Hello, everyone, this week I’d like to address an issue that I’ve had to deal a lot with: paid promotion. Specifically, how it is a scam. Yes, paid promotion is a scam. I would hate to dismiss anyone like that, but the fact of the matter is that no one has ever presented me with any evidence that it works. That’s why I don’t use it. Furthermore, I’ve come into contact with one person after another on Twitter pretending to be a famous author who contacts me, trying to sell me on paid promotion. I seriously doubt that Suzanne Collins or Julia Quinn is really concerned about my lack of sales.

I’m not the only author who thinks so. I’ve brought another famous author to tell you about it. Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m honored to introduce all of you to the author of the Lord of the Rings: J.R.R. Tolkien! Dr. Tolkien, thank you for joining me.

Tolkien: Thank you for having me here, Jack.

Me: Explain how that happened. Some people might be under the impression that you’ve been dead for fifty years.

Tolkien: That’s what I want them to think, but as my favorite fan, you know better.

Me: Oh, thank you, I had no idea. Did you have a special message for my readers?

Tolkien: Yes, paid promotion is fraudulent. If paid promotion actually produced real results, they would be advertising those real results. They wouldn’t pretend to be famous authors if they had a real product to sell you. People with real substance don’t have to lie.

Me: Really?

Tolkien: Yeah, I mean, look at me. Even after the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings still got rejected by like twelves publishers before Allen & Unwin decided to take it on. I had to make a few compromises like breaking it into three books and not publishing the Silmarillion with it, but I got my vision out. I didn’t need to pretend to be someone I wasn’t to publish my work because it had real substance.

Me: That’s great.

Tolkien: Yes. You don’t need a fake endorsement from a fraudulent author either, Jack. I’ve read both Beer Run books. Good enough to order physical copies. I’ve also read your manuscript for Christmas in Pandemonium. Pulitzer-worthy.

Me: Thank you, that means a lot to me.

Tolkien: Don’t mention it.

As you can see folks, if someone is falsely claiming to be some famous author to sell you something, you shouldn’t trust them. Also, buy Beer Run and Christmas in Pandemonium. They come endorsed by J.R.R. Tolkien. I’m also trading reviews with Arthur Conan Doyle so keep an eye on that. Here’s a link for Beer Run: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLSVRZN5