The number of scammed victims is the best kept secret in self-publishing. In writing groups, large and small, fellow authors sit with dark secrets and, like the elderly woman down the street who hasn’t told anyone she sent all her savings to a fake online preacher, you won’t know who they are. Protecting their fear of being labeled gullible, and subjected to pitying glances, they help unscrupulous self-publishing companies to flourish…
A bookstore emailed me to see if I wanted them to carry my POD book.
First, I had to send a copy to see if it was “appropriate.” Now they say it is, but they want me to send books to them. They do not want to order them from my publisher. Also, I have to sign a 50/50 contract, meaning I’ll lose money on each sale. I’ll even have to pay postage to ship the books. Wouldn’t I be stupid to do this?
If you’ve sent out a dozen or so free desk copies and received no orders, you should rethink your strategy.
I received a call from (a certain POD company) today asking me to participate in a promotional email plan for my book. The web address they sent me to look up specifics of the plan is (link removed).
What do you think?
A man who claimed to be in Japan contacted the author directly, saying he wanted to purchase 100 copies of her book. He was using a free email account and didn’t provide a company name.
The old bait ‘n switch book review scam!
