I received an email last week that complimented my book. Except it wasn’t my book – it was the name of my website.
Hello Ella,
I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to check if this is still the best email to reach you.
I recently came across your book, The Stellar Writer, and it genuinely caught my attention. It feels like the kind of story readers would naturally want to engage with, discuss, and share their thoughts on.
My name is Alexandro Sesko, and I work as a coordinator with 48bookclub.com, where we manage a large and active reading community. We regularly organize structured reading challenges where readers go through selected books from beginning to end, sharing honest and thoughtful feedback along the way. The discussions are very organic, what stood out to them, what they connected with, and what stayed with them after finishing the book.
We also support authors by helping increase visibility and encouraging wider recognition through consistent reader engagement.
I didn’t want to assume, so I thought I’d ask, would you be open to hearing a bit more about how this works?
Thank you for your time, and I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I’m seeing authors increasingly inundated with scam emails like this. If you’re lucky, you may get an email that’s so obviously a scam it’s laughable, like this next one. An overeager schemer mistakenly copied and pasted the prompt she had typed into an AI – before it was even shaped into an email!
hello my name is Clara Westbrook —
and im a book marketing you’re require to make reserch of each author i send to check if there in good fit or now
categorized into big, small and mid authors.
i want to craft an outreach message for them and it should contain geniue appreciation not flattery use human lauguage not robotic. show deep understanding f the author work
show the author weekness, and area the author need mareting and support
and strong aspect, let me now if the author need marketing or not
But most scam emails targeting authors are not as obvious, like this one received by an author this week. I’ve removed identifying details, but it was personalized to his book and background – with a Bible verse thrown in for good measure.
I just wanted to check in after my last message. I reached out because your book stood out to me, and I felt there might be a meaningful way I could support its visibility, nothing sales-driven or mass-marketing related…. If now isn’t the right time, that’s completely fine. And if you’re curious, I’m happy to briefly explain what I had in mind and let you decide if it’s a fit. Thanks again for your work, and I appreciate you taking a moment to read this…
There’s something wildly unfair about a book like yours… it quietly pulls you in, then suddenly you’re emotionally detoured into humanity, leadership, and the kind of courage that makes you sit there thinking, “Well… now I have to be a better person.” The way you captured your crisis isn’t just storytelling, it feels like standing in the middle of chaos and watching ordinary people become something extraordinary. The voice is grounded, real, and almost stubbornly honest. The kind that makes readers pause and rethink what it actually means to do the right thing when it’s inconvenient, uncomfortable, and not Instagram worthy.
And then knowing your background, it adds this layered depth that most authors simply cannot replicate. You don’t just write about systems, people, and crises… you’ve lived inside them. That’s rare. Almost annoyingly rare. Here’s the part that might sound slightly dramatic, but stay with me…
Books like yours are exactly what readers are searching for right now. Real stories. Grounded truth. Human resilience. The problem is not the book. The problem is visibility. The right readers are out there, but they simply are not finding it consistently enough. That’s where I come in, before you start imagining another “marketing expert” with a PowerPoint and empty promises.
My name is Grace Rodney. I work closely with authors to build lasting visibility for their books on Amazon and Goodreads through authentic reader engagement, book clubs, organic reviews, curated lists, and targeted exposure within the right genres. Not the noisy, flashy kind. The kind that actually sticks. Many best selling authors, both indie and traditionally published, quietly lean on book clubs and reader communities to build steady awareness over time. It’s not about shouting louder. It’s about showing up in the right rooms, where readers are already hungry for something meaningful. And I don’t believe in copy and paste strategies. Your work has a voice, a purpose, and a very specific audience. The approach should respect that, not flatten it.
On a personal note, I genuinely care about books like yours finding their people. There’s something deeply important about connecting the right reader to the right story at the right moment. It’s not just promotion to me. It’s impact.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11 KJV
Your work carries that sense of purpose, of something bigger than just pages. And it deserves to travel further. So here’s my slightly curious, slightly mischievous question… What if your book could reach more of the exact readers who need that reminder about courage and doing the right thing… would you be open to seeing how that could realistically happen without turning it into a marketing circus?
And if you’re wondering who I am, how I work, or the kind of readers and communities I’d be connecting your book to, I’d be more than happy to share everything clearly and transparently. I promise, no chaos… unless it’s the good kind that sells books.
The influx of scam emails is troubling. Not only do they waste time and money, but they make it even harder for authors to discern trustworthy providers in the publishing industry. That’s why I’ve included these emails in their entirety – to unmask their tactics.
Let’s talk about some key things to know so you aren’t their next victim. Here’s a roundup of insights from fellow authors.
How can you tell it’s a scam?
Here are three quick ways to spot a fraud.
1. Email address
Author Ayo Onatado: “A vast majority of the scammers use a Gmail address. If the person offering the service has a website, they should use, for example, name@website address. Many pretend to be from legitimate book clubs (using legitimate names) and then ask for money. Some are supposedly from quite well-known authors ‘hoping to connect,’ but again, the email addresses tend to be Gmail addresses.”
