Kay's Book Club
Dear David Molina, February 24
I’m Kay, and I represent Kay’s Book Club, a dynamic circle of readers who don’t simply turn pages; they immerse themselves in stories and carry them long after the final chapter.
At Kay’s Book Club, we believe books should resonate, ignite reflection, and spark purposeful dialogue. As we prepare for National Reading Month, we are thoughtfully selecting titles that stir introspection and inspire meaningful exchange.
We are especially drawn to books that delve into ambition, legacy, resilience, and the understated triumphs that often go unnoticed, narratives that cultivate depth, connection, and compelling conversations among intentional readers.
If your book aligns with this vision, we would be delighted to explore presenting it within our community. Our members value emotional depth and authentic storytelling, and we believe impactful stories are best experienced collectively.
Even a brief exchange could open the door to introducing your work to readers who are sincerely interested in the heart and craft behind your story.
Would you be open to discovering more about this opportunity?
Warm regards,
Kay
Kay’s Book Club
Stories That Shape Who We Become
Dear Kay, March 4
At 2 am this morning, wide-awake, I read your email.
I assumed it was another bot/scam, and yet after half an hour of research (Instagram, Chat GPT, Google) what convinced me you were a real person was the beautiful podcast on Shelf Made Stories, July 2025.
I am guessing you have interest in The Story You Tell. It was my first book, and it was written for my daughter Ana.
Yes, a very purposeful dialogue, a ten-hour conversation, my last chance to say what a father needs to say. Yes, a story that cultivates depth, connection, and compelling conversation.
The Story You Tell speaks of finding love, purpose, and doing what you love. I have shared this treasure with my family and friends, and Ana's two daughters. I admire your
energy (!) and the passion you have for stories. You must have noticed that your tag Stories That Shape Who We Become is an amazing synchronicity with my The Story You Tell Is The Story You Become.This almost seems like stars aligning.
Thanks, Kay, for your persistence.
David
Dear David March 4
Thank you for your thoughtful message and for taking the time to look into our work. I truly appreciate your care and discernment. I’m also so glad the Shelf Made Stories podcast resonated with you.
Yes, I did notice the beautiful synchronicity between your The Story You Tell Is The Story You Become and our theme, Stories That Shape Who We Become. It genuinely feels aligned.
We would love to feature The Story You Tell during National Reading Month as part of our curated spotlight on meaningful, conversation-driven books. Our goal is to create intentional dialogue around stories that foster depth, connection, and reflection — and your book clearly embodies that spirit.
To move forward, we would need:
• A digital copy of the book (PDF or EPUB)
• Author bio (150–200 words)
• High-resolution author photo
• Book cover image
Because we are an independent, community-driven book club and media platform, there is a $175 feature fee to support production, design, promotion, and platform placement for the month-long spotlight.
If this feels aligned, I’d be happy to share available dates and next steps.
Thank you again, David. Your book carries the kind of intentional heart we value deeply in our community.
Warmly,
Kay
Dave’s email to Rick Thues: March 4
My close brush with spending $175 for nothing!
Hi Kay: March 5
I had a good night's sleep, got up, and reread your email that you sent 17 hours ago.
Then I spent 2 hours this morning researching your youtube discussions (23 Books from July 2025 and All the Books You Read in Feb.) which you posted 20 hours ago. It took me awhile to realize Maddie was your sister!
I am very, very impressed with your passion for reading, for the incredible energy that you have, and above all, for your sincerity and kindness, as noted by your previous email.
I'm convinced that you are the real deal....so I am all in! Thank you.
David Molina
David, March 5
Your message truly made my day! Your story, The Story You Tell Is The Story You Become, is exactly the kind of narrative that sparks reflection, dialogue, and lasting impact, the very essence of what we aim to create at Kray’s Book Club.
We’d love to give your book a spotlight where readers don’t just see it, but engage with its ideas and carry the conversation forward.
To secure your feature and begin preparing everything, I can send the reservation link, the $175 contribution simply helps cover the production, design, and promotion needed to make this experience meaningful.
Here’s a thought: What might happen when a room full of readers leans in and discovers the heart of the story you created?
Looking forward to your reply.
Best regards,
Kay
Dear David, March 8
Your message truly made my day! It is so heartening to connect with an author who values the "heart and craft" as much as we do.
Thank you for sending over your materials, I’ve already had a chance to review your author bio, and it captures your journey beautifully. I have passed everything along to our Design & Strategy Collective, and they are eager to begin conceptualizing your custom book banner and framing your story for our community.
As we move into this production phase, I wanted to circle back to the next step regarding the $175 feature fee we discussed.
