Lee Goldberg

Lee Goldberg is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty novels, including the Eve Ronin series, the Ian Ludlow series, the Sharpe & Walker series, and five books (and two novellas) in the Fox and O’Hare series, which he co-authored with Janet Evanovich. He also co-created the Hallmark movie series "Mystery 101" and has written and/or produced many TV shows, including "You’re Killing Me,""Diagnosis Murder," "SeaQuest," and "Monk." As an international television consultant, he has advised networks and studios in Canada, France, Germany, Spain, China, Sweden, and the Netherlands on the creation, writing, and production of episodic series. For more information, visit www.leegoldberg.com.

My Emails with Fake Nora Roberts

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Apparently, word hasn’t gotten out in the Nigerian scammer community that I’m not falling for the fake emails from famous authors. Here is my exchange with Fake Nora Roberts (authornoraroberts4@gmail.com).

FAKE NORA: Hi, Hope you’re having a great day. I came across your Facebook page and noticed your email, so I wanted to reach out. As a fellow author, I thought it might be nice to connect and share a bit about our writing experiences. I always enjoy meeting other writers and exchanging creative thoughts, it’s inspiring to hear different journeys.Looking forward to hearing from you. Warm regards, Nora Roberts 

ME: Nora, It’s great to hear from you. It’s been so long since we last met. I’ve signed with a new agent since then who has incredible marketing savvy… and could vault you into an even higher tier of sales. Would you like me to put you in touch with him? Lee

FN: Congratulations on signing with your new agent, that sounds like a major step. I’d love to hear more about what kind of results you’ve seen so far and what areas your agent specializes in (film rights, foreign sales, marketing, etc.). I’ve also recently partnered with someone who’s been doing impressive work on international promotions and strategic branding for authors. They’ve opened some unexpected doors, and I think there could be some powerful synergy if our teams aligned. It would be great to compare what we’re both experiencing and see where collaboration might benefit us both. Warm regards, Nora

ME: My guy is very private, he’s not one of those public-facing guys. He’s been incredible. He’s got me into scores of book clubs — like the Calabasas Book Club, the Scottsdale Book Club, the Hospice Book Club, the Denver Book Club, the Penal Colony Book Club, but also into so many exclusive conferences, like the San Francisco Book Conference, the Walla Walla Book Festival, the Bois-Le-Roi Book Festival, the Van Nuys Book Bazaar, and the very exclusive Tehran Book Festival. Oh, and he also got me 15K legitimate Amazon reviews. And all for just $50,000! It’s a steal. Would you like me to put you in contact with him? It’s by recommendation-only. Stephen King referred me to him.

FN: I’m sold, anyone who can get me into both the Van Nuys Book Bazaar and Tehran clearly has access to portals not available to mortals. Do I need a secret handshake, blood oath, or a Stephen King coupon code to apply? Meanwhile, I’ve got someone working behind the scenes for me who’s been getting traction in foreign rights and premium readership circles. Thought you might be the perfect candidate if you’re open to a power alliance. Shall we compare magic agents?

ME: He’s an independent literary and marketing consultant I’ve collaborated with for quite a while. He usually works quietly behind the scenes with a few select authors, helping them strengthen their online presence, polish their branding, and reach new readers in creative ways. He’s been incredibly effective for the writers he partners with. If you’d like to reach out directly, here’s his contact information: almustyeditions@gmail.com Tell him I sent you!

FN: Thanks for passing along his information, I appreciate you opening that door. Before I reach out, I’d love to get a better sense of what kind of tangible results he’s helped you achieve recently, whether that’s growth in specific readership segments, foreign rights, TV rights, or measurable sales lift. I always like to understand someone’s strategic focus before making an introduction on my end as well. I’ve also been working closely with someone who specializes in expanding author brands internationally through strategic partnerships and curated reader networks. It’s been an impressive experience so far, and they’re bringing together a select circle of authors with strong voices and market potential. I actually thought you might be a great match for what they’re building, would you be open to an introduction as well?

ME: My foreign rights have been EXPLODING, particularly in Europe and Asia, where I know you want to make more in-roads. No two authors are alike, so what Almusty did for me would be very different for you, since I write crime novels and you write romances, which aren’t as marketable internationally. But hey, you know that better than me. As for TV and film, you know all about that …we discussed my TV and movie projects at length over lunch. That’s when you told me that hilarious story about Eric Roberts and the monkey. How did that finally turn out?

I’m surprised it was Eric Roberts and the monkey… and not the Hospice Book Club and the Tehran Book Festival that finally tipped them off that I was stringing them along. (Note: “almusty” is the scammer Fake John Grisham tried to steer me to).

