J. MARK SMEDLEYIIllOflNfV AI tAW

]0 NURTH MAIN. SUITE 5HEBEr~ CITY. U IAH 84032· 1828

TELEI'IIONE. (-13:;) 6~iI\I\GOOFAX NO (435) G54·2171\

IS. 2003

I

Victoria StraussIAnn Crispin1M. Christine ValadaISFW A. Inc.Ip.o Box 12[6iAmhers{ MA. 01002I .IRE: American Book Publishing <led C. Lee NUIlIl

Please govern yourselves accordingly./-!,

Sillc.ereIY. '~/ .. / /1/I ,,/ !,., rfJ1I /..,#~~~~/0f//' <J /fJ. M/\HK SMJ~~I .I JMS:sjI Enclosures

This mauer requires your immcdiale attention and response. III the event all derogatorycomments. printings, publications and references about AIllCric;1I1 Book Puhlishing and C LeeNunn are not removed from the SFWA organization website and c-mails. ami all otherdefamation, ill whatever Iorm , cease by I'riday, May 23"', 20()3. tile al[;lchcd 1,1c~ldillE!.~ will 1)('filed against SFWA, Inc., Victoria Strauss and Ann Crispin ill t itall lourtl: District Court 011Wednesday, May 28, 2003.

cc: American Book PublishingC. Lee Nunn

J. MARK SMEDLEY il ()-142Attorney for Plaintiffs30 North Main, Suite 5!-lebel.- City, UT 84032TeLephone: (435) 6')4 ii()OO

IN TIlE DISTRICT COUPT FOR TIlE FOUFTJI .JllLJlCJJ\f, DISTRICT

IN l\ND FOR \'1l\Sl\TClI COUNTY I ST1\TE Ui' UTI\!!

C. LEE NU]\]N andAMERICAN BOOK PUBLISl 11NG,

COMPLAIN',

Plaintifff3,

-vs-

SFWl\, INC., VICTORIASTRAUSS, an individui)], andANN CRISPIN, an individual. Civil No.

Judge: D'_'n ,1T(}-j ~--l;~}']~e; LJL·.DefenclanU; .

I--_._---------_ .._--_._._ ..__ .-----CO['1E NOW r'l<:lint_iffs by arid th r ou ju r.he ir at tor n e y .i.

Mark Smedley, and hcn-"by aLLelJe and compla.iil agvi.ll~~t Dcfcnddn\ rs ,

a s follows:

1 Dur i.nq the monLhs 01 E3cptembcI i.lIlcJ Oc\c,j.)cr, )()(1),

tile vi.ce.prc::;ident uf SFWA, l\lln Crispin, alHI an .iudi v id u n l ,

Victoria SLcauss, c()n~aclecl PlainLU.[, r'-- .

information for a bCqllS article t hat; they di leged they were

preparing on "new a ncl innovative publish:in~J compallie~" thrnU<Jhc'!,

the United States.

?. After having cooperated and qi ve n cerLi),i n

tu t o rme t Lon regoxdin;:r the company, PlaintiCCf; became dltJal~e t.h a t.

the representations of Defendants, particularly Ms. VictorJaStrauss, were misrepresentative and false.

3. It was determined that the mc+i ve f or reque s t i.nq

the information was solely to use against the Plaintiffs andprinted as false, misleading and defamatory information 011 a

;"writers beware" web-site page affiliated with Defendant SFHA.4. Defendants sought to falsely portray Plaintiff as

a POD Publisher in an article in Writers Digest Magazine.

5. Allegedly these false and misleading comments andpublications were posted on the "writers beware" web-site durinSJor between the months of November, 2001 and March, 2003. These

were also published by i.vritersDigest in November 2002.

6. In or about October, 2002, Plaintiff C. Lee Nunn

became aware of an article in that month's Writer's Digest

,entitled "POD Contracts."7. The article was published on the November 2002

issue of Writers Digest Magazine.