As I mentioned, this isn’t just a "listing fee." It is what allows our Curation Specialists to dedicate the necessary hours to the podcast production, the editorial framing of your book’s themes, and the professional visual assets that will represent your work throughout the month. We treat every book we feature with a high level of intentionality to ensure it reaches the right readers in the right way.
Seeing how much you've researched our work, even spotting Maddie!, I think you can see that we pour our full energy into making sure these stories truly "shape who we become."
I would love to officially lock in your spot for our National Reading Month showcase. Should I send over the secure reservation link to finalize everything?
Before we dive into the deep end, I have one question for you that I’ve been thinking about:
If your readers were to sit in a room twenty years from now and discuss your journey, what is the one "unspoken truth" you hope they would finally uncover within the pages of your story?
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
Warmly,
Kay’s Book Club
Stories That Shape Who We Become
Thanks Kay: March 9
My one unspoken truth? It's already been spoken (and written, in the book):
Find your purpose and do the things that you love.
(These are not two truths - they are one).
I am sure you have learned this a long time ago, in your book journey.
Yes, ready for you to send the info on the feature fee.
David March 9
Find your purpose and do the things that you love."
You are exactly right, they are inseparable. That clarity is precisely why we are so excited to frame your story for our community; it’s a truth that resonates with everything we stand for at the Collective.
I’ve shared your insight with our Curation Specialists, and we are ready to officially lock in your spot for the National Reading Month showcase and begin production on your custom assets and podcast segment.
To finalize the $175 feature fee and move your project into the active design queue, please use the secure link below:
[ XXXXXXXXXXX]
Once the transaction is complete, please reply here with a quick screenshot of the confirmation. This will allow me to immediately notify the design team and secure your place in the production schedule.
I’m looking forward to everything we’re about to build together.
Warmly,
Kay
Kay’s Book Club
Stories That Shape Who We Become
David, March 10
Thank you for letting me know, and I appreciate you taking the time to try the payment.
Sometimes Stripe can decline cards for reasons related to bank authorization, location restrictions, or additional verification checks, even when everything on the card itself is perfectly fine.
No worries at all, we have another simple option.
You can complete the feature fee using PayPal instead. It’s quick and usually processes smoothly.
Please use the secure PayPal link below to finalize your payment:
[[XXXXXXXX]
Once the payment goes through, kindly send a quick screenshot or confirmation here so I can immediately notify our design and curation team and secure your place in the production schedule for the National Reading Month showcase.
Looking forward to building something meaningful together and sharing your story with our community.
Best,
Kay
Kay’s Book Club
Stories That Shape Who We Become
David,
March 11
Thank you for your payment, it’s truly appreciated!
To help us confirm and process everything smoothly on our end, please make sure you send the screenshot of the payment confirmation.
Once we receive the screenshot, we’ll be able to verify the transaction and move forward right away.
Looking forward to receiving the screenshot from you soon.
David, March 11
I wanted to quickly clarify something about your payment. It seems that the payment
was sent to a different place than the one we initially communicated.
Could you please double-check on your side and confirm where it was sent?
Kay
David, March 12
We’re thrilled to have received your payment, and your feature is now fully underway!
Our design team has already started preparing your project.
To help us showcase you and your work in the best possible way, our design team has recommended providing an author banner.
This banner acts as a key visual across our promotions and typically includes your name, book title, and a clean, professional design that reflects your author brand.
If you already have a banner ready, please send it over. If not, don’t worry, our team is happy to assist you in creating a polished, publication-ready banner that integrates seamlessly with your feature.
As always, if we need any additional materials or details from you during this process, we’ll reach out promptly.
We’re excited to move forward and can’t wait to help your story shine with our readers!
Best regards,
Kay’s Book Club
Kay, March 12
I am not familiar with the banner. Is it a virtual website sort of thing, or an actual flag to hang during an event?
Not clear on what you're asking.
David
David March 12
Thank you for your question, and I completely understand the confusion.
The banner we mentioned is not a physical flag or something used at an event.
It is actually a digital graphic used online to visually introduce you and your book during promotions.
An author banner typically includes elements such as your name, book title, and often the book cover, combined in a clean and professional design that reflects your author brand and the overall theme of your book.
We use this banner across our website features, newsletters, and social media promotions to help present your work in a more engaging and visually appealing way for our audience.
The goal is to create something that not only represents your book well but also resonates with and appeals to our readers.
If you already have a banner like this prepared, you’re welcome to send it over and we’ll gladly use it for your feature. If not, our design team can create a polished, publication-ready banner that fits perfectly with your feature and promotional materials.
