To All Aspiring Authors and Writers,
To All Aspiring Authors and Writers,
This communication serves as my second formal follow-up concerning the ongoing and deeply troubling issues I have faced with American Publishing Studios (APS). I share this information not out of hostility, but out of integrity, transparency, and genuine concern for any author considering signing with this company.
After many months of dialogue with APSâparticularly with their representative, Mr. Kevin Smithâthe contrast between what APS claims to have fulfilled and what my signed contracts clearly outline has become undeniable. Throughout this entire process, APS has repeatedly failed to uphold its obligations, shifted all responsibility onto me as a paying client, and treated me more like an employee than a valued author. What I experienced was not loyalty or professionalism, but betrayal, avoidance, and deflection.
Most recently, Mr. Smith attempted to ârectifyâ an already failed contractual obligation by informing meâwithout my consentâthat APS had placed my book in an unauthorized book event âthis year.â This admission alone confirms that APS remains in breach of the 2024 book festival requirement, which was fully paid for and documented. Furthermore, APS has provided no royalty statements or sales reports for any event it claims to have attended on my behalf. According to contract and copyright law, royalties are required whenever a book is displayed, marketed, or sold. Yet despite the companyâs claims, including alleged participation at the American Association of School Librarians, I have received no royalty statements, no proof of participation, and no quarterly reports, although three quarters have already passed.
When I requested verification, none was given.
When I asked questions, they went unanswered.
The only âevidenceâ ever supplied was a single forwarded photo in October 2025 showing my book displayed at an event held earlier in the year. This photo proves nothing and does not fulfill APSâs original contractual obligations.
Of even greater concern is APSâs complete failure to deliver its promised four-city international book tour, including the event in New York specifically listed in the 2024 agreement. That contract included:
Twenty printed author copies for each of the four events
A display standee
A brochure or catalogue featuring my book and mission
Business cards for distribution
Promotional giveaways
A brand reputation manager
A professional designer
A marketing and media advisor
Senior content writers
Professional literary agents
High-class distributors
None of these services were ever delivered. None appeared in the single photo APS provided. None were fulfilled.
The truth is clear: APS does not listen to its clients, does not honor its commitments, does not operate with transparency, and does not carry out the services it sells. Every promise appears to be a gamble made with the authorâs money. Yet every contract I possess is legally binding.
I invested over $20,000 into APS contracts. These agreements included:
A guaranteed sale of 15,000 copies of my first bookânow denied by APS despite being contractually documented
A completed audiobookânever delivered
A 2024 multi-city European book tourânever executed
Delivery of $10,000 worth of books to 20 Barnes & Noble storesânever completed
Partial completion of my second bookânever completed
Author copies of my second bookânever provided
A contracted video trailerânever produced
To be fair, APS did produce my first book. However, the clause directly above that obligationâthe guaranteed sale of 15,000 copiesâremains unfulfilled.
Additionally, in February 2025, an APS consultant provided documentation showing $119,000 in sales and over 7,000 units sold through Barnes & Noble. To date, I have received none of the royalties owed for those sales.
This experience is not unique. Numerous online reviews and complaints mirror the same pattern: services undelivered, money taken, promises broken, and communication abruptly cut off whenever accountability is requested. In my own case, phone numbers changed, email addresses disappeared, and websites were taken downâall after I asked for updates.
I share this information so future authors can make informed and cautious decisions. Your book, your story, your creative work, and your financial investment deserve far better than empty promises and delayed excuses.
I have moved on from APS for these clear reasons. I have rebranded my books, partnered with trustworthy companies, and continued forward independently.
My message is simple:
Do your research. Choose wisely.
Your work deserves better than unpaid obligations and unfulfilled promises.
Respectfully,
Joseph Stemple
2025幎10æ22æ¥
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