I received the following email:
Hi Angela,
I thought you might want to see this, as the number of emails I am receiving from scammers of late is through the roof for some reason!
This one says that a traditional publisher would not be interested in my book because I am affiliated with a non-traditional publisher, and I need to part ways with you and sign up with them. Then, I would have to buy 1000 copies OF MY OWN BOOK (which would total around $20,000 or so) to help convince a traditional publisher to take on my book.
They are getting more creative, but anyone with common sense can smell a scam a mile away!
Dan
The email from Haynes Media Group, at first glance, looked professional. Their website looks professional as well but the writing on the site is horrible.
Look at this:
We have combined years of first-rate industry experience in enlivening the efforts of the burgeoning authors with comprehensive publishing, editorial, and marketing solutions, helping them to publish their books with authoritativeness.
Um, what??? That looks like it was written by artificial intelligence (AI) or someone in another country with a bad grasp of the English language.
Since I’ve been in the industry for 25 year, I was able to spot the problems with the email (and the website) right away.
1. They claimed their “book scouts” were interested in the author’s book. But, this is how the book title appeared in the email. (I have removed the actual name of the author’s book to protect his anonymity.) Do you see the problem?
…stumbled onto your book,” Book Title “ in the…
Notice the punctuation and spacing errors around the title. Also, notice the book title is in bold. None of the rest of the text in the email was in bold. What I think they are doing is sending out mass emails to authors, and using software to insert different book titles into the email. It’s easy to do that.
2. The email goes on and on about how great the book is, but mentions nothing specific about that particular book.
3. They claim, “…we initially pitched your book to our affiliated traditional publishers, who were interested but were hampered by the fact that you are tied with a self-publishing company.” I’m calling B.S. on that!
They then claim they can republish the book for the author, and put the author down as the publisher. Hello!?!? That still means self-published!
4. They claim the can improve the “quality” of the book. They all say that.
5. They claim they won’t charge the author to do any of this work…BUT WAIT!! If an unwary author stopped reading there, he wouldn’t know that the end of the email states the author must purchase 1,000 copies of the book. How much you wanna bet that they’ll make a huge profit on those 1,000 copies, which would more than pay for their interior and cover designer, etc.?
This is the best part:
“The books are tagged with the outright purchase and that will record as highlighted 1000 pre-ordered sold books in the first week of printing. By managing the publishers’ perception, we add value to the pitch and convince them that your book is newsworthy! That’s how we get your contract.”
Do you know what that means? Are they saying that the author must purchase 1,000 copies and then Haynes Media will try to hoodwink traditional publishers into thinking those were retail or public sales of the book?
COME ON!!!
After reading their ridiculous email, I got online, and was not at ALL surprised to find these:
According to the complaints posted there, one author paid $1250, and did not (as of the date of the posting) receive her 250 copies.
“As of date, the books have not arrived, and every attempt to contact Haynes Media has been ignored, and/or disregarded. I have sent emails, made telephone calls, and left messages to no avail…”
And, another complaint:
“It appears they are no longer accepting my calls or returning my emails for over a month.”
That author paid them $3,000.
– WRITER BEWARE has Haynes Media Group listed on their “Publishing/Marketing/Fake Literary Agency Scam List.”
– Porscha Aubrey also has them listed under Scamming Publishing Companies.
If your book has been previously published, and you are then spammed (or receive a telemarketing call) by a company offering to do the work all over again, you are ABOUT TO BE SCAMMED. These firms are the bottom feeders of the industry. Unfortunately, many authors fall for the “we can get you a traditional contract” line. Those authors end up with far less money in their wallets, and no traditional contract.
Oh, I almost forgot! Haynes Media Group also wants to help you turn your book into a blockbuster movie! Eye roll…..
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