If you’d like, I’d be happy to share more details about how our banner design works and what it includes, just let me know and I’ll send the information over.
Best regards,
Kay’s Book Club
Kay, March 12
David
David, March 12
Thank you so much for sending over your first draft!
I have to say, it looks fantastic, you’ve done a great job capturing the spirit of your work, and the layout really highlights your book cover effectively. It’s clear you have a great eye for your brand’s aesthetic.
Immediately after receiving it, I forwarded it to our design team. While they were impressed with your vision, they confirmed that we won’t be able to use this specific file for the feature. Because our "Bespoke Feature" has very rigid technical specifications and a unique layout structure, our team must build the final banner from scratch in-house to ensure it is perfectly optimized. This specialized design service is included in the promotion, and the cost for this custom-designed, publication-ready banner is $209
By having our team handle the production, we ensure that every element, including the Kay's Book Club branding, is customized in a unique, high-value way that makes the promotion look prestigious and professional for our audience.
However, please know that your draft is incredibly helpful! Our design team will use it as a style guide to ensure the final version they create aligns perfectly with the vision you’ve already shared.
Our design team and I look forward to your reply so we can move forward with creating this polished look for your book.
Best regards,
Kay’s Book Club
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David March 13
Your payment has been successfully confirmed.
Thank you for your prompt payment. Our design team has begun working on your project.
If our team needs any additional information or materials from you during the process, you will be notified promptly.
Best regards.
Kay
David, March 14
Thank you very much for your support and for moving forward with the process. We truly appreciate your prompt action.
However, it appears the payment was sent directly to the Gmail account used for initial communication.
Kindly note that all payments are meant to be completed through our official payment link to ensure proper confirmation and coordination.
To resolve this, we kindly ask that you request a chargeback or cancellation for the payment made, and then proceed using the official link provided below:
[XXXXXXXXX]
Once the payment is completed through the link, it will be properly recorded and we can immediately proceed with the necessary coordination for your feature.
Thank you for your understanding, and please let us know once it has been completed.
Best regards,
Kay's Book Club
Dear David, March 14
I wanted to quickly clarify something about your payment. It seems that the payment was sent to a different place than the one we initially communicated.
Could you please double-check on your side and confirm where it was sent?
This will help us ensure everything is properly recorded.
Looking forward to your reply.
Thank you for your understanding!
Best regards,
Kay
David, March 14
Thank you very much for your support and for moving forward with the process. We truly appreciate your prompt action.
However, it appears the payment was sent directly to the Gmail account used for initial communication.
Kindly note that all payments are meant to be completed through our official payment link to ensure proper confirmation and coordination.
To resolve this, we kindly ask that you request a chargeback or cancellation for the payment made, and then proceed using the official link provided below:
[XXXXXXXXXXXX]
Once the payment is completed through the link, it will be properly recorded and we can immediately proceed with the necessary coordination for your feature.
Thank you for your understanding, and please let us know once it has been completed.
Best regards,
Kay's Book Club
Hello Kay: March 18
For a number of reasons, I have decided that this bookclub event is not for me. I have started the process of my bank Wells Fargo to recover the $175 that I sent via PayPal. An agent will be contacting you.
The Wells Fargo agent suggested that I contact you to see if you would refund the $175 payment to streamline the procedure.
No hard feelings on my end. Hope you can help.
David
Hello Kay: March 18
I was able to find out that the $175 I sent via PayPal was unclaimed, and I was able to delete it, so all is well. WFB is no longer involved, and I am grateful that I was able to finish a very convoluted and trying experience, one that I know you also suffered through.
As in my nature - and by my choice - the story I tell is that I was able to meet a kindred, passionate spirit who is doing what she loves to do. I wish you all the best as you move forward with your event.
David
why are you not replying my messages March 18 5:39 pm PDST
ᐧ
I just wanted to follow up, as I haven’t seen your response yet. If you experienced any issues receiving or completing the PayPal payment, kindly provide your full name, Gmail address, state, and country so I can prepare and send you a new invoice link for a smoother transaction.
Looking forward to your reply.
Kay, March 18 6:07 PDST
Take a deep breath.
I spent 32 years as a business owner. My customers knew what my credentials were, what my business was, and had very good referrals from my patients. They knew what to expect of me. I explained what treatment I would do, and the fees that would be necessary. It was all clear on both sides of the transaction before we started .
