Defunct Publisher Series

PublishAmerica / America Star Books: Get Your Rights Back and Republish

PublishAmerica — later renamed America Star Books — stopped paying royalties, stopped answering emails, and stopped fulfilling book orders. But your book may still be for sale online right now, generating revenue that never reaches you. Here is what happened and what you can do about it.

By Gia K., Book Production Manager • May 6, 2026

What PublishAmerica Did to Its Authors

PublishAmerica launched in 1999 with a pitch that stood out from every other publisher at the time: no upfront fees, a $1 advance, and a promise to make your book available through bookstores nationwide. In a landscape where self-publishing meant paying thousands to a vanity press, this sounded like a genuine traditional publishing deal. It was not.

By 2005 the company had approximately 11,000 authors under contract. Writers complained to Publishers Weekly about unpaid royalties, books set at prices so high retailers would not stock them, and marketing fees that delivered nothing. Writer Beware and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association documented hundreds of complaints and warned authors to avoid the company for years before its eventual collapse.

In 2014 PublishAmerica rebranded as America Star Books — widely seen as an attempt to distance itself from the damage to the PublishAmerica name. In 2017 it became ASB Promotions and stopped accepting new authors. By that point it had stopped paying royalties to existing authors, stopped responding to emails and phone calls, and stopped fulfilling reader orders. Yet many books remained listed for sale on Amazon and other retailers.

The good news is that material breach of contract — which is exactly what PA committed by not paying royalties and not fulfilling services — gives authors a strong legal basis to reclaim their rights. Thousands of authors have done it successfully. The process is not fast, but it is straightforward.

How to Reclaim Your Rights from PublishAmerica

You own the copyright on your original text. What PA owns — or owned — is the license to publish that text under the terms of your contract. When they stopped paying royalties and stopped fulfilling their contractual obligations, they committed material breach. Material breach extinguishes their right to enforce the exclusivity clause against you.

The practical path most authors have taken:

What Columbia Publication Does for PublishAmerica Authors

We have worked with authors coming out of PublishAmerica, America Star Books, Tate Publishing, and CreateSpace. The PA situation is the most complex of these because of the rights entanglement, but the republishing process itself — once rights are clear — is the same as any other project.

We do not begin any republishing work until you are satisfied that your rights situation is clear. If your situation requires attorney review before proceeding, we will tell you that upfront.

What Authors Have Recovered After Leaving PublishAmerica

Results vary by title, genre, and market. Individual outcomes depend on book quality, subject matter, pricing, and author marketing effort.

PublishAmerica vs. Gravitas Press via Columbia Publication

Republishing Packages for PublishAmerica Authors

Pricing depends on what your manuscript needs. We review before we quote — no surprises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did PublishAmerica shut down completely? +

PublishAmerica rebranded as America Star Books in 2014, then became ASB Promotions in 2017 and stopped accepting new authors. By 2017 it was effectively defunct — not responding to authors, not paying royalties, and not fulfilling book orders, though some titles remained for sale online.

PublishAmerica is still selling my book. Do they have the right to do that? +

This is the central legal problem. PublishAmerica's contracts gave them exclusive publishing rights, often for the life of the copyright. Even if they have gone silent and stopped paying royalties, they may technically still hold those rights. Most copyright attorneys advise that a breach-of-contract argument — non-payment of royalties, non-fulfillment of services — gives authors a strong basis to reclaim rights, especially when the publisher no longer functions.

Can I republish my book while PublishAmerica / America Star Books still lists it? +

You can, but there is a legal risk. The safest path is to send a formal rights reversion demand citing material breach of contract (non-payment of royalties, failure to provide contracted services). Many authors have done this successfully without legal action because ASB no longer has the resources or standing to fight. Columbia Publication can guide you through this process before we begin republishing.

PublishAmerica never paid me royalties. What are my options? +

Unpaid royalties are a breach of contract, which forms the legal basis for demanding rights reversion. You can send a formal written demand by certified mail to the last known Maryland address. If royalties were owed and never paid, many attorneys advise this alone is sufficient to reclaim rights without going to court, since ASB is effectively insolvent and unlikely to contest.

My PublishAmerica contract said I could not publish elsewhere. Does that clause still apply? +

Exclusivity clauses depend on the publisher fulfilling their contractual obligations. When a publisher materially breaches a contract — by not paying royalties, not fulfilling orders, going silent — most legal interpretations hold that the author is no longer bound by the exclusivity clause. This is not guaranteed, but it is the argument most authors have used successfully.

How do I get my book files from PublishAmerica or America Star Books? +

In most cases, you cannot. PublishAmerica created its own production files and those are considered their property under the contracts they used. What you can recover is your original manuscript, which you own as the copyright holder of the underlying text. From your original manuscript, Columbia Publication can reconstruct a professionally formatted and designed book.

What does it cost to republish a PublishAmerica book through Columbia Publication? +

Republishing from your original manuscript starts at $499. If you need a new cover as well, we quote that separately after reviewing your manuscript. Rights reversion guidance is included at no additional charge for clients who choose to republish with us.

How long does it take to republish a PublishAmerica book? +

From manuscript to live on Amazon and Ingram typically takes four to six weeks. If your manuscript needs light editing or the cover requires significant redesign, the timeline extends to six to eight weeks. We give you a firm timeline after reviewing your files.

Get a Free Rights Review

Tell us your situation and Gia K. will personally respond within 24 hours with an honest assessment of your options — whether or not that involves publishing with us.

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Which publisher were you with? Select one PublishAmerica America Star Books ASB Promotions Not sure which name — same company

What is your main concern? Select the option that best fits I have not received royalties My book is still for sale and I want it down I want to republish but am unsure about rights I want to understand my rights situation first All of the above

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Gia K. responds personally within 24 business hours. Your information is never shared or sold.

Your book deserves better than a defunct publisher's Amazon listing and silence where royalties should be.

Columbia Publication has helped authors recover from PublishAmerica, Tate Publishing, CreateSpace and other failed platforms. We know the process and we move fast.

Get Your Free Rights Review