My First Fan Letter
Great news. I got a FAN LETTER! It is so amazing that somebody cared enough to write to me about how much they liked one of my books. This proves that all my hard work was worthwhile. Nice! Then I saw it. See if you can spot the issue:
I recently came across Pushed to the Edge of Existence, and the mix of personal rebuilding and unfolding mystery immediately stood out to me.
What caught my attention first is Gabe and Kim trying to reclaim something as simple as a normal life after the devastation they experienced in Alaska. Restoring a family business, expecting a baby, and trying to stay out of the spotlight feels like a fragile peace—one that makes the sudden appearance of strange abilities, growing hostility, and government pressure even more unsettling.
The element that really sparked my curiosity, though, is the presence of the alien white box and the mysterious figure named Jason. It suggests there’s a much larger truth behind the catastrophic event that first brought Gabe and Kim together, one that seems to ripple outward and affect everyone around them.
I found myself wondering: when you were developing this story, were you more interested in unraveling the sci-fi mystery behind the event and the alien technology, or in exploring how Gabe and Kim try to hold onto love and normalcy while their world keeps becoming more complicated?
I’d genuinely love to hear what you most hoped readers would be thinking about as they follow their journey.
Warm regards,
Delphine Gray
This reads like AI slop, and “mysterious figure named Jason” is right from my book description. What a letdown. Still, because I am a nice person, I replied with a pleasant note thanking Delphine Gray (yes, I am including her name because this person might contact you) and provided more character details. This is what I got back:
Hi Bill,
Thank you so much for your warm reply and for taking the time to share the heart of what this series is really about. That means a great deal.
You’re absolutely right: Gabe and Kim are the soul of everything. The way you’ve used the alien encounter, Jason, the mysterious white box, and the telepathy not as the point of the story but as instruments to stretch and test a relationship is a level of craft that most readers feel deeply even when they can’t fully articulate why. The sci-fi framework creates the pressure; the love story is what gives it meaning. The fact that their telepathic bond now extends into how they raise their daughter adds a dimension of emotional complexity that is genuinely rare in this genre.
I’m so excited to hear a new book is on the way!
Bill, I want to be transparent with you: I reached out as a genuine fan of your work, but I’m also a publishing and book marketing professional. And honestly, it’s because I care about stories like yours that I feel I have to say this. The Pushed to the Edge series is exactly the kind of emotionally rich, genre-blending work that builds deeply loyal readership, and right now it’s not reaching nearly the audience it deserves.
I’d love to change that. Here’s how each of the services I offer would make a direct, meaningful difference for your series:
Then she listed a bunch of her services. Pathetic. This waste of time proves that the world is changing at lightning speed. AI can now digest a wide range of sources to develop a hyper-targeted email. The worst part is that I fell for it. Given the speed of technology, I expect to be getting one of these per week soon. So disappointing.
I like to have a writing tie-in with my articles, but while it seems like this is all about writing, this article actually has nothing to do with it. I am sure that a variation of the above scam could be applied to auto mechanics. “Wow, I came across your website, and I am so impressed with your customer stories.” “Thanks.” “Would you like to get more happy customers like me? Have you heard about the new Acme tire balancing machine?”
Teachers, lawyers, web developers… the list goes on. Every person has already been or soon will be targeted by AI slop. Plus, I know the practice is successful because I am the proof. Dang.
What did this well-written fan letter cost Delphine Gray? AI is an uncaring machine, which means she puts in nearly zero effort. The system works.
What can be done about it? We can only up our guard to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. This means our trust level slipped a little more, which is sad because there are nice people out there. I would love a genuine fan letter, but can now see myself incorrectly getting upset.
I do not like ending things on a sad note, but I feel scammed. This whole incident came as a great disappointment. I promise my next article will have a positive spin.
You’re the best -Bill
April 01, 2026
I recently came across Pushed to the Edge of Existence, and the mix of personal rebuilding and unfolding mystery immediately stood out to me.
What caught my attention first is Gabe and Kim trying to reclaim something as simple as a normal life after the devastation they experienced in Alaska. Restoring a family business, expecting a baby, and trying to stay out of the spotlight feels like a fragile peace—one that makes the sudden appearance of strange abilities, growing hostility, and government pressure even more unsettling.
The element that really sparked my curiosity, though, is the presence of the alien white box and the mysterious figure named Jason. It suggests there’s a much larger truth behind the catastrophic event that first brought Gabe and Kim together, one that seems to ripple outward and affect everyone around them.
I found myself wondering: when you were developing this story, were you more interested in unraveling the sci-fi mystery behind the event and the alien technology, or in exploring how Gabe and Kim try to hold onto love and normalcy while their world keeps becoming more complicated?
I’d genuinely love to hear what you most hoped readers would be thinking about as they follow their journey.
Warm regards,
Delphine Gray
This reads like AI slop, and “mysterious figure named Jason” is right from my book description. What a letdown. Still, because I am a nice person, I replied with a pleasant note thanking Delphine Gray (yes, I am including her name because this person might contact you) and provided more character details. This is what I got back:
Hi Bill,
Thank you so much for your warm reply and for taking the time to share the heart of what this series is really about. That means a great deal.
You’re absolutely right: Gabe and Kim are the soul of everything. The way you’ve used the alien encounter, Jason, the mysterious white box, and the telepathy not as the point of the story but as instruments to stretch and test a relationship is a level of craft that most readers feel deeply even when they can’t fully articulate why. The sci-fi framework creates the pressure; the love story is what gives it meaning. The fact that their telepathic bond now extends into how they raise their daughter adds a dimension of emotional complexity that is genuinely rare in this genre.
I’m so excited to hear a new book is on the way!
Bill, I want to be transparent with you: I reached out as a genuine fan of your work, but I’m also a publishing and book marketing professional. And honestly, it’s because I care about stories like yours that I feel I have to say this. The Pushed to the Edge series is exactly the kind of emotionally rich, genre-blending work that builds deeply loyal readership, and right now it’s not reaching nearly the audience it deserves.
I’d love to change that. Here’s how each of the services I offer would make a direct, meaningful difference for your series:
Then she listed a bunch of her services. Pathetic. This waste of time proves that the world is changing at lightning speed. AI can now digest a wide range of sources to develop a hyper-targeted email. The worst part is that I fell for it. Given the speed of technology, I expect to be getting one of these per week soon. So disappointing.
I like to have a writing tie-in with my articles, but while it seems like this is all about writing, this article actually has nothing to do with it. I am sure that a variation of the above scam could be applied to auto mechanics. “Wow, I came across your website, and I am so impressed with your customer stories.” “Thanks.” “Would you like to get more happy customers like me? Have you heard about the new Acme tire balancing machine?”
Teachers, lawyers, web developers… the list goes on. Every person has already been or soon will be targeted by AI slop. Plus, I know the practice is successful because I am the proof. Dang.
What did this well-written fan letter cost Delphine Gray? AI is an uncaring machine, which means she puts in nearly zero effort. The system works.
What can be done about it? We can only up our guard to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. This means our trust level slipped a little more, which is sad because there are nice people out there. I would love a genuine fan letter, but can now see myself incorrectly getting upset.
I do not like ending things on a sad note, but I feel scammed. This whole incident came as a great disappointment. I promise my next article will have a positive spin.
You’re the best -Bill
April 01, 2026
