Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Conversations With God About Plagiarism

From the “You’ve Got to be Fucking Kidding Me” department comes this story via GalleyCat: spiritual author Neale Donald Walsch admitted to plagiarizing a story by another writer, Candy Chand.  In the NY Times article, Walsch is quoted as saying

In a telephone interview, Mr. Walsch, 65, who said he regularly gave 10 to 20 speeches a year, said he had been retelling the anecdote in public as his own for years. “I am chagrined and astonished that my mind could play such a trick on me,” he said.

Pardon my French, but Bull Almighty Fucking Shit. I’ve got the worst memory in the history of Milton Bradley and I can do better than that.

Ms. Chand isn’t buying it either:

Signet and Cassie Edwards Part Ways

Thanks to the many, many readers, the first of whom was AnnaPiper, who sent me this link to late breaking news: Cassie Edwards and Signet publishing have parted ways due to “irreconcilable editorial differences:”

Romance writer Cassie Edwards and publisher Signet Books have decided to break up after allegations emerged in January that in she lifted passages in several of her books from other sources.

“Signet has conducted an extensive review of all its Cassie Edwards novels and due to irreconcilable editorial differences, Ms. Edwards and Signet have mutually agreed to part ways,” the publisher said in a statement Friday.

“Cassie Edwards novels will no longer be published with Signet Books. All rights to Ms. Edwards’ previously published Signet books have reverted to the author.”

The news article, which was written by AP writer Hillel Italie, who covered the original story, gives a summary, and there is no comment by Edwards for the article.

Cover Snark

Our candidate for cover snark this week—a Leisure novel released in late January—has left us both speechless.

Ferrets Really, Really Like Us

In this month’s Defenders of Wildlife newsletter, there’s an article that links to the original Tolme piece from the magazine, but even better: Nora Roberts, Candy, myself, and you guys - the readers of this here blog - were named this month’s “Wildlife Heroes.” Yay! Way to go!

A Thank-You Note from Defenders of Wildlife

Got this in the inbox this morning, and it brought the biggest smile to my face:

Dear Nora Roberts and the ladies and gents of Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Books, We at Defenders of Wildlife are thrilled with the outpouring of support that we’ve received concerning the lifting of certain ferret-related passages from “Toughing It Out in the Badlands” in Defender’s magazine.  We appreciate the generous challenge grant of $5,000 from the Nora Roberts Foundation and the quick response from your readers.  When we were first made aware of this plagiarism incident, we had no idea it would become such a sensation! After several days of answering reporters’ calls, a constantly blushing editor, and fits of giggling breaking out all over the office thanks to the witty banter of a certain group of Smart Bitches, we feel this scandal has had quite a positive outcome. Awareness has been raised for the plight of the endangered black-footed ferret, and we have made some wonderful allies in unexpected places. Though the ethics and legality of this literary “borrowing” are suspect , we are very pleased that our work inspired someone to write about wildlife, and has inspired so many of you… read more »

NPR: 2008’s Sexiest Plagiarism Scandal

It seems, as many readers said to me, that NPR cannot get enough of Ferrets and all things Cassie Edwards. The plagiarism scandal was discussed on NPR’s Justice Talking, although when specifically I am not sure, as I haven’t been able to load the mp3. I imagine it’s not directly related to the larger discussion highlighted on that page about the FCC’s “new rules for media ownership.”

And should you be wishing for more of Mr. Tolme, there’s an extended interview with him on the NPR page of their coverage. It’s about 17 minutes long, so it surely doesn’t qualify as a sound bite. At least I don’t think it’s a “bite.” More like a major meal. I hope it brings increased job opportunities to Mr. Tolme, who continues to handle the entirety with class and style.

The Talk of the Nation blog continues the discussion as well.

A Quick-n-Dirty Primer on Plagiarism, Copyright and Fair Use, and Citations in a Fictional Work

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the difference between plagiarism and copyright infringement, the issue of fair use, and what authors should and shouldn’t do when it comes to citing research in their works of fiction. A lot of bad information is being passed around, and a lot of conflation (TAKE A DRINK, BITCHES) between plagiarism and copyright infringement; there also seem to be mild panic outbreaks among some authors who appear to think we readers are going to stab at them with our Pitchforks of Plagiarism +5 if they don’t include detailed citations in their books.

As a petty pedant, the former drives me nuts; as a reader who is capable of utilizing common sense, the latter makes me shake my head with mild exasperation. And as you regulars already know, pedantry + exasperation = me blather long time. The first part of this article is going to be a detailed, largely fact-based discussion about definitions. The second is going to be what I, as a Reader of Moderately-Sized Brain, want to see from an author in terms of acceptable usage without acknowledgement, and acceptable usage with acknowledgement; that part is pretty much purely opinion-based.

Copyright… read more »

Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me

Shadow Bear and Defenders of Wildlife constituted one of the questions on NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.

The story is part of the Bluff the Listener segment, which features “three stories of plagiarism in the news.”

Paul Tolme: “I’ve been properly spanked.”

I was working on a list of questions submitted by Bitchery readers for an interview with freelance writer Paul Tolme, but unfortunately, Mr. Tolme is on deadline, and has found that he does not have the time for an interview with us as originally thought. Major bummer! He has, however, written the following letter.

