Topic: scams

There are a lot of scams out there.  Here's a warning of one from our webmaster and former president.

Philip L. Levin, MD
writerpllevin@gmail.com
www.doctors-dreams.com 
(228) 596-7217

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <GCWriters@aol.com>
Date: Fri, Apr 7, 2017 at 2:52 PM
Subject: Lit Fire SCAM
To: writerpllevin@gmail.com


Hi Philip,

I just want to warn GCWA authors about a SCAM. It's a company called Lit Fire. They claim to have read your book and want to offer a marketing plan (for money, of course).

I met an author a few months ago that asked me if I knew about Lit Fire as she was excited about its incredible marketing services. I didn't know, and I never heard from that author again.

Today I got a call from Nancy Beeler's husband, Herb. The company has been calling him, and he thought it might be a good way to sell Nancy's books, which are still packed in boxes since her passing. He gave me a name and phone number and asked if I'd deal with it.

Although I called and left a message, I then googled Lit Fire. I am so glad I got the information that it is a scam - targeting self-published authors.

Victoria

Quote Post 1

Re: scams

Interesting. I received an email from this company about six months ago claiming the same thing. They weren't even able to name one of my main characters or where the novel was set. I told them to forget it.

Bill

Quote Post 2

Re: scams

Good for you

Quote Post 3

Re: scams

A Russian friend of mine published through Xlibris/ Lit Fire and it took a lot of her money. They published her children's book and their scam discouraged her from continuing on to find an honest publisher. Shame.

Quote Post 4

Re: scams

max keanu wrote:

A Russian friend of mine published through Xlibris/ Lit Fire and it took a lot of her money. They published her children's book and their scam discouraged her from continuing on to find an honest publisher. Shame.

Xlibris is another shady organization. Any time you have to pay to have your book published, it's shady. Some vanity presses are legit, in that they do publish you, but why should you have to pay lots of money for any books over the first allotment? A friend of mine went through them, and they supposedly had an editor for her---NOT! I told her next time she'd better use me as an editor b/c she should sue them--misspelled words, subject-verb agreement issues, and other grammar problems that a good English student should have been able to catch and fix.

Quote Post 5