or Cory say and I am going to do everything in my power to report them to the Attorney General of Massachusetts.
@Shalimar wow – that’s pretty terrible that they used your name in some made up quote!
Jane – He took part of the quote from an email (not a web post!!!) that I sent to him when ordering Dara’s first self-published book. That was what…2003?!!! It is not the complete quote and of course it doesn’t have anything to do with Dara’s ebook Taste of the Devil. I deliberately NEVER post on the public web…sorry, I am mostly a lurker. :)
So, I am really outraged that somehow he cut-and-pasted part of my email and posted in publicly on the web. He never had my permission to do so. And certainly not to pretend that I am endorsing Dara’s current efforts to any libraries.
I am willing to bet that essentially NO ONE (exept maybe the MOD squadders – Dara’s fav fans) have received this latest ebook.
Funny – I checked this evening and my reply has been deleted, but not the original post from ‘me’.
Cory and Dara are con artists, plain and simple. I don’t believe ANYTHING they have to say. I would strongly advise anyone reading this to not purchase anything from them and if you have, let them know that you will be contacting the Attorney General of Massachusetts to report them. I am going to also contact PayPal and try to do a chargeback.
Unbelievable.
I’m sorry that they did this to you. But do chuckle at the concept of purchasing ’several copies of an ebook and asking your library to do the same’. It doesn’t even make sense — what would you do with multiple copies of an ebook?
Thanks for posting. I was dying to hear if the book was any good and your post certainly solves that mystery.
Seems that posting a complaint publicly on Dara’s website (i.e. my rebuttal reply to ‘my’ post) got the results that numerous emails were unable to get…last night Cory FINALLY sent me the ebook. Of course, he claims that he sent it to me several times before and somehow my email must have blocked it because of the attachment. How strange, since I have a paid premium email service that accepts HUGE files and I have my settings so that no files are blocked…at worst they are re-directed to a spam folder which I check daily. SO somehow, my email provider blocked the ebook 3 separate times in the past, but let it come through yesterday…Hmmm….sounds like another LIE. I am not surprised.
And, of course, the fake post from ‘me’ is still on Dara’s website, sans my rebuttal. I also found another fake post from ‘me’ (taken again from an earlier email!) under Dara’s blog announcing the settlement with Dorchester and the availablilty of the Death By Ploot Ploot ebook. The sheer unmitigated gall of these people is unbelievable!
The Taste of the Devil ebook is a rip-off…the writing isn’t terrible (although some extremely basic editing was badly needed)…pretty typical Dara Joy-style. I didn’t enjoy the story as much as any of the MOD or High Energy/Intensity books. However, she didn’t finish the story completely!!!! It is apparently a 2-book series. I was left at the end wondering what was going to happen to the main characters (and the secondary characters who are obviously going to play a larger role in the second installment) to finish up their love story. So, I guess I will always wonder, because Dara and Cory won’t be getting another dime from me. So, $10.50 (and a huge headache later) and I have a fairly short novel with no satisfying conclusion.
Wow, Shalimar. I find this really incredible.
I admit I was mildly curious about this book but I am very glad I wasn’t tempted to get it now.
A fairly short novel for $10.50 and it doesn’t even have a satisfying conclusion? That is CRAZY! How does she ever expect to get her writing career back on track by trying to rip off readers again and again and again?
Not to mention the trouble you had getting it and their quoting you on their boards when you didn’t post.
I am dumbfounded.
Thanks for the info about it.
Wow this is awful. I had hoped Dara had fired Cory and was trying to do it herself, or perhaps hired a new person who doesn’t know the way things should be done. Apparently it is a foolish idea, so i admit that i am wrong.
I can’t find my e-book copy of Death by Ploot Ploot.
I am not sure i want the hassle of trying to contact them to re-email it, without having to buy it all over again.
I will stand by my stance uttered earlier. “I will not buy another book of hers unless it is in Paperback form, and in a bookstore, so that i can go check it out to see if i want to purchase it. Books are no longer just a couple dollars, they are now $7 and up.. sheesh.
Good look on getting your ‘words’ corrected on her website.
Blessings
Rhyanna
Wow this is awful. I had hoped Dara had fired Cory and was trying to do it herself, or perhaps hired a new person who doesn’t know the way things should be done. Apparently it is a foolish idea, so i admit that i am wrong.
I can’t find my e-book copy of Death by Ploot Ploot.
I am not sure i want the hassle of trying to contact them to re-email it, without having to buy it all over again.
