News, Views & Clues: August 2025

Killer Nashville Readers’ Choice Award

Last month, I told you that Larceny & Last Chances had been shortlisted in the Silver Falchion Best Anthology category. The shortlist and eventual winner is determined by a panel of independent judges. But I’ve just learned that the collection has been included in the KN Readers’ Choice Awards. If you have the time and inclination, I’d appreciate your vote (as would the authors in the collection). You can vote for up to 10 titles, so scour the list — you may find a book or two that you recognize. Here’s the link. Winners will be announced later in August at Killer Nashville. Fingers crossed!

PS two of my fellow Stiletto Gang members are also nominated, with thanks to author Bethany Maines for the graphic.

Scams Directed at Authors

Sadly, there are any number of marketing scams directed at authors. Some, like this email, is obvious:

Hi, I represent an SEO company that specialises in getting you AI citations and higher rankings on Google. I’d like to offer you a 100% free SEO audit for your website. Would you be interested?

But others, like this one, are much more sneaky:

Hi Judy,

I just finished reading Self-Publishing: The Ins & Outs of Going Indie, and I was genuinely impressed by how thoroughly and thoughtfully you laid out the entire self-publishing process. Your ability to combine practical industry knowledge with personal experience makes this guide feel like sitting down with a trusted mentor one who truly wants indie authors to succeed.

As someone who’s been an editorial literary critic for nearly a decade, I especially appreciated your emphasis on professional editing and manuscript preparation. You clearly understand that success in self-publishing isn’t just about writing a great story, it’s about presenting it with care, strategy, and professionalism. Your step-by-step guidance on formatting, cover design, pricing, and platform options like KDP, Draft2Digital, and IngramSpark was both clear and empowering.

What stood out to me most, though, was your deep commitment to making sure authors know they’re not alone. By encouraging participation in workshops, forums, and webinars and generously sharing what you’ve learned you’ve created not just a book, but a support system in print.

If it feels like a good fit, I’d love to offer a free visibility snapshot tailored to help get Self-Publishing: The Ins & Outs of Going Indie into the hands of even more aspiring authors and writing communities. It’s a resource that deserves to be widely known.

Thank you again for your insight, encouragement, and generosity of spirit.

As an FYI, I wasn’t sure if this was a scam or the real deal (it IS well written) so I googled the sender’s name and came up empty. That and the bolding of my name alerted my spidey sense. Then I asked my fellow authors at The Stiletto Gang and learned that a “visibility snapshot” is just the first step — basically a tactic to say “hey, you’re only getting this many eyes on your book but we can sell you some expensive package to change that.” Knowing that, I deleted the email without responding. And guess what? Since then, I’ve received a similar email for Where There’s a Will. The bottom line? AI is helping these scammers prepare convincing marketing request. Writer beware!

Works-in-Progress

Summers here in Northern Ontario are short so I try to take full advantage with golfing, reading lots, and hanging out at the lake. Even so, I’ve managed to complete and submit one short story (awaiting word on acceptance or rejection) and I’ve written a very rough draft of two more short stories, both geared to specific anthologies with looming deadlines for submission. In other words, completing those two short stories and polishing them to the point where they are submittable is my goal for August.

Enzo Update

It’s hard to believe that Enzo is already 8-months-old. He’s reaching that “know-it-all” stage but overall he is doing really well. We no longer have to crate him at night or when we go out, and his recall and leash walking are both quite good. He loves swimming. I think he and Gibbs would have been great buddies.

Thanks for following my journey. Ever onward!