There are a few different ways to write things that become published.
1. write a book, sell it to a publisher. This is the most challenging way to get published. The publisher pays you an “advance” (thousands of dollars usually), you own the copyright to the book, you get paid royalties (meaning for every book sold, you get a percentage), and you are responsible for promoting and publicising your work. (This is where book tours and signings come into play, as well as interviews, etc). This is also the hardest way to get published because it involves pitching agents and publishers your work, and hoping they want to buy it.
2. Self-publish. This is where you pay a vanity press to publish your work for you. It is not considered “being published”, because the book will not be in the library of congress, it will not be sold in bookstores, and it won’t be bought by libraries. If you pitch a literary agent and say “I’m a published author” – and list a self-published book, you’ll be considered a liar and won’t be given the time of day. This is the easiest way to get published.
3. “Write for Hire“. This is where you work as a contractor, and are paid by a publisher to write a predetermined work. Wiley’s most famous “work for hire” line is the “Dummies” series. (Gardening for Dummies, Web Design for Dummies, etc) As a contracted author, you do not own the work, cannot claim copyright on the material, and receive no advance or royalty payments. Usually you receive no credit, and the editor of the publishing house is listed on the front cover as the “author”. Wiley is more gracious than most publishers, because they sometimes put the name of the “hired writer” on the books.
In a “write for hire” situation, the publishing company sales division comes up with a book idea. Like, “Hey – we need another book an accounting for this series”, etc. Then they contract with a writer, whom they pay a flat fee for words on the page.
Here’s Wiley’s webpage for all their “write for hire” authors: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-301866.html
The writer did not “land a book deal”. The person was hired to write a preconceived and content-controlled book, that they will receive no credit for.
There’s nothing wrong with “write for hire”. Absolutely nothing. In fact, it’s a good way to make a little money from home, if you are competent with writing. You can apply to do this type of work, sort of like applying for a job. Wiley’s website provides a place to apply for these jobs.
The problem is that if you do this type of work, and then tell people you “landed a book deal with a major publisher”.
THAT would make you a liar, or at the very least a moron.
All of the evidence so far points to this being Tracy’s “book deal”.
