The "Cancel" Scam

 

Another great deer photo by Susan Coventry

 

 

 

Picture the amount of time and effort involved in setting up

 & waiting  for just the right moment . . .

Solar Halo, Stonehenge. Hannah Cole Photography

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THE "CANCEL" SCAM

Over the last few years I have heard about supposedly reputable companies making it difficult for people to cancel their subscriptions, but I was still surprised, then frustrated, then truly shocked when I ran into that brick wall myself. I am going to attempt to disguise the name of the company involved, rewriting where necessary, as this blog is intended as a warning, an exposé of cancel scams, not a vindictive blow at a particular company. Changes are indicated by asterisks and [ ]. Sadly, the original letter was more dramatic, but . . .

The saddest part of my tale is that when I wrote the following letter to the Chief Honcho of the company involved, it was returned to me as "Undeliverable." So here is my letter (edited). Take heed, readers. Sometimes drastic measures are needed. 

[Managing Director]

Re: [Your company's] “cancel” system is a scam.

Dear ****:

[In the first paragraph I introduce myself, mention my many years as a faithful subscriber & explain why I felt it was time to drop the company's services. Below, the edited remainder of the letter.]
 

    I intended to cancel last spring but to my horror, when the six-month “renewal” postcard arrived, it was already a week past the time $292.11 was charged to my account. (At least that was the impression given by the notice of a renewal date of 7/17/25 arriving on 7/23/25.) So I let it go, making a mental note to cancel the next payment well in advance.

    And then my tale of horror began. When I called the number on the postcard, all I got was succeedingly lower “bargain offers” from the agent. I kept saying “No and No and No!” finally demanding “Cancel, that’s it!” 

    And what do I get? “You’ll have to wait until the next card arrives in January.” !!!

    I went online, attempting to get into Customer Service on both AOL and Microsoft Edge. Every time I went near anything like the word Cancel—NOTHING. After multiple times over a period of about ten days, a chat box finally popped up. I’m too old to like chat boxes, but I was desperate. I am enclosing a copy of yet another roundabout conversation, ending—unbelievably—with an offer to send me instructions on how to cancel AFTER FILLING OUT A FORM AND PAYING FIVE DOLLARS. 

    Nothing left but snail mail, I thought. Should have tried it earlier. Then I re-read the postcard. I quote: “We do not accept correspondence sent by U. S. Mail or otherwise.” !!!  By this time, it’s a wonder I didn’t have a stroke on the spot. In addition to the aggravation, I should note that I am the author of 50+ books, and this was an enormous waste of my time.

    The next day, I went to my bank and asked them to stop payment on any further money to ****. 

    [I am aware of the current hardships of the survival of this type of service, but] I am horrified by [a business known for its] integrity resorting to the use of a Cancellation Service that can only be termed a Scam. I can only hope that upper management was not aware of how low Customer Service has fallen. Please, for the sake of other elderly subscribers forced to give up [this service], FIX THIS ISSUE. And for the sake of [your business] being able to hold up its head with pride in all aspects of its service to the public.                                                        

[Signature lines removed for brevity]                                                        

Enc: copy of postcard & my “Chat” 

****** 

END OF LETTER to Managing Director, which, may I remind you, was returned to me, marked UNDELIVERABLE. Sigh. 

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This week's featured book:

I have had a penchant for Science Fiction since high school, but not the technical know-how to write it. BUT Sci Fi Fantasy? I am so glad I took a plunge in that direction. What a great contrast to writing Regency. (Or maybe not.) Rebel Princess was supposed to be a one-off but turned into Book 1 of the 4-book Blue Moon Rising series. Plus the spin-off, The Crucible Kingdom. It portrays a world in a universe "far, far away," that I truly enjoyed creating. I hope you take a peek.

 The Princess Royal of a pacifist planet, whose people have spent a thousand years developing their powers of the mind, stages a personal rebellion, joining the space academy of a planet that has spent a millennium developing its military might. This odd pairing goes well until her senior year when her new "friends" turn on her. Only the swift action of an honorable huntership captain saves her from rape and possible medical experimentation. As a very special prisoner of war, she spends four years in solitary confinement, where she dreams of her rescuer but has no idea she has inadvertently sparked a rebellion against the military planet's vast Empire.

