The Sword and Laser discussion

It has been brought to my attention that scammers are trying to use the Sword & Laser name to get money from authors.

Sword & Laser DOES NOT reach out to authors directly for anything besides interview requests, and those are rare and would come directly from Tom Merritt or Veronica Belmont and not a 3rd party "representative".

Authors tend to be well established already and S&L is not in the promotion business. We are a simply a sci-fi and fantasy book club / podcast.

If someone has reached out to you and that person is requesting money, it is a SCAM and they are in no way associated with Sword & Laser

The following is some selected text an author received.

My name is Robert Smith, and I work alongside the Sword & Laser Goodreads reading community, a network of more than 3,000 highly engaged readers who value immersive storytelling and thoughtful, sustained discussion. Within this community, we are currently hosting the 2026 Boxall Reading Challenge, a year-long initiative designed to spotlight selected titles in a way that generates consistent engagement rather than a short promotional spike.

As the challenge unfolds, the community takes note of the titles generating the strongest engagement and commentary. At the conclusion of the year, the most discussed works are formally recognized during a dedicated community event that highlights authors whose stories have created meaningful impact among readers. This recognition reflects sustained engagement rather than temporary exposure, offering distinction within an audience that is deeply invested in the genre.

Thank you for getting back to me, I truly appreciate your thoughtful questions and the opportunity to provide more clarity.

Below is the direct link to the Goodreads group:

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

This will give you full visibility into the community, its activity, and overall engagement structure.

Regarding past featured titles, I’ve attached a recent certificate of book registration completed for another participating author as a public example of how featured works are documented within the initiative. This provides a transparent reference point for how books are formally acknowledged within the group.

To clarify the selection process: it is not competitive or preferential. Once a book is officially registered into the challenge, it receives equal visibility alongside all other participating titles. The structure is designed to create a level playing field, allowing engagement to grow organically through reader interaction, discussion threads, and ongoing participation throughout the year.

In terms of cost, the only associated fee is a one-time registration fee. This is structured at an affordable rate and covers inclusion within the annual challenge framework, visibility placement, and long-term circulation within the community discussion environment. There are no recurring charges or hidden fees beyond that initial registration.

I hope this answers your questions clearly and provides the transparency you were looking for. If there’s anything further you’d like clarified, I’m more than happy to expand.