I will stand by my stance uttered earlier. “I will not buy another book of hers unless it is in Paperback form, and in a bookstore, so that i can go check it out to see if i want to purchase it. Books are no longer just a couple dollars, they are now $7 and up.. sheesh.
Good luck on getting your ‘words’ corrected on her website.
Blessings
Rhyanna
Does anyone know if Dara Joy will be having a book published by a normal publisher – Dorchester, etc, – anytime soon? I am only looking for Matrix stories but DO NOT want her ebooks, self-published nonsense. It has been a while since the announcement that she and Dorchester kissed and made up, but there has not been any announcement of any books coming out. I was hoping we would at last get Traed’s story, but I think Dara has ruined her career and we will never get Traed’s story.
HI Donna:
The only thing that i have heard from an email from Cory and then from Dara’s website is that she is “Supposedly” working on “A” Matrix story.
No clue as to whose’s or if it’s a new character, It could be Traeyed’s story, Dariq’s story or even the final book -Rejar where he is supposedly to rule the world. In my own way, I have written Traeyed’s and Dariq’s stories.
Although i do admit that I am curious though as to how she will write Rejar’s ascension as a 12th? Power i think. From what i have seen from the email Cory sent about an upcoming chat session and from reading her fanspeak website, i don’t know if she plans to release the book as a paperbook, more than likely though it will be released as an ebook. I guess in that way she gets to keep all the ‘money’.
I have a strange feeling that if she does complete the series with the stories of Traeyed, Dariq and Rejar then it will bprobably as either one or two books and released as an E-Book probably due to the ’settlement/agreement’ she had reached with Dorchester.
Has anyone else heard anything new or the same?
Curious readers want to know….hahahhaa
Has anyone rec’d an email from Cory today?
I have the latest, pasted below.
It appears that Dara/Cory will be releasing a limited quantity of printed copies
of her Taste of The Devil. So she is still self-publishing in my opinion.
Also have you purchased the ebook copy and read it?
I am curious because they list on the website, a couple of people saying
they enjoyed reading the ebook and will be getting the paperback.
My question is this: Why should they have to pay for the print version, especially full amount
if they paid for and rec’d the ebook?
Just curious. Anyway Take a look at the email
and let me know if you agree with me, waiting.
Blessings
Rhyanna
Has anyone rec’d the email from Cory saying that the Taste of the Devil is now being sent out in printed, limited editions?
I will not be buying the book, just curious if anyone else is going too.
Thanks.
Rhyanna
Hi Rhyanna -
Never, ever again. Not even if it were the only remaining book on the planet.
Interestingly, I might be able to forgive the stealing from fans to read another good Destiny book. But the quality of this exerpt is so bad, that I couldn’t forgive myself for wasting time to read the trash.
- Julia
Julia, Rhyanna, and Donna –
I also received the email from Cory about the book being published in paperback….DON’T waste your money! If you are desperate to read something from Dara, wait until copies of the paperback are available on eBay or Amazon. Do not buy directly from Cory. There is a very good chance that you will never receive the book and and even greater chance that you will have to harass him for months in order to receive it. Plus, the book is an unsatisfying read (story is not wrapped up well, editing is HORRIFIC, story is very short). That’s just my 2 cents worth. :)
As to Dara’s chances of ever publishing again through normal channels….she has destroyed her reputation in the publishing world through her highly unprofessional behavior (and willingness to break a signed contract) and I think it is very unlikely that she will be receiving many contract offers with publishing houses in the future. It is very depressing for her fans, especially those of us who would love to see Dariq’s and Traed’s stories told. But, I am not going to be funding any more of her self-published efforts…the stories are sub-par and the headache of trying to get the book I paid for just make it SO not worth it.
Hi Julia, Shalimar, I agree with you. I have my copies of Rejar, Mine to Take and Knight of a Trillon Stars packed in a box somewhere.
As for Dariq and Traeyed, I have written my own version in my head. Traeyed doesn’t find Dariq, but another charater, Prince Joren. Trayed finds himself on EArth, where he mates with, marries the last Siren of Earth, together they have a son, living happily until Yanuf decides to bring him back and they discover to all horrors that Yanulf is the father who abandoned his daughter and her mother. We all can guess Traeyed’s reaction to that. Rejar aligns himself with Traeyed. Traeyed’s wife who is also a warrior, becomes leader of the a group of warriors, while living on Myan. That’s the story in my head.
Like i stated earlier, “I would love to see how she will finish Rejar’s story, however, I will not buy the books until its been published traditionally and at a lower price with good reviews.
Did anyone get the email from Dara/Cory announcing a New Novella, A sort of Matrix Story?
