It’s official. I got scammed. “How?” You might ask. “Aren’t you the one always warning others and believing yourself to be so tech savvy?”
I fell for the oldest trick in the book, flattery.
Hi Alexandra, Virtuous Sinner Made in Vermont is an irresistibly honest and wonderfully human memoir. Your voice wry, grounded, and full of grace makes the messiest parts of life feel like shared wisdom. From dairy farms to ski slopes, concussions to enlightenment, you’ve managed to turn experience into something both meaningful and delightfully entertaining.
The words were an aphrodisiac. Fortunately, my feet were still on the ground, despite my swelling head, so I prudently checked the few references.
Being as smart as I am, I didn’t click the links but did do some internet research. One of the more prolific authors has been writing crime novels for over 30 years with Harper Collins. Her picture shows a pleasant looking woman holding an adorable yorkie. Both have lived in the UK all their lives. The chance that she used a marketing firm in St. Petersburg, FL with no website is highly unlikely.
I had vague feelings of discomfort, but that didn’t stop the feelings of euphoria.
I can say without hesitation: Virtuous Sinner Made in Vermont is the kind of memoir people don’t just read, they carry with them. Its blend of unvarnished honesty, Vermont charm, and dry wit is rare and it deserves to be discovered…to design a campaign that reflects your tone and truth, I like to start by reading the manuscript. This gives me the foundation to build a strategy that feels as authentic and layered as your story itself.
The lure of the New York Times Best Seller List was intoxicating. Despite EJ’s lack of an online presence (with the exception of some stylish jeans of the same name) and the fact that she intimated that she had already read the book, I wanted to believe in her/it/myself.
This really was a dream come true. It never entered my mind that it was too good to be true. Someone saw the value of my words and would do all the stuff that I had no desire to do, to get the word out. That’s what people do.
If you’re hoping to connect Virtuous Sinner with more readers who will laugh, nod, and maybe even heal a little through your story, I’d love to help you build a campaign that reflects your one-of-a-kind voice.
I was becoming addicted to the praise and recognition. So, later that day I sent in a PDF.
Thank you so much for sending over your book and for the trust that comes with sharing such a personal and beautifully written piece. I’ve started reading Virtuous Sinner, and your voice immediately struck me: warm, candid, and effortlessly wry. It’s the kind of memoir that doesn’t just tell a story it invites readers in to recognize their own.
What’s the worst that can happen? It’s like giving away a free book right? I actually made things pretty easy for a theft of intellectual property. A friend said this happens in the cookbook world all the time. A book written here can get hijacked (or get giddily handed over). After a few cosmetic changes and a new author, someone in Croatia or Australia has a best seller on their hands.
In a way, I’m honored that a well versed person or AI thingy took the time to contact me directly. How cool is that? Unfortunately it means the stats for book sales for Alexandra Langstaff will remain static but the ones for Langdexter Scammith will fly through the roof. That author will end up with a big chunk of change and probably land a movie deal.
There’s a lesson here. I know it and you know it. There’s no need to rub it in.
Alexandra Langstaff 