Jane at Dear Author has published her open letter to the CEO and President of Penguin, and it’s sharp and eloquent (manishtana?). Well played, Jane!
My letter to the PR rep who published the Signet statement, read as follows:
While I appreciate your
statement on the subject of Cassie Edwards’ novels, your statement of Signet’s position is certainly not well received
and is quite disappointing.For one thing, the use of the word “done nothing wrong,” allows for
ethical debate that doesn’t do Ms. Edwards any favors. Ethically, if our
comments on Smart Bitches and on Dear Author are any indication, Ms.
Edwards is in hot water with romance readers. She may not have broken
any laws, but she would have failed my English class.But more importantly, your statement that “reasonable borrowing and
paraphrasing of another author’s words” is permitted under fair-use is
not applicable to the facts of this situation, because our evidence
seems to show that Ms. Edwards allegedly reproduced word-for-word paragraphs of written
data as dialogue for her characters. It wasn’t paraphrasing or borrowing,
in my opinion. It was reproduction without citation or acknowledgment.
Further, many, many authors of historical novels cite sources in their
acknowledgments or “Author’s Note” sections.
I agree with Jane and Nora Roberts that the best option for rage and ire is to write reasoned, precise letters to Penguin, Signet, et al, and explain your reaction to their statement, and why you’re so upset. It’s one thing to vent on a blog. It is a much bigger thing to contact the people who run the company and let them know how upset you are, and your reaction to their statement regarding Cassie Edwards’ novels. I do not think it likely such letters would be dismissed easily.
There are a few sources available online as to contact info though I make no guarantees as to whether the list is up to date. Plus, there are contact email addresses in the comments to Jane’s letter.
I’m working on my letter now. Need more caffeine.
Too bad I’m late into this discussion. Had an afterthought for Mary Ellen—even if it were true, how does “everyone is doing it” make it right? I never let my kids get away with that one.
Many have talked about writing letters and boycotting Signet and/or the entire Penguin Group, not just CE. How many people are going to write their local bookstores, or the buyers for BN, Borders, BAM, etc? Spamming CE listings on Amazon is wrong (though deliciously satisfying in a junior high sort of way), but a true boycott of her work can be achieved in a rational, organized, mature, and suchlike fashion.
Many of us reading and posting comments have mentioned, “But I *already* don’t buy her garbage!â€
Helping educate those responsible for CE books reaching the store shelves, thus ringing up sales for her and Signet, would be a public service. A strongly worded letter to Signet/Penguin, book buyers, libraries, Independent Booksellers, companies that stock the big chain stores (Target, Wal-Mart, etc), Cassie Edwards herself, would be healthy avenues to pursue in a true boycott of a proven and unrepentant plagiarist. And thusly her publisher.
Oftentimes the romance genre is maligned. If we defend it loudly and demand all authors be held to the same ethical standards, it can only chip away at that negative public image. No business should knowingly sell plagiarized work, legal or no, when so many other deserving authors deserve that shelf space. Have earned that shelf space. Letters far and wide will go a long way to 1) educate those who may not know the issue; 2) support the removal of Cassie Edwards’ books from store shelves; 3) prove that the romance genre is full of smart people who demand the highest ethical standards—no different from any other genre; and 4) send a loud and clear message that stealing is just plain wrong, in all forms. I trust business people will appreciate that stealing is wrong.
I imagine the letter could be accompanied by links to all the appropriate places. Those who choose to continue with business as usual are free to do so—but it will not be for lack of knowledge on their parts, or trying on ours.
Kim B.
Mary Ellen,
You may be a minority here but that doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to your opinion.
With that said, you have made a number of accusations about people being mean and bitchy. Responders have asked you to clarify your stance, several times, only for you to come back and call them mean and bitchy again.
I am more interested in your thoughts on plagerism, which you have not yet told us, than that you consider a few folks here mean and bitchy.
I hope you come back and let us know your position on plagerism. 😉