VIDEO: Lee Goldberg Visits the Cozy Mystery Party

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I was a guest recently on the Cozy Mystery Party’s Facebook Live Chat, where I took questions from viewers and chatted about my new novel FALLEN STAR, all of my other books, my writing processing, co-authoring with Janet Evanovich, my past TV shows, a possible “Eve Ronin” TV series, and so much more. You can also get a peek at my messy office. 

Listening to Eve Ronin

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I got myself in the right frame of mind today to write SPLIT SCREEN, the 7th Eve Ronin novel, by listening to the excellent audio adaptation of FALLEN STAR, the 6th Ronin, narrated by Nicol Zanzarella and Eric Conger. Once again, they both did a kick-ass job!

Nicol is back as Eve Ronin… and voices two characters in surprise cameos from other books in my past….and Eric Conger returns as Sharpe & Walker, the characters he brilliantly portrayed in the audiobook versions of MALIBU BURNING, ASHES NEVER LIE, and HIDDEN IN SMOKE.

I can’t wait to hear what Eric does with MURDER BY DESIGN, the first novel in my new “Edison Bixby” series (which comes out in May 2026)… and what Nicol does with SPLIT SCREEN, which I just started writing today (and that will be out this time next year).

When I listen to the audiobooks based on my novels, it’s surprisingly easy for me to forget that I wrote them and I get caught up in the characters and story… even though I know what’s coming. The audiobooks arrive usually a year after I’ve finished the novel, so I have enough distance from the work encounter it fresh and to enjoy it. And it’s hard not to have a good time listening to Nicol and Eric.

I’m a big believer in consistency in audiobooks when you find just the right voice for your work. Nicol has really made Eve Ronin her own, but I also drafted her to read my novel CALICO and  bring San Bernardino County Sheriff Detective Beth McDade to life. That was also the first time she teamed up with Eric Conger, who I loved from his reading of John Sandford’s “Virgil Flowers” novels and finally got to work with on the audiobook of MALIBU BURNING, which became the first of my “Sharpe & Walker” novels.

Since then, Nicol has reappeared as Eve Ronin in audiobook versions of the two “Sharpe & Walker” novels ASHES NEVER LIE and HIDDEN IN SMOKE… and now Eric is doing the same for his two characters in FALLEN STAR. And I hope they will reteam again in SPLIT SCREEN, the book I’m writing now (well, which I will be when I stop procrastinating by writing this blog post). 

My Conversation with Fake Elena Ferrante

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Over the last week, lots of scammers pretending to be famous authors have reached out to me. My recent email conversation with Fake Elena Ferrante (elenaferrante510@gmail.com) was short and sweet:

Elena: Hi, I’m Elena Ferrante! I’m a novelist and former journalist. You might know me from My Brilliant Friend and the rest of the Neapolitan series, which explores the lives and friendships of women in a vividly rendered world. My books include My Brilliant Friend, The Story of the Lost Child, and The Days of Abandonment. Readers have described them as powerful, deeply emotional, and full of strong, complex characters. I’d love to hear more about your own writing as well! Best regards, Elena Ferrante

Me: Elena, It’s great to hear from you. It’s been so long since we last met. I’ve signed with a new agent since then who has incredible marketing savvy… and could vault you into an even higher tier of sales. Would you like me to put you in touch with him?

Elena: Dear Lee, It’s lovely to hear from you after all this time. I’m very glad to know your new agent has been such a strong support for your work that is a gift every writer hopes for. Thank you for thinking of me and for the generous offer to make an introduction. At the moment, I am already working with a marketing agency that has been assisting me closely. They understand my approach to privacy and the unique ways my books reach readers. But if you are interested, I would be more than happy to connect you with them. They have been excellent partners and I can recommend them with confidence. I hope your writing continues to flourish and I’d love to hear how your latest projects are progressing. With warm regards, Elena Ferrante

Me: My marketing agency is terrific. They are the ones you recommended to me at our lunch. Which reminds me, how is Hal doing?

 
After that… crickets. She was gone.

I’ve never met the real Elena Ferrante, and I made up Hal….but the idea of trying to respond to that email without tripping over themselves scared them off.

My Conversation with Fake Dan Brown

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Since FALLEN STAR came out last week, I’ve been bombarded with messages from scammers pretending to be famous authors, just wanting to be my pal. Fake JK Rowling wanted to co-author books with me… but first asked me to donate to her favorite charity. Fake Barbara Kingsolver wanted me to meet her marketing guru. I was curious what Fake Dan Brown (author.danbrownbooks@gmail.com) wanted from me. Here is our exchange:

Dan: I was checking out some new titles the other day and your book really stood out to me, it looks like the kind of story that comes straight from the heart. I always enjoy hearing what drives fellow authors to create. Was there a particular experience or moment that inspired this book? I’d love to check out more of your work too, do you have an Amazon link or author page you could share?

