A farewell – and why…

As of today, I will no longer be posting on my blog, my profiles on Facebook and my other social media sites will be shut down, and I am going quiet. 

It’s not because of anything that has happened on any site, nor what anyone has done. It’s a realization I had that I am no long doing what I set out to do.

In a word, write.

When I got caught up in the amazing whirlwind of the writer’s world, it was mesmerizing. So many gracious and welcoming folks, and my efforts to fit in and belong in this world snowballed over the last 18 months, to a degree where I have become a blogger and socialite – but so much less a writer.

So. I’m going back to doing what I meant to do – writing, and becoming better at it.

I want everyone to know that I cherish each and every friendship I’ve made on all sites, and in all groups. My blog remains open, and you are welcome to visit and browse. But I will not be monitoring it, so don’t be disappointed if you receive no answer to comments. 

My heartfelt wishes for your continued success in all you do, and Merry Christmas, one and all…

Thomas

Are you a good writer? How good? Good enough to win a Kindle Fire?

See, some pals of mine are having a contest on Facebook. It’s a short story contest, and unlike many, it’s free to enter. There are seven genres included, and they are:

Contemporary Fantasy
Horror
Historical
Paranormal Romance
Romance
Young Adult
Mystery

All genres will be judged independently, and the winner of each will receive a $5 Amazon gift card and a bundle of ebooks. An  overall winner will be chosen from among these and the grand prized is a Kindle Fire, a huge book bundle, and a banner for your website, designed by the incomparable Danielle DeVor – not to mention, bragging rights to the “Golden Shorts.”

So. The deadline for entry is November 30th. You gotta short in a drawer somewhere, drawing dust? One that’s been bugging you to be written? Now’s the time, bucko. Throw it out there and take your chances…if you have the nerve…

Click on the contest banner (designed by Danielle) to read more, and to enter:

 

[New post] … ‘multi-tasking’ is the ability to procrastinate on several things at the one time… #TBSU… – Inbox – Yahoo! Mail

By Seumas “The Mad Kilt” Gallacher…

…genius, me… I’ve discovered the art of deflecting non-time-precious activity to some nebulous future timing… don’t mistake me, I DO focus well, but have learned ‘focus’ is best applied to only one or two issues… everything else is just ‘stuff’… that’s where the multi-tasking ploy kicks in…

Click on the bootiful mug to read on…

 

Want to get your blog seen? Find other blogs? Check this out…

If you have a book published, blog regularly on any number of subjects, or just want to connect with other blogs, a blog directory is one of the most efficient ways to get your blog listed, and find other sites. Through my travels on the web, I’ve found a number of good posts that contain of blog directories, and this is one, All the blog directories are free to join…enjoy!

 

Click on the image to view the lists!

There’s a new kid in town – The Reader Depot – and it’s starting to catch on. Want to gain another edge, writers?

As a FREE Author Member you receive automatic inclusion to The Reader Depot  Facebook group. This is where we discuss marketing ideas, think about innovative ways to market your beloved books and above all help you sell more books. Every fortnight one lucky author who is registered for membership will go in the draw to receive a free promotion and believe me, it’s a good one. Membership is limited to published authors. 

(Click on the logo to go to the site)

SCAM ALERT – Part IV – I’m going weasel hunting…join me?

If any of you missed my three original posts, I was approached by an “authors” group who participate in 5-star review exchanges. You can read the original post by clicking the images below:

Click on this one to read part I

Click this one to read part II

Click this one to read part III

And now, the saga continues – Part IV – 

The lowlifes that I have been blogging about have, it seems, joined forces and published one-star reviews for my novel “The Clearing.” They are infantile, and not very authentic, but still, they are there. My publisher has already drafted a letter of complaint and sent it off to Amazon, including some interesting information. Here’s the letter:

“With regard to four 1-star reviews given against The Clearing by Thomas Rydder (ASIN B00BMEVA0W) on October 11th & 12th 2013, I request that you consider removing them as I believe they are fraudulent, being a revenge attack by a group of authors who give each other 5-star reviews on Amazon against an author who exposed them.

There are four reasons why I believe these reviews are fraudulent. Each on their own is highly significant, but taken together the fact that 1-star reviews were made from these particular four Amazon accounts about that specific book and in that particular 48 hour period goes beyond any credible possibility of coincidence.
Here are my reasons for thinking these reviews are abusive:

1. The 1-star reviews did not match the previous reviewing trend. For its first 24 reviews and seven months the lowest rating for The Clearing was 3 stars. Then there were suddenly four 1-star reviews within 48 hours.

