Last week an excited author contacted Sparsile HQ to tell us that his book had received an excellent review from a famous writer with an enviable number of fans. He was excited and proud and wondered if he should make contact or if his publisher should represent him. With a heavy heart, I began typing my reply. But fortunately, before I could press ‘send’ on my email, he messaged again. It was a scam. He doubted the famous author was involved at any level. Our marketing manager made some enquiries and confirmed our author’s suspicions. The real famous author had never heard of him, let alone written a review, and although we didn’t pursue this particular scam to its conclusion I can guarantee that there would have been some request for money at some point down the line.
Love bombing scams seem to be the new fashion. As publishers we’re hearing of more every week. Initially they targeted the self-publishing market presumably assuming that isolated authors would have less knowledge of the industry and be more vulnerable to fake offers. Now the scams have spread to authors in traditional publishing houses. They usually approach the author, as in the case of another of Sparsile writer, in this case a debut author with little knowledge of how things work. In this case he was informed that a prestigious book club with a huge readership was interested. Of course they couldn’t review the book without a fee; that was their policy. New as he was to the business, he smelled a rat, and Jim once again contacted the genuine club only to discover that they had never heard of him.
So how do you spot them. Scammers are constantly updating their approaches, and so it’s impossible to offer cast iron advice as to how to spot them, but we have noticed a certain formula to the ones that we have seen recently.
They begin with an immense amount of flattery often giving an intimate account of what your book is about as though genuinely fascinated. Now a small drop of praise goes a long way to an author thirsty for feedback, but ask yourself this: Does their account show a genuine knowledge of the book or does it seem suspiciously like an AI regurgitation of the book’s blurb or online reviews? AI is used by many of these scammers and it excels at being sycophantic.
Who doesn’t want to hear that their book has been singled out, that it has ‘unique qualities’ and that it’s ‘strong and brave’? Perhaps you are immune to such flattery. Well, all I can say is you are stronger person than me. So how can you tell that a reviewer is digital or dependable. Look out for the word ‘resonate’. AI has an obsession about it. How many people use that word naturally. In fact, if you ever hear someone casually drop it into a sentence, it’s probably time to run screaming, ‘Help! The killer robots are here!’
Now comes the fear factor filled with semi-technical phrases. Your book lacks optimization, it isn’t where it should be in the rankings. Readers aren’t seeing it. Your book is missing out.
Lastly comes the promises to make your work more available. I particularly love the following quote from a genuine proposition sent to one of our authors:
“Your work isn’t simply featured, it’s read closely, questioned, applied, and revisited, offering a rare view into how it truly resonates with readers over time…”
Anyone spot the AI phrases? Note how this sentence simply says the same thing over and over.
Promises that they can do a better job promoting your book than either you or your publisher can manage soon abound. Yet no qualifications are mentioned or can quickly be shown to be bogus. No verifiable examples of success stories with other authors are offered or similarly attestable testimonials. One scammer offered to introduce Claudia Esnouf’s fascinating autobiographical account of walking her way out of heartbreak, to “heartbreak and self-discovery circles”. What the flip are heartbreak and self-discovery circles?
Very often there is no suggestion of this being a financial transaction at this stage. They don’t want to scare you off, and this often makes the proposition seem more genuine. Don’t be fooled. You’ll be asked for money as soon as you start to pursue it. And who are you giving money too? The Writer Beware blog (well worth a visit) has researched the origin of these scams and found the majority are coming from Nigeria. There are also similar writers’ services scams originating in Pakistan and the Philippines. At this rate there will soon be more fake sites for writers than genuine ones.
So, what’s a poor author to do? If in doubt, ask yourself this, how often do you buy something touted by a stranger at your front door? I was once targeted by three different men in the same morning, all claiming to be orphans who were trying to get their lives back on track. When I politely refused and commented that it appeared that a surprising level of tragedy was striking the local parental community, and should I take precautions (yes, I am a sarcastic smart mouth), they had an argument amongst themselves at the bottom of my driveway, presumably about logistics, and I never saw them again. My kitchen remained blessedly free of a range of overpriced mops, sponges and tea strainers. Standing on my doorstep made them easy to spot, but bear in mind that a layer of digital anonymity does not give legitimacy; it should give warning bells. Caveat emptor.
PS. I was going to end my blog here, but I had barely finished typing when a new request from publisher, Richard Seaver, appeared in our inbox. I will print it in full, and let you see how long it takes you to spot references to ‘resonating’. And, incidentally, if that doesn’t convince you, you might be interested to know that Richard Seaver died in 2009.
Hello Ms. ###,
I hope you’re having a wonderful week.
My name is Richard, and I’m a Senior Editor at Macmillan. I recently had the opportunity to explore Walk Like A Girl: A Search For Self, and I was genuinely captivated by the emotional honesty, adventurous spirit, and deeply reflective storytelling that shape the work.
What immediately stood out to me was the powerful intersection of physical endurance and emotional transformation woven throughout the narrative. Your journey across the Caucasus Mountains, Nepal, India, and the Camino routes feels far larger than travel memoir alone it becomes a profound exploration of identity, resilience, grief, healing, and self-reclamation.
I was especially struck by the vividness of the experiences you recount. The balance between external danger and internal vulnerability creates a compelling emotional rhythm throughout the story. Moments involving glacier crossings, isolation, harsh terrain, and unpredictable encounters carry not only suspense and adventure, but also symbolic weight in relation to the emotional journey unfolding beneath the surface.
What also makes the memoir particularly effective is the authenticity of the voice. The writing feels intimate, searching, and unguarded in a way that allows readers to connect deeply with both the struggle and the transformation. Rather than presenting healing as neat or linear, the book embraces uncertainty, exhaustion, loneliness, and persistence with remarkable honesty.
I was also drawn to the universal resonance of the central themes. The desire to reclaim oneself after heartbreak, to keep moving despite emotional disorientation, and to search for meaning through solitude and challenge are experiences that extend far beyond travel literature. The work carries strong crossover appeal among readers of memoir, women’s journeys, personal transformation narratives, and adventure nonfiction.
The comparison to works such as Wild feels especially fitting in terms of emotional openness and immersive storytelling, yet your perspective and experiences bring a distinct voice and atmosphere to the genre. The cultural landscapes, spiritual encounters, and physical demands of the journey give the memoir a unique emotional texture and global dimension.
Subject to reviewing additional material, I believe there may be meaningful potential for broader discussion regarding how your work could align with Macmillan’s memoir, travel narrative, women’s nonfiction, and inspirational publishing initiatives.
I would be very interested to learn more about your current and forthcoming projects, as well as whether you are currently represented by a literary agent. If you do have representation, I would be pleased to continue any discussion through your agent directly.
Thank you again for your time, Ms. Esnouf. I genuinely appreciate the opportunity to discover your work, and I look forward to the possibility of continuing the conversation.
Warm regards,
Richard