indie author scams

Why Indie Author Scams Target Vulnerable Writers (And How to Protect Yourself)

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In my last post on indie author scams, I dissected a sophisticated email that fooled me for several seconds—a fake Macmillan representative offering to help the memoir I wrote about my late wife reach more readers. Today I want to step back and look at the bigger picture: why indie authors like us are such … Read more

How to Spot Fake Book Marketing Emails: The Scammer Who Pretended to Love My Memoir

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I recently received a fake book marketing email that made my 77-year-old heart skip a beat for about five seconds. Someone from Macmillan Publishers—one of the Big Five traditional publishing houses—had apparently read my memoir Ellen: A Memoir of Love, Life, and Grief and wanted to help me reach more grieving readers. On initial quick … Read more