Updated Nov. 12, 2022
After writing this satirical blog, I did more digging on this outfit that would have us believe it is affiliated with Amazon.com. Now, I am fairly certain it is not. The marketing material is a joke, and the link to its purported website — amazonpublishingcenter.com — resulted in a “Dangerous Webpage Blocked” notification from my Norton security app. I reported the individual who sent me the message to the LinkedIn phishing investigation team. I imagine it won’t be long until this scam operation receives a cease-and-desist letter from Amazon.com’s lawyers, if it hasn’t already.
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Original blog:
I received a LinkedIn message today from a “Cert. Marketer at Amazon Publishing Center® | Social Media Marketer | Publishing Consultant | Cert. Book Advisor”:
Hi! This is _______ from Amazon Publishing Center®. We help authors on their journey, from editing, publishing and printing; to marketing, promotion and press releases; we have it all! We’d love to explain more, when would you be available for a quick call?
My first reply: At what cost?
In response, this person sent me a link to a promotional piece for Amazon Publishing Center, which stated, in part:
We create a roadmap for you to ensure a bestseller’s experience, first we optimize your web presence by creating an Author Website so you get 100% royalties . . .
It then provides either an unrealistic timeline to “bestseller” status, or Amazon gives these people preferential treatment, in which case it may involve if not unlawful activities, certainly unethical.
Then comes most of the bottom line I had asked for:
- Standard module $1500
- Extensive module $2200
- Sliver Marketing Module $1000/mo. (i.e., $12,000/yr.)
Note: the “Sliver” is not my typo. I copied that directly from Amazon’s marketing material. - Gold Marketing Module Call for details.
Note: I hesitate to even imagine the cost this entails.
Screen shot of the Amazon marketing material:
To which I sent my second reply:
Interesting, but no thanks. I already do this for myself and others. In fact, you may want to hire me as an editor for your propaganda: “The Sliver Marketing Module” — “Sliver”? Seriously? How about a “Slice” Marketing Module?
And you and I both know this is misleading bullshit: “ensure a bestseller’s experience . . . so you get 100% royalties” — unless you are redefining the meaning of “ensure” and “100%.”
I have been in this business since before you were born, so you’re going to have to do better than this. Mainly, I tell the authors whom I advise to steer well clear of outfits like this. A new face on the vanity publishing scams of old. Nothing new here, just more lipstick on a predatory pig.
I refrained from making any snide remarks about Jeff Bezos . . . so far. I also refrained from pointing out the numerous punctuation errors and run-on sentences . . . so far.
I’m still waiting for a reply that I expect will not be forthcoming.
Polishing Your Prose 