Hard Times
Look before you Leap
I realise now, I was conned, it was my fault as all the signs were there for me to see; the red ffags were warning me not to go on, yet I ignoted them in my desperation.
This year, I was contacted, out-of-the-blue on Twitter by Linda Lael Miller, a NYTimes bestselling author. This came as a total suprise, why would such a prominent writer notice me?
She told me she would intriduce me to her agent Joy Mautin,
After discussing the outline of a story to Joy, we decided to publish my book (A Sailor's Love).
All through the discussiona with the ladies, I couldm't help asking myself, how did Linda notice me? I asked her several times ovre the space of the three months (June - August), but never got a reply which appeared genuine.
Joy and I agreed on a price, as I have few resources, and when I was about to pay, the prive took a 40% rise to $150, way more than what I had budgeted for. Joy said for a further $50 she would put the book on Amazon for me, an option I never accepted, despite protestations from both ladies that the book needed the coverage to sell.
I explained, I'd had book on Amazon for years, and none had sold. Linda being a bestseller can guarantee sales to cover the outlay, me as an unknown author have to consider expennses Vs income, and I can see no way of getting back my original outlay in my life.
From June to August, they were in contact with me, at least once a week; since the last week of August there has been no contact, and I found Twitter have blocked Linda's profile.
I should have smelled a rat when Joy dropped the price from $250 to $100 to suit my budget.
The signs where there to be seen, in my desperation to be recognised after a 15-year struggle, I ignored Rule 101
If something looks too good to be true, it usually is.