…and my inbox is loaded with them.
I receive dozens ( no lie!) of book scammer emails every day – mostly in my spam box, but many in my regular email box too.
Some of them are quick, impersonal notes that say, “Dear ( AUTHOR) I came across your book and feel a decent marketing plan is what you need to propel this book to a bestseller. I offer…. ” and then they go on to name the thousands of people that will follow me on social sites and buy my book if I just contact them and let them set up a plan for me.
Some are a little more personal: “Dear PEGGY JAEGER ( you just know this is from a cut-and-paste list!) Your book ( they name one from my list) is a (they detail the blurb using the same language, maybe add a few adjectives) and then state the book could be a bestseller if I’d do…. You get the idea.
The ones that kill me are the emails that are more like a chapter from a book, detailing every single thing about my books and including snippets of my bio and personal backstory. You can just tell the info was plugged into an AI generator, and this piece of crap was spit out.
But the ones that really piss me off are the emails that seem like they are from a fellow author. I’m putting one I just received minutes ago, here.
John Boyne
From:johnboyne231@gmail.com
Hello,
Your work recently came to my attention, and I became curious about the person and ideas behind the book. I haven’t had the opportunity to read it yet, so I’d rather be straight forward about that than offer the usual compliments without having earned them.
What interested me most was the story behind the book. I always enjoy connecting with fellow authors and hearing what sparked a particular project, because every book seems to have its own journey.
If you’re open to sharing, what first inspired you to write this book?
I’d be glad to hear a little about it and stay in touch.
Warmly,
John Boyne
I am sure if I replied to this email I would be taken down a scam rabbit hole where either my personal info is cloned or I will be asked to purchase something to make my writing life the best it can be.
Every single day I am deleting and blocking these bots, scammers, and frauds who use AI to junk up our email boxes and try to manipulate us into giving them money.
And every single day it takes time away from my writing life and personal time.
I hate AI. In every form. I WILL NEVER use it in my writing or my cover creation. This is a promise I can keep, too.
Honestly, I would rather NOT write than have to use AI just to sell a book.
We live in a weird age, kids. Never before has the phrase Caveat Emptor meant more.
Happy Labor Day to my US buddies,
~ Peg
Peggy Jaeger, Author 