I have no idea what your business is. I was asked to send $175 - but I have no idea what I am paying for. What service? Who, what, how? Then out of the blue, a fee of $240 for a banner (didn't even know whether it was a flag,!) , was told that my banner was wonderful but needed upgrade - at the cost of $240. No communication, no plan, no program prior to another fee!
I can assure you that I can generate an AI banner exactly whatever you could want in less than 5 minutes. An unexpected fee magically appears of of nowhere! It seems like your business model is dropping corn piece by piece and lead the goose along the path to ..... where? Nobody knows - at least your clients don't, not in a business run this way.
I don't know what your business is, I don't what the beginning or the end point is, and how much I am paying for anything.
You surround yourself with books, which is great. Your YouTube videos show your insights into literature are very interesting. But the missing link - as many artists miss - is running a business.
I am being honest. You asked why I did not return your email. The answer is, I was hoping to just fade away so as not to have spent even one more email on this mutually costly affair we both have endured.
I truly wish you well, Kay.
David March 19, 12:40 am
Thank you for your honest and detailed message I truly appreciate your transparency and the time you took to explain your concerns.
I sincerely apologize for the lack of clarity in my previous communication. That is on me, and I completely understand how the process may have come across as unclear or unstructured.
Please allow me to clarify:
- The $175 fee is specifically for featuring your book in our Book Club Spotlight program, where we introduce your work to our reading community and host discussions around it.
- The $240 fee is for the creation of a professional promotional banner, which we use to properly showcase your book to our members during the spotlight session.
That said, I want to emphasize that you are absolutely free to negotiate the pricing. My goal is not to pressure you, but to find a fair arrangement that works for both of us.
To also address your concern about security and transparency, we prefer to use Upwork, a trusted freelancing platform, where:
- Your payment is protected
- You can clearly see the scope of work before proceeding
- Everything is documented and agreed upon upfront
If you’re open to reconsidering, kindly send your:
- Full Name
- Email Address
- State and Country
So I can prepare and send you a proper, detailed invoice via Upwork with everything clearly outlined before any commitment is made.
I completely understand your hesitation, and I genuinely respect your experience and perspective as a business owner. My intention is to improve and ensure a more transparent and professional process moving forward.
Thank you again for your honesty, and I hope we can find a way to work together comfortably.
Kay, March 20
Thanks for your update. I am in the midst on putting together with my Writers Anonymous group our second anthology of short stories, and this is crunch time for the next month or two. This is a lot of focus and meetings, so not a good time for other affairs.
Wishing you well,
David
Chat GBT: Kays Book Club (Kirsten and Maddie) legitimate?
Short answer: there’s no clear evidence that “Kays Book Club” is a verified, established, or widely recognized legitimate service—and you should be cautious.
Here’s what I found and how to interpret it:
What does exist (likely what you’re seeing)
There is a real online presence for a book community run by Kristen & Maddie (often branded as “Kris and Mads”):
- They run a podcast and online book community
- They describe themselves as sisters with a book club and content platform
- They promote a Patreon-style membership and social media presence
- They have a following (BookTok / Instagram scale) and regular content output
👉 That part appears real and active, not fake.
What’s unclear / concerning
There is no strong independent verification (like press coverage, publisher partnerships, or trusted author testimonials) showing:
- A formal “Kays Book Club” company structure
- A track record of delivering paid promotional services to authors
- Transparent pricing / contracts / results
- Widespread third-party reviews (good or bad)
That’s a big gap—especially if they’re reaching out to authors offering promotion.
⚠️ Why authors should be cautious
What you described (unsolicited outreach to self-published authors) is very common in borderline or questionable services.
Red flags to watch for:
- Cold emails praising your book vaguely
- Paid “feature” or “promotion” offers
- No clear ROI (sales, audience size, conversion data)
- Heavy reliance on follower count as proof
- No verifiable testimonials from authors (not just readers)
Even legit influencers can offer low-value paid promos that don’t sell books.
My honest assessment
- Not obviously a scam (they do exist as creators)
- Not proven as a reliable author marketing service
- Falls into a gray zone: “influencer-style book club with monetization”
What you should do before paying anything
If you’re considering working with them, ask for:
- Exact deliverables
- Where will your book be featured?
- How many posts / emails / videos?
- Audience data
- Real engagement rate (not just follower count)
- Past campaign results for other authors
- Proof
- Links to previous promotions
- Verifiable author testimonials (not screenshots)
- Refund / guarantee policy
If they can’t provide those clearly → walk away.
Bottom line
- ✔️ They appear to be real content creators
- ⚠️ Their “book club” as a paid author service is not well-validated
- ❗ Treat it like a marketing pitch, not a vetted opportunity
THE END..............OR IS IT?