2. The 1-star reviews came with 48 hours of the author exposing a scam review group. On October 10th a Facebook 5-star fraudulent review group contacted the author and was firmly rebuffed. Thomas Rydder (the author) named and shamed the instigator, Ben Harris Jr. (here: https://thomasrydder.wordpress.com/2013/10/10/scam-alert-i-was-approached-by-a-5-star-review-exchange-group-on-facebook) There was clearly some animosity at that time. On the assumption that Ben Harris Jr operates the Amazon Account ‘Karrine’ (see example quotes below for why this looks likely) he has a history of reacting in an angry and threatening fashion to any criticism, and this fits the idea of these reviews being a revenge attack. The 1-star reviews appeared over the following two days. The same request to join the Facebook reviewing group was mentioned by another author: http://williambryanmiller.com/?p=630

3. The reviewing profile of at least three of the four reviewers is simply not credible, with two of them giving at least 60 5-star reviews within a 42 day period.
I looked at past reviews for the four people who gave The Clearing 1-star reviews. I looked at the reviews they had made from September 1st through October 12th. During that 42-day period:

Marshall Hanks reviewed 62 books. 60 were 5-star reviews. One 4-star and The Clearing 1-star.(Over a slightly longer time period, Marshall also gave 5-star reviews for both books published by Ben Harris Jr who is alleged by Tom Rydder and William Bryan Miller to have sent the invitations to swap fraudulent Amazon 5-star reviews.)

Count reviewed 9 books. 8 were 5-star reviews and The Clearing 1-star.
(Over a slightly longer time period, Count also gave 5-star reviews for both books published by Ben Harris Jr who is alleged by Tom Rydder and William Bryan Miller to have sent the invitations to swap fraudulent Amazon 5-star reviews.)

J Maurice reviewed 39 books. 38 were 5-star reviews and The Clearing 1-star.
(Over a slightly longer time period, J Maurice also gave 5-star reviews for both books published by Ben Harris Jr who is alleged by Tom Rydder and William Bryan Miller to have sent the invitations to swap fraudulent Amazon 5-star reviews.)

Karrine reviewed 64 books. 61 were 5-star reviews and The Clearing and two others 1-star.
(Karrine also made angry comments about low-rated reviews of the books published by Ben Harris Jr who is alleged by Tom Rydder and William Bryan Miller to have sent the invitations to swap fraudulent Amazon 5-star reviews. Karrine’s wording suggested that Karrine and Ben Harris Jr are the same person)

4. Overlap: these four reviewers are frequently giving 5-star reviews to the same books.

A Lucrative Vengeance (NADIA’S GOOD PUSSY) by Ben Harris Jr, who was exposed by Tom Rydder and at least one other author as soliciting authors to join the scam
Count, J Maurice, Marshall Hanks all gave 5-star reviews.

Karrine did not review but did write an angry comment on Sept 4th to a 2-star review made on July 7th by Read73. Karrine wrote as if he/she knew Ben Harris Jr personally.
A Lil Nasty Book (An Urban Novella) by Ben Harris Jr, who was exposed by Tom Rydder and at least one other author as soliciting authors to join the scam
5-star reviews from Count, J Maurice, Marshall Hanks.
Karrine did not review this book but was ready to comment on anyone giving less than 5-stars.
Karrine wrote this threatening comment to a 1-star review by Paul Meredith:

“Ha! I’m sure the author does not give a rip. Clearly you have an agenda! The other reviews speak for themselves. Remember that what goes around comes back around.”
Karrine wrote an angry comment in response to a 3-star review on Sept 2nd: “

It’s “Urban” Fiction not Hemingway Desmond! This Author did a damn good job. And you must have gotten the unedited “FREE” version that the author’s assistant accidentally uploaded. The author has since updated the file. Clearly, you did not purchase the book if you saw mistakes because the $0.99 version is edited. And furthermore $0.99 is actually a deal for such a great novella. Everyone is allowed their own opinion but it’s quite strange that this book has 29 Five star reviews and you are the only one who decided to mess up this authors perfect rating. Oh well, some people just don’t want to see others succeed.”

It does sound very much from these comments as if Karrine and Ben Harris Jr are one and the same person.

“80 Ultra Hot & Spicy Sex Stories: Mega Collection of Erotic Sex Stories for Adults”
Was given 5-star reviews by all 4 reviewers: Count, Karrine, J Maurice, Marshall Hanks

“Story Tellers: in pursuit of happiness” http://www.amazon.com/Story-Tellers-In-Pursuit-Happiness-ebook/dp/B00FITBON0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
This was reviewed and given 5 stars by Marshall Hanks, Count, & Karrine

“Galactic Energies”
From <http://www.amazon.com/Galactic-Energies-Luca-Rossi-ebook/dp/B00E3VTR1K/ref=cm_cr-mr-title&gt;
This was reviewed and given 5 stars Marshall Hanks, J Maurice, Karrine

