Spam and book promotion

This morning the book-blog was hit by three spam comments, each allegedly written by a different commenter. I deleted them and banned the (two different) associated IP addresses, then turned on moderation. Thing is, all of the comments were attached to the same post, and each was recommending a different book by the same author--no one you'll ever have heard of, by the way. All three recommended books seem to be self-published.

So, this is what the spammer must have intended, that I and everyone who stumbled on that post believe that within a few minutes three unrelated people decided to recommend three different, self-published books all written by the same author. Which, obviously, passes belief. So what, then, is the point of this spam? It's not an effective promotional tool. If you're going to bother spamming a site with a view to publicizing your books, oughtn't you at least do it with some intelligence?

Listen: if you have a book or books that you want to publicize, do not do this. Do not post phony blurbs on people's blogs using pseudonyms. It's transparent. More importantly, it's dishonest. I suppose there must be some bloggers out there who don't care much if there's trash in their commments and would let the spam stay, and I suppose there are blog readers who won't hold it against you if you're dishonestly trying to promote your book. But then again there's me: not only have I deleted the comments and banned the IPs, but I might have done more. If this were an author my readers were likely to have heard of, I would have mentioned her by name here with a warning to stay away from the books. And I would never have read them or purchasd them for others or recommended them to anyone. But as it is none of us are likely to be buying this woman's books anyway, so there's no point in publicizing her name at all.

But I really am at a loss to imagine what this person hoped to achieve. Any ideas?

Tags: book promiton, comment spam, self-publishing, spam

Comments

[The Oracle]

1.

Did the spammy comments include web site links? It could have been a desperate attempt to gain more attention from the search engines and get a better page rank.

[Tom]

2.

Google uses number of links to determine placement on web searches so The Oracle might be right.

[Debra Hamel]

3.

Actually, no, no links other than the link to the commenter's name. In two cases the link given was amazon.com--the basic site, not a specific page--and in one it was mandala-press.com. So this wouldn't seem to explain it.

[The Oracle]

4.

Considering that three similar comments were attached to the same post, could it have been automated spam? Or does this woman actually expect anyone to believe that three persons chose to praise her book independently of each other, within a short time period?

I agree that spam isn't effective, but it must work for some people some of the time or they would have given up by now.

(My blog doesn't get enough traffic to attract the spammers, but after writing about Satanism I got two comments that were obviously left by the same person. She signed her name the first time, then wrote another comment anonymously. I suppose that she wanted to give the impression that all of two people were accusing me of engaging in unmentionable acts with goats...)

[Debra Hamel]

5.

So you deny the goat business, then?

Here's an example of the spam:

AROMATHERAPY & HERBALISM by Rochelle Moore

My review for this book would be 10 out of 10
Rochelle Moore shows her readers with great ease
how to self-treat ailments both physical and psychological
by the use of essential oils,herbs, flowers etc.,
Im getting quite good at it myself
The book covers
anxiety,acne,agraophobia,guilt,hostility,fears,flu,right through to
worry and warts.

Excellent book

You'll note that I have now mentioned the author and book, which I hadn't intended, but so be it. As I say, the author was the same for all three comments, but the books and remarks and the commenters' alleged identities were different.

[Ian Hocking]

6.

Hi Debra

Some Cuban bloke posted spam about his novel to my blog. I tracked him down - mostly because he was an academic, and I wanted to tell him how bloody rude it was - and we had a glorious email exchange involving lots of swearwords. His last email was bizarrely contrite, and that was the last I heard of him. Anyway, trying to plug your book by pissing people off is a somewhat unique approach, and I doubt its effectiveness.

[Debra Hamel]

7.

Wow. You're a brave man, Ian. It just occurred to me to check the email addresses that were supplied, and they're all different hotmail addresses, and probably fake.

I can still become incensed by the whole Amazon issue, too. I didn't look too closely, but it looks like this author is doing it: posting/having posted fake reviews.

Really, you have to be able to look yourself in the mirror every day. Have these people no shame?

[The Oracle]

8.

