When something sounds too good to be true....

This afternoon an author caused quite a stir by reporting that she got an agent (Jodi Reamer) and sold her manuscript to a major press (Harper Teen) within a matter of hours, less than a day.

The story was repeated many places including the AbsoluteWrite forums, GoodReads (where it received a skeptical reception) and as a comment to Nathan Bransford's blog.

However the blog post reporting this wonderful news has now vanished and a retraction has been posted. The only thing not clear is who was trying to fool who here.

If someone did send her a hoax email as a joke they deserve a very horrible fate.

[July 22 update]: Publishers Lunch reports that: 'Writers House has learned that a series of fake emails claiming to be from WH agent Jodi Reamer have been circulating to self-published authors this week. "These emails, which contain a number of false statements, have not in fact come from Jodi Reamer and should thus be disregarded." One easy "tell": they advise that any e-mail from a non-Writers House address "expressing interest in representation is counterfeit."'

See also:

• Of sales, skepticism, and scams [Stacia Kane, Jul 22]
• The Cruelest Hoax [Writer Beware, Jul 26]