CAT SCRATCHED!
CAT SCRATCHED! IS A STEAMY, SPICY, LONG NOVELLA JUST PERFECT FOR THE BEACH
READ. It features a sexy, favorite cat-man Familiar, as well as some of our old friends.
We will be posting more on the book later this week.
WE ARE TAKING PRE-ORDERS NOW. (This book is an e-book and we do not have any
plans for a printed form.) The cost of the book is $5.85
The book will release in six weeks.
Here is part of the email. I don’t plan on buying it, lack the funds, but i’d be interested what others would think if they bought and read it.
I bet it is about gian. I am tired of waiting I bet she is never going to finish the series
Hi It can’t be about Gian as she wrote about him in Mine to Take.
It can’t be about Rejar or Traeyed so possibly a new character.
I think she’s forgotten Dariq.
I don’t plan to buy any more ebooks. They also lied. They stated at first that this
new “matrix” book will be released in book form and now they are saying it won’t be.
So unless she publishes in a book form that I can buy from a store that sells books, I won’t by buying.
Cory even promised excerpts from the new book and that is a lie, for there is nothing about the book.
Yep, I don’t know how she can have the nerve to sell a book without even an excerpt. There isn’t even a descent description for what it’s about. I wish no one would buy the books from that website. Maybe then she would be forced to write a book that might get some publishers interested……bit harsh but, oh well.
Depends if she is really running the show or if Cory is.
It will also depend on whether or not she will be allowed to publish
with another publisher, per-agreement with Dorchester.
I don’t know of anyone who would know of the terms reached
in the settlement between her and Dorchester.
However, if she publishes in paper-back or hard back form
she just may get back her fan base, which may inturn
get a publisher to back her again.
Just my opinion.
She won’t ever get her fan base back unless she finds a publisher. Catch-22.
I like ebooks, anyway, but I won’t buy them the way they sell them.
I don’t like reading pdf on my portable device and they only have plans to (maybe) release some in kindle format or some other e-ink device format. No good for me.
Yes that is a sticky problem. I won’t go e-book format.
Because I love to hold the book in my hands besides the fact of
possible computer crashes, virus’s so that the document can’t be read.
I also don’t like the PDF format either, seems cheesy to me.
Its not bad to sending book to an editor in that format if they
Request it…I just have problems trying to format anything in PDF
format since I just have Acrobat Reader 9.
And although Open Office will allow me to create Pdf documents
still there is the formatting for publishers.
I got another annoying email today with the “excerpt”. It looks like another new character as I don’t recognize the name and the “excerpt” was about the length of a short paragraph.
I have new favorite authors now, who publish excellent books on a regular basis.
Don’t need to gamble my money on this. (as in if I’m crazy enough to pay for it, will I even receive it?)
Back to rereading the latest Lord of the Underworld book :D
Yay Sabin!
Did you get a name?
I didn’t see any name in the excerpt.
I don’t have funds to buy so therefore, not going too.
Maybe if they publish in paperback form and its sold
at walmart/kmart/borders. I might take a look see.
It’s not actually in the excerpt, but in her little write up.
“Salair Ner” is the name. Might have been exciting if she would actually wrap up story lines for existing characters.
I can’t even get a little excited about this. Feels like a money grab.
So basically the name of the character wasn’t in the excerpt at all…gee.
I wonder if she is banned for a certain amount of time on writing about Rejar, Traeyed, Gian. I mean she took a big chance with writing about Lordyn, Deeanne
with death by ploot, ploot. Maybe she rec’d a warning when Dorchester learned of that, so new characters are needed.
I wonder why Morrow hasn’t published any further books. Are they forbidden to publish her work also, or just to be on safe side, bow out.
I wish I knew what the terms of the settlement were.
I did give her some ideas on a story for Traeyed, based in part on a dream I had years and years ago, that I wrote down. Same name, but different to a point.
Still the loaner, powerful mage who tells the council to stick it so to speak.
It still needs some polishing, but hey I like it.
Blessings.
Rhyanna
Hi has anyone rec’d the email update announcing that Dara Joy’s Novella
My One is being released as an ebook for about $4/$5.
I never heard of that one…would love to read it but not as a paperback.
so now to search for a copy as I am curious.
blessings
Rhyanna
‘My One’ was published a long time ago as one of 3 or 4 stories in a book….do a search on Amazon for books by Dara Joy and it will pop up. It is not the Christmas anthology book, it is the other one. Probably not available new anymore, but the used book prices aren’t prohibitive, so you should be able to get it in paperback format for a good price.
