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Security & Verification

How we reach out to authors, how to confirm an official message, and what to do if something feels off.

Author Outreach

How Lantern Book Club contacts authors

From our official team only

Every invitation, interview request, or feature announcement comes from a member of our Outreach Team. We do not use third-party agencies or freelance recruiters to contact authors on our behalf.

Written confirmation first

Before any call or meeting, we send a written summary of the opportunity, the proposed timeline, and the team member coordinating the feature. We never ask for sensitive information in an initial cold message.

Verified Gmail addresses

Our Outreach Team uses the Gmail addresses shown on the verified Outreach Team page. Before you respond to any message, cross-check the sender's name and email against that list.

Meet the Outreach Team

These are the only individuals authorized to contact authors and publishers on behalf of The Lantern Book Club. Our Outreach Team uses the Gmail addresses shown below; always verify the sender's name and email match this list before responding.

View full team
  • Serena Blake
  • Kathleen B. Owen
  • Brittany Lewis
  • Jonathan G. Newberg
  • Cynthia T. Lewis

For all enquiries

hello@lanternbookclub.org
Stay Safe

How to identify scams

Literary scams often impersonate book clubs, reviewers, or awards programs. Here are the warning signs we want every author and member to recognize immediately.

1

Urgent deadlines or threats that a feature will be removed unless you act immediately.

2

Requests for passwords, bank details, or manuscript files sent via unsecured links.

If you are not sure, pause and verify

Scammers rely on urgency. If a message pressures you to act immediately, stop. Forward it to hello@lanternbookclub.org and we will confirm whether it genuinely came from our team.

Report

Where to report suspicious activity

Email us directly

Forward the suspicious message, including the full sender address, to our official inbox. Our team reviews reports during business hours and will respond within 48 hours.

hello@lanternbookclub.org

What to include

Please share the original email or message, any attachments, and a brief note explaining what seemed suspicious. Screenshots help if the message appeared on social media.

Protect your account first

If you clicked a suspicious link or shared any password, change it immediately on the affected platform. Then report the incident to us so we can warn the wider Lantern community.

Verify before you trust

The Lantern Book Club is built on trust between readers and writers. If something ever feels off, we would rather hear from you ten times than miss a real threat once.

Sent directly to hello@lanternbookclub.org