Jaimey’s Comments (group member since Jun 18, 2009)

Jaimey’s comments from the Author Support Group group.

Yeah, I'm just going to sit back for now and try and get back to writing. I need a nice dose of unreality, I think...

Madison wrote: "...you review with great care and integrity. I wish more people were like you in there approach but sadly when people feel threatened or empowered they sometimes allow themselves to be insensitive and cruel."

I wish it were that simple. I've NEVER reviewed a book by Sorcha MacMurrough. Never. The two people who have dared to go against the popular reviews already left for her books were basically told their opinions are wrong. These MacMurrough supporters have decided that because I received negative reviews, it must be me in disguise. Apparently, only a disgruntled fellow author can possible find fault with MacMurrough's writing...

Jj wrote: "As authors, I feel theres is a kind of bond between us, not friction as if we need to be adversaries."

I know. Does she actually believe that a reader wants only one book, ever? Or one author, ever? Like Gina said, there are more than enough readers to go round.

You know what the real kicker is? I had tagged all Sorcha's books several months ago before this all happened. And if these "people" are not her (which I highly doubt), I am deeply sorry for all the crap they are doing on her behalf. At one time, I was actually disappointed that her books were only available for the Kindle, a device I can't see myself paying $400 for. I wanted to buy a paperback and give her a shot as a new author. Now, I wouldn't be able to read it without a feeling of dislike, which is truly sad--if she's not the instigator.

I just received this email from Amazon:

"Hello Laura,

I've removed the review you noted, and it should disappear from Amazon.com soon. We want our review forum to be a place for constructive reviews that may be useful to other customers, and I thank you for bringing this to our attention.

We hope to see you again soon.

Please let us know if this e-mail resolved your question:

If yes, click here:
*****
If not, click here:
*****

Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail.

To contact us about an unrelated issue, please visit the Help section of our web site.

Best regards,

Courtney
Amazon.com
We're Building Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company"

No mention of the other matter. Should I send a new email in regard to the other matter or just let it go?

My husband warned me that those reviews may return, slightly reworded. He's probably right.

Here's something interesting my brother found: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herstory

Until later...

Kevis wrote: "Jaimey,

That email that you sent to Amazon is an excellent start to resolving your problem. However, Amazon sometimes takes their good time about responding to emails. You may also want to talk to..."

I used the same link that takes you to the phone option but selected email instead. I'm supposed to hear back from them within 12 hours. If I don't, I'll try the phone option. :o)

Thanx again, everyone, for your help.

Thank you for the link, Stuart. I really appreciate all the support. :o)

Here is the email I just sent to Amazon:

"Dear Amazon,

I recently received two identical negative reviews for two of my books. While I have no problem with negative reviews normally, these two happen to be identical to each other as well as identical to a review left for someone else's book by a different reviewer/profile. Below are the links to the three reviews:

Review posted by "Gail Wagner" on July 20 for The Mistaken Miss by Sorcha MacMurrough: http://www.amazon.com/review/R11ILOQS...

Review posted by "Rebus" on July 22 for Redemption by Jaimey Grant: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1LISKIA...

Review posted by "Rebus" on July 22 for Heartless by Jaimey Grant: http://www.amazon.com/review/R5MJQX2T...

I assume with copyright laws that this is plagiarism. I thought this should be brought to your attention since I know this against Amazon policy. It had occurred to me that this could actually be one person using two profiles and therefore well within their rights. However, the reviewer named "Rebus" also left a 5-star review for The Mistaken Miss by Sorcha MacMurrough. Link: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3LMPOTF...

On another matter, there are numerous accusations from a few different profiles claiming that I am using multiple profiles to sandbag the author Sorcha MacMurrough and her supporters. Obviously, the accusations are coming from her supporters. I do not know why they are accusing me of this activity or what benefit they think it will be to them or Ms MacMurrough but I would like it to stop. I have never read or reviewed a book by Sorcha MacMurrough. The majority of the accusations can be found in the second comment on Gail Wagner's review of The Mistaken Miss, link here and noted above: http://www.amazon.com/review/R11ILOQS...

Any advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Laura J Miller
Author Jaimey Grant"

I will let you all know what their response is...if I even get one...

