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“Fearless Freelancer”



The Fearless Freelancer: How to Thrive in a Recession


Want to Recession-Proof Your Freelance Business?



Freelancing in a recession doesn’t have to be scary. The Fearless Freelancer gives you a proven, step-by-step process for getting steady, high-paying clients—from a freelancer who’s thrived during two recessions.



Whether this is your first recession or you’ve been through this before, discover how to:

  • Boost your confidence so you can stay calm and focus
  • Stand out in a sea of freelancers so clients choose you
  • Make freelance marketing as easy as tying your shoes
  • Find high-paying clients that still need freelancers now
  • Create marketing that will attract those clients
  • Succeed in a recession even if you’re a new freelancer


Free Bonus Content
Also get dozens of checklists, templates, and other tools to help you recession-proof your freelance business, including:

  • Simple Strategic Plan for Surviving the Recession
  • The Ultimate LinkedIn Profile Checklist for Freelancers
  • Awesome Freelance Website Template

 

 

 

 

“BoostaBook Marketplace Link”

Make Sure Your Marketing is Targeted at the Right Audience



 

 

 

 

 

 

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“BRIANbio”

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Get 10% off "Query Letters That Worked" when you use the code below at checkout!


QUERY10




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“BOOK—HowMaster”



HowMaster: The Writer's Guide to Beautiful Word Crafting




Author Linda M. Gigliotti draws from years of practice as a private
writing tutor in the guidebook that teaches writers how to format visceral
writing that pulls readers into their book. She explains with instruction
and samples of published works how to craft writing that come to life in the reader's mind.





HowMaster is a wise choice for the writer who wants to weave words around the reader’s heart.


Author Linda M. Gigliotti draws from years of practice as a private
writing tutor in the guidebook that teaches writers how to format visceral
writing that pulls readers into their book. She explains with instruction
and samples of published works how to craft writing that come to life in the reader's mind.




Read more here:


http://booklocker.com/books/2304.html



 

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK—Self-Syndication”



The Do-It-Yourselfer's Guide to Self-Syndication


Practical resource outlining the self-syndication process, step-by-step. Packed with detailed information and useful tips for writers looking to gain readership, name recognition, publication and self-syndication for their column or articles.







https://writersweekly.com/books/4693.html



 

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK—Re-Borning-Dolls”



How to Reborn a Doll in a Day


Angela Hoy's istructional guide to creating your own reborn doll!

Create your very own adorable reborn baby
in only one day, or craft a cherished keepsake as a gift
for a special child or grandchild!



Learn how to create your own realistic bundle of joy or how to start crafting reborns for profit! Angela Hoy's book will get you started!

Read more here:
http://booklocker.com/books/1670.html



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK–Homeschooling”



The Working Parent's Guide To Homeschooling


Dissatisfaction with public and private schools continues to grow, and with more and more acceptance of homeschoolers at colleges and universities, now is the time to encourage all those who are ready and willing, that they are able and qualified to teach their children, even and especially if they must continue working. The Working Parent’s Guide to Homeschooling answers questions such as, “How can I work and homeschool?” by showing the reader how to find what works for them.



Read more here:
https://booklocker.com/books/7663.html









 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“FRONTPAGEAD”






Fall 2023 24 Hour Short Story Contest


 

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK-DirtyJob”



It's A Dirty Job...Writing Porn For Fun And Profit! Includes Paying Markets!

Fact is, writing porn is fun! It's also one of the easier markets to crack and make money at while you're still honing your skills. "It's A Dirty Job..." is one of the only resources that can teach you everything you need to know to create your stories and target your markets.



Read more here:


It's a Dirty Job



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“BOOK-Ghostwriter”



So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter - How To Make Money Writing Without a Byline


Many freelance writers find it difficult to break into the publishing world. What they don't know, however, is that there's a faster and easier way to see their words in print. It's called ghostwriting, and it's an extremely lucrative, fun, and challenging career.

But how do you get started as a ghostwriter? How do you find new clients who will pay you to write their material? How do you charge? And what kind of contracts do you need to succeed? All these questions and more are answered in So, You Wanna Be a Ghostwriter...How to Make Money Writing Without a Byline.

Read more here:
https://writersweekly.com/books/49.html





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK-WritingFast”



Writing FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed


A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly!


Chock full of ideas, tips, techniques and inspiration, this down-to-earth book is easy to read, and even easier to apply. Let author Jeff Bollow take you through a process that brings your ideas to the page faster, more powerfully and easier than ever before.




