Scams, Scams, and More Scams

 by Thomas Kies

I recently received these unsolicited emails. 

Hello Thomas,

I’m reaching out on behalf of The Great Books Society of Denver, a lively community of 680 readers who meet monthly in Englewood, Colorado.

Your work, Random Road, came up in one of our recent discussions, and in true book-lover fashion, we thought: why not go straight to the source? The gritty realism, layered mystery, and complex humanity in your novel resonated deeply with our members. We would love to feature your book as our monthly pick, giving it exposure to an engaged, thoughtful audience who are genuinely excited to read and discuss new works.

Featuring your book with us provides direct engagement with a dedicated community of readers who love to discuss and recommend books, increased visibility among literary enthusiasts who value discovery and thoughtful conversation, and the opportunity for your work to become a memorable part of a month-long reading experience.

If this sounds like your cup of tea (or glass of wine, we don’t judge), please let us know, and we’ll share the next steps to make it happen.

Warm regards,

Organizer | The Great Books Society of Denver

So many compliments. By the way, in a follow-up email, they listed a tiered list of prices for their services. This wouldn’t be a scam, would it?

Hello Thomas Kies

Your book Darkness Lane was recently highlighted by one of our club members. Would you let us know if it’s available for our 7 Day Read Along and upcoming Club Literary Prize?

Organizer, Vienna English Club

Author scams are rampant.  It was a topic of multiple discussions in San Francisco a few weeks ago while I was there attending Left Coast Crime. 

Dan Berry recently wrote a column for the New York Times Book Review talking about scams.  He said that one scammer had reached out to him claiming to be Margeret Atwood (full disclosure, I got one of those too).  Berry contacted Atwood’s agent who wrote back saying, “Oh, this is so terrible and mean. Preying upon people’s hunger for success and/or their hope to improve their writing.”

What are some of the most common author scams these days?

• Fake Literary Agents/Publishers: Scammers pose as legit agents, offering publishing contracts in exchange for upfront "reading" or "editing" fees. 

• Marketing and PR Scams: Companies promise Hollywood film adaptations, Netflix pitching, or massive marketing campaigns, often targeting indie authors. 

• Vanity Presses: These houses demand high fees to publish, promising success but providing little to no real editing or distribution. 

• Paid Review Scams: Offers to purchase "guaranteed" reviews on sites like Amazon or Goodreads, according to The Darling Axe.

• Impersonation Scams: Scammers use AI and LinkedIn/social media to impersonate well-known publishing professionals, often using using well-known, bestselling authors. 

• Award/Contest Scams: Fraudulent literary awards that charge hefty entry fees

Why are these SOBs targeting writers?  Dan Berry summed it up by saying, “…the victim’s vulnerability. A lonely heart yearns for love and companionship: an author yearns for sales and validation. 

Yes, I know this is the second time I’ve published a blog about scams.  I apologize.  It’s just that I know there are people being cheated and it really cheeses me off.   www.thomaskiesauthor.com 

New Directions

Catherine Dilts

It's finally feeling like summer. With the warmer weather, my attitude toward the writing and publishing life is warming up. I feel like I emerged from a cold, dry spell, although I have been writing constantly during this time.

So many authors seem to be going through small press woes. The trials and tribulations of losing small presses are hitting hard. Agents and editors retire. The market is flooded. Competition for the decreasing number of slots with the big publishing houses is stiff.

Along with many other traditionally published authors, I'm exploring self-publishing options. My first experiment is with my co-author and daughter, Merida Bass. We just released book one of a YA science fiction series. Written under the pen name Ann Belice, Frayed Dreams begins the Tapestry Tales series.

Merida's enthusiasm has given me a boost. She's also an artist. The image is of Ando the squirrel monkey perched on top of a Teens For Earth badge. She created the book cover, too. 

I did some research on self-publishing, and learned that many authors are paying large sums to have their work edited, put into the proper publishing formats, given ISBN numbers, having covers created, and on and on. The folks offering this assistance are called hybrid publishers. An article on Reedsy stated that the cost of self-publishing a book can be as much as $10,000. Or more.

There's nothing wrong with this, if you have the money to pay for services, and the understanding that you may not recoup your expenses. But we decided if we're self-pubbing, we're paying for as little as possible. Yes, the learning curve was intimidating. I might not have attempted it if my daughter didn't have the tech savvy and desire to do most of that side of it herself.

I haven't abandoned traditional publishing. I will have exciting news to announce about a short story sale, after I have the signed contract in hand. And I might consider traditional book publishing again.

Honestly though, I'm ready to see what I can do in this new world of publishing. Having complete control over my novels is appealing. With that control, will my access to market or my sales suffer? We'll see. 