Another question:

Should I blog this, try to get Amazon's attention? I am no good at these cloak and dagger machinations. (Not in real life, anyway. LOL)

Seriously, I have no problem with negative reviews. These most recent are obviously bogus, however, and that just is NOT acceptable. How do I make my point with Amazon without sounding like just another disgruntled author?

Kevis wrote: "I have recently discovered that authors are using a website which posts multiple reviews for their books."

I don't understand. This website posts more than one review for a book, posting each review as a different reviewer?

All of this sucks! I have been warned over and over about readers and how not all will like my books and some will hate it, some of them enough to say so. That's fine, we're all entitled to our opinion. No one ever mentioned there may be other authors out there who hate me just because I'm writing the same genre.

Kevis wrote: "Like the others have mentioned, I would suggest that you bring your situation to the attention of Amazon. Had I done so instead of trying to take my attackers on I would still be able to participate in the amazon Forums. You need to nip this in the bud before it gets any worse."

That's what I'm afraid of, getting banned. Amazon is the only place my book is for sale because I chose to go with CreateSpace for publishing services, an Amazon company. Upside, I do still retain full rights and can go with another self-publisher if it comes to that.

I guess I can take comfort in the fact that I've been targeted due to sales rank and popularity. Small comfort but it is something.

The biggest problem I see here is the fact that J.Mullally, she who basically started it all, is an Amazon Vine Reviewer. I do not know how to fight someone who has already gotten Amazon's attention enough to be invited into that program.

Does anyone know the email address for Amazon's "complaint" dept? I have searched the help site and can't find one. I know they are not the best for putting that kind of info in easy-to-find places.

Sharon wrote: "Jaimey wrote: Does anyone think I should at least report "Rebus" to Amazon for plagiarizing Gail Wagner's review?

That seems like a reasonable action to me."

Does anyone know how to do that? I mean, without it looking like I'm just trying to get neggo reviews removed from my own books for obvious reasons?

Gina wrote: "Do they (whoever they are) think that you are Gail Wagner (or that you have roped in someone else's help), and that you left the negative review for "The Mistaken Miss"? "

That's what I've gathered from their angry diatribe. They are apparently also blaming me for the two 1-star reviews that were left a few months ago for two other MacMurrough books. Those reviews were attacked by Mullally and a few of her other profiles, too. Maybe she needs someone to explain to her that not everyone will like "Ms Macmurrough's" books.

Gina wrote: "What's a publisher doing having this sort of dialogue on an Amazon page anyway? Is that normal?"

My husband said the same thing. We have suspected from the start that HerStory Books is actually owned by J.Mullally who writes under the name of Sorcha MacMurrough. We found it distinctly suspicious that the ONLY Regency romances published by HerStory Books were the ones written by MacMurrough. In fact, I think the only books published by them at all are Sorcha MacMurrough books of various romance sub-genres.

Gina wrote: "The comments do seem personal to me, designed to squash the competition (you)."

Heartless used to have the top spot in the Kindle store for "regency romance" in Amazon search. Betrayal is nearly top in the regency romance community. Hence, the reason my books have suddenly been tagged "not" regency romance.

I'm glad your smearer finally dropped it, Gina. It is such an unlovely, heartbreaking position in which to find yourself.

Robert wrote: "Could you report this to Regency. When you lose they lose. I read your post but didn't see anything about Regency. Did I miss it?"

(Regency is just the type of romance that this other author and I both write. The stories take place in England, usually between the years of 1811-20.)

So, I'm not just imagining things here? Is this really happening? I am having trouble believing this of another human being. And it is so bizarre because she's been accusing me of everything she seems to be doing herself. Multiple profiles, bogus reviews, marking other reviews unhelpful, vicious attacks, etc. I feel like I'm trapped in some sort of weird twilight zone episode!

On an up note, in the four days since the nasty reviews went public, my Kindle sales more than doubled. Is it possible that her nastiness is making people curious?

Does anyone think I should at least report "Rebus" to Amazon for plagiarizing Gail Wagner's review?

Hi everyone! I apologize in advance for the length of this post...

I think I may be the victim of a smear campaign on Amazon. I need opinions.