HI Shalimar.
It is prohibitive for everyone is charging at least $4 to ship besides the price of the book.
Its prohibitive when you don’t have the funds, so far local library doesn’t have it either.
thanks.
Rhyanna
I just checked….Amazon has two of the Lovescape anthology books that are $3.96 with Free Super Saver Shipping and there is also a copy of the book that is $0.01 plus $3.99 shipping. So, pretty comparable in price (actually a little less) than the e-book, and you don’t have to worry about losing the ebook password!
I just found this website & have read the comments on DJ with some amusement. I too would like to see her series finished. But not as e-books or anything I have to order. I want to walk into the store & be able to read a couple of chapters before deciding to spend an hour’s minimum wage on it. Forget our public library getting her stuff. They took a big hit when they got Ritual of Proof. And now they’re so strapped for cash we’re lucky to get the top 10 new books.
The dedication in one of her books is written as if the the person it’s being dedicated to died. Her writing went down-hill afterwards. Any chance this person was suggesting plots & characters/ghost writing/proofing/editing for her? Or just so important to her that she became depressed & couldn’t write?
My opinion of her series: it seems to me that the secondary characters in all of the Matrix books were far better written than the primary characters. Rejar in the other books was much more interesting than in his own book. And some of what went on with the primary characters in all of her books bordered on emotional abuse.
I hated the Ritual of Proof book. It was unreadable. I expect some description of the places the characters are in, especially if it’s not on Earth. I expect some description of their movements while talking. I even like the “He said,” “She said,” with the dialogue so I don’t lose track of who’s talking. I like an author that can tantalize the reader with situations, characters, & dialogue without having to go into extreme detail just to fill the word/page quota. Imagination should be coaxed & teased, not bombarded. Without some detail, though, all you have is a mish-mash of gibberish. And extreme detail should serve some purpose to the plot or character development. I have heard that in a great movie, every thing, place, & person in that movie is necessary to the movie, & if something jars the continuity in any way it will be cut out. Some authors of books forget that the same should be true of books as well. At least with a book, I can skip the un-needed bits. It’s harder to do that with a movie.
So far as getting DJ’s older books, our local chain bookstores still have some in stock new on the shelves. And the local used book stores usually have quite a few of them in stock. The anthologies are more likely to be in the used book stores, though.
That’s my 2 bits, for what it’s worth.
I won’t order or “Pre-order” any of her self-published e-books anymore. I was one of the people that paid to pre-order her first book that was delayed for about a year. Now with Cat Scratched she is doing the same thing saying it will be released “any day now” but the July email said in 6 in weeks, well it’s been over 6 weeks and they are still dropping hints and teasers but no book in sight. I hope this isn’t one of those let’s blame it on someone else things… they are famous for messing things up and passing the blame onto something or someone else. Plus who in this day and age of automated orders needs 24-72 hours to get an emailed e-book to you?? I was like WTF? when I read that gem!
Now this is interesting news. Dara Joy is now selling Knight of a Trillion Stars as an ebook. Makes me wonder about the settlement with Dorchester.
Now that is interesting. Especially since I haven’t rec’d that email.
I am wondering if she’s doing it on the side, or if she waited long enough, then she could re-release previous titles without Dorchester saying a word. Or if they want to drag her back into court over it.
Too bad, no one has access to those court papers. It probably costs too much to have them sent, when they can probably be viewed for free if live near the court. Unless Dara requested them sealed, which makes it even more curious if she did that.
I still won’t buy E-books. I find that I prefer the old fashion joy of holding a paperback book in my hands to read.
Sigh. 24 hours and still no ebook. Will I ever learn?
Julia,
Oh dear….they sucked you in again, huh?!? I know, I know, I have done the same thing (although NEVER again!). :) Remember, if you don’t receive it within the promised 72 hours, go ahead and send Cory an email letting him know that you expect immediate receipt of the ebook or your money refunded and that if you don’t receive it, you will be reporting them to the Massachusetts Attorney General.
If this is regarding Knight of a Trillion Stars, then the paperback is definitely still available used in bookstores or on Amazon. BTW: I suspect that one of the provisions of DJ’s settlement with Dorchester was that she is allowed to issue her previous published works (ie. those originally published by Dorchester) in ebook format.
I remember when I first saw that she was going to self-publish That Familiar Touch. I looked at it, saw that you had to pay in advance for a book that was not yet published, and saw how much $$$$$$ she wanted for it, and fell off my computer chair laughing!
