Art and Publishing

So disappointed, but lesson learned.
Or too good to be true. It sounds like a cliche you will tell me.

I thought I had done my research, my due diligence, apparently not so much so.

Last spring I was contacted by Kennedy Publishing, from Virginia. I've  read since that many artists have been contacted, but were suspicious and did not act. Good for them.

I was selected to be published in "The BEst OF Abstract ", It sounded appealing, so with excitement in my guts I browsed the web to inquire.
Everything looked good to me.
I Send some of my best abstracts of the time, they sent me back some first proofs with then retouching  I was in contact by email with a certain Misty, then James Kennedy called me for some details before the publishing.

Everything was as true as it looked.

Then I bought 4 books at the Artist price, $200.00 total. This was back in June. It was going to receive the books in July.

Since I sent many emails, they now have an automatic reply with "contact such and such", but when you do no answer ever comes . I even tried to call and I only got a voicemail and never got any call back.

I think I will never see this books, and certainly not my  hard earned $200.00.

What can I do, I certainly do not want to spend a bunch a money in a lawyer,...just leran my lesson and be smarter.