A few months ago, I got two 1-star reviews for two of my books, Heartless and Spellbound. Now, I know not everyone will like my writing and I am fine with that. Some may even hate it and I'm fine with that too. However, after I received these reviews, I looked at the reviewer's history and noticed she gave many, many other Regency authors 1 or 2-star reviews. Granted, that could simply mean she dislikes Regency romance. Obvious question then: Why read so many of a genre you dislike? I realized after a little more searching that she favors one Regency author in particular and gave that author glowing 5-star reviews on all 20 or so titles by that author. Ok, so she has a favorite and I'm not it. Fine.

All the other reviews for all four of my books started getting voted "unhelpful." Whatever. (I do apologize to the writers of those lovely reviews for the dropping of your percentage.)

My brother called me to tell me he made a comment to each of those negative reviews. I groaned because I assumed his action would just make things worse. He didn't attack the reviewer, merely tried to clear up a few issues she'd made over the blurbs. (Her reviews seemed to focus greatly on the book blurbs rather then the books themselves.) He was then accused of being me and being un-Christian. I posted then, simply stating that I was the author, thank you very much.

Heartless: http://www.amazon.com/review/R4H637XO...
Spellbound: http://www.amazon.com/review/RTEP1I8E...

I noticed my tags dropping in the Regency Romance community. Very well, a few people don't believe my books qualify as Regency romance. I do find it rather hard to believe that 7 feel this way...Again, whatever.

So, I avoided Amazon for a while, laid off making lists and writing reviews. Probably a mistake given that this person may have wanted me to go away.

My husband convinced me to resume my normal Amazon activities. I refused to do anything that was being done to me but I did start doing reviews again and updating my lists and guides and so forth.

Some of you may have noticed that I was without internet recently. Well, I got back online to find two more 1-star reviews, another one for Heartless and one for Redemption. Great big ouch! These reviews were intentionally hurtful, mean, downright nasty.

Redemption:
“This is the first book I have read by this author, and my last. VERY poorly written. Stiff, simple, rushed writing, without any detail. The plot is contrived and boring. More typos and misspellings than I have ever seen, and I read 2-3 books per week. The author needs to go to writing school. How did she get published? It is beyond me!. Too bad I bought 2 of her books before trying one out first. PERFECTLY AWFUL!! Again, save your money!” ~Rebus, July 22, 2009

Heartless:
“This is the first book I have read by this author, and my last. VERY poorly written. Stiff, simple, rushed writing, without any detail. The plot is contrived and boring. More typos and misspellings than I have ever seen, and I read 2-3 books per week. The author needs to go to writing school. How did she get published? It is beyond me!. Too bad I bought 2 of her books before trying one out first. PERFECTLY AWFUL!! Again, save your money!” ~Rebus, July 22, 2009

First question: How can they BOTH be the first of my books this person has read? (Or are these actually helpful and I'm just smarting too much to notice??)

Reeling from the blow, I stumbled around on Amazon, wondering who this new person was and why they were so angry at me. I stumbled across this:

Review left for a book called The Mistaken Miss:
“This is the first book I have read by this author, and my last. VERY poorly written. Stiff, simple, rushed writing, without any detail. The plot is contrived and boring. More typos and misspellings than I have ever seen, and I read 2-3 books per week. The author needs to go to writing school. How did she get published? It is beyond me!. Too bad I bought 2 of her books before trying one out first. PERFECTLY AWFUL!! Again, save your money!” ~Gail Wagner “Gail”, July 20, 2009

Is it just me, or were the reviews left for me plagiarized? (Notice the dates.) Now, before you think perhaps these are the same person, you should know that on July 21, Rebus, the reviewer who left the identical reviews for me, left a 5-star review for The Mistaken Miss.

Still, you ask, what is the significance? Check out the comments on Gail's review of The Mistaken Miss: http://www.amazon.com/review/R11ILOQS...

Comment, posted July 21 by J Mullally, the poster of my very first negative reviews, to Gail Wagner:
“Your review does not really ring true because:

a-You can sample on a Kindle before you ever buy any book;
b-The publisher has posted samples at the bottom of the product page; see below if you want to read. Looks like a lot of detail to me-what she is wearing, how she is feeling, and so on.

