Editor of Defenders Magazine Comments

In an updated AP article covering the Cassie Edwards story, the editor of Defenders Magazine, Mark Cheater, is quoted:

One example cited by the romance Web site compares a description of black-footed ferrets in “Shadow Bear,” which came out last year, with similar text from a 2005 article in Defenders Magazine, a quarterly published by Defenders of Wildlife, a conservation organization.

“I’m glad that our magazine has inspired others to write about endangered wildlife,” Defenders editor Mark Cheater said in a statement Friday. “But I’d like to note that our articles are copyrighted, and those who wish to re-use parts or all of these stories need to seek permission first.”

 

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  1. Bernita says:

    May we assume, from the dry tone of that quote, that no permission was sought or granted?

  2. MaryKate says:

    Bernita – I actually work for Defenders.

    No. They’re as taken aback as anyone by this.

  3. rebyj says:

    He did not say ” her work is obviously NOT plagiarism but research” (rolls eyes yet again at the “research” defense)

    he said Quote:  “those who wish to re-use parts or all of these stories need to seek permission first.”

    methinks the fan that the shit has hit, has just been powered up a notch.

  4. Sphinx says:

    Unadorned as it was, the tone of that quote was as dry as Ian Fleming’s midnight martini.  This will not end well.

  5. Teddy Pig says:

    How dare they!

    She thought copyright meant she had to copy it right.

    They just do not get the entitlement of the sorta kinda Native American Historical Writer.

  6. Oh, Teddy, I can always rely on you to make me spit soda all over my computer screen and eject it by force via my nasal passage. 

    Good for Mark Cheater.  (Wait, Cheater?  That’s appropriate, eh?)  I hope Defenders is angry enough to do something about it.  Lord knows someone needs to.

    I’ve rarely commented on this whole mess, but I’ve been following it like everyone else, and each time I think I can’t be any more incredulous, I prove myself wrong. 

    And at the risk of being lumped in with the so-called “mean girls” (which, by the way, I have thus far failed to identify), I don’t care if CE is 17 or 70.  She deserves whatever she gets.

  7. Joanna Bourne says:

    I wonder if someone should whisper the words ‘class action suit’ into Mark Cheater’s ear. 

    The black footed ferrets may have lots of company before this is over.

  8. Julianna says:

    I’m picturing a nation of black footed ferrets reclining in little jacuzzis, sipping cocktails, living large on Cassie Edward’s money.

  9. Wow. I totally think Mark Cheater sounds sexy.

  10. KCfla says:

    Teddypig- you owe me a keyboard 😉 ( unless someone knows how to get diet Coke out of it lol!)

    And I wonder if they are going to pursue the “theft” on this one, or are they just going to let it slide?

  11. Poison Ivy says:

    Please, Defenders Magazine, find a cheap lawyer and sue this woman.

  12. Strepsi says:

    “re-use parts or all” – BWAHAHAHA!

    She’s toast.

    By the way, major kudos for the scoop andf the follow-up to the SmartBitches and their geeky Sci-Fi friend Kate (the Velma of your Scooby Doo gang?)

  13. Daisy Adaire says:

    Mark Cheater DOES sound hot. I do love me a man with an ironic tone.

    You know, the thing that keeps bothering me- is she actually PROUD of her so-called works? Or did she just do it, as they say, for the Benjamins?

  14. Ocy says:

    I’m with y’all about Mark Cheater sounding hot.  Intelligent, classy, with a sense of humour?  Oh, yeah.

  15. Nina says:

    this is off the topic, but ok, so, she’s been published…and from what i understand, her “writing style” is very choppy (i use quotation marks because apparently she hasn’t been writing nor has she a style)…
    first, why didn’t any of her editors edit out the style problems or at least bring it to her attention?
    and second, correct me if i’m wrong, but some of the people on this site that have identified these problems are not actually in the publishing industry.  They are likely at least in part amateurs, like me, who haven’t taken a lit class in quite a few years. If amateurs without access to that anti-plagiarism software can do it, why haven’t the professionals in her publishing companies noticed anything?

