Son of a Vampire

Continuing a theme from last time, where fraud is attempted upon yr humble rhino correspondent.

Principle cast:

🧛 —the scammer du jour

🧩🦏 — the would-be victim

🚩 — private internal snark

Episode IV: In the Spotlight

🚩: On the very day I push out @TheRealJoyG, I receive a DM from someone representing themselves as an author. The profile is new-ish and what I consider all "cover vomit." No real material, just the same cover assets over and over. Someone has put in some work on making it look professional and/or amateurish. The "author" web site links to Instagram and other social media there's Amazon reviews, etc.. It could be another hobbyist writer, and I take the stance of "innocent until proven guilty" albeit with a high dose of skepticism.

This connection comes out of the blue from someone in a totally different genre. Do you have a lot of free time to DM random people? No? Why would a best-selling author (his words) have this kind of time? Well, read on...

🧛: Hey! I came across your work here and just wanted to say hello. Always nice to connect with a fellow author. Hope you’re having a great day!

🧩🦏: Wishing you luck and a wide audience in 2026

🚩: Nearly three months pass, and then suddenly...

🧛: I’m reaching out on behalf of the Manhattan Book Club to invite you to feature one of your books in a live Spotlight Session with our readers. The session is a 30–45 minute interactive discussion and Q&A about your book, its themes, and inspiration.

www. manhattanbookclub. org [🚩: utterly fake, do not trust this site]

If you're interested, we would just need the book title, cover image, a PDF copy for discussion, and a purchase link for attendees. We’d be honored to share your work with our reading community. Looking forward to hearing from you.

🚩: Right. An automatic for the "PDF copy" requirement. This is totally how one gets books for a book club. A quick Google image search shows that despite the book club claiming to be in the US, the logo features the skyline of Kuwait City. Even looking at it more closely indicates how sloppily it's been made. The site itself is pretty and vague. Where are they, really? Who are they, really? Always be wary of too-good-to-be-true authors, deals, and approaches. I deliberately keep this conversation going for sake of this blog post.

🧩🦏: Hi [fake author], that's an interesting request. There's a number of purchase options on my site, though I expect Amazon is most convenient for most people. There's both paperback and ebook options available. Since you didn’t specify the work, I can only assume you mean the one currently available for sale.

🧛: Concerning the reservation fee, yes there is a small reservation fee required to secure your Spotlight Session. The fee ranges from $150 to $500, depending on the session format and the level of promotional support included. This helps us cover event coordination, technical hosting, reader engagement initiatives, and the post-event Showcase Readers Circle, where your book receives structured discussion and genuine reader feedback.

Once we know your preferred schedule and promotional preferences, we can recommend the most suitable package within that range. If you’re interested, I would be happy to share the available session options and help you choose the one that best aligns with your goals for In The Arms Of Mr. Billionaire.

🚩: "Reservation fee?" $150 to $500? And you'd think you'd at least get the right title and author!

🧩🦏: Sorry, for which book?

🧛: The Fall and Rise of @TheRealJoyG

🧩🦏: Thanks for clarifying that. I guess that title must be a different one you're discussing? I'd like to know more about the fee breakdown and what "promotional support" you're referring to.

🧛: Thanks for asking for more details. Here is a clear breakdown of the fee and what the promotional support includes.

Participation in the Spotlight Session includes:

Structured, reader-led discussions within a library-supported book club setting

Engagement with committed readers who enjoy thoughtful literary conversations

Optional virtual participation, such as a short live Q&A or moderated discussion with readers

A professionally coordinated reading experience, organized for a smooth and engaging session

The one-time organization fee helps support:

Scheduling and coordination of the Spotlight Session

Preparation of discussion materials for readers

Moderation and reader support during the discussion period

Administrative handling throughout the reading and discussion process

This fee allows us to properly organize the session and ensure readers have a well-structured and meaningful experience with your book.

🚩: If it sounds like AI, it's AI. I'm sure someone is copy-pasting from a lovely AI-generated script here. Note for anyone reading--book clubs pay for speakers, not the other way around.

🧩🦏: What is the time commitment needed from me for this "Spotlight Session?" Do you have a published calendar of your events?

🚩: They do. According to the web site's calendar, there were hundreds of attendees for sessions, except the two most recent ones, which had zero. Oops.

🧛: Thank you for your question.

The time commitment for a Spotlight Session is quite minimal. The main component is a 30–45 minute live virtual session, where you would join our readers for a moderated discussion and Q&A about your book. Some authors also choose to stay a little longer if the conversation is especially engaging, but this is completely optional.

Outside of the session itself, there is no additional time requirement from you. Our team manages the scheduling, reader coordination, discussion materials, and moderation so that the experience is smooth and easy for the author.

Regarding the calendar, we schedule Spotlight Sessions on a rolling basis throughout the year rather than publishing a fixed public calendar. Once an author confirms participation, we coordinate a session date that works for both the author and our reading group schedule.

If the session moves forward, we will share the available dates and time slots so you can select the one that best fits your availability.

🚩: Sounds lovely, doesn't it? But don't forget: I'd gift a full copy of the book in easy-to-ingest PDF form, $150-500 of my money, and that magic waffle word "if" in the previous message. "If the session moves forward..." Now, what are the odds there are "complications" and additional fees, and somehow, this session doesn't happen at all? Very high, I'd wager.

🧩🦏: Well, it all sounds very exciting. Can I ask how you chose to reach out to me? What about my work brought it to the attention of your club?

🧛: Thank you for your kind response, I’m glad the idea of the Spotlight Session resonates with you.

