Well, if it looks like a competitor, and acts like a competitor, and smells like a competitor…

Last week, we offered a controversial $500 bounty for information leading to the real identity of the blogger who called himself PODdy Mouth. Many applauded our efforts to shut down this biased, garbage-spewing, fact-lacking individual.

It was pretty obvious this particular blogger, who claimed to be pro-Print on Demand (POD), but who posted profanity, insults and incorrect information (while refusing to correct numerous errors reported by readers) about many POD publishers, was more than likely associated with or even the owner of a competing POD company.

Seven industry individuals have now contacted us, placing their bets on the real identity of PODdy Mouth… and all seven have guessed the exact same individual.

Had PODdy Mouth really been an unbiased person (with just really bad research and reporting skills), I imagine he’d have fought back, valiantly trying to prove his innocence, and perhaps even apologizing for all the hurt and havoc left in his wake. However, less than 24 hours after we posted a link to the article on Preditors and Editors, and announced the bounty, PODdy Mouth deleted his blog in its entirety. Many said this confirmed that it was indeed a competitor who smelled the posse and, like the yellow-bellied varmint he is, attempted to cover his tracks (the blog posts that gave clues to his identity), and disappeared into the night after the wanted posters were hung at WritersWeekly.

The bounty still stands. If you know who PODdy Mouth is and can prove it, we’ll send you $500. Just because the prey is hiding doesn’t mean the hunt has to end.

If you do put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and start poking around, you’ll see that some people are already publicly speculating who PODdy Mouth really is (was). That just might give you a head start. Happy Bounty Hunting!