A story of lies (and 'Consequences') unravels

It’s been a week since those in author Margaret B. Jones’ circle discovered the 33-year-old isn’t the person she claims to be in her memoir Love and Consequences. Her real name is Margaret “Peggy” Seltzer and her book about growing up in gang-ridden South Central L.A. is a bunch of hogwash. Seltzer pulled the wool over the eyes of many, including Inga Muscio who referred to Seltzer’s “background” in the foster care system and as a member of the Bloods in her own book titled Autobiography of a Blue-Eyed Devil. Muscio trusted Seltzer enough to refer her to her literary agent, Faye Bender, who then helped her get a deal for Love and Consequences with Riverhead Books. Following a message posted on her website explaining the extent of her relationship with Seltzer, Muscio answered a few questions posed by EW.com (via email).

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: When were you first introduced to Seltzer and do you remember the circumstances? What was your first impression?
INGA MUSCIO: I thought she was a brilliant, highly-articulate, deep-thinking individual, not to mention a gifted writer. I still do.

How long have you known her? How close had you become over time?
I have known her for four years. We became quite close. Her number was on speed dial on my phone.

Was there ever anything -- in hindsight -- that would have made you raise an eyebrow? For instance, the fact that she was publishing this memoir under a pseudonym even after changing names of characters, etc.?
Not a thing. The name changes were to protect the identities of herself as well as people she discussed in the book. She worried about retaliation, like Monster Kody experienced. The pseudonym seemed perfectly reasonable. Every detail of her existence was authentic. She referred to her mom as her "birth mom," and frequently reminisced about memories of Big Mom. I met her family under the auspices of her making an effort to reconcile with them.

Just to clarify, you were friends with Faye Bender and/or she was your literary agent?
Faye is my literary agent.

This was deep-seated deceit, which went on for a long time, to the point where it seemed she even had herself convinced of the story (with the accent and slang, for example, on public radio). Because of that -- and as an author who has gone through the publishing process -- do you think it was impossible to not be duped by her?
I think another pathological liar might have been wary.

Do you have any theories as to what may have been the driving force of  her betrayal?
I am absolutely clueless about her motives. She could have written her book as fact-based fiction and it would have been just as brilliant. She lived the life she described in the book for many years before there was ever a question of a book, so dang, I'm stumped.

Has she tried calling you to apologize?
No.