Remember Book Millionaire, the first-ever author reality show? I blogged about it back in April 2006. The brainchild of Lori Prokop, vanity publisher and purveyor of get-rich-quick schemes, the show was supposedly going to feature authors duking it out on national TV for the title of "America's next Book Millionaire and best selling author." Ms. Prokop got as far as persuading a bunch of people to send in video auditions for the show; these were posted on the Book Millionaire website over a period of 10 weeks in April and May 2006. Then...silence.
Thanks to a tip from Lee Goldberg of A Writer's Life, I've learned that Book Millionaire is in fact not dead...it has only been wounded, by eeeeeevil bloggers "who are allegedly blogging false, inaccurate information" not just about Ms. Prokop and Book Millionaire, but about "100+ companies and projects in the publishing industry." (In case you haven't guessed, this blog cabal includes me, Lee, a bunch of other skeptical folks, and the Museum of Hoaxes).
At first, writes Lori on the Book Millionaire website, I was very angry and wanted to punish the people for what I saw as attacks. But something deep inside of me looked around at our world and decided we didn’t need anymore [sic] thought forms of anger, hate or violence. Our world is at a critical point, we are either going to make it has [sic] a human race...or not.
To illustrate her point, Lori provides links to a number of articles with titles such as "Rudeness, Threats Make the Web a Cruel World" and "Battling Abusive Blog Comments" (I know a thing or two about that). She then continues:
It took some time for me to make my choice that instead of attacking or retaliating for what I perceived as false, misguided actions of others, I decided to find a spiritual understanding and develop a spiritual action plan. It’s my desire that this experience helps me spiritually grow as an individual and leader.
The result of all this spiritual expansion? "I have learned that anything perceived as an attack from another is an expression of his or her needs." That's right: Lori's travails have awoken in her the understanding that those of us who've made fun of her silly reality show concept are acting out of unmet needs. Evidently, one of those is money:
Could it be true that someone is paying for this group of bloggers to blog hate messages about more than 100 companies and projects in the publishing industry that compete with this company? Could this be how the bloggers are paying their bills and feeding their families?...If this is true, I am very sad for their chosen ways and tactics. I wish they had more trust in Divine Source that there exists [sic] other more life-enhancing ways to be successful than trying to hurt others.
In truly spiritual fashion, Lori concludes that All You Need is Love:
I believe Love is the answer to this. What I want in my life is compassion and a loving flow between me and others based on mutual giving from the heart...I envision and have joined a team co-creating an online community of cultural leaders helping people and businesses solve problems, make decisions, create and live from Love and Light in the Highest Good for All.
Lori, that is truly inspiring. I mean it. But...what about the show? You know--the show that 50 hopeful writers took the trouble to create elaborate video auditions for? The show that was supposed to be broadcast on national TV? The show that was supposed to make authors' dreams come true? Yeah, that show. The show of which there is currently not the slightest sign of actual existence.
Lori claims that she has gone to the blogs of the hateful bloggers and "contacted them to ask for open dialogues." Unfortunately, she seems to have forgotten to contact me, but I'm sure that's just an oversight. Lori, I look forward to sharing dialog with you, and maybe even benefiting from the glow of your spiritual enlightenment. I trust that the writers who sent in auditions will also be hearing from you soon? I'm not talking about your frequent spams offering them the chance to buy your seminars and books and other products (yes, I signed up for your email list). I'm talking about real, straightforward communication about the status of the show.
Thank you. Thank you very much. I'm off to count my blog money now.
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