The blog postings, regarding American Book Publishing, that recently raised our curiosity and inquisitiveness, failed to reveal any “investigation” regarding American Book Publishing.  Victoria Strauss has posted on numerous internet sites that American Book Publishing has been the subject of an “investigation.” In addition, under its “Alerts for Writers” section, the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) also states “American Book Publishing has been the focus of at least one police investigation.” (emphasis added)

The missing pieces to this very puzzling story centers on this section of the posting in question:

“I’m beginning to also conclude that perhaps what the company stated in their defense to me is much more true and likely. That you made a phone call to a police department and then falsely reported it as a ‘police investigation of the company’ to shock and scare their authors into contacting you with their worries and attracted their most inexperienced authors.” And why would I do such a thing? Mr. Wentworth claimed to know the truth: “I asked the company the same questions I asked you, and they stated that you had tried to get on their payroll as contract administrator and when they refused you, you followed up on your threat to post this false report.” (emphasis added)

We have exhaustively researched every conceivable law enforcement agency within the jurisdiction and have not located any evidence of a police “investigation.” This may indeed be a “fairy tale” as Victoria Strauss has suggested. The unanswered questions that remain are: 1) Why have they chosen to retain these postings where no evidence can be offered to the contrary?; 2) Did Victoria Strauss attempt to get on the payroll of American Book Publishing?; and 3) Were these postings the result of following up on a threat by Victoria Strauss to post a false report?

Only Victoria Strauss and SFWA can answer these questions. As of this date, there is no evidence of an “investigation.” Therefore, one can only conclude that there is more to this than we know. Until this is answered satisfactorily, the motivation and credibility behind these statements need to be “investigated” and questioned further. In addition, if credible proofs cannot be presented, the appropriate officials should consider some form of disciplinary action.

“Professionalism seems to be in increasingly short supply these days.”

– Victoria Strauss

References

“American Book Publishing, “Police Investigation” Victoria Strauss Fairy Tale? « The Write Agenda.” The Write Agenda. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. <https://thewriteagenda.wordpress.com/2011/03/28/american-book-publishing-“police-investigation”-victoria-strauss-fairy-tale/&gt;.

Twitter. Web. 30 Mar. 2011. <http://twitter.com/#!/victoriastrauss&gt;.

“Victoria Strauss — Someone Out There Doesn’t Like Us (And We Don’t Care).” Writer Beware™ Blogs! Web. 24 Mar. 2011. <http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2006/05/victoria-strauss-someone-out-there.html&gt;.