Read more here:
https://writersweekly.com/books/3695.html





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK-TheArtandCraft”



The Art and Craft of Writing and Editing


Writing is a constant dialogue between author and reader.



The craft of writing involves an interchange of emotions between an author and a reader. An author creates a story line, conflict, and characters, gives his characters words to speak, and then hands off these materials to a reader. This process results in a constant dialogue between the mental imagery produced by a reader and that proposed by the author.





Read more here:


https://writersweekly.com/books/6712.html





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK-TravelWriting”



TRAVEL WRITING 2.0: Earning Money from your Travels in the New Media Landscape - SECOND EDITION


Completely revised edition of the ground-breaking travel writing book that provides a road map to success in the digital age. It dives headlong into the entrepreneurial world of blogging and digital books, while still acknowledging the real money to be made in declining print forms.

Drawing on interviews and survey responses from more than 100 successful travel writers and bloggers, this is the definitive guide to creating success instead of waiting for permission. Written by a veteran, award-winning writer with two decades of experience as a book author, online publisher, freelancer, and blogger.

Read more here:
https://writersweekly.com/books/4814.html





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“PubPreppers”

  • Do you want to REALLY keep 100% of your royalties?
  • Do you want to REALLY self-publish your book?
  • Do you want direct contracts with the world's largest Print on Demand printer as well as Ingram, the world's largest book distributor, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple, and any other ebook retailer you choose?

All at a price LOWER than most POD publishers!
http://www.PubPreppers.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK-7625STRATEGIES”



7.625 STRATEGIES IN EVERY BEST-SELLER - Revised and Expanded Edition


At this moment, thousands of would-be authors are slaving away on their keyboards, dreaming of literary success. But their efforts won’t count for much. Of all those manuscripts, trade book editors will sign up only a slim fraction.

And of those titles--ones that that editors paid thousands of dollars to contract, print and publicize--an unhealthy percentage never sell enough copies to earn back their advances. Two years later, most will be out of print!

Acquisition Editor Tam Mossman shares seven essentials every book needs to stay in print, and sell!



Read more here:


https://writersweekly.com/books/5635.html





 

 

 

 

 

 

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“RichardLongBio”

Involved in Internet marketing since 1995 (when it officially became a profession), Richard Hoy advises on, and helps execute, Internet marketing efforts for solopreneurs and clients of digital marketing agencies. His current focus is search engine optimization for books on Amazon and for local businesses on Google.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“BOOK-thereporter”




Named a "Hot New Release" by Amazon, and ranked #7 in the Metaphysical Fiction category less than a week after release!



The Reporter: Part I - Rise and Fall and The Reporter: Part II - Redemption

"A real page turner. I can't wait to read the next installment."
-Debbie Martindale Behrends, The Elburn Herald

Nic Pappas, a reporter with the Palatine Star newspaper, is assigned to cover a cold murder case known as The Brown's Chicken Massacre. Pappas meets, and falls in love with, Mary Jane Santos, who lost her brother, Roland, Jr., in the tragedy, tempting Pappas to violate the ethics of the reporter-source relationship. Believing the only way to end his dilemma is to solve the case, Pappas and Santos make a pledge to catch the killers...

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“PayWriters”

FREE ADVERTISING!!


DO YOU PAY WRITERS? We'll post your ad for free (provided you pay respectable wages). Send your ad to Angela here: https://writersweekly.com/contact-angela

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Have a Freelance Success Story to share? We pay $40 on acceptance, non-exclusive electronic rights only. Success stories run around 300 words but we're very flexible. Our guidelines are here:

https://writersweekly.com/writersweekly-com-writers-guidelines

>>>Read More Success Stories<<<

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Ask Angela About Self-Publishing

Angela Hoy is not only publisher of WritersWeekly.com, she's also co-owner of self-publishing services firm BookLocker.com and works directly with each author.

That's right, you work directly with the owner of BookLocker. No revolving customer service reps, no layers of bureaucracy to navigate, and absolutely no outsourcing to low-paying overseas call centers. We don't use call centers or telemarketing at all. You will never be shuffled from one "customer service rep" to another because we don't have any of those.
You will communicate directly with Angela about any needs you have at all, as well as Richard (book marketing advice), Brian (ebooks and technical issues), Ali (print formatting), Gwen (color-interior books) and Todd or Nancy (our awesome cover designers).


