There are people who're going to fall for this one

[dianeduane]

Oh yes. Read the details at BookBurger and be horrified. I desperately wish I could believe that this is a hoax...but I very much doubt it is.

See, you can be in these people's anthology of stories about gratitude to the Divine for things that have happened to you.  All you have to do is pay them between $300 and $500 for the privilege! (Depending on when you sign up.)

And free brainwashing is (included | required)!  Get this:

**ALL STORY SUBMITTING AUTHORS are strongly encouraged to participate in our three month thankfulness course to help ensure that your story is coming from a place of thankfulness and presence enough to qualify for our series.**

...Once you have reached a state of unconditional love & gratitude for WHATEVER it is that you believe is getting in your way, we will then work with you on sharing your personal story with our readers.

The purpose of this course is to assist you in bringing whatever issue you are dealing with to a place of thankfulness, presence and love and to then be able to write your story from this perspective. If you are unable to do so even after completing the course, we reserve the right to turn down your submission.

Uh huh.  ...And there's more!

Up to 1% of the net profit from the book sales of the book your story is published in for the lifetime of the book, PLUS, a percentage of the net profit of the entire book series.

The option to include at the end of your story a biography about yourself and any service you offer, for example, other books you have published, your website, contact info, etc.

Thousands of dollars worth of marketing and publicity.  This series will be translated into different languages and marketed to millions of people around the world.

You have the opportunity to earn money for the lifetime of the book!

Leaving aside that the business model sounds totally whacked...  Never mind.  Just back away slowly. Then run. Run, do not walk.

(headclutch) 

Comments

[mistwolf.livejournal.com]

That screams scam, and even if not, OMG. And yet, they will likely sucker people in. :(

[madfilkentist]

They're expecting to pull in at least $598,000 up front based on their registration model. I'm not sure which would be worse -- if they just disappear with the money at that point, or if they use their "unconditional gratitude" course to pressure people into turning over the rest of their savings.

[inklesspen.livejournal.com]

(The link that says "Read the details at BookBurger" actually goes straight to these people's website; I don't know if that was intentional.)

Also:

Out of these six categories we will be releasing 127 different titles, for example, "Thank God I Was Raped©"

I seriously hope this is just a hoax. But I doubt it. Eeagh.

[windcedar.livejournal.com]

Not to mention the titles thanking God for being a battered spouse, or for experiencing child abuse or incest. :O

And then there are the "Thank God (insert person here) Died" titles, ending of course with "Thank God I Died"...to be written by means of a medium, no doubt. *strangely amused* (You know, there are cataloguing rules for that. The things you learn in library school...)

[anamin.livejournal.com]

"Thank God I Died"...to be written by means of a medium, no doubt. *strangely amused*

*larf*

[anamin.livejournal.com]

huh, seems like they should be paying you. The lengths some of these people will go to. . .

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

Hrm.

Should I submit "Thank God I Got Scammed By A Weird Vanity Publishing House"?

[trdsf.livejournal.com]

Is it just me, or does their pitch for their "thankfulness course" have cultish overtones?

And I can't help but point out that 0.0000000000000362% would legally be 'a percentage of the net profit of the entire book series.' "Here's your royalties on ten years of sales of the whole series... fifty nine cents! Oh, sorry, that's gross. Have to take out taxes, administrative fees, shipping and handling... seems you owe us a hundred and ten dollars."

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

whoa, not only scam, but an incredibly creepy and stupid scam [insofar as it's a very obvious scam and the creepy will drive people away].

Bets that a boat-load of christian fundies fall for it !!

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

Why do I have this image of all the top Publish America staffers staring at the thankgodi website and taking notes?

[carmy-w.livejournal.com]

All I can say is "why are some people so stupid???" I'm not even going to parse it down to Christians-just people...

I agree-clutch head and RUN!

[terredancer.livejournal.com]

Oh, now that's just creepy. Ugh.

I don't know, the first hint of scam would be paying them for the "privilege".

Pffft.

[kayshapero]

Act now, fall for the same net profit scam screen actors have been failing to profit from for years!

Oh. Good. Grief.

[xnamkrad.livejournal.com]

"Thank God I Was Raped©"
Either a scam or very very sick people.
Maybe they could get that Vietnamism girl to submit one "Thank God most of my skin was burnt off by napalm"

[schaezen.livejournal.com]

I googled these people, out of curiosity. John Castagnini has a website called myprosperityzone.com. A quote: "This program is about creating the Personal Prospertiy Index it takes to live the life I believe I deserve."

They are also advertising for submissions on craigslists in major metropolitan areas. Just creepy. I did see a few entries along the lines of yours, suggesting people write articles like "Thank God I got ripped off by a vanity publishing house," etc.

But jeebus!! Scary!! And the sad thing is that they will probably fill their 27 volumes!!

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