When the princess-in-disguise is finally freed and tossed into the middle of the Rebellion, she discovers there is a sharp contrast between her fantasy version of the man who rescued her and the flesh and blood starship captain leading the rebellion. She must also cope with his followers who fear her psychic powers, a fey younger brother who speaks only through illusions, royal parents with strict belief in non-violence, and a fiancé who happens to be a sorcerer. It would appear the hope of toppling the Empire is a dim light at the end of a very long tunnel.

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For a link to Blair's website & editing info, click here. 

For Archives, see the menu on the right. 

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Thanks for stopping by,

Grace (Blair Bancroft) 

 

How NOT to End a Series

 Since I began this blog in 2011, I have made it a habit to include pics of the granddaughters. Some readers may recall they were featured in my first two blogs—that horrendous tale of what happened when I attempted to drive them home from a Christmas concert in their mother's car (with three girls, six and under, in carseats and no gas). Now, even the middle grand has turned 21! How time flies. Below, Hailey on the cover of a student magazine at the University of Central Florida (Orlando) and Riley playing the euphonium in a band concert at Stetson University in Deland, FL.

 

 

Riley (redhead) in the middle

Not surprisingly, entitled "Amazing Tree"

 

 

From Cattitude, Facebook

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 HOW NOT TO END A SERIES

Although I have edited many a manuscript, I almost never criticize published writing.  But this week I am going to do just that. (Hopefully, without giving a hint of which series I'm critiquing.) 

I have been following a certain series for some time now, eagerly awaiting each new book. The characters were well drawn, the plots remarkably imaginative. So I quickly downloaded what was billed as the last book of the series and began to read.

I was less than ten pages into the book when I frowned and went, "Huh? What's happened?This is just plain BORING." I kept reading, of course, assuring myself the author wouldn't let me down, but . . .

Too much repetition, too little inspiration. It took a number of chapters for the book to cease reminisicing and move into the plot. But as the final "wind up" plot proceeded, it seemed to substitute overblown action scenes for creativity. Relationships were given lip service—words but with no feeling of genuine emotion. All characters—the good guys and the bad—had faded from vivid color to sepia, into caricatures of their previous selves.

And then, just when I was expecting a big final chapter, the book simply stopped. I flipped my Kindle page, looking for more. Nothing. No reminders of the pain and sorrow, the joys and wonder that had gone before. The book simply petered out into nothing. It was as if the author, obviously bored with series, said, "That's enough. I'm done. Sayonara. Farewell. Time for something else."

Moral of this tale:

Authors, if you start a series, you need to finish it in the style in which it began. The only other case I can cite of such an egregious kick in the teeth to faithful followers is the lack of a final book in the Game of Thrones series, allowing the TV production to turn out one of the most dissatisfiying finales in the history of television. Please, have respect for your readers. Don't toss us a bone without meat, then have the nerve to write, "The End."

 ~ * ~

Featured Books of the Week:

My first book was published in 1999, so some of the many to follow are really old, and yet two of my early books keep appearing on my Amazon sales list despite their age— Lady Silence and The Temporary Earl. I have frequently wondered if this was because of their titles. Perhaps readers find the idea of a silent lady intriguing. And whoever heard of a temporary earl? In any event, I chose them both for this week's featured books.

 

 A snowy night; a waif on the doorstep, who doesn't talk. After agreeing to grant her shelter, Damon Farr goes off to six years of war, returning determined to be a recluse, only to discover the girl is still there. And still not talking. Is "the girl the cat dragged in" destined to be Damon Farr's Sinful Temptation or his Salvation? The odd pair walk a rocky road before the answer becomes clear.

Reviews:

"Blair Bancroft can always be counted on to deliver exceptional characters and/or settings, historical accuracy, unusual plots, and flawless writing. LADY SILENCE is one more sterling example." Jane Bowers, Romance Reviews Today

"LADY SILENCE by Blair Bancroft is a splendid Regency romance! The creative intrigue and alluring characters make this novel a must have." Nadine St. Denis, Romance Junkies

 

Former army engineer, Major Charles Tyrone, is catapulted to acting head of the family when his distant cousin, the elderly Earl of Wyvern, suffers a stroke at the news his only son has been killed in an accident and his grandson, age fifteen, lies in a coma. The major must also cope with the earl's ward, Lady Vanessa Rayne, who is a bit too aware of her status as daughter of an duke. Major Tyrone's efforts are also considerably hampered by a plethora of relatives (and prospective heirs), with hints of murder and attempted murder soon rearing their ugly heads. Yet despite being caught in the midst of these dire events, Charles and Vanessa begin to suspect it is possible for the daughter of a duke and lowly engineer to fall in love. If, that is, they live that long.

