Podcast Summary: Chameleon - "The Author Trap: Inside The Scheme Selling Lies to Hopeful Writers"
Podcast: Chameleon (Audiochuck | Campside Media)
Host: Josh Dean
Episode Air Date: January 15, 2026
Overview
In this episode, Chameleon host Josh Dean delves into the world of predatory self-publishing scams, focusing on the rise and fall of "Page Turner," a fraudulent publishing company that exploited the ambitions and vulnerabilities of hopeful authors. The episode uncovers how Page Turner scammed hundreds of writers out of millions, the international scope of such scams, and the emotional and financial toll on victims—most notably through the story of Kevin Dettler, a retired soybean farmer and self-published author. Featuring insights from investigative journalist Brent Crane and long-time publishing scam watchdog Victoria Strauss, the episode explores the gray area between legal self-publishing services and outright fraud, while exposing the mechanisms and psychology behind these cons.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Victim’s Perspective: The Story of Kevin Dettler (00:15–05:47)
- Background: Kevin Dettler is a South Dakota farmer, passionate hunter, and self-published author of Hunting: You've Got to Be Kidding.
- Initial Engagement: Kevin answered unsolicited offers from publishing service companies, beginning with Letra Press, which already left him dissatisfied.
- The "Opportunity": Years later, "Tim Nola" (now calling himself "Ray Ross") from Page Turner contacts him, claiming his book could be a major publishing success and even optioned for a Netflix series.
- Escalating Costs: Kevin is subjected to a long series of expensive "services," culminating in $500,000 spent, but no genuine book deal or TV adaptation materializes.
- Victim Blame & Emotional Vulnerability: Despite some warning signs, Kevin’s hope and ambition kept him engaged.
- Quote:
“When you want something badly enough, you’re willing to ignore a lot of warning signs.”
— Josh Dean (04:28)
- Quote:
2. The Publishing Scam Ecosystem (05:49–08:22)
- Rise of Self-Publishing: Over two million books self-published annually in the US, creating a large pool of hopeful, often inexperienced, writers.
- Emotional Leverage: Scammers exploit writers' dreams and insecurities.
- Quote:
“That is really the emotional vulnerability that these scammers target, and they really exploit it quite successfully.”
— Brent Crane (07:54)
- Quote:
- Scale of Fraud: More than 800 victims, $44 million collectively lost (per DOJ)—actual numbers suspected higher.
3. Anatomy of the Scam: How Page Turner Operated (08:23–14:12)
- Staged Legitimacy: Use of official-looking contracts, fake movie deals, and legal-sounding requirements to convince authors to keep paying.
- Philippines as Scam Hub: Page Turner and many others are based in Cebu; operations often outsourced from legitimate companies like Author Solutions.
- Legal vs. Illegal: Difficult to distinguish legitimate self-publishing services from predatory or outright fraudulent scams.
- Quote:
“Almost by definition, people in that space have been bad actors because they’re posing as publishers and pretending to be something they aren’t.”
— Alliance of Independent Authors, via Brent Crane (10:24)
- Quote:
4. Roots & Expansion of the Scam (14:13–17:24)
- Founder’s Backstory: Mike Sordia, Page Turner's founder, learned the ropes at a self-publishing services subsidiary before creating his own, less regulated company.
- Aggressive Sales Tactics: Employees had high quotas and were encouraged to "get creative" in extracting money from authors.
- Lavish Lifestyles: Scammers spent lavishly on themselves—resorts, galas, and “Wolf of Wall Street”-style parties.
- DOJ’s Involvement: Arrests made only because Sordia and a partner traveled to the U.S.; Philippine authorities were indifferent.
5. Inside the Scam: Journalist Undercover in Cebu (17:25–26:43)
- Brent Crane’s Investigation: Travels to Cebu, meets with former scammer "Mike Gorn."
- Manipulation and Intimidation: Gorn is candid about scam tactics, but his willingness to meet seems suspect. He attempts to draw Brent into a scam of his own, escalating to physical intimidation and threats.
- Quote:
"I'm convinced I'm being scammed. Now I'm walking into a trap...I'm just praying that he doesn't pull out a weapon..."
— Brent Crane (21:29–24:32)
- Quote:
- Aftermath: Gorn continues contact, demanding payment, employing emotional manipulation, and even threats of violence.
6. Why These Scams Persist (27:20–34:14)
- Criminal Element: Despite their literary focus, scammers behave like violent, organized criminals.
- Technology & Globalization: The internet allows easy scamming across borders, making law enforcement challenging.
- Relentlessness: Even when large operations are shut down, others quickly take their place.
- Quote:
“It feels like whack a mole and it feels like Sisyphus...I feel like I’m constantly pushing this knowledge boulder uphill and never get past a certain point.”
— Victoria Strauss (32:15)
- Quote:
- Shame and Embarrassment: Many victims do not report scams out of embarrassment.
7. Red Flags and Prevention (30:37–33:05)
- Key Warning Signs:
- Unsolicited offers, especially those involving movie or publishing deals.
- Poor grammar used to be a tell; now, with AI, language is less reliable as a “red flag.”
- Advice for Authors:
- Treat any out-of-the-blue solicitation for publishing or movie rights as a likely scam.
- Legitimate agents or presses rarely, if ever, employ such tactics.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On emotional vulnerability:
“That is really the emotional vulnerability that these scammers target, and they really exploit it quite successfully.”
— Brent Crane (07:54) -
On the scale of the scam:
“According to the DOJ, the FBI identified more than 800 victims of the scheme who collectively lost more than $44 million.”
— Josh Dean (09:37) -
Page Turner's fraud exceeded typical scams:
“There are a lot of scams that are pretty bad, but page turner is the only one that I know of that has taken, you know, in excess of $300,000 from any one person.”
— Victoria Strauss (28:51) -
On the futility of fighting scams:
“It feels like whack a mole and it feels like Sisyphus...I feel like I’m constantly pushing this knowledge boulder uphill and never get past a certain point.”
— Victoria Strauss (32:15) -
On psychological tactics with writers:
“They’re adept, you know what buttons to push...especially with writers...who just are laboring in obscurity and want to get their stories to the world or want to have a writing career and nobody’s buying your book, nobody’s paying attention...it’s a very potent psychological button that these scammers push.”
— Victoria Strauss (33:05)
Major Timestamps
- 00:15–05:47: Kevin Dettler’s experience as a victim.
- 05:49–08:22: Emotional and psychological vulnerabilities of hopeful writers.
- 08:23–10:57: Scale of Page Turner’s fraud, FBI involvement.
- 10:58–14:12: Legal gray areas and the emergence of Cebu as a scam hub.
- 17:25–26:43: Brent Crane’s encounters with scammers in Cebu; undercover reporting.
- 27:20–34:14: The persistence of scams, author psychology, scams' impact, and Victoria Strauss’s warnings.
Tone & Language
The episode blends investigative rigor with empathy for victims. The tone is sometimes incredulous and often somber, especially when discussing the personal toll on writers. Both journalists and experts use accessible, unpretentious language—occasionally punctuated by frank or emotional commentary, such as Brent Crane’s tense recounting of his investigation or Victoria Strauss’s resigned frustration at the persistence of scams.
Conclusion
This episode of Chameleon offers a revealing, cautionary look at the dark side of self-publishing, exposing both the mechanics and emotional manipulations behind literary scams. Aspiring authors are urged to be skeptical of unsolicited offers and to recognize the emotional hooks these cons exploit. Despite rare victories against scammers like Page Turner, the larger fraudulent ecosystem continues to adapt—and vigilance remains essential for anyone pursuing the dream of publication.