Writers are Warned to Use Caution

Todays-Woman.net has received and continues to receive complaints about Mike Conway founder of Darkstar Eclectic Media. Darkstar Electric Media is supposedly a publishing company that branched out into many areas of fiction and non-fiction. Mike Conway recently sent an email to numerous Ezine owners listed with Best Ezines urging them to accept a joint  venture with him.

This was the email that we received.

Email Received Monday, January 16, 2006 6:19 PM


Dear Rose,

My name is Mike Conway. My phone # is (removed) and my email address is (removed.)

I'm in real trouble and I beg you to listen. My power, water and other utilities are going to be shut off if I do not raise more than $500 in 48 hours.

This is not a joke - please help me. I've sold a few resale items in the past and have a little experience at doing this... While I don't know the Internet as much as I'd like, I do know people and realize that you may be willing to offer your assistance if I can find a way to help you.

I received some advice from a friend who explained that if I did a joint venture with a list such as yours, and offered you a percentage of the sales as an immediate payout within 24 hours through paypal, that my problem would be solved. Also, the list owner could make a nice sum while helping me.

In my research, I discovered that you are well respected and have a loyal following. I'm sure that if you announce this product to your list, you could make a ton of sales quickly.

In exchange for doing this, I will gladly pay you back 50% of the entire profits. I have set up an affiliate program just for this purpose, and only for any joint venture partners who agree to help me out.

Actually, I have designed three software packages to help out writers. The first is called "Bust Writers Block!" and the way it works is it generates three random words that the writer needs to use in the first sentence of the first paragraph. he writer is instructed to write without thinking nonstop for five minutes (a timer is built into the program). Once the five minutes have elapsed, a bell sound goes off and the writer stops. This is great for practice and keeping new ideas flowing. The second thing this software offers is that you can put in your own three words and use the timer to write your own novel. When finished, the written segment can be copied to window's clipboard.

This is based on Steve Manning's writing system.

The second program is called, "Streamlined Outline" and helps the writer make outlining fun and easy by following the steps, screen by screen. This is very user friendly, and can help speed up a person's writing several times!

The third program is called, "Layout Library" and it contains the basics for every type of genre, wheter it be a fictional novel, screenplays, non-fiction, etc.

Once the programs have been completed, they will be sold either seperately or as a bundle. However, due to my predicament I would like to offer your life a pre-published special price. The regular price for each software is $77, $197 and $47. The bundle would be sold for $299 ($22 savings!). However, the pre-published price I would like to offer for the bundle is $149 (little over half off for the entire bundle!). This will also include video tutorials on how to use the products, as well as bonus pdf's that will also help out both beginners and pro-writers.

I'm confident that if you and a few other people help me get the word out about this great product bundle, I'll earn enough in the next 48 hours to keep my power and utilities.

Please do not dismiss this as a joke. Again my name is Mike Conway. My phone # is (removed) and my email address is (removed)

I truly need your help and my family's life depends on it. This is the *best* idea I could come up with considering the pressure I'm under and my lack of experience on the Internet.

I am telling the honest truth and I pray from the bottom of my heart that you can hear that...

If calling me helps you decide, please do that, or I will be happy to call you!

With respect and appreciation in advance,

Mike Conway

PS - Again, my power is scheduled to be shut off tomorrow (Tuesday) evening. Please respond as soon as you can. Thanks!

PPS - When you sign up for the affiliate program, a cookie will be placed on to the prospective buyer's computer. This means that if they buy now at this price, or later at the full $299, you will still earn a 50% commission!

PPPS - I would like to increase both my own and your chances at making more money, so here is a possible scenerio to add to this offer for your list, which I call the three-pronged approach. First, on the site the buyer will be offered the chance to buy Steve Manning's system (Steve produces an excellent system on speed writing that takes care of writer's block and helps writers get their books written and published. More on him if you want more information). If they do so, they will get a $50 rebate on the bundle (to be paid out by myself via paypal at the end of the month - thus no out of profit expenses for you!). Also, I would like to offer a one of three services that the user can choose if they buy the bundle as an added bonus: 1. free editing of their manuscript, 2. free crituque of work AND a written testimonial for their novel, -or- 3. free book cover designed by a proffessional artist. However, if they would rather purchase the service and not the product, they can do so at a 50% discount (which you again will get 50% profit as my joint venture affiliate!).

