It has recently come to our attention that our authors are receiving an unusual number of spam emails. We all receive spam emails from time to time and they are usually pretty obvious when you look closely. But these are different.
Some go to authors direct, offer promotional opportunities and praise their work in a very plausible way. Some offer interview slots with high profile journalists or pertaining to key journals and broadcast slots. Some pretend to be agents or publishers interested in their next books or suggesting amends to meta data. They all tend to take info and even photographs from websites and reviews, probably scraped by AI and as a result they look even more convincing. In short, they are getting more and more sophisticated.
The Writer’s Union and the Society of Authors have put together a useful and comprehensive guide for authors on how to protect yourself against scammers, which you can access here. We recommend reading it in full.
Our editor’s emails will always come from an @birlinn.co.uk email address or from Jan’s email, jan.ppw@janrutherford.co.uk. If you are ever in doubt, please reach out to info@birlinn.co.uk and we can help to verify if an email is legitimate or not.
| EXAMPLE EMAIL 1 |
| Hi [AUTHOR NAME], I recently came across your book [BOOK TITLE], and I genuinely like what you’ve continued to build with the [TITLE] series. What stands out is how the novel once again transforms everyday moments into stories with warmth, wit, and quiet emotional depth. [CHARACTER NAME]‘s innocent outlook, paired with the intertwining lives of the familiar characters, creates the kind of reading experience that keeps readers returning to the series. Most authors don’t struggle because their book isn’t good they struggle because the right readers simply aren’t seeing it at the right time. With [BOOK TITLE], I noticed a few opportunities where the book could gain stronger visibility and more consistent reader traction on Amazon and beyond, particularly among readers searching for uplifting literary fiction. I help authors market their books effectively while leveraging AI-powered automation systems to grow their audience, streamline their marketing workflow, and keep their books visible long after launch. If you’re open to it, I’d be happy to put together a simple, tailored growth plan for [BOOK TITLE], outlining exactly where I’d begin and why. No pressure—just practical insights specific to your book. Would you like me to put that together for you? Best regards, [NAME] Book Specialist and Digital Creator Publishing and Marketing Williams Book Success Agency |
EXAMPLE EMAIL 2 |
| Dear [AUTHOR NAME], I hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to check in regarding the production contribution for your upcoming interview. Due to some temporary network and technical issues on our side, we’ve had to switch our payment processing. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Could you kindly make the payment using the PayPal address below and, once it’s been sent, please reply with the payment confirmation or receipt so we can finalize everything? With the interview date fast approaching, we’d like to confirm the remaining arrangements, including the Zoom details and interview materials. PayPal: janmivey@yahoo.com Thank you very much for your understanding and cooperation. I look forward to your confirmation. Warm regards, [NAME] Writer & Host RTÉ |
EXAMPLE EMAIL 3 |
| Hi [AUTHOR NAME], I’m reaching out about [BOOK TITLE] and wanted to make sure I’m connected with the author directly. I organize the Ink & Ember community and would appreciate a quick confirmation. Am I speaking with the author? |
