Angie

If you mean following as in Facebook, I’m not on Facebook. I realize this is a bit sacrilegious these days, but Facebook seems like a huge timesink and so I’m avoiding it. [wry smile]

Thanks!

Angie

Luck with your serial.

Angie

Something about finding a great book – one you invest heavily in – makes me feel proprietary about the story and the characters. I don’t necessarily want to share!

But pull something annoying – and I am going to be inclined to post to that effect SOMEWHERE, just to get rid of the annoyance.

You are correct: if it’s going to be a serial, or a story that requires several books to complete, advance warning is the minimum we should expect from the author and/or the publisher.

Having been burned several times now by serials which petered out (to be fair, these were usually free serials), now I usually wait until the whole thing is up before reading: it is work investing in a story and its characters.

I’m doing the same – serializing a novel. Let’s hope I don’t get hoisted by my own petard. I surrounded the announcement with all kinds of caveats, the story is finished (and being polished), and I made sure I had lots of episodes ready to go before starting (so when Life intervenes I won’t have to stop).

Even then, there is fear and trepidation. The worst crime an author can perpetuate is to disappoint readers. If it’s intentional, that’s so much worse!

I certainly agree with that. And you’re probably right about Amazon’s response being a generic CYA. It’s still annoying that they apparently have no filter whatsoever on this, that they’ll just automatically rubber-stamp whatever outrageous claim is made.

This DMCA claim is the IP equivalent of a SLAPP suit, and it should be illegal for the same reason SLAPP suits are, at least in some states. GW has to know that there’s no way they’d win this in court, but they’re betting that an indie pubbing writer can’t afford to take it anywhere near court. I’m just hoping that with the resources lining up behind Ms. Hogarth, that the right side wins this one.

I also wrote a letter to Games Workshop suggesting they fire their lawyers.

I was talking on my other blog to someone who used to be a lawyer, and this probably isn’t a problem with GW’s lawyers. Anyone who’s passed the bar has to know that this is bogus and would never stand up in court, but a lot of lawyers will file whatever in accordance with their client’s instructions, so long as they’re being paid. And a company like GW probably wants that kind of lawyer on their staff, given their actions here. It’s up to the client to ask, “Is this legitimate? Could we win this one?” and then make responsible use the feedback they get.

If they’re going for a SLAPP type effect, though, they know this isn’t legitimate and wouldn’t stand up. They’re just rolling the bully dice. They need a good stomping to teach them some manners.

Angie

The DMCA is one of the most abused acts out there.

I purchased a few of the author’s Kindle books and am planning on dropping some cash in her kitty to fund her legal woes. I also wrote a letter to Games Workshop suggesting they fire their lawyers.

Angie

Thanks for being such a pleasure!!