Moore is absolutely hilarious. She posted about her books on Digg, and followed up with comments meant to look like they're made by somebody else - it's just that she forgot to sign in as a different user.

I most certainly deny travelling to Australia to molest goats. I'm not that financially irresponsible.

[Debra Hamel]

9.

Oh boy. Yeah, she's been busy at the book-blog again today. But since I'm now vetting comments over there it was easier for me.

Smart thinking on the goats: with so many available locally there's no point to travel.

[MANDALA PRESS USA]

10.

DEBRA,
I have been directed here by one of my authors who happened upon your blog site.

Firstly, Mandala-Press is NOT a self-publishing company
Secondly, The author that you refer to is one of our bestselling clients in the self-help (metaphysical) genre in the USA.
Thirdly, Please retract your statement immediately and post an apology to our author on your webblog
and/or send your official name and address to the following address so that the matter may be resolved legally:

MANAGING EDITOR
MANDALA PRESS
FELIX STREET
ST JOSEPH
MISSOURI 64501
USA.

Awaiting a very early reply.
T Share

[Debra Hamel]

11.

Shall I also post the five pieces of spam that I received over the course of two days raving about that author's books? All from "different" commenters but from only three separate IP addresses?

In my view, the preponderance of the evidence supports the opinions I expressed in my piece.

[MANDALA PRESS USA]

12.

Please foward your Business Name, Address and contact telephone number as outlined in my initial correspondence. Neither Mandala Press nor the author are going to allow this liabelous accusations stand without legal retort.
T Share

[MANDALA PRESS USA]

13.

PLEASE CONFIRM THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION

NAME: DEBRA HAMEL
AGE: 42

LOCATION: NORT HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, USA

OCCUPATION: AUTHOR - GRADUATED JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
Quote:
"INCLUDES NUGGETS ABOUT THE IMPOSITION OF PENALTIES ON THE LOSER OF A LAWSUIT"

Please confirm the above information.
T Share

[Eric Barelka]

14.

Ummm....T SHare? Shouldn't that be "legal *response*", and isn't it wicked to engage in LIBELOUS behavior? As an individual with an enormous respect for the rule of law, as well as the nuances of legal definition, I often find myself attempting to clarify exactly which confrontations are legal matters, and which are the result of infantile posturing. Plus, correct spelling is one of my pet peeves.

Oh, and Debra's pet peeve is correct grammar. So clean up your messages a bit, will ya?

[Maxine]

15.

As you say, Debra, it is impossible to think what T Share alias R Moore is trying to achieve here, maybe to intimidate you with parting with some money to make her go away perhaps? Maybe you could send her a roll of used toilet paper (if you have any left) instead?

[Aelwyn]

16.

Hi there!

Someone on a message board on Facebook directed me to your link here: http://dhamel.typepad.com/deblog/2006/11/mandala_press_t.html, and I followed your link on that blog to this one.

ROCHELLE MOORE is a fraud. She has posted on MULTIPLE Pagan/Wiccan/Witchcraft groups on Facebook advertising her books (specifically her newest one). Then she does the same thing as she has done on your blog, and Digg, etc. She posts "reviews" or "comments" from "fans".

She even has a group on Facebook called "Witches of Facebook". If you DARE disagree with her, you get hate mail from at least 4 "different" people, and removed from the group, and then they/she run about different groups bad mouthing you.

It happens regularly, and she ALWAYS posts on the Paganism and Wicca group, which she has now been banned from twice (at least), because it's the largest Pagan group on Facebook. I am often a target of hers, as I'm quite vocal against her bullshit, and a mod of that group. She and her "fans" are now attacking a regular member of our group who did not hold back in telling her off about the spam that happened yesterday on our group (posting of a "paragraph from her book" about Litha--basically, copy and pasted information from 'net sources--which I suspect is what her books are comprised of).

Anyhow, I'm glad Lesley pointed your site out to me. I will now link this about FB, so people will know how long she has been pulling this crap.

Thanks!
Aelwyn