Children’s Book: “Eric the Medic” (A Fun Illustrated Children’s Picture eBook) (Perfect Bedtime Story for Ages 2-8)
From <http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Book-Illustrated-Picture-Collection-ebook/dp/B00FH9528Y/ref=cm_cr-mr-title> 
This was reviewed and given 5 stars J Maurice, Marshall Hanks, Karrine

Yours sincerely
Tim Taylor”

 

Now, I need YOUR help. Please go to the link below and click “not helpful” next to the one-star reviews from “Count”, “Marshall Hanks”, and “J Maurice.” They are all in the crew…

. I truly appreciate any and all who do so 🙂

 

SCAM ALERT – Part III – So now I’m getting bad reviews on Amazon :)

If any of you missed my two original posts, I was approached by an “authors” group who participate in 5-star review exchanges. You can read the original post by clicking the images below:

Click on this one to read part I

Click this one to read part II

I had originally thought I might infiltrate this band of idiots and expose them all, but as a result of some very sage advice from writer friends, I decided to abandon that idea, and expose just one of them on my blog, “Author” Ben Harris, Jr. Mr. Harris became, shall we say, very upset, called me  a liar and charged me with manipulating the message (even though I have the message archived, and it’s intent is very clear.)

Anyway. Now, it seems, things have been ramped up another notch. I have received four 1-star reviews on my book “The Clearing” over the last several days. I can I say I’m delighted. 🙂

See, my publisher Tim Taylor, is a very, very intelligent guy. He did a little research on Mr. Harris and the others who “reviewed” my book, and emailed his findings and conclusions to Amazon in the form of a letter of complaint.

Kinda turns out that some of the fine folks who had been in the shadows and unreachable have very kindly implicated themselves in this whole sordid affair. Oh, yeah!

I’m not worried a bit about the 1-stars. For one, none of them sound authentic, and for two, by the time Tim and I are done, they will all be discredited. Told ya, Mr. Harris, but you wouldn’t listen…

Now the shit storm is a tornado…:)

SCAM ALERT – Part II

If any of you missed my original post, I was approached by an “authors‘” group who participate in 5-star review exchanges. You can read the original post by clicking the image above.

This fine group of gentlemen supposedly “review” each other’s work, and give them 5-stars – evidently, at times, without even reading the book. In fact, “author ben harris, jr.” went so far as to tell me I could even write my own review, and another in the group would post it.

What followed was both gratifying and astonishing. It ended up being the most popular (of sorts) post I’ve ever had on my blog. Now, let me be quick to point out that isn’t the reason I post anything, as anyone who follows my blog knows. This site was created for posting news, writing tips, marketing help for other authors, and observations on life. Unfortunately, all the observations can’t be pleasant ones, and the current subject falls in the unpleasant category.

Now, it seems, Mr. Harris has taken issue with my “interpretation” of his offer. He has posted a photo of me on Facebook with “LIAR” next to it, posted a multitude of comments on this site, and threatened to have both this site and my Facebook presence shut down. Oh, and he’s also accused me of manipulating the original message he sent, in order to garner exposure for my blog. What he fails to realize, evidently, is that I have that first message archived, and can bring it forth on command. In fact, here’s the link to it –

https://www.facebook.com/messages/archived/Author.BenHarrisJr

I had originally steered clear from reporting this group to Facebook, thinking that it wasn’t worth the hassle, and satisfied myself by broadcasting to all I know.

That has now changed.

Listen closely, Mr. Harris. That faint stirring you hear outside is the first wind of a shit-storm kickin’ up.

SCAM ALERT! I was approached by a 5-star review exchange group on Facebook…

This morning, I had a message in my inbox on facebook. The content follows:

Hi Thomas,

I was wondering if you would be interested in exchanging five star reviews on Amazon? I leave stellar reviews and I also belong to a close knit group of about 25 individuals on FB who you can also exchange reviews with you. We are all about fast no BS exchanges. Some of the guys will even let you craft your own review and simply paste it for you. There is nothing better than receiving e-mails from people who REALLY read my work telling me how much they enjoyed my writing. With that being said, this is a business. How else can you explain author‘s who write plots like a kindergartner becoming best selling authors? As authors we have to stick together in our promotional efforts so that our work can become more visible to the public. If you are interested let me know. If not, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND and there will be no hard feelings.

Best Regards,

Ben

The motherless sludge sucker that sent the message goes by Author Ben Harris, Jr. 

I almost told him to go off in a corner and violate himself, but under the advice of the gracious Lucy Pireel, I politely turned him down and went on my merry way. Be on the lookout – they’re everywhere….

Brandon’s World: Indie Authors Are Spending Too Much Time On Social Self-Promotion

There are thousands of eBooks released every single week by indie authors and sometimes they feel a need to stand out in the crowd. Most turn to social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, or participate in the Goodreads community. Some people think that authors are spending too much time on social self-promotion at the expense of honing their craft.

Click on the cover to read on: