Helllooo, Peppertree Press, with writing like this, I wouldn’t let you near my book.
People, if Peppertree is so ignorant of basic writing principles and so sloppy about its writing, what’s going to happen with your manuscript? Answer: more sloppiness, more people taking your money who don’t have a frigging clue what they are doing.
1. We utilize the cover-art, applying those elements to your interior to enhance the look of your interior design.
Why is that hyphen there?
2. All our books are distributed worldwide through Ingram, Baker and Taylor, Books in Print, and launched on online venues such as: the Peppertree Press, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and Books a Million.
First, don’t put a colon after a preposition. Second, if there’s ever a time to use a serial comma, it’s now.
3. Each author’s book royalties are disbursed quarterly, reflecting their online sales.
Hey, y’all ever heard of noun-pronoun agreement?
4. As the late Eleanor Roosevelt so eloquently stated, “If you prepare yourself…you will be able to grasp opportunity for a broader experience when it appears”.
Christ on a sidecar, why is your period outside the quotation mark? This ain’t England…this is FLORIDA. Plus, I’d use a colon here: we’re quoting, it isn’t conversation.
5. My name is Julie Ann James and along with my colleague and Editorial Director Teri Lynn Franco, are proud to introduce to you a company that offers professional publishing with a personal touch!
Geez! This is a hot mess. I’d stick a pair of commas around the parenthetical phrase about Ms. Franco, but even then you’re still incorrect. I suppose you’d want to stick “we” in front of “are,” but why all this discussion about the online writing of people who bill themselves as “publishers”? “Introduce to you” is a horrible phrase. Incorrect writing + poor writing = a publishing company to AVOID.
6. We welcome you to go on the grand tour of our Web site and take the first step in turning your manuscript into a masterpiece.
“We welcome you to go on…”? Phew! And, last time I checked, website is not capitalized and it’s one word! Yuck!
7. Julie Ann James lives in Sarasota, Florida with her family.
Where’s the comma after “Florida”?
8. Together we have planted the book publishing seed and with great enthusiasm have launched this fine company to aspiring authors who have dreams and aspirations of turning their manuscripts into masterpieces.
‘Bout the only word for this sentence is barf. What I really, really, really hate about it, however, is that “aspirations” and “aspiring” were used in the same sentence, and (two things) that “dreams” and “aspirations” are synonymous, so why use both words?
In a nutshell, it’s a run-on sentence with repetitious words, both physically and spiritually, from people who are bragging about their writing prowess. This kind of writing really pisses me off, and that’s a phrase I never use. From so-called professionals, it’s inexcusable.
9. Over the years, we have participated in the following Literacy events…
Peppertree has been the Co-Sponsor with The Sarasota Literacy Council’s luncheon, Celebrating Authors and Illustrators
– All of the Proceeds Benefited The Adult Literacy Program
Sponsor of the Florida Writers Association’s yearly Writing Conference …as well as a panelist discussing writing and publishing
Poetry Judge for the Annual Reading Council’s poetry contest, publishing the winners in The Pepper Tree Literary Magazine
Continuing education by giving talks to Creative Writing classes at local schools, colleges and Universities
Book basket donations to a variety of non-for-profit organizations
The capitalization here is so wrong! And what’s up with the ellipsis? But, there’s also the little gem: non-for-profit. Never seen that before!
Wow. Just wow.
11. Q: What genres does Peppertree publish?
A: We publish, fiction, non-fiction, inspirational/ religious, children’s, educational, poetry, biography, auto-biography and cookbooks.
Why in the world is there a hyphen in “nonfiction” and “autobiography”? “Auto-biography”? Are you kidding me?
11. Q: Do you provide e-book services?
A: Yes. After you have approved your final book, we can re-format it to an e-book version.
Reformat, ebook.
12. Q: How will my book be marketed and distributed?
A: Most importantly through each authors marketing efforts.
Um, did you mean “each author’s”?
13. This was a paper that was simply priceless and something that the community could not only grasp in their hands, but one in which they could participate, both as readers and contributors.
Whaat? WTF (as the kids say) does that mean?
And, I got a newsflash for you, Peppertree: “Community” is a collective noun, which means it’s a singular noun, so you cannot use plural pronouns with it. Plus, don’t stick a comma in a “not…but” phrase.
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