Another year older…
Oct. 31st, 2009 12:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
erastesHaving a good day. The weather has decided to give me a birthday present and is the epitome of autumn. A light mist, a slight drizzle, warm for the time of year (16 degrees C) and the colours are glorious. To treat myself, I drove 10 miles to the McDonalds and had a double sausage egg mcmuffin – and later I have raspberry cheesecake. One thing a birthday should always include is cake.
I had the best ecard EVER from ZA Maxfield (Thank you dear!) and I’m sharing it with you, I was crying laughing when reading it.
What a birthday shouldn’t include though is accusations of e-piracy, talking of sharing…. I had this charming missive waiting for me (emailed 3 times) from Love You Divine regarding a recent review of one of their books on Speak Its Name.
As the Publisher of loveyoudivine Alterotica, this post concerns me greatly. Since neither myself nor the author requested a review for this title from you, and you plainly state that you acquired this copy for free, we consider this Ebook Piracy.
We take Ebook Piracy very seriously, and so do our friends at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, otherwise known as the FBI in the United States of America. I'm also quite concerned that Erastes believes that this is a petty matter and that a 'fits all' disclaimer can dissuade me from my sworn responsibility to protect the company's assets, as well as those of my authors.
The very morning, I have printed this Weblog page and sent a copy to our contact at the FBI via registered mail. I suspect other authors you review will be equally interested as the FBI in what appears to be your flagrant disregard for their copyrights, also.
What annoys me is that publisher got the entirely wrong end of the stick, and reported me to the FBI(!) (how long will they take to get here, do you think? Will I have time to finish my cheesecake?) without discussing the matter with me first. The disclaimer clearly says that if I haven't received a free copy for review from the author or publisher, then I either BOUGHT IT or got it from the library. Sheesh. I replied, as politely as I could, explaining this, and explained that when I buy an ebook - of COURSE I have to pass it on to the reviewer, but I am a bloody professional after all—with a history of fighting piracy—and I don’t read the book concerned, and I delete the file from my PC. I can’t do more than that, can I?
How else does she expect me to pass books to reviewers?
Anyway, if I disappear off the face of the earth, you know where I am. Forward any further pressies to Guantanamo Bay.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2009-10-31 12:46 pm (UTC). . . But what the fuck at the FBI thing. Dude, what?! I hope this gets resolved nicely. I don't want you to go to Guantanamo Bay! >_<;;
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Date: 2009-10-31 12:48 pm (UTC)I know! Orange is NOT my colour!
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Date: 2009-10-31 12:48 pm (UTC)How pathetic of the publisher. Contol issues, anyone?
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Date: 2009-10-31 12:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 12:48 pm (UTC)*Cough*
Just always keep a file with you from now on. Just in case.
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Date: 2009-10-31 12:50 pm (UTC)In the cake!!!
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Date: 2009-10-31 12:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 12:51 pm (UTC)Thanks! I know where to come when the MIB come to call!
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Date: 2009-10-31 01:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 01:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 01:12 pm (UTC)Happy birthday, sausage. :)
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Date: 2009-10-31 01:14 pm (UTC)Thank you, dear!
:)
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Date: 2009-10-31 01:16 pm (UTC)Does this also mean that if I bought a book and then lent it to a friend because I'm nice, she'd come after me with a lawsuit?
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:20 pm (UTC)Exactly, hard books can be loaned and given away, and I did the right thing by deleting the original file, I doubt that many people are as scrupulous
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Date: 2009-10-31 01:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 03:17 pm (UTC)The only thing I did wrong, that I can see, was to make a flippant comment to Alex--but I did buy the damned thing, so as far as that's concerned, she's making herself look stupid.
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Date: 2009-10-31 01:22 pm (UTC)(Happy birthday!)
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 01:49 pm (UTC)And wow -- we only get to review books when the author or publisher requests it? That's an interesting perspective.
I wonder where one goes to swear in as a publisher. My town clerk doesn't seem to know the procedure...
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:16 pm (UTC)I'm chuckling too evilly at your comment...
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Date: 2009-10-31 01:52 pm (UTC):)
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:16 pm (UTC)Perhaps I should write to them and explain that I bought the book, but offer them an additional 20cents in lieu of the royalty the publisher thinks she lost out on?
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Date: 2009-10-31 01:53 pm (UTC)Couldn't have, I dunno, acted like adults and emailed you for clarification first if they had a concern. No, that would that be too sensible, and not as much fun as getting their knickers in a twist and calling in the G-men.
Happy birthday!
thank you!
