A number of years ago, I wrote and published an Amazon Kindle book called “The Road to War.” It’s the first volume of a series of e-books I am working on that is a day-by-day history of World War II.

My theory behind this grandiose project is that Internet bandwidth can turn a doorstop book into something you can carry in the palm of your hand. We can follow around infantry divisions, ships, air squadrons, and people, ranging from ordinary Tommies to Winston Churchill himself. Or, such was the plan. The book sold a few copies, but not an immense amount. That’s mostly because I had no idea how to market the bloody thing.

However, this year, I got approached by “book marketers” who promised incredible readership and results if I gave them money. And, more money. And, more money after that. Two things stopped it. The first was my wife declaring that I had spent $3,000 U.S. on those folks, with no results.

The second was one of the “marketers” begging me for $70 U.S., because his daughter had suffered an injury in an auto accident and he needed to pay the doctor. He lacked the money because he had paid out expenses on my project and others, and swore he would pay me back after his daughter got out of hospital.

I hit the ceiling when discovering both facts, particularly the “injured daughter.” That was not my problem in any way.

I vowed that I would devote my spare time and energy to do my bit for King and County to rid the world of these scammers. Angela@writersweekly.com showed me what to do.

Sure enough, just yesterday, I got the opportunity to do just that.

Three – count ‘em, three – con men contacted me out of the blue last night. I reached out to Angela to tell her about this, and she said, “Find out what website they use and tell me.”

Piece of cake.

Here’s the correspondence:

First guy. Let’s call him: Larry. I will provide his nom de internet, of course:

Hello,

You’ve done something remarkable, you turned imagination into pages, and pages into a published story. That alone places you in a rare group of people who don’t just dream, they create.

But here’s a quiet truth many authors share:

Even the most meaningful stories can remain unseen, not because they lack power, but because readers never get the chance to discover them.

That’s where I come in.

I’m Abdullateephy Hardooami, Author Brand Strategic who helps authors bridge the gap between creativity and discoverability. My work focuses on transforming books into what I call Reader Magnets, stories that naturally attract attention, spark emotion, and build loyal readerships.

Rather than using one-size-fits-all approaches, I apply a blend of reader behavior insights, literary branding, and discoverability systems to help authors achieve lasting reach.

Here’s how I typically help authors stand out:

Emotional Resonance Design

– aligning your cover, title, and description with the emotions and triggers that make readers stop, trust, and click.

Amazon Discoverability Enhancement – keyword positioning and metadata structure that put your book in front of the right audience organically.

Goodreads & Community Discovery – placing your work where engaged readers are already exploring new titles.

Author Identity Development – defining your authentic brand voice so readers remember you, not just your latest book.

Engagement Pathways – subtle, psychology-based steps that turn curiosity into connection and connection into loyal readership.

My philosophy is simple:

“A powerful story deserves powerful discoverability.”

If you’re open to it, I’d love to share a complimentary Discoverability Insight Report, a short, personalized analysis revealing small changes that could significantly improve your reach and reader engagement.

Would you like me to send that over?

Warm regards,

Abdullateephy Hardooami 

Author Brand Strategic

 

Here’s the next guy. We’ll call him Curly.

Hi David,

Just following up to see if you had a chance to look at our website. I’d love to share a few quick ideas on how we could help your book reach more readers, tailored to its unique voice and audience.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Warm regards,
Hardooami Gbah
Strategic Book Publicist

I never heard from this guy in the first place.

 

Then we have Moe.

Hi there,

You’ve done something most people never will, you finished a book. You took an idea that lived in your mind and turned it into something others can hold, feel, and escape into.

But here’s the truth many authors quietly wrestle with:

Readers can’t buy what they never see.

It’s not that your story isn’t good enough, it’s that in today’s crowded market, visibility has become the missing piece. That’s where I come in.

I specialize in helping authors like you bridge the gap between creativity and discoverability.

Not with ads that drain budgets, but with psychology-backed strategies that make readers want to click your book.

Here’s how I do it:

– Reader Psychology Audit — I analyze how your cover, title, and description trigger (or miss) a reader’s curiosity and trust in under 3 seconds.

– Author Positioning Blueprint — clarity on your ideal audience, brand voice, and emotional hooks that make your story irresistible.

– Visibility Accelerator Plan — proven, gentle visibility tactics that get your book noticed, on Amazon, Goodreads, and social media, without the overwhelm.

