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1st Place: $300 + a free book publishing package from BookLocker valued at $975; 2nd Place: $250; 3rd Place: $200; + 100 Honorable Mentions! Those writers receive a free ebook of their choice from BookLocker.com. 

Read all past winning topics and story, and sign up, RIGHT HERE!


Q –

I published my memoirs in 2023. A lot of friends bought copies, but despite having been ‘professionally’ proofread by two different providers, it was full of errors. Another criticism from readers was that it seemed dauntingly long when they first got it.

I have unpublished it and split it into two books, and have two more that are written but need the eye of someone more skilled in editing than I am. In the meantime, Amazon KDP banned another of my books, unrelated to the memoirs, for reasons that I have not been able to clarify. Since then I have had severe difficulties accessing my work and communicating with them. 

How can you compete with Amazon? The huge behemoth seems to have a monopoly in many fields and I have been led to believe that they sell about 75% of all books in the western world. 

I have been inundated by ‘Vanity Publishers’ and I have managed not to become trapped by reading what I can about them online.

I struggle to get my head around the complexities of self publishing, and in particular in negotiating Amazon Ads. I would just like to write and have someone else hold my hand and take care of the tasks I get stuck on.

Am I being unrealistic? 


A – 

My name is Brian Whiddon. I am the Managing Editor here at WritersWeekly, and the Operations Manager at BookLocker.

First, BookLocker does not “compete” with Amazon for book sales. All of BookLocker‘s authors’ books are for sale on Amazon, as well as through thousands of retailers around the globe, including BarnesandNoble.com, Walmart.com, Target.com, BookAMillion.com, Chapters/Indigo in Canada, and countless others. Any retailer that has an account with our distributor can pick up their automated feed, and list our authors’ books for sale on their website.

Our authors’ ebooks are on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Google Play, Apple, Kobo, and Overdrive.

Now, occasionally, Amazon tries to pull a fast one and will slip some wording into their contracts that don’t serve the best interests of publishers and authors. In 2008, Angela sued Amazon for violating federal anti-trust laws and WON. She tried to recruit other publishers, but everyone else was too frightened to step up against the behemoth. Unfortunately, those companies are still stuck with Amazon’s contract that they begrudgingly signed at that time. You can see the details of the two-year lawsuit saga HERE.

Angela is still the only small publisher to successfully sue Amazon.

There are LOTS of publishing services out there and, these days, most of them are scammers operating out of Nigeria, the Philippines, India and China. It’s extremely important that you educate yourself and recognize the signs that a company may be a scam. I’d like to refer you to one of our articles on this subject: 11 Ways to Know If a “Publisher” or Other Service Provider is an Overseas Scammer. You should also listen to The WritersWeekly Podcast for true stories from publishing scam victims, and for advice on how to avoid those.

Above all else, we are dedicated to protecting authors from falling prey to those vultures, who are experts at sucking thousands of dollars out of an author before they realize they have been taken for a ride.

Angela started BookLocker 27 years ago. I know it’s going to sound corny, but the we have remained successful by simply treating our authors right and working hard for them. We are still a family-operated company. I came on board in 2016. Besides helping Angela with day-to-day operations, I handle book trailers (short videos to advertise authors’ books) and design some of our book covers, along with serving as Managing Editor for WritersWeekly. I also produce and edit our podcast. I’m sure if you listen to some of our episodes, you’ll find that Angela and I are just two down-to-Earth, fun loving folks. There’s nothing really flashy about us.

I fully understand your position of just wanting to write and let someone else handle the details of getting your book on the market. That’s always at the forefront of our operation; being the lead partner in this process because this is what we do all day, every day. At the same time, we make sure you understand how the process is working, and at what point in that process your book is in at any given time.

If you want to write books, and have someone else  handle EVERYTHING else for you, including post-publication, we recommend Book Coach and Professional Editor Clayton Jones.

Step 1 of the publishing process at BookLocker is here:
https://secure.booklocker.com/booklocker/new/intro.php

Use this discount code, which is available to WritersWeekly readers: Social777

Using that, you’ll get $150 off one of the following packages:

At Your Service Package
Professional Author Package
The Works! Package

NOTE: Your second and subsequent books will qualify for our returning author discount.

