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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/19945
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/19945
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

As you suspect, an unsolicited email is not good news.

America Star Books is a [well-known scam](http://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/alerts/#Star). The offer shoddy, overpriced self-publishing and promotion packages. They make their money charging hopeful authors who don't know better, not by getting any of your books sold.

They may well be saying something is "free" now, but if you read the email, they're trying to interest you in `book promotion at the lowest fees in the nation` , and to `add you to our email list when we issue our next book promotion offers`. Rest assured, those aren't free, and many, many warnings have gone out about how deceptive and useless those offers are.

A small sampling of warnings and horror stories:

- [http://accrispin.blogspot.co.il/2010/04/publishamerica-strikes-again.html](http://accrispin.blogspot.co.il/2010/04/publishamerica-strikes-again.html)
- [http://christianityforthinkers.com/PA-Quick-New.html](http://christianityforthinkers.com/PA-Quick-New.html)
- [http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2015/03/10/my-bad-experience-with-publishamericaamerica-star-books/](http://www.indiesunlimited.com/2015/03/10/my-bad-experience-with-publishamericaamerica-star-books/)

In general, whenever you hear from somebody you're not already sure of, it's worth Googling them - particularly adding riders like "warning" or "scam," so you'll find the relevant results, and not just the company's own self-promotion materials.

Additionally [Writer Beware](http://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/) is a **fantastic** resource; I can't recommend it highly enough. Spend some time browsing there, and you'll get an excellent idea of common pitfalls and what signals should be setting off the alarms.

All the best!

Original score: 5