Therefore, anyone can try before they buy, and also see whether or not the writing is riddled with errors, as you claim. Also, the author comes from the UK-they spell differently there, you know. Finally, there might be conversion issues with the HTML into the Kindle.
c-Rushed writing? The book is at least 100,000 words by my guesstimate.
d-Contrived-well, a lot of romances could be described as that, since the whole point is to meet, fall in love, and live happily ever after in a very short space of time.
e-Any comments on Philip's dire past, or their enemies, or the wonderful sexy chemistry between the couple and the really hot love scenes? All the other reviewers mention them.

It might be better to be specific-plot, character, setting, to prove you actually read the book? It is unfair to authors to 'review' books you have not read, wouldn't you [and most reasonable people:] agree?”

Comment posted July 21 by HerStory Books (publisher of The Mistaken Miss) in reply to the comment from J Mullally:

“So, the story so far as we know it:

Regency author Jaimey Grant got a negative review. She and her friends attacked it, and decided that because, in their opinion, the reviewer 'favored certain authors over others'.

So that, even though this reviewer has posted DOZENS of reviews on all manner of books and movies, they decided that they were going to attack this author with bogus reviews on this and a couple of her other books. And attack the reviewer by deliberately giving her negative ratings.

The 'reviewer' MC from California who has posted this bogus review, also looks to be the reviewer Gail Wagner from San Jose, CA, and vice versa.

Needless to say, this is unfair not only to this author, Sorcha MacMurrough, but all of the other authors in the same publishing house.

We will certainly discourage our loyal readers from behaving in the unsuitable manner in which Jaimey Grant and her friends have, but they should ask themselves, how would THEY feel to be similarly unfairly and even maliciously treated?

Thank you to the reviewer for bringing this to our attention, and no, you are certainly NOT to blame for the appalling manner in which they have acted.

You have a reviewing account and reputation of long standing, and are certainly not out to attack anyone. We are sorry you are being attacked yourself.

The Amazon reviews are supposed to be helpful and thoughtful feedback and constructive criticism, not vindictive and baseless attacks.”

I want to say here, that beyond my one line responses to the first two negative reviews, I have said and done NOTHING to any of these “people” or to the author they seem to think I've attacked in some way.

So, give it to me straight. Am I crazy, seeing shadows where there are none? Or am I being slammed on Amazon?

Thanx, Bernadette! It was a lot of fun. And to think, I was terrified when Joyce first asked me to do it. :o)

Hey, everyone!

Joyce DiPastena just posted her interview with me on her blog, JDP News. She is also hosting a book giveaway with three ways to enter to win. Stop on by and learn some things you may not have known about me. The contest ends August 2nd.

Thanx for looking! Happy writing!!

Good one, JJ! :o)

These people. So naive...she says as she topples stacks of gold coins on her way to the kitchen.

I have to say, seeing one's name on a book cover is pretty cool. But wow! Do people really believe writers are all sitting on piles of money?

I was informed recently that I flipped two words in my book Betrayal. Lovely Kathy caught it and told me when I begged for details of my typos. I laughed so hard I fell off my chair.

Where I should have typed: "Keep a civil tongue in your head" I said: "Keep a civil head in your tongue" The mental picture that evoked almost killed me. :oD LOL

There will ALWAYS be typos. All we can do is make sure they are at a minimum. And don't forget the commas, right, Gina? I recently read a Harlequin romance that had so many typos they actually managed to slow my reading. And we all know Harlequin has an entire room full of talented monkeys who are specifically paid to catch the typos...

I love monkeys.

:o)

Susan wrote: "Red Room's a very sore point with me, given that they were written up in Publisher's Weekly and their very friendly attitudes toward self-publishers was a highlight."

So basically, they should be praised because they don't bar us from the site altogether. Typical.

I have an Author's Den account but after I put in all my info, I stopped doing anything with it. I'm not on Authonomy. I was thinking about it but I'm not sure I can take on yet another account that requires constant change to be effective. I joined redroom some time ago and was annoyed when I realized I couldn't have a lovely author page with blog and whatnot because I'm self-published and self-published authors just don't count. :o)

That's wonderful, Madison! :o)

I didn't realize it would work! All this time, I've thought I'd have to order from the UK site in order to tag people's UK books. Go figure!

I've tagged you, Sharon. :o)

I feel awful for you, Sharon. I'm sure your publisher will get it all straightened out though. :o)