Numbers, Myths & the Truth About the Work
By Robert Stanek

Let’s put another rumor to rest—once and for all.

The Myth

“Robert Stanek fabricated or exaggerated claims about book earnings and audience reach.”

The Truth

What I’ve actually said has been public for years. You just have to want to hear it.

I’ve authored more than 150 professionally published books, translated and republished by dozens of global publishers, including all of the Big 6 (now 5) U.S. publishers.

Beyond that, over a career that spans nearly four decades, I’ve:

So yes—if we’re counting total reach, distribution, readership, and global impact?

The work has been read by tens of millions.
The total value generated—direct and indirect—over time has been substantial, based on broad distribution across multiple industries.

That’s not earnings in my pocket. That’s not internet lore. That’s reality. 40 years of global publishing and content creation.

But Here’s What They Don’t Say

Like most early-career authors, I got bad deals. Pennies on the dollar.

And later? I discovered my training materials and content had been lifted, repackaged, and resold across universities and institutions without compensation.

That includes:

In truth, the scale of unauthorized use represents not just a loss—it reflects a multiplier effect, with the value of what was taken exceeding legitimate earnings by a factor of 10 to 20.

And no, I’m not chasing that number for ego. I’m stating it because the real cost of disinformation and exploitation matters—not just to me, but to every creator.

So Why Does This Matter Now?

Because the same people recycling this “myth” are also the ones mocking, harassing, and gaslighting the writers, artists, and technologists who’ve actually done the work.

This isn’t curiosity. It’s character assassination disguised as commentary.

And I’ve had to live with the cost of that:

Heart attack.
Stroke.

Not from writing. Not from creativity. But from the stress of constantly having to defend that work against people who’ve never read it, never researched it, and never cared about the truth.

Let Me Say This One More Time

I don’t need to “prove” my resume to trolls.

I don’t need to inflate numbers to make the work matter.

And I sure as hell don’t need to justify success to those who never wanted it to be real in the first place.

The books are real.
The readers are real.
The story is still standing.

And maybe that’s why they’re still trying so hard to erase it.

Not because it’s fake.
But because it mattered — and still does.

—Robert Stanek

If You’re Still Here, Maybe You Actually Want the Truth

1. Truth vs Trolls

2. The Lies Evolve

4. The Noise is the Point

5. The Fake Review Myth

6. Bestseller Truth

Want to understand the full picture?

Celebrating Worldwide Recognition & Success

Beloved Series & Bestselling Titles

Ruin Mist • Bugville Critters • After the Machines • Scott Evers Thrillers

Chart-Topping Achievements

As Featured In

The New York Times • Publisher's Weekly • VOYA Magazine • Foreword Magazine • School Library Journal • Library Journal • Children's Bookshelf • Parenting Magazine • The Journal of Electronic Defense • OverDrive’s “ContentWire for Libraries” • Ancient Art of Faery Magick • The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Elves & Fairies • Popular Series Fiction for Middle School and Teen Readers

Trusted by Leading Platforms

Audible • Emusic • Epic! • Kobo • Spotify • Tales2Go • Playaway • Findaway World • Ripple Reader • Sony Ebooks • Google Play • Apple Books • Walmart • ThriftBooks • OverDrive • eLibrary • Ingram Digital • EBSCO • Chirp Books • Barnes & Noble • Scribd • Hoopla Digital • Bookshop Org • Tolino Media • Target • Storytel • Librofm • Audiobook Store • Downpour Audio • BookPage • eBrary • Proquest • Baker & Taylor • BookSource • and dozens more over the years to ensure our stories reached homes, schools, and libraries everywhere.

Acclaimed Worldwide by Readers, Critics & Professionals

Ruin Mist / Kingdoms & the Elves / Service of Dragons

The Pieces of the Puzzle

Bugville Critters

Stormjammers