Reviews:

"The very talented Blair Bancroft has added another diamond to the Regency treasure chest with the tightly plotted and delightfully executed The Major Meets His Match."* Teresa Roebuck, Romantic Times
*now titled The Temporary Earl

"It's a vibrant and fun-filled glimpse into a time long ago, and I highly recommend it to . . . any fan of romance. It has all the qualities that we look for, regardless of the time period. Don't miss it. It's a keeper!" Celia Merenyi, A Romance Review

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BLAIR BANCROFT EDITING

Developmental Editing

for new and would-be authors

For link to details, please click here. 

  *****************

~ * ~

For a link to Blair's website & editing info, click here. 

For Archives, see the menu on the right. 

 For recent blogs, scroll down. 

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Grace (Blair Bancroft) 

"Getting Older"

 

Photo by Lonnie Lania, W. Virginia

From Mad Florida Memes

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 My son sent me the following post back in August; no attribution. But I carefully saved it, knowing it was a perfect gem for my blog. As I frequently tell acquaintances:  "Never get old!"

 

Comments on "getting older" from

well-known names of the past

"The older I get, the better I was"! JM

"If you want to know how old a woman is, ask her sister-in-law."  (Eva Gabor)

"Old age comes at a bad time." (Ed Sullivan)
 
"Old age is like a plane flying through a storm.  Once you are aboard, there is nothing you can do about it."  (Golda Meir)
 
"First you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your zipper up; then, you forget to pull your zipper down."  (Rob Reiner)
 
"Old people shouldn't eat healthy foods.  They need all the preservatives they can get."  (Bob Hope)
 
"At my age, flowers scare me."  (George Burns)
 
"It's like you trade the virility of the body for the agility of the spirit."  (Ed Sullivan)
 
"The years between 55 and 75 are the hardest. You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down."  (T.S Elliot)
 
"At age 20, we worry about what others think of us. At age 40, we don't care what they think of us... at age 60, we discover they haven't been thinking of us at all."  (Ann Landers)
 
"When I was young, I was called a rugged individualist. When I was in my fifties, I was considered eccentric.  Here I am doing and saying the same things I did then, and I'm labeled senile."  (Milton Berle)
 
"The important thing to remember is that I'm probably going to forget."  (Martin Scorsese)
 
"We don't grow older, we grow riper."  (Pablo Picasso)
 
"It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone." (Andy Rooney)
 
"The older I get, the better I used to be."  (Lee Trevino)
 
"I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a lot more as they get older, and then it dawned on me — they're cramming for their final exam."  (George Carlin)
 
"Everything seems to slow down with age, except the time it takes cake and ice cream to reach your hips."  (Elizabeth Taylor)
 
"You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks."  (Dennis Quaid)
 
"Looking fifty is great — if you're sixty."  (Joan Rivers)
 
"Time may be a great Healer, but it's a lousy Beautician."*


*Grace note: Sorry, no attribution for the last one. 

 ~ * ~

 Featured Book of the Week - THE ART OF EVIL

 I worked for many years as a volunteer tram driver (one afternoon a week) on the 66 acres of The Ringling Museum in Sarasota. One of the joys of my life. I also volunteered (in full costume) for the Medieval Fair held on the grounds for many years until new construction at the Ringling forced the fair to go elsewhere. The Art of Evil is set at the Ringling in the era before the new construction, describing the Ringling before the new Circus Museum, new restaurant, and additions to the Museum itself. Descriptions are authentic, including the "disappearance" of a statue the state evidently did not approve of. Even the meeting with the aerialist in the Ladies Room and her explanation of "Break a Leg" actually happened. 

If you are ever anywhere near Sarasota, Florida, DO NOT MISS The Ringling Museum.  

A bit dark, but that's a body hanging from one of the many banyan trees at the Ringling.

 Someone is killing people at the Bellman Museum, staging the deaths as bizarre works of art scattered over the museum's sixty-six tropical acres. FBI Special Agent Aurora "Rory" Travis, broken in body and spirit, shuns the world as a tram driver at the museum until a friend becomes a suspect in one of the deaths. Rory's self-appointed investigation is complicated by the appearance of a mystery man who hops onto her tram in the midst of a thunder storm and the arrival on site of a determined Sarasota PD detective. In the end, only one of the new men in her life is watching her back when Rory is forced to confront her worst fears as she goes one-on-one with the villain.

