Case Study: Amy Gulley

Anatomy of an Internet Troll

A cartoon illustration of a person wearing a gray hoodie with the words "FIRE VOLOKH" on the back. The person has brown, messy hair and is looking angrily at a laptop with several app icons on the screen. To the left of the person, there is a gray box resembling a hacker's hoodie with the words "FIRE VOLOKH." To the right of the person, there are seven labeled boxes explaining different online behaviors, including "Head: Inflated Sense of Righteousness," "Mouth: Megaphone of Malice," "Fingers: Keyboard Warriors," "Eyes: Selective Attention," "Heart: Black Hole of Envy," "Legs: Obsessive Pursuit," and "Shadow: The ‘Cause’." Each box contains a description of a specific digital behavior or tactic.

“I never set out to be obsessed. But the minute she said ‘autopsy protocols are flawed,’ I knew it was personal. I had to act. I had to destroy her start-up. I had to warn the world.”

Exclusive Excerpt from Gulley’s Forthcoming Memoir:
“When I said she committed fraud, I didn’t mean legally — I meant emotionally.”

Gulley’s legal logic
“Some women chase careers. I chase reputations… with screenshots.”

Gulley on feminism
“My therapist said stop. But FIRE said publish.”

Gulley on mental health
“She blocked me. So I created a subreddit dedicated to her.”

Gulley on managing rejection

“She tweeted once. I’ve never let it go.”

Table of Contents (Selected Chapters)

“I Didn’t Choose to Stalk Her; The Algorithm Did”
Chapter 1: When Curiosity Becomes a Federal Investigation (In My Head)
“Every Tweet Deserves a Rebuttal”
Chapter 3: Owning the Libs with 19 Consecutive Substack Posts
“Harassment or Justice?”
Chapter 5: Why Filing a FOIA Request on a Stranger’s Resume Is My Love Language
“The Importance of Daily Monitoring”
Chapter 6: Yes, I Made a Spreadsheet. No, I Won’t Apologize.
“Creating a Newsletter Dedicated to Her”
Chapter 8: Journalism Is When I Screenshot Her Face and Send It to Her Employer
“When Blocking Becomes Fraud”
Chapter 9: If She Didn’t Want Me Watching, Why Did She Exist Publicly?
“Defending My Own Bad Take”
Chapter 10: On Being Wrong, Loudly, and With Poorly Formatted Footnotes
“My Therapist Said Stop, But FIRE Said Publish”
Chapter 11: I Am the Constitution
“If Monitoring a Woman’s Career for 2 Years Is Obsession, Then So Be It”
Chapter 12: The Difference Between Stalking and Academic Oversight Is Branding
“Every Blog Post Is a Lawsuit in Waiting”
Chapter 14: How to Use Legal Threats as Emotional Support

In this groundbreaking debut memoir, Amy Gulley invites readers deep inside the mind of a woman who turned one stranger’s public comment into a full-time obsession, complete with subreddit articles, deranged email campaigns, and late-night Google Docs no one asked for.

With the searing insight of a self-appointed watchdog and the restraint of a raccoon in a recycling bin, Obsessed is both a cautionary tale and a how-to guide for weaponizing free speech as a personal vendetta. From misquoting academic papers to accusing fundraisers of fraud (without evidence), Gulley details her descent into digital vigilantism — and proudly refuses to climb out.

“She blocked me. So I wrote 48 essays about her. That’s not stalking. That’s persistence.”

Obsessed is a raw, unflinching portrait of delusion, entitlement, and the refusal to log off. For anyone who’s ever confused accountability with persecution, or public platforms with private diaries — this book is for you.

Anatomy of an Internet Troll

“I never set out to be obsessed. But the minute she said ‘autopsy protocols are flawed,’ I knew it was personal. I had to act. I had to destroy her start-up. I had to warn the world.”

“When I said she committed fraud, I didn’t mean legally — I meant emotionally.”

“Some women chase careers. I chase reputations… with screenshots.”

“My therapist said stop. But FIRE said publish.”

“She blocked me. So I created a subreddit dedicated to her.”

“She tweeted once. I’ve never let it go.”

Table of Contents (Selected Chapters)

Disclaimer