I remember emailing them to find out why they were not taking the sensible approach to self publishing, starting out with an ebook on one of several sites that allow for self publishing (I believe MobiPocket was the one I used as an example).
I do not recall receiving much of a response – I think I got an email saying thet they might release and ebook in the future, but I could order a physical book now, pay them a ridiculous amount of money for a book by an author whose last book I bought (Ritual of Proof) was basically unreadable, and who had mostly been published in paperback.
Yeah. I never ordered one.
Best decision I ever made.
Now I look at them publishing ebooks – and there are sooo many venues for publishing ebooks on legitimate sites that provide DRM – and I see them using none of them.
Can you say “shady”?
Also – the covers for all of her self published books have been nasty to the point of imagining a world filled with men who looked like that, and aknowledging that on that would, I would be either lesbian, or just autosexual – no partner needed here, not looking like THAT, no sireee!
She could have just walked around with a camera, taken a picture of a handsome neighborhood cat lounging on someone’s doorstep, and had a nice, attractive cover for one of her books.
But then, the cover would have been better than the book. From the excerpts I have read, and all the reviews I have read, the nasty covers are actually better than the contents of the book, as scary as that is!
It frightens me that she continues to pull the same scam – and that people fall for it.
Don’t let such a plooty author scare you away from ebooks, though. Ebooks are a wonderful format, especially for books you like to reread, as you don’t end up with cracked spines and missing pages. You don’t find nasty substances on the pages (the sheer number of boogers I have found in paper books is frightening) and the book always looks like it did the first time you read it.
For more information on ebooks, their formats and the devices that you read them on, visit the forums at Mobile Read. (just Google it!)
Julia sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time getting the book your ordered from Dara Joy. I would suggest contcting the Attorney General’s office in your state and inform them that you are not the only one having this problem.
Give them as much information as you can. They will contact Dara Joy and/or the Attorney General in her state.
In the meantime have you thought to check out used bookstores in your area that may have the actual books and/or Amazon?
I dislike having to pay an additional $4/$5 in shipping fees besides the same amount for the book.
I think I will have to see if I still have all my copies and sell them. I do need the money….first I need to find which box they are in…lol.
I don’t agree that e-books are better without the paper back or hardback copies. For the simple reason, if you have to take a bus, its best NOT to take anything that is electronic that will attempt someone to try to rob you. Unfortunately this is the time we live in.
“I don’t agree that e-books are better without the paper back or hardback copies. For the simple reason, if you have to take a bus, its best NOT to take anything that is electronic that will attempt someone to try to rob you. Unfortunately this is the time we live in. ”
Not saying better overall – just better for me, and maybe someone else will like them if they give them a try.
I used to read books on my Palm M105 back in 2001 on both the bus and the metro in Northern Virginia/DC. Had a few people ask me what I was doing that had my attention so completely – but never had anyone try to steal anything.
Maybe they had a viceral understanding that I would knaw their arm off so that I could get my device back and not lose my place in my book… *evil grin*
Hi Mare. Its funny because I remember the first time I took a cd player on the bus, everyone stared at me, even a couple of people tried to get me to give it to them.
Well now adays personal cdplayers aren’t worth stealing.
I mention it because in these bleak times, people are hungry, and well there are those who just steal because they think they can get away with it, and they are usually armed. However, I’d hate to lose a $200+ item which is why I prefer a book. And I bend the corner of the page when I have to stop. Lol.
RHyanna
PS Did you hear about the contest well now on a second contest for Dara Joy. Prize is 5 of her ebooks including Death by Ploot, Kirkpatrick’s wood and Taste of the Devil are three that they mention so no telling what the other two will be…
Sent a note to Cory yesterday saying that if I didn’t get my ebook in the next 8 hours I would file a complaint with paypal. Hours later the book arrived — four copies.
I have been reading the posted comments here with absolute astonishment. I loved Dara Joy’s professionally published books–all of them! I was entranced–Amy–with Ritual of Proof. It was such an interesting social commentary… I loved it. I have not purchased any of her privately published work, but I am saddened that such an amazing author has seemed to spiral so deep. Thanks, Shalomar, for sharing your experience… talk about a cautionary tale!
Hi rebekka.
Yes I loved the books in print, well not wildcat arrows thingie. I couldn’t get into it. That was a self published one I think.
I did get her death by ploot ploot ebook, it was ok, but very short and not enough story line worthy in my opinion for the $6 price paid.
Rhyanna
please vote for me, daeanarah pen name at textnovel dot com. I’ve entered the Dorchester Publishing Contest there and am lacking in votes…sigh.