A promising debut author, Cait Corrain, found herself at the centre of controversy and lost her book deal after being accused of attempting to sabotage reviews of fellow authors on a popular book recommendation website. The writer, known for her upcoming sci-fi fantasy novel “Crown of Starlight,” issued a public apology after a wave of backlash engulfed her online presence last week.

What did Cait Corrain do?

The accusations against Corrain revolved around the alleged creation of fake accounts on Goodreads, an Amazon-owned book review platform, where she purportedly posted negative user reviews about other authors’ works—an act commonly referred to as “review-bombing.”

Del Rey Books, a subsidiary of Penguin Random House, made a public statement on Monday, confirming their decision to sever ties with Corrain. They announced that “Crown of Starlight,” initially set for publication on May 14, 2024, would no longer be part of their publishing schedule.

Read: Goodreads review bombing: action taken to preserve trust

Corrain’s literary agent, Rebecca Podos, also distanced herself from the author, stating, “Cait and I will not be continuing our partnership moving forward,” expressing gratitude for those impacted by the events and acknowledging the difficulties faced during the situation.

Goodreads under scrutiny as Cait Corrain admits actions

The controversy has reignited discussions about Goodreads and its pivotal role in the book industry. Goodreads has the power to make or break new authors, and this incident highlights the ongoing challenges it faces in combating review-bombing, a problem it has struggled to contain. In October, the platform asked its users to report the “authenticity of ratings and reviews” as part of their efforts to address this issue.

Late on Monday, Corrain issued a statement confirming the allegations and offering her apologies. She disclosed that she experienced a “complete psychological breakdown” after starting new medication in November to treat her ongoing depression, alcoholism, and substance abuse. She stated, “Let me be extremely clear: while I might not have been sober or of sound mind during this time, I accept responsibility for the pain and suffering I caused.”

The suspicions around Corrain’s alleged review-bombing came to light when writers noticed a pattern of similar accounts posting scathing one-star reviews for unreleased books by other authors, especially debut titles set for release in the first half of the following year. Many of these targeted authors seemed to be people of colour.

Read: Book reviews: erosion of trust due to AI, bombing and misrepresentation

In her apology, Corrain admitted to creating approximately eight profiles on Goodreads to manipulate her book’s rating positively while negatively affecting the ratings of several debut authors and leaving abusive reviews. She also revealed that she had tried to cover her tracks by fabricating a story about a non-existent friend named “Lilly” who was supposedly responsible for the review-bombing.

The controversy gained widespread attention after Canadian author and internet personality Xiran Jay Zhao exposed the situation, sharing a comprehensive Google Doc containing screenshots of the alleged fake reviews and a now-deleted social media post by Corrain.

Bethany Baptiste, one of the authors targeted by the review-bombing, commented on Podos’ decision to drop Corrain, stating, “It’s good to see Cait face the consequences of her own actions.” However, she also emphasised that there was ample time for a private apology before a public announcement.

Corrain faced additional professional repercussions as Illumicrate, a book subscription box service, announced that “Crown of Starlight” would no longer be included in its May box. Their small press arm, Daphne Press, is also evaluating the best course of action in light of the allegations.

As the fallout from the controversy continues, Corrain’s Goodreads author page remains public, where some users have begun review-bombing her own book. “Crown of Starlight” currently holds a 3.93 rating on the platform at the time of writing, with users expressing their disapproval of an author who review-bombed fellow authors, particularly those from marginalised communities.