That flattering book marketing email is probably a bot
-
R. S. Breed Founder
Writer Beware wrote in October about bot-driven "book marketing" campaigns. If you've got a book out, there's a fair chance one has already found you.
These work because they don't read like spam. They name your book. They pick out a theme or a plot point that sounds as if someone has actually read it, usually lifted straight from your book description. When genuine reader feedback is thin, that's flattering, and flattery is the point.
The general warning signs are collected in the pinned "Is this email a scam? Post it here" thread. Two are specific to these: the praise is detailed about what's in your blurb and vague about anything past it, and the money comes a few emails in, typically for reviews from a "reader community" that turns out to be mostly fake accounts.
A simple rule: legitimate promotion services publish their prices and you go to them. When they come to you unasked, be suspicious.
If you want a second opinion on one, paste it into that thread. Redact your own details first.