Is this a scam, or merely preying on academics desperate for publication?
Email via my work inbox: which propitiously enough begins by addressing me by my actual surname + academic title:
We have learned of your published research on the philosophy of [*]. We would like to invite your participation in our publishing program. In particular, I have in mind a new research or review article for an edited collection (invitation only) being assembled under my overall direction tentatively entitled
Philosophy of [*]
The deadline for the abstract is December 10th, 2010 and for the completed chapter March 10th, 2011
Proposals to serve as Editor of this volume are welcome up to the abstract deadline.
Well, that's a really helpful lot of guidelines as to what on earth they would want me to write about, innit?
There is some further info:
Edited Collection: The contributions for this edited book are intended to range from 4,000-35,000 words (chapters over 10,000 words can be updated by the author for the e-version of their chapter for a period of 2 years at intervals of 6 months, 12 months and 24 months after publication). If you are interested in participating, please consult the Notes for Contributors at the bottom of this letter. Should your schedule not allow a full contribution at this time, we would welcome either a Commentary or Short Communication of 1,000-4,000 words.
*Spooky music in the background. Dry ice fog rises.*
1. There is no charge for inclusion in the finished book**. An auxiliary service is available for any authors desiring Open Access. Open Access makes the chapter visible free of charge to anyone in the world who has Internet access.
2. There are no page charges for black and white submissions. Chapters containing color are billed a flat fee regardless of number of publisher-accepted color reproductions.
3. A free copy of the e-book version of the book is sent to the first-listed contributor of each chapter. Additional copies are available at a 20% discount***. Publication in digital form takes place about the same time as the printed version.
4. The [pretty much not my field] community is the intended audience. Books are marketed by direct mail, space ads, review copies, online bookstore postings and by our international distributors****.
5. The choice of theme and approach are at the discretion of the author but acceptance is only upon submission of the draft abstract. The line-up of chapters is a constantly changing landscape since discussions, commitments and submissions continue on a daily basis right up to and sometimes beyond the close of each volume.*****
6. Research results (studies) are the primary type of article desired but review articles are also welcome. The Commentary should deal with innovative ideas, developments, directions, misdirections, areas which need to be explored, future outlook, prior errors, problems, personnel, funding, or trends in the field which will be published separately under your name in a section titled Expert Commentary. The deadlines for the abstract for the Commentary and the full Commentary are the same as for regular articles.
WTFBBQ? Are they havin a laff?
*Area I have sometimes rather tangentially written on the history of
**As you are soliciting me for this enterprise, I should bloody well hope not.
***Wow, the munificence is, er, munificent.
****Somehow this is not really encouraging...
*****It's the mighty morphin' volume! Or the Mutability volume.
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