Since we are selective about which books we publish, we are able to work with every author one-on-one. In the past 18 years, BookLocker has published more than 9,000 titles.


Angela's been in the print-on-demand and self-publishing business for nearly two decades. She's seen it all, and is a great source of information. To ask her anything click here.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“BOOK-33worstmistakes”



33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters



I admire any writer who wants to tackle a blind character. But so many writers take up this challenge and FAIL. They research blindness by reading other fiction books, by observing their blind colleagues and acquaintances, and by tying on a blindfold and pretending to be blind themselves.



I understand the challenges your characters face, their triumphs, their hopes and their fears, because I've lived them. I work with people who have varying degrees of blindness every day, so I've seen every challenge, every situation you could imagine.



Let me share my knowledge to improve your writing. You can create blind characters that readers will fall in love with.

~Stephanie Green

 

 

 

 

 

 

“searchasktheexpert”





Recently Answered Questions:



A reader sent this link to me last week from Fortune Magazine:

Local libraries are struggling as book publishers charge three times as much for digital books as physical ones—and they don’t even get to keep them

As with many things online and in the news now, headlines do not always accurately represent the article written underneath. The article provides lots of confusing numbers (if you’re not familiar with how the ebook/library process works), accuses publishers of charging libraries way more for ebooks than everybody else, and more.

Something didn’t smell quite right when I first started reading.

Then, I did the math.

The article states:
“Like many libraries, West Haven has been grappling with the soaring costs of e-books and audiobooks. The digital titles often come with a price tag that’s far higher than what consumers pay. While one hardcover copy of Cook’s latest novel costs the library $18, it costs $55 to lease a digital copy – a price that can’t be haggled with publishers.

“And for that, the e-book expires after a limited time, usually after one or two years, or after 26 check outs, whichever comes first.”

Gosh, that sure makes the publishers look greedy, doesn’t it? But, whip out your calculator, and dig in like I did.

If they pay $55 for 26 copies of the ebook, that means they’re only paying $2.11 per copy. That is more than fair! This article seems to imply that libraries should only have to buy one copy, and then be able to loan it to as many people as they want. I do have a problem with that because I don’t necessarily trust the software or security offered by some libraries. What’s to stop someone from sending a copy of that ebook to others? Furthermore, giving libraries the ability to share one copy of an ebook with as many people as they want, in perpetuity, is not fair to publishers or authors.

And this part:

“While e-books purchased by consumers can last into perpetuity, libraries need to renew their leased e-material.

Right! That’s because, when a consumer buys an ebook, it’s for that one consumer. It’s not for dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people to read!

When a library orders a print copy of a book, they can only loan that book to one person at a time. If there is high demand, that library is likely to purchase multiple copies. Sure, they can loan that book out for years but, as with all books, demand will decrease over time and the book will eventually be sold at a library sale, or discarded. The publisher and author have earned a fair royalty for the sale of each copy of the print book purchased by that library.

With ebooks, the royalties are FAR smaller. While an author might earn a few dollars for the sale of each copy of his/her print book, they might only earn a few cents for the ebook. So, how is it fair if a library can loan out an ebook to as many people as it wants (including multiple people at one time) after only buying the license for one copy?

Furthermore, the article states:

“Librarians in several states have been pushing for legislation to rein in the costs and restrictions on electronic material…”

That legislation would conflict with copyright law. The United States is a capitalist, market economy country. Business owners should be able to charge whatever they want for a product, and to put security measures into place to prevent the theft of intellectual property.

If the information in this article is correct, that means some libraries are trying to get a lot of something for almost nothing AND that they want to the government to pass legislation so they can get what they want. NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

Oh, and this gem from the article:

“Imagine if a playground was built at a school with tax dollars, only to be taken down after two years of use,” librarian Colleen Bailie said at a recent public hearing.

A playground costs THOUSANDS of dollars! Not $2.11! What a RIDICULOUS statement!!!

And this one as well:

But Julie Holden, assistant library director for the Cranston Public Library in Rhode Island, said, “Taxpayers who fund our public libraries deserve better. Way better,” she said.

Actually, Julie, AUTHORS deserve better. When you start stripping authors of their royalties for “the greater good,” authors will stop writing good books. Then, you’ll only be able to offer “taxpayers” old good books, or crappy new ones. Oh, and I don’t see anything in your quote where you’ve offered to give up some of YOUR income for the greater good.

And, here is the smartest quote in the article!

