By Bob Rich
Wonderful! Your book is accepted by a publisher, or perhaps you self-published. In the vast majority of cases, promotion is entirely up to you.
Many honest businesses provide promotional services to authors. Also, there is a highly successful robbery industry preying on authors’ dreams.
Even honest businesses are not necessarily useful in getting book sales. When my 20th book took flight, I hired an honest, legitimate book blog tour provider. My book appeared on her blog and on 31 others. Visitors could earn an entry in a lottery for a $10 Amazon gift card, and there were over 3000 entries. Four of those people subscribed to my blog. I suspect they were the only ones to buy a copy. I noticed, the same people who commented on my book did so on other books as well, often leaving identical comments. They were not book purchasers but entrants in a free lottery.
Some years ago, I had a similar experience with a Facebook group. For a very reasonable fee, I was invited to entertain about 2000 followers for three days. The condition was offering free books. I happily did so. The result: about 30 new followers of my blog, and I think most of them are still there. Very few of the 2000 wrote public reviews, and as far as I know, none bought a copy of any of my other titles.
I followed up several. These people are professional free book collectors. They don’t have time to actually READ the books, being too busy collecting the next lot. One lovely lady who has become a friend told me she had over 300 titles waiting to be read!
There are highly educated, intelligent, capable people in developing countries who can charge low thanks to their country’s exchange rate. Many offer an honest service, basically subcontracting activities you can do for yourself after a little research.
Then there are the robbers. Their weapon is not a gun, but honey.
My novel, Hit and Run, was published in 2018. Seven years later, I received this:
“Dear Dr. Rich,
“Congratulations on Hit and Run a rare and profound novel that blends psychological depth, spiritual resonance, and page-turning suspense. In Sylvia, you’ve given readers an unforgettable heroine who proves that wisdom, empathy, and even supernatural gifts can emerge in the later seasons of life. This is not just fiction, it’s a story that heals, inspires, and challenges readers to see love as a transformative power.
“As a marketing strategist who specializes in elevating genre-bending, socially meaningful fiction, I’d be honored to help expand the reach of Hit and Run and position it as the essential novel it deserves to be for mature readers, book clubs, and thriller lovers seeking more than entertainment.”
Note that all this information is displayed on the publisher’s page for the book.
If you get an unsolicited email of this form, treat it as the fishing hook it is. I consider fishing to be the most cruel form of hunting, so I was amused at receiving this:
Hi Bob,
First, congratulations on the release of Why We Fish: Stories of Friendship and Adventure. That’s a huge achievement in itself. I have to say, the premise is brilliant not just another “fishing book,” but a heartfelt exploration of optimism, camaraderie, and humanity through the universal language of casting a line. From the icy brilliance of the Bering Sea to the golden glow of the Florida Keys, you’ve created something that is more than sport: it’s storytelling with soul…
I’m X, a freelancer who helps authors like you bridge that frustrating gap between great writing and actual visibility. My specialty is connecting books with genuine readers who leave honest, thoughtful reviews. To keep things enjoyable, I usually tip each reader $25 just enough for a cinnamon roll and a cup of coffee while they read your book. It’s a small, friendly gesture that ensures they feel valued while your book earns the authentic credibility it needs to reach more people…
You see, “Bob Rich” is a popular name among authors. There are at least five of us, and one of them does write about fishing.
Another offered to put me in contact with 10-12 book clubs. I am afraid this one was persuasive enough that I fell for it. I offered to attend these book clubs online. Somehow, this was never arranged. The day after I paid my fee, there were 18 reviews on Goodreads, including one from the organizer, and one from the PayPal recipient. All implied they had read the book, some over considerable time. I commented on the reviews and invited discussion. No response, so I did a little research. All 18 Goodreads accounts were very new. All had set their options to block messages. All reviewed the same list of books—clearly mine and the other victims’.
This is obviously a talented writer, using her fictional characters to make money far more effectively than I do.
I haven’t mentioned the names of the crooks. The reason is not that they might sue me, but because there is no point. If I were one of them, I’d change name and email details as often as dirty socks.
How to protect ourselves?
- An unsolicited approach by a marketer is likely to be a scam.
- Do they have a website? Most don’t. Two scammers did. One is from a movie agent with very impressive online credentials, but the contact ceased when I made it absolutely clear that I had no money to spend. The second runs a genuine book club. The website claims 2017 members. I did an online search. My only finds were members complaining that the promised payments for reviews were never paid.
- Are fees disclosed early on, and transparently? The book blog tour does. You know what you pay and what you get, and indeed that’s delivered. The large book club man revealed his fees in the fourth email, and they were outrageous. Even if paying them resulted in 2000 reviews, I am sure I’d never have recovered my investment in royalties.
- What is the method of payment? Most of these entrepreneurs use platforms like Upwork. They may initially offer a free service, but then before they can deliver you need to leave a review for the service, and the review can only be posted if you pay a fee, and… With PayPal, typically the recipient has a different name and email address from the contact. The big book club fellow, supposedly in England, wanted me to pay someone in Nigeria. Hmm…
- Do they provide concrete details? The Goodreads reviews artist never provided details to any of the book clubs, while the book blog tour one specified all the sites my book promo was posted on.
- Finally, what if anything can you find via an online search including sites like Writer Beware?
Safety is never guaranteed, but if you keep these points in mind, you are less likely to have a painful hook in your bank account.
Bio: Dr. Bob Rich is a Professional Grandfather. The job specification is to work for a tomorrow for today’s young people, and a tomorrow worth living in. The second part is just as important—surviving in a global culture of greed, hate and fear is not all that attractive. He carries on this work at his popular blog, Bobbing Around. Six of his 20 books and more than 40 short stories are award-winners. His latest book, published in June, is dedicated to his daughter’s memory. She died in December, 2024. The book shares Bob’s science-validated way of processing grief in a readable and even humorous way. The same techniques work for any major source of distress. Bob can be of service to you through this book, so please visit http://grief.lhpress.com