8. Said article cautioned readers when entering int0

these POD contracts that there were certain professionals and

publishing companies that deal with "the pruliferation of aI,hideouscontract terms among the growing crop of internet -basedj,F[pri nt; all. demand publishers.";

9. Plaintiff company American Book Publishing and

'individual Plaintiff C. Lee Nunn were listed as one of the

internet-based publislling companies that was to be avoided and

participated in hideous contract terms and unreasonable

practices.

I'

10. P.lainl:ifr C. [,ee Nunn .i mrnediu Lol y made I'ont,;lct

with the managing editor of the magazine.

11. Said ma ria.qinq e dit.o r , ~lJelani (c !'(igney, illdicatcd ;

C. Lee Nunn that a111 n f o rrna t.Lon associated with or in ref er(:[1('('

to American Book Pu bLi.ss hi nq , IIlC, would be "CldOVCcl from llle] I

article in the month of Noverube r , 200::::!,

12. Upon 111spccLjon of t.hat; NovcllIbcr oLrLicjlC>.- [~llc:il

r c f e r e n c e vIas remOVIY!, excep: lhf'~ illanac.:Jinq 1'~di!·()1 did leilv'" "11('

mention of American Briok Pub! Is h i nq , but. Wi],.; ci\lCCeSS f u I .i II

removing all other damag,ing information [rOI1I the hei)rU iDe bc>~':'

13. vlllen Defendant Strauss and lie I c rid a n c Crispin

became humiliated when the managing editor ;.-",:noved nni oh or- Llle j I

false r cpo r ci nq , all l)ut t h.r r. o ne l'e[crcncc ,:,1 1\1J1('ri(';;CllI l',nnk

Publishing, out of L/ie de I ami n.j a rL'ioLe . Ll,('y' l~elI0\,jf'd : he j I

efforts to cont.inue aud iI1CI~8a~3edo f ama tory }.lng1lagc to ])<::

pub] ished and p ri nt.e d on the: "writers bCW<JI!~" wel i p"lqf',

14. Said "Hriters Beware 11 web pa',lf:: is w r i r t.en and

managed in part by Defendants StrClLlSS and Crispin and is

supported by Defendant SFI'1A and its E;L1pporL~lI(J star I .

alert for professionaL writers res.rarding pULlJishi l1CJ cOlilpallicr3 aid

othe r such auppo r t i TIC] ell! it ie s '

forum for authors to complain about d i f f e ie n , publ isllinq

companies and by .inv it a t. i on s aid web page l1;-\.J(~S f3ur.l 1 r.ompl.e i IlCllJI,(',

to contact "Writers Beware."

l~!. S . r' '1] . t hi Defendanls hav e [d ls o I ':'peCl,lC(l ,y In ~lIS case,

and misleadingly initiated the placement and themisrepresentative facts upon the web page, which has createdsuspicion, mistrust, and a desire of otherwise satisfied authorsto disassociate themsel yes with American Book PubLi.ehi rrq .

18. On or during the months between October, 2001 up

through April, 2003 Defendants maliciously prepared, composed

printed and published, of and concerning Plaintiffs, certain

writings, to-wit:l8a. various published and printed summations and false

allegations on their web page, knowingly, alleging false andmisleading information about American Book Publishing, its

practices, contract terms, and policies;

l8b. false and misleading comments directly related rC)

Plaintiff C. Lee Nunn.lBc. Specifically there have been false a).legations

that "Writ-ers Beware" has received substantial "complaints aboutAmerican Book Publishing, and C. Lee Nunn, owner."

19. C. Lee Nunn is not the owner and is only the

director of operations.20. Various w,eb-site printings and publications dur il1~J

those months, e-mails, received and sent Lo various authors andsubscribers to the website and direct contact with American Book

Publisher's authors and clients associated with web sjtepublishing, contained the following false and defamatory ma t.t ers .

to-wit:21a. Allegations also include that American Book

Pub ILshi.nq, Inc., which presents itself as a "tradition."41"

publishers, requireE' iLs authors La p<1y a ~-;LzeabJe 11~;et-llp" fee-

21b. t.ha t, con t r a c t s i nc 1ude "s t.a lid.lrd con t. lac L termE':."