“They (libraries) do have a funding problem, but the answer is not to take it out of the pockets of authors and destroy the rights of creators and pass unconstitutional legislation,” said Shelley Husband, senior vice president of government affairs at the Association of American Publishers, noting how more people than ever can access e-material that might otherwise have been purchased from booksellers.

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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

Fall 2023 24 Hour Short Story Contest


Q –

Dear Ms. Angela,

Thank you for taking the time to speak with my grandson regarding my nonpayment of my books (by Infinity Publishing). Growing up in Mississippi, I called Infinity Publishing a lot of times trying to get my money owed to me, but they never sent it. Each time I called they’d say someone will call you and we’ll send your money owed to you, but they never did. Can you please send me the Infinity Publishing and Fast Pencil address? Thank you in advance for doing so. My books are on the web, and I don’t receive any money from any of these online publishers. How can I get my books deleted from the websites?

-B


A –

We started warning authors about Infinity Publishing (later merged with Fast Pencil) as far back as 2017. We published another warning in 2020. After years of authors complaining about non-payment of royalties and more, Infinity Publishing/Fast Pencil finally decided to stop publishing books in late 2023. I’m sure all of the complaints posted about them online over the years contributed to their demise. HOWEVER, they are still doing business (a different type) under the name Opyrus.

Paying authors’ royalties isn’t that hard. When the customer, distributor, or retailer pays you, you put that money into a specific bank account to hold those funds. You then collect monthly reports from each payer, credit your authors’ accounts, and send them their payments. At BookLocker, we pay by the fifth business day of the month. It’s such an easy process that we often pay our authors early. For example, this month, we paid our authors’ royalties on the second business day of the month. Again, it is not a difficult process!

If, however, a publisher is spending their authors’ royalties on their own expenses, well, that would explain why they aren’t paying their authors, wouldn’t it?!

I recommend reporting them to their state’s attorney general. The online form is HERE. At least one author who contacted us was able to get his production files after threatening to do that. However, Infinity Publishing / Fast Pencil has been charging some authors for those, which is horrible because the authors already paid them to produce those files. You would think that, after what they’ve done to their authors, they’d simply send those files to each author for free. But, after all of the complaints I’ve read about them over the years, I’m not surprised by their most recent conduct.

The company could have also simply transferred their authors and files to another publisher to avoid all the problems they’re having now. In fact, they can still do that but I don’t think they will because, in my opinion, they took the easy way out, and figured out how to get even more money from their authors in the process.

Here is their address:

Fastpencil, Inc.
517 Boston Post Rd
Sudbury, MA 01776-7600

Since they no longer have the right to sell your books, I also recommend submitting a copyright infringement complaint to Amazon. Important advice on how to do that is HERE.

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





An author forwarded an email he received from Brilliant Books Literary / BrilliantBooksLiterary.com. Like many of these types of solicitations, the email makes it look like they actually read the authors book (offering praise). I seriously doubt that is the case. BrilliantBooksLiterary.com wanted to showcase the author’s book at a large book festival. The author wanted to know if it was a good deal.

1. The email did not quote a price but it offered 40% off. Uh huh.

2. Their website is a pain. The box to subscribe kept popping up over and over again and I had a hard time viewing anything after clicking on the links at the top of the page.

3. I gave up trying to get any info. from the website itself, and moved on over to Google instead.

4. BrilliantBooksLiterary.com has an F Rating on bbb.org. Don’t miss the one-star reviews and the complaints. I can’t imagine anyone reading those hiring Brilliant Books Literary to do anything.

5. Check out this image posted by Writer Beware.

I always tell authors to avoid book fairs. Rather than repeat myself, read these:





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



90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy

Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.

We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!

Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor, which makes it fun for creative folks like you!

Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!

Q –

Angela,

My wife is working on a Christmas novel and we would like to know when you think we should publish it. We assume that early in October would be best.

Thanks,

David


Some people start their Christmas shopping in September so I recommend sending the final manuscript to BookLocker no later than the first week of August. That will give us time to get the formatting/design finished, and get the book on the market in time for the Christmas shopping season. We usually get a book to market within a month. 🙂

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 –

Hi Angela,

I have a Facebook account that I use to solicit business for my services. I’d like to turn my informational posts (they’re like articles) into a book but I’m not sure how to do that. Any advice?

-K.K.


A –

Lots of people are deciding to do this, especially if they’ve been giving away free advice to their potential customers on their social media accounts and/or blog posts.

