There is a thriving self-published author community on
Here's a photo compilation from satirist Andrew Shaffer, comparing her now-deleted Amazon photo with a photo fellow author Cyndi Aleo tipped him off to:
Twitter/@EvilWylie
A Google image search using the photo file reveals that after it was used to advertise Revlon hair extensions, it became an online stock photo of sorts.
After tweeting out the comparison on Tuesday, Shaffer and Aleo attracted nonstop attention from their e-book writing followers. Some examples:
@EvilWylie @cyndyaleo @GreatDismal It is absolutely hilarious how many people haven't figured out Google's reverse image search exists.
- Admiral Crankypants (@AtomicOvermind) December 3, 2013
@EvilWylie That's just dumb. A lazy person works twice as hard for less return. @dyingechoes @cyndyaleo
- M. Andrew Patterson (@M_A_Patterson) December 3, 2013
@EvilWylie maybe she's a stock photo model in her spare time? :D @michfisher @cyndyaleo
- Jessica Melendez (@_JessMelendez) December 3, 2013
Without responding, Nelson removed the photo from her Amazon page and changed her bio. She deleted her personal Facebook page but kept her commercial page, as well as her Twitter and personal website, which each feature the Revlon pic. Here's her Twitter bio, complete with outrageous erotica background:
No word on where that cover photo came from...
It turned out that many other authors had a problem with Nelson, who has been accused of plagiarism. The summary of her new, free e-book "Trinity (The Executive's Affair)" is almost word-for-word taken from the description of "Billionaire Bodyguard," which Kristi Avalon published last year.
What makes the whole thing more suspect is that Nelson published ten full-length books in November, and her publisher's site does not function.
It's free and easy to publish an e-book to Amazon's Kindle marketplace, and Amazon receives a portion of the book's royalties. Authors offer free e-books to build their brand.
Amazon has yet to step in regarding the Nelson scandal, but writers are taking it upon themselves to police the situation:
Erotic romance writers make sure none of your work is here: http://t.co/r3olU9qiZy "She" uses stolen pics/bios; publisher's site is a front.
- violet blue ® (@violetblue) December 4, 2013
Disclosure: Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions.
Disclosure: Jeff Bezos is an investor in Business Insider through his personal investment company Bezos Expeditions.