A.C. Crispin -37 - Going Postal in Scammer Land

A quick addendum to my previous post about "Why I Can't Sell Your Book..."

The first and foremost line of excuse for any scammer is usually the poor, oft-blamed, and benighted US Postal Service. My husband, a retired postal worker, and s.f. writer, reminded me that I left this one out.

I've seen emails from Kelly O'Donnell/Martha Ivery where she strung some poor scammed writer along for weeks with repetitions of "Well, I can't understand this, I mailed your (galley proofs, check, release from contract, manuscript, artwork, you name it) six days ago! The post office must have lost it!" I've seen her claim that the post office lost no less than six attempts to get the writer their *whatever* in a row before the poor writer twigged that they had been "had" and wrote to Writer Beware to complain.

(sigh)

I've actually had a check from my agent get lost in the mail. Once. In twenty + years in the writing business.

So, if the agent or publisher you are dealing with winds up blaming the Post Office repeatedly for losing mailings, it's time to take a look at the agent/publisher with a jaundiced eye.

On a personal note, we're snowed in here. Good thing I stocked up on foodstuffs and cat litter. Tonight I'm going to cook spanish, mini-meatballs in saffron-vegetable sauce, over saffron rice.

Hope all of you East Coast readers are snug and cozy warm. Have a great Sunday.

Next post, I'll explode another Writer's Myth. "You have to know someone in the business...you've got to have connections to get published."

See you soon.

-Ann C. Crispin
Writer Beware
www.writerbeware.com