Here’s what to do:

1. Copy and paste all of the posts you want in your book into one MSWord file (or another word processing or text program).

2. Organize them in the order you want them to appear in the book. For example, you can organize them by subject (or similar subjects), and put different sections in your book. Each “post” can then be a chapter in your book.

2. Submit the file for consideration at BookLocker.com. I’d love to see 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!



Read More "Ask The Expert" Articles

Q –

Angela, I wanted you to let me know what you think about the email below that I recently received.

-L.

Dear (name removed),

My name is (name removed). Congratulations on getting a recommendation on your book from our Book Scouts.

Book Title: (removed)

We have made a preliminary endorsement of your book to our partners in different industries. Bookstores, Traditional Publishers, and Movie Producers, and a handful of them showed high interest in your book. Our main objective is to bridge the gap and build a possible partnership with decision-makers in these industries.

Also, we want to share some exciting news with you. One of our talented authors has recently received a promising offer from a film production company for the adaptation of their book and one author to be acquired by local bookstores in the USA based on the (name removed)…..


A –

Blah blah blah. It goes on to list a film deal, a bookstore placement, etc., etc. – All difficult to verify but it’s the same garbage I’ve seen from so many companies before.

The person sending the email included this:

Much Respect,

Best regards,

Clearly it’s a copy and paste spam.

Other red flags:

The email had a U.S. address but Writer Beware states they are in the Philippines.

They are emailing and calling authors all over. There are many reports of them doing this online. If they MUST resort to spam and telemarketing, they are NOT a real literary agency.

There are no prices on their website. That’s always a HUGE red flag.

Their website claims they want to get you a traditional contract…yet they sell book publishing services.

There are many more red flags as well and we have exposed this firm’s actions in WritersWeekly previously.

And, simply Googling the name of the firm brings up numerous complaints.

REMEMBER, IF ANY “LITERARY AGENT” CONTACTS YOU VIA EMAIL OR BY PHONE, IT’S A SCAM! Real literary agents are too busy going through their slush piles than to go hunting for victims online.

The reason I’m not revealing the name of this particular company is because authors need to be aware of EVERY company that contacts them in this manner.


DON’T FORGET! This Saturday is the Winter, 2024 24-Hour Short Story Contest! Read past topics and sign up RIGHT HERE!


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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 –

Hi, Angela,

I hope your Holiday was splendid and blessed. Thanks for any help you gave in getting my third mystery out there.

Question: today I received an email addressed to my pseudonym from (someone who owns a book review website). She claims she reviews new books, has been doing this for years, and has increased the sales of new authors. She has a fairly impressive website with lots of books and synopses…including (best selling books).

She has invited me to reply and ask any question about her business. Her English was good. Do you know about her? Is she legit? Or should I reply and ask some questions?


A –

I checked out her website. She definitely charges for reviews. She’s not offering free services.

I doubt she has much reach. If she’s reviewed best sellers, she probably did it for free (didn’t even tell the author or publisher) to make her site look more legitimate.

The fact that she spammed you trying to get business says a lot, too. NEVER do business with spammers. They are desperate and that’s a huge red sign.

To get legitimate reviews to use in your marketing materials, read this:

How To EASILY Get Awesome and Honest Book Reviews That REALLY Carry Weight With Readers!

Do YOU think this was a book review scam? Please share your thoughts in the comments box below! 🙂

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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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Q –

Angela,

I am sorry that I keep hitting you with this garbage, but you are the only resource I have that I trust. Authors Tranquility Press wants me to pay $7,500.00 to Harper’s Magazine for an ad for my book. According to Aime St. Johnson, the Editor-in-Chief of Harper’s is Jenna Sommers. According to Harper’s website, the Editor-in-Chief is Tracy Grant.

Any comments?

-A.L.


The author shared a copy of an email from a woman allegedly named Aime St. Johnson who was using a europe.com email address. She cc’d Rachel Hayes (rachel.hayes@authorstranquilitypress.com) on the email. We found Rachel on LinkedIn. She is in the Philippines. Author’s Tranquility Press claims they are in Atlanta, Georgia.

I removed Rachel’s photo from this screenshot for copyright reasons:

The pdf file forwarded to the author by Aime St Johnson was addressed to:

Aime St Johnson
Position: Literary Agent
Representing: Authors Tranquility Press

Notice the missing apostrophe in the company’s name. I seriously doubt that Aime St Johnson (if that’s even a real person) is a legitimate literary agent. The pdf file had Harper Collins logo on it.

