I’ve had five as of today. That’s five book club organizers from all over the world who want to showcase my books to their members or who want to promote them.

For a fee, of course.

I’m all for free enterprise and entrepreneurial endeavors and especially book clubs, but I can’t help but wonder how legitimate these ventures are.

A few years ago I was featured on several book platforms. None of them asked for a fee, and it was clear that the inquirer had read at least one of my books. This time around, I’m not so sure. It seems odd that all these inquirers——who universally praise my newest book——have apparently never read it. That’s pretty clear when I go to my sales reports and there are no sales over the past few months.

At the same time, I’ve had a huge rise in “views” on my Facebook page.

All this makes me suspicious that these offers to feature my books are little more than “phishing” expeditions. Fishing to find an author desperate to get his or her work promoted. I get it, and I don’t fault them, but it also sounds like a good way to make money with very little effort and a donation from me.

As an author, I deeply appreciate readers. Those who give me feedback are the very best, and I love book clubs. I’ve spoken to many. But the Wild West of the Internet seems to be too big and too ripe for exploitation.

So I’m handling them like I do every such inquiry. They have to prove they’re read it by telling me something that cannot be implied or deduced from my Facebook or Amazon page. As my high school English teacher required to make sure we had actually read our assignment——they must tell me something only a reader would know. What did Sky keep in her apron pocket or what was the the color of her eyes? THEN, and only then will I know it’s honest and legitimate. Only then might I be willing to risk some cash to reach new readers.