I answered back challenging him to provide me with  an email address that wasn't a free account, preferably the one given to him by his internet service provider.

He wrote back:

Rose,

I'll tell you what, I don't think this conversation is really going to do either of us any good if we continue. We're going to drop it right here.

To answer your questions, my phone is through Net10. I'm sure you've seen the commercials. It's a pay-as-you-go service. Check at any local Wal-Mart or www.net10.com.

As for my personal e-mail, I'm not going to give that to you. Sorry, but I don't give it out too much, especially since I've started getting a lot of spam from Nigeria.

I do have hosting, just having technical problems with pointing my domain name to it. These things happen.

No, you're not the only person I've written to. You may be a stranger, but if you don't ask, you don't get anything.

Straight up, 2005 was a bad year for me. I lost literally everything. I'm living in a friend's basement and am pulling myself out of the hole I'm in, along with my life partner.

We have hit a snag right now, namely with the utilities, but instead of being like a street begger and trying to beg money from people, I decided that it would be great to offer something of value that would help people, and also to help other people make money off of my product. Yes, it's a little bit a desperate measure, to take pre-orders for this, but it's better than nothing.

Thank you for your time, and I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you. I am a newbie and I'm probably going to make some mistakes, espeically in joint ventures. I want to make money, and I want to help other people make money. Win-win situations are the best. They feel good, and the karma's better.

God Bless and Hare Krishna,
Mike

Jude Thaddaeus is the Webmaster, Programmer and co-owner of  Darkstar Eclectic Media an admits that  it was handled unprofessionally.

 

 Comments from Ezine owners and authors regarding Mike Conway.

Comment Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:58 pm

The first thing that struck me about this was the lack of good business sense. Even if this person has a legitimate product, entering into a sound business agreement requires contracts and nowhere does he offer contractual partnership paperwork - not even when asking Rose to provide services as his representative - he simply asks her to send him money for a currently non-existent product.

He talks about so many products it is difficult to see past the 'I do everything' mentality of the email. He designs software, but does not have a website announcing his product? He is considering advertising his books on TW - what books? and publishes women's writing (how convenient).

I just cannot believe that a legitimate businessman would approach a potential partner/client in this fashion. It just isn't done.

Jayel Gibson

Email Received:  Wednesday, January 18, 2006 3:52 PM

I did receive it, Rose, and I'm almost certain that it is fraudulent. At the very least, I knew that he could not make enough sales through my site to solve any immediate crisis he might be having. What do you know about the situation?

Email Received: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 5:46 PM

You know, Rose, he makes an amazing number of errors in usage for someone who is selling writing software! I am very suspicious. I still don’t believe that someone in that kind of dire situation can be helped quickly enough by such a venture.

I would, however, prefer simply to stay out of the whole debate. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who finds the whole thing suspicious.

The Author of this email  wishes to remain anonymous.  Therefore, I am complying with their request.

Email Received: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 4:09 PM
 

Rose,

Ah, yes! I did receive that email on Monday. I assumed it was spam and deleted it. I just found it in my deleted folder. Yes, I’m sure it’s a ploy of some sort…


Best,

Lynne M. Zerance
Director of Business Development
The Editorial Department

Email Received: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 4:53 PM

I just looked at the letter again. The fact that it uses a P.S., a PSS, etc…that is a typical marketing spam maneuver…

His products may be real…but the pitch is a scam…

Lynne M. Zerance
Director of Business Development
The Editorial Department

Email Received: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 6:06 PM
 

Hi Rose,

I did receive an email from Mike Conway, and it was a doozey. He begins it by stating that all his utilities will be shut off if he doesn’t raise $500 within 48 hours. Naturally, I laughed it off as a scam, and I still have it in my Deleted Files. Would you like a copy?

Warm regards,

Elizabeth Guy

To conclude, we urge that each writer  make their own decision based  on the information that we have provided. Those with complaints about Mike Conway can contact Today's Woman staff  through our feedback form. http://www.todays-woman.net/feedback.html