The sender of the email tried to get the author to purchase a $7,500 (!!!) ad in Harper’s Magazine. She wrote, “This is an opportunity to have your book featured in the prestigious Harper’s Magazine prior to its acquisition by Harper’s Group.

She further claimed that Harper’s Group was unable to provide funding upfront because they’re about to get acquired. She then said they would reimburse the author once the contract is finalized.

That is TOTAL B.S.!

The pdf implies that the ad for Harper’s Magazine needs to be purchased before an official contract to publish the book will be offered. They will then (4-6 months later) offer the author an advance of $45,000. Except…we all know that was never going to happen. They were just trying to bait the author into paying $7,500. And, I seriously doubt an ad would have ever appeared even after he paid the “literary agent” $7,500.

The pdf file is electronically signed by Jenna Sommers, Editor in Chief. However, nobody with that name appears on the masthead of Harper’s Magazine. That name also does not appear anywhere on the Harper Collins “team” page.

And, Harper’s Magazine isn’t even owned by Harper Collins!

In 1962, Harper & Brothers merged with Row, Peterson & Company, becoming Harper & Row (now HarperCollins). In 1965, the magazine was separately incorporated, and became a division of the Minneapolis Star and Tribune Company, owned by the Cowles Media Company.

-Source: Wikipedia

Here’s my response to the author:

Look at this:
https://www.harpercollins.com/pages/fraudalert

“We have received reports that individuals impersonating HarperCollins staff or claiming to be literary agents are targeting authors with false book acquisition offers. These individuals request that the author pay them or provide sensitive financial information in exchange for literary services or to facilitate a publishing agreement. Their emails sometimes include letters purporting to bear HarperCollins’ logos, imprint names, and staff signatures.”

MacMillan Publishers specifically lists Author’s Tranquility Press on their fraud alert page!

Please be aware that Macmillan does not work with or have any relationship with the following:

  • Author’s Tranquility Press
  • Brilliant Books Literary
  • Literary Press Agency
  • PageTurner Press & Media
  • Spark Literary
  • Stellar Publishing
  • Tyler Literary
  • Tyler Literature
  • Word Talk Press
  • Writers Press LLC
  • Writers Press Publishing House

This list is not exhaustive.

And, read complaints about Author’s Tranquility Press on BBB.org:

And, read reviews of Author’s Tranquility Press on BBB.org.

There are other complaints posted about them online as well.

On their own website, this box pops up:

Public Advisory

Please be advised that Author’s Tranquility Press is NOT affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with any other marketing, advertising, and publishing firms or any of its subsidiaries. Please note: Our official email addresses all ends with @authorstranquilitypress.com, and our main line is (866) 411-8655.

So, are they trying to say that other scammers are impersonating them? I don’t think so. Why? Because the email sent to the author above was copied to an authorstranquilitypress.com email address. Furthermore, if you click on the complaints above, they deal with many issues at the company, not just those discussed in this article.

While we know it’s tempting to believe emails and actual pdf files with logos, typed dollar signs, and lots of zeroes, in today’s online scammer climate, in all likelihood, all of those offers are fake.

If you have been the victim of this type of crime, or if you are contacted by this company, or another one pretending to be a legitimate publisher, immediately report them to their state’s attorney general. Most of those sites have online complaint forms. Unfortunately, many of these firms are located overseas. The only recourse against them is to spread the word far and wide online so other authors won’t fall victim to these crimes.

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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

ATTN: Owners of defunct Infinity Publishing and FastPencil, and the currently operational Opyrus.com. SHAME ON YOU for leaving your authors in a lurch like this! You could have VERY EASILY transferred those authors and files to another publisher. You could have even tried to sell or give away that part of your business to another, more responsible firm. Instead, you just gave your authors one month to get their files and you deserted them. You still have Internet access and you still own another website. How hard is it to simply reply to emails from authors who need their files? It’s NOT! We strongly recommend ALL authors and writers avoid your other business, Opyrus.com.


At WritersWeekly, we first start alerting authors to complaints about Infinity Publishing / Fast Pencil back in 2017. I wish more authors had read those complaints before crawling into bed with that company. 

We received two new emails from Infinity Publishing / FastPencil victims this week:

EMAIL #1

I just today learned that Infinity Publishing/Fastpencil is no longer in business. I have spent the last couple of days leaving messages on various answering machines with no calls returned. I did not receive any communication in October 2023 or earlier from those people regarding going out of business. I am currently revising (updating my book) and need the files and cover in order to do the update. Do you know of any way I can contact someone to get my files?