There are al1e9atiollS of non-production 01: jHomised e-book

edit.ions;21C. Ilon-luLfilll11enL of markctil)(J .md pub1 lei t.y

promiseE; ;21d. repenLccl1y delayed publicaL],-"1 scl)(~cJuLcc-:;; fillic!h ·.i

books full of errors;21e. non-payment of 1'oyclltics; 1'(lvinS:-! prcs,,;uJ:c ()lJ

authors to purchase Lu Lk numbers of their UI11l books;

21f. alJeq:ltions of harassment: Ly 1\liWricC:1ll nc'ok

Publishing, of those v!ho question or c:ompJDln to sajd publjsl1il,:

company,21CJ. and ;lllegaLions L1wL All1cric:1I1 fY)ok rubl i,-,hillCJ, ."

a focus 01: a poLice i llve'~l:i9CJtirJn.

to variouf3 third paL-ry subscribers, clien~c;lc and potent j;11

authors to be read by them.si1id

23. pursuant to DefendanL;3 I

\ :ma .._j ·:LOllS intent,

writings were read b'" numerous t hi.rd part:",.: that v:tew Llie

"Writers and cf:::rtv.in "pee 1 r ic (J \ 1t - \1() j' ,~

associated with l\.mer Lean Book Publishing, <3llcl c \ i (;111 = l.c t-h(Yrec'!

(111d potent_jell iluthol c; r:;ef:kjn'J jl)(1cl'ellde11t. f"rl.J i_;~hi_nq COlll\);11Iif'~'

and Clgencies throuql1ouL the UlliLcc1 SU1\:cr), .rnr l diver:;P ()\ )1"1

persons.

II.

24, During the period outlined '-Above, Defendants

malic:iously spoke by way of eo-mail and per s oua Ll y , to and Jil tlir~

presence and the lre a ri nq of the various .id e n L ifi e d cI i.o n r e Le .

patrons, and pot.e nt f a J clients, and diverse ulher pen;ClH" the

f oLl.owinq false c orrunent e and defamalory words and COIlCP]-lliIHJ

Plaintiffs, to-wit:

24a. That l\llIc ri can Book Publ .i.shin.j , ..,ill LcL p i (-::=:(~l\l,:

itself as a "tradit;un,ll" pub l Ls lie r s , r c qu i rc s .i l..s duLllC)JS l ,) )Y1'~

a a i zeable "set--up" rec~;

24b. that contracts include "standard (:ontrC1ct l~erlllr;."

21c. There cue alleqations of non pro d uc Ljo n of:

promised e-book e d i Lio ns ,

24d. DO 11- Lu I. [ i II men L 0 [ IIIark e tin g a i t cl pub 1 i ci t '>'

promises;

25e. repealedly delayed pubI i c a ti ou schedules; [inir;ll(>,1

books full of errors;

2-6f. rrori+ p a y.ue nt; of royalties; h a vi riq pn-'C~S'.IJ~e on

authors to purchase bulk numbers of their own boo kss,

26g. aI Lequ rLon s of ha r as sment; by l\lller.icClll Book

Publishing of those '...dIG que s tion or comp lai n :.0 c;aid publ .i s h i.nq

company, and allegations that Ame ri ca n Book 1'\Ib]i.sJli.I1~J iE3 ':-1 f<)c·tJ~:

of a police investiga ion.

2Gh. Additionally there have been f a ls e p ri n t J llgf; cHid

,~ll('gaLions that "w ii r.cr beware" ho s received :';uh,~l ,JnL_ in !

complaints about l\.mc.L- i can Book Pub} .is h i rrq r1l1c1 C _ Lee ~l1Jllll.