Me: Wow, this is so exciting — and on the same day I heard from John Grisham and JK Rowling, who also want to hear all about me and my book. I must be doing something right. I had no idea that big-time famous authors send emails with their photos, their bios, and links to their author pages to writers they’ve never met. It really adds that personal, warm touch. What a special creative moment. I’ve learned something already. I hope you have a charity you want me to contribute to or a marketing program to recommend. 

Dan: Haha, I have to say, your message gave me a good laugh, you’ve got quite the wit! I completely understand what you mean; the world of author connections can feel a bit surreal sometimes. I didn’t expect to hear from so many writers myself when I started reaching out either. But really, it’s great to meet you and hear about your work. I’m genuinely interested in learning more about your book, what inspired it, and what kind of readers you think will connect most with it? I always find it fascinating how every author’s creative journey has its own twist. And don’t worry, no charities or marketing programs hiding behind this note, just a fellow writer saying hello.

Me: Why are John Grisham and JK Rowling also interested in my creative journey, what inspired me, and what kind of readers I want to connect with? Don’t they have books to write? Don’t you? Couldn’t you just Google me to learn more about me and my work? I’m a successful author, so there’s a lot of information about me out there. But I haven’t sold 250  million books like you, John and JK have. Maybe I should be reaching out to authors less successful than me and asking them about their creative journey. Is that the secret to your success?

Dan: You’re absolutely right, authors like John, JK, and myself always seem to have more stories to write than hours in the day! But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that real success in this industry doesn’t just come from writing, it comes from connecting, learning, and surrounding yourself with the right people. Honestly, the turning point in my own journey came when I found an agent who truly understood how to guide me, not just through publishing, but through the creative and marketing side as well. I was sincere about what I wanted, and that trust made all the difference. If you’re open to it, I can connect you with that same agent. I’m confident you’d find real value in that connection, they’ve been instrumental for me and several other authors who are now part of our circle.

Me: You want to recommend me to Heide Lange?

Dan: Ah, yes, Heide is also my agent. She’s fantastic, no doubt about that. But the one I was actually referring to is my private agent, someone I’ve worked with closely for quite some time now. That’s the agent I wanted to recommend you to, he’s more behind the scenes, but he really knows how to work with authors in a way that feels comfortable and personal. I’ve seen how effective he can be, especially when it comes to helping writers position themselves and their books for stronger visibility. That’s why I thought of connecting you with him. Would you be open to that?

Me: I’ve never heard of a “private agent” before. What does he do that Heide doesn’t?

Dan: That’s a fair question, most authors haven’t heard the term “private agent” before. It’s just what I call the agent I work with more personally, outside the usual literary representation setup. Heide handles the publishing and contract side of things, but my private agent focuses on strategy, optimizing visibility, author branding, and creating real opportunities that keep my books in front of the right readers. It’s that extra layer of guidance that makes a big difference. And honestly, I just feel comfortable working with him, he understands how authors think and makes the whole process much smoother. If you’re open to it, I can connect you with him. I genuinely think you’d find the collaboration refreshing and worthwhile.

Me: Who is he and who are his other clients? I’ll look him up.

Dan: He’s an independent literary and marketing consultant I’ve collaborated with for quite a while. He usually works quietly behind the scenes with a few select authors, helping them strengthen their online presence, polish their branding, and reach new readers in creative ways.He’s not one of those public-facing agents you’ll easily find listed online, but he’s been incredibly effective for the writers he partners with. If you’d like to reach out directly, here’s his contact information: almustyeditions@gmail.com

Me: What’s his name? Who are some of the other authors he’s worked with? 

Dan: His name’s Almusty. He’s an independent consultant I’ve been collaborating with for quite a while now. Most of the authors he works with prefer to stay discreet, since he focuses more on tailored strategies and behind-the-scenes work rather than public representation. What really sets him apart is how personally he approaches each author’s goals, it’s not a one-size-fits-all process. That’s why I’ve stayed with him; he’s helped me refine how I connect with readers and position my work. You can connect with him directly, he’ll be glad to share more information about his work and how he helps authors.

Me: I need more information than that. What is Almusty’s full name? Where is he based? If I reach out to Heide, will she recommend him?

Dan: You know, if you want to know more about the agent, kindly contact him. So sorry for that, very busy to answer those questions.

Me: This has been fun. What I don’t get is why you kept  the conversation going after the second message, when I basically came right out and told you I knew you were a fraud. I even invited you to google me… and if you had, you’d know how much I enjoy playing with scammers like you. The “private agent” bit was hilarious. It was also very stupid. I’ll be sharing this entire exchange on my social media channels Have a good day!

I haven’t heard back….