EMAIL #2

No response from fast pencil via their disappearing and reappearing website. I also tried their facebook page and no response there either. I only have a hard copy of book what can be done?

OUR RESPONSE TO BOTH AUTHORS:

I recommend sending them a certified letter and threatening to contact their state’s attorney general if they don’t give you your files.

They ARE still in business. They just aren’t publishing books anymore. This is their website: https://opyrus.com

Whether you get your files or not, we’ll be happy to help you republish your book at BookLocker. And, we will give you our disgruntled author discounted price. You can contact me directly RIGHT HERE.

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

Fall 2023 24 Hour Short Story Contest


Q –

Angela,

I’m sorry that I missed your sale last week. If I sign up at BookLocker today, can you still get my book on the market by Christmas?

Linda R.


A –

Many authors who want their book published by Christmas start contacting us in August. We usually get a book to market within a month. Those books are published in September and buyers have plenty of time to order and receive those copies for Christmas presents.

We have a two-week expedited publishing option that costs more. That means two weeks after you send your final file to us. Let’s say you respond very quickly to all of our communications. It’s possible that we’d have your print galley (the first printed, bound copy of your book) in your hands before Christmas. However, since it’s the printer’s busiest time of the year, they have a backlog so any additional copies you order probably would not arrive on time. You can order more than one print galley (those are printed quickly, and shipped 2nd day air) but they are very expensive ($50 each).

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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 The Expert Archives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Have a question for Angela? Contact us here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Angela Hoy lives on a mountain in North Georgia. She is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the President and CEO of BookLocker.com and AbuzzPress, and the author of 24 books.

ANGELA ON TWITTER
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ANGELA ON LINKEDIN
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Angela is the creator of the Original 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
https://24hourshortstorycontest.com/



 

 

 

 

 

 

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Got questions about Print On Demand and Self-publishing? Ask Angela Hoy.

About The Author

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Angela Hoy is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the author of 19 books, and the co-owner of BookLocker.com (one of the original POD publishers that still gets books to market in less than a month), PubPreppers.com (print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish), and Abuzz Press (the publishing co-op that charges no setup fees).

Angela has lived and traveled across the U.S. with her kids in an RV, settled in a river-side home in Bradenton, FL, and lived on a 52 ft Irwin sailboat. Angela now resides on a mountaintop in Northwest Georgia, where she plans to spend the rest of her days bird watching, gardening, hiking, and taking in all of the amazing sunrises.

WritersWeekly.com - the free marketing ezine for writers, which features new paying markets and freelance job listings every Wednesday.

BookLocker.com - According to attorney Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print, BookLocker is: "As close to perfection as you're going to find in the world of ebook and POD publishing. The ebook royalties are the highest I've ever seen, and the print royalties are better than average. BookLocker understands what new authors experience, and have put together a package that is the best in the business. You can't go wrong here. Plus, they're selective and won't publish any manuscript just because it's accompanied by a check. Also, the web site is well trafficked. If you can find a POD or epublisher with as much integrity and dedication to selling authors' books, but with lower POD publishing fees, please let me know."

Abuzz Press offers FAST and FREE book publication, but only accepts a small percentage of submissions, and only works with U.S. authors.

PubPreppers.com - "We Prep, You Publish!" Print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish. Offers formatting and design services only, and then provides simple instructions for authors on where to sign up to have the print and ebook editions printed/listed/sold. Cut out the middle man. Keep 100% of what bookstores pay for your book!

Angela's POD Secrets Revealed Series can be found HERE.

Have a POD Book with another publisher? See if BookLocker can give you a better deal. (BookLocker offers "disgruntled author discounts" to those who want to move from other POD services.)


See BookLocker's publishing packages HERE.


ANGELA ON TWITTER https://twitter.com/AngelaHoy


BOOKLOCKER ON FACEBOOK - Provides links to free excerpts!
https://www.facebook.com/booklockerbooks


ANGELA ON FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/angela.hoy.750


ANGELA ON LINKEDIN
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Angela is the creator of the Original 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
https://24hourshortstorycontest.com/



Read More Of Angela's Articles HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Writing Markets We Just Added



Markets Archive





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Freelance Writing Jobs Archive





 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK-HowToRememberWriteAndPublishYourLifeStory



HOW TO REMEMBER, WRITE AND PUBLISH YOUR LIFE STORY


Angela Hoy's popular online class is now available in book format!


