My experience: Someone will always try to shoot you down!

Here’s a story that will curl your toes!

Once upon a time, there were two reasonably successful Indie authors (I was one of the authors) who met on a writer’s site, Authonomy. They supported each other for quite a few months on the site and eventually both ended up on the Ed’s desk where a Harper Collins editor reviewed both books.

The thing is that after I reached the Ed’s desk I went through the other author’s book to ensure that it was the best it could be before it was thrust in front of the HC editor the following month.

His MS was full of passive sentences and adverbs. When these were highlighted he sent me an email that said, “Mel, I’ll be forever indebted for your advice, I had no idea about overusing ‘ly’ words or eradicating passive sentences.” He even went as far as to name me as editor on his book.

In October 2010, I was the one who told him about uploading his MS as an ebook, again he was very grateful for the advice. I sat back and watched his book shoot out of the starting blocks and rise up the chart to just outside the top 100 in the UK. No one could’ve been more delighted to see his success.

We were both busy promoting our own books and the daily emails to each other dwindled. Then in May 2011 my thriller Impeding Justice took off in both the UK and the US. My rank in the UK reached as high as #37 and in the US #234. Then a funny thing started to happen, suspect one star reviews started to appear on my book. I was beside myself and contacted Amazon who agreed they were false and had no hesitation in taking them down.

I contacted this other writer and told him that I thought another author ‘had it in for me’, his response was “Don’t be ridiculous why on earth would they effing do that?” I then told him that Amazon was monitoring my account.

To my amazement the one stars miraculously dried up.

So everything went along hunky dory until I received a devastating message on Facebook this week.

Here it is:

Mel, I’ve just read Impeding Justice and thought it was a fantastic read. I went to the tags on your page and wanted to tick all the relevant ones. What I found there both appalled and shocked me. I’m just letting you know that I’ve reported someone for leaving derogatory tags on your book.

I’m amazed that this person, who has always come across as a genuine and charming gentleman on the forums would stoop so low. I’m one of his biggest fans and am flabbergasted he would treat a fellow author, someone who has invested their valuable time to make him a better author, in such a disgusting manner.

If I recall rightly, didn’t you used to be named as his editor at one time?

End of message.

The lady in question sent me a link and there was the evidence for all to see.

Impeding Justice (Revised version) (DI Lorne Simpkins thriller (Book Two)) by Mel Comley

Avg. customer review:    (51)

Download: £0.72

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Tagged on May 2, 2011

(Name of person here) Tags: pedestrian crap, another spammer, spammer, rape

He added these tags after giving my book a five star review, I hasten to add. Here’s the review.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stuff! Horrific, taut and powerful!, 11 Oct 2010

By 

(Name of person)Cheshire, England) - - See all my reviews

This review is from: Impeding Justice (Revised version) (DI Lorne Simpkins thriller (Book Two)) (Kindle Edition)

A fantastic novel, full of surprises and tension that grips from the first page. This could be a huge hit. I am a friend of the writer, I want to make that clear, but I did read the book before we became friends and genuinely feel it is great thriller writing that is engaging and accessible. I loved it.

End of review.

As you can imagine this little stunt and vindictive behaviour has absolutely floored me this week. So much so that I almost pulled my books from Amazon. But then in the end, who would be the winner if I did that?

Along with his fan writing and complaining to Amazon, I also wrote and this was part of Amazon’s response. The rest of the email is personal and involves what further action they’re considering.

Dear Melanie,

Thank you for letting us know about the Tags that do not follow our guidelines. I've removed the Pedestrian Crap and Another Spammer, because these were from another author and they should disappear from the website soon.
However, the Tags rape and spammer were tag by several people and the Tags themselves are within guidelines and will not be removed. I apologise if this causes you any frustration.

End of email.

I have since noticed that my other thrillers have had tags attached that are also derogatory and if Amazon don’t remove these I will have no hesitation in taking the matter further. To do something so public is a very foolish deed.

This whole episode has left a very bitter taste in my mouth, and whereas in the past I’ve bent over backwards to help other Indies out with advice or promo ideas, I will not be doing it in the future.

Sorry guys, but through one person’s mindless and vindictive actions I’m wary about helping anyone in the future.

Just as a word of warning to other Indies out there, be careful of other’s envy!