      Doesn’t it matter to the publishing company that one of their authors has plagiarized something under their name?
      This doesn’t speak very well for publishing companies.  It seems to mean that apparently, works of writing are not really read before being published. 
      If they’re not being read, well, how do they determine whether or not to publish these books?  It’s kind of sad for all of the new and talented authors out there that have yet to be published.  Apparently, being a talented author is not actually enough to become a successful author.  Although ironically, it’s clearly not necessary to have talent either. 

    and best wishes to the companies that intend to sue her…

  16. Nora Roberts says:

    Nina, while her writing style may not appeal to you, it has, for many years appealed to her target audience. They are entitled to read and enjoy what they like.

    I would say that her editors over the years (and remember her eds and pubs have been working with her long before Google.Book) would have assumed her style was her style—and her audience liked it. An editor wouldn’t change or require an author to change a style that pleased her audience. Why would they? And wouldn’t be required to vet it for plagiarism. Every author signs a contract stating the work is original.

    Can any of you imagine what it would take if every publisher had to vet every book they bought prior to pub. This would have to be fiction and non-fiction to be equitable. Thousands of books every year. Thousands.

    Come on. The writer gives her word—by contract—that she’s giving them original work. Is this supposed to mean nothing?

    Of course the books are read. And edited—maybe some are not as well editor as some would like. But the point is, this is a popular author who sold well, and her audience enjoyed her books.

    The publisher did its job. It appears the author did not do hers properly.

    Many would agree with your take on her style and her talent—but many others, obviously, would not. Or they wouldn’t have continued to buy her books.

  17. Manon says:

    That was *beautiful*.

  18. SB’s and Nora….

    Canuck Bunion SALUTES YOU!!

    http://bunionblog.blogspot.com/

    Thank you.
    Thank you so much.

  19. J.C. Wilder says:

    Ouch! Not a good day to be Cassie.

  20. Nina says:

    Ms. Roberts, I must admit I hadn’t thought of it that way. And I suppose if a company publishes a few successful novels and there aren’t any complaints lodged, well, why fix something that isn’t broken?

  21. Poison Ivy says:

    Nina, legend has it that Barbara Cartland’s contract with her one of her US publishers stated it was not allowed to change even one comma without her express consent. Maybe it’s just a story. But does it give you a hint about what an eagle-eyed editor at one of CE’s publishers might have been up against? Possibly a contract insisting they keep hands off. Possibly just the enormous pressure that This Writer Sells a Lot of Books and We Want to Keep Her Happy. Under those conditions, what editor would look closely?

    But no one will convince me that not even one copy editor ever noticed the abrupt changes in style, or thought it meant something. They just didn’t have anywhere to go with it.

  22. Poison Ivy says:

    “with one of her” not “with her one of her”

    sorry!

  23. Charlene says:

    Poison Ivy, Bennett Cerf once wrote that Hemingway had the same no-edit clause in his contract as well.

    Of course, he surprised his publishers not with plagiarism or even with typos but with the fine old word “fuck”.

  24. JD says:

    Did everyone see that Fandom Wank found an instance of Cassie lifting from Longfellow? http://www.journalfen.net/community/fandom_wank/1133638.html

  25. Dak says:

    She lifted from Longfellow?

    Wait.

    What?

    Seriously?

    Man.

  26. Mark Cheater, you win at life. I’m writing you as the hero in my next steamy romance novel. 😉

  27. RfP says:

    Please, Defenders Magazine, find a cheap lawyer and sue this woman.

    I doubt that that would help out their cause.