The primary advantages BookLocker authors enjoy are:

1. Fastest full-service publisher in the industry (2 to 4 weeks to market while others take 4-6 months).

2. Family-owned and -operated (made in the U.S.A.!). We don’t outsource to overseas call centers and you will always know who you are working with at BookLocker.

3. We are in our 27th year and we have an outstanding reputation. See:
https://publishing.booklocker.com/testimonials

4. We don’t accept anything and everything so you don’t have to worry about bookstores and libraries discriminating against your book (like they do with Amazon KDP and other author meat markets) simply based on which firm published your book.

5. We aren’t going to upsell you on worthless marketing products and services. You will receive a free copy of 90+ Days of Promoting Your Book Online: Your Book’s Daily Marketing Campaign AND a free copy of 55 Dos and Don’ts of Book Selling: If You Can Write, You CAN Sell Books! The information in those books works. Press releases, bookmarks, and even book fair appearances do not. Those just make money for the firms selling those services. These books offer FAR better ways to promote your book and almost all of those methods are completely free.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

FOR BLACK-AND-WHITE-INTERIOR BOOKS:

AT YOUR SERVICE PACKAGE
Original cover design, interior formatting, ISBNs, basic epub (ebook) formatting/conversion, and full distribution.

PROFESSIONAL AUTHOR PACKAGE
All of the above PLUS copyright registration, Library of Congress Control Number registration and category/keyword analysis by BoostABook.

THE WORKS
All of the above in both packages PLUS a hardcover edition (in addition to the paperback and ebook), a book trailer, and proofreading of the first 25,000 words. Additional proofreading can be purchased at $0.025/word, which is optional, of course. NOTE: For color-interior books, there are no extra formatting fees if this package is chosen. Otherwise, color-interior books require extra formatting work, which costs $7.50 per page and $8.50 per image.

RELATED

Brian Whiddon is the Managing Editor of WritersWeekly.com and the Operations Manager at BookLocker.com. An Army vet and former police officer, Brian is the author of Blue Lives Matter: The Heart behind the Badge. He's an avid sailor, having lived and worked aboard his 36-foot sailboat, the “Floggin’ Molly” for 9 years after finding her abandoned in a boat yard and re-building her himself. Now, in northern Georgia, when not working on WritersWeekly and BookLocker, he divides his off-time between hiking, hunting, and farming.

 

Q –

Angela,

A month ago, I received an email from a young person (I think) who purports to live around the Memphis, TN area. He supposedly manages a private book club that does Amazon book reviews by offering a book to the club members, who then read it and leave a review to “boost the algorithm” as he calls it. I just read this morning that Amazon doesn’t like that and may cancel my account if found out. I’m asking if this sounds like a legitimate marketing service or not.

My red flags are that he keeps changing the email addresses he wants me to send the money to because I keep insisting on using the safety protocols on my Paypal business account. His are personal email addresses and not a business domain name, for one thing. Also, he has a pushy attitude. The last email address he sent me was to something right out of an ISIS database. I say this because I am a retired Army veteran with five tours to the middle. I mean, who would use an email address like mahmoodtafida@gmail.com these days? Anyway, if you read this, please let me know if my instincts sound right to you. Thank you.

Terrance


A – 

Hi Terrance,

It’s a very common scam. See:

A NEW WAVE OF SCAM EMAILS IS TARGETING AUTHORS! “My book club wants to review your book!!”

The emails are full of flowery compliments about the author’s book and all of that was written by AI. The scammer knows NOTHING about your book.

The changing email addresses were indeed a red flag. That means others were reporting them as scammers and they kept needing to set up new email accounts. Good for you for doing your homework!

These fake “book clubs” charge authors by telling them to “tip” the book club members. Of course, all of the money goes to the scammer directly. He says he’ll distribute the money to his members. But, he won’t because there ARE NO MEMBERS.

They were also going to tell you to send them a certain number of copies of your printed book – that YOU have to pay to get printed, and that YOU have to pay to get shipped. Guess where those copies end up? For sale on Amazon, Ebay, and other sites!

And, yes, if Amazon thinks you are buying book reviews, they can ABSOLUTELY blacklist your book(s) – forever.

If you need marketing assistance, we highly recommend Clayton Jones. Our authors rave about him!

His TikTok Trailers are also very popular!

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



REMINDER!!! START-TIME FOR THE SPRING, 2026 24-HOUR SHORT STORY CONTEST IS IN 17 DAYS!!

