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Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware I've been getting a lot of questions recently about Paul Hollingshead and the Barefoot Writer's Club (part of American Writers & Artists Inc. , which sells courses that promise to help you "Learn How You Can Become a Six-Figure Copywriter"). To be honest, I've been hesitant to write this post, because Barefoot/AWAI advocates are vigilant about responding to discussions of their products, and likely will show up here to extol the virtues of the program (to see what I mean, take a look at this long-running discussion on Writer Beware's Facebook page). But judging by how often writers ask me whether the Club is worthwhile and/or legit, it's pretty active in soliciting members--and I think it merits a caution. Right on the homepage of The Barefoot Writer, you can see what it's all about. "Discover 9 Ways You Can Make a VERY Good Living as a Writer!" "Making a Living as a Writer Has Never ...

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware UPDATE: This lawsuit, along with another brought later, was  dismissed in August 2015 . In April of this year, the law firm of Giskan Solotaroff Anderson & Stewart filed a class action lawsuit against Author Solutions Inc. (ASI) and its parent, Penguin Group , on behalf of three plaintiffs, alleging breach of contract, unjust enrichment, various violations of the California Business and Professional Code, and violation of New York General Business Law.. My blog post about the filing, including the full text of the initial Complaint, can be seen here . Not surprisingly, ASI and Penguin filed a motion to dismiss . On July 19, Giskan Solotaroff filed an Amended Complaint, which can be seen here . On August 23, Penguin moved to dismiss the Amended Complaint in its entirety, and ASI moved to dismiss the claims of one of the three plaintiffs in their entirety, and all but the breach of contract claims of the other two plaintiffs. P...

The honor of your presence is requested at a Memorial Ceremony to celebrate and remember the life and writing of Ann C. Crispin. The Memorial Ceremony will be held at Running Hare Vineyard in Prince Frederick, Maryland on Wednesday, September 25. There will be an Open House with light refreshments from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM, with the ceremony from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM, coinciding with sunset, which takes place exactly at 7:00 PM. We will definitely need an RSVP from anyone who intends to come, preferably before Friday, September 20, sent to michael [at] michael-capobianco.com. Questions? Email, or leave a comment here. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Hospice of Charles County, 2505 Davis Rd., Waldorf MD.

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware EDITED 10/13 TO ADD: Mark Teppo has confirmed that Jason Williams has resigned from Resurrection House.  I had this post ready to go on Friday, but it was pre-empted by news of Ann Crispin's death. I was considering letting the blog sit silent for a week--but in light of the fools and trolls who are dreaming of Writer Beware's demise, I've decided to carry on as usual. It's what Ann would have wanted. ********************** A brand new publisher has hung out a web shingle: Resurrection House . As of this writing, its website is pretty bare: a single page with a mission statement, a call for submissions, and a link to a cryptic YouTube video. As yet, no books have been published; there's also no information about staff. You can't even tell what genres Resurrection House is interested in. I always advise authors to be cautious about approaching a brand-new publisher . There's a high attrition rate among new small ...

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware Ann Crispin, best-selling author, Writer Beware co-founder, fearless fighter in the scam wars, beloved wife and mother, my friend, died this morning after a two-year struggle with cancer. I'll write a memorial for her later on--right now, I don't have the words. In the meantime, Tor.com has posted an obituary . Ann's death is a huge blow, personally and professionally. But to all you writers, readers, and subscribers (and scammers): know that Writer Beware will NOT be going dark, slowing down, or otherwise pausing in its work. We're here for the long haul. Please honor Ann's memory, and her work, by reading her books and spreading the word about Writer Beware.

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware Ann posted this message yesterday on her Facebook page: I've been hesitant to make this post, but it's time. I want to thank you all for your good wishes and prayers. I fear my condition is deteriorating. I am doing the best I can to be positive but I probably don't have an awful lot of time left. I want you all to know that I am receiving excellent care and am surrounded by family and friends. I wish all aspiring writers the will to finish and a good contract. Please continue to monitor Writer Beware and be careful who you sign with. Victoria Strauss and Richard White are there to help. I've asked Michael to collect and read me your messages. As I don't know how things will proceed, I don't know if I'll have the strength to post on Facebook again. Though I've known for some time that this moment was coming, it doesn't make it any easier. This photo, taken last September during a wonderful Cape Cod vacati...