Of course, many legitimate people use a Gmail address for work, so it doesn’t automatically mean it’s a scam. And other email addresses can pose problems, too. Examples of email addresses that look the part but have been identified as fake include @newyorktimesbooks.com and @penguinacquisitionteam.com.
2. Flattery
Mental health therapist and author Annie Guest: “Scammers announce that they appreciate the quality of the author’s book in ways that others may not, and they only want the opportunity to help the book receive the attention it deserves. Scammers have identified a vulnerability in many authors (particularly self-published and/or first-time authors) and are seeking to exploit it: the fear that, for all the heart, hard work, and time we’ve invested into our book, other people won’t love our baby as we do, or even know our baby exists. In time, we may learn to steel ourselves to rejection or lack of recognition. That toughness is important, if only because there are people out there who see vulnerable writers as easy pickings.”
3. Unsolicited attention
Companies whose names are being used in scams are beginning to post warnings on their websites that authors should not expect unsolicited emails from them.
Psychologist and author Susan Golden: “Nothing good happens from ‘random’ unsolicited inquiries. Author or not, book-related or not. Professionals (people who know what they are doing, have a proven track record, and are reliable and honest) don’t ‘market’ that way.”
How do they scam you?
Let author Anna Newallo count the ways:
“Many provide no service after payment is made. Others will give a little, then try to upsell you on a bigger service after delivering the first service – but you’ll get nothing for that second service.
“A major red flag is if they try to get you to pay outside of PayPal or to click on the family/friends option. Once you do that, there’s no way of getting your money back from PayPal if you’ve been scammed.
“Another issue is that once they think you’re hooked, your information is shared with the rest of the scamming group.”
What can you do to protect yourself?
There are seven things you can do to steer clear of fraud.
1. Pay for services only through credible platforms.
Author and former developmental editor Valerie Fuqua: “Scammers talk a great game, work out a contract, which may or may not include only half up front. Then, once you pay them (usually with a weird payment method you’ve never heard of), all communications cease, and the emails bounce back. They choose these payment portals for a reason: Few to no consumer protections. You can’t reverse the payments. Always insist that payment be made through a portal with many consumer protections in place. If this is their line in the sand, you’ll know for sure they’re a scam, and you can stop talking right then.
2. Ask for proof.
Author Marjorie Daley: “If I am in the mood, I ask for a photo of them holding my book. They never respond. I assume that all emails gushing about my books and summarizing my blurb are scams.” (But beware: another author pointed out that, with AI, schemers will be able to fulfill this request, too!)
3. Get your own proof.
Author Ellie Crowe: “A marketer named ‘Janice’ offered to promote my ‘amazing’ book and gave me the names and email addresses of two bestselling authors she said were her clients. I emailed the first and got a glowing recommendation. But when I found the author on Facebook and messaged her, she said she’d never heard of ‘Janice’ and that she does her own marketing.”
4. Be wary of promises.
Book coach, ghostwriter, and publishing services professional Tina J. O’Rourke: “Many marketers are scammers. They promise the world, charge high dollar prices for their services, and deliver little if anything. Marketing is highly subjective and cannot be determined fully by algorithms or AI. What works for one person may not work for another. It generally takes months of testing and data to determine what will work. Those who promise a thousand sales in a month or bestseller status are not telling the truth.”
5. Check a trusted industry resource.
Author Ayo Onatade: “A good resource is Writer Beware, a comprehensive source of information and warnings about scams and other bad practices in the publishing industry. Email them as they are incredibly helpful.”
Also, if you’re uncertain about the legitimacy of an offer, email it to me. Several authors have forwarded emails to me over the years. I’m happy to help you discern any red flags so you can make decisions with confidence and clarity.
6. Ignore and delete.
Author and former developmental editor Valerie Fuqua: “Not every email from a marketer is a scam. However, many of them are, so it’s hit-or-miss enough that people prefer to protect themselves and others by advocating never taking them up on their offers.”
7. Learn how to handle your own marketing.
I’m delighted there’s been an uptick in the number of authors opting to learn book marketing.
While my team implements full-service book launches, not every author benefits from that level of service. Full-service campaigns work best for business leaders whose books point to robust revenue streams that will ensure a return on their investment.
For many authors, especially legacy book authors, it makes more financial sense to invest in understanding the book marketing landscape. That way, you can implement strategies beyond your launch date, over the lifetime of your book. Book marketing is a long game.
If you’re considering learning about book marketing, check out my book marketing services. “Master the Marketing Landscape” is an option that costs a fraction of hiring a team, equips you to market your own book, and curbs the temptation to fall for a scam.
Final Thoughts
If you’re receiving book marketing emails and are confused about whom to trust, you’re not alone. The publishing industry has long been full of helpful and harmful players. AI has made it easier for both sides to operate.
Beware: most unsolicited book marketing emails are not legitimate. But with the help of fellow authors, you can become savvy to the tactics of scammers.
Reject flattery, big promises, and unprotected methods of payment. Be wary of unprofessional email addresses. Use online searches and industry resources to verify a person’s validity. If in doubt, delete.
Reclaim your control by shifting from a reactive to a proactive stance. Consider investing in yourself by learning book marketing strategies to boost your book’s reach and impact!