Review:

"This is an engaging Florida investigative thriller starring a likable cast to include eccentric seniors especially Aunt Hy, polar opposite sleuths with an in-common interest in Rory, and a terrific heroine struggling to regain her sea legs. . . ."
Harriet Klausner 

   *****************

BLAIR BANCROFT EDITING

Developmental Editing

for new and would-be authors

For link to details, please click here. 

  *****************

~ * ~

For a link to Blair's website & editing info, click here. 

For Archives, see the menu on the right. 

 For recent blogs, scroll down. 

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Grace (Blair Bancroft) 

 

Gallery & Recipe

  

BLAIR BANCROFT EDITING

Developmental Editing

for new and would-be authors

For link to details, please click here. 

  *****************

This week's blog features a longer gallery than usual, plus a truly tasty ham recipe.

Amazingly, I downloaded the following pic from Facebook in August 2025, a few weeks BEFORE the Charlie Kirk assassination. 

 

 Here's a rather startling puzzle, titled Ancient Statues . . .

  

 Speaking of ancient creatures—still in existence & adapting to the 21st c. . . .

 Wise words from Arizona . . .

 

 

 

 

 

New Port Richey (FL) Sunset, August 2025

Below, a truly remarkable sunset, taken by Zanetta Janette in North Port, FL, just south of where I lived for 25 years on Florida's Gulfcoast. Attributed to clouds moving in to obscure half the sunset.

  

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I am a Recipe Freak, buying cookbooks even when I know I already have more recipes than I will ever be able to use. I go through each book, making a legal pad list of the recipes I find most appealing, which is how I found HAWAIIAN HAM BAKE, even though it only had a small photo. The surprising thing about this recipe is that, despite its obscure placement, it has that gourmet chef touch. I.e., it's REALLY tasty. 

For the ham, you can settle for a slice in your grocery's meat display or do as I do because of my allergy to chemical preservatives—ask your Deli for a 1/2" - 5/8" slice of Black Forest ham.  (Ham that miraculously seems to survive without chemical additives.) The recipe is made easier these days by those packets of rice, ready in 90 seconds in the microwave.

Recipe is from Taste of Home Casseroles & One-Dish Meals, May 2012. 

 

 

HAWAIIAN HAM BAKE 

 3 cups cubed fully cooked ham

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 small green pepper, cut into rings*

2/3 cup raisins**

3/4 cup pineapple tidbits, drained

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 teaspoons ground mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1½ cups pineapple juice

½ cup cider vinegar

4½ teaspoons soy sauce

 

Hot cooked rice 

 

* since peppers tend to be large, I quarter them, then slice thin to desired amount

 

**golden raisins, preferred

 

Preheat oven to 350°. 

In a greased 2-qt baking dish, layer ham, onion, green pepper, raisins and pineapple. In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, mustard and salt. Stir in pineapple juice and vinegar until smooth. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

 

Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce. Pour over pineapple. Cover and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Serve with rice. 

 

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Featured Book of the Week:  Shadows Over Greystoke Grange

 

For the fun of it, I used a slightly different format when writing this Gothic. In addition to that bit of daring, the hero gets upstaged by a secondary character. Oops. But I never could settle to writing the same tale over and over. Why not try it and see what you think?

 

 

At eighteen, Adria Lovett can think only of making her come-out and finding the love of her life. Until, scant weeks before leaving for London, her world crumbles around her, pitching her into a situation shockingly contrary to anything she has ever known. And yet, far from London, Adria finds herself surrounded by a bevy of young men—though none of them what she envisioned when dreaming of her future. There is Dudley Greystoke, who should be Sir Dudley but is not; Chandler Satterthwaite, who has strayed far from the fold of his father, the vicar; the supposedly reliable Ned Steadman, son of the local squire; Garth Maddox, son of a gamekeeper, who calls himself Myrddin, the Welsh name for Merlin. And Drake Kincade, son of a wealthy merchant—the Drake Kincade, known to many as "the Devil's Spawn," who has fled to the country to escape a bride selected by his father. And then there is Dudley Greystoke's twin sister, Daphne, a young woman as willful as she is beautiful, who plunges Adria into the world of witchcraft—a world already complicated by a barrage of evil deeds ranging from nasty pranks to murder.

Grimoires, spells, devil-worship, rape, and murder—not at all the Season Adria dreamed of.

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For a link to Blair's website & editing info, click here. 

For Archives, see the menu on the right. 

 For recent blogs, scroll down. 

 

Thanks for stopping by,

Grace (Blair Bancroft)