I'm optimistic about new directions. 

Guest Post: Sue Ann Jaffarian

Please welcome prolific author Sue Ann Jaffarian to Type M. I’ve lost count of how many books she’s had published since I first met her at a Sisters in Crime/Los Angeles meeting. She's run the gamut in the publishing world from self-publishing to being traditionally published by both large and small presses. One of her series has a ghost in it, which seems so appropriate for Halloween! Take it away, Sue Ann...

Publishing: Plan Your Journey

by Sue Ann Jaffarian

It’s no secret that the publishing business has been in chaos for several years. Bigger publishers are merging, reducing staff, and facing restructures, while smaller publishers are cropping up like weeds and some disappearing just as fast. Authors are being cut or abandoned by publishers left and right and new authors are finding it tough to get a foot in the door. And then there’s self-publishing, which is a whole ‘nuther kettle of fish.

Frankly, I think it’s an exciting time to be an author. Never before have we had such a smorgasbord of choices for our work. On the flip side, never before have we had so many chances to screw up.

As Charles Dickens wrote at the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… .”

Whether you are a newbie trying to get your first book published, or an author left high and dry after a few published books, or an author like me with many books under your belt and still under contract, you have to take the time to decide which path is best for your work. It used to be you wrote the book, found an agent, and the agent tried to sell it. Each step was a long and arduous process with no guarantee of success.

But here’s the thing, whether you opt for traditional publishing or self-publishing, or a hybrid, it’s still a long and arduous process. There is no getting around that. A lot of authors, usually first timers, think that they can skirt a lot of the hard work and time by going self-published. Not so. If anything, it takes even more work to be a successful independent author, but if you are successful, you reap bigger royalties.

But don’t let the bright and shiny bigger royalties blind you. Not all authors should go the self-published route and most don’t make those big royalties, at least not out of the gate. For many authors, wearing all the hats doesn’t suit them or overwhelms them. They take shortcuts in editing, proofreading, cover art, and marketing that dooms them almost from the beginning.

Early on, decide what you want out of your writing. Not all publishing options fit all books or authors. Don’t be swayed one way or the other by the traditional vs. independent debate. Look at all of your options and make the best decision based on your goals, time, and skill set. I think a lot of authors give in to peer pressure in this area and end up unhappy.

If it is important to you to have a big name traditional publisher, then by all means pursue that by finding an agent and giving that route a shot. It may take a hundred rejections to find an agent, but if it’s important to you, do it. Don’t settle for your second or third choice without giving your first choice a fair chance.

A lot of the smaller publishers will consider un-agented manuscripts. If you are set on a traditional publisher but are frustrated in your search for an agent or getting rejected by the big name publishers, check out some of the smaller companies that are putting out great books. Ask your writer friends for suggestions or even referrals to their editors at these smaller publishing houses.

If you think you’re cut out for going independent, first talk to several indie authors who have done it successfully. LISTEN to them. Take notes. Copious notes. Don’t think you can build a better mousetrap when you’ve never been in the business before. These people are experts. I’m starting to publish more of my own work and, believe me, I’ve bent the ears of countless indie friends with questions on everything from covers to editing services to marketing. And be ready to spend money to do it right. Freelance editors and cover designers cost money. Slapping something together is career suicide.

And once you choose a path, remember, you can change your mind down the line. Maybe your first book will be with a small press. The second self-published. And maybe your third will catch the eye of a major publisher. You just never know, so don’t lock yourself in. My work is in all three venues and it works for me.

In the end, whether you decide to go traditional or independent, there’s no excuse for laziness. First you have to write the best book you can. Without that, the rest is a waste of time. Sending an agent or publisher a sloppy manuscript will get the door slammed in your face. Self-publishing such a manuscript may tank your career before you even have one. Once those doors are shut or readers turn away from you, it’s extremely difficult and often impossible to get a do-over.

Do it the right way, or don’t do it at all.

There’s so much more to being an author today besides writing a book. You have to look beyond the book, to where it’s going and how it’s going to get there. No matter which path you take, writing a novel is not a casual joy ride on a summer’s day. It’s long journey that deserves your best effort, preparation, and commitment.

Sue Ann Jaffarian is the author of three critically acclaimed mystery series: The Odelia Grey series, the Ghost of Granny Apples series, and the Madison Rose Vampire Mysteries. She also writes the Winnie Wilde erotic romance series under the pen name of Meg Chambers, as well as short stories. In addition to writing, Sue Ann is a full-time paralegal living in Los Angeles. Kirkus has said of Sue Ann, "Like Stuart Kaminsky, Jaffarian juggles her franchises deftly, giving each a unique voice and appeal." Visit her at www.sueannjaffarian.com, or on Twitter or Facebook.