1st Place: $300 + a free book publishing package from BookLocker valued at $975; 2nd Place: $250; 3rd Place: $200; + 100 Honorable Mentions! Those writers receive a free ebook of their choice from BookLocker.com. 

Read all past winning topics and story, and sign up, RIGHT HERE!


I have been asked by countless authors over the years why they didn’t get paid when someone on Amazon (or Ebay, or elsewhere) sold a used copy of their book. The emails always go something like this:

“My neighbor bought a used copy of my book from someone online and I’m not seeing that sale in my royalty figures.” 

Yes, I really have had to explain this MANY times over the years!

When the first copy of a book is sold, the author earns royalties. If that customer then sells that book later online, at a garage sale, to a used bookstore, or anywhere at all, nobody gets any money except the customer who purchased (and is then selling) that copy.

In Episode 39 of the WritersWeekly Podcast, Brian came up with an analogy. If he sold his car to someone, and they then sold it to someone else a year later, Brian wouldn’t be entitled to any money from that sale. Anybody who buys a product, and resells it later, is not required to pay the original seller anything. I’ve seriously wracked my brain trying to think of any circumstance where that would happen. I can’t. Let me know if you can!

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



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LISTEN: Apple | Spotify | iHeart | YouTube | More Episodes!


 

Q – 

Is Stellar Literary a legitimate company? John Belga is represented as an agent. Wants to approach a producer company for a movie. Wants upfront money for me to pay for a screen write. Also Wells Hamilton has also said the same thing. Are they a legitimate company?

Thank You


A – 

It’s a scam. That’s not how the industry works. Movie companies pay for screenwriting, not authors.

See:

COMPLAINTS About Stellar Literary Press & Media / StellarLiterary.com!

AUTHOR ALMOST LOST $50K!! We Saved an Author from a FAKE “Fox” Movie Deal, Which is Connected to a Known Publishing Scammer! By Angela Hoy and James M. Walsh, Esq.

How the Fake Sony Pictures Tried to Scam an Author into Hiring a Fake Literary Agent

Wells Hamilton / Wells Hamilton Literary / WellsHamilton.com’s address on their website is a “virtual office” address. They also have stolen book covers on their website. For example, their website was created in 2023 but they have The Raw, Bold Truth: The Memoirs of Johnny B. featured on their homepage. That book was published in 2013 by a different company, and is now out of print. How Stupid Are We? was published in 2022 by a traditional publisher.

If they really published those books that appear on their website, wouldn’t they have those books linked to a purchase page, or even to Amazon to help their authors sell those books?

If you click on Books or Authors at the top of their homepage, this is what you see: “This content is password-protected. To view it, please enter the password below.”

Wells Hamilton is also listed on Writer Beware’s Philippine Publishing Scams List.

You know what’s hilarious? They have this at the bottom of their website: “Wells Hamilton is not affiliated with any fraudulent schemes.”

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

LISTEN: Apple | Spotify | iHeart | YouTube | More Episodes!


 

Q – 

I am working through the contract in preparation to work with Booklocker. Can I purchase my own ISBN in case I land a traditional contract in the future? Forgive me to any confusion I may have. This is all new to me.

Looking forward to beginning this next chapter of the publishing journey.


A – 

We assign BookLocker ISBNs to our authors at no extra charge. Since we buy them in bulk, we get them really cheap ($1.50 each for 1,000 ISBNs, instead of $125 if you buy just one at a time).

Even if you land a traditional contract at some point, you would still need a new ISBN at that time. They can’t be transferred from one publisher/printer to another, even if the author owns the ISBN.

For example, your book will be under the BookLocker imprint in the retail systems. If you tried to use the same ISBN later, the retailers would reject the duplicate number because it’ll already be in their systems (even if that old book is no longer for sale). That happens whether you use your own ISBN or your publisher’s, and it happens across the board.

So, there is no need to buy your own ISBN. If you did land a traditional contract in the future, that company would assign a new ISBN to the new edition anyway.

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

Q – 

Angela,

I’m sharing the communications. Check out the part they forgot to delete: “insert purpose”

Also, my son-in-law, who has nothing to do with the book, got the text message below. 

Have you ever heard of these scammers reaching out to family members? How do they find their contact information? 

Thanks.