Date: 2009-10-31 03:15 pm (UTC)I suppose this means that if I were to go into America in the future, I'd get turned away, like Cat Stevens. *sobs*
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Date: 2009-10-31 01:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 03:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 03:15 pm (UTC)And, honestly! I boggle. They go after you with a hammer for printing a very positive review which they should be pleased about? Just because they haven't read the disclaimer right? Why is our genre so full of kneejerk condemnation? :(
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:25 pm (UTC)No, it was from your review--Sarah wossit's Devil Spawn. I assume that she was probably indignant that how dare we post a less than positive review when she hadn't asked us to review it in the first place (rather than really worrying about a $2 lost sale (which wasn't, as I'd bought the book)--I had another author do similar the other day, saying (paraphrased) "how dare you give unflattering reviews when you were supposed to be The Supporter of the Genre, and don't review anything of mine ever again."
*head desk*
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:18 pm (UTC)I'd ignore until you hear from the FBI themselves (which won't happen), and at that point contact a lawyer.
Happy Birthday, btw!
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:27 pm (UTC)Actually, it would be great publicity, come to think of it. "Erastes, author of gay historical fiction blah blah was led away in chains by the FBI and put onto to Special Redition Plane never to be seen again..."
And thank you, btw!! :)
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:19 pm (UTC)I once managed to give the Heinlein Estate the impression I had stolen a copy of the then-unpublished For Us The Living. I don't recommend this, but I will say once the misunderstanding was cleared up, they not only apologized in writing but sent me an interesting book by a Soviet cosmonaut.
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:28 pm (UTC)I'm glad your story ended well, however, I don't think I'd want any titles from this particular publisher, it has to be said!
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:30 pm (UTC)And that publisher is clearly insane. If the FBI even looks at it (which seems extremely unlikely), I don't think they'll bother to do anything about it -- they have far bigger problems than online piracy that didn't happen.
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Date: 2009-10-31 03:31 pm (UTC)I'm not entirely sure what they could do, anyway!
(no subject)
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Date: 2009-10-31 05:12 pm (UTC)Our Priorities
In executing the following priorities, we will produce and use intelligence to protect the nation from threats and to bring to justice those who violate the law.
1. Protect the United States from terrorist attack
2. Protect the United States against foreign intelligence operations and espionage
3. Protect the United States against cyber-based attacks and high-technology crimes
4. Combat public corruption at all levels
5. Protect civil rights
6. Combat transnational/national criminal organizations and enterprises
7. Combat major white-collar crime
8. Combat significant violent crime
9. Support federal, state, local and international partners
10. Upgrade technology to successfully perform
the FBI's mission
Well, leaving aside the possibility of you upgrading the FBI's tech (which I know would never happen) and the fact that you're English, not an American citizen, let's examine this list.
You're not a domestic or foreign terrorist and you're certainly not attacking the United States. You're not involved in any foreign intelligence operations or espionage, and again, not threatening the United States. You are not attacking the U.S. or its government by means of cyber-crimes or high-tech crimes. You're not involved in major corruption of U.S. officials (*snap!*) and you're certainly not abrogating anyone's civil rights! You're not part of a transnational or national criminal organization (that sounds more like Gentleman Johnny Marcone from The Dresden Files). You're not guilty of major white collar crime or significant violent crime affecting the U.S. And you haven't done anything that would get the FBI's international partners involved, either.
And I can't really find anything on the FBI website about epiracy except a blanket statement that they're against it and various old press releases about Internet sweeps targeting "leading criminal organizations that illegally distribute and trade in copyrighted software, movies, music, and games on the Internet." (Which, again, isn't you.)
So honestly, I think that Love You Divine is talking through its collective hat.
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Date: 2009-10-31 05:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-10-31 05:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 05:17 pm (UTC):)
Another year older…
Date: 2009-10-31 05:30 pm (UTC)Re: Another year older…
Date: 2009-10-31 05:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 06:31 pm (UTC)This is the sort of thing that should get the response of:
"We are sorry that our purchase of and review of your e-book caused you such great displeasure. Please be assured that neither I, nor most likely any editor I know will be purchasing or reviewing any material from your publishing company from now on."
It would be interesting to see what sort of reaction that response would bring. Most likely more threats for NOT encouraging people to buy their stuff.
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Date: 2009-10-31 08:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 06:42 pm (UTC)Enjoy you're cheescake while you can!
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Date: 2009-10-31 08:23 pm (UTC)*looks sadly at plate.*
Cake all gone.
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Date: 2009-10-31 07:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 08:14 pm (UTC)http://speakitsname.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/review-devils-spawn-by-sarah-masters/
You and I both know Alex and how she will--if she can--find something good to say!!
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Date: 2009-10-31 08:05 pm (UTC)*sends flowers and a cake*
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Date: 2009-10-31 08:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-31 09:50 pm (UTC)And [eyeroll] on the FBI thing. That's a new one for the "Authors (and Publishers) Responding Badly to Reviews" album.
Angie
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Date: 2009-11-01 09:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
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