The Indie Expedition (3): Launching as an Indie Author
Someone else is on an expedition, too; just not the entertaining kind.
A PSA - The Unplanned Post: The 3rd Entry
By Thio Isobel Moss
I recently encountered a situation I think is worth mentioning. On a review platform, I received my first-ever rating—five stars—but unfortunately, this isn’t me tooting my own horn. The person who rated me was, like me, a newcomer to the site and described themselves as a publishing industry professional.
I can see some of you nodding along already.
They posted one long, gushing review of another book that didn’t raise any immediate red flags and rated several books—all five stars. Neither here nor there.
One of those books was mine, and they sent me a friend request. I make it a habit to check out anyone who friends me, so I went to their profile. Their name looked familiar—similar to one of my ARC readers—so I accepted the request, assuming it was that person. Later, when I double-checked my reviewer list, I realized it wasn’t just the wrong name but also the wrong gender.
Back I went to their page. I couldn’t find any professional links or anything to verify that they were who they claimed to be. What I did find was that they’d rated even more books—across every genre imaginable—without listing when they’d read them. And not only had they claimed to have read my book, they marked it as a reread.
Now, Blind Spot has been available as an ARC for twelve days. Kindle estimates its page count at 662 in ebook form, 548 in paperback, and 475 in hardcover. It’s a chunky boy, despite my best efforts to put it on a diet.
I love my book. I’m proud of it. It wouldn’t surprise me at all for someone with similar tastes to rate it five stars—but I’m not quite vain enough to think a stranger magically read it once, adored it, and started rereading it within twelve days, all while rating other books in daily batches.
Then they messaged me. They were genuinely drawn to my writing! They were so happy to have discovered someone who loves reading, writing, and books as much as they did. They wanted to hear my insights…into stuff.
The air! It smells distinctly fishy.
Nope, not them. The odor’s coming from somewhere else.
I took screenshots and reported them. The platform emailed me to say they’re looking into it. I don’t know how it’ll turn out, but I’m confident this person isn’t the only one preying on others’ hopes and dreams.
Please stay aware of grooming behaviors, and when in doubt—report, document, and protect yourself. Stay safe out there.
