I am the Joe Flood who wrote Murder in Ocean Hall, a mystery set at the Smithsonian.
I am not the Joe Flood who wrote The Fires, a new book on 1970s-style arson in the Bronx.
Why do I mention this? Because I’ve gotten a couple emails from editors of well-known magazines asking for information about my book.
But they think I’m the author of The Fires. I’m not. And a quick look at my site (like in the about me section) would reveal that. While I’m a writer, I primarily write fiction.
I’m surprised by a couple things:
- So, nobody reads web pages carefully? Not even editors? They just skim until they find what they’re looking for? I imagine these editors did a search on my name, my site popped up, and they emailed me, assuming that this must be the right person.
- Everyone blindly trusts Google to know their wishes? Search engines can’t read your mind. You can type in “Joe Flood” but it might not be the right “Joe Flood.”
Ironic, this lack of reading comprehension and digital literacy from people who work with words on a daily basis.