27. Defendants in making said conuuuri i.c a r dori d i_d

intend it to mean t ha t. American Book Pub I i e h inq war; a subst:andall

traditional publisher t.hat was untrustworthy;

27a. that was a cornpany to be a vo ide d at all COE}t,S; .;l[lli

27b. a pub Li s h i nq company which intentionally sought!"

deprive potential au t ho r a of morie y in tbe ,,,Jay ofroyaJ t: ier3 to

unconscionably burdcil them in their contract terms and.

27c. Lo rt'quire un r eason ab.le and UI\CU[[~)C: io n-i l.: ire;

a~:rreements pursuanc 1(; these: cOlltracL lonno;

28. AdcLiti(lllally Defelldants .in t.cn.Io d \.0 paint ;1

picture that American Book PublishillCJ was U111'eF':punf3Lve, n o t. I:u I,,·

respect.ed, haphazard in their p ro f e s si on a Li ,:1<1 and pu bl .i ca I J·)I1,

misleading in the i r COil tract terms, manipu 1 ell .i.v o .in I.I lei 1

policies and p r oc edure s , and involved In ali,'qcdly o ri min al

activity.

29. Said persons to whom said defnmaLory matte] was

communicated as a f o r-o said and in the manner ,~c'L f o rLh abuve,

understood sa 'id words ro have said meaning.

30. De f enda n t; SFVIA, Inc., is a co r pora ti on duly

organized and ex i s t.Lnq under and by virtue oI the La\<;,3 or tile

Sta te of Maryland and doing business Lhrougllou L Lhe col1ec L1v e

United states of America , parti.cularlY.111 tlH' ~;t-at.e o f Utah,

i119 its principal place of Lus i !less ill 1\1dJY Land.

31. At all times 11E'rei ncl[Lcr mentiCllled UcLcndill1i.:3 \tV') P

are now engaged j n the business of pub] j ,dlinq Clnd pJ·illlLnq\

and e-mail news letter, daily with updaLe~; lout i ns-l y ,',..S J. '- e

a-wit.:

31a. SFWA, Inc., "Writers Alert," professional alerts,

31b. the }\nn Crispin and Victoria EataUSEc; e-mailc;

scussion board postLngs and web pages, and

31c. submissions a n d publication;; 10 vh'j I.cr '~; Diq,;,:t

32. Said web paqes and bu.sine'~SE'c3 ha ve e mail

addresses and web pac]es of qeneral .i n t.e rn e L circuLation I n 1)('

State of Utah and throughout the United SL1l.CS and Ihe

international community.

33. At aLL times hereinafter. IliC:lltioI1Pc) De['~'Ii(L1Jlt

Strauss was the supplier, edi t.o r , and publ i;:her of the

information on her (J'"v!i web si tes, ancl

33a. a con tri bu t Lnq editor and pu bLicis t; wi.t.h "\·hitel

8ewa.re" web site, and

33b. she ]~, supported by DefenclclJII: ,SFWA, IlK,

34. On the above elates hereinafter and aforemenLione

Defendants in their web pages publisbed, 01 Clliowed to be

published on their webs i t e a or such websit(-~; a t f iLia t.e d nr

as s oc i a t.e d with De[(:~Jldant:s, of and conCerl1illq PlaiuLifJ;; 1111'

following words, lo~wit:

34a. That l\lIIc:rican Book PubliE;hill(J, which pl(,;[;elll~;

itself as a "trac1itional" pub Lie he rs ,

34b, requires its authors to pay a sizeable "SE,l:'UP"

fee;

34c, that contracts include "::3tandard cOlltract telm~;,"

35. There are allegations of nOll-pcoducLion uf

lromised e-book editions;

]5a. non-fulfillment of marke t; Lnq and publici L'l

promises;]Sb. repeatedly delayed publication schedule.'.3 i fLIli .sli (I

b oks full of errors;