The goal isn’t to change your book. It’s to make the world finally see it.

These simple steps have helped many authors grow visibility, exposure, and reader engagement without stress. I’d love to explore how we could apply them to your work.

Would you be open to a quick chat?

Warm regards,

Luttiphy Billahi

Strategic Book Publicist

 

Well, Moe and Larry sounded almost alike, sounding like they were written by AI, but I gave all three the same answer:

Hi!

Yes! I’m very excited about your offer! But I need to see the website you use first, so I can get a look at it and how you will publicize my book.

Also, please tell me what you liked about it, specifically.

 

I waited for answers. They came fast. Moe’s address was out of business as soon as I responded. What a shame.

 

Larry offered this:

 

Thanks for your message, I’m glad to hear you’re excited!
Here’s our team’s website: vicsmithspecialist.mystrikingly.com

What I really liked about your book is how clearly your message connects with readers, it feels genuine and thought-provoking.

Looking forward to sharing a few ideas that could help boost its reach.

Warm regards,
Hardooami Gbah
Strategic Book Publicist

 

For those of you who don’t know, a “strikingly” website can be set up in a matter of minutes. And the book that seems to be their marketing triumph is on another such page that I have seen – the same artwork – and is a sex manual. How proud they must be.

And the sentence about why he liked the book? Show me some specifics. Sounds like he doesn’t have a clue about what it is. Of course, the damn thing is “genuine.” It’s history, not fiction! Duh!

He followed up:

 

Just following up to see if you had a chance to look at our website. I’d love to share a few quick ideas on how we could help your book reach more readers, tailored to its unique voice and audience.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Warm regards,
Hardooami Gbah
Strategic Book Publicist

 

Meanwhile, Curly chimed in:

Thank you so much for your kind response, I truly appreciate your interest!

Here’s the link to my website where I feature and promote authors:

https://horllarsoonkanmine.mystrikingly.com

Please note, the website name and profile picture differ slightly from my Gmail for branding purposes. It’s still my official platform, and I use it to highlight authors’ work and reach wider audiences.

Looking forward to your thoughts, and thank you again for considering this collaboration!

Warm regards,
Abdullateephy Hardooami 

 

Another “strikingly” website. Whipped up in half an hour, I’m sure. The comments on the books are barely grammatical and don’t explain the books at all. More AI hard at work.

He followed up, but with a different name. He can’t keep his names straight. I admit, that can be tough when you’re a con man, but I usually know who I am. Anyway, here’s his material:

I just wanted to follow up on my previous email regarding your book and the website feature opportunity. I completely understand you may be busy, but I wanted to make sure my message and website link reached you safely.

Here’s the link again for your convenience:
https://horllarsoonkanmine.mystrikingly.com

I’m still very enthusiastic about the possibility of sharing your work on the platform and would love to hear your thoughts when you have a moment.

Thank you again for your time and consideration.

Warm regards,
Horllarsoon kanmine 

Can’t even write his name in proper English, and he wants to publicize my work.

Well, here are my answers to both “J. Palmer Casses,” the villain “Jack Cass” in the Henry Fonda movie “Young Abe Lincoln.”

You are a Nigerian con man, not a book marketer, so my response to you is this:

Go f*** yourself. Strong note follows.

 

Now Angela will put these names and websites on her site, so other writers will know that they are con men and will not take the bait.

My great-uncle was a con man and a good one. He said con men make their living off the desperation of the mark. I was desperate with the other guys. Now I’m just furious with them.

RELATED

• HUH?!?! Author Admits Getting Scammed for $8K, But THEN Tries to Convince ME the Scammer is Real???
• 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.
• Is Your Favorite Writing Group on Facebook Being Moderated by a Scammer?
• 11 Ways to Know If a “Publisher” or Other Service Provider is an Overseas Scammer (You’ll probably only need to check #1 to prove it!) By Angela Hoy, Publisher
• Scammers Are Offering to “Help” Scam Victims Get Refunds…For a Fee, of Course

David H Lippman is a 45-year award-winning journalist with experience on four continents. He holds a BA in Journalism from New York University and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the New School for Social Research. He just published his latest book in his day-by-day history of World War II, which can be found on Amazon Kindle at: https://www.amazon.com/World-September-1939-Plus-Day-ebook/dp/B0GCHC3QZG

 

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!