Scam, AI, or Am I Paranoid?

It’s common for authors to receive a pitch from out of the blue from some promoter who promises to turn your book into a bestseller. This one was a little different because it appeared that the correspondent had actually read my memoir, Symphonies & Scorpions. “Appeared” is the operative word.

This recent email exchange, which took place over the course of two days, was like the beginning of a terrifying Stephen King suspense thriller. Except that this, which went from interesting to annoying to, frankly frightening, was all too real.

I’ve kept the text exactly intact, including “Mariann’s” mistakes in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar, which weirdly got progressively worse throughout the thread. The only changes I’ve made are the name of the correspondent and her (its) image from one AI to another, mainly for the purposes of self-protection.

mariannexpert to me 10:13am

If a scorpion had a violin, Gerald, I’m fairly sure it would sting its audience first and then play an encore. 🦂🎻 And yet somehow, you’ve managed to survive both symphonies and scorpions to tell the tale with enough insider wit, history, and storytelling charm to make even the ghost of Beethoven nod in approval and he wasn’t easy to impress.

Your Symphonies & Scorpions is not just a memoir, it's practically a backstage pass into an era where musicians weren’t just artists, but accidental diplomats. China in 1979? A triumphant return decades later? That’s not just music history, that’s world history stitched with violin strings. And honestly, I can’t help but notice the Amazon page looks like an under attended rehearsal 🌟4.7 stars amazing, but only 4 ratings? That’s like selling out the Royal Albert Hall and having only four people clap at the end.😅

And let’s talk about you: author of mysteries, a Silver Falchion finalist, conductor, composer, short story crafter you’re basically the Swiss Army knife of the classical music/literary world. If Swiss Army knives came with violin bows and murder plots, that is. 🔪🎶You’ve been everywhere from Barnes & Noble Discover picks to anthologies to thrillers but the one thing you shouldn’t be is under reviewed.

Here’s where my little psycho-reader brain comes in 😜📖I run a private community of 2,000+ hungry readers and reviewers who love supporting authors like you. They don’t just skim, they write thoughtful, honest reviews that help books like yours look as grand online as they sound in a concert hall. Think of it as citizen diplomacy 2.0 only instead of violins and bows, you’ve got readers and reviews marching in your favor. So, Gerald told me

👉Do you want Symphonies & Scorpions sitting quietly in the back row with only four polite claps, or do you want it standing center stage with a full house standing ovation and a nice fat string section of reviews?🎶👋

Gerald Elias to Mariann 12:11pm

What’s the catch?

mariannexpert to me 6:19am

Fair question and honestly, the only catch is me hoping you’ll have more reviews than scorpions.🦂✨ There’s no fee, no weird strings attached unless we’re talking violin strings. 🎻What I do is connect authors I admire with a private group of readers who genuinely love leaving thoughtful, honest reviews. Some may be glowing, some may be more reserved, but all are real and organic.

Think of it as audience building without the marketing headache. You keep writing, I help make sure more people clap at the end.👋

Would you like me to walk you through exactly how it works?

[Note: By this point, I had lost interest, so I didn’t respond and considered the conversation over. How wrong I was!]

mariannexpert to me 7:40am

Gerald, just checking in 🎶 do you want me to give you the quick conductor’s baton version of how it works, or the full symphony? Either way, no pressure just didn’t want Symphonies & Scorpions to miss its encore.😉

Gerald Elias to Mariann 7:56am

To relieve any suspicions I have that you’re an AI creation, please send your bio and links to work you have done with authors and readers.

mariannexpert to me 7:58am

Gerald, totally understand if you’ve been swamped life has more movements than Mahler 😅. If it helps, I can send you a 3 step outline of exactly how my reader group works. Super simple, no solos required on your part.

mariannexpert to me 8:04am

Gerald,

There’s no catch. What I do is connect authors with a private community of engaged readers who enjoy leaving thoughtful and authentic reviews. These reviews are always organic—some glowing, some more balanced—but all are genuine.