35c. non-payment of royalties;35d. having pressure on authors to purchase bulk

numbers of their own books;35e. allegations of harassment by l\merican Book

Publishing of those who question or complain to said publishing

I~ompany,

I'

and35f. allegations that American Book Publishing is a

IfoCUS of a police investigation.I 36. Additionally there have been f aLs e print i.nqs andlilegations that "Writer Beware" has received Gubstantialcomplaints about American Book Publishing and C. Lee Nunn, and

36a. that American Book Publishing require their

authors to pay sizeable set up fees.37. Said web pages published, prepared and sent out by

Defendants, have a very large and extensive circulation in theUnited States and possibly throughout the wOlld, and numerableamounts of circulation as a resul t of t.beprocesses of Lhe

internet.38. By said words, published and printed in said

forums, web sites and e-mails as aforesaid, Defendants meatlt thatI

Plaintiffs were disreputable and untrustworthy.39. Said words so published were geperal1y read by the

subscribers, the clientele and the patrons of said web site~> aud

e-mails and by others, and by such readers were understood to

have said meaning, and the persons who read said words and the

charges therein knew that Plaintiffs were mealJt thereby.I I 1.

,10. 'I'ha t; s a id de f amo t o r y ma t.t.e r s cummuni C(lt:"'c1 ;n;

aforesaid did, and \\I'=:Te c a Lc.ul.a t.e d Lo, c a us e ,:.p.-eat .i nj u ry 10

Plaintiffs I r eput.a ti ou in that Defendants :j()\.!(::!hL Lo H\Yf' 10

• ,J\ViJ'/

potential clientele (tlld e x is t.Lnq clientele Lrorn cOlli ;v:t wi ill al~tj

association or contract work wJ.tllPlaintJ.ffs;

'lOa. .i n t e r r e re with PlaintiFf:s' ali Li t.y to COJlcluct i.r «

business;

40b. souqllio to prcnel1t. a ~~oi.lcdlf·!,ut.,:ll .ior: o I

Plaintiffs to enCOUri1CJe other au t.ho r s Lu di ;;,'lGF:oci ate l. h(C~1Tl!u'l \}(H.

with them, and

4Oc. to ga Lher d i. sgrun L Led au than; aud to ilS(~ ;:H;

fodder the mis r-ep r e s e nr a t Lve facts to nprearl einbo I ijr;llf':cJ UJ

outright false and mi :::;leadi ng a c cu s a t Lou e OJ) an .in t er ne t; -based

forum, and through e+ma i Le .

41. It was the specific .i nt.e nt. of the Defendallts to

quickly by way of e-mail and internet access, spread false.

misleading, undocumented and un ve ri fi e d in Lorma t Lon .i n a mann,::,'

so rapidly, that befure any investigation or verification could

be initiated the dam'::\~Je Lo the reputation;; would OCCUL, and '1;:; .1:;

so important in t h i.s Lype of busincs[-;, l)()i~(,lll.ial (0) ()1]~jC)jll(J al\(j

new growth through ;:llILhors would be, at. a mi n imum d im i nis liod

greatly, and most pl-l~bably desLroyed a Ll L:)(JF:t l re r:.

[V.

12, At the lime of said de f arna to ry publ.icaLion,

Defendants knew that s a i d wor d s and p ri.nt.i.nq s were unr r ue .

43. In mak i nq said defamatory public:aLions, Dc fe nd an t s

acted with malice toward Plaintiffs.

44. Sp e ci fic a Ll y Defendc:lllL Straw's, (111 .inc.i.i vi d u ol wh:

earlier had soughl~ cJl1l.=,loyment by PlainLi[[:'3 c1ncl wa[~ I)('t 11.i If,d, .':.

a. result of rion+ hiri nq . ruaLi c iou s Ly caused ,Illd repeated.Iy CdWH'(i

and continues to c a us e said f a Ls e pub Iis hi n-j s a nd prin t. iuq n wi I [1

a direct intent t o harm, hurt a ud destroy tile po r s orial J.vpul.aL.lcli

of C. Lee Nunn and i lw colJ ectivc l-cpl.ltal:iol1 01 the l\IIIf'C' i C.III 1l()(.~V

Publishing.

v.