First off, thanks for all the kind comments. The response to my Newsweek.com story has been overwhelming. You romance novel readers and writers are a passionate bunch. I’ve been applauded, castigated, criticized and propositioned. Now let me apologize. I poked fun at the entire genre of romance novels in my story, and that was wrong. For this I have been disciplined. I was a bad boy, and I’ve been properly spanked. Not all romance novels are created equal. Lastly, the outpouring of financial support for black-footed ferrets by romance readers and writers including Nora Roberts and Smart Bitches is extremely heartening. This crazy saga of plagiarism and hot romance has done more to highlight the plight of black-footed ferrets than any event in recent history. Through the efforts of individuals such as Travis Livieri and others, the species is slowly returning. There are now 1,000 in… read more »

Letter to Smart Bitches from Travis Livieri

I received this letter in my inbox a few moments ago from Travis Livieri, who worked with Paul Tolme on the original story about black footed ferrets, and who is currently the Executive Director of Prairie Wildlife Research:

it’s really encouraging to see so many people become interested in black-footed ferrets.  It’s obvious to me that your website users are very passionate about romance novels and I can really appreciate passion for something.  I’ve been working in the field with black-footed ferrets for 12 years, giving my best to restore this beautiful creature and I’m always amazed at the interest and generosity of folks when they learn about black-footed ferrets.

Paul has been a classy and generous gentleman in how he has handled the ‘controversy’ and we’ve both enjoyed the buzz this has created, particularly because it has focused attention on the plight of black-footed ferrets and endangered species.  We’ve seen an immediate increase in the ‘adoption’ of black-footed ferrets (www.prairiewildlife.org and www.blackfootedferret.org , same adoption program) and the donation challenge by Nora Roberts with Defenders of Wildlife are tremendous examples of how wonderful romance novel readers are!  I harbor no ill will towards Cassie Edwards and I sincerely hope… read more »

DA: The Many Faces of Plagiarism

Jane has posted a most excellent profile series of the authors of the source material we found. I’m partial to the profile of Longfellow, and the final stanza of Song of Hiawatha:

But my guests I leave behind me Listen to their words of wisdom, Listen to the truth they tell you.

Well played, Jane.

Author of Defenders Magazine Article Responds in Newsweek

Paul Tolme, who wrote the original article on ferrets for Defenders Magazine, responds with an article about his work and his reaction to seeing his writing elsewhere in Newsweek magazine:

[T]hat is some bad dialogue. It stands out as clunky and awkward even by the standards of romance novels. That’s because Edwards didn’t write it. I did.

I traveled to South Dakota in the spring of 2005, flying into Rapid City airport, renting a car and driving to Wall, where I checked into a dumpy motel overlooking an industrial yard. It was as unromantic a location as you could imagine….

From dusk until nearly dawn we sat in Livieri’s truck—two dudes looking for weasels. Nobody said science was sexy.

After three days in Wall, where the highlight is visiting the famous Wall Drug Store, I could hardly leave town fast enough. I returned home and wrote the story for the Summer 2005 issue of Defenders magazine, which detailed how ferrets in the Conata Basin were being threatened by a federal effort to poison prairie dogs.

Had I known that my text would one day appear in a romance novel, I might have sexed up my story: “Hot-loving polecats do it… read more »

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.”

Alleged Response from Cassie Edwards Issued via MySpace

Thanks to Nikki, who posted the following in the comments of our previous entry, we have the text of what is allegedly a response from Cassie Edwards issued via her MySpace account:

————————— Original Message From: Cassie Edwards Date: Jan 11, 2008 11:58 AM

Hi, Lisa, I just got on My Space and I found your wonderful encouraging letter. Thank you for believing in me, for I have done nothing wrong. My publisher is standing behind me 100%, for they know my work better than anyone, and they know that all romance authors who use research for historicals have to use reference books to do this. My readers love this accurate material about the Indians. And if I couldn’t use this material my books would not be worth anything to my readers who depend on me.

The sad thing is that I am writing these books now in a way to honor our Native Americans, past, present and in the future. And I am honoring my great grandmother who was a full blood Cheyenne. She would be so proud of me if she could read what I am writing about the Indians who have been so maligned for so long.… read more »

Cassie Edwards: Remarkable Similarities to Pulitzer-Winning Novel, Laughing Boy

Part of a series: Cassie Edwards 1: The First Post | Cassie Edwards 2: Savage Longings | Cassie Edwards Part 3: Running Fox | Cassie Edwards Part 4: Savage Moon | Cassie Edwards Part 5: Savage Beloved | Follow-up: Penguin (Part 1?) | Official Statement from Signet | AP Article Contains Response from Edwards  | RWA Responds to Allegations  | A centralized document for the Cassie Edwards situation | Updated Statement from Signet | The NY Times Art Section Story | Cassie Edwards: Remarkable Similarities to Laughing Boy

Update! Thanks to Raj and Gemma, I now have included more complete quotes from Laughing Boy. The table below has been updated accordingly. All Hail Amazon.com Previews!

When Amy, one of our readers, contacted us and volunteered to check some Cassie Edwards novels for us, I said “Sure!” and expected more examples that have been typical to the pattern: passages lifted from old ethnographies or Native American memoirs, with scattered instances of wildlife articles from conservation organizations or encyclopedias. Several other readers have volunteered to look at various Cassie Edwards novels, and I was going to compile these instances into the PDF I’d created to document everything, and update the PDF… read more »