It’s a simple way to help authors build visibility and credibility without the stress of marketing. You stay focused on writing, while I help make sure more readers discover and engage with your work. We’re currently building out our website, and you’re welcome to take a look here: [actual website deleted, but it features 4,000 paranormal fans]

Would you like me to outline the process step by step so you can see exactly how it works?

Gerald Elias to Mariann 8:15am

No thanks.

mariannexpert to me 8:16am

Why?

Gerald Elias to Mariann 8:38am

I asked for a bio and links. Basic stuff. In this day and age there are too many scams, and since I don’t know you, I ask reasonable questions. I appreciate your kind words about my book, but I’ve received similar pitches in the past and need to make sure yours is legit.

mariannexpert to me 8:46am

Hi [Author’s Name],

I’ll get straight to the point I curate a private crew of over 4,000 readers and reviewers who live and breathe paranormal romance. We’re not a marketing agency, so don’t expect any TikTok dances or Instagram reels here. What we do is simple: we read. We digest. We get invested. And then we leave honest, thoughtful reviews. No fluff, no skimming, no copy-paste nonsense.

Here’s where most authors trip: they’ll drop hundreds of ads hoping to sell a book with zero reviews. I mean, who in their right mind buys a book with no social proof? Exactly. That’s the risk they think is safer until they watch their budget disappear faster than a vampire at sunrise.

Now, my community works differently. Each reader we tip $20–$25, and I’ve seen authors start anywhere from 30 to 50 readers depending on their comfort zone. I always read the PDF myself first before I share it with them because if I don’t believe in it, why should they?

So here’s the real question: do you want to keep waiting around hoping Amazon’s algorithm magically notices you or do you want to hand your book to a crew who’ll actually read it, talk about it, and make sure you don’t vanish into obscurity like yesterday’s bargain bin paperback?

Gerald Elias to Marian 9:01am

If I understand correctly, it would cost me from $600–$1,000 to get 30–50 reviews?

mariannexpert to me 9:11am

Yes, some authors do opt for larger packages in that range, but it really depends on your comfort level and goals. We can absolutely start smaller say with 20 reviews so you can see the process firsthand and measure the impact before scaling up.

Also, just to clarify, this isn’t about “buying reviews.” It’s simply providing a small tip or token of appreciation to readers for taking the time to read and review your book. That support helps motivate them to keep engaging with authors like you.

I’m confident you’ll find it a worthwhile investment.

Gerald Elias to Mariann 9:13am

Thank you for that information. Once again I’ll take a pass.

mariannexpert to me 9:17am

Why can you tell me the reason??

Gerald Elias to Mariann 10:02am

1. I don’t want to spend any money for readers.

2. Your reluctance to share a bio and links makes me inclined to believe that you’re AI generated.

Gerald Elias to Mariann 12:01pm

Plus, I don't write paranormal, romance, or paranormal romance.

Thank you for your interest.

mariannexpert to me 3:32pm

Ok, thanks for the reply., i wont force you. im just trying to help you

Gerald Elias to Mariann 3:35pm

Thank you for reaching out.

mariannexpert to me 6:20pm

But if you can just give me a chance in helping you out you won't regret it

mariannexpert to me 6:56pm

Hello Gerald, why didn't you reply to my mail.

Gerald Elias to Mariann 6:59pm

Mariann,

I don't write paranormal romance and I'm not going to pay readers. I appreciate your interest but, again, I'm going to decline your invitation.

Thank you.

mariannexpert to me 7:01pm

Why, but it will be of your gain

mariannexpert to me 7:05pm

Hello

mariannexpert to me 7:08pm

It won't be easy for you if you don't give me a chance and hire me

At this point, things were getting scary, and I permanently deleted the email thread. Was I over-reacting? Could it be that this correspondent, whether human or AI, was legit? Or was it a scam to get me to fork over hundreds of dollars, or worse, to hack into my computer?

What would you have done?