  28. Nina says:

    i forgot about those no edit clause things…stephen king must have that lately…i got a very lengthy version of The Stand that was sold proudly as the unedited version…

    hey, gotta give hemingway credit, that’s a good reason to have a no edit clause on a book…

  29. Ishie says:

    Apologies if someone else has posted this, but speaking of ferrets, has anyone seen the newsweek article addressing the matter????

    http://www.newsweek.com/id/94543

    Unfortunately, the whole genre kind of gets swept into a lump, but still some pretty funny stuff.  The opening picture is worth it alone.

  30. Kcfla says:

    Ishie- thanks for the link.

    Well the article proves at least one thing. CE’s lawyers have put the “gag order” on her. Which I guess is exspected.

  31. rebyj says:

    OH MY STARS at the newsweek article LMAO

    hilarious

    the author’s description of reading ce’s book is very funny ..including this comment”Then, a few pages later, as Bramlett and Shadow Bear bask in their postcoital glow, my ferrets arrive on the scene. ” the imagery of that made me giggle.

    thanks for the link Ishie!

  32. kim says:

    Oh Ishie…thanks for that link!  That was fun! I think I am in love with that guy.

  33. Eunice says:

    Teddy Pig and Ishie, thanks for the laughs! I’ll have to read the article later, but that opening graphic is priceless.

  34. --E says:

    If Mark Cheater is single and straight, he’s got a full dance card anytime he wants. I’m with y’all—woo!

    The Newsweek article is tear-inducingly hilarious.

    On the subject of editing: Most authors, even Very Big Name authors, recognize the value of a good editor, recognize that the editor is only interested in helping the book be the best it can.

    And then there’s the less than 1% who refuse to be edited. If they’re Big Name, they declare by fiat that their deathless prose isn’t to be touched. If they’re midlist (and with 100 books, I imagine that CE was midlist at the early part of her career), the editor pushes and does what she can, but if the author refuses to make the changes, there’s not a lot the editor can do.

    What can the editor do in the face of a recalcitrant author? This:

    1. Cancel the book. In practice, though, it’s a lot cheaper to just publish it. For a publishing house to cancel a contract based on the “unacceptable manuscript” clause is virtually unheard of. You practically have to write I’m-off-my-meds gibberish to get that clause invoked.

    2. Refuse to sign another contract with the author. But if the author is actually selling well, the company will keep her anyway. The editor will throw up his hands in disgust, do the best he can, and let it go. From a sales perspective, it ain’t broke.

    Much as we would like to think all editors are committed to the ideals of good prose and solid writing, the fact is that all editors are commited to the ideals of paying the rent, the utilities, and the grocery bill. After that, they’re committed to good literature. (And honestly, some aren’t. I know a few editors who have the literary chops of a turnip, but they have a brilliant instinct for what will sell.)

    During the day editors are at meetings, doing (inter alia) the following:

    1. arguing with the marketing department why Greatest Book Ever should get heavier promotion.

    2. discussing the cover designs of several pending books with the art director.

    3. calculating P&L estimates and then meeting with the editorial board to argue why they want to buy books X and Y, and how they can afford to do it.

    4. writing cover copy, flap copy, promotional copy. Sifting through reviews and other sources for blurbs.

    5. meetings, meetings, meetings.

    6. sales conference. Also, prep for sales conference.

    7. A zillion things that I can’t enumerate, because I’m not an editor, I only work with them.

    The actual job of editing takes place outside of the office, and occurs purely because editors as a class do give a crap about what they publish. Unfortunately, there’s only so many hours in a day and editors need to sleep sometimes.

    Editors work in an underpaid industry that has a very modest profit margin. For mass market fiction, most of the editors work in NY or London, two of the most expensive cities in the world. They do the bulk of their editing while sitting on their sofa at 10pm, or on the commuter train from the suburb where they can afford the rent.

    So cut the editors some slack. At the end of the day, it’s the author’s name that appears on the cover, and the author who has final say on what words are contained therein. The author is the person who accepts the accolades and awards. She can accept responsibility when she fucks up, too.

    wordver: many69. Needs no clever comment, does it.

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