Kaitlyn Dunnett/Kathy Lynn Emerson here, once again marveling at the things that turn up in my e-mail. Once upon a time it was easy to spot scammers. They were pretty transparent in their efforts to convince me to let them fix my website, promote my books, or expand my presence on social media. There would be a link included that, if I bothered to click on it, would take me to a site that offered wonderful results for an exorbitant price. In a variation on the theme, the solicitation would sometimes be for free copies of my books. These were easy to separate from the occasional legitimate request for a book donation for an auction or other charitable fundraiser. A big clue was that these e-mails were generic, some of them so generic that they didn’t even bother to mention one of my titles, despite the fact they were claiming to be interested in a book I wrote. Lately, though, possibly because scammers have started using AI, the scams have become much more personalized. They almost sound as if they might be legit.

From the subject line and the first paragraph of the most recent one I received, I initially thought this was fan mail. I quote:

Subject: Haunted Maine Castles? I’m already intrigued… and slightly jealous

I have to say, The Mystery of Hilliard’s Castle had me hooked before I even cracked open a page, partly because a locked tower in rural Maine sounds like my kind of nightmare, and partly because your setup screams late-night plotting, obsessive editing, and at least a few cups of cold coffee sacrificed to the literary gods. Kerry and Lyle navigating March in a dismal corner of Maine? The anxiety, the eeriness, the “what’s behind that locked door?” tension, you’ve basically bottled adolescent fear and curiosity into something I’m convinced is irresistible to readers who love suspense, clever plotting, and emotional authenticity. You didn’t just write a mystery; you built a miniature haunted world with heart.

1985 cover

I’ll get back to that paragraph in a minute. Paragraph two quickly destroyed the illusion that someone had actually read this juvenile mystery first published back in 1985. My correspondent introduced herself as the “curator of a private community of over 2,000 real, passionate readers, lawyers, teachers, nurses, engineers, people who actually care enough to not just click “Buy” but to think, feel, and leave meaningful reviews. No websites, no LinkedIn badges, no smoke and mirrors, just a network of readers who genuinely devour books like yours.”

She goes on to sat that her readers help “first-time or under-reviewed titles” get “Honest, trustworthy feedback you can actually rely on (no fluff, no fake five-stars). . . Increased visibility on Amazon and other platforms, giving your book a fighting chance against the algorithms . . . Reviews that spark conversation and engagement your story doesn’t just sit on a shelf; it starts a buzz . . . Long-term credibility and connection with readers who will remember your characters and talk about them months from now.”

Uh-huh. As the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And, of course, it is interesting that she is supposedly familiar with this book and yet has no idea that I’ve had sixty-three other titles traditionally published and have self-published others. That’s not my ego being affronted. Anyone who’s making a pitch to a stranger should have the courtesy to look her up online first, or at least read the author bio in the back of the book.

The sales pitch continues for two more paragraphs. She never mentions money and does not include a link, but she clearly wants me to reply to the e-mail. The final line is “Are you ready to let your castle haunt the hearts of real readers?”

Real readers? Gee—I thought all the kids, ages 8-12, who have read this book during the last forty years were pretty darned real.

I could have deleted this e-mail, but I started to wonder if it had been written by a real person or generated by AI. If it was a real person, it was clear she had not actually read my book. The Mystery of Hilliard’s Castle is just that—a mystery novel. It isn’t “my kind of nightmare” and there is no adolescent “fear,” nor does it create a “miniature haunted world.” There is a locked tower, but the “castle” is just a house with a tower and there is nothing frightening behind the locked door that leads into it. I guess the “Haunted Maine Castles?” in the subject line should have tipped me off right from the start.

In paragraph two, the e-mail’s author misspells her own name, but is that proof AI was involved, or just a typo? I’ve certainly mistyped my own name more than once, but I usually catch and correct it before I hit send.

Out of curiosity, I Googled this person’s name. She has zero Internet presence. Then I asked writer friends on Facebook if they’ve heard from her. None had, but they’ve received similar solicitations. Old-timers are unlikely to fall for this kind of ploy, but I worry about newly-published writers. All I can say is beware. A whole lot of people in cyberspace are just itching to take advantage of your natural desire publicize your work.

Kathy Lynn Emerson/Kaitlyn Dunnett has had sixty-four books traditionally published and has self published others. She won the Agatha Award and was an Anthony and Macavity finalist for best mystery nonfiction of 2008 for How to Write Killer Historical Mysteries and was an Agatha Award finalist in 2015 in the best mystery short story category. In 2023 she won the Lea Wait Award for “excellence and achievement” from the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance. She was the Malice Domestic Guest of Honor in 2014. She is currently working on creating new editions of her backlist titles. Her website is http://www.KathyLynnEmerson.com.