I just got my first fraudulent offer to stardom!

I got an email this morning praising my debut fantasy novel. It was amazing they used almost word for word text from my Amazon book description.

I sent a copy to the actual literary agency. Ah …one step closer to fame and fortune!

Below is a copy. Fortunately, after spending three decades as a crime scene investigator, I’m about as skeptical a person as you’ll ever meet.

The Oaths Behind Strand of Hope

External

Inbox

Emily Burns <emilyburns.spiegelgrau@gmail.com>

5:14 AM (7 hours ago)

to me

Dear James Stuart Kinsey,

Your book, Strand of Hope, caught my attention because Brun Kondrun begins with a clear sense of duty: carry the keystone to the frozen peaks, reach the vault, and seal it before darkness reaches the clans. His identity as an Iron Hammer Clan dwarf and Drungar, together with his ancestral axe Skaduhrif, immediately establishes a character shaped by battle, loyalty, and obedience.

The mission becomes far more complicated when Brun travels north with Astrid Rudgol, the warrior-maiden he loves, a priest, and two brothers-in-arms. As companions begin to fall in the high passes, the question of whom Brun can trust becomes increasingly important, particularly when the Imperium has its own plans.

Skaduhrif’s awakening adds another significant turn to the journey. The power within the ancestral axe is something the priests never named, changing what Brun understands about the mission and the forces surrounding it. The contrast between oaths made in stone and those made in blood also fits closely with the story’s emphasis on duty, loyalty, and betrayal.

I’m Emily Burns, Editor at Spiegel & Grau, an Independent Multi-Platform Publisher. I’m interested in fantasy that gives its characters demanding choices within a clearly defined world, and the combination of clan loyalty, ancient power, warfare, and personal trust in your story stood out to me.

I’d be interested to learn more about Brun’s relationship with Astrid and what inspired the Iron Hammer Clan, the Drungar, and the world surrounding Olmith. I’d also be curious about how Skaduhrif’s role developed as you shaped the larger story and what led you to make this the opening book of the series.

May I also ask whether you are currently represented by a literary agent or publisher? I’d be glad to continue the conversation, learn more about your work and the Gifts of Olmith series, and arrange a brief introduction if you are open to connecting.

Warm regards,