BOLDED ALL CAPS BELOW WERE INSERTED BY WRITERSWEEKLY.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Daniel Azizah <azizahdaniel328@gmail.com> (REAL COMPANIES DON’T USE GMAIL! THEY HAVE EMAIL ADDRESSES ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR OWN DOMAINS!)
Date: March 4, 2026 at 6:01:51 AM EST
To: (AUTHOR’S SON-IN-LAW’S EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED BY WRITERSWEEKLY)
Subject: (AUTHOR’S BOOK TITLE REMOVED BY WRITERSWEEKLY)

? (WE AREN’T SURE WHY THE SCAMMER INCLUDED A QUESTION MARK HERE.)

Dear (author’s name removed),

I was deeply moved by your journey growing up in a lineage of spiritist mediums, experiencing Umbanda, and ultimately finding your path in Christianity. The way you’ve woven these experiences into (BOOK TITLE REMOVED BY WRITERSWEEKLY) demonstrates profound insight, courage, and literary craft.

Your story spans continents, generations, and spiritual realms, capturing both personal and ancestral struggles. I especially appreciate how you’ve combined historical fiction with faith, culture, and family legacy, creating a narrative that resonates on multiple levels.

(VERY CLEARLY WRITTEN BY AI. THE SCAMMER HAS NEVER READ HER BOOK.)

I would be honored to [insert your purpose, interview you, feature your work, explore collaboration, or have a discussion on spiritual and historical storytelling]. Your perspective blending spirituality, cultural heritage, and literary skill would offer meaningful insight to readers and fellow writers alike.

(BOLDED ABOVE IS THE PROMPT THE AUTHOR REFERRED TO. MANY SCAMMERS MAKE THE MISTAKE OF LEAVING IN PROMPTS FROM THEIR SCAMMER SCRIPTS.)

If you are open to a brief conversation, I would greatly value the opportunity to continue this exchange.

Warm regards,

Daniel

Star team literary Agency.

(NOTICE HE DIDN’T CAPITALIZE TWO WORDS IN THE COMPANY NAME. ANOTHER CLASSIC SCAMMER ERROR.)


The author also shared this message from a scammer:


A –

Scammers (and anyone) can find pretty much everything about everyone on a specific website (that I never share online), and it also features not just the person’s address, phone numbers, email addresses, and more, but also their family members’ contact info.

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Q – 

Sorry to bother you a second time, but I’m wondering if you think it’s a lot harder to get your books in libraries (and bookstores, though they’re a big hurdle regardless, but I got my two traditionally published books in local stores) if they’re self-published versus traditionally published.


A – 

Even most traditionally published books don’t end up stocked in most bookstores and libraries. With well over a million books published each year now, there simply isn’t enough shelf space. When you see tables of books displayed at bookstores, know that publishing companies pay a big premium to have their books displayed like that. And, most people buy books from Amazon anyway.

I wrote this article 16 years ago and it’s more relevant today than ever.

Marketing to Bookstores – Still a Waste of Time?

Also see:
Marketing to Libraries – A Waste of Time?

You should also also know that some retailers and even libraries refuse to buy books from specific publishers. Bookstores don’t like Amazon KDP books because they view Amazon as their largest competitor (because they are). Also, since Amazon KDP will publish pretty much anything and everything, the quality of all of their books is suspect. Many bookstores and libraries, naturally, avoid books published by other author meat markets as well. See:

Top 10 Mistakes New Authors Make When Contacting Libraries

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

Q –

Angela,

I am a victim of one of the fake publishing companies you’ve been warning your readers about. I lost $22,000. They never published my book. I stopped sending them money, and they stopped responding to me.

Can I deduct that $22,000 from my taxes?


A –

DISCLAIMER: I am not a CPA. Please consult with your tax representative for answers to specific questions about your situation.

I researched your question on several websites.

According to the IRS:

“Theft losses. A theft is the taking and removal of money or property with the intent to deprive the owner of it. The taking must be illegal under the law of the state where it occurred and must have been done with criminal intent. The amount of your theft loss is generally the adjusted basis of your property because the fair market value of your property immediately after the theft is considered to be zero. Beginning with tax year 2018, individual taxpayers with theft losses are allowed a deduction if the theft is attributable to a federally declared disaster. Individual taxpayers may also be able to deduct theft losses incurred in a trade or business or a transaction entered into for profit. Losses from Ponzi-type investment schemes – Special rules may apply to theft losses from Ponzi-type investment schemes.”

Notice the “federally declared disaster” part.