Remember Your Past
Write It and Publish It
in as little as 12 weeks!



Angela Hoy's book will get you started!



  • Using Angela's MEMORY TRIGGERS, recall memories that have been dormant for years
  • Record those memories in chronological order in your memory notebook
  • Using the memory notebook as your outline, write your autobiography!
  • Also works for biographies and memoirs!

Read more here:
https://booklocker.com/books/4764.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Joel's BookProgram: The Simple Secret To Writing A Non-Fiction Book In 30 Days, At 1 Hour A Day! - SECOND EDITION





If you are a solo professional, having your own book is one of the best investments of time and money you can make, to promote your business and gain more clients. Why?




  • If you are an author, you are an authority--an expert in your field.
  • A book is a tangible credential.
  • Your book can differentiate you from your competition.
  • It's an opportunity to explain your uniqueness, your "special sauce."



Order "The Simple Secret To Writing A Non-Fiction Book In 30 Days, At 1 Hour A Day!" right away. And picture yourself handing your own book to a prospect, in just a short time!



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The FINE PRINT of Self-Publishing - Fifth Edition - by Mark Levine



The Fine Print of Self-Publishing has been lauded by many experts as the Consumer Reports of the self-publishing industry. This book has helped thousands of authors choose the right self-publishing company and avoid the ones with unfair contracts or low-quality services.

"If you're considering paying a company to publish your book, don't do anything until you read The Fine Print and consider the alternatives. It will save you a lot of time, money, and heartache." -Dan Poynter, The Self-Publishing Manual

 

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK-bookproposals”



BOOK PROPOSALS THAT WORKED! Real Book Proposals That Landed $10K - $100K Publishing Contracts - by Angela Hoy



Peek over the shoulders of highly successful, published authors to see how they landed publishing contracts worth $10,000 to $100,000! An enticing yet professional book proposal is the key!

BONUS! Successful ghostwriter, Anton Marco, shares his secret for landing ghostwriting clients. Don’t miss Anton’s real ghostwriting contract at the end of this book! It provides an example of what he charges and the payment terms he requires from each client.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“90days”



90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy

Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.

We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!

Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor, which makes it fun for creative folks like you!

Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It's FREE!
(We won't sell your address, or spam you.)

After clicking "SUBSCRIBE" above, check your email to confirm your subscription.

Once you click on the link in your email, you'll be taken to a page on our site where you can instantly download your free book.

Yes, it's that easy!

NOTE: If you don't receive our email, please check your spam filters. Please whitelist emails coming from writersweekly@writersweekly.com.

 

 

 

 

 

“BOOK-QueryLetters”





QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED! Real Queries That Landed $2K+ Writing Assignments



Peek over the shoulders of highly successful freelance writers to see how they earn thousands per article! The query letter is the key!
In these pages, you'll find real query letters that landed real assignments for national magazines, websites, and corporations.

Also includes:

  • Abbi Perrets' form letter that brings in $30,000-$45,000 annually
  • Sample phone query from Christine Greeley
  • The Six Golden Rules of Queries and Submissions...and How I Broke Them! by Bob Freiday
  • Your Rights As a "Freelancer"
  • and ANGELA HOY'S SECRET for finding ongoing freelance work from companies that have a stable of freelancers, yet never run ads for them!

 

“COLOR TEST”



THIS IS A COLOR TEST

 

“Book – Boyd’s Best Blogs”



The Best of Boyd's Blogs: 87 Solutions to a Life of Better Speaking and Listening






Ever wish you could have your favorite blog in book form? There's nothing like flipping through the pages and reading helpful snippets here and there.

In this book, Steve Boyd gives you that very opportunity. He has intrigued his readers and clients for years with his insightful newsletters and blog posts. This book includes some of his most interesting stories and communication tips, from listening to speaking. As he quotes this Chinese proverb, "From listening comes wisdom and from speaking repentance."

You won't need to repent from your next speech if you use these articles to guide both your preparation and delivery. As an avid reader of his blog said, "These articles are priceless! People need what you have to say."





Steve Boyd's articles on motivation and communication-related topics have appeared
in various publications. His books on public speaking have sold over 30,000 copies.
He is a popular after-dinner speaker and conducts workshops for businesses and associations
whose members want to speak and listen effectively to improve personally and professionally.




Read more here:


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