Reader Susan Kirkland published some children's stories and self-published them at lulu.com, since "my agent was making no progress at selling them."

After doing so, she received this letter from a vanity press called Airleaf.

Writers. Please tell me you know better than to go for one of these 'deals.' Susan pretty much spelled it out for me in her email:

There are certain "advertising words" used in the copy that give it away.

1. telemarketing program to only bookstores selling the Bowker Book "fixture" (that could be 3)

2. email campaign to 500,000 "opt-in" book club members (they aren't members yet)(they'll be spamming)

3. book review by Bowker (that's really what the $3000 is for--a read)

4. featured on their website (so what?)

5. featured on their book club page website (so what?)

6. featured on their bookselling website (so what?)

7. 2 10-minute interviews on nationally syndicated AM shows--does anybody listen to AM anymore? I guess I should say, does anyone who reads listen to AM?

8. book club stickers for the book (hey, I can make my own stickers)

9. 10 meetings with film producers and directors (I bet they all answered the matchbook ad "do you dream of being a feature film producer?")

10. your book in 10 retail bookstores--I bet you $5 a "Bowker Book Fixture" (see #1) is a Point of Purchase cardboard display carton they drop off.

The "call to action" (grab 'em by the emotional throat) is "We have nominated just 200 titles for the program and we are accepting on the first 50. If you'd like to participate call me." Oh, my gawd, I better hurry or I'll miss my big opportunity. Oh, pleeeez. It breaks my heart that the naive and desperate will be the ones who get suckered. There is no greater sin than profiting off the misfortune of others in my opinion.