HOWEVER, Sarah McGregor, the Tax Services Director at Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC, an advisory, assurance, and tax firm, writes that you may be able to deduct the financial losses due to scammers under specific circumstances. IMPORTANT! You must first report the theft to financial institutions and law enforcement.

Her article is a must-read for scam victims! It specifically mentions:

1. Compromised Account Scams
2. Pig Butchering Investment Scams
3. Phishing Scams
4. Romance Scams
5. Kidnapping Scams (also known as ransom scams)

I believe victims of publishing scams would also be eligible.

If you paid the scammer through your business, it’s a lot easier to claim the loss as a deduction on your business tax return. There are far more details about theft losses and the ability (or not) to deduct those from your tax return on Publication 584 on IRS.gov.

If more victims start deducting these losses from their taxable income, perhaps the federal government will start doing more to stop the scams. U.S. citizens alone are losing billions per year to the overseas crime cartels.

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

 

 

Q –

I have been inundated with emails, including invites to book clubs and all manner of costly assistance. Is this normal?

I have received several detailed emails detailing all the issues with the Amazon setup for my book. A publisher helped me self-publish, sort of (long story of woes there) and I have no access to the author account on Amazon. I am setting up an author page to try to get around no one being willing to help me get into Amazon to check things. So how come my book is getting noticed but in some areas it is failing miserably? What is the deal with the block in Amazon when I am the author?


A – 

First of all, it appears you fell into the trap of a scammer while getting your book published. If they are controlling your Amazon seller account, they’re getting the money from Amazon for book sales.

Remember that any unsolicited email is spam. REPEAT AFTER ME: SPAMMERS ARE SCAMMERS!

1. The complimentary emails from “book clubs” and others are created using AI. Those people have never read your book. And, they have no idea who you are. You’re simply on the scammers’ lists. And, once you respond to one email from them, they’ll keep sharing your email with other scammers. That’s why you’re getting buried in those emails. See:

A NEW WAVE OF SCAM EMAILS IS TARGETING AUTHORS! “My book club wants to review your book!!”

2. The scammers are also now spamming authors, claiming their books aren’t “optimized on Amazon.” Again, it’s all lies. They know nothing about how your book is set up in Amazon’s system.

You’re on a list of authors (potential scam victims) and the scammers are playing whack-a-mole with those folks.

1. They don’t research the books.They simply skim the Internet to get your contact info. after you have a book go up for sale on Amazon.

2. They use AI to create fake complimentary emails.

3. They do NOT have access to your book in Amazon’s system so they have NO way of knowing about your “optimization,” or lack thereof. And, they simply don’t care.

The foreign scammers use very creative ways to separate authors from their money. DON’T FALL FOR IT.

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!




ask angela about publishing

 

Angela:

I have been a satisfied client of yours for two books with more to come. So, I feel confident that, when I have a question, you are the one to ask.

As soon as my latest book was published, I received texts from two people allegedly representing literary agents that want to discuss my book being brought to a traditional publisher. I have been self-publishing since 2005 and have been the victim of scams, shams and jams. This is probably another one. Any comments?


This is extremely common.

The overseas scammers get on Amazon, find new releases, and then use Google to find the author’s contact info. There’s a website (I won’t name it here) where scammers can obtain ALL of your contact info., including your relatives’ names and their contact info., your current phone number and address, all of your past phone numbers and addresses, your social media accounts (even dating apps you’re on!), and so much more.

Some overseas scammers use that information to send you very personalized emails. The more they learn about your personal life, the more they can play on your emotions and vulnerabilities. They are experts at their craft!

This is why is is SO important to NEVER respond to anybody who:

1. Emails you out of the blue.

2. Calls you on the phone.

3. Contacts you through social media.

4. Contacts you through your website.

5. Contacts you unsolicited at all!

Legitimate literary agents, publishing service providers, film producers, traditional publishers, and others do NOT spam or cold-call authors. EVER.

If all authors knew and remembered this, the entire publishing scam industry would die.

If all people everywhere knew this, all of the overseas scammers targeting EVERY INDUSTRY would go out of business, including romance scammers.

RELATED



HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT SELF-PUBLISHING A BOOK?

Angela is not only the publisher of WritersWeekly.com. She is President & CEO of BookLocker.com,
a self-publishing services company that has been in business since 1998. Ask her anything.

ASK ANGELA!



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