I have a confession to make. I monitor the Internet for mentions of my name and reviews of my books. Google is fine. But I prefer Addictomatic because it pulls from a broader range of websites with a single click. At one time, I was indulging my new-author ego. Now, I wonder if search tools are essential for self-defense.
Yesterday, “Norb Vonnegut” registered a hit on a site I had never seen. So I took a look and, much to my surprise, learned that I had commented on a review of a “bestselling” fantasy novel. The author is a Princeton graduate, who now teaches at a major American university with a storied football program.
Apparently, I had commented on the review as follows:
No offense to the fantasy genre. I respect all authors—we work hard and put our feelings on the line every day. And we do it because there’s nothing more satisfying than telling a great story, which rewards readers for spending a few hours with us. But all that said, there’s no way in hell that I read her book.
(Hat tip to Prague, Oklahoma’s Kaitlin Nootbaar, who used the word “hell” in her graduation speech and is standing tall even though her high school won’t award her a diploma. But I digress.)
I won’t name the blog. I don’t want to send them the traffic. Or call them out if they have nothing to do with the theft of my name. I responded to the comment supposedly made by me, identified myself and my books, and wrote, “This is not cool.” But as of this post on Algonquin Redux, my response does not appear on the rogue blog.
Nor am I naming the author. She may have nothing to do with this fraud. I am suspicious, though, and would be disingenuous to suggest otherwise. Every single comment on the blog extolls the virtues of her book, which appears to be the best thing written since the bible. When does any author score 32 out of 32 positive comments?
One other point. To the best of my knowledge, there’s nobody else out there by the name of Norb Vonnegut. If there is, all I can say is, “Sorry for leaping to conclusions, cuz.”
Moral of the Story: When I was a stockbroker, I paid attention to reputation management and recently blogged about the topic on CNBC.com. According to Burke Files, a friend who specializes in these matters, it’s important to have a game plan ready for those times when the Internet spins your reputation out of control. I’m sad to say, I don’t have a plan.
Sure, this fake blurb may fall into the category of no harm, no foul. Life in the Internet lane, right? But I don’t like fake attribution, and I’m wondering how to handle the problem—especially because the blog has not released my comment: “This is not cool.”
Help! I’m not sure what do. Has anyone run into this problem?
Do you think I should send this link to the author in question with the hope that she’ll address the problem? Or is it better to identify the rogue blog?
The New York Times describes my novels as “money porn,” “a red-hot franchise,” and “glittery thrillers about fiscal malfeasance.” Through fiction I explore the dark side of money and the motivations of those who have it, want more, and will steamroll anybody who gets in their way.
I think a comment on a blog is something to let go of. But I’ve seen much more serious offenses, especially in Facebook ads. Stephen King seems to be blurbing an awful lot of self-pubbed books these days. I think people know that any old joe could use the name “Norb Vonnegut” or “John Grisham” or “Mark Twain” without showing proper identification when commenting on a blog. To use an author’s name in an ad, or on book jacket, that’s a different story — then there’s no mistaking that it’s you they’re attributing to.
Yikes, I hadn’t seen the Stephen King “blurbs.” I know that FB reserves the right to use user photos in ads but that’s another matter.
Ordinarily, I would be inclined to forget about the fake comment. The thing is, all 32 comments are positive. I can’t help but wonder if this is a form of new-age marketing….
I definitely see a trend. And it’s not cool at all. Actually the more I think about it, the less I’d want to let it go. Maybe contact the book’s publisher? Even if the author isn’t complicit they should know. Maybe they send ARCs to this blog and will decide to take the blog off their list.
I keep thinking the way to go is confront the author.
Definitely think you should notify the author. If she is unaware, then she should be enlightened. If she monitors mentions of her name or the title of her book on the internet (as I imagine most authors do) then she already knows about this falsification – and should take action to correct it. Her educational pedigree, if true (could it be as honest as her reviews?) would indicate that she’s an intelligent woman.
It’s critically important to safeguard your name and your reputation. If I sold second rate vacation products and put phony 5-star reviews on my site I would not be a trustworthy vacation advisor (sounds more lofty than travel agent, doesn’t it?) and word would travel amongst my clientele. I wouldn’t get referrals as being an agent you can trust with your all-too-precious vacation time and money. Similarly, his review comprises your reputation … as would your endorsement of a book on bio-genetics – it’s just not your genre. If other authors you DO know consider asking you to endorse their novels, could this influence them? Yes, I think it could – and that’s not right.
Am interested to see if you get any response from the author. If not, then I WOULD go to the publisher.
Should read “Similarly this review …” not “his review”.
Dorothy, I think the book is five years old and doubt that the publisher cares. But I could be wrong–because there are a few comments on the blog that suggest a sequel is in the works. I think you’re right. I plan to contact the author. I hope she’s as surprised as I was.
I have not had experience with this but thanks for the tip on Addictomatic. I have been using Google Alerts but will try this now. I would absolutely contact the blog and “Norb” who concocted this and confront them to see how and why this was devised. You could always do a f/u post here on the results!
Great idea, Donna, about the update on this story. Will do.
Internet rants and concentrated attacks are devastating. One can wage a war on your reputation and there is little you can do to stop it. I have seen good men and women financial ruined by @##$&^%%$^% who can blog and lie all day and all night long. The new term of art is an “Internet Hit”. One particular case had 800 blog ids that through analyzation of the grammar and punctuation in the posts we could drop down to 12 people.
Some effective responses have been to name names and address of the posters and their beef with you, but this does not always have the desired results. DMCA and constant pressure tot he web sites and hosts will in time have the effect – but it does take time – a lot of time.
Burke, I like that expression “Internet hit.”
Norb, my devious mind wonders who gains the most by posting a fraudulent comment—the review blog or the author? Curious to hear if the author writes back to you. More curious why the blog didn’t remove the offending false review in addition to not posting your comment. Slams the hell out of the blog’s credibility.
Social media is buzzing this week on the paid/false review subject. Thanks for the tip on Addictomatic. Is it time for us to hire a review sheriff?
Rochelle, the author came back to me, and the verdict is not guilty. Frankly, it comes as a huge relief. She pointed out that the blog is confusing, a “muddle” to use her word. Many of the positive comments actually apply to a different author, also in the fantasy genre.
I’m inclined to think the blog is the entity with the hidden agenda, because I commented yet again and my words do not register on the site. As for the first author, my new friend, I sent her a copy of The Gods of Greenwich. I have yet to contact the second author and doubt I will. I probably owe this site a larger update.
I saw the article in the NYT about paid, positive reviews. The flip side of that are “Internet hits’ which Burke mentions above. I think Michael Lewis’s book, The Big Short, was slammed with a bunch of one-star ratings for not being available in electronic form. Maybe it was the pricing. I don’t remember. But I thought it sad that ratings were used to attack issues unrelated to his book. The Big Short is terrific.