Author’s claim of ‘Oprah’ book a sham

Provincetown is celebrating Carnival this week with the theme “Fairy Tales.” And administrative tourism director Bill Schneider is telling a few of his own.
Schneider, who published three novelettes, told The Cape Codder that he appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and that his most recent book, “Crossed Paths” was chosen as part of her popular book club. His Web site said how “honored” he was to be on the show and have his book featured. There was even a link to a five-page transcript of the 10-minute segment that supposedly featured Schneider. There is a framed image of the cover of his book with a small metal plaque that, he says, is a special award for the sale of his book, which he said skyrocketed after his appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”
“It’s kind of like the gold record of the publishing industry,” Schneider said in the July 27 issue of The Cape Codder.
But none of it happened. It is all a lie.
“It is not part of the book club,” said a spokeswoman from Harpo Productions, Inc., Winfrey’s company in Chicago.
The spokeswoman went on to say that Schneider was never a guest on the show and reiterated that his book was not part of the show’s book club. The transcript on-line is also, obviously, completely bogus. His Web site now makes no mention of “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” but a Google search of “Bill Schneider Oprah” shows not only a story by the Weekly Dig, an alternative paper in Boston that broke the story, but also the fake transcript. The only mention of “Oprah” on his Web site now is under the “Reviews” section where he claims Winfrey said, “Bill Schneider’s characters are carefully crafted and colorful” about his book “Crossed Paths.”
Doubtful, as a Harpo Productions, Inc. spokeswoman said he is unknown to the company.
At this point it is hard to tell which, if any, parts of Schneider’s fanciful story is true. He has indeed published three books through ASJA Press, an imprint of iUniverse.com, which is a self-publishing company.
Schneider claimed that a framed award on the wall of his Provincetown Town Hall office was from ASJA Press and was meant to congratulate him for his high rate of sales after his appearance on “Oprah.” Calls to ASJA Press based in Lincoln, Neb., went unanswered, but since Schneider never appeared on the show, there can be no such award.
His Web site also maintains that his book is being made into a motion picture, but there are no details to verify that statement.
Attempts to reach Schneider for comment were unsuccessful.