I know, I know, some of my posts are Drs. Doom and Looms. I write them because there’s a lot of gloom and doom out there and will cause harm.
Being a writer is a rewarding journey whether one can earn a living from it or not. Therefore, I think every author should be aware that there are malicious software that will scramble or rearrange your words.
I talked about Word Scamblers Malicious Ware before and I’m mentioning it again because this year has been like none other.
It happens far more often than many would like to believe. I recommend re-reading your work after it’s posted and then checking it against your finished, edited copy. A copy that only you the author will have. If the online production is different from your copy then it has been shredded by a word rearranger. Sometimes the software will add words that are not in your original work.
I can’t explain how these malicious wares work but they exist, which is why I say check on your online contents often.
Be aware that there are some sites operate under the disguise of being a helpful agent to indie authors while fostering groups who does nothing helpful to anyone. They do nothing but deliver degrading criticism of other’s works. It’s designed to curb your readership. Scare readers away from your work. Not bring them to it as they say. These sites are often also homes to dens of hackers. They harbors hackers who troll the internet looking for anyone’s work whom they feel is safe to attack. Especially indies whom they feel do not have the recourse to fight back.
Trolling the internet is how they’re most likely to find you and your work. These people feed upon negative comments left by others. They’ll turn one negative comment into a mad feeding frenzy. They are like the bodachs in Dean Koontz’s Odd Thomas series. They feed on the pain of others. I call them Literary Bodachs. Because they feed on negativity.
Many new authors are eager for feedback on just about every thing and sometimes fall prey to these predators by a mere making a request. I think Goodreads should have left the book give-ways the way it was because it open up to many authors to these predators.
So be careful in who you ask to help you with your work. Before you request a review or beta read; Read their posts. If the moderator is snarky and in general a jerk. Leave. You want nothing to do with them. They’re going to render your hard work from here to hell. Once they peg your work they will roam the internet looking for every piece of your work in order to distort the images and/or scramble the words if they can hack the system where it is published.
Why?
This is what some people do for fun.
Please, don’t misunderstand me, there are many wonderful sites out there who don’t have hacking word scramblers for members and genuine wants to help authors. Keep looking, you will eventually stumble upon one.
unholypursuit
The Novel: UnHoly Pursuit: Devil on my Trail 
Yeah, I have seen them. The trolls are everywhere. Like the so called book cover appraisers site. How are they going to judge anyone else’s cover when their own work look like crap. The person’s books read like they was written by a 12 year old, or reads something nerds like Lenny and Sheldon from the “Big Bang Theory” would write.
It’s only if the work is good then these trolls will go after it. I think Goggle took down their post about your book. When a book has made it world libraries like Geneva and Germany based upon the topic of crimes against humanity who gives a hoot what the cover looks like.
Here’s their URL’s.
https://lousybookcovers.com/?p=1096844
https://www.facebook.com/LousyBookCovers
I’m not saying there aren’t some terrible book covers because there are. Lots of them. But there is a proper way to tell anyone anything. Why didn’t they contact these individual authors if they truly wanted to help them improve their presentation and say something like; “Hi, I saw your book cover. I think it could use some improvements. I have some suggestions for your cover.” instead of broadcasting it all over the internet. These are snarky book cover designers who try to shame or bully authors into buying their service. That is a poor way to drum up business. But a good way to eliminate competition. This kind of behavior turn readers off. What they failed to realizes is that readers aren’t stupid. They look at you not the person you’re belittling.
I see a lot wrong with these two covers. For one thing….they are both a hot mess. Neither gives a clear indication what their story is about.
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Yes, Brendan I saw the post some years ago. I just assumed they were a bunch of people with a lot of time on their hands. However, like you said, my book is in the Berlin Library and Geneva based upon the subject of global epidemic of the violation of human rights. I’ll say you had to have thoroughly researched me to learn those two things. I’m honored you did. 🙂 Thank you.
As far as their accusing me of being whoever came to my defense in their post…is another false accusation. I don’t know who any of these people are. But if my defender is reading this post. I want to thank her.
Three years ago I decided the post was childish and trivial, therefore, I gave no rise to it. 🙂
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They work by attaching themselves to the URL of a site. They can be detected. Sometime they may look like a an odd dot or comma in the URL. Whomever own the site need to refresh the page or login port of their site every now and again. It is pretty easy to spot them. All major news sites are plagued by them.
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Hmm, I didn’t know you could see them. Thanks for the information.
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