45. PlaintiJfs have c:dways enjoyed il qood 11:?!,)lltcli i'lil

for honesty, up r iqht.ue us of char a ct.o r . tr\lthLulJ1(~s:;, i n Loq r i Ly .

and professionalism in their quality o[ work, and fail dcaLillq.

VI.

46. On or about MC:lJ~ch7, 2003, 7\pf-il 10, 200J, ond

A·- "1 2" Ilrl-pL l.. "" , 2003, PIa .i lit iff s have demanded i11 w ri t .i ng "

retraction by Def e nda n t s of sa id de f ama t or y !31:at:.elllent,:.

47. F'oLl.owiuq receipt of P la i n t i I f s I said (Jf~lll;:ll1d fOI

retraction, Defendants did, and continue t.o, r ai l a rrd re Iu s e t.c

comp1y with said demand.

VII.48. As a ro su l t; of De[endal1U:;, sd:,i pub.lic a Li on s ;lnri

,I printings,

. w.i L :

Plaintiff~; ha ve s un t.a i ned the [01 l.ow i nq dnlllClgF'~;, to·

(a) general. d<Jl11aqcs HI an amou nl: to bc clE~l.eLmi.l}('d ;lL.

trial.

(b) spec .i a I damages in an amount t.o be de Lelmined at

trial, but not less rlian the sum of One Mil1icll\ Dol La rs to

compensatel:Jlaintiffs for the f ol Lowinq spec; ,,1 L rnj m-y, l OWl t

pre v .i 0 us 1y sa L.is f .i ed ,lU tho r s, C'1 .i e n LeI e, andoL 11 ere 0 lJ I. (l( ,L.~' \\1 i l. I ,

Plaintiff have requec;ted that t.Ireir af-,~30cia\ 1()11 with !\melLCal1

Book Publishing, be Lc:nninated, and that ce ri.a i n re t.a i.ni.nq monic>

and contract monies be returned; and that ol :IC~.r a u t: hors and

clientele have r cqu c a t.ed that !\merican Book l'ubJis\dnq, IC[~pCJllcJ

in writing to the allegations dl1d Lake up Limc and CXP"J1i:,C .i.n

de fending the I a I se .il J 'C'qa i= i om, and rn.i s rcplT; .c n La Li ()lli:, pul) I i~:IH'( I

by Defendants;

(c) punitive or exemplary damages to be ploven at

trial, but not less than the surn o f One ['1111 ion Dol1an:;.

WHEREFORE,Plaintiffs pray [or relief as follows:

(a) genera] damages in an amount to be determined at

trial.

(b) special Clic1n1ages111 an amount L(; be dc~Le]llli.l1(,cl iJi

trial, but not less tilall the sum Or:.L One Mill i on ])011 a rs ,

cornpen s a t e Plaintiffs for the Lo Llowi riq speciai in j u ry . L() IjJ]'

pre v .i0us 1 Y sat i s fie d ;-)u L h 0r s, c 1 i en t e J e, all d () t. 11ere: ()n Lac L f-; w i l h

Plaintiff have requested that their association with American

Book Publishing, be tJ'rminated, and that C(~l! a in Lciainincl uiori i ;,

and contract mori i.e s be returned; and that OU1~~L authors and

clientele have r equ e s te d that l\rnericall Book Pub] ishing, reE:polld

in writing to the aLleq ati.ou s and take up time and CXP('W3P .in

by Defendants;

(c) punitive or exemplary damages to be proven at

Itrial, but not less than the sum of One MilLiun DoL'lara .

(d ) court costs and [or such other and f ur t.he i r e Li e f

as the Court deems Just and proper.

Respectfully sUbmitted this day of

2003.

~a-rrsmeaTl;;):;------------------ ..-_. _Attorney for Plaintiffs