I Was Robbed!
- Karen Brittingham-Edmond
- May 8
- 3 min read
May 8, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS STATEMENT: From Karen Brittingham-Edmond, Editor, Publisher,
EchoNewsTV.com Author, The Bad Dream Part 1 & 2: An American Prophecy
,
Keansburg, NJ — A disturbing and deeply consequential issue has emerged involving Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform and its treatment of independent authors — particularly Black American authors who rely on digital publishing for economic survival and cultural visibility.
My book, The Bad Dream Part 1 & 2: An American Prophecy, is currently being sold nationally and internationally across Amazon’s global marketplace. It is available in the United States, Mexico, Spain, and multiple other countries in both paperback (ISBN‑13: 979‑8278385844) and Kindle eBook formats (ASIN: B0G6NY91ZP). The book is searchable, purchasable, and downloadable worldwide. The Bad Dream Part 1 & 2: An American Prophecy: Brittingham-Edmond, Karen: 9798278385844: Amazon.com: Books
Yet despite its active global distribution, Amazon KDP has blocked me from accessing my own publishing account, denied me access to my royalty dashboard, and has not issued a single royalty payment. Black Authors and Illustrators Confront Publishing Bias Amid Growing Literacy Disparity – Howard University News Service
When I contacted Amazon for clarification, I received contradictory and evasive responses:
First, I was told my book “Doesn’t exist.”
When I challenged that claim, I was told I “Submitted the wrong checking account numbers.”
When I requested full sales data for tax reporting, my KDP dashboard access was abruptly revoked.
This is not a technical glitch. This is a systemic failure — one that disproportionately harms Black authors who already face structural barriers in the publishing industry.
A Pattern of Author Disenfranchisement
My experience is not isolated. Numerous American authors have reported similar issues with Amazon KDP:
Sudden account terminations
Withheld royalties
Months‑long lockouts with no explanation
Customer service stonewalling
Missing or unverifiable sales data
In 2023, several authors filed complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, alleging that Amazon withheld earnings and provided no transparency regarding sales or account closures.
For Black authors, these obstacles are compounded by longstanding inequities in traditional publishing, making KDP one of the few accessible avenues for creative and economic advancement. When that access is obstructed, the impact is devastating.
The Human Cost
As a Black American writer, journalist, and community advocate, I have invested years into producing a memoir that blends:
Black church spirituality
Political foresight
Ancestral lineage
Community activism
Prophetic dreams that foreshadowed the rise of Barack Obama
The Bad Dream Part 1 & 2: An American Prophecy is a culturally significant, spiritually resonant work — a memoir that moves between the earthly and the divine, the personal and the political. It is a rare contribution to Black American nonfiction.
To have this work sold globally while I am denied access to my own earnings is not only financially damaging — it is emotionally and professionally dehumanizing. No author should have to fight a billion‑dollar corporation for access to their own intellectual property. No Black author should be told their book “Doesn’t exist” while it is being sold around the world. (10) Black Authors Association (BAA) | Amazon KDP Books scammed me out of my royalties | Facebook
A Call for Transparency and Accountability
I am calling for:
Immediate restoration of access to my KDP account
A full accounting of all global sales
Release of all withheld royalties
A formal explanation for the account obstruction
Industry‑wide scrutiny of Amazon KDP’s treatment of marginalized authors
If necessary, I am prepared to involve investigative journalists — including NBC’s Lynda Baquero — to ensure this issue receives the public attention it warrants. This is not simply about one author. This is about the integrity of digital publishing and the rights of creators whose livelihoods depend on fair and transparent treatment. Better Get Baquero – NBC New York
About the Author
Karen Brittingham‑Edmond is the Editor & Publisher of EchoNewsTV.com, a New Jersey–based media outlet rooted in Black American history, community advocacy, and investigative reporting. She is the author of The Bad Dream Part 1 & 2: An American Prophecy, a prophetic memoir blending spirituality, political foresight, and ancestral memory.
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