Extremely Important Warning Regarding Our Agency: A Deidre Knight Impersonator on the Loose
Yes, it’s true, and while I’m being tongue-in-cheek with my title on this blog entry, the truth is very serious, and I would appreciate all my loyal blog readers spreading the word. The story has gotten back to me through my fellow agent and friend, Roberta Brown, who heard about the situation from some of her clients. Apparently about three weeks ago someone claiming to be me sent a blanket email to roughly forty e-pub authors offering representation to anyone who was interested, “guaranteeing” a sale in NYC and claiming to charge only 10%. This is VERY serious business. Any of you who frequent this blog can imagine my take on this email—I believe some scam artist has decided to target writers and possibly charge fees or perhaps it’s someone wishing to discredit me.
Something like this bothers me on many levels. First of all, this is my reputation that it calls into question. So whoever tried this scam should know I plan to take legal action and pursue this to the fullest extent possible if it happens again. Second, the obvious use of my name to potentially take advantage of authors really galls me (obviously). Lastly, the implication that someone got so pissed at me, probably via a rejection, that they decided to try and blacken my reputation is equally annoying.
However, all of that is totally tolerable because of one thing—I know my reputation speaks for itself. Please would you guys who blog link to this blog with a warning note—that if anyone is receiving blanket offers of representation from our agency or anyone claiming to be with our agency, to forward it to me at Deidre.Knight@knightagency.net.
Many thanks!
And in much happier news, I posted on the contest thread with a GREAT announcement for all!
Deidre
Something like this bothers me on many levels. First of all, this is my reputation that it calls into question. So whoever tried this scam should know I plan to take legal action and pursue this to the fullest extent possible if it happens again. Second, the obvious use of my name to potentially take advantage of authors really galls me (obviously). Lastly, the implication that someone got so pissed at me, probably via a rejection, that they decided to try and blacken my reputation is equally annoying.
However, all of that is totally tolerable because of one thing—I know my reputation speaks for itself. Please would you guys who blog link to this blog with a warning note—that if anyone is receiving blanket offers of representation from our agency or anyone claiming to be with our agency, to forward it to me at Deidre.Knight@knightagency.net.
Many thanks!
And in much happier news, I posted on the contest thread with a GREAT announcement for all!
Deidre
posted by Deidre Knight at 1:13 AM
38 Comments:
Done.
I hope you catch them. What a cruel thing to do to you and the authors who receive the email.
Good news on the contest! Here's hoping. :)
Thanks, Gina. I appreciate that! D
Oh, good grief! Is there any particular email address that the spoofers are using? I can just say that if people get any kind of unsolicited offer claiming to be from you, please forward it to you. But that might mean you start having lots of stuff in your personal email folder.
What's the contest, by the way?
--Shalanna Collins
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Deidre,
I've passed the word along on my blog as you've asked. I think this is a horrible thing to do both to you and the writers who are receiving these emails.
Good luck on tracking this individual down. They certainly need to be stopped!
~Marly
Eeeek, Deidre. This is horribly cruel to the authors, and a vicious thing to do to you. I'm so sorry you came back to this situation, and I hope you are able to catch this person. I posted about this on EPIC, the large professional group for e-pubbed authors, and provided a link to your blog entry, so hopefully many e-pubbed authors will be made aware of the situation.
Deidre, I'm posting this on my personal blog, the Romance Divas blog and I'll post in the Romance Divas Forum.
We'll get the word out, not to worry.
Hi Jaycee!
Oh the Places You Will Go is the ONLY Dr. Seuss book I like, and I don't just like it, I LOVE it!! It's a wonderful book. So inspirational and I bought one for my youngest when she was born. I read it to her when I can get her to sit still! LOL
Deidre,
What a horrible, horrible person that is! You need a cyber detective to find out where that email originated (I'm being completely serious here!). I hope their bad karma's winging back to them in a big way.
Wow. That's serious stuff! Hope this gets resolved quickly, Deidre. Of all people, I can't think of anybody who less deserves this kind of headache!
Passed it on to the Chick Lit RWA loop. Someone, somewhere has heard something...or will. Most people like this are caught by word of mouth. So sorry this is happening, D!
Hugs,
Shannon
I should add that if someone does get the fake e-mail to include the e-mail headers when they forward the message. This helps the ISPs to track down the source.
I'm sitting here with my mouth open. Some people have *no* shame.
I posted the link on the Forward Motion boards. And I second that if someone forwards you the message, ask them if they can copy the actually header. That information is lost with a forward and critical for tracking down email fraud.