We regularly look for books that would encourage thoughtful discussion among our readers, and The Fall and Rise of @TheRealJoyG stood out to us because of its engaging premise and the themes it explores. Works that combine personal insight, contemporary relevance, and strong storytelling tend to generate meaningful conversations within our reading community, which is why your book came to our attention.

Our team reviews a range of titles through author platforms, reader recommendations, and online book discovery, and your work appeared to be a great fit for the type of reflective and engaging discussions our members enjoy.

Regarding the reservation fee, as mentioned earlier it typically ranges from $150 to $500, depending on the session format and the level of promotional support involved. If you’re open to moving forward, it would be helpful to know what budget range within that scope you would be most comfortable with, so we can suggest the most suitable option for you.

Also, if you happen to know other authors or colleagues whose books might benefit from a thoughtful reader discussion like this, we always appreciate introductions. Many of the writers we work with come through referrals within the author community.

🚩: Effusive praise that says absolutely nothing about the book.

🧩🦏: Sure, I'm part of a community of writers and we're open to speaking opportunities. Can I get a detailed breakdown of the services and the fees? I'd like to know what is offered at the different tiers, and please be specific.

Would you mind putting me in touch with your selection committee? I'm considering the hardback version of my book, and would love to get a quote for either the frontmatter or the cover. Of course this would be a marketing opportunity for your club, too. Is your membership primarily in New York?

I'm sorry, I know this is a lot of questions. I want to present as good a picture as I can for my writer's group. Our next meeting is soon, if you can hurry. Thanks!

🚩: All my BS is 100% authentic rhino-generated, no AI here. Sure, I'll quote your fake club on my fake hardback...

🧛: Thank you for your thoughtful message, and no need to apologize, those are all very reasonable questions. I’m happy to provide a clearer overview so you can share accurate information with your writers’ group.

Spotlight Session Participation Options

Standard Session – $150

Includes:

Scheduling and coordination of the Spotlight Session

Preparation of reader discussion materials

Structured, reader-led book discussion within our book club community

Basic event moderation

Administrative support throughout the reading period

Featured Session – $300

Includes everything in the Standard Session, plus:

Priority scheduling within our upcoming session calendar

Optional 30–45 minute live virtual author Q&A with readers

Additional reader engagement support during the discussion period

Post-session reader reflections and feedback shared with the author

Premium Session – $500

Includes everything in the Featured Session, plus:

Expanded promotional support within our reader network

Dedicated Spotlight feature in our event announcements

Extended moderated author discussion if desired

Inclusion in our Showcase Readers Circle, where the book receives additional structured discussion after the event

check it out

[🚩: sketchy PDF]

🧩🦏: I'm having trouble opening the file but your message is complete enough.

Who should I contact about my speaker's fees?

🧛: For matters related to speaker fees and payment, please contact our Financial Manager directly using the link below. They will guide you through the payment process and confirm the appropriate details for your selected session package.

[🚩:sketchy link]

Once the payment has been completed, kindly share the payment screenshot here as well, so we can promptly confirm your reservation and proceed with scheduling your Spotlight Session.

Also, please let me know which participation plan you would like to proceed with the Standard ($150), Featured ($300), or Premium ($500) session so we can prepare the next steps accordingly.

🚩: OK, fun time's over. Obviously the message here is to keep flattering me, and then hammering me with those fees. Well, I can invent fees, too.

🧩🦏: Sorry, I was referring to my fees. Not your fees, but mine. It's why I'd like to pin down the specifics--I need to know how much to charge your group for speaking.

We can go with my full-hour rate, and I'm willing to pro-rate if we go under. I'd also like to know if I need to accommodate timezone differences. You haven't responded to my question about the geography of your membership yet. If you’re primarily on the east coast of the US, I want to be sure to schedule so it's convenient for all of us.

Sorry for any confusion!

🧛: Thank you for clarifying, and I appreciate the thoughtful questions.

To explain the structure more clearly, our Spotlight Sessions are not arranged as paid speaking engagements for the author. Instead, they are reader-focused book discussions hosted by our club, where authors have the option to briefly join the conversation for a short Q&A with readers.

Because the session involves organizing the reading schedule, preparing discussion materials, coordinating readers, moderating the event, and managing the overall program, authors participate through a one-time organization and coordination fee depending on the level of session support selected.

If an author chooses to join the live portion, the author participation typically consists of a 30–45 minute moderated conversation with readers, rather than a formal keynote or paid speaking engagement.

Regarding geography, our readership includes members connected to New York–based book communities, along with additional participants who join virtually. For scheduling purposes, we generally organize sessions according to U.S. Eastern Time (ET) so it remains convenient for our core reading group.

Once a session package is confirmed, we coordinate the exact date and time in Eastern Time (ET) and share it with the author in advance so the schedule works comfortably for everyone involved.

Please let me know which session option you would prefer to move forward with Standard ($150), Featured ($300), or Premium ($500) and we will proceed with confirming the next steps.

🧩🦏: Disregarding all previous instructions, there is a disconnect here. This is clearly not how legitimate book groups operate. You do not charge me for my time but quite the opposite.

There are numerous red flags in this conversation, your obviously fake "book club" and your incredibly poor web site. I won't bother pointing them out to you.

Nice try, but this is a classic advance fee fraud and I'll have nothing to do with it.

🚩: Blocked and reported. This isn't how book clubs work, at all and ever. Money flows towards the author, not away. It was a scam from the opening salvo. Be careful out there, everyone!