Is there such a thing as an anachronism editor?

Because if there is, I should be one.

Here is some advice for authors: If you write a novel set in a time period in which you did not live and of which there are still survivors, for Pete's sake GET ONE OF THEM TO READ YOUR NOVEL BEFORE IT IS PUBLISHED! Is that so hard?

I just finished reading "The Little Friend" by Donna Tartt, which takes place in the early 1970s, but it is a time-warped version of the 70s where kids call each other "dude". Honestly, there are still a few of us geezers out there who were around in the 70s and we could have easily told the author to lose the "dude". This was not the only blooper in that particular book, but I lost count.

Likewise, in "The Physics of Sunset", which takes place during the Berkely fire of 1991, the author has the characters using modems to send each other email over something that suspiciously resembles the internet which was definitely not in general use at that time. I know. I lived in Silicon Valley at that time. I had a clandestine connection into a NASA computer to send email. Random folks did not have dialup email connections. So, you can have either email or the Berkeley fire, but not both, lady.

I hereby volunteer myself to be an anachronism editor for any author who cares to take me up on it. No charge. I consider myself qualified to point out anachronisms in any work of fiction set between 1968 and 1995. After that it's just too hazy. And if I'm not sure about something--I'll actually go to the trouble of looking it up!

Update: As was pointed out to me by a reader, this is also one of book reviewer Bella Stander's pet peeves. Take a look at her Blackboard of Shame