Good luck with catching this person. They managed to harm you and the hopes of everyone who got the message whether or not they acted on it.
Margaret
Shocking! I'm pretty gobsmacked by this one. I'll pass the word along.
Wow Deidre - this is so upsetting! I'm so sorry for you. What is wrong with people? Anyway - I blogged it for you to help spread the word...
Mar
Deidre, so sorry this happened to you! Identity threat, in a variety of forms, seems to be the rage these days. The other day, I got a voicemail message leaving the number of a CT congresswoman. When I returned the call, an aide told me some prankster had been leaving messages for people to call the congresswoman back all over the state.
Thank you so much, guys. I appreciate the good words. :)
And be sure to check out the update on the contest, too! That's a happier update! Hugs, d
Wow, Deidre, I'm shocked. They didn't email ME offering representation? Don't they realize I'm an epubbed author? I'm not sure whether to be relieved or offended.
Seriously, I'm hopping over to my on-line diary to mention this right now.
Cindy
Not nice. I hope you catch whoever is doing this.
Yikes!! That's dreadful. I'll post the warning on the Passionate Ink boards.
I have a very small, very new weblog, but I'll pass along the message to my readers, too.
Just catching up on the news buzzing along the RWA airwaves about this and I'm completely horrified. Totally classless. I hope you nail the bastards, Deidre.
Marley = )
Posted on my blog. Hopefully spread the word a little further.
Barb
Honestly.
Just when I think nothing else will surprise me...
Sorry to hear about this D. It's just wrong.
I've read about this on a half dozen loops. I wonder what makes someone do something like that? Here's hoping you find out who it is.
You guys have done an AMAZING job getting the word out! Way to go!! Thanks!!
Sorry this happened to you! This is wrong on soooo many levels. It's not fair to you or any of the authors...or anyone in the publishing industry in general who will have to deal with the fallout of such a scam. But it sounds like the word is spreading quickly, so let's hope nobody falls for it.
Dawn
In the world of internet, scams have become easier, Deidre. I've received emails from people using my domains to advertise products. Can you believe it?
I hope you get to the root of this problem.
It's unbelievable that someone would do this and try to ruin your good name and reputation.
I've linked this post to my blog, and I plan to tell everyone about it.
I'll pass along your warning to my email loops. I hope you uncover this miscreant and are able to deliver a proper chastisement. This kind of behavior puts a black eye on the entire publishing community.
I'm so sorry that this is happening to you, Deirdre. If I hear anything or find anyone I know has received such an email, I'll let them know to send it to you intact.
Any idea on how recently this started or for how long this has been going on?
Best wishes for this to be resolved quickly for you.
Cyn Witkus
It appears there is always someone out there that can find a way to get something for nothing!
I agree with you Ms Knight, that targeting authors is hateful. Most of us struggle daily to find a good, reputable agent to help us in our quest for publication. I guess that makes us easy targets, and especially when the fradulent email appears to come from a reputable agent.
Having been on the receiving end of many rejections, I can tell you it is a hard pill to swallow, but swallow it we do, or at least most of us do, without thoughts of reprisals against the rejecting agent.
I have always maintained that writing is a tough business, and if you plan to write, you'd better develope the one thing that will keep you sane: a tough skin!!
Obvioulsy this person has neither a tough skin or any shred of integrity.
I can only hope this person isn't a writer! We have a hard enough time of it without some Bozo taking pot shots at agents.
Rest assured, if I ever receive such an email, I most definitely will send it straight to you.
I hope you find this person, and I hope you do prosecute to the fullest extent.
There is no acceptable reason for anyone to pull this.
Best of luck to you in finding this person, Ms Knight and thank you for the warning.
I will post this to my own blog.
I'm putting the notice on the RWAeAPPS group. A lot of e-authors hang out there.
Fredericka
Hi there Deidre,
My name's Anna, and I'm a writer up in the Pacific Northwest. I run a small community on Livejournal and know a few folks who, like me, are still struggling to find the proper fit for an agent and/or publisher. I got word of this warning from another LJ user, and wanted to come thank you for giving the writing community the heads up.
I will relay word to the community I run!
Cheers,
Anna
Posted on my blog and also in my writing groups. Hope the creep gets found out soon!
I'm coming in late to say first how I'm disgusted by this situation -- some people are really, really sick. Second, I'm posting this on Absolute Write and on my own blog. I'm sorry this happened to you.
I posted most of your post to my blog, just to get the information out a little more. You can find it at www.writeknitspinohmy.blogspot.com
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