She paid $8000 to a publishing scam
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Hi Reader, “I just paid $8000 to publish my book. Was that a scam?” That’s what an author asked me three weeks ago. She’d found “IngramSpark Book Publishers” online—it looked legitimate, professional, trustworthy. She handed over her money gratefully. The site was a complete fake. A lookalike designed to trap authors who don’t know what questions to ask. Her edited manuscript came back sloppy and amateurish. Her “satisfaction guaranteed” refund request? Ignored. The $8000? Gone. I reported the site to Ingram, Writer Beware, and ALLi. It’s disappeared now, but these scams resurface constantly with new names and new targets. Here’s what makes me angry: This author isn’t naive. She’s smart, she did research, she tried to make a good decision. But nobody ever taught her what to look for. That’s exactly why I’m teaching this free class on December 9th. In 60 minutes, you’ll learn:
This is the practical knowledge I’ve gained from 25+ years in publishing—the kind of information that saves authors thousands of dollars and months of heartbreak. → Reserve your free spot for December 9th here At the end, I'll introduce my six-week Publishing 101 master course in January for authors who want a complete roadmap—marketing strategy, publishing essentials, and promotion tactics that actually work. But this free class stands on its own. You'll walk away with the tools to protect yourself and make smart decisions, whether you join the course or not. You’ve worked too hard on your book to hand it over to the wrong people. See you December 9th! Carla PS: If this email made you think of an author friend or writing group who needs this info, please pass it along. Here's the link to share: https://bit.ly/pub2026class |
Carla King
Adventures in travel, writing, and publishing.
Hi Reader, Publishing 101 begins this Tuesday, January 20 and, just a heads up, I won't be opening enrollment again until next year. If you're working on a memoir, novel, or any fiction or nonfiction book, and you want to finish it with confidence and professional publishing standards, this is the moment to join. Publishing 101 is designed to support you while you draft or revise, so publishing decisions don't become a confusing slog after your manuscript is finished. This program isn't about...
Hi Reader, Hey, thank you so much to those who showed up for yesterday’s conversation. I left the session energized but by the thoughtfulness and honesty you brought into the room. You didn’t show up casually. You showed up engaged, curious, and already doing real work. Whether you attended live or you're catching the replay, I want you to know this is a long email! Please skim, pause where something resonates, and come back if you want. I wrote it this way on purpose. But first, here are the...
Hi Reader, Well, that didn't take long - apparently my brain is still living in 2025. Thanks, Sybilla, the first subscriber to email me about the "2025 goals" in my subject line. Aaarg. Hey, has anyone else done this yet? Once? Twice? Ten times? 🤪 One more time... this is 2026, and I'm not gonna forget it again. (Famous last words.) For writers Okay, here is the link to my invite to discuss publishing your